Here Come The PRESTIGE CLASSES! Plus Rune Magic!

Mike Mearls' latest Unearthed Arcana column presents the first ever 5E prestige class: the Rune Scribe! "Prestige classes build on the game’s broad range of basic options to represent specialized options and unique training. The first of those specialized options for fifth edition D&D is the rune scribe—a character who masters ancient sigils that embody the fundamental magic of creation."

It's a 5-level class, and also contains the basic information on how prestige classes work and how to join them - including ability, skill, level, and task-based prerequisites. Find it here.

 

[fuindordm]

I would be very hesitant to give up high-level spells known by learning this prestige class. Maybe it would be better if each rune had an "overcharge" option that could only be activated with a 6+ level slot.

But the mechanics of the prestige class seem fine.

Ben

 

[SkidAce]

And I just spent the weekend creating a Runecaster Feat for dabblers, and a Runemaster Archetype (useable by any spell casting class). And I mean ALL weekend since it was flooding and stormy.

Re: prestige classes. I think I am just going to use Feats and Background Features (gained at a higher level) for the niche that prestige classes would fill.

Will likely steal the Master Runes as magical items though.

 

[TwoSix]

IMHO having the prestige class mechanics in the game is just like having more tools in your toolbox, which is a good thing. The bad thing could be eventually if there's too much material released and the community starts the old bad habits of 'combos' and 'builds'.

It's only bad when you start kidnapping druids to qualify for Fochlucan Lyrist.

 

[Barantor]

Two different concepts. Prestige classes get you all your class abilities one after the other (if you choose to level that way), whereas sub-classes grant you your abilities with several level gaps in between. So your sub-class features arrive in and around your main class, whereas the PrC allows you to "take time off" from your main class to become this other class for a period of time.

But then again it's just multiclassing like anything else. If you leveled a cleric for eight levels then took a five level detour into fighter, before leveling your last seven as a cleric again... those fighter levels were essentially a "prestige class" for you for that period of time. And no one seemed to have much issue with that (since those that did could just not allow multiclassing in their games.) And secondly, you could also essentially turn a PrC into a sub-class by just not leveling all five in a single go but spreading their gains out. You level as a cleric three times, take one level of the PrC, another two cleric, another PrC, four more cleric, another PrC etc. etc. How is that really different than just gaining your sub-class features every several levels? I really don't see much difference.

If it's just multiclassing like everything else then why not just not do it and take away from the complexity that inevitably happens when adding sub-systems like this?

My thought is that you could easily add all these abilities to an archetype and if someone wants to detour into it then the multi-class options fill the same types of ideas?

Wouldn't it be nicer to have a whole themed archetype book? "Runic Mastery" or something like that where several or even all the classes got an archetype that tapped into this idea? Wouldn't it be grand if there was a feat called "Runic Initiate" that gave you a taste of this style much like magic initiate or martial adept do to other systems? Surely it is easier to manage and balance when built upon an existing framework than to add another framework entirely?

I think this will add undo complexity that isn't necessary for a game that has been very much touted as easy to manage and get into. I'll keep DMing without them, but it sure isn't much fun to tell players that they can't use variant rules.

 

[Bawylie]

I've never been a fan of multiclassing, nor of PrCs.

I wonder why these runes aren't simply part of the magic item system.

As for expressable archetypes, I thought we'd already built subclasses and feats to handle this.

I'd have liked some universal subclasses, some that could be taken by any class. And I guess that's what these PrCs are supposed to be?

Idk. I'm not very interested, unfortunately. And this UA didn't quite sell me on the concept.

 

[mellored]

I'd have liked some universal subclasses, some that could be taken by any class. And I guess that's what these PrCs are supposed to be?

You would need uniform progression for that.

I mean, some sub-classes come at level 1, and some at level 3.
Some have 3 features, some have 4.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

I've never been a fan of multiclassing, nor of PrCs.

I wonder why these runes aren't simply part of the magic item system.

As for expressable archetypes, I thought we'd already built subclasses and feats to handle this.

I'd have liked some universal subclasses, some that could be taken by any class. And I guess that's what these PrCs are supposed to be?

Idk. I'm not very interested, unfortunately. And this UA didn't quite sell me on the concept.

I will atemtp once to sell you on this idea...

you want something that you think is more powerful then a 1st level character, and is something that has more ability to grow...


example... imagine an undead slayer that could get better as they go... you could imagine a fighter, a cleric or a paliden all picking this up easy, and you could maybe twist it for a rogue or bard... you can't make a sub class for each, and a chain of feats would take forever to gain... but a prestige class anyone could take at 5th level gives a new choice

 

[CapnZapp]

Like the concept. Don't like that Rune magic chops off Higher Level spells in return for it's features. This was an issue in 3rd edition. Something that is supposed to enhance magic shouldn't reduce the ability to cast high level spells .

Getting high level spells is the only reason you would ever stay in a spellcasting class.

It would mean getting rune things for free. Which would mean pretty feeble rune things.

In short: the only way to make runes into something truly powerful is if your spellcasting progression is significantly stunted.

 

[Yunru]

I want Vampires and Werewolfs as PrCs now. A lot more balanced than giving players every relevant ability at once.

 

[SkidAce]

You would need uniform progression for that.

I mean, some sub-classes come at level 1, and some at level 3.
Some have 3 features, some have 4.

No, I would just have to accept that some classes fit some archetypes better. Or I might be giving something up in order to get something I want.

I like the feel of that better. You are correct in that a sub class that was gained at 1st level would be an odd fit for this "rune archetype".