XP caps for the Fighter class

[retrorob]

How many Experience Points a fighter needs to reach 10th level?

Vol. I ends at 240 000 XP for a Lord. So does EPT. Supplements don't provide any hint here and AD&D has a bit different numbers. It's only Expert Rulebook that introduces 360 000 XP.

Is there any earlier source out there? How do you judge on the matter in your games?

[Zenopus]

It's 240,000 XP for each level after name level. So 240,000 more for Fighter 10 (480,000 XP total), and again for Fighter 11 (720,000 XP total), etc.

This is not at all clear in the original rulebook, but Gronan indicated that this was the correct rule, and it's consistent with the tables for the later classes with unlimited advancement (thieves, illusionists, rangers).

See these posts:
odd74.proboards.com/post/161616/thread
odd74.proboards.com/post/176469/thread

There's also a note from Gygax regarding Mordenkainen's advancement which is consistent with this:
odd74.proboards.com/post/209037/thread

[gemini476]

Do note that this also means that the Cleric starts advancing relatively lightning-fast after Patriarch with 100,000 XP/level. Personally I'd recommend following AD&D's example by adding a ninth named level ("High Priest" was AD&D's choice) at 200,000 XP, with 200,000 XP required for every level thereafter.

It's not strictly necessary, especially since few people actually reach those high levels, but it does prevent the Cleric from eventually completely overtaking the other classes - 480k for Fighter 10 is 20k from Cleric 12, and 720k for Fighter 11 is Cleric 15!

[Zenopus]

I agree that's a fine modification and largely academic as play rarely continues for long at those levels.

However, looking at it another way the relatively easier advancement at high levels can be viewed as an OD&D class feature for Clerics. They also have reduced construction costs for strongholds at name level (M&M, pg 7), able to build a stronghold of twice the value due to divine help. Considering that at name level that they've proven themselves, perhaps they also get help divine help with advancement.

Also, if you look at the actual gains there's less of a take over.

If you look at HP using the Greyhawk system:
"Fighters - 240,000 XP per level above 9th, +2 HP per level (= 120,000 XP per additional HP)
MU - 300,000 XP per level above 11th, +1 HP per level (= 300,000 XP per additional HP)
Clerics - 100,000 XP per level above 8th, +1/2 HP per level (= 200,000 XP per additional HP)
Thieves - 125,000 XP per level above 10th, +1/2 HP per level (= 250,000 XP per additional HP)"

The gains in the LBBs alone are less clear because most of the higher level HD progressions are not spelled out, but it does show Fighters going from 9+3 at name level to 10+1 at Lvl 10, whereas Clerics only gain 1 HP at the two levels shown after 9th level. So a F11 might be 10+4 while a Cleric 15 is still only at 7+6 (or something like 8+2; the updated table in Greyhawk puts them at 8+3).

They will eventually match a Fighter on the Men Attacking table in Men & Magic, but it will be at pretty high levels; that Cleric don't get to the last (6th) column until level 21. The Saving throw table appears to max out at level 13 for both Clerics and Fighters.

Clerics will have a big advantage over MUs in spell number at equivalent XP amounts, but Cleric spells are generally less powerful than MU spells.