View source for The Next Level

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{{PDF|http://legendsofhyrule.net/5e/images/6/67/Character_Creation.pdf}}
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As your adventure progresses, your hero is likely to gain experience points, find heart pieces and heart containers, or reach milestones. Any of these three options can be used to increase your character's level—as detailed below. Your narrator decides which of these is best suited for your campaign.{{a}}'''''XP.''''' The amount of experience points you need to reach the next level is described in the ''Player's Handbook'' (2014) or other fifth edition content. Experience points are optional.{{a}}
'''''Hearts.''''' If you find and consume a [[Heart Container|''heart container'']], you gain the full amount of experience points between your current level and your next level. Assembling enough [[Heart Piece|''heart pieces'']] creates a ''heart container'' for you.{{a}}'''''Milestones.''''' Finally, for milestones, your narrator might decide at appropriate times that your accomplishments are enough to inspire your character to level up without needing either experience points or heart containers. Upon reaching such a milestone, you automatically gain the full amount of experience points between your current level and the next level. 

==Level Up==
{| cellspacing=0 style="margin-{{#if:{{{inside|}}}|right|left}}: 10%; float:right; text-align:center; color:#{{BoxTextColor}}; background-color:#f4e1bf; border: 2px solid #411e10; font-size:16px; font-family:'scalysans';"
! &nbsp;Level&nbsp; !! style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | &nbsp;PB&nbsp;
|- style="background-color:#{{RowColor}};"
| 1st || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +2
|-
| 5th || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +3
|- style="background-color:#{{RowColor}};"
| 9th || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +4
|-
| 13th || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +5
|- style="background-color:#{{RowColor}};"
| 17th || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +6
|-
| 21st || style="text-align:center; border-style: solid; border-width: 0 0 0 2px" | +7
|}
When your hero gains a level, they become more powerful according to their [[classes|class]]. Your class describes how with each level, you gain more [[Heart Points|heart points]] and a new [[Heart Die]]. Your class also typically grants new features for each level, as detailed within the class itself.

===Increasing Proficiency Bonus===
Your [[Proficiency Bonus|PB]] is initially +2.  It increases by 1 for every four levels you gain after the first, increasing to +3 at 5th level and +4 at 9th level, and so on. See the adjacent chart.

===Increasing Ability Scores===
Some features can let you raise your [[ability score]]s. You can't increase any ability score above its maximum, which is initially 20. However, some effects can increase the maximum itself.{{a}}When your {{con}} modifier increases by 1, your heart point maximum increases by 1 for each level you've attained, including the newly-gained level. Temporary adjustments to your Constitution modifier don't affect your heart point max.

===The End?===
''Legends of Hyrule'' assumes 12th level is where a campaign will reach its finale. At this level your party would be able to face virtually any challenge in Hyrule — and stand a fair chance in a fight against [[Ganon]] or another final boss. That said, there is no hard limit. Your campaign could even go well beyond 20th level! As Hyrulean classes stop at 12th level, to progress further you must multiclass. If you like, you can start multiclassing at earlier levels.

==Multiclassing==
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Multiclassing is optional, and is best reserved for experienced players. Multiclassing allows you to gain levels in multiple classes.{{a}}
Normally it's best to focus your character on one class, as this allows you to attain powerful synergistic features quickly. However, you might want to have your character take levels in different classes. This trades specialization for versatility.{{a}}
When you gain a new level, instead of gaining a level in the same class, you can gain a level in a class other than the one you initially chose. You must first meet the requirements of the class as noted later in this column.{{a}}
The Heart Dice you gain from different classes combine. If for example you're a 3rd-level [[sage]] and 1st-level [[champion]], your Heart Dice are 3d8 plus 1d12. Whenever you would expend a Heart Die you can choose which one to expend.{{a}}
All your levels are added together to determine your character level. For example if you're a 3rd-level sage and a 1st-level champion, you're a 4th-level character. You can still only gain one character level at a time, and each time you do you can only advance one class level at a time. Your character level&mdash;not your class level&mdash;is what determines your PB and the power of your cantrips.{{a}}
'''''Hyrulean Incompatibility.''''' One character can't multiclass in both a Hyrulean class and a non-Hyrulean class. It's still fine if one party member has Hyrulean classes and another party member has non-Hyrulean classes.{{a}}
'''''Initial Class Benefits.''''' You only gain the  proficiencies, [[reaction]]s, and [[equipment]] from your <u>initial</u> class, not any class you gain through multiclassing. Aside from these, some other class features might specify you get them only if it is your "initial class."

===Multiclass Requirements===
To gain a level in class other than your initial class, you must meet the requirement of the new class:
* For a [[champion]], you must be proficient with all martial weapons, or you must have a {{str}} score of at least 13.
* For an [[opportunist]], you must have proficiency in 5 or more skills, or you must have a {{dex}} score of at least 13.
* For a [[researcher]], you must have discovered a major unknown source of esoteric knowledge (decided by your narrator), or have an {{int}}score of at least 13.
* For a [[sage]], you must have experienced a dramatic life-changing event or a severely life-risking danger in the campaign (decided by your narrator), or you must have a {{wis}} score of at least 13.
* For a [[scion]], you must have received a major boon directly from a deity or a [[Guardian Spirit|guardian spirit]] (decided by your narrator), or you must have a {{cha}} score of at least 13.

<noinclude>[[Category:Core Compendium]]</noinclude>