Characters may advance their ratings in various areas by spending experience points (XP). The cost to raise ratings is:

Attribute	Current Rating x 4
Ability	Current Rating x 2
Virtue	Current Rating x 2
Humanity	Current Rating x 2
Willpower	Current Rating
Flows (Primary)	Current Rating x 4
Flows (Secondary)	Current Rating x 6
Flows (Spirit)	Current Rating x 5
Power Strength	Current Rating x 7

Primary Flows are typically based on gender. Males tend to have primary Flows in Fire and Earth, while Females lean towards having Primary Flows in Water and Air.

The cost of new Abilities is 3 XP, and a single Talent may be picked up as the game progresses for 10 XP, if the player did not purchase one during character creation. Sword Forms cost 1 XP for Rank I, II, and III; 2 XP for Rank IV; and 3 XP for Rank V.

For channelers, XP can be supplemented by Study Points (SP) to raise their Ratings in Flows and Power Strength. Spending hours working with knowledgeable Aes Sedai, reading texts that deal with the theories and philosophies of the One Power, or the Player explaining a convincing theory to the GM about how a certain weave could be formed are all ways in which SP can be earned. When using SP to raise a skill, an equal or greater number of XP must be used in conjunction. For example, to raise Spirit from a 3 to a 4 takes 15 points. The character could spend 5 SP and 10 XP, but not 8 SP and 7 XP. SP may always be used to raise Power Strength. When raising Flows, however, if the character has spent long hours studying a specific Flow or weave, the GM might restrict SP use to improving the Flow(s) studied.

Certain Abilities require training under a Mentor to learn. All Attributes and Talents may be raised without instruction, as these are natural extensions of a person. Skills are best learned through instruction, though after appropriate periods of use and practice in game time some Skills can be naturally developed. The One Power works in much the same way. While it is much easier to learn under the tutelage of an experienced Aes Sedai, many things can be puzzled out given time and patience. Knowledges require either a Mentor or enough exposure to the subject of the Knowledge that it can be reasonably assumed you’ve learned enough to match the Rank in the Knowledge you wish. Virtues, Willpower, and Humanity are raised with XP, but also require a certain amount of roleplaying to be raised. A Player must be able to point to their character’s past actions to support a desired increase in one of those areas.