> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/player-progression/levels-and-experience.md).
# Levels & Experience
**THE PLAYER'S PROGRESSION HANDBOOK.** Build a stronger adventurer, open new farmland, plan your stat allocation, and understand exactly where your EXP comes from. Harvest Vale uses **two independent EXP tracks**: **Player EXP** for your character and **Farm EXP** for your land.
{% hint style="info" %}
**PROGRESSION RULE:** Both tracks start at **Level 1** and advance by **1 level for every 100 cumulative EXP**. They have separate EXP totals: gaining Player EXP alone does not increase Farm Level, and gaining Farm EXP alone does not increase Player Level.
{% endhint %}
## 1. Two Ways to Level Up
| Progression Track | What It Improves | Where to Check |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| 
**Player Level** | Character combat stats, allocatable stat points, maximum Stamina, tool area size and certain level-gated activities/quests | **Character / Hunter** stats and Player Level display |
| 
**Farm Level** | The size of your unlocked farmland, from **6 × 6** up to **16 × 16** tiles | **Farm Level** and unlocked plot area |
**Level is calculated from cumulative EXP:**
`Level = 1 + floor(Total EXP ÷ 100)`
`Progress to Next Level = Total EXP mod 100`
| Cumulative EXP | Current Level | EXP Progress |
| -------------: | ------------: | -----------: |
| 0–99 | Level 1 | 0–99 / 100 |
| 100–199 | Level 2 | 0–99 / 100 |
| 200–299 | Level 3 | 0–99 / 100 |
| 400–499 | Level 5 | 0–99 / 100 |
| 900–999 | Level 10 | 0–99 / 100 |
| 2,400–2,499 | Level 25 | 0–99 / 100 |
**Example:** 245 total Player EXP means **Player Level 3, 45/100 EXP toward Level 4**. Your Farm Level could still be 1 if your Farm EXP is below 100. Fractional Farm EXP is supported; the level only changes at the next complete 100-EXP threshold.
## 2. Where Your EXP Comes From
{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Farming EXP" %}
### Harvest Crops to Progress Both Tracks
Every successfully **harvested tile** grants a fixed amount of **Player EXP and Farm EXP** determined by crop type.
| Crop | Player EXP / Harvested Tile | Farm EXP / Harvested Tile |
| -------------- | --------------------------: | ------------------------: |
| **Turnip** | +10 | +1.5 |
| **Tomato** | +10 | +1.5 |
| **Potato** | +10 | +1.5 |
| **Corn** | +15 | +2.5 |
| **Cabbage** | +15 | +2.5 |
| **Watermelon** | +20 | +3 |
* These EXP amounts are **per harvested tile**, not per piece of produce. A tile yielding four tomatoes still grants the listed **10 Player EXP and 1.5 Farm EXP** once.
* Farm harvest EXP is **not reduced by your Player Level**.
* Preparing soil, watering and planting are not direct substitutes for crop-harvest EXP. Planting and harvesting can advance **quest objectives**, which may yield additional EXP after a successful quest reward claim.
Read the illustrated [Farming: Plant, Water & Harvest guide](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/farming-and-homestead/farming-plant-water-and-harvest).
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Fishing & Combat" %}
### Fishing — Player EXP with Level-Based Scaling
Fish and other valid catches can award **Player EXP**. The game applies the following scaling for fishing outcomes:
`Fishing EXP = max(1, floor(Base EXP × 0.9 ^ (Player Level − 1)))`
This applies to a successful outcome with positive base EXP, not failed catches. For example, a **Small Fish** has a base reward of **3 Player EXP**:
| Player Level | Example Small Fish EXP |
| -----------: | ---------------------: |
| 1 | +3 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +2 |
| 5 | +1 |
### Combat — EXP Depends on Monster Level Difference
Defeating a monster can grant Player EXP. When your level is higher than the monster's level, a **separate combat reduction rule** applies.
