Book of Exalted Deeds PrC question

[Dimwhit]

So I have a BoED question for y'all. Tell me what you think.

I'm looking at an Anointed Knight character in the campaign we'll be starting soon, and I was curious about the exalted nature of that character (or lack thereof). At the beginning of the PrC section, it reads that the PrCs in the BoED were exalted because they were required to have one or more exalted feats to qualify (which, of course, causes you to radiate an aura of good, etc).

However, the only feat prereq for the Anointed Knight is Ancestral Relic. The AR feat is NOT an exalted feat but a general feat. That leads me to believe that the Anointed Knight is not an exalted PrC and therefore not bound by the same code as the other PrCs in the book. They just have to maintain a good alignment (a prereq for both the class and the feat). The sticking point is that the text at the beginning of the PrC section also says that all of the PrCs in the book are exalted. That statement, by my reading, is not accurate.

Anyone have any specific thoughts? Would me Anointed Knight, assuming no exalted feats are taken, be an exalted character, or just a really 'good' character?

 

[Brain]

I'd say if it's a PrC from BoED, it should be considered exalted.

 

[Philip]

Technically, you do need to be exalted for Anointed Knight. Note that your weapon may beg to differ (when it becomes intelligent), and I consider the weapon to be Exalted itself. So while you cannot loose the feat and hence the PrC by being or becoming non-Exalted, you might loose the weapon....

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Hi Dimwhit, [That really is a curious username]

I have just had a good look over the PrC and the crux of the matter comes down to the following interpretation.
There are no pre-requisites for exalted feats or status. Therefore from this point of view, the character need not be exalted.
On the bonus feat list for the class though are several exalted feats. This in itself indicates to me that there is an assumption that the class is exalted otherwise the feats would not be on the list.
However, you could interpret this as that as long as the character does not take one of these exalted feats, the charcter need not be exalted.

Putting the DM hat on, I would say you have to be exalted because exalted feats are on the Anointed Knight's bonus feat list. As such, any Anointed Knight must be able to take any or all of these feats without restriction, thus the character must be exalted. As King Casmir responded to Madouc when she tried to flirt closely with the rules:

"and Madouc will learn that she must obey the spirit as well as the letter of the royal command".

Sorry, I'm quite the Jack vance fan. Exalted for me.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Dimwhit]

As King Casmir responded to Madouc when she tried to flirt closely with the rules:

"and Madouc will learn that she must obey the spirit as well as the letter of the royal command".

I don't have a problem with that concept in theory. The problem is that Wizards has a habit of clashing the sprit and the letter of the rules, with litte consistency.

That said, I wouldn't really have a problem with your ruling, because it makes sense. But I guess, among other things, I see an exalted charater as radiating an aura of good, which only happens when you have an exalted feat. Since the Anointed Knight can get away with never having one, and therefore never radiating an aura of good, I see a strong argument for them not being exalted by default.

But you all make good points. Thanks!

 

[Hypersmurf]

Putting the DM hat on, I would say you have to be exalted because exalted feats are on the Anointed Knight's bonus feat list. As such, any Anointed Knight must be able to take any or all of these feats without restriction, thus the character must be exalted.

Combat Expertise is on the Fighter's bonus feat list.

Does that mean anyone with Int less than 13 cannot be a Fighter?

-Hyp.

 

[Nifft]

Combat Expertise is on the Fighter's bonus feat list.

Does that mean anyone with Int less than 13 cannot be a Fighter?

Yes. Yes it does.


-- N

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Combat Expertise is on the Fighter's bonus feat list.

Does that mean anyone with Int less than 13 cannot be a Fighter?

-Hyp.

Hi Hypersmurf,

A good point although I sense a possible bone of contention with your analogy. This is that the fighter is a base class and thus by it's nature has no pre-requisites. It is just left to the strengths of the character to decide what direction (in terms of feats) they can and will go in.

On the other hand, the nature of a prestige class is to be restrictive in some way. There needs to be certain requistes earned and met. Thus, I still feel that here lies the difference and thus why the necessity of exalted status is inferred although both positions would seem to be valid.

However, checking at the beginning of Chapter Five seems to answer the question of this thread:

"Members of the prestige classes detailed in this chapter... They are exalted in every sense of the word:noble and virtuous, elevated and prestigious."
Again, I think all classes are meant to be exalted.

However, quite possibly, Ancestral Relic was an exalted feat at one stage of production. This would make sense for the following quote:

"The prestige classes in this chapter have steep entrance requirements. Only characters of good alignment who have earned one or more exalted feats may gain entry."

I'd say someone thought, "hey wouldn't Ancestral Relic be good as a general feat instead", forgetting about this thread's exalted issue for the Anointed Knight. Just a theory.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Seeten]

Interesting story. Nothing to do with the RAW, but nonetheless, interesting.

Pure speculation, of course.

 

[Nifft]

... but then, WotC's editing quality borders on pure speculation these days, so I wouldn't put the chapter's "flavor text" ahead of one PrC's explicit "rules text"... not until the Errata is released, and perhaps not even then.

-- N