Leveling Guide & Requirements
Leveling is the most important aspect of the game.
You might also want to check out our Resonating Crystal Guide, which is quite relevant to leveling.
Level Cap
The absolute level cap for ascended tier heroes is currently 360. This can only be obtained by leveling 5 heroes to 240 and then directly leveling up the Resonating Crystal.
Every hero you own that has been evolved to the maximum tier of ascended will add 5 more levels to the cap beyond 240. Stars make no difference.
As there’s currently 24 ascended tier heroes, the cap right now is 240 + 5×24 = 360. Quick math.
Ascended heroes have a basic level cap of 240, and then up to 360 with the Resonating Crystal.
Legendary+ heroes have a level cap of 160. They cannot ever go beyond this.
Common heroes have a level cap of 100. You’ll never need to level these heroes.
How to Level Your Heroes
Most of the hero EXP you’ll gain throughout your time playing will come from AFK Rewards. This has a cap of 12 hours, so you’ll need to login and collect it every 12 hours to maximize its potential.
You can also acquire hero EXP from Hourglasses. These special consumable items will instantly grant you a certain amount of hours worth of AFK Rewards.
Gaining Player EXP
This can be obtained from AFK Rewards and completing certain campaign chapters. There is currently no benefit to having a higher player level, it’s just for show.
Hero’s Essence
Hero’s Essence is only used for levels that have skill unlocks. These levels will either unlock a new skill, or improve an existing one.
The current skill levels are: 11, 21, 41, 61, 81, 101, 121, 141, 161, 181, 201, 221.
You’ll need a total of 118,100 Hero’s Essence to level one hero to 240.
Level Requirements
These are the level requirements for a single hero in AFK Arena. This includes: Gold, EXP and Hero’s Essence.
Note: They might not be 100% correct for gold & EXP due to the fact that the exact numbers shown in-game are rounded off, but the difference should be negligible.
Example: 391,000 might actually be 391,373, but it will be shown as 391k in-game.
| Level | Gold | Experience | Hero's Essence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 23 | 89 | 0 |
| 3 | 72 | 133 | 0 |
| 4 | 134 | 170 | 0 |
| 5 | 222 | 204 | 0 |
| 6 | 314 | 239 | 0 |
| 7 | 444 | 273 | 0 |
| 8 | 600 | 307 | 0 |
| 9 | 740 | 343 | 0 |
| 10 | 892 | 380 | 0 |
| 11 | 1116 | 417 | 10 |
| 12 | 1300 | 456 | 0 |
| 13 | 1577 | 497 | 0 |
| 14 | 1793 | 539 | 0 |
| 15 | 2126 | 583 | 0 |
| 16 | 2377 | 629 | 0 |
| 17 | 2638 | 676 | 0 |
| 18 | 3056 | 726 | 0 |
| 19 | 3353 | 778 | 0 |
