D&D Character Progression System

Overview

Orchestrate D&D 5th Edition character advancement through experience points and leveling. Handle XP awards after combat victories, automatic level-ups when XP thresholds are reached, HP increases, proficiency bonus progression, and spell slot advancement. Progression follows 5e rules for XP thresholds (PHB p.15) and supports levels 1-20.

Available Scripts

Access seven Python scripts in the scripts/ directory:

1. roll_dice.py - Dice rolling (from Tutorial 1)
2. character.py - Character management with XP tracking (extended from Tutorial 4)
3. bestiary.py - Monster database management
4. equipment.py - Equipment and AC calculation
5. spells.py - Spell database management
6. combat.py - Combat mechanics with XP awards (extended from Tutorial 4)
7. progression.py - NEW: Leveling logic, XP awards, threshold triggers

All scripts are located at: ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/

Character Progression System

Tutorial 5 introduces experience points and automatic leveling, teaching threshold triggers (automatic level-ups), progressive complexity (features unlock gradually), and calculated growth (stat increases follow formulas).

Core Mechanics

Experience Points (XP):

• Awarded after combat victories based on monster CR
• Accumulates over time (never resets)
• Tracked persistently in character database

Automatic Leveling:

• When XP >= threshold for next level → automatic level-up
• Can level up multiple times from a single large XP award
• Grants HP, proficiency bonus increases, spell slot upgrades

XP Awards by CR:

• CR 0: 10 XP (Rat)
• CR 1/4: 50 XP (Goblin, Skeleton)
• CR 1/2: 100 XP (Orc)
• CR 1: 200 XP (Dire Wolf)
• CR 2+: Scales up (450, 700, 1100, 1800 XP)

Level-Up Benefits

Each level grants specific benefits:

1. Hit Points: Gain average hit die + CON modifier

   • Wizard (d6): +4 + CON per level
   • Fighter (d10): +6 + CON per level

2. Proficiency Bonus: Increases at levels 5, 9, 13, 17

   • Levels 1-4: +2
   • Levels 5-8: +3
   • Levels 9-12: +4

3. Spell Slots (casters only): Gain additional slots and access to higher-level spells

   • Level 1: 2 × 1st-level
   • Level 2: 3 × 1st-level
   • Level 3: 4 × 1st-level, 2 × 2nd-level
   • Level 4: 4 × 1st-level, 3 × 2nd-level
   • Level 5: 4 × 1st-level, 3 × 2nd-level, 2 × 3rd-level

For complete progression rules and XP tables, see references/progression-rules.md

Combat Workflow with XP

Follow this workflow when conducting training arena combat with character progression:

Step 1: Seed Databases (First Time Only)

On first use, seed the databases:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/bestiary.py seed
python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/spells.py seed

Step 2: Check Character Equipment

Before combat, verify character has equipment:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/equipment.py show CHARACTER_NAME

If no equipment found, equip starting gear:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/equipment.py equip CHARACTER_NAME CLASS_NAME

Step 3: Start Combat

Initialize the combat encounter:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/combat.py start CHARACTER_NAME MAX_CR

MAX_CR calculation: Use character_level / 4 as guideline.

This outputs JSON containing character stats (including current XP and level), monster stats (including CR), and initiative.

Parse JSON and display combat start state narratively. See Tutorial 4's references/narrative-guide.md for radio drama narrative style.

Step 4: Combat Loop

Execute turns in initiative order until end condition met.

Character Turn:

• Attack with weapon: combat.py character-attack ...
• Cast spell: combat.py character-cast ...
• Flee or surrender

Monster Turn:

• Monster attacks: combat.py monster-attack ...

End Conditions:

• Monster HP ≤ 0: Victory
• Character HP ≤ 0: Defeat
• Character fled: Escaped
• Character surrendered: Defeat

See Tutorial 4 for detailed combat mechanics.

