ilevel

Ilevel, often written as iLvl, is a term used primarily in video games to describe the power or quality of equipment. It is a numeric value assigned to an item and is typically intended to provide a quick, comparable measure of how strong the item is. The concept is most common in role-playing and massively multiplayer online games, where gear progression is central to character power.

Ilevel serves as a rough proxy for an item’s effectiveness. Higher iLvl usually correlates with higher base statistics, better secondary attributes, or more favorable scaling with character abilities. It is often used to compare different pieces of gear and to determine eligibility for certain content, such as dungeons or raids, where minimum iLvl requirements may be enforced. In many games, the iLvl is visible in the item’s tooltip and may influence loot distribution and upgrade decisions.

Calculation and variability are game-specific. In some systems, iLvl is derived from the item’s tier, quality, and base stats, and it may increase with upgrades, enchantments, or socketed enhancements. In other systems, iLvl might be a separate, more abstract power metric that interacts with but does not directly equal the final stat totals. Because rules vary by title, the same item can have different iLvl implications across games.

Critically, iLvl is a simplification. While it aids quick comparisons and progression tracking, it does not always capture all nuances of an item’s utility, such as bonuses from set effects, unique procs, or synergy with a character’s build. See also item level, gear score.