Magic-User progression

Discuss Swords & Wizardry White Box - Rules questions, commentary, house rules
Post Reply
Elemental Neutrality
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 4:56 am

Magic-User progression

Post by Elemental Neutrality »

The White Box Rules list XP progressions for all three classes up to level 10. The magic-user, however, goes up to level 16, but without any XP totals beyond level 10. I know that I can do whatever I choose (and I love that about S&W), but does anyone know the intention behind including the extra levels, specifically without XP totals?

User avatar
merias
Site Admin
Posts: 2094
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:37 am
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Contact:

Re: Magic-User progression

Post by merias »

I think this is meant to mimic OD&D's Men&Magic, the MU spell progression chart also goes to level 16 there, higher than the other classes, while the XP requirements are shown only up to level 11. In both games, the table has to go to at least level 12, to allow the use of 6th level spells - but I agree, it is odd that XP requirements were not specified in the S&W table for those higher levels. Interestingly, the XP requirements are lower in OD&D, 300k at 10th level, instead of 640k as in WB.

P.S. Welcome!

Elemental Neutrality
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2016 4:56 am

Re: Magic-User progression

Post by Elemental Neutrality »

Thanks for the reply, and for the welcome!

That makes sense, wanting to keep all of the same information on progression in OD&D.

I also noticed the difference in the XP progression. WB simply doubles the total each level, which has an elegance of its own that I like.

User avatar
merias
Site Admin
Posts: 2094
Joined: Sat Jan 30, 2016 2:37 am
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Contact:

Re: Magic-User progression

Post by merias »

I agree, the doubling is consistent and makes it easy to remember, it just gets to be too much at those high levels, so you have to stop doubling at some point.

I checked the core rules - they use the OD&D progression of +100k xp per level past 10th level. So you could throw away the 640k, and make it 430k for 10th level, 530k for 11th, etc.

User avatar
Mach Front
Posts: 68
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2016 5:44 am

Re: Magic-User progression

Post by Mach Front »

Even though it's (as noted) present in OD&D I always thought this was super-weird for a retro-clone such as WB is (that is to say...as a retro-clone of the type that WB is).
WB (and S&W in general) being more concerned with the 'spirit' rather than some nigh-Talmudic presentation of OD&D, it seems a bit out of (ahem) character to even present the above-10th-level MU progression.

And then there's the practical zone of WB working best up to around about level 10 anyhow...

Post Reply