BG - Experience and Gaining Levels

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Experience and Gaining Levels

　Every time a character goes on an adventure he learns something. He may learn a little more about his physical limits, encounter a creature he has never seen before, try a spell as yet unused, or discover a new peculiarity of nature. A character also improves by increasing his power – as levels are
gained, new hit points, more spells, or a better chance to hit with an attack can be achieved. These gains are made by earning experience points (XP). An experience point is a concrete measure of a character’s improvement. It represents a host of abstract factors: increased confidence, physical exercise, insight, and on-the-job training. When a character earns enough experience points to advance to the next experience level, these abstract factors translate into a measurable improvement in the abilities of the character. Just what areas improve and how quickly improvement occurs all depend on the character’s class.

Group Experience Awards – Quest Experience

　Experience points are earned through the activities of the characters, which generally relate to their adventuring goals. Thus all characters on an adventure receive some experience points for overcoming their enemies or obstacles. The experience gained for slaying monsters and finishing quests is shared equally between the characters in your party.

Experience Points for Multi- and Dual Classed Characters in Baldur’s Gate

　Multiclassed characters (non humans) have multiple classes that are defined when they are created. They gain in levels in either two or three classes for their entire careers, and can use the abilities of any of their classes at any time. Experience points are evenly divided among all of their classes, and they gain in levels according to the experience point tables for each class.

　Dual classed characters choose to focus on a second career at some point. At this point they stop gaining levels in their original class, and start gaining levels in a new class. They cannot, however, use any of the abilities of their old class until they have gained at least one more level in their new class than in their old class. After this point, they can choose freely between the abilities of each class.

　The available abilities for both multi- and dual classed characters are shown by the available buttons at the bottom of the main interface screen when that character is selected. There is one proviso for both multi- and dual classed characters, however – if they are wearing armor or using weapons that are not allowed by one of their classes, their abilities in that class are disabled (dimmed) until they stop wearing that armor or using that weapon.