Advancement

Keystone Percentile uses milestone leveling. Your GM rewards story beats, not grind — completing a major goal, surviving a desperate situation, or reaching a narrative turning point earns a level.

What a Level Gives You

When you level up, you get two things:

1. Skill or Stat Increase (choose one)

• Increase a skill by 1d10 (minimum increase of 5).
• Learn a new skill at 50.
• Increase a stat by up to 5 (maximum 100).

2. Technique Points

You gain 2 technique points. Spend them to:

• Learn a new technique — cost equals its tier.
• Upgrade an existing technique — cost equals the new tier.

You cannot exceed your techniques known cap: level + 2 (minimum 3). See Techniques for the full rules.

Every Third Level

At levels 3, 6, 9, and so on, you get a bonus on top of your normal choice:

• Increase one additional skill by 1d10 (minimum 5), or
• Gain a special ability, perk, or narrative reward (GM's discretion).

Stat Increases

Stats can only increase through leveling. You cannot raise a stat during play, through equipment, or by any other means. This keeps character growth deliberate and meaningful.

Skill and Technique Caps

• No skill can exceed 100.
• No technique can exceed Tier 5.
• Techniques known is capped at level + 2 (minimum 3).

New Skills

When you learn a new skill, it starts at 50 — the same minimum as character creation. You are not penalised for being newly trained.

Recommended Pace

For one-shots, skip milestone leveling entirely. Players start at level 2 and do not advance.