| Player Level Compared with Monster | Monster EXP Award |
| ---------------------------------- | ----------------: |
| Same level or lower | 100% |
| 1 level higher | 80% |
| 2 levels higher | 60% |
| 3 levels higher | 40% |
| 4 levels higher | 20% |
| 5 levels higher | 10% |
| 6+ levels higher | **0%** |
**Example:** The **Junior Goblin** is Level 5 and has a base reward of 5 EXP. A Level 5 player receives 5 EXP; Level 6 receives 4; Level 10 receives 0.5; Level 11 or higher receives 0. The game's Gold drops have their own level-related rules.
{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important:** The generic fishing EXP formula and monster EXP level-gap table are different systems. Do not apply fishing scaling to crop harvests or treat monster drops as guaranteed.
{% endhint %}
{% endtab %}
{% tab title="Quest Rewards" %}
### Complete, Then Claim
Quest completion and **reward claiming** are separate steps. Supported quests can grant **Player EXP, Farm EXP and Gold** when their rewards are successfully claimed.
| Example Farming Quest | Objective | Claimed Reward |
| --------------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Plant Any Crop** | Plant any crop 6 times | +25 Player EXP · +10 Farm EXP · 250 Gold |
| **Harvest Any Crop** | Harvest any crop 6 times | +25 Player EXP · +10 Farm EXP · 200 Gold |
The Harvest quest follows the planting quest in this quest chain. Other quests can have **minimum Player Level requirements**, so check the requirements and claim status in your Quest interface.
Quests are a way to earn **Farm EXP beyond the EXP earned directly from harvesting**.
Explore [Quests & Reward Claims](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/adventures-and-activities/quests-and-reward-claims).
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}
## 3. Player Level — RPG Growth & Stats
Player Level affects more than an EXP bar: it permanently raises baseline RPG combat values and increases the number of points you can allocate to primary stats.
### Each New Player Level Gives
| Automatic Growth | Bonus for Every Level Above 1 |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------: |
| **Stat Points** | +5 allocatable points |
| **Max Stamina** | +2.5 |
| **Physical Attack (P ATK)** | +1.5 |
| **Magic Attack (M ATK)** | +1.5 |
| **Physical Defense (P DEF)** | +2.5 |
| **Magic Defense (M DEF)** | +2.5 |
| **Max HP** | +15 |
| **Max MP** | +5 |
| **Attack Speed (ATK SPD)** | +0.025 |
| **Accuracy** | +0.025 |
| **Evasion** | +0.075 |
| **HP & MP Regeneration** | +0.15 per second each |
These are **automatic base level bonuses**, before any extra gains from allocated primary stats or equipped items. Your displayed totals can therefore be higher.
### Allocate Your Stat Points
A fresh Level 1 character starts with **5 unspent stat points** and **1 point each** in STR, AGI, DEX, VIT, INT and WIS. You earn another **5 points on every new Player Level**.
| Primary Stat | Main Role in Progression |
| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **STR — Strength** | Increases Physical Attack, HP and a small amount of Physical Defense |
| **AGI — Agility** | Supports Attack Speed, Accuracy and a small Physical Attack bonus |
| **DEX — Dexterity** | Supports Physical Attack, Evasion and some Attack Speed |
| **VIT — Vitality** | Strengthens Physical Defense, HP and HP regeneration |
| **INT — Intelligence** | Strengthens Magic Attack, MP and some Magic Defense / MP regeneration |
| **WIS — Wisdom** | Strengthens Magic Defense, MP and MP regeneration |
**Total stat points earned = Player Level × 5**, including the initial five at Level 1.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Build advice:** Choose primary stats that support the weapons and equipment you actually use. The **stat points you allocate** and the bonuses from **equipment** are separate from the automatic level-up bonuses.
{% endhint %}
See [Stats, Gear & Combat Readiness](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/player-progression/stats-gear-and-combat-readiness) for the weapons, armor and accessory catalog.
