Experience

Experience (EXP or XP for short) can be obtained by gathering experience orbs from mining, defeated mobs and players, breeding, fishing, and using furnaces. As tradition, experience points accumulate into experience levels. However, unlike many games, experience levels do not directly increase the character's abilities. Instead, experience is used for enchanting and anvils, to produce weapons, armor, and tools with various useful abilities.

Experience

{
    "title": "Experience",
    "rows": [],
    "invimages": [],
    "images": [
        "Experience Orb.gif"
    ]
}

XP bar visible above hotbar.

Behavior

Most experience comes in the form of experience orbs, small green and yellow spheres that move toward the player and will automatically be added to their total when collected. Experience orbs cannot be added to the player's inventory.

Gathering experience points from experience orbs increases the player's experience level by gradually filling a bar on the bottom of the screen until a new level is achieved when the bar is full. When the player dies, they drop experience orbs worth 7 * current level experience points, up to a maximum of 100 points (enough to reach level 7). All the other experience vanishes.

Experience can be gained from several different sources:

• From killing monsters, which drop experience orbs along with any other items.
  • A mob will not drop experience unless it dies within five seconds (100 game ticks) of an attack registered as a player hit (including tamed wolves and TNT). This allows gaining experience from, say, knocking a monster off a cliff (fetching the orbs might be another question). You can also try to "claim" a burning monster by hitting or shooting it once—even if the blow doesn't kill it, if the fire does within 5 seconds, it will drop XP. (5 seconds of fire only does 5HP damage, but of course you can keep trying.)
  • Mobs killed by TNT activated by a player using flint and steel will drop XP as usual; however mobs killed by TNT that was activated by fire, redstone, or an explosion that wasn't player activated don't drop any experience.
  • Mobs will drop a random number of orbs, and the orbs can have different values. However, the total value will always remain within the values given below, regardless of difficulty setting.
  • Hostile mobs give more experience than passive ones. Baby animals, bats, golems, and villagers give no experience at all. The ender dragon gives orbs totalling 12,000 XP the first time a player kills her – over 200 times more than anything else in the game – and 500 XP the next times.
    • Some hostile mobs spawn with weapons, or can spawn with weapons and/or armor. These mobs give an extra 1–3 points (randomly) per piece of equipment that they spawned with. Equipment picked up after spawning doesn't count.
  • Mining (destroying) a spawner block gives 15–43 points of experience as orbs.
• From mining any ore that drops a resource, rather than ore. The orbs are produced along with the mineral item(s). If a Silk Touch pick is used to mine the ore block, the experience is not dropped, but the block can later be placed and mined normally to release the mineral and the experience.
  • The ore will still produce orbs if destroyed by an explosion, whether or not it was caused by player activated TNT.
• From smelting any of various items.
  • Smelting any ore yields some experience, but normally only iron and gold are worthwhile. For all other ores, mining them is better.
  • Moderate amounts are gained by smelting/cooking other materials: food, clay balls or blocks, cactus, wood logs, sand, or cobblestone.
  • The smelted material must be taken from the furnace through its GUI window. If you use a hopper to unload the furnace, it is possible to retrieve all experience produced by the furnace by smelting an extra item and taking it from the GUI. Dumping the contents by breaking the furnace destroys the experience.
• From breeding animals, which produces orbs where the parents are, along with the baby animal. Breaking eggs does not give experience.
• From fishing. The experience is awarded immediately upon reeling in the fish, even if the fish itself is not picked up.
• From trading with villagers.
• A bottle o' enchanting releases orbs when broken.
• From the /xp command.

Experience orbs

Experience orbs fade between a green and yellow color and will "float" or glide toward the player up to a distance of 6 blocks, speeding up as they get nearer to the player. Experience orbs pulled towards a player are slowed by spider webs. Experience orbs can also be pulled around or away from the player by running water currents.

When collected, experience orbs make a Christmas bell-like sound for a split second. Unlike resources, experience points are picked up gradually: no matter how many orbs are in range of the player, they will be added to the player's experience one at a time (around 10 orbs/second). In extreme cases, this can result in the player being followed by a swarm of orbs for many seconds. If an experience orb isn't collected within 5 minutes of its appearance, it will disappear.

Experience orbs vary in value, but naturally spawned orbs will always have an integer value of 1–11, 17, 37, 73, 149, 307, 617, 1237, or theoretically 2477 (although currently no orbs with this value will spawn). Fishing, breeding, and trading drop a single orb with a random value in the appropriate range. Breaking blocks, killing mobs and players, smelting items, and bottles o' enchanting calculate their total experience amount and then split it into values of 1, 3, 7, 17, 37, 73, 149, 307, 617, 1237, and 2477. Higher values are chosen first, so for example a total value of 1000 would be dropped as orbs with values 617, 307, 73, and three 1s. Note that while the first Ender Dragon in a world drops 12,000 experience, it is dropped in 10 waves of 1000 and one of 2000, so no orbs of value 2477 are dropped.