| 20 | 3837 | 831 | 0 |
| 21 | 4172 | 888 | 40 |
| 22 | 4304 | 946 | 0 |
| 23 | 4635 | 1008 | 0 |
| 24 | 4769 | 1071 | 0 |
| 25 | 4901 | 1138 | 0 |
| 26 | 5251 | 1208 | 0 |
| 27 | 5386 | 1280 | 0 |
| 28 | 5750 | 1356 | 0 |
| 29 | 5888 | 1436 | 0 |
| 30 | 6025 | 1518 | 0 |
| 31 | 6407 | 1605 | 0 |
| 32 | 6547 | 1695 | 0 |
| 33 | 6686 | 1789 | 0 |
| 34 | 7087 | 1887 | 0 |
| 35 | 7229 | 1989 | 0 |
| 36 | 7371 | 2096 | 0 |
| 37 | 7790 | 2208 | 0 |
| 38 | 7935 | 2325 | 0 |
| 39 | 8368 | 2446 | 0 |
| 40 | 8516 | 2573 | 0 |
| 41 | 8665 | 2706 | 100 |
| 42 | 9116 | 2845 | 0 |
| 42 | 9269 | 2981 | 0 |
| 44 | 9421 | 3124 | 0 |
| 45 | 9891 | 3272 | 0 |
| 46 | 10,000 | 3426 | 0 |
| 47 | 10,000 | 3587 | 0 |
| 48 | 10,000 | 3754 | 0 |
| 49 | 10,000 | 3928 | 0 |
| 50 | 11,000 | 4109 | 0 |
| 51 | 11,000 | 4298 | 0 |
| 52 | 12,000 | 4742 | 0 |
| 53 | 13,000 | 5191 | 0 |
| 54 | 14,000 | 5658 | 0 |
| 55 | 15,000 | 6143 | 0 |
| 56 | 16,000 | 6647 | 0 |
| 57 | 17,000 | 7169 | 0 |
| 58 | 18,000 | 7710 | 0 |
| 59 | 19,000 | 8269 | 0 |
| 60 | 20,000 | 8848 | 0 |
| 61 | 20,000 | 9447 | 250 |
| 62 | 22,000 | 10,000 | 0 |
| 63 | 23,000 | 11,000 | 0 |
| 64 | 24,000 | 11,000 | 0 |
| 65 | 25,000 | 12,000 | 0 |
| 66 | 25,000 | 13,000 | 0 |
| 67 | 27,000 | 13,000 | 0 |
| 68 | 28,000 | 14,000 | 0 |
| 69 | 28,000 | 15,000 | 0 |
| 70 | 30,000 | 15,000 | 0 |
| 71 | 30,000 | 16,000 | 0 |
| 72 | 31,000 | 17,000 | 0 |
| 73 | 33,000 | 18,000 | 0 |
| 74 | 33,000 | 18,000 | 0 |
| 75 | 35,000 | 19,000 | 0 |
| 76 | 35,000 | 20,000 | 0 |
| 77 | 36,000 | 21,000 | 0 |
| 78 | 37,000 | 21,000 | 0 |
| 79 | 38,000 | 22,000 | 0 |
| 80 | 38,000 | 23,000 | 0 |
| 81 | 40,000 | 24,000 | 500 |
| 82 | 40,000 | 25,000 | 0 |
| 83 | 42,000 | 26,000 | 0 |
| 84 | 42,000 | 26,000 | 0 |
| 85 | 43,000 | 27,000 | 0 |
| 86 | 44,000 | 28,000 | 0 |
| 87 | 44,000 | 29,000 | 0 |
| 88 | 45,000 | 30,000 | 0 |
| 89 | 46,000 | 30,000 | 0 |
| 90 | 46,000 | 31,000 | 0 |
| 91 | 48,000 | 32,000 | 0 |
| 92 | 48,000 | 33,000 | 0 |
| 93 | 48,000 | 34,000 | 0 |
| 94 | 49,000 | 35,000 | 0 |
| 95 | 49,000 | 35,000 | 0 |
| 96 | 49,000 | 36,000 | 0 |
| 97 | 50,000 | 37,000 | 0 |
| 98 | 50,000 | 37,000 | 0 |
| 99 | 51,000 | 38,000 | 0 |
| 100 | 50,000 | 38,000 | 0 |
| 101 | 50,000 | 39,000 | 1200 |
| 102 | 53,000 | 41,000 | 0 |
| 103 | 55,000 | 44,000 | 0 |
| 104 | 58,000 | 46,000 | 0 |
| 105 | 61,000 | 49,000 | 0 |
| 106 | 63,000 | 53,000 | 0 |
| 107 | 67,000 | 56,000 | 0 |
| 108 | 70,000 | 60,000 | 0 |
| 109 | 75,000 | 64,000 | 0 |
| 110 | 79,000 | 69,000 | 0 |
| 111 | 83,000 | 74,000 | 0 |
| 112 | 87,000 | 79,000 | 0 |
| 113 | 91,000 | 84,000 | 0 |
