Formulas:XP To Level

From WoWWiki

The XP required to advance to the next level is found by:

XP = ((8 × CL) + Diff(CL)) × MXP(CL) × RF(CL)
where CL = the current Character Level

Note that the XP is always rounded down to the nearest hundred.

The function MXP(CL) is the basic amount of XP earned for killing a mob of level equal to the character (see also: Formulas:Mob XP:Basic Formula)

MXP(CL) = 45 + (5 × CL) (mobs in Azeroth)
MXP(CL) = 235 + (5 × CL) (mobs in Outland)
MXP(CL) = 580 + (5 × CL) (mobs in Northrend)

The function Diff(CL) is an extra difficulty factor that starts around level 30 and increases by level:

Diff(CL) =       0,     CL <= 28
Diff(CL) =       1,     CL  = 29
Diff(CL) =       3,     CL  = 30
Diff(CL) =       6,     CL  = 31
Diff(CL) = 5 x (CL-30), CL >= 32, <=59

The function RF(CL) is an extra difficulty reduction factor added in patch 2.3. It is:

RF(CL) =       1,               CL <= 10
RF(CL) =       (1-(CL-10)/100), 11 <= CL <= 27
RF(CL) =       .82,             28 <= CL <= 59
RF(CL) =       1                60 <= CL

XP to Level can be described as the following function of the character level represented by x (if and only if the character is level 32-59):

XP to Level = (65x2 - 165x - 6750) × .82

XP to Level for levels 11-27 can be found by:

XP to Level = -.4x3 + 40.4x2 + 396x

For all levels lower then 11 the XP to Level can be expressed as the second grade function:

XP to Level = 40x2 + 360x 

The XP to Level for 61-69 is:

XP to Level = 155 + MXP(CL) x (1344 - ((69-CL)*(3+(69-CL)*4)))

For 60:

XP to Level = 155 + MXP(CL) x (1344 - 69 - ((69-CL)*(3+(69-CL)*4)))

Experience to Level by Level (Pre-WotLK)

This table shows the character's current level and the amount of XP required to advance to the next level (e.g. "22: 24000" means that if you are level 22, you need a total of 24,000 XP to advance to level 23). This also shows the difference (percent change) in current XP requirements as compared to before Patch 2.3.0. Note that this percentage, when added to one, is the same as RF(CL) (discrepancies are caused by rounding).

Selected data from above in graph form.

The total experience needed to reach level 60 is 3,379,400. This is a decrease of 705,300 experience from pre-2.3.0.
The total experience needed to reach level 70 after level 60 is 6,268,300.
The total experience needed to reach maximum level (70) is 10,141,700 (3,379,400+494,000+6,268,300) .

Pre-2.3 Table

This table shows the experience needed to advance, by level, before Patch 2.3.0. The table shows the character's current level and the amount of XP required to advance to the next level (e.g. "22: 27300" means that if you are level 22, you need a total of 27,300 XP to advance to level 23).

Selected data from above in graph form. Regression fits are shown. Note general agreement with the equations given above.

The total experience needed to reach level 60 was 4,084,700. The total for 60 to 70 was 6,762,300, making 1 to 70 10,847,000 points in total.

The total number of same-level mobs that must be killed to reach level 60 with no rest or quests was 16,971 which would take approximately 76 hours at 16 seconds per kill.

An amusing but probably not very significant figure is that the half-way point to 60 for raw experience point accumulation is 12,550 XP into level 48. Halfway to 70 for raw experience point accumulation is 344,500 XP into level 62. In actual practice, quests contribute significantly to XP so the half-way point is somewhere below this.

Rest XP

The maximum amount of "rest" that one can accumulate on a character is 150% of XP for the current level, (or 30 "bubbles") half of which is "earned" XP and half of which is "bonus" XP. This is because, every time you kill a mob, both the earned XP and the bonus XP is deducted from your rest. So, for example, if you are lvl 10 and 80% through the level (or 6080/7600) the maximum rest would be 11400. If you grind mobs until your rest is gone (and complete no quests¹), it will take you to level 12 at 1180/9800, or 12% through level 12, having earned 5700 XP from killing mobs and gotten 5700 XP "free" for being rested.

¹Quest (and discovery) XP does not count against your rest. Watch your rest marker when turning in a quest, and you will see it jump by the same amount as did your current XP.

Wrath of the Lich King

In , the XP needed to level (from 70 to 80) jumps again, but the amount of experience it takes to get to level 70 is reduced. The halfway point for 70-80 is 204100 XP into 75.

The below 60-69 XP Values are for Beta Build 9014 with the changes to 60-70 leveling for the expansion. The 70-79 XP Values are for Beta Build 8926.

Selected data from above in graph form.