You’re playing Sea of Stars, and that chime hits. Level up. It feels great, right? But then the game throws a curveball at you: the bonus stat screen. Sabotage Studio didn't just want you to watch numbers go up automatically. They wanted to give you a little bit of that old-school RPG anxiety. Should you take the extra MP? Is physical defense a trap?
Honestly, the Sea of Stars level up guide you’re looking for isn’t about grinding for hours. You can't even really grind that much anyway. The game uses a shared XP system, which is a blessing because it means Valere and Zale are always in sync, but it also means every choice you make for their individual bonus stats matters more than you think.
Stop Worrying About Grinding
Let’s get this out of the way. If you’re trying to find a spot to kill the same three slimes for six hours, stop. You’re wasting your time. Sea of Stars is balanced strictly. If you fight most of the enemies you see while exploring, you will be exactly where the developers want you to be.
Over-leveling isn't really a thing here.
Because of the way scaling works, being level 12 versus level 13 isn't going to make a boss go from "impossible" to "easy." What actually changes the tide of battle is your gear and, more importantly, how you distribute those precious bonus stats every time that level-up wheel spins.
The Bonus Stat Dilemma
Every single level, you get a choice of four stats. They change. Sometimes you’ll see Physical Attack and Mana; other times, it’ll be Magic Defense and Hit Points.
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The big secret? There’s a "soft cap" logic happening behind the scenes. If you keep picking Mana every single time it appears, the value of that bonus will eventually drop. The game subtly nudges you to build a well-rounded character, but you can still lean into specific roles if you’re smart about it.
Valere: The Speed and Physical Powerhouse
Valere is your heavy hitter. Her Moonerang is iconic, but her physical strikes are where she generates the most "Live Mana."
For Valere, you want to prioritize Physical Attack and Physical Defense. Why? Because she’s often in the thick of it. If you see MP as an option and she’s sitting low, grab it once or twice. Having enough MP to cast a Lunar Shield when things get hairy is a literal life-saver. But don't make her a mage. She isn't one.
Zale: The Magic Glass Cannon
Zale is a bit different. His sun-based magic hits like a freight train, especially once you get his later skills.
When his bonus stats pop up, look for Magic Attack. It scales his healing too, which is vital in the early game before you have a full roster of cooks and items. However, Zale is squishy. If you ignore his HP bonuses, he will get one-shot by late-game bosses like the Dweller of Dread.
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Garl: The Ultimate Support
Good old Garl. The cook. The heart of the team.
Garl needs HP and Physical Defense. He’s your tank. He’s the one who stays standing when everyone else is eating dirt. Giving him more Physical Attack is fine for the early game, but later on, his job is to survive, use items, and set up combos.
The Mana Cap is the Real Enemy
In most RPGs, you want hundreds of MP. In Sea of Stars, the caps are tiny. You might finish the game with less than 30 MP on some characters.
This makes every +1 or +2 to Mana incredibly valuable.
If you see a Mana bonus, ask yourself: "Can this character currently cast their most expensive spell twice without needing to basic attack?" If the answer is no, take the Mana. Being able to chain Sunball or Moonerang back-to-back without stopping to recharge is how you break enemy "Locks." And breaking Locks is the only way you survive the harder encounters in the Sea of Stars.
What About the Relics?
You can't talk about a Sea of Stars level up guide without mentioning Relics. Some people think using the "Sequent Flashes" or "Guardian Cloak" is cheating. It’s not. It’s a difficulty toggle.
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If you find yourself struggling even after picking the "right" stats, go to the merchant in Brisk and buy some Relics.
- Amulet of Storytelling: Gives you a massive HP boost.
- Sequent Flashes: Provides a visual cue for timed hits.
Timed hits are essentially "hidden levels." If you master the timing, you’re dealing 20-30% more damage and taking less. No amount of stat-padding replaces the skill of hitting 'A' or 'Space' at the exact moment of impact.
Don't Ignore Magic Defense
Most players tunnel-vision on Attack. Big numbers are fun. We get it.
But the mid-game bosses in the Autumn Hills and beyond love to spam magical AoE attacks. If you’ve neglected Magic Defense, your party will melt.
I usually rotate. Level 4, I’ll take Attack. Level 5, I’ll take Defense. Level 6, I’ll take MP. It keeps the "diminishing returns" at bay and ensures Zale isn't a liability when a magical laser beam comes his way.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Level Up
To make the most of your journey through the Archipelago, follow this priority list when the level-up screen appears:
- Prioritize MP until a character has at least 12-15. This allows for two casts of basic skills.
- Pick Physical Attack for Valere and Magic Attack for Zale whenever the value is at its highest (+2 or +3).
- Never skip an HP bonus if it’s +8 or higher. That’s a massive jump that can be the difference between life and death.
- For the "hidden" third and fourth party members (no spoilers here!), focus on their niche. If they have high natural defense, double down on it to make them unkillable.
- Check your gear constantly. A new weapon often gives more of a boost than three levels worth of stat bonuses. If you're in a new town, go to the equipment shop first.
The beauty of this game is that it's hard to truly "brick" a character. You won't reach the end and realize you can't win. But by being intentional with your bonus stats, you turn a frantic struggle into a calculated victory. Stop hunting for XP and start focusing on the math of the bonus wheel. That’s how you actually master the stars.