Advanced/prestige classes in d20 CoC?

[Turanil]

Anyone ever thought of letting d20 Call of Cthulhu PCs take d20M advanced classes? Of course, it's for those who prefer more effective/powerful PCs, for campaigns that are pulpish rather than hopeless horror. Now, instead of using straight d20 Modern, I was thinking allowing a few advanced classes (some of them would need slight tweaking, especially where supernatural abilities are concerned) to be added directly onto the base classes of d20 CoC. For example:

-- d20 Modern rulebook: Infiltrator, Field Scientist, Field Medic, Investigator, plus Shadow Slayer and Occultist.
-- Blood & Relics: Believer, Cultist, Grave Robber, Relic Seeker, Exorcist, Prophet of Fatima.

Additionally, I would reduce the requirements, so characters can get them at 5th or 6th level. However, only one advanced class would be allowed to a character. Hence, either a character is straight d20CoC from 1st to 20th level, or he can choose one advanced class (with all the benefits it entails).

I think it would make d20 CoC characters more appealing/exciting, without turning too complicated, nor breaking the game.

 

[ValhallaGH]

d20 Modern Ordinaries are mechanically better than d20 CoC heroes. Better hit points and better class progressions, and ordinaries don't get bonus feats or talents. Ordinaries can't take Advanced Classes, either. Only a fool would pass up the chance to take an advaned or prestige class.

Giving your CoC heroes the opportunity to take advanced classes, especially Shadow Slayer, is giving them the ability to not only discover the horrors from beyond reality, but the ability to do something to stop or kill the horrors from beyond reality.
Yes, sanity, CoC massive damage, and so forth would be a limiting factor on the heroes. But even so, they could actually do something useful, rather than be a 40th level offensive character (martial artist) and say to themselves, "Hey! I could take on, like 8 cultists. Even cultists with guns!"

You'll completely alter the intended balance of d20 CoC with this rule. That may be exactly what you want to do, but it may not. Either way, good luck.

 

[Committed Hero]

Well, the OP mentions lowering minimums for Advanced Classes, so I don't think he's considering having the group take on a GOO. At anything below 10th level, I feel that anything that strengthens the bond between player and character is good for horror.

 

[Psion]

Anyone ever thought of letting d20 Call of Cthulhu PCs take d20M advanced classes?

Well, in a roundabout way. I consider the D20 CoC chargen system inadequate and would rip it out entirely and replace it with D20 modern, perhaps with some house rules to turn the grittiness up.

Or, better, just use Spycraft and the Fragile Minds supplement.