Experience level - Revision history

Phol ende wodan: /* Strategy */ 3.7 hp regen mechanics add an incentive for gaining a lot of levels

2024-12-19T22:20:27Z

‎Strategy: 3.7 hp regen mechanics add an incentive for gaining a lot of levels

Joeljpa: /* Thresholds */ added Wizards example since they get their's quite late > lvl 14 compared to the most roles

2024-04-01T17:58:13Z

‎Thresholds: added Wizards example since they get their's quite late > lvl 14 compared to the most roles

Umbire the Phantom: pothole

2024-02-11T11:40:46Z

pothole

Nethacker: /* Gaining levels */ more clarifications

2023-12-03T01:55:50Z

‎Gaining levels: more clarifications

Darth l33t: /* Strategy */

2022-06-09T14:41:21Z

‎Strategy

Cathartes: /* Thresholds */ fix defensive item threshold

2022-05-30T17:50:03Z

‎Thresholds: fix defensive item threshold

Darth l33t: /* Thresholds */ monster self-defense

2022-05-30T14:38:42Z

‎Thresholds: monster self-defense

Darth l33t: /* Benefits */ spellbook from favor

2022-04-16T14:01:51Z

‎Benefits: spellbook from favor

Darth l33t: /* Drawbacks */ squeaky board

2022-03-10T15:11:31Z

‎Drawbacks: squeaky board

Umbire the Phantom at 22:30, 17 December 2021

2021-12-17T22:30:52Z

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 Most characters can level up to 10 or 11 fairly easily just by killing monsters. However, since the required experience points double with each level, while the points granted by more difficult monsters rise more slowly, you will most likely have to resort to alternative leveling methods to reach level 14. For example, a level 13 character would need to descend to at least dungeon level 23 to fight a [[Jabberwock]], a rare and very dangerous monster. They would then need to kill 82 Jabberwocks just to reach level 14; most other monsters they would encounter grant far less experience.
-{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|You can bypass the Quest level requirement by killing your Quest Leader, but this comes with severe penalties. It's only recommended for speed runners or characters who have locked themselves out of the Quest, not for those who simply don't want to level up.}}
+{{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|You can bypass the Quest level requirement by killing your Quest Leader, but this comes with severe penalties. It's only recommended for speed runners or characters who have locked themselves out of the Quest, not for those who simply don't want to level up.
 ==Variants==

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 === Thresholds ===
-* Certain [[role]]s gain [[intrinsic]]s at specific levels.
+* Certain [[role]]s gain [[intrinsic]]s at specific levels. [[Wizards]], for example, get their only two intrinsics (warning and teleport control) quite late compared to other classes (level 15 and Level 17 respectively).
 * You must at be least level 3 to receive a [[Sacrifice#Gifts|sacrifice gift]].
 * An [[elf (starting race)|elf]] gains [[sleep resistance]] at level 4.

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 * You must be level 14 to get permission to begin the [[Quest]] from your Quest leader.
 * A [[Tourist]] at level 15 is no longer automatically considered a sucker by [[shopkeeper]]s.
-* The turn undead command may pacify or destroy certain classes of [[undead]] at specific level thresholds. At level 16, it may also turn [[demon]]s.
+* The turn undead command may pacify or destroy certain classes of [[undead]] at specific level thresholds. At level 16, it may also turn [[M2_DEMON|demons]].
 == Gaining levels ==

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 * Chance when [[polymorph]]ing into your own [[race]]
 * Chance of regaining a lost level when [[praying]] successfully at a coaligned [[altar]]
-* Regaining a lost level when quaffing a [[potion of full healing]]. Up to half of your lost levels can be regained this way.
+* Regaining a lost level when quaffing a blessed [[potion of full healing]]. Up to half of your lost levels can be regained this way.
-* Regaining a lost level when quaffing a [[potion of restore ability]]. All of your lost levels can be regained this way; all at once if the potion is [[blessed]].
+* Regaining a lost level when quaffing a blessed or uncursed [[potion of restore ability]]. All of your lost levels can be regained this way; all at once if the potion is [[blessed]].
-You may never gain more than one experience level at a time; killing a [[water demon]] at XP1:0 will only put you on 2:39, not 4:148 as might be expected. (You can, however, gain multiple experience levels in a single turn, as for example when a beginner character manages to destroy many creatures at once with an exploding gas spore.)
+You may never gain more than one experience level at a time; killing a [[water demon]] at XP1:0 will only put you on 2:39, not 4:148 as might be expected. (You can, however, gain multiple experience levels in a single turn, as for example when a beginner character manages to destroy many creatures at once with an exploding gas spore. Also, you can regain all lost levels at once when quaffing a blessed potion of restored ability.)
 If you are already at level 30, experience points will not raise your level. Except for polymorph, effects which instantly increase your level can still increase maximum HP and energy at level 30.

