History Main / CastFromExperiencePoints

!!Examples:

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:{{Fan Fiction}}]]
* In ''FanFic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'', several spells are powered by Sacrifice, including Fiendfyre, which permanently decreases your blood volume, and the Unbreakable Vow, which permanently decreases someone's Magic reserves (thus explaining why it's not routinely used to enforce business deals).

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''-inspired RPGMechanicsVerse, Vaarsuvius [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html lets Durkon believe]] that Vaarsuvius cast a spell with a prohibitively high XP cost to gain an incredible HourOfPower, hence why it can't be repeated. In fact, the power boost came from [[spoiler:a DealWithTheDevil.]]

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''-inspired RPGMechanicsVerse, Vaarsuvius [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0667.html lets Durkon believe]] that Vaarsuvius cast a spell with a prohibitively high XP cost to gain an incredible HourOfPower. In fact, the power boost came from [[spoiler:a DealWithTheDevil.]]

!!Examples

Many [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Dangerous Forbidden Techniques]] in the Main/{{Xianxia}} genre are cast from XP, something which neatly explains why martial artists don't launch their most powerful techniques right off the bat, but only use them when absolutely necessary.

** The 1st/2nd Edition compatible supplement ''The Tome of Mighty Magic'' has a spell called Divine Retribution. If the spell fails, it drains a [[ExperienceLevel level of experience]] from the caster.
** The 1st Edition spell Energy Drain. There is a 5% chance the caster will be drained of a [[ExperienceLevel level of experience]].

* ''WebComic/GodOfHighSchool'' features a character who essentially does this, manifesting as aging in reverse when she uses her powers. Essentially she turns into a child, or could even de-age out of existence if she doesn't wait years between using her abilities.

Particularly powerful spells may *lessen* a caster, bumping them down a PowerLevel for years until they recover. [[RolePlayingGame RPGs]], both cRPGS and tRPGs, have ExperiencePoints as a ready-made resource for this kind of thing - and it's an especially useful trope there, since the game is likely to end long before the natural lifespan of the characters, meaning that from the players' perspective, CastFromLifespan is consequence-free. XP, on the other hand, is something even a {{Munchkin}} cares about. [[note]]Actually, make that "something that ''especially'' a Munchkin cares about".[[/note]] Another common variant is to have important spells cost stat points (which then can be restored with XP or training, as per usual). The extra power of the spell is usually justified to be ''because'' of [[EquivalentExchange the sacrifice involved]], making the XP cost a NecessaryDrawback.

* In Swedish RPG ''TabletopGame/DrakarOchDemoner'', the spell to make a permanent magic item costs 1 permanent Willpower, and the one to establish its own power supply (rather than drawing mana from the user) costs an additional one. On the bright side, Willpower increases get progressively more improbable, the more you already have (roll below 25-WP on a d20 after an adventure where you use your WP stat), which means that spending Willpower makes them easier to get.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', experience points and levels are spent when enchanting items, repairing items, or automatically consumed by the Mending enchantment.[[note]]If a weapon or armor piece with Mending has less than maximum durability, it consumes your experience to repair itself[[/note]] It should be noted that experience points in ''Minecraft'' do not cause you to level up - these are actually the intended uses for them.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', experience points and levels are spent when enchanting or repairing items.

-->-- '''Professor Quirrel''', in '''FanFic/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality'''

* Some of the hexes in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' use up souls to cast. One uses all souls the player has, but when the count is 5,000 or higher the spell's power reaches CriticalHit levels. Since souls are both XP and currency, it's CastFromMoney at the same time.

Particularly powerful spells may *lessen* a caster, bumping them down a PowerLevel for years until they recover. [[RolePlayingGame RPGs]], both cRPGS and tRPGs, have ExperiencePoints as a ready-made resource for this kind of thing - and it's an especially useful trope there, since the game is likely to end long before the natural lifespan of the characters, meaning that from the players' perspective, CastFromLifespan is consequence-free. XP, on the other hand, is something even a Main/{{Munchkin}} cares about. (Actually, make that "something that ''especially'' a Munchkin cares about".)\\
Another common variant is to have important spells cost stat points (which then can be restored with XP or training, as per usual).\\
The extra power of the spell is usually justified to be ''because'' of [[EquivalentExchange the sacrifice involved]], making the XP cost a NecessaryDrawback.

Particularly powerful spells may *lessen* a caster, bumping them down a PowerLevel for years until they recover. [[RolePlayingGame RPGs]], both cRPGS and tRPGs, have ExperiencePoints as a ready-made resource for this kind of thing - and it's an especially useful trope there, since the game is likely to end long before the natural lifespan of the characters, meaning that from the players' perspective, CastFromLifespan is consequence-free. XP, on the other hand, is something even a {{Main/Munchkin}} cares about.
Another common variant is to have important spells cost stat points (which then can be restored with XP or training, as per usual).

Many [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Dangerous Forbidden Techniques]] in the {{Main/Xianxia}} genre are cast from XP, something which neatly explains why martial artists don't launch their most powerful techniques right off the bat, but only use them when absolutely necessary.

Subtrope of PowerAtAPrice. Compare to sister tropes CastFromLifespan, where the caster can't recover (and in many cases aren't noticeably weaker), CastFromHP, where the caster is hurt by the spell, but recovers as from a normal wound, and InsertPaymentToUse, for artifacts that requires a price to be used. The default is for spells to be cast from {{Mana}}.

* In ''Literature/TheNeverendingStory'', Bastian's [[spoiler: wishing power turns out to require sacrificing memories of the human world]].

* Some of the hexes in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' use up souls to cast. One uses all souls the player has, but when the count is 5,000 or higher the spell's power reaches ForMassiveDamage levels. Since souls are both XP and currency, it's CastFromMoney at the same time.

* In ''Literature/NeverendingStory'', Bastian's [[spoiler: wishing power turns out to require sacrificing memories of the human world]].

* In ''VideoGame/ElSword'', Lu was once a powerful demon, but she got sealed by other demons. In order to escape, she used most of her energy and she succeed, but she turned into a little girl as a result.

* Some of the hexes in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'' use up souls to cast. One uses all souls the player has, but when the count is 5,000 or higher the spell's power reaches ForMassiveDamage levels.

* In VideoGame/ElSword, Lu was once a powerful demon, but she got sealed by other demons. In order to escape, she used most of her energy and she succeed, but she turned into a little girl as a result.

* ''GodOfHighSchool'' features a character who essentially does this, manifesting as aging in reverse when she uses her powers. Essentially she turns into a child, or could even de-age out of existence if she doesn't wait years between using her abilities.

* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'' has a few of the most powerful Theban Sorcery spells cost Willpower Points, once cast the stat ''itself'' goes down. Characters can spend XP to buy it back up to the previous level, but until then they're essentially less able to expend mental and emotional energy. Interestingly, ''creating'' a new vampire requires the exact same expenditure on part of the vampire sire. The setting details some sire's who mass embrace too many, too quickly become emotional wrecks unable to hold themselves together.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Numenera}}'', you can use unspent XP for temporary advantages.

** In 3.5, the following spells require XP: [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planarAllyLesser.htm Planar Ally]] (all spells), [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/atonement.htm Atonement]], [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/commune.htm Commune]], [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/restorationGreater.htm Greater Restoration]], [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gate.htm Gate]], [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/miracle.htm Miracle]], Awaken, Permanency, Vision, Simulacrum, Limited Wish, and Wish.