| Level | Thief | Fighter | Alchemist
Valkyrie | Bard
Mage Priest Psionicist | Lord
Monk Ranger Samurai | Bishop | Ninja |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 900 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 1,250 | 1,400 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| 3 | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,200 | 2,500 | 2,800 | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| 4 | 3,600 | 4,000 | 4,400 | 5,000 | 5,400 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| 5 | 7,200 | 8,000 | 8,800 | 10,000 | 10,800 | 12,000 | 12,000 |
| 6 | 14,400 | 16,000 | 17,600 | 20,000 | 21,600 | 24,000 | 24,000 |
| 7 | 28,800 | 32,000 | 35,200 | 40,000 | 43,200 | 48,000 | 48,000 |
| 8 | 57,600 | 64,000 | 70,400 | 80,000 | 86,400 | 96,000 | 96,000 |
| 9 | 115,200 | 128,000 | 140,800 | 160,000 | 172,800 | 192,000 | 192,000 |
| 10 | 230,400 | 256,000 | 281,600 | 320,000 | 345,600 | 384,000 | 384,000 |
| 11 | 460,800 | 512,000 | 563,200 | 640,000 | 691,200 | 768,000 | 768,000 |
| 12 | 685,800 | 768,000 | 875,200 | 1,015,000 | 1,131,800 | 1,213,000 | 1,243,000 |
| ++ | 225,000 | 256,000 | 312,000 | 375,000 | 415,000 | 445,000 | 475,000 |
The summary is that for levels 3 to 11, you double the experience required for the previous level. Level 12 needs about 1.5 times as much as level 11, and every level after that requires as much more as level 12 did.
At low levels, the difference in classes is minimal -- one level at most. At high levels, the difference starts being significant.
The table should also show the value of switching classes. At 12th level, you can either earn around 375,000xp to gain 13th level Mage, or you could switch classes and gain up to 10th level. If you do your switching around 10-12th level, you trade gaining one level for gaining 9.
Given the length of Wizardry VI, you should probably plan to switch all of your characters to new classes once in the middle of the game, (probably when you find the River Styx as you have access to the castle still and can fight some weaker random encounters to get through the first few levels again).
There are advantages to having a high level: your base "to-hit", and the maximum power level that you cast spells at are both based just on your level. Stats reset to the minimum for your race and class when you switch levels (although they recover as you gain levels in the new class). Also, when you switch classes, some skills are no longer useful, or as useful. For example, you must be a Bard to play musical instuments -- having the Music skill is not enough.
