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Levelling Up

When a character earns enough experience to cross the next class threshold, their abstract gains translate into a measurable improvement.

What changes on level-up

The exact gains depend on the character's class, but most level-ups change one or more of:

  • Hit points — a roll on the class's Hit Die (e.g. d10 for Fighters, d8 for Clerics and Druids, d6 for Bards and Thieves, d4 for Mages and Sorcerers). Constitution adds a bonus. See Hit Dice progression.
  • THAC0 — front-line warriors improve by one every level or two; spellcasters more slowly. See THAC0 progression.
  • Saving throws — each save category improves on its own schedule per class. See Saving Throws progression.
  • Spell slots — wizards and priests gain new spell slots and access to higher spell levels. Sorcerers gain additional spells known. See Spells per Day.
  • Weapon proficiencies — gained at intervals defined by class (see Proficiencies).
  • Thieving skills — Thieves and Bards distribute new skill points across their thieving skills each level.
  • Class-specific abilities — high-level abilities unlock at specific milestones (Druidic shape change, Monk ki powers, Cleric kit spells, etc.) — see the relevant class or kit page under Character.

After Hit Dice cap out

Hit Dice are not gained indefinitely:

  • Warriors: stop rolling new HD at level 9. From level 10 onward, gain a flat +3 hp per level.
  • Priests: stop at level 9. From level 10 onward, gain a flat +2 hp per level.
  • Rogues (Thief, Bard): stop at level 10. From level 11 onward, gain a flat +2 hp per level.
  • Wizards (Mage, Sorcerer): stop at level 10. From level 11 onward, gain a flat +1 hp per level.

Constitution still applies as usual.

Where to level up

You level up at the character record screen, via the Level Up icon, once you've crossed an XP threshold. Multi-class characters level each class separately as its individual XP share crosses that class's threshold.

Reference tables

Specific numbers for each class live in the progression tables — ability scores, XP, Hit Dice, THAC0, saving throws, spells per day, and the Wild Surge results table.

Source: synthesised from iwdee/original_manuals/IWDEE - Mastering Melee & Magic.pdf — Chapter 6 and Chapter 12 appendices.