## 4. Player Level Milestones
Upgrading your character also changes what you can do around the world and how many tiles can be affected by certain farm tools.
| Player Level | Tool Area (Hoe / Water / Sickle / Hammer) | Max Stamina | Notable Milestone |
| -----------: | :---------------------------------------: | -------------: | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1** | 1 × 1 | 100 | New adventurer, 5 initial stat points |
| **4** | 1 × 1 | 107.5 | Meets the Level 4 requirement for certain **rock-clearing** actions |
| **20** | 3 × 3 | 147.5 | Larger area for eligible farming tools |
| **30** | 5 × 5 | 172.5 | Wider farming tool coverage |
| **40+** | 8 × 8 | 197.5 at Lv.40 | Maximum defined tool-area tier |
**Important:** These area upgrades **do not make planting multi-tile**. Planting still uses **one seed and one tile per action**. Only eligible tiles inside your current unlocked farm are affected by tool actions.
## 5. Farm Level — Unlock More Land
As you earn Farm EXP, your farm opens up more cultivable tiles. **Farm Level**, not Player Level, determines the available size of your farmland.
| Farm Level | Minimum Total Farm EXP | Unlocked Area | Total Unlocked Tiles |
| ---------- | ---------------------: | :-----------: | -------------------: |
| **1–4** | 0 | 6 × 6 | 36 |
| **5–9** | 400 | 8 × 8 | 64 |
| **10–14** | 900 | 10 × 10 | 100 |
| **15–19** | 1,400 | 12 × 12 | 144 |
| **20–24** | 1,900 | 14 × 14 | 196 |
| **25+** | 2,400 | 16 × 16 | 256 |
The thresholds above are the **minimum cumulative Farm EXP** needed to enter each listed area tier; the area does not increase further at every intermediate level.
{% hint style="success" %}
**Farm EXP planning:** Harvest higher-Farm-EXP crops, complete eligible quests, and claim their rewards to reach new land milestones. Newly unlocked ground still needs to be prepared for planting.
{% endhint %}
For a detailed explanation of the farming loop and visuals, visit the [Farming Guide](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/farming-and-homestead/farming-plant-water-and-harvest) or [Farm Size & Rock Clearing](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/farming-and-homestead/farm-size-and-rock-clearing).
## 6. What Happens When You Level Up?
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Earn Enough EXP
Gain Player EXP from supported activities. Crossing the next 100-EXP threshold raises your **Player Level**. Farm EXP is tracked separately and can trigger its own land-area increase.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Your Character Gets Stronger
The game recalculates your **RPG stats** and **maximum Stamina** for the newly reached Player Level, incorporating your allocated stats and equipped gear.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### HP, MP and Stamina Refill
On an actual **Player Level increase**, **HP, MP and Stamina refill to their new maximum values**. **Energy is not refilled** by a Player Level increase. Your maximum Stamina also rises by 2.5 for each level earned.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Spend New Stat Points
Open your character stats, review the newly available points and assign them to the primary stats that fit your playstyle.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
The automatic full refill is specifically a **real Player Level increase**. A stat recalculation, Farm Level increase or level correction is not a promise of free resources.
{% endhint %}
## 7. Worked Progression Examples
### Example A — A Farmer's First Level-Up
A Level 1 player with **80 Player EXP** and **75 Farm EXP** harvests two mature Turnip tiles.
| Before Harvest | EXP Earned | After Harvest |
| ---------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------------ |
| Player EXP: **80** (Level 1) | 2 × 10 = **+20** | **100 Player EXP → Level 2** |
| Farm EXP: **75** (Level 1) | 2 × 1.5 = **+3** | **78 Farm EXP → Farm Level 1** |
**Result:** The character levels up, receives another **5 allocatable stat points**, gains automatic RPG growth, and refills HP/MP/Stamina to the new capacity. The farmland remains the same size because Farm EXP has not reached 100.
