Character Level

XP, stat points, and monster scaling. Illustrated source is volume 16. Master figures are CL1–CL2. alvl / dlvl in the hit-chance formula are this same character / monster level.

What this is

Character level

• Spine: ties stats, tentacle unlocks, and monster difficulty together.
• XP: kill enemies and finish tasks → fill XP bar → level up.
• Stat points: each level grants points assigned on the I-screen.
• Open world / most dungeons: monster level = that operative’s character level (including shared coop).
• Raids / specialty dungeons: locked monster level for everyone.

• Play HUD does not show the XP bar. Level / unspent points live on Character screen I.
• alvl / dlvl in the hit-chance formula are this same character / monster level.

XP and level up

• XP comes from killing enemies and completing tasks (missions, objectives, bounties).
• When the XP bar fills, the character gains one level.
• Level cap: TBD.
• XP curve (how much XP per level): TBD.
• Task XP vs kill XP weighting: TBD.

Multiclass already has an XP tax in the GDD. That tax still applies when multiclass is used. It does not replace this level loop.

Stat points

On level up the player receives stat points to assign. Assignment is manual, on the I-screen STATS strip. Unspent points sit there until spent. Working attributes on that strip (not a sixth Energy attribute):

• STR — Strength. Melee power, heavy equip.
• DEX — Dexterity. Aim, handling, finesse.
• CON — Constitution. Health pool, trauma.
• INT — Intelligence. Systems, OmniVisor load.
• WIS — Wisdom. Will, auras, tentacle control.
• Energy stays a pool, not a stat you put points into.

Points per level — must be written

• How many stat points the player gets each level: TBD. This number has to be locked before tuning.
• Whether the grant is flat every level, or a table (e.g. extra points at milestone levels): TBD.
• Whether Order / subclass modifies the grant: TBD. Default: same grant for every operative.
• Stat respec: TBD. Limited respecs already exist as a GDD direction for skills; stats may share that or stay permanent.

What character level already gates

• Tentacle sets unlock Set 1 → Set 2 → Set 3 by character level (vol. 11). Exact thresholds TBD.
• Mechanical Arms gate sits at or below the first tentacle-set level.
• Affix / gambling / Crafting Page item level can read character level (existing GDD).
• Skill-tree point grants per level: TBD (separate from stat points).

Monster level — open world and most dungeons

Monster level equals that operative’s character level. As the operative gets stronger, their world gets stronger with them. At equal level the fight is the intended baseline. Coop does not pick one party-wide monster level. The instance is shared; monster level stays locked to each player.

• Open world: monster level tracks the character who is fighting it.
• Most dungeons: same rule — they scale per player.
• Coop / fireteam: one shared instance. Two operatives standing in the same space still have their own monster levels.
• Player A at 20 fights level-20 packs. Player B at 12 fights level-12 packs. The instance is the same.
• How to even that out so coop still feels fair: TBD. That is the open lock — not highest / average / owner picking a single instance level.

Raids and specialty dungeons — set monster level

Raids and specialty dungeons do not scale with the player. They publish a set monster level. Bring a lower-level character and the content is harder. Bring an equal or higher level and it plays as authored.

• Set monster level is authored per encounter / dungeon / raid tier.
• It does not rise or fall when a higher- or lower-level operative walks in.
• Under-level is allowed — it is just harder. No hard lockout unless a later pass asks for one.
• This is the gate that keeps raid and specialty spaces from being facerolled by overlevel and from being secretly scaled down for a low-level carry.

Open / TBD

• Stat points granted per level (the number that must be written).
• XP curve and level cap.
• How to even per-player monster level in a shared coop instance.
• Exact tentacle Set 1 / 2 / 3 level thresholds.
• Whether the play HUD ever shows a compact level pip (current lock: I-screen only).
• Stat respec.
• Skill-tree points per level vs stat points per level (two budgets).

Status

• Illustrated GDD volume 16 — Character Level, Stat Points, Monster Scaling.
• Listed on 00 - Index and Figure List.docx.
• Spliced into the Updated master as chapter Character Level (Figure CL1–CL2).