Dragonlance Template Prestige Classes for Dragonlance?

[Geron Raveneye]

Hmmm...

..let´s see.
If you make either a prestige class, it usually carries a level "limit", and amount of levels you can take as a character until the prestige class has taught you anything it can and you can move on. In contrast to that, both Orders usually are the one career choice, if you take them. The Wizards of High Sorcery are the only institution you can learn magic in (if you don´t count Renegades) as a regular wizard.
With the Knights, it´s because it would make it easier to swap Orders while you progress in levels. You simply keep the class you start out with, go up in levels, and simply add the template class that describes your place in the Knights. If you pass the test for the next Order or not, you still have one class (mostly fighters, I assume), but still gain the respective abilities of the Knight you are. The one example I had in mind for that was Sir Pirvan the Wayward, from the "Knights of the Crown/Sword/Rose" books. Apparently he was a rogue/sorcerer who later on became a Knight...it felt like he slipped into the Knighthood more like into a coat than learning something completely new.
Does that make sense somehow?

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Thanks, Crothian

That´s easy enough for me to understand.

Yes, variant core classes...you´re right...I thought about that, too, but the thing is that many people seem not to wish for new core classes...I already thought about making the Crown Knights a variant Fighter class, and the WoHS a variant Wizard...just wanted to see how this other idea of mine resonated with you all

One thing why the Knights aren´t as well represented as prestige classes, IMO, is that in older editions, you didn´t get to keep the abilities of the lower Order Knight when you ascended. A Rose Knight didn´t get to keep the Sword Knight´s spells, for example. Something that would happen with prestige classes, as you get to keep your "old" abilities.

 

[Henry]

Actually, Geron, I believe they did. Many times, such as transition from Sword Knight to Rose Knight, I don't believe there was a second spell acquisition table - Instead, it just told you what they got on top of what was there. In fact, I looked over the Three knight classes last night, and they are in fact prototypical prestige classes!

One option would be to start off with Knights of the crown as a core class, and then add the prestige classes of Sword Knight and Rose Knight, with the requirements of the tests and the prerequisite of each previous knightly order.

It would be really cool to have players shouting "Est Sularus oth Mithas!" at the gaming table again.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Really?

That´d be a perfect "Ooops" on my part, though. See..when I looked them up, the Sword Knights started at 3rd level and had their spell progression table in their level progression...and the Rose Knights started at 6th level and didn´t have spell progression. Could be I overread some paragraph saying that Rose Knights get to keep the spells of the Sword Knights, but as far as I understood it, the Sword Knights got their spells because their Order was sponsored by Kiri-Jolith, while The Rose Knights were sponsored by Paladine?

 

[Wolf72]

Re: Really?

That´d be a perfect "Ooops" on my part, though. See..when I looked them up, the Sword Knights started at 3rd level and had their spell progression table in their level progression...and the Rose Knights started at 6th level and didn´t have spell progression. Could be I overread some paragraph saying that Rose Knights get to keep the spells of the Sword Knights, but as far as I understood it, the Sword Knights got their spells because their Order was sponsored by Kiri-Jolith, while The Rose Knights were sponsored by Paladine?

yeah I was under the impression that only sword nights (or rose nights with sword knight levels ... um duh, obviously needed) could cast spells.

if you wanted to be a relatively powerful Solmanic Spell caster you had to stay a sword knight.

classes:

High sorcery: I think the arcane classes are fine as is ... maybe an extended PrC for the Wizards (and Sorcerers, High Sorcerers?) for lvls 3/4-20.

Knights: alternate fighter class, ala samurai ... maybe less feats but more skills/points ... PrC's for Sword and Rose (apply to Knights of Takhisis) ... like to see legion of steel stuff too.

 

[cybernetic]

Since it's a template, it should have a ECL. So, once you get it, you'll need to gain a bunch of XP for that next level as you are now using a tougher XP chart because of the ECL.

In addition you could have the template work so that it takes a 1 level of experience per ECL in order to "start" the template....to integrate the XP.....so it doesn't mess with the character advancement....

Most templates I have seen are only really viable at Character creation or for monsters/npc's


example.....say you're a 5th Level Fighter....and you become a Knights of Solamnia...which for this example will say is a +1 ECL...... so when you gain your sixth level....you just become a Knights of Solamnia (gaining a few abilities) and gain no Fighter class features that level...and then pick up Fighter again at level 7 except that your fighter gets additional abilities each level from that point on...

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Uh-huh...

...know what you mean. That´s why I tried to call it "template class"...because the class features of this template will supercede the features of your old class, not adding to them. And all without the character carrying around a second class...it´s like you´re switching your old class for a new one without keeping your old abilities, but gaining the new ones at your old level.

Example: Let´s say the Crown Knights are nothing but regular fighters, with feat advancement and all. When a Crown Knight chooses to become a Sword Knight, he will loose all the features that make his class what it is (NOT the abilities he already learned, like feats he already has or so) and gain the features of this "template class" he chooses, in this case Sword Knight, on the level he has been on before he chose to swap.
A 3rd level Crown Knight will keep all the abilities he learned as a Crown Knight, his BAB, his Saves, HP etc, and he´ll get the spells and turning abilities of a Sword Knight of 3rd level. When he gains one level as Sword Knight, he progresses his Saves, BAB, HP, Skills et all with the new tables as a Sword Knight. He´ll additionally get the spell progression of a Sword Knight...but won´t get any more bonus feats every two levels (example here, no solid rules yet).

On second thought, it sounds a bit like the old dual-class system, just more sensible, as you get to keep your old training before you go on with your new in another class...hmmm