### Example B — Unlocking Your First Farm Expansion
A player has **395 total Farm EXP** (Farm Level 4). After harvesting **two Corn tiles**, the player earns **+5 Farm EXP** and reaches **400 total Farm EXP: Farm Level 5**.
The farm's available cultivation area expands from **6 × 6 (36 tiles)** to **8 × 8 (64 tiles)**. This is an increase of **28 unlocked tiles**, not an automatic planting or crop harvest.
### Example C — Completing a Quest
Completing the **Plant Any Crop** objective does **not immediately award** its quest rewards. When you successfully **claim** the completed quest, its default reward is **+25 Player EXP, +10 Farm EXP, and 250 Gold**. This can level up either or both tracks independently.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Farming vs. fishing vs. combat:** The fixed EXP values from crop harvests, the fishing level-scaling function, and the monster level-gap reduction are **three different reward calculations**. Never apply one activity's formula indiscriminately to another.
{% endhint %}
## 8. Death Penalty and Level Protection
Losing a combat encounter can reduce **up to 10 Player EXP** from the progress earned within the **current Player Level**, but the game prevents the penalty from dropping you below that level's starting EXP threshold.
| Example | EXP Before Defeat | Maximum EXP Lost | EXP After Defeat |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------: | ---------------: | ---------------: |
| Level 2, **5/100** progress | 105 | 5 | 100 |
| Level 2, **45/100** progress | 145 | 10 | 135 |
| Level 5, **0/100** progress | 400 | 0 | 400 |
**Defeat cannot lower your Player Level.** This death penalty applies to **Player EXP**, not an automatic deduction from your Farm EXP or your inventory of crops.
The [Combat & Monsters](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/adventures-and-activities/combat-and-monsters) guide explains the Junior Goblin encounter, possible combat rewards, respawning, and recovery options.
## 9. A Practical Leveling Roadmap
| Stage | Recommended Focus | Why It Helps |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Player Level 1–3** | Learn farming, use starting seeds, complete eligible planting and harvesting quests | Builds Player EXP and Farm EXP together |
| **Player Level 4+** | Explore eligible rock-clearing actions when equipped and resourced | Introduces additional environmental interactions |
| **Player Level 5+** | Review Underground Mine quests and combat preparation | Default mining and Junior Goblin quests require Player Level 5 |
| **Player Level 20+** | Use the **3 × 3** farming tool tier | Improves coverage of supported area-based farm tools |
| **Player Level 30+** | Use the **5 × 5** farming tool tier | Enables broader eligible tile actions |
| **Player Level 40+** | Use the **8 × 8** farming tool tier | Reaches the largest defined tool-area tier |
**These are suggested paths, not mandatory quest orders.** Some activities have other requirements, and your **Farm Level** continues to control land area separately.
## 10. Progression FAQ
Does harvesting give Player EXP and Farm EXP at the same time?
Yes. Each successful harvested crop tile awards the crop's set Player EXP and Farm EXP. **Planting itself does not give direct harvest EXP**; planting may advance a farming quest.
Do Farm Levels give me stat points?
No. **Stat points come from Player Levels**. Farm Level opens farmland. Some claimed quests can award both EXP types.
Why did I get less EXP from fishing or fighting?
Fishing uses a level-based EXP scaling formula. Combat uses a separate reward percentage based on how much higher your Player Level is than the monster's level. **Crop harvest EXP stays fixed per tile**.
Why is part of my farm still locked even though I leveled up?
Check whether you increased **Player Level** or **Farm Level**. New farmland unlocks only at Farm Levels **5, 10, 15, 20 and 25**.
Does a Player Level increase restore my Energy?
No. Player Level increases refill **HP, MP and Stamina**, but **Energy stays unchanged**. Consult the [Energy & Stamina Guide](https://harvest-vale.gitbook.io/harvest-vale-docs/player-progression/energy-and-stamina) for recovery options.