Unlike traditional RPGs, there are no levels or experience to gain. Characters have fixed base stats that can only be improved by equipping better equipment.
Two identical equipment can be melded to create a stronger version. The resulting equipment will have a +1 in the name and all non-zero stats are increased by 1. It can be further melded to a maximum of +9. The +X values of the two equipment to be melded do not have to match. Equipment can also be melded with a spellbook to imbue the equipment with a spell in the second slot. Both types of melding consumes one pure azoth.