| 114 | 96,000 | 90,000 | 0 |
| 115 | 101,000 | 97,000 | 0 |
| 116 | 106,000 | 103,000 | 0 |
| 117 | 112,000 | 111,000 | 0 |
| 118 | 120,000 | 118,000 | 0 |
| 119 | 126,000 | 127,000 | 0 |
| 120 | 132,000 | 135,000 | 0 |
| 121 | 139,000 | 144,000 | 3000 |
| 122 | 145,000 | 154,000 | 0 |
| 123 | 152,000 | 164,000 | 0 |
| 124 | 159,000 | 174,000 | 0 |
| 125 | 166,000 | 185,000 | 0 |
| 126 | 173,000 | 196,000 | 0 |
| 127 | 184,000 | 207,000 | 0 |
| 128 | 191,000 | 219,000 | 0 |
| 129 | 198,000 | 231,000 | 0 |
| 130 | 206,000 | 244,000 | 0 |
| 131 | 213,000 | 256,000 | 0 |
| 132 | 220,000 | 269,000 | 0 |
| 133 | 227,000 | 283,000 | 0 |
| 134 | 234,000 | 296,000 | 0 |
| 135 | 241,000 | 310,000 | 0 |
| 136 | 252,000 | 323,000 | 0 |
| 137 | 259,000 | 337,000 | 0 |
| 138 | 265,000 | 352,000 | 0 |
| 139 | 272,000 | 366,000 | 0 |
| 140 | 278,000 | 380,000 | 0 |
| 141 | 284,000 | 395,000 | 6000 |
| 142 | 289,000 | 409,000 | 0 |
| 143 | 295,000 | 423,000 | 0 |
| 144 | 300,000 | 437,000 | 0 |
| 145 | 311,000 | 451,000 | 0 |
| 146 | 316,000 | 465,000 | 0 |
| 147 | 320,000 | 479,000 | 0 |
| 148 | 325,000 | 493,000 | 0 |
| 149 | 329,000 | 507,000 | 0 |
| 150 | 333,000 | 521,000 | 0 |
| 151 | 337,000 | 535,000 | 0 |
| 152 | 341,000 | 549,000 | 0 |
| 153 | 345,000 | 563,000 | 0 |
| 154 | 348,000 | 577,000 | 0 |
| 155 | 352,000 | 592,000 | 0 |
| 156 | 361,000 | 606,000 | 0 |
| 157 | 365,000 | 620,000 | 0 |
| 158 | 368,000 | 635,000 | 0 |
| 159 | 371,000 | 650,000 | 0 |
| 160 | 373,000 | 664,000 | 0 |
| 161 | 376,000 | 679,000 | 12,000 |
| 162 | 379,000 | 694,000 | 0 |
| 163 | 382,000 | 709,000 | 0 |
| 164 | 384,000 | 723,000 | 0 |
| 165 | 387,000 | 738,000 | 0 |
| 166 | 396,000 | 752,000 | 0 |
| 167 | 398,000 | 767,000 | 0 |
| 168 | 401,000 | 782,000 | 0 |
| 169 | 403,000 | 797,000 | 0 |
| 170 | 405,000 | 813,000 | 0 |
| 171 | 407,000 | 828,000 | 0 |
| 172 | 410,000 | 844,000 | 0 |
| 173 | 412,000 | 860,000 | 0 |
| 174 | 414,000 | 876,000 | 0 |
| 175 | 416,000 | 892,000 | 0 |
| 176 | 418,000 | 909,000 | 0 |
| 177 | 427,000 | 926,000 | 0 |
| 178 | 429,000 | 943,000 | 0 |
| 179 | 431,000 | 960,000 | 0 |
| 180 | 433,000 | 978,000 | 0 |
| 181 | 436,000 | 995,000 | 25,000 |
| 182 | 438,000 | 1,014,000 | 0 |
| 183 | 440,000 | 1,031,000 | 0 |
| 184 | 442,000 | 1,048,000 | 0 |
| 185 | 444,000 | 1,066,000 | 0 |
| 186 | 446,000 | 1,084,000 | 0 |
| 187 | 448,000 | 1,102,000 | 0 |
| 188 | 457,000 | 1,121,000 | 0 |
| 189 | 459,000 | 1,140,000 | 0 |
| 190 | 461,000 | 1,159,000 | 0 |
| 191 | 463,000 | 1,178,000 | 0 |
| 192 | 465,000 | 1,198,000 | 0 |
| 193 | 467,000 | 1,218,000 | 0 |
| 194 | 469,000 | 1,239,000 | 0 |
