Which prestige classes do you use?

[crazy_monkey1956]

My wife's character in our solo campaign is a Rogue4/Sorcerer3/Cleric3/Dragon Disciple6 and is aiming for Duelist, Mystic Theurge and Shadowdancer (we're planning on heading into epic levels with this character). For NPCs in that campaign, I've used every PrC in the DMG except Archmage and Heirophant (though I have plans to use those too) and everything from Libris Mortis. I don't have any other PrC books yet, but they are definately something I look for in a book.

I like the organization details I've skimmed through in the newer books. For every PrC I use, I look for ways to fit them into my campaign world and give them a reason to be there. The Eldritch Knights in my world are an actual knighthood with a code and a purpose, for example. I like PrCs because they give me an opportunity to make something new for my campaign, a new organization that promotes that PrC and gives more flavor and depth to the world.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I don't have a particular prestige class because I just use any randomly.

Ah, so you're the infamous warlock/archmage/forsaker player!

 

[Lord Mhoram]

As long as the class does not require a nongood alignment (which I disallow for players anyway) I would probably use any of them.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

We generally use anything that's out there, so long as it fits, the DM approves and the other players don't mock it overly much.

I personally, have used:

Blade Dancer (OA) (actually a variant);
Witch Hunter (OA);
Tempest (CV);
Dwarven Thane (Dragon, WC3 article);
Heir of Siberys (ECS);
Henshin Mystic (OA);
Warpriest (CW) (variant);
Pious Templar (CD);
Spellsword (CW);
War Wizard of Cormyr (MoF)

The DMs have used many, many more PrCs on their NPCs, to amuse themselves before the NPC dies screaming.

 

[sniffles]

Pretty much anything is allowed as long as the player can come up with a decent reason (other than "wow that class has awesome abilities!") for their character to go in that direction.

I think PrC's are great for defining your characters and giving them individual flavor. There are a few that I find less than desirable for a player-character because they're too tied to a specific organization, location, or career, but for the most part any PrC is playable with the right player and setting.

Oh, and BTW, Friendless - love your avatar.

 

[Crothian]

So far a player has yet to ask to play a prestige class that I have said no to. So, I guess we allow everything

My players rarely take prestige classes. They just are not that interested in them.

 

[Sejs]

(a)
In my game, of existing PCs and NPCs, including ones that'll be active in the nearish future:

(PCs)
Shadowdancer.
A custom-made Druid of Selune PrC.
A custom-made cleric/monk PrC based on the Zerth Cenobite from CompPsi.
Sacred Fist (same character as the Cenobite, above).

(NPCs)
Loremaster.
Archmage, with variant High Arcana.
Several other Shadowdancers.
A few of the shadow magic PrCs from Tome of Magic - Noctumancer, etc.
Shadow Adept.
Lots, LOTS more I can't think of at the moment.


(b)
Yep. Several are disallowed for PCs. Frenzied Berserker, for example. As the DM I'm a bit less bound by the guidelines because if I edit something out (like, say, change Deathless Frenzy) nobody minds.


(c)
Depends on the relevance and quality, but on the whole yes I do. Particularly if it helps me to get more of a gasp of the flavour that they're trying to present with the book. It all boils down to how it's handled. Done well PrCs add value, and I'm all for that.

 

[Set]

I think a Cleric of Wee Jas / Master of Shrouds is the only one I've actually used in play.

I tend to play lower-level games, so I haven't gotten many characters to the level where they'd even be thinking about that, although I've written up dozens of PrC-ready characters.

Ultimately, I'd love to see all PrC abilities changed into Feats, Feat trees and / or Alternate Class Features, and the whole PrC concept taken out behind the woodshed and shot in the head.

 

[Friendless]

Ultimately, I'd love to see all PrC abilities changed into Feats, Feat trees and / or Alternate Class Features, and the whole PrC concept taken out behind the woodshed and shot in the head.

Although I don't particularly hate prestige classes, I agree with you here. I thought feats and skills were brilliant improvements to the game, and prestige classes do the same job but with special powers instead. To me, even the basic class concept struggles to have any sort of relevance to the real world.

 

[scourger]

(a) I use no prestige classes for PCs. I don't even use the ones in the DMG. A player should be able to make any kind of character with the PHB. If an NPC is statted-up so I can understand it with a prestige class, I'll use it; otherwise, I just fudge it.

(b) It's not that I disallow prestige classes, I just stick to the core. I find it makes it much easier on me.

(c) The presence of prestige classes adds nothing to a sourcebook for me.