The general worth of an orb is reflected by its size, with eleven possible sizes corresponding to values 1–2, 3–6, 7–16, 17–36, 37–72, 73–148, 149–306, 307–616, 617–1236, 1237–2476, and 2477 and up.

Experience orbs can be destroyed by fire, lava, explosions and cacti, and can trigger pressure plates and tripwires. Although mob drops spawn the instant the final blow is dealt to the mob, experience orbs do not until the mob entity disappears and the smoke appears. Experience orbs can also stop minecarts.

Experience amounts by source

Source	[hide]Experience
Animals
Chicken, Cow, Cod (including salmon, pufferfish and tropical fish), Dolphin, Horse (including Donkey, Mule, and Undead types), Mooshroom, Llama, Ocelot (Cat), Parrot, Pig, Polar Bear, Sheep, Squid, Turtle, Rabbit, Wolf (Dog)	1–3
Bat, all baby animals	0
Golems
Iron Golem, Snow Golem	0
Monsters
Cave Spider, Creeper, Drowned, Enderman, Ghast, Husk, Illusioner, Phantom, Shulker, Silverfish, Skeleton, Spider, Stray, Vindicator, Witch, Wither Skeleton, Zombie, Zombie Pigman	5 + 1–3 (per equipment)
Endermite, Vex	3
Large Slime and Magma Cube	4
Small Slime and Magma Cube	2
Tiny Slime and Magma Cube	1
Baby Zombie, Baby Zombie Pigman	12
Spider Jockey	5 (skeleton) + 1–3 (per equipment) + 5 (spider)
Chicken Jockey	12 (zombie) + 1–3 (per equipment) + 10 (chicken)
Blaze, Guardian, Elder Guardian, Evoker	10
PCs and NPCs
Player	7 per level, up to 100
Villager	0
Bosses
Ender Dragon	12,000 (500 if respawned with end crystals)
Wither	50
Elder Guardian	10
Mining blocks
Coal Ore	0–2
Diamond Ore, Emerald Ore	3–7
Lapis Lazuli Ore, Nether Quartz Ore	2–5
Redstone Ore	1–5
Monster Spawner	15–43
Smelting/Cooking
Diamond Ore, Emerald Ore, Gold Ore	1
Iron Ore, Redstone Ore	0.7
File:BlockSprite clay-(block).pngClay, Potato, Raw Beef, Raw Chicken, Raw Cod, Raw Mutton, Raw Porkchop, Raw Rabbit, Raw Salmon	0.35
File:ItemSprite clay.pngClay	0.3
Cactus, Lapis Lazuli Ore, Nether Quartz Ore	0.2
Wet Sponge, Wood	0.15
Chorus Fruit, Coal Ore, Cobblestone, Dyed Terracotta, Netherrack, Sand, Stone Bricks [[Sword| Iron or Golden Sword]], [[Tools| Iron Tools]], [[Tools| Golden Tools]], [[Armor| Iron Armor]], [[Armor| Golden Armor]], [[Armor| Chain Armor]] [[Horse Armor| Iron or Golden Horse Armor]], Kelp	0.1
Completing Challenge advancements ‌
Great View From Up Here, Return to Sender, Sniper Duel	50
A Balanced Diet, A Furious Cocktail, Monsters Hunted, Serious Dedication, Subspace Bubble, Two By Two, Uneasy Alliance	100
Adventuring Time	500
How Did We Get Here?	1,000
Other
Bottle o' Enchanting	3–11
Trading	3–6 (8–11 if the villagers are willing to breed)
Breeding animals	1–7
Catching Fish	1–6

Leveling up

Level	Exp	Exp from last
1	7	7
2	16	9
3	27	11
4	40	13
5	55	15
6	72	17
7	91	19
8	112	21
9	135	23
10	160	25

Level	Exp	Exp from last
11	187	27
12	216	29
13	247	31
14	280	33
15	315	35
16	352	37
17	394	42
18	441	47
19	493	52
20	550	57

Level	Exp	Exp from last
21	612	62
22	679	67
23	751	72
24	828	77
25	910	82
26	997	87
27	1089	92
28	1186	97
29	1288	102
30	1395	107

