# Level up

- Term: General term
- Date: 1974
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/level-up/

> Gaining a level once enough [Experience points](https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/experience-points/) accumulate, improving a character's abilities in a single jump. The satisfying moment of leveling up, inherited from D&D, is one of the most widely copied mechanics in all of gaming.

Gaining a level once enough [Experience points](https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/experience-points/) accumulate, improving a character's abilities in a single jump. The satisfying moment of leveling up, inherited from D&D, is one of the most widely copied mechanics in all of gaming.

**Origin:** Dungeons & Dragons (1974), from Dave Arneson's earlier Chainmail-based campaigns.

## Quick answers

**What does "Level up" mean?**
Gaining a level once enough Experience points accumulate, improving a character's abilities in a single jump. The satisfying moment of leveling up, inherited from D&D, is one of the most widely copied mechanics in all of gaming.

**Where does the term "Level up" come from?**
Dungeons & Dragons (1974), from Dave Arneson's earlier Chainmail-based campaigns.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.