Step 5: End Combat and Award XP

When combat ends, call end combat with monster CR for XP award:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/combat.py end CHARACTER_NAME OUTCOME --monster-cr CR_VALUE

OUTCOME: victory, defeat, or fled --monster-cr: Monster's CR (e.g., 0.25 for Goblin, 0.5 for Orc)

On victory:

• Character healed to full HP
• XP awarded based on monster CR
• Automatic level-up if XP threshold reached
• Spell slots restored

Example:

python3 scripts/combat.py end Bob victory --monster-cr 0.25

# ✓ Victory! Bob has been fully healed.
# ✓ Awarded 50 XP to Bob
#   Total XP: 250 → 300
#
# 🎉 LEVEL UP! Bob is now level 2!
#   Levels gained: 1
#   HP increased: 11 → 20 (+9)
#   Proficiency bonus: +2
#   XP to next level: 600

On defeat or fled:

• No XP awarded
• Fled grants healing, defeat does not

Progression Commands Reference

Award XP Manually

Manually award XP for quest rewards or special achievements:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/progression.py award CHARACTER_NAME XP_AMOUNT

Example:

python3 scripts/progression.py award Bob 150
# ✓ Awarded 150 XP to Bob
#   Total XP: 0 → 150
#   XP to level 2: 150 more needed

If the XP award crosses a level threshold, automatic level-up occurs with full benefits display.

View XP Requirements

Display XP thresholds for all levels:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/progression.py xp-table

Shows:

• Total XP required for each level (1-20)
• XP needed from previous level
• D&D 5e standard progression

View CR XP Awards

Display XP awarded for each Challenge Rating:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/progression.py cr-xp

Shows XP earned for defeating monsters of each CR.

View Character Stats

Display character info including current XP and progress to next level:

python3 ~/.claude/skills/tutorial-5/scripts/character.py show CHARACTER_NAME

Output includes:

Bob (Fighter, Level 2)
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
XP: 350/900 (need 550 more)

STR: 16 (+3)
DEX: 12 (+1)
...
HP: 20/20
Proficiency: +2

Narrative Style

Continue using the radio drama narrative style from Tutorial 4 for combat. See Tutorial 4's references/narrative-guide.md for detailed guidance.

Level-Up Narrative: When characters level up, narrate it dramatically:

🎉 LEVEL UP! 🎉

Bob's victories in the arena have forged him into a stronger warrior!
The training master nods approvingly as Bob demonstrates his newfound prowess.

He feels power surge through his body:
  • Muscles strengthen, endurance increases (+9 HP)
  • Technique refines, strikes land more accurately (+2 proficiency)
  • Ready to face greater challenges!

Bob stands tall, no longer a novice but a proven combatant. The arena
awaits his next battle.

Match the narrative tone to the magnitude of the level-up (level 2 vs. level 5 major power spike).

XP Thresholds (Quick Reference)

Progression slows dramatically at higher levels. Consider fighting higher CR monsters for faster advancement.

Important Notes

• Database location: ~/.claude/data/dnd-dm.db
• XP accumulates: Never resets, even after level-up
• Multiple level-ups: Single large XP award can grant multiple levels
• Full heal on level-up: Character restored to new max HP
• Spell slots refresh: All spell slots restored when leveling
• No XP for defeat/fled: Only victories grant XP
• Character persistence: XP and level tracked across sessions

Error Handling

Handle these common scenarios:

• Character not found: Suggest using character.py list
• No equipment: Auto-equip starting gear
• Bestiary/spells empty: Run seed commands
• Invalid CR: Check monster CR from start command JSON output
• Max level (20): No more XP needed, celebrate achievement!

Reference Documentation

For detailed information on specific topics, see:

• references/progression-rules.md - Complete XP tables, level-up benefits, progression strategy, threshold triggers, and calculated growth formulas
• Tutorial 4's references/narrative-guide.md - Radio drama combat narrative (still applicable)
• Tutorial 4's references/spell-mechanics.md - Spellcasting system details
• Tutorial 4's references/dnd-5e-rules.md - D&D 5e combat rules

Load these references as needed when conducting combat encounters with character progression.

Skill Concepts Taught

Tutorial 5 demonstrates three key skill-building concepts:

1. Threshold Triggers

Automatic events fire when a value crosses a threshold. When XP >= threshold → level-up happens automatically without manual intervention.

Real-world applications:

• Alert systems (temperature > 100°F → trigger alarm)
• Subscription tiers (usage exceeds limit → upgrade tier)
• Achievement systems (score threshold → unlock badge)

2. Progressive Complexity

Features unlock gradually as the system advances. Early levels come quickly with basic improvements, later levels take longer and grant more significant upgrades.

Real-world applications:

• SaaS product tiers (features unlock with higher plans)
• Learning systems (advanced features after basic mastery)
• Game progression (abilities unlock over time)

3. Calculated Growth

Growth follows deterministic formulas, not arbitrary values. Every stat increase is predictable based on class, level, and ability scores.

Real-world applications:

• Pricing calculators (base + usage × rate)
• Performance metrics (response time based on load formula)
• Financial modeling (compound interest calculations)