Level	Exp	Exp from last
31	1507	112
32	1628	121
33	1758	130
34	1897	139
35	2045	148
36	2202	157
37	2368	166
38	2543	175
39	2727	184
40	2920	193

<pLines Title="XP per level" colors=FF0000,00FF00 bgcolor=c0c0c0

       cubic=true plots=open grid=true gridcolor=FFFFFF box=true labels=true
       ymin=0 ymax=3000 ytitle=XP xtitle=Level size=850x300 legend>

XP required,XP diff 7,7 16,9 27,11 40,13 55,15 72,17 91,19 112,21 135,23 160,25 187,27 216,29 247,31 280,33 315,35 352,37 394,42 441,47 493,52 550,57 612,62 679,67 751,72 828,77 910,82 997,87 1089,92 1186,97 1288,102 1395,107 1507,112 1628,121 1758,130 1897,139 2045,148 2202,157 2368,166 2543,175 2727,184 2920,193 </pLines>

The formulas for figuring out how many experience orbs you need to get to the next level are as follows:

Experience Required = 2[Current Level] + 7 (for Current Level 0-15)

5[Current Level] - 38 (for Current Level 16-30)

9[Current Level] - 158 (for Current Level 31+)

One can determine how much experience has been collected to reach a level using the equations:

Total Experience = [Level]² + 6[Level] (at levels 0-16)

2.5[Level]² - 40.5[Level] + 360 (at levels 17-31)

4.5[Level]² - 162.5[Level] + 2220 (at level 32+)

Useful numbers

• Killing one large slime and all the slimes that split from it will yield from 12 to 28 experience, with an average of 19.
• The maximum level required for enchanting is level 30, while the anvil will accept jobs up to level 39 (in creative mode the anvil limit is removed).
• Level 16 is a quarter of the way to level 30, while level 22 is about halfway there. Level 30 in turn, is halfway to level 39.
• Killing the ender dragon the first time will give approximately 68 XP levels. The ender dragon actually drops 10 waves of orbs worth a total of 1,000 experience points per wave, and another worth a total of 2,000. Taken separately, the smaller waves could take a player from zero to level 26, while the big wave would take a player from zero to level 34. The largest orb dropped will have a value of 1237 experience points, and can take a player from zero to level 28 all by itself.
• Maximum experience value can be gained by /xp command is 2147483648 (which is 2^31. This is likely due to experience being stored as a signed Java-standard 32-bit integer.)
• Maximum value for one orb used by /summon is 1277951
• Maximum level of XP you can get legitimately is 21863, but you can get up to 2147483647 using commands, in this case the experience bar may disappear and reappear.

Score

Example of Score in Hardcore

Score is the number of experience the player has collected since their last death. This number is the total experience the player has collected, rather than the amount of experience they had upon death. When the player dies, the score is displayed on the death screen.

Trivia

• Before Beta 1.9 Prerelease 2, the score read &e0.
  • This was caused by a error in which, the game renders color text. §e0 would render the text as 0, but shaded bright yellow. From Indev 0.31 (the version in which the precursor to experience, a score system, was removed after Survival Test) to this version, a bug arose where it would display &e0 instead, a common error when formatting color text in Minecraft (except on custom servers with the plugin to override this).

Data values

ID

Experience/ID

Entity data

Experience orbs have entity data associated with them that contain various properties of the entity. Their entity ID is xp_orb.

• [NBT Compound / JSON Object] Entity data
  • Tags common to all entities see Template:Nbt inherit/entity/template[show]
  • [Short] Age: The number of ticks the XP orb has been "untouched". After 6000 ticks (5 minutes) the orb despawns.
  • [Int] Count: The remaining number of times that the orb can be picked up. When the orb is picked up, the value decreases by 1. When multiple orbs are merged, their values are added up to result orb. When the value reaches 0, the orb is depleted.
  • [Short] Health: The health of XP orbs. XP orbs take damage from fire, lava, falling anvils, and explosions. The orb is destroyed when its health reaches 0.
  • [Short] Value: The amount of experience the orb gives when picked up.

Video

Experience/video

History

In an image of the new lighting system, a small yellow (the orb was yellow due to a warm light from a torch) spherical shape can be seen on the left side of the screen, but a day after the photo was published Notch claimed it had an error and posted a new one, this time, without a yellow sphere. In a later tweet, Notch showed a picture of a Beta 1.7 change-list (back then the adventure update was supposed to be in beta 1.7). Although it was completely blurred out and was, at first, thought of as a joke, but then Notch stated that one of the pictures with the new lighting system and the change list had a secret in them, and people all around the web started speculating.

