Unlike many larps Slayer does not use an experience system. It does have levels, but these are more fluid and players can and will move up and down between them through the course of play.  In general at lower levels characters are more human and have access to a wide range of weaker powers, whilst at high levels they are more monstrous and have fewer, more potent powers.

Monstrosity Levels

Players monsters exist at levels between 1 and 4. Level 0 exists, but is the home of entirely normal humans in the world, and levels of 5 or higher also exist but represent dread and alien creatures, that have been lost to monstrosity entirely, or were never truly human to begin with.

At level 1 a character has access to all three of the powers from it’s type of monster and one of the 4 generic powers. All of these powers are at level 1

At level 2 a character loses normal access to any one of the powers they had at level 1 but there three remaining powers will be level 2

At level 3 a character loses another power but their two remaining powers will be level 3

At level 4 a character only has normal access to one of there powers but it is at level 4

Player monsters will also have roleplay effects that scale with level

Dropping in Level

Higher levels of power are inherently unstable for player monsters, with certain actions or behaviours causing them to drop back down to their base level. The most common way for this to happen is for them to use one of the powers they have lost access to by going up in level. Similarly powers have a drop down version, a more powerful use of the power that causes you to drop down when used. Importantly drop down does not occur immediately, but rather at the end of the session, so once you have triggered dropping down you are free to use all of your powers in their drop down mode without any further consequence.

Acting like the kind of monster that you are is also necessary for maintaining your level and if you consistently and persistently fail to do so (as judged by the ref team) you may find your level drops without the benefits relating to power use. You will be warned that we feel this is the case before we act on it.

It may also sometimes be possible to drop down in level quickly without having to use powers first. This is particular useful if a character on high monstrosity needs to interact with normal humans. For more information about this talk to one of the Custodians of the Empty Throne.

Growing in power

There is one normal route for a player monster to increase their level. This is for them to spend a month acting like the kind of monster they are, signified in downtime. This will have a meaningful negative effect on the part of the world they live in, the scale and nature of which will depend on their type and level.

It is also possible to advance in level by consuming a powerful potion and then carefully mediating for a month on the nature of power, monstrosity and humanity. Such a potion must be crafted by the skillfully harvested parts of other slain monsters, prepared by a monster with talent and power in alchemy.

There is a third route to increased power which is far quicker, but comes at a terrible personal cost. By kneeling before the empty throne and declaring that they willingly accept their monstrous nature a character can immediately rise to level 4. Doing so also gives a character a level of permanent monstrosity.

Permanent Monstrosity

Some actions or effects may cause a character to gain a level of permanent monstrosity. The most common cause of this is being defeated by certain kinds of monsters but kneeling before the throne, and breaking strongly enforced magical pacts can also make this happen.

This causes them to permanently lose access to their lowest level. Any time that their level would drop to base it now drops to this new lowest level. If at any time you would drop down from level 4 and cannot, due to permanent monstrosity, then at the end of the session that character becomes an unplayable monster and is retired.