Nice thread JJ. I couldn't resist the temptation to do some testing on my own. You are correct, Dark Elves do not have a negative racial xp modifier (though, I didn't see anywhere in the thread mentioning this; it only mentioned which races did have the penalty. Rather than assume DE's were normal xp by exemption of being mentioned, I simply verified it).
Through independent testing, I can verify that Iksars have an approximate 20% (closer to 17%) xp penalty modifier when compared with Humans and Dark Elves. Humans were used as the control, to verify DE's were earning the same xp.
What's interesting is the class xp distribution.
"SOE" wrote:
2. Class-based penalties are not appropriate. Classes are roughly equivalent in power throughout the level ranges, and the versatility does not make up for that penalty. In fact, the majority of changes made to classes in the name of balance in the last year were based on the assumption that, at the high end, each class should still be roughly as needed and balanced as any other.
Not sure when SOE declared this, but I found it quoted from a post marked January 2005, in the thread linked by JJot7S. As of today, class archetypes gain xp at varying speeds, but individual classes within the broader archetype, gain xp at the same speed. There are some exceptions, as noted below.
Classes without Racial XP Penalty Int-Casters: Wizard, Enchanter, Necromancer, Magician... 81 ticks
Hybrid Melee: Ranger, Bard, Paladin, Shadow Knight... 68.5 ticks
Healers: Druid, Cleric... 87.5 ticks
Monk: 76.5 ticks
Rogue: 93.5 ticks
Warrior: 94.5 ticks
Iksar (~17% xp penalty) Int-Casters: Necromancer... 67.5 ticks
Hybrid Melee: Shadow Knight... 56.9 ticks
Healer: Shaman... 72.5 ticks
Beastlord: 72.5 ticks
Monk: 63.5 ticks
Warrior: 80.5 ticks
The test method involved the same as described in the thread referenced by JJot7S. Create a character, enter tutorial, advance to the point of killing the kobold. Kill the kobold. Observe total xp gain. 25 ticks = 1 gold bubble. 1 tick = 1/125th level or 0.008% level.
It's easier to use the lowest-earning xp class as the base for the next comparison, to show how much faster each other class gains xp, above the base class(es). So, Hybrid Melee is considered base xp gain, while all other classes earn a higher percentage. Rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent.
Classes earning XP faster than Hybrid Melee Int-Casters: +18.2%
Healers: +27.7%
Monk: +11.7%
Rogue: +36.5%
Warrior: +38.0%
Then modify according to racial bonus or penalty if applicable. In regards to the Iksar XP penalty, it is easier to think of it as Iksars gaining 83.065% xp to Humans (or classes w/o xp penalties). Remember that Human xp is not a bonus over Iksar xp (which would more closely match 20%), but rather, Iksar xp is a penalty under Human xp... so, the math is slightly different. Said another way, Iksars have, roughly, a 17% xp penalty compared to races without xp penalties.
Later, I may edit this post to reflect Shaman and Beastlord XP, using Froglok as the control for racial modifiers.
Edit 1: I'm using the default user interface. When I mention x.5 ticks, it really means, I'm sure it is above x, but below x+1. Sometimes, it appeared to be > x.5 or < x.5, but for simplicity, I kept the observed tick at x.5.
Edit 2: Added data "ticks" of the classes available to Iksars.
Edit 3: minor clarifications
Edit 4: -->
Quote:
67 Necro is an Iksar, 66 Mage is a DE, 62 Shaman is an Iksar
5 level range bonus aside for the moment. 62 Iksar Shaman earns 7.4% more xp than the 67 Iksar Necromancer. 66 DE Mage earns 11.7% more xp than the 62 Iksar Shaman. 66 DE Mage earns 20% more xp than the 67 Iksar Necromancer.
If the Mage was earning leadership xp (-20% xp) then both the Necromancer and Mage would appear to have earned, approximately, the same amount of AAXP, while the 62 Iksar Shaman would have earned 7.4% + 5 Level Range Bonus more than the Necromancer and Mage.
Edit 5: Therefore, it would seem that the 5 Level Range Bonus is somewhere between +10% and +12.6% (I'm more likely to believe 10%, because it's a simple, non-complicated, bonus).
Edited, Tue Aug 16 18:15:50 2005 by tchzarmok Edited, Tue Aug 16 18:20:53 2005 by tchzarmok Edited, Tue Aug 16 18:23:42 2005 by tchzarmok Edited, Tue Aug 16 18:36:08 2005 by tchzarmok Edited, Tue Aug 16 18:40:54 2005 by tchzarmok