Cosmic Peril Fantasy: Advancement

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After they are created, player characters(PCs) in CPF can grow as they gain experience, but they are not limited by any classes, levels, playbooks or tropes.

Instead, they acquire experience points over time, which can be spent on skill and talent improvements, as described below.

This system allows for a lot of flexibility in the power level and scope of a story played with these rules--from ordinary workers in perilous disasters, to crafty detectives with a wide range of skills, to legendary warriors who can defeat five enemies in one attack--as well as tons of diversity for player characters.

How to acquire experience points:

1. Firstly, whenever players roll a critical failure--two 1's on 2d8--they immediately gain one experience point.
2. Next, the GM may award some amount of XP and/or talent picks at the end of sessions, missions, arcs or seasons. Typical amounts are 1 XP per session for a relaxed low-power game, or 3 XP per session for a fast paced adventure story, or 2 for something in-between.
3. Finally, the character may gain XP, talents, or unique abilities simply by exploring and experimenting in-game: cybernetic implants, mutagenic injections, viral infestation or the blessings of strange gods may give any benefit or flaw.

Note there is no expectation or need for advancement in this game. However, if you do use advancement, keep in mind that a character will become akin to a minor super-hero after accumulating about 40-50 total XP, including the starting points.

How to spend experience points and talents:

Skill upgrades and new talents may be purchased with XP at any time. You can also save up the points to buy something more expensive like a higher level upgrade.

1. The player must declare to the group their intent to spend XP on a skill or talent, when they intend to do so.
2. The player must give a reasonable an in-game explanation for the increase in the character's abilities.
3. If the GM asks, and the player can't coherently explain how their stone-age barbarian gained computer programming skills in a steaming jungle, or how their nerdy scientist suddenly learned kung-fu while taking a nap, then it cannot happen, and the player must choose another upgrade or save the points for later.
4. Once approved, the player must tell the group about how they advanced, and note the advancement spending on their character sheet or log.

Talent Advancement:

To acquire a talent, after declaration and approval, a player simply spends 3 XP and then selects the desired talent from the talent list. Note that each talent may have its own special requirements.

• For example, before taking the "Fighter II" talent, the player must have at least the "Fighter I" talent.

Statistic Advancement:

Health points, spell points and speed increase normally when you increase your skills according to the usual statistics rules.

Skill Advancement:

You can improve skills at any time by spending your accumulated skill points. Exception:

• In order to acquire and advance arcane skills, the player character must have the talent "Caster I" for one arcane skill or "Caster II" for multiple.

Skill advancement costs are as follows:

New Skill Level	XP Cost to Advance by 1 Level to this Level	XP Cost TOTAL for this level	Description
Untrained	0	0	Layman, you have a -2 penalty with this skill
1	1	1	Basic competence as a worker.
2	2	3	Advanced skill as an accredited professional.
3	3	6	Veteran Expert - chief "X" officer, dean, inventor, general
4	4	10	Master - famous in a world's history
5	5	15	Stellar - renowned in a conference of worlds.
6	6	21	Maximum level. Legendary demigod status, the character's skill begins to defy reality even if mundane, and they may attempt to defy gods at their peril.