diff --git a/Changelog.txt b/Changelog.txt
index 545bbf0d9..a4a5e1c22 100644
--- a/Changelog.txt
+++ b/Changelog.txt
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ Version 1.4.00-dev
  ! Changed the way party teleportation works. When using /ptp, the target player needs to confirm the teleport before it takes place. (Configurable)
  ! Changed BeastLore: Now also displays offline player names
  ! Changed backup task to include ALL config files
+ ! Deprecated most functions in ExperienceAPI, replaced them with identical versions that use a String for the SkillName rather than the SkillType enum values
  - Removed Party "master/apprentice" system. Replaced with the new party XP share feature.
  - Removed unused "healthbar" files from the resources
  - Removed config options for disabling commands from the config.yml. This should instead be done through permissions.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/api/ExperienceAPI.java b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/api/ExperienceAPI.java
index 7b297bf64..52c798697 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/api/ExperienceAPI.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gmail/nossr50/api/ExperienceAPI.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to check
      * @deprecated Calling this function is no longer needed and should be avoided
      */
+    @Deprecated
     private static void checkXP(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
         SkillTools.xpCheckSkill(skillType, player, Users.getProfile(player));
     }
@@ -29,11 +30,41 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param player The player to add XP to
      * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
      * @param XP The amount of XP to add
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #addRawXP(Player, String, int)} instead
      */
+   @Deprecated
     public static void addRawXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int XP) {
         Users.getPlayer(player).applyXpGain(skillType, XP);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Adds raw XP to the player.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to add XP to
+     * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
+     * @param XP The amount of XP to add
+     */
+    public static void addRawXP(Player player, String skillType, int XP) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).applyXpGain(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), XP);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds XP to the player, calculates for XP Rate only.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to add XP to
+     * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
+     * @param XP The amount of XP to add
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #addMultipliedXP(Player, String, int)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static void addMultipliedXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int XP) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).applyXpGain(skillType, (int) (XP * Config.getInstance().getExperienceGainsGlobalMultiplier()));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Adds XP to the player, calculates for XP Rate only.
      * </br>
@@ -43,8 +74,23 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
      * @param XP The amount of XP to add
      */
-    public static void addMultipliedXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int XP) {
-        Users.getPlayer(player).applyXpGain(skillType, (int) (XP * Config.getInstance().getExperienceGainsGlobalMultiplier()));
+    public static void addMultipliedXP(Player player, String skillType, int XP) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).applyXpGain(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), (int) (XP * Config.getInstance().getExperienceGainsGlobalMultiplier()));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds XP to the player, calculates for XP Rate, skill modifiers and perks. May be shared with the party.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to add XP to
+     * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
+     * @param XP The amount of XP to add
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #addXP(Player, String, int)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static void addXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int XP) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).beginXpGain(skillType, XP);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -56,8 +102,23 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to add XP to
      * @param XP The amount of XP to add
      */
-    public static void addXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int XP) {
-        Users.getPlayer(player).beginXpGain(skillType, XP);
+    public static void addXP(Player player, String skillType, int XP) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).beginXpGain(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), XP);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the amount of XP a player has in a specific skill.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to get XP for
+     * @param skillType The skill to get XP for
+     * @return the amount of XP in a given skill
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #getXP(Player, String)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static int getXP(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillXpLevel(skillType);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -69,8 +130,23 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to get XP for
      * @return the amount of XP in a given skill
      */
-    public static int getXP(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
-        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillXpLevel(skillType);
+    public static int getXP(Player player, String skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillXpLevel(SkillType.getSkill(skillType));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the amount of XP left before leveling up.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to get the XP amount for
+     * @param skillType The skill to get the XP amount for
+     * @return the amount of XP left before leveling up a specifc skill
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #getXPToNextLevel(Player, String)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static int getXPToNextLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getXpToLevel(skillType);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -82,8 +158,8 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to get the XP amount for
      * @return the amount of XP left before leveling up a specifc skill
      */
-    public static int getXPToNextLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
-        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getXpToLevel(skillType);
+    public static int getXPToNextLevel(Player player, String skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getXpToLevel(SkillType.getSkill(skillType));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -113,12 +189,41 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param player The player to add levels to
      * @param skillType Type of skill to add levels to
      * @param levels Number of levels to add
-     * @param notify True if this should fire a level up notification, false otherwise.
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #addLevel(Player, String, int)} instead
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static void addLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType, int levels) {
         Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().addLevels(skillType, levels);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Add levels to a skill.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to add levels to
+     * @param skillType Type of skill to add levels to
+     * @param levels Number of levels to add
+     */
+    public static void addLevel(Player player, String skillType, int levels) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().addLevels(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), levels);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the level a player has in a specific skill.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to get the level for
+     * @param skillType The skill to get the level for
+     * @return the level of a given skill
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #getLevel(Player, String)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static int getLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillLevel(skillType);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Get the level a player has in a specific skill.
      * </br>
@@ -128,8 +233,8 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to get the level for
      * @return the level of a given skill
      */
-    public static int getLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType) {
-        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillLevel(skillType);
+    public static int getLevel(Player player, String skillType) {
+        return Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().getSkillLevel(SkillType.getSkill(skillType));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -152,11 +257,41 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param player The player to set the level of
      * @param skillType The skill to set the level for
      * @param skillLevel The value to set the level to
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #setLevel(Player, String, int)} instead
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public static void setLevel(Player player, SkillType skillType, int skillLevel) {
         Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().modifySkill(skillType, skillLevel);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the level of a player in a specific skill type.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to set the level of
+     * @param skillType The skill to set the level for
+     * @param skillLevel The value to set the level to
+     */
+    public static void setLevel(Player player, String skillType, int skillLevel) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().modifySkill(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), skillLevel);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the XP of a player in a specific skill type.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to set the XP of
+     * @param skillType The skill to set the XP for
+     * @param newValue The value to set the XP to
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #setXP(Player, String, int)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static void setXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int newValue) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().setSkillXpLevel(skillType, newValue);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the XP of a player in a specific skill type.
      * </br>
@@ -166,8 +301,23 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to set the XP for
      * @param newValue The value to set the XP to
      */
-    public static void setXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int newValue) {
-        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().setSkillXpLevel(skillType, newValue);
+    public static void setXP(Player player, String skillType, int newValue) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().setSkillXpLevel(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), newValue);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Removes XP from a player in a specific skill type.
+     * </br>
+     * This function is designed for API usage.
+     *
+     * @param player The player to change the XP of
+     * @param skillType The skill to change the XP for
+     * @param xp The amount of XP to remove
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #removeXP(Player, String, int)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public static void removeXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int xp) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().removeXp(skillType, xp);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -179,7 +329,7 @@ public final class ExperienceAPI {
      * @param skillType The skill to change the XP for
      * @param xp The amount of XP to remove
      */
-    public static void removeXP(Player player, SkillType skillType, int xp) {
-        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().removeXp(skillType, xp);
+    public static void removeXP(Player player, String skillType, int xp) {
+        Users.getPlayer(player).getProfile().removeXp(SkillType.getSkill(skillType), xp);
     }
 }