Advice Needed Dump Prestige classes IMC yay or nay

[Ace]

Hey everybody I have a conundrum

I am setting up my next campaign in a low magic world and

wondering whether to nix prestige classes and just go with core classes

I was thinking that rather than sort the hundreds (literally) of PRC's I could just "flex' the core classes by adding a slightly better feat progression (1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19) 2 skill points per level and allowing some special ability swaps

I might also add the following core classes

Noble
Swashbuckler
Knght and Martial Artist (thanks Hong)
Scout
Sea Dog
and Courtier

They way of figure it, while an order of the Bow Initiate or an Arcane Archer is pretty cool wouldn't it be easier just allow some of the special abilities as feats?

This way I don't need to sort the hundreds of fighting styles I have access too and I can just let the players build as they like

Any pitfalls in dumping PRC's?

 

[Crothian]

Depends on how you handle prestige classes. Just becasue there are hundreds doesn't mean you have to use them all, limit it to a dozen that perfectly fit your world. Sure, you can take all the abilities and make feats out of them. It really depends on why you want to get rid of them in the first place.

 

[Ace]

Fair point

I was thinking that simplifing charcter creation would be a good thing for my group

of my 5 or 6 regular/possible players only 1 of them groks 3e

Oh they understand how to play after a fashion but they don't seems to get much use out of the system

I was thinking that if I create the illusion of less complexity the players would feel more comfortable with what is left

OK so there are now no PRC's --- great

That way they can work with the feats a little more

edited for speeling er spelling so I don't like a doof

 

[DDK]

It sounds like you might be interested in a classless system. Such systems give players flexibility whilst you retain control. You can simulate PrC's by simply adding whatever ability you want to the system.

The best one I've encountered so far is Theralis (http://seasong.home.texas.net/sh/index.html) although there are some MAJOR errors in balance and there is a definite personal spin on things, it's easily adaptable to whatever preferences you have.

There's also the Custom Hero system and Mutants & Masterminds but they have a modern and supers focus, respectively and need some hefty adjustments to use in a generic fantasy setting, even moreso for low-magic.

 

[Crothian]

You'll have no problems with getting rid of them. You know your players best, and if you think this will help go for it.

 

[Drakmar]

get rid of the WoTC ones.. and use the Quintessential Books ones.. of the ones I have read, none are overpowered..and non are really wacky.. things like.. the Master Bowman.. just a really good archer, with abilities that are more flavour than boomstick powers.

 

[Ace]

It sounds like you might be interested in a classless system. Such systems give players flexibility whilst you retain control. You can simulate PrC's by simply adding whatever ability you want to the system.

The best one I've encountered so far is Theralis (http://seasong.home.texas.net/sh/index.html) although there are some MAJOR errors in balance and there is a definite personal spin on things, it's easily adaptable to whatever preferences you have.

There's also the Custom Hero system and Mutants & Masterminds but they have a modern and supers focus, respectively and need some hefty adjustments to use in a generic fantasy setting, even moreso for low-magic.

Guilty as charged on the classless deal. I was a hard core GURPS
head for a long time and am used to the flexibility of point based system

I think a limited number of flexible classes sounds good to me.

Thank for the feedback everybody

 

[Ace]

get rid of the WoTC ones.. and use the Quintessential Books ones.. of the ones I have read, none are overpowered..and non are really wacky.. things like.. the Master Bowman.. just a really good archer, with abilities that are more flavour than boomstick powers.

We have the Quint books in the group. I have wanted to try a Rogue/Fighter/Living Blade someday but until the DM's understand the system I will have to forgo

Anyway this year I think I am going to play Ars Magica not 3e.

 

[reapersaurus]

the problem with eliminating PrCs and replacing their abilities with feats is 2 fold:

1) A character doesn't get enough feats to make things work that well (you've partially addressed this by giving more feats, but...)

2) Many PrC class abilities are much more powerful than feats.
Most feats are pretty underpowered and boring, actually.
If you were to spice up the feat selection to include PrC abilities, than you might get the danger of having the players select the interesting PrC ability-feats and leave the core feats fairly untouched.

So there's 2 potential dangers:
--Too powerful of PC's since they've got more feats, and they've selected the cream of the crop of PrC-ability-feats (and they didn't sacrifice anything to get those PrC abilities).
--Too weak of PC's because you may have to water down the powerful PrC abilities too much, leaving them with only a couple more feats than a normal character, but they'd have to spend a LOT of feats to make something interesting and effective.

Really, I'd just deal with the beast and allow PrC's, carefully checked by you.
They won't probably be asked about for QUITE a while, if you start low level, and the players are new to 3E.

 

[ced1106]

My two bits is that PrC's should be used to enhance the campaign world, not provide kewl powerz. PrCs should be organization-based, and thus provide adventure hooks for the GM. For example, a player can't just trade in his XP for a level of Blackheart. He must first seek the organization and become accepted, through quests for the organization and whatnot.

If your players want different sorts of fighting styles, there's always GURPS.


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^