Understanding levels and skills.

[ChronosFlame]

So I have gathered that levels work very differently in this than most games, and am interested how in some ways. What I have gathered thus far is that max level is 20 (but can be upped to 40 with an item.) Is this just for advanced classes or is un-promoted an option to 20(40) as well. The reason I ask is the skills come at 1 and 10 for basic classes and 5 and 15 for advanced ones. If it was all one level progression you would promote at 10 and then instantly learn the level 5 skill at 11.

Furthermore, I understand you learn skills (even from a lower class) one per level if you are past it. Does this mean that if the avatar (for example) was level 39, changed to, say, paladin, and then leveled to 40 he would learn the level 1 unpromoted skill and never any paladin skills?

Also, DLC classes can't have their skills learned if you get the DLC when the desired character is already max level?

Thanks!

[astrophys]

You can go further than 40… some people have reported levels as high as level 99 promoted.

[goodperson707]

Its not much different than most of the other games, you get to max lvl 20 unpromoted but can promote anytime after lvl 10. After promotion your level is turned back to one (but for some purposes like skills you add 20 levels if you are promoted regardless of when you are promoted) after promotion you get a max level of 20 but can be raised with an item to 99 from what i hear. Though there are a couple outliers like felicia/Jakob who can go to level 40 naturally and have unpromoted exp gains. I do belive you need to gain a level to learn skills though andyou get unpromoted skills you don't know first