Poll: What base classes would you prefer to see as prestige classes instead?

[The Human Target]

barbarian
druid
hexblade
ninja
paladin
ranger
samurai
soulknife


I went after the biggest offenders in my mind. I think all of them fit the PRC mold.

Now, a lot of the above mentioned classes I don't even think would make interesting prcs, but thats a whole different subject.

 

[arscott]

I think all of the phb classes are fine as base classes. No potential PrCs there.

Ditto those in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, Complete Warrior, Complete Divine, Complete Arcane, Heroes of Horror, and the Eberron Campaign Setting.

I don't see the Mini's Handbook healer being different enough to merit its own base class. I think the concepts behind Spelltheif, Dragon Shaman, and Erudite are too odd and narrow to merit a base class of their own. And I think Shadowcaster would work much better as an addon to an arcane class than as a class in its own right.

 

[Sejs]

First off: None. I wouldn't prefer to see them as PrCs, but I would like the option of using them as PrCs similar to the PrC Ranger/Paladin/Bard from UA. Option, rather than default.


Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Warmage.
While I love the specialist base class idea, it detracts from the shine of the specialist wizard on its own. I'd say make the specialist classes PrCs that the specialist wizard naturally dovetails into.

Paladin, Hexblade, Ranger, Spellthief, Ninja, Bard, Psychic Warrior, Duskblade.
The hybrids. 'Nuff said.

Knight, Marshall, Samurai.
Warrior-aristocrats. Leaders. A hybrid of a different sort, but with leadership or social skill instead of magic. Would require a non-magic base class like the Courtier from OA to really make it swing, though. Samurai of particular note, as I'd really just like to see that rolled into the Knight class. Same basic concept, different culture.

 

[Nyaricus]

Well, what I'd like to see is the 'ten base class' model I've tossed out before. Whip up a new mana point based magic system, then have a fairly flexible base class for each of the basic four D&D roles, like so...

divine caster => priest
arcane caster => wizard
warrior => fighter
skill monkey => rogue

and for each two-role combo, so...

divine/arcane => theurge
divine/warrior => cleric
dvine/skill => archivist

arcane/warrior => duskblade
arcane/skill => beguiler

warrior/skill => swashbuckler

Everything else would be a PrC or go away. If you introduce psionics that work differently than magic, then psion is a new role, so you get another set of

pure psionics => psion

psion/divine => ardent
psion/arcane => erudite
psion/warrior => psiWar
psion/skill => lurk

And if you want to introduce 'weird stuff' like warlocks or dragon shamans or monks, they're off on their own, but not in core.

Nice points. When I was making up the class list for my homebrew campaign setting, here's what I did (and I excluded Constitution since it's not really relevant...):

[u]         | Strength   | Dexterity  | Intelligence | Wisdom  | Charisma[/u]
Warrior  | Warrior    | Duelist    | Tactician    | Veteran | Commander
Expert   | Cut-throat | Theif      | Mastermind   | ??      | Swindler
Priest   | Crusader   | Church Spy | Inquisitor   | Priest  | Evangelist
Arcanist | Battlemage | ??         | Mage         | Prophet | ??

Now, some of these are undoubtedly easy enough to combine into one single base class, but it also lights upon base classes which haven't really been created yet.

• Warrior (ie the Fighter class)
• Cut-throat (an assassin base class; hasn't been done by WotC yet)
• Crusader (ie a Paladin for every alignment)
• Battlemage (ie the Duskblade)
• Duelist (ie the Swashbuckler or the vastly better Unfettered from AE)
• Theif+Mastermind+Swindler (ie the rogue)
• Church Spy+Inquisitor (a base class which hasn't been done yet, might be better as a PrC)
• Tactician+Veteran+Commander (Marshall is most of the way here; isn't there a class from ToB: Bo9S that is decent in this regards as well?)
• Mage (ie the Wizard or Sorcerer)
• Priest (ie the cleric, but less battle-priest [that's for the Crusader, really].
• Prophet (better as a PrC)
• Evangelist (better as a PrC)

So, given that we have: Fighter, Cut-throat, Crusader ("Paladin for every alignment"), Duskblade, Swashbuckler, Rogue, Marshall, Wizard, Cleric. There should also be a nature-priest base class, so there'd be a Shaman class as well, and a class for the outdoors, a Scout/Hunter type in a similar vein to the Ranger.

Anyways, my two OT coppers in regards to you interesting post.

cheers,
--N

 

[Starglim]

I voted for paladin and a few others, but thinking a bit more about it, what about "all of the above"? Make one base class, which might look a bit like the Expert or the humanoid hit die. Give all heroic classes prerequisites.

 

[cwhs01]

I voted for paladin and a few others, but thinking a bit more about it, what about "all of the above"? Make one base class, which might look a bit like the Expert or the humanoid hit die. Give all heroic classes prerequisites.

A cool concept, but not really dnd anymore then (then again... what is?).

One base class: At each level up, choose or buy "class" features, such as HD, BAB, feats, spellcasting progression, skillpoints etc. Prestige class features are just more restrictive in their requirements than other class features.
Hasn't this allready been done? in "buy the numbers" or some other pdf thing?


and i voted none of the above. I generally play to around lvl.10 and none of the regular players plan their character advancement far enough ahead so as to qualify for prestige classes at levels 6 or 7, restricting their usefullness alot. Base classes are better if you want some change from core base classes, or want to play a new concept, without having to plan a character 10 (or 20) levels ahead.

 

[sirwmholder]

Interesting to note... as of right now the archetypes are the only ones in the low single digits.

Thank you for your time,
William Holder

 

[JoeGKushner]

Down with all classes and go with a point buy system!

 

[Insight]

Down with all classes and go with a point buy system!

Yay! And thus is 4E born!

(I hope)

 

[JoeGKushner]

I know I'm gonna see Psion talk about how levels and classes are some of the few things that still allow a 'balance' to be maintained but if you're playing with anything outside the core books you might as well chuck balance in a well and throw the sink after it to insure that it's well and truly drowned.

Giving power to the players should mean not assuming that the players and GMs are too stupid (i.e enforced balance) to use it.