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 ==Strategy==
 Every character must reach level 14 at some point to complete their Quest and retrieve the [[Bell of Opening]], required for the [[Invocation ritual]]. In general, levels beyond 14 only provide a real power boost for characters who are heavily into spellcasting. Other characters get more HP and to-hit chance, but [[alchemy]], [[nurse dancing]], [[Luck]], and enchanting your weapon can substitute for these boosts. The minor gains from higher levels should be weighed against the more powerful monsters that a high-level character will face.
 {{upcoming|NetHack 3.7.0|You can bypass the Quest level requirement by killing your Quest Leader, but this comes with severe penalties. It's only recommended for speed runners or characters who have locked themselves out of the Quest, not for those who simply don't want to level up.}}

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 * Lawful characters must be at least level 5 to dip for [[Excalibur]].
 * [[Wizard]]s must be level 8 to invoke [[teleportitis]] at will, while other characters must be level 12.
-* Monsters become more proactive about fleeing or healing themselves at levels 10 and 15.{{refsrc|src/muse.c|399|nethack=3.6.6}}
+* Monsters become more proactive about fleeing or healing themselves at levels 10 and 14.{{refsrc|src/muse.c|399|nethack=3.6.6}}
 * You must be level 14 to get permission to begin the [[Quest]] from your Quest leader.
 * A [[Tourist]] at level 15 is no longer automatically considered a sucker by [[shopkeeper]]s.

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 * The spell of {{spell of|protection}} grants more [[AC]] at level powers of 2.
 * You are more likely to convert an [[altar]].
 * You are more likely to successfully play certain [[musical instrument]]s, and the range of some of their effects increases.
 * You are more likely to find a [[container trap]] when searching for it.

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 * Protection and other favors from an [[aligned priest]] become more expensive.
 * The [[summon nasties]] [[monster spell]] can summon more monsters.
 === Thresholds ===

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 [[Drain resistance]] protects against all these except polymorph.  In addition, [[magic cancellation]] protects against level drain from monster attacks.
-Having a level drained puts you a single experience point below the threshold of the level you just lost.{{refsrc|src/exper.c|235|version=NetHack 3.6.1}} If you gain any experience at all, you will regain a lost level, but only one level can be restored in this way. A blessed potion of {{! of|restore ability}} will immediately restore all lost levels to your former maximum, while uncursed potions of {{! of|restore ability}} and blessed potions of {{! of|full healing}} will restore one level at a time. However, full healing will only restore half of the levels that were lost (rounded up).
+Having a level drained puts you a single experience point below the threshold of the level you just lost.{{refsrc|src/exper.c|235|version=NetHack 3.6.1}} If you gain any experience at all, you will regain a lost level, but only one level can be restored in this way. A blessed potion of restore ability will immediately restore all lost levels to your former maximum, while uncursed potions of restore ability and blessed potions of full healing will restore one level at a time. However, full healing will only restore half of the levels that were lost (rounded up).
 When losing a level, your HP and maximum HP are both decreased by the amount they had increased when you last gained the lost level, to a minimum of one. Energy and maximum energy work similarly, down to a minimum of zero.{{refsrc|src/exper.c|214|version=NetHack 3.6.1}} Being drained below experience level one is deadly, although an [[amulet of life saving]] can rescue you, leaving you at level one with no experience.{{refsrc|src/exper.c|205|version=NetHack 3.6.1}}