Kingdom Advancement
Kingdoms increase in level by gaining kingdom experience points (XP). At each new level, a kingdom gains additional abilities and features, as outlined in the table below.
At the end of a kingdom turn, if the kingdom has at least 1,000 XP and has not already reached its maximum level, increase the kingdom’s level by 1 and deduct 1,000 from its current XP total. The kingdom’s level cannot increase by more than 1 at the end of a given kingdom turn.
The kingdom’s maximum level is equal to the party level; it can never exceed the level of the PCs themselves. So, for example, if the PCs are still 1st level when it reaches 1,000 XP, it can’t level up yet; it will level up at the end of the first kingdom turn after the PCs have reached 2nd level.
When your kingdom’s level increases, each of its armies may gain a level as well (your choice). See the Warfare rules for additional details on armies.
Control DC
The more powerful a kingdom grows, the more difficult it becomes to control it. The standard DC for skill checks is set by the kingdom's level. Fortunately, as you increase in level, your government's ability to use its skills grows as well.
Charter, Government, and Heartland
The kingdom's charter, government type, and heartland are set during kingdom creation.
Initial proficiencies
At 1st level, a kingdom receives the trained proficiency rank in five skills, according to its charter, government, and heartland. It may also gain further proficiency in up to eight additional spells depending on the dedication of its leadership.
Favored Land
The heartland of the kingdom becomes its favored terrain: the type of land that your people feel the strongest emotional ties to, and to which your resource gatherers tend to flock. Once per kingdom turn, during the region activities step of the Activity phase, you can attempt two region activities simultaneously as a single activity, as long as both take place in the same hex which contains your favored terrain. You take a -2 penalty to kingdom skill checks made during these two activities.
Settlement Construction
You can establish villages in your kingdom immediately. At 3rd level, you can expand villages into towns. At 9th level, you can expand towns into cities. At 15th level, you can expand cities into metropoli.
As villages grow into larger settlements, you not only gain more room to build, but the maximum item bonus you can gain from that settlement's structures increases as well.
Your capital settlement is an exception to this general rule. It can reach larger settlement types as though your kingdom were 3 levels higher than it actually is.
Ability Boosts
At 2nd level and various levels thereafter, you may improve one of your kingdom's ability scores. Just as increasing player abilities, it takes two boosts to improve a kingdom's score past +4. Each set of three boosts counts as a single group, and any individual ability can only be boosted once in each group. (This is an adaptation of Gradual Ability Boosts for kingdoms; it works the same way.)
Kingdom Feats
At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the kingdom gains a kingdom feat.
Skill Increase
At 2nd level and every level thereafter, your kingdom gains a skill increase. You can use this to increase your rank to trained in one skill in which your kingdom is untrained, or to expert in one skill in which your kingdom is trained. Starting at 7th level, you can increase an expert skill to master, and starting at 15th level you can increase a master skill to legendary.
Untrained Improvisation
No kingdom can afford to be completely incompetent at any of the fundamental skills of civilization. Starting at 3rd level, your kingdom's proficiency modifier in any skill in which it is untrained is equal to its level -2.
Expansion Expert
Your kingdom becomes better at expanding its territory. At 4th level, you may attempt to Claim a Hex up to twice during a kingdom turn. Beginning at 9th level, your kingdom can attempt to Claim a Hex up to three times during a kingdom turn.
Fine Living
Your people celebrate your leadership by indulging you with feasts and finery. Beginning at 4th level, all PCs associated with the kingdom enjoy a fine standard of living at no cost whenever they are within any settlement's area of influence, unless they are in hostile wilderness, a monster-filled dungeon, or a similarly difficult location. Characters associated with the rulers of the kingdom (including all PCs) gain a +1 circumstance bonus to any Craft or Earn Income check while within the influence of any settlement.
At 10th level, this improves to Life of Luxury, which grants an extravagant standard of living at no cost and a +2 circumstance bonus to Craft and Earn Income as long as they are within the area of influence of a town or larger settlement.
Ruin Resistance
At 5th level and every 3 levels thereafter, your kingdom may undertake a major reform to become more resistant to Ruin. Choose one of the four Ruin categories. Reset its penalty to 0 and increase its threshold by 2.
Civic Planning
Starting at 12th level, during the civic activities step of a kingdom turn, one settlement may attempt two civic activities rather than one. The second civic activity occurs after all other settlements have undertaken their individual activities.
Envy of the World
Your kingdom has become one of the world's preeminent nations. At 20th level, the first time in a kingdom turn when your kingdom would gain Unrest or any Ruin, ignore that gain. You can ignore additional increases to Unrest or Ruin by spending a Fame point each time. Your maximum Fame increases by 1.
Milestones
Your kingdom gains additional kingdom XP the first time it achieves certain milestones, listed in the table below.