One place that people discussed it was on the Minecraft forums, where it was discovered that the tabs at the top of the change list that were partly covered, could be decoded based on the 2 pixel tall pattern available in the image.

After a user named "tmcaffeine" successfully decoded it, the tabs read: ExperienceOrb.java, changelist.txt, Level.java, Tile.java, HugeMushroomTile.java, HugeMushroomFeature.java, RandomLevelSource(cut)

[hide]classic
?							A precursor to the experience system was the score in Classic Survival Test. {"type": "classic", "version": "unknown", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "A precursor to the experience system was the score in (link to Classic article, displayed as Classic) (link to Survival Test article, displayed as Survival Test)."}
[hide]beta
1.8							Experience was originally revealed by Jeb during an interview. Jeb released a picture of the 1.8 GUI list, which shows the experience bar, among other things. {"type": "beta", "version": "1.8", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience was originally revealed by (link to Jeb article, displayed as Jeb) during an interview. Jeb released a picture of the 1.8 GUI list, which shows the experience bar, among other things."}
							Experience was added, but there was no measurable benefit to gaining Experience Orbs and levels. {"type": "beta", "version": "1.8", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience was added, but there was no measurable benefit to gaining Experience Orbs and levels."}
[hide]Java Edition
1.0.0							For this version only, as a test, experience was gained when jumping. However, experience still did nothing. {"type": "java", "version": "1.0.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "For this version only, as a test, experience was gained when jumping. However, experience still did nothing."}
							Change mentioned in the previous version removed. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Change mentioned in the previous version removed."}
							The ability to spend experience levels for Enchanting items was added. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The ability to spend experience levels for (link to Enchanting article, displayed as Enchanting) items was added."}
							The level number was shown, and each level was harder to get to than the previous one. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The level number was shown, and each level was harder to get to than the previous one."}
							Orbs now make a twinkling sound when collected. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Orbs now make a twinkling sound when collected."}
							Amount of experience orbs dropped by a player on death now limited. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Amount of experience orbs dropped by a player on death now limited."}
							Score will now appear correctly on “Game over!” screen. Each experience orb is worth one Score Point. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Score will now appear correctly on “Game over!” screen. Each experience orb is worth one Score Point."}
1.2.1							The Bottle o' Enchanting was added, but the next snapshot made it only useful for adventure maps. {"type": "java", "version": "1.2.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The (link to Bottle o' Enchanting article, displayed as Bottle o' Enchanting) was added, but the next snapshot made it only useful for adventure maps."}
							Removed the need for experience when enchanting in creative mode. Experience requirements were also changed in this update. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Removed the need for experience when enchanting in creative mode. Experience requirements were also changed in this update."}
1.3.1							Players can get XP from mining, breaking mob spawners, and smelting in a furnace. A very large amount of experience can be collected while mining, sometimes into the hundreds of levels. Coal, lapis lazuli, redstone, diamond and emerald ore give you experience points. Iron and gold ore instead give experience when smelted. {"type": "java", "version": "1.3.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Players can get XP from mining, breaking mob spawners, and smelting in a furnace. A very large amount of experience can be collected while mining, sometimes into the hundreds of levels. Coal, lapis lazuli, redstone, diamond and emerald ore give you experience points. Iron and gold ore instead give experience when smelted."}
							The cost to gain each level was made constant, at 17 points per level. {"type": "java", "version": "1.3.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The cost to gain each level was made constant, at 17 points per level."}
							Only level 30 is required to get the maximum level of enchanting. {"type": "java", "version": "1.3.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Only level 30 is required to get the maximum level of enchanting."}
							XP levels now cost 17 XP Orbs each until level 16, after which the cost per level grows linearly, and the total XP grows quadratically (incorrectly stated "exponentially" by Mojang). However, it is easier to get to 30 levels than it was before 12w22a. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "XP levels now cost 17 XP Orbs each until level 16, after which the cost per level grows linearly, and the total XP grows quadratically (incorrectly stated \"exponentially\" by Mojang). However, it is easier to get to 30 levels than it was before 12w22a."}
1.4.2							Leveling up now makes a twinkly bell sound, similar to but longer than the XP orb sound. {"type": "java", "version": "1.4.2", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Leveling up now makes a twinkly bell sound, similar to but longer than the XP orb sound."}
							Levels could be used in commands by typing, for example, @a[lm=4,l=7], choosing everyone between 4 and 7 levels inclusive. This is normally used in a command block. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Levels could be used in commands by typing, for example, @a[lm=4,l=7], choosing everyone between 4 and 7 levels inclusive. This is normally used in a command block."}
							Anvils were added, repairing and combining items at the cost of experience levels. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "(link to Anvil article, displayed as Anvils) were added, repairing and combining items at the cost of experience levels."}
							The level-up sound now only plays every 5 levels, and is shortened. {"type": "java", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The level-up sound now only plays every 5 levels, and is shortened."}
1.6.1							Experience levels no longer appear in Creative mode. Previously, experience would be hidden but experience levels would show. {"type": "java", "version": "1.6.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience levels no longer appear in (link to Creative article, displayed as Creative) mode. Previously, experience would be hidden but experience levels would show."}
1.8							Changes to the enchanting system mean that levelling up requires more experience. {"type": "java", "version": "1.8", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Changes to the enchanting system mean that levelling up requires more experience."}
1.9							Experience is now collected at the feet, meaning that if a large amount of experience is collected, it no longer blocks the player's view. {"type": "java", "version": "1.9", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience is now collected at the feet, meaning that if a large amount of experience is collected, it no longer blocks the player's view."}
1.11							Changed entity ID from XPOrb to xp_orb {"type": "java", "version": "1.11", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Changed entity ID from <code>XPOrb</code> to <code>xp_orb</code>"}
1.13							Experience orbs will now float up in water. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience orbs will now float up in water."}
1.13							Experience orb id changed to experience_orb. {"type": "java", "version": "1.13", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience orb id changed to <code>experience_orb</code>."}
[hide]Pocket Edition Alpha
0.12.1							Added experience. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "0.12.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added experience."}
Alpha							Experience orbs will now burn in fire or lava. {"type": "pocket Alpha", "version": "", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience orbs will now burn in fire or lava."}
[hide]Pocket Edition
1.1							The entity ID is changed from xporb to xp_orb. {"type": "pocket", "version": "1.1", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "The entity ID is changed from <code>xporb</code> to <code>xp_orb</code>."}
[hide]Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360	Xbox One	PS3	PS4	PS Vita	Wii U	Switch
TU7	CU1				Patch 1		Added experience. Experience is collectable from smelting and/or mining ores, breeding and killing mobs. {"type": "console", "xbox": "TU7", "xbone": "CU1", "ps3": "", "ps4": "", "psvita": "", "wiiu": "Patch 1", "switch": "", "content": "Added experience. Experience is collectable from smelting and/or mining ores, breeding and killing mobs."}
[hide]New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0							Added experience. {"type": "new3ds", "version": "0.1.0", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Added experience."}
1.1.06							Experience is now collectable from smelting and/or mining ores, as well as trading. {"type": "new3ds", "version": "1.1.06", "exp": "", "snap": "", "content": "Experience is now collectable from smelting and/or mining ores, as well as trading."}

