A Prestige Class Database: What fields?

[dreamthief]

Ok I've decided to risk life and limb and try to build a Prestige Class database. I aim to encompass WotC products initially, d20 products and then independent/fan PrCs.

The fields I'm using:
Class Name - Name of the Class
Publisher - Self-Explanatory
Source - Which book/website it's from (eg: Tome and Blood etc)
Page - Page # or Weblink
Rules - Rules or setting required for the PrC
Race - Race
Description - 2-3 line description and any errata.
Requirements - The requirements to qualfy for the class
Levels - # of levels in the PrC
Author - Author

Any additional fields? Should I put in an Alignment field? What do you look for when you're looking up a PrC?

Would I be in violation of any copyright if I listed the class requirements? Or should I not bother altogether?

By the way, if you're interested in helping me compiling the data or the details of the PrCs I'm lacking or doing some PHP/MySQL based programming, let me know at dreamthief@dreamthief.com . I have a test page up and some data and hope to have the WotC part up by the end of the month.

I plan to extend this to include skills and feats at a later date, but PrCs seemed the most difficult and interesting to do for now, at least.

Thanks for your time.
DT

 

[Ashwyn]

I think an alignment field would be very useful.

 

[hong]

Alignment would be subsumed under "requirements", I would think. If you lose any of the prereqs for a prestige class for any reason (eg if the class requires Power Attack and Str 13+, and you get drained down to 12 Str), you lose all the special abilities of that class. This would also apply to alignment.

 

[Ashwyn]

Um, nevermind.

 

[dreamthief]

Alignment would be subsumed under "requirements", I would think. If you lose any of the prereqs for a prestige class for any reason (eg if the class requires Power Attack and Str 13+, and you get drained down to 12 Str), you lose all the special abilities of that class. This would also apply to alignment.

Well Ashwyn does have a good point. Alignment is one of the strongest determinants of why someone chooses a PrC. I'll keep it in mind. Thanks!

 

[Michael Tree]

I would probably put "errata" in its own field, rather than grouping it together with description.

Other fields that would be useful for searching are:

Spellcasting/Psionics: Whether or not the class casts spells, and of what type (Divine vs. Arcane vs. Psionics) and of what progression (+1 caster level/level or its own progression). Perhaps also include what kind of arcane (Int or Cha based), divine (Wis or Cha based), or the general discipline type of psioncs (telepathic, psychometabolic, psychokinetic, etc.).

Type: The general type of class. If it's a class-specific PrC include it here, otherwise just categories like "roguish", "arcane spellcaster", "divine spellcaster", "holy warrior", "fighter/combatant", "monklike", and suchlike.

Lowest Level: The lowest level a character can qualify for the class at.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Personally, I would skip a "page number" field.

Listing in what supplement or at what website a PrC can be found in should be enough.

Also, I think "race" would be better put in the requirements field and # of levels would be best left as a small notation in the description field. For example: (Description- Line 1. Line 2. 10lvl.)

Put too many fields in the guide and you risk it getting too complicated.

Patrick Y.

 

[Mistwell]

I agree, race should be in the requirements,.

I also agree that spellcasting might be a useful element (and divine or arcane or psionic or "other"), but DO NOT MENTION THE SPELL PROGRESSION. That is too high a level of detail, particularly since some people have very erratic spell progression not easily described.

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

A progression with just 4 options, Full, 1/2, custom, and none wouldn't be too much.

Ex. Dragon Disciple: Custom, arcane
Blackguard: Custom, devine
Tatooed mage (BOEM): 1/2, arcane
Loremaster: 1/2, devine
Dwarven Defender: None
True Necromancer: Full, special

 

[dreamthief]

Thanks for the suggestions

Thanks for all the suggestions. One point I like:

Type: The general type of class. If it's a class-specific PrC include it here, otherwise just categories like "roguish", "arcane spellcaster", "divine spellcaster", "holy warrior", "fighter/combatant", "monklike", and suchlike.

So what are the various types, besides the obvious?

My list:
Archer (Loads of these)
Fighter
Berserker
Rogue
Bard
Druids
Arcane Spellcaster (Most magic Prcs)
Divine Spellcaster (Priestly PrCs)
Divine Warrior (Hospitaler, Blackguard)
Martial Artist
Psionicist
Specialized Hunter (Ancestral Avenger)
Messengers (Prairie Runner)
Traders