| 195 | 471,000 | 1,259,000 | 0 |
| 196 | 473,000 | 1,280,000 | 0 |
| 197 | 475,000 | 1,302,000 | 0 |
| 198 | 477,000 | 1,323,000 | 0 |
| 199 | 479,000 | 1,345,000 | 0 |
| 200 | 489,000 | 1,368,000 | 0 |
| 201 | 491,000 | 1,391,000 | 30,000 |
| 202 | 493,000 | 1,414,000 | 0 |
| 203 | 496,000 | 1,436,000 | 0 |
| 204 | 498,000 | 1,458,000 | 0 |
| 205 | 500,000 | 1,481,000 | 0 |
| 206 | 502,000 | 1,504,000 | 0 |
| 207 | 504,000 | 1,528,000 | 0 |
| 208 | 506,000 | 1,551,000 | 0 |
| 209 | 508,000 | 1,575,000 | 0 |
| 210 | 510,000 | 1,600,000 | 0 |
| 211 | 513,000 | 1,625,000 | 0 |
| 212 | 523,000 | 1,650,000 | 0 |
| 213 | 525,000 | 1,676,000 | 0 |
| 214 | 527,000 | 1,702,000 | 0 |
| 215 | 530,000 | 1,728,000 | 0 |
| 216 | 532,000 | 1,755,000 | 0 |
| 217 | 534,000 | 1,783,000 | 0 |
| 218 | 536,000 | 1,810,000 | 0 |
| 219 | 539,000 | 1,839,000 | 0 |
| 220 | 541,000 | 1,867,000 | 0 |
| 221 | 543,000 | 1,896,000 | 40,000 |
| 222 | 545,000 | 1,926,000 | 0 |
| 223 | 548,000 | 1,956,000 | 0 |
| 224 | 550,000 | 1,986,000 | 0 |
| 225 | 561,000 | 2,017,000 | 0 |
| 226 | 563,000 | 2,048,000 | 0 |
| 227 | 566,000 | 2,080,000 | 0 |
| 228 | 568,000 | 2,112,000 | 0 |
| 229 | 570,000 | 2,145,000 | 0 |
| 230 | 573,000 | 2,179,000 | 0 |
| 231 | 575,000 | 2,212,000 | 0 |
| 232 | 578,000 | 2,247,000 | 0 |
| 233 | 580,000 | 2,282,000 | 0 |
| 234 | 582,000 | 2,317,000 | 0 |
| 235 | 585,000 | 2,353,000 | 0 |
| 236 | 587,000 | 2,390,000 | 0 |
| 237 | 590,000 | 2,427,000 | 0 |
| 238 | 601,000 | 2,465,000 | 0 |
| 239 | 604,000 | 2,503,000 | 0 |
| 240 | 606,000 | 2,542,000 | 0 |
| Total | 53,537,993 | 134,666,586 | 118,100 |
Nice guide, just a quick question how do we get star to a hero cause now i see ascended hero got star on it. What should we do to get the star? Thanks!
Could you include the level cap for each different rarity?
Level Cap is
Mythic+ heroes have a level cap of 240.
Legendary+ heroes have a level cap of 160.
Common heroes have a level cap of 100.
Thanks for reminding me. The page has been updated to reflect the latest patch.
You could also add
Mythic heroes have a level cap of 200.
Legendary heroes have a level cap of 140.
On level 76, I think you meant to put 20,000 xp, but it says 2,000. Also, could you add that certain thresholds require heroes in the Pentagram (Resonating Crystal) to be all be at least a certain level? I’m assuming that it occurs in more than just 100 > 101, which requires at the 5 heroes to all be lvl 80 or above.
I love the site – it has been super helpful. Thanks for the hard work!
I know you need all 5 to be at least 60 to get 81 as well.