diff --git a/backend/internal/game/enemy_templates_testdata_test.go b/backend/internal/game/enemy_templates_testdata_test.go
index 8ea0482..95c424b 100644
--- a/backend/internal/game/enemy_templates_testdata_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/game/enemy_templates_testdata_test.go
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ func ensureTestEnemyTemplates() {
 			HPPerLevel:       5,
 			AttackPerLevel:   1.5,
 			DefensePerLevel:  1.0,
-			XPReward:         10,
+			XPPerLevel:       2,
+			XPReward:         1,
 			GoldReward:       5,
 		},
 		model.EnemyBoar: {
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ func ensureTestEnemyTemplates() {
 			HPPerLevel:       6,
 			AttackPerLevel:   1.8,
 			DefensePerLevel:  1.3,
-			XPReward:         14,
+			XPPerLevel:       2,
+			XPReward:         1,
 			GoldReward:       8,
 		},
 	})
diff --git a/backend/internal/game/offline.go b/backend/internal/game/offline.go
index bf8bb3f..72e836c 100644
--- a/backend/internal/game/offline.go
+++ b/backend/internal/game/offline.go
@@ -535,7 +535,13 @@ func BuildEnemyInstanceForLevel(tmpl model.Enemy, level int) model.Enemy {
 	picked.HP = picked.MaxHP
 	picked.Attack = max(1, int(math.Round(float64(picked.Attack)+levelDelta*picked.AttackPerLevel)))
 	picked.Defense = max(0, int(math.Round(float64(picked.Defense)+levelDelta*picked.DefensePerLevel)))
-	picked.XPReward = max(1, int64(math.Round(float64(picked.XPReward)+levelDelta*picked.XPPerLevel)))
+	xpPerLevel := picked.XPPerLevel
+	// Keep early-game kill cadence predictable (~1 XP from template base for normal mobs);
+	// xp_per_level ramps from instance level 10+ (and always applies to elites).
+	if level < 10 && !picked.IsElite {
+		xpPerLevel = 0
+	}
+	picked.XPReward = max(1, int64(math.Round(float64(picked.XPReward)+levelDelta*xpPerLevel)))
 	picked.GoldReward = max(0, int64(math.Round(float64(picked.GoldReward)+levelDelta*picked.GoldPerLevel)))
 	return picked
 }
diff --git a/backend/internal/game/offline_test.go b/backend/internal/game/offline_test.go
index bd65cbf..ad298dd 100644
--- a/backend/internal/game/offline_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/game/offline_test.go
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ func TestSimulateOneFight_HeroDies(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestSimulateOneFight_LevelUp(t *testing.T) {
-	// Seed XP just below L1->L2 threshold (180 in v3).
+	// Seed XP just below L1->L2 threshold (100 XP with default tuning).
 	hero := &model.Hero{
-		Level: 1, XP: 179,
+		Level: 1, XP: 99,
 		MaxHP: 10000, HP: 10000,
 		Attack: 100, Defense: 60, Speed: 1.0,
 		Strength: 10, Constitution: 10, Agility: 10, Luck: 5,
@@ -75,7 +75,30 @@ func TestSimulateOneFight_LevelUp(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected XP gain")
 	}
 	if hero.Level < 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("expected level 2+ after gaining %d XP from 179 base, got level %d", xpGained, hero.Level)
+		t.Fatalf("expected level 2+ after gaining %d XP from 99 base, got level %d", xpGained, hero.Level)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBuildEnemyInstanceForLevel_XPPerLevelRampsFrom10(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpl := model.Enemy{
+		BaseLevel:  1,
+		XPReward:   1,
+		XPPerLevel: 4,
+		IsElite:    false,
+	}
+	early := BuildEnemyInstanceForLevel(tmpl, 6)
+	if early.XPReward != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("normal mob instance L6: want base XP only (no per-level ramp), got %d", early.XPReward)
+	}
+	mid := BuildEnemyInstanceForLevel(tmpl, 12)
+	if mid.XPReward <= 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("normal mob instance L12: want xp_per_level applied, got %d", mid.XPReward)
+	}
+	elite := tmpl
+	elite.IsElite = true
+	el := BuildEnemyInstanceForLevel(elite, 5)
+	if el.XPReward <= 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("elite instance L5: want xp_per_level even before 10, got %d", el.XPReward)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/model/hero.go b/backend/internal/model/hero.go
index 025a072..cf4d430 100644
--- a/backend/internal/model/hero.go
+++ b/backend/internal/model/hero.go
@@ -86,12 +86,12 @@ type BuffChargeState struct {
 }
 
 // XPToNextLevel returns the XP delta required to advance from the given level
-// to level+1.  Phase-based curve (spec §9) — v3 scales bases ×10 vs v2 for ~10×
-// slower leveling when paired with reduced kill XP:
+// to level+1. Early band uses a nonlinear step (~100 kills at 1 XP/kill for L1→2,
+// ~150 for L2→3, ~225 for L3→4 with defaults). Mid/late bands use tuning bases.
