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To clarify: Does XP needed for the next level exclude XP needed to get the previous level?

I am 99% positive that it doesn't, on the basis that it doesn't say anywhere in the rulebook (for either game) that it does, and I've never encountered anyone who treats them like that.

On the other hand, one of my players asked me this the other day, and I'd be interested in knowing if anyone does this.

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From PFSRD

As player characters overcome challenges, they gain experience points. As these points accumulate, PCs advance in level and power.

From the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, p. 407, the paragraph titled "Experience Points":

"Thus, assuming the medium XP progression, a 20th-level character needs 2,100,000 XP to become 21st level, since he needed 1,050,000 XP to reach 20th level from 19th."

Consulting Table 3-1: Character Advancement and Level-Dependent Bonuses on page 30, we find that for medium advancement, 19th level is 2,550,000 and 20th level is 3,600,000. The difference between these is 1,050,000. So the first reference implies that the experience levels in the table are cumulative, since the difference is what's required to advance.

From the Players Handbook I v 3.5, p.58, under "Experience and Levels":

Experience points (XP) measure how much your character has learned and how much he or she has grown in personal power. Your character earns XP by defeating monsters and other opponents. The DM assigns XP to the characters at the end of each adventure based on what they have accomplished. Characters accumulate XP from one adventure to another. When a character earns enough XP, he or she attains a new character level.

"When your character's XP total reaches at least the minimum XP needed for a new character level (see Table 3-2), he or she "goes up a level". For example, when Tordek obtains 1,000 or more XP, he becomes a 2nd-level character. As soon as he accumulates a total of 3,000 Xp or higher (2,000 more than he had when he gained 2nd level), he reaches 3rd level."

Looking at Table 3-2 on p. 22, we find 2nd level at 1,000 XP and 3rd level at 3,000 XP, and the text quoted above indicates that the values in the table are totals, and that only the difference is required to advance.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ It is cumulative. The level adjustment rules which bridge 3.0 and 3.5 show this, as do the advancement rules in 3.0 from the similar section as 3.5; and second edition and first edition, not to mention OD&D. It has been cumulative since the game was created, not a reset mechanic. \$\endgroup\$
    – nijineko
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 16:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ Note, though, that the 3.5 table is set up such that to gain the next level takes <current level> * 1000 XP (1->2 takes 1000, 2->3 takes an additional 2000); a lot of 3.5 players take advantage of this and will "reset" their XP so they don't have to look at the table to see when they ding next. The XP progression isn't SRD, though, so Pathfinder had to do something different. \$\endgroup\$
    – minnmass
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 17:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ You also don't have to level up (in D&D 3.5) once your xp reaches the threshold. For instance, a level 2 character can accumalate xp up to 5999 (1 below level 4) as the rules state that you can only level up one level per time. \$\endgroup\$
    – Bas Jansen
    Commented Sep 5, 2016 at 14:49

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