Experience represents how much a certain dwarf (or other intelligent creature) has learned about a certain subject, or on a whole. It affects proficiency in skills and a dwarf's attributes. Experience points are never displayed directly, except in Adventure Mode.
Every experience point earned is associated with a skill. Skill increases happen when a certain number of points in that skill is reached. Attribute increases happen when a certain total number of points is reached.
The message "Dwarfname is more experienced." signifies an attribute increase. Skill increases are not announced unless the increase changes a dwarf's profession ("Dwarfname has become a new profession.").
Gaining experience
Dwarves gain experience by performing tasks. Experience is gained when the task is completed; if a task takes a long time and is frequently interrupted (by the dwarf going off to drink, for instance), the dwarf will gain the skill very slowly. Tasks without an associated skill (such as hauling) do not give any experience. Constructing or destroying buildings also does not give experience (except when architecture is used).
Known Experience Values
Skill |
Task |
XP
|
Miner |
Dig |
10
|
Bowyer |
Make wooden crossbow |
30
|
Carpenter |
Construct bed |
30
|
Engraver |
Smooth or detail a floor |
30
|
Engraver |
Smooth or detail a wall |
10
|
Mason |
Construct rock object |
30
|
Wood Crafter |
Make wooden bolts |
30
|
Stone Crafter |
Make stone crafts/mugs/toys/instruments |
30
|
Building Designer |
Construct building |
30
|
Operator |
Load catapult |
30
|
Operator |
Fire catapult |
30
|
Weaver |
Gather silk |
30
|
Weaver |
Weave any cloth |
30
|
Wood Cutter |
Fell tree |
30
|
Butcher |
Slaughter animal |
30
|
Brewer |
Brew one batch |
30
|
Cook |
Cook any meal |
30
|
Herbalist |
Gather plants |
30
|
Strand Extractor |
Extract Adamantine |
30
|
Varies |
Create artifact |
20,000
|
|
Military Skill |
Task |
XP
|
Marksdwarf |
Shoot at archery range |
≈7.5
|
|
Increasing skills
To reach Novice level in any skill requires 500 XP. Reaching each successive level requires an additional 100 XP, so to go from Novice to No label requires 600 XP; No label to Competent requires 700 XP, and so on. The following figures are the cumulative XP needed to go from unskilled to any given skill level.
For item-crafting purposes, there are actually 21 skill levels, from 0 (dabbling) to 21 (Legendary+5). The skill levels Legendary through Legendary+5 are all shown as Legendary, but are actually separate levels. You can't find out exactly when a dwarf gets to Legendary+5, but it will happen 1000xp before their eighth attribute if they have no other skills, so when they get eight attributes, they are at Legendary+5. Masterpieces happen 15% of the time when Legendary, but 27% of the time when Legendary+5, based off of a random d20 roll. Skill beyond Legendary+5 does not increase the probability of creating a masterpiece item.
Level |
XP
|
Dabbling |
1
|
Novice |
500
|
No label |
1100
|
Competent |
1800
|
Skilled |
2600
|
Proficient |
3500
|
Talented |
4500
|
Adept |
5600
|
Expert |
6800
|
Professional |
8100
|
Accomplished |
9500
|
|
Level |
XP
|
Great |
11000
|
Master |
12600
|
High Master |
14300
|
Grand Master |
16100
|
Legendary |
18000
|
Legendary+1 |
20000
|
Legendary+2 |
22100
|
Legendary+3 |
24300
|
Legendary+4 |
26600
|
Legendary+5 |
29000
|
|
.
|
|
Increasing attributes
Attribute increases are based on total experience gained across all skills, and are not connected to the attainment of specific skill levels.
Dwarves with a single skill will get their first attribute between Competent and Skilled, their second when reaching Talented, a third between Expert and Professional, a fourth when reaching Great, and a fifth between High Master and Grand Master. Further increases can happen after Legendary.
Attributes |
XP
|
1
|
2000
|
2
|
4500
|
3
|
7500
|
4
|
11000
|
5
|
15000
|
6
|
19500
|
7
|
24500
|
8
|
30000
|
|
Attributes |
XP
|
9
|
36000
|
10
|
42500
|
11
|
49500
|
12
|
57000
|
13
|
65000
|
14
|
73500
|
15
|
82500
|
16
|
92000
|
|