How does the XP "penalty" work?

[Addict]

When i played with a lvl 2 sorcerer/ lvl 2 pale master i only got 17exp for killing a goblin. But when i played a lvl 4 sorcerer i got 75 exp for each goblin. (playing human both times).
Why/How does the XP penalty work? And which race is best to use for palemaster/monk/Sorcerer or wizard or cleric combo?

[Legolas]

Up to level 14, some character classes "count as" being lower than their actual level. That means the opposition they face isn't as tough, and that the enemies the character fights give a better XP reward. Prestige classes don't get any of these benefits, but sorcerers do. So, at 4 levels of sorcerer you counted as being lower level than your 2/2 combination did, making the goblin "count as" a more difficult foe, and resulting in a greater reward.

The XP penalty works differently from this.
It applies whenever you have 2 or more classes which are more than 1 level apart from the other(s), and constitutes a 20% XP reduction.
Exceptions are made though. Prestige classes don't count towards the penalty. A race's favourite class doesn't either.
So an elven (favoured wizard) wizard/fighter/arcane archer wouldn't count wizard levels, nor AA levels, making him a pure fighter for purposes of the penalty check. He'd be fine.
An elven sorcerer/fighter though, would suffer the penalties unless levelling in both classes evenly (4/3 is fine, 3/4 is too, so is 4/4, but not 5/3 or 3/5).
For humans and half elves, the determination of the race's favourite class is a little different; the clas with the highest level doesn't count instead. That means that no matter what, they won't ever risk getting a penalty unless they have at least 3 classes, and none of them are prestige classes. So a 9/9/8 fighter/wizard/rogue wouldn't suffer penalties (9/8 is within the range), nor would a 10/9/8 (or 9/10/8), because the lower two classes are only 1 apart. The 10/10/8 would again though (10/8 is outside the range).

For the Wizard/Monk/PM combination, you'd want an elf or a gnome. For the other arcane classes (sorcerer or bard), it depends. If you take most your levels in Palemaster, it doesn't matter. Otherwise, Human and Half Elf would be best.

[Addict]

If you get a lvl upp and can you then hold the lvl up and still get more XP so you can get 2 levels at the same time?

[wellard]

Originally posted by Addict: If you get a lvl upp and can you then hold the lvl up and still get more XP so you can get 2 levels at the same time?

LOL I tried that to get more XP quicker ... cant remember if it worked though [img]tongue.gif[/img] sorry [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[T-D-C]

No that doesn't work sorry

[Legolas]

Not in the OC anyway, in modules with a custom XP system, it might.

[Addict]

So if i make a human lvl 8 palemaster lvl 8 monk lvl 3 sorcerer, then i dont have to pay any XP penalty?

[Addict]

oh, and what about henchmans, summons, animal companions, familiars? Do they "steal" XP from your char?

[Legolas]

You shouldn't get a penalty there, and yes, they do reduce your XP income.

[T-D-C]

No IIRC they level up according to your XP not their own.