An example of the excessive amount of experience orbs dropped upon death in Beta 1.8, causing extreme performance drops.

The experience level costs were heavily revised in snapshot 12w22a and 12w23a. Before these, reaching level 50 (the maximum usable on a single enchantment) required 4625 experience, corresponding to defeating 925 hostile mobs (assuming the "common" ones.) Afterwards, considerably less experience is needed to get into higher levels (The amount which would formerly get the player to level 30 now gets them to level 39). Higher levels cost more experience than lower ones, but the levels are still easier to get than in 1.2.5. Now level 30 is the maximum for enchantments, and that cost is equivalent of 165 "common" mobs, less than 1/5 the old price.

Values from Beta 1.8 – 1.3.1 (12w23a)[show][edit]

Values from 1.3.1–1.8 (14w02a)[show][edit]

Issues

Issues relating to "Experience" or "Orb" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

• Using experience on enchanting or repairing does not decrease your score (which is shown on death).
• If a player gain too many experience points (such as a trillion through commands), the experience bar will disappear altogether as well as your level on your HUD. This appears to occur around level 32,767 (which is equal to 2¹⁵–1, the largest value representable as a 16-bit signed integer).
  • The maximum XP that you can earn from the /experience command is 2,147,483,647 levels (which is equal to 2³¹–1, the largest value representable as a 32-bit signed integer).
  • The maximum experience level is 24791 (With just /experience).
  • The maximum glitchless experience level is 32767 (With just /experience # levels, where # is the level and levels increases the person's level by that many levels)
  • The highest level you can gain with /experience without overflowing is 1241258, which results in 2,147,483,647 experience, which is the maximum value for the int data type in Java, which is what is used to store the experience value.

Gallery

• 

  The first picture of the Orb.

• 

  Orb in the first picture, enlarged.

• 

  The Beta 1.7 “change-list” (the Adventure Update was supposed to be Beta 1.7).

• 

  The decoded “change-list”.

See also

• Death
• Mobs