Four Hexblade Prestige Classes

I haven't done the flavor text for these, but here are four new hexblade prestige classes. Instead of +1 spell casting/level some of them have +1 hexblade spell casting/level - the first would be too powerful when combined with a regular caster. All of them have the same class skills and skill points as a hexblade. I also haven't done the requirements yet, but all should be hexblade/bab +5, with Knight of Misfortune requiring Aura of Unluck as well. Hmm, ok so these are really a work in progress .

craftyrat

Dire Hexer

HD: d10
BAB: Good
F/R/W: Poor/Poor/Good

Dire Hexer level stack with hexblade levels for gaining access to hexblade
curse (including greater and dire curses) and Aura of Unluck.

1: Enhanced Curse (additional -1 to all penalties)
3. +1/day curse
4. Area Curse (curse can affect either a single target or everyone in a 5'
radius, at hexblade's choice)
5. Powerful Curse (-2 to save vs the curse)

Dark Mage

HD: d8
BAB: Good
F/R/W: Poor/Poor/Good

Dark Mage levels stack with Hexblade levels for spellcasting and familiars.

1. Familiar equal to level (not level minus 3)
2. Metamagic (Empower Spell 1/day without raising spell level or increasing
casting time)
3. Enhanced Casting (+1 to the DC of all Hexblade spells)
4. Enhanced Casting (+1 spell known of any spell level currently available)
5. Enhanced Casting (+1 spell per day of any spell level currently available)

Knight of Misfortune

HD: d10
BAB: Good
F/R/W: Poor/Poor/Good

Knight of Misfortune levels stack with Hexblade for gaining access to Aura
of Unluck and spellcasting.

1. Extended Aura (double normal duration)
3. +1/day Aura of Unluck
5. Allied Aura (affects all allies in a 20' radius)

Familiar Knight

HD: d10
BAB: Good
F/R/W: Poor/Poor/Good

Familiar Knight levels stack with Hexblade for gaining access to
spellcasting and familiar abilities.

1. Bonus Feat (Improved Familiar); Familiar at current level (not level
minus 3)
2. Familiar gains +2 to all saves
3. Familiar gains +4 bonus to natural AC
4. Familiar gains +4 bonus to Str, Dex and Con
5. Familiar gains Slippery Mind ability

Well... without entry requirements, these are very difficult to judge. Since they all work off the Hexblade class, to properly say if they're okay or not, you need to tell us what prerequisites these classes have, so we can see where these levels fit into the character progression.

However, in all honesty... I'd say these would probably work better as simply class variants. I like PrC, so I'm not here to smash down these ideas because you post them in a PrC format. You can do much of this work by simply cutting out abilities from the existing Hexblade progression and inserting these into their places.

In general, however, PrC are supposed to be potentially attainable by MANY different types of classes, not just members of a particular class. That's why I think these would work better as Hexblade variants instead of PrC.

I really like 'em. They seem to do exactly what a PrC is supposed to do, take one aspect of a class and expand upon it, while sacrificing the other aspects. And they're no more limited than a PrC that requires Favored Enemy, or Lay on Hands.

While they're obviously a work in progress, they all seem playable.

PS

Maybe make the Dark Mage have it's own spell progression instead of simply adding on to the Hexblade abilities - like the Sublime Chord from Complete Arcane.