 //
-//	L  1–9:  round(180 * 1.28^(L-1))
-//	L 10–29: round(1450 * 1.15^(L-10))
-//	L 30+:   round(23000 * 1.10^(L-30))
+//	L  1–9:   round(earlyBase * earlyScale^(L-1))
+//	L 10–29: round(midBase * midScale^(L-10))
+//	L 30+:   round(lateBase * lateScale^(L-30))
 func XPToNextLevel(level int) int64 {
 	cfg := tuning.Get()
 	if level < 1 {
diff --git a/backend/internal/model/hero_test.go b/backend/internal/model/hero_test.go
index a5e2747..c1dad02 100644
--- a/backend/internal/model/hero_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/model/hero_test.go
@@ -304,17 +304,21 @@ func TestProgressionV3CanonicalSnapshots(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestXPToNextLevelFormula(t *testing.T) {
-	if got := XPToNextLevel(1); got != 180 {
-		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(1) = %d, want 180", got)
+	// Early: ~100 / 150 / 225 kills at 1 XP per kill (nonlinear 1.5× per level band).
+	if got := XPToNextLevel(1); got != 100 {
+		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(1) = %d, want 100", got)
 	}
-	if got := XPToNextLevel(2); got != 230 {
-		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(2) = %d, want 230", got)
+	if got := XPToNextLevel(2); got != 150 {
+		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(2) = %d, want 150", got)
 	}
-	if got := XPToNextLevel(10); got != 1450 {
-		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(10) = %d, want 1450", got)
+	if got := XPToNextLevel(3); got != 225 {
+		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(3) = %d, want 225", got)
 	}
-	if got := XPToNextLevel(30); got != 23000 {
-		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(30) = %d, want 23000", got)
+	if got := XPToNextLevel(10); got != 2947 {
+		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(10) = %d, want 2947", got)
+	}
+	if got := XPToNextLevel(30); got != 48232 {
+		t.Fatalf("XPToNextLevel(30) = %d, want 48232", got)
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/internal/tuning/runtime.go b/backend/internal/tuning/runtime.go
index 5d7b5ce..06303c6 100644
--- a/backend/internal/tuning/runtime.go
+++ b/backend/internal/tuning/runtime.go
@@ -264,10 +264,10 @@ func DefaultValues() Values {
 		LootChanceRare:                   0.02,
 		LootChanceEpic:                   0.003,
 		LootChanceLegendary:              0.0005,
-		GoldLootScale:                    0.5,
-		GoldDropChance:                   0.90,
-		PotionDropChance:                 0.05,
-		EquipmentDropBase:                0.15,
+		GoldLootScale:                    0.62,
+		GoldDropChance:                   0.92,
+		PotionDropChance:                 0.06,
+		EquipmentDropBase:                0.20,
 		GoldCommonMin:                    0,
 		GoldCommonMax:                    5,
 		GoldUncommonMin:                  6,
@@ -327,11 +327,11 @@ func DefaultValues() Values {
 		PotionAutoUseThreshold:           0.30,
 		ReviveHpPercent:                  0.50,
 		AutoReviveAfterMs:                int64(time.Hour / time.Millisecond),
-		XPCurveEarlyBase:                 180,
-		XPCurveEarlyScale:                1.28,
-		XPCurveMidBase:                   1450,
+		XPCurveEarlyBase:                 100,
+		XPCurveEarlyScale:                1.5,
+		XPCurveMidBase:                   2947,
 		XPCurveMidScale:                  1.15,
-		XPCurveLateBase:                  23000,
+		XPCurveLateBase:                  48232,
 		XPCurveLateScale:                 1.10,
 		LevelUpHPEvery:                   4,
 		LevelUpHpBase:                    10,