Should Prestige Classes be more powerful than Base Classes?

[Crothian]

That's true. At the same time, I think too many D&D players (especially on forums) are concerned with how other people play the game. If you want to use rules that would decimate my game, why should I care if I don't play with your group? The only time I'm concerned with that sort of thing is when it's done in public, reflecting on others opinion of my pasttime.

It isn't concern with how others play the game as much as it is reconginizing that prestige classes are presented as they are for D&D players that don't always play like I do. Companies are going to produce classes and books that target what they feel the majority of D&Ders want. And I know I am not that target audience. But it is one think for some one to have a house rule that would kill my game and another thing for it to be published in Wizard's next book.

 

[Crothian]

Guess I'm a one-in-a-billion dm running a one-in-a-billion campaign with about a dozen one-in-a-billion players- wow, that really boosts my ego!

Wow!! I am one of those guys too!!

 

[Aus_Snow]

PrCs are inherently more powerful than base classes, and they must remain so.

Yes, and then no.

1/ PrCs are more specialized than base classes

Not always.

2/ Specialization wins D&D.

Quite often, it will.


And no, I don't think Prestige classes should be more powerful. In fact, I strongly disagree with that belief. Prestige classes should represent something other than a way to twink a build.

For my own purposes, I weaken almost every prestige class that I allow (which is absolutely not all the ones in print.) I then add some more requirements (niot game mechanic ones) - and done. Works fantastically well, too. Better than it did, for certain.

 

[Particle_Man]

Assuming that the Monster CR guidelines are meant to hold, regardless of whether the party is full of base class characters or characters with prestige classes, I would want prestige classes to be at the same power level as the base classes.

As above, I would make exceptions for good "multiclass" prestige classes, since the multiclass spellcaster hurts unless you use prestige classes (Mystic Theurge, etc.). But aside from shoring up the weaker character concepts, I don't want to see uber-powerful prestige classes. I would like a 20th level base class character to be worth playing. And I wouldn't want a DM to have to figure that someone is so much tougher that they have to assume they are higher level than they are to provide a challenge for them.

 

[Seeker95]

Prestige classes should just go away. [...] A base class with a simple qualifier [...] would be so much more useful game content.

Agreed and then some.
A prestige class should be a base class played with style.

 

[Crothian]

Agreed and then some.
A prestige class should be a base class played with style.

Why can't base classes be played with style? And how does one enforce playing with style with the PCs.

"I'm sorry Sarah, that wasn't stylish enough so the death blow doesn't happen."

 

[Cedric]

After thinking about this some more. I guess that the "power level" doesn't matter to me that much as long as everything is reasonably balanced.

More so than balance, I feel a PrC should focus on doing something that you cannot do as efficiently or as capably as with base classes.

There should be a trade off for the newfound capabilities though.

Most of my world's have custom PrCs that, taken out of my game world, would appear as unbalanced. However, there are significant obligations and requirements to being a member of the society or organization required by the PrC. Those obligations and requirements, imo, more than balance out the abilities gained by the PrC.

 

[pawsplay]

They should be more powerful. You are already a higher level character when you qualify, and further, it means some loss in flexibility. Further, there is frequently such an advantage to taking more levels in your main class that multiclassing becomes less attractive. So prestige classes must be as attractive as high level single class features.

 

[Sejs]

Voted they should be as powerful.

Two related points:

A PrC that's more specialized in a particular field and otherwise loses out on broader base abilities should be more powerful in its area of expertise. For example, a cleric PrC that has 1/2 BAB, only good will saves, d6 hd, and loses turning progression but is a better healer.

Base classes should be designed in such a way that picking up a PrC requires some amount of deliberation. The Druid and Monk are good examples of this. Where you really need to think about whether you'd rather go with the abilities provided by the new class, or stick with the base one. Classes like the Cleric, Paladin and Sorcerer (especially the Sorcerer) where there's really nothing to lose out on, and thus no reason not to take a PrC, suffer from lack of design vision.

 

[Ranger REG]

Should prestige classes automatically be more powerful than base classes?

Comparing level 1 prestige class to a level 1 base class, yes it should be more powerful.

Comparing level 1 prestige class to a level 6 base class, no.

If you make them powerful, like a specialist type, then it should be compensated with some plausible weaknesses or restrictions.