Chameleon? Why?

[Mercule]

See here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041210b&page=1

I don't get it. I mean I really don't get it in the biggest possible way. As a player, I tend to have a pretty short attension span for characters, but I cannot imagine ever playing this. It is completely devoid of flavor of any sort.

As a DM, I have no intent of allowing it (not that I think any of my players would want to). It looks like one of the worst thought out PrCs ever. Honestly, this is something that might be cute as an April Fool's gag in Dragon. I'm pretty sure my reaction to anyone in my group who created this would probably have been along the lines of "Yeah.... Why don't don't you stick to the published rules before you hurt yourself."

If this and the Illumian are being held up as the lure of Races of Destiny, then it speaks very as a reason to avoid the book. I hope it's not indicative of the quality of future WotC releases.

So, now that I've had my rant, does anyone want to defend the Cameleon? What am I missing?

 

[der_kluge]

I gotta agree with you there. That's really pretty stupid. It's like, "oh let's a PrC for fans of GURPS who want to do a little bit of everything" but in this case, the result is really stupid.

You'd be better off just taking levels of rogue, cleric, and wizard. I mean, there's not even really a role-playing reason why someone would take this PrC.

 

[DragonLancer]

Another reason why PrC's should not be so readily available. Though not as bad as the Mystic Theurge or other multiclass PrC's, its still a bad choice. WotC should know better by now.

 

[Christopher Lambert]

Usually I hate new PrCs, but I could find a way to use this.

Mind you, I have not looked at the balance of the class at all and will probably be here later ranting about how unbalanced (over or under powered) it is and how I hate the way it gives you spells.

But anyway, I think a doppleganger villain could find a great use for this. Work with several adventuring parties, replace important people in different areas (not all at once, though)... basically you can be a perfect spy or face dancer, or as close as you can without the ability to absorb memories.

I don't see it as being useful to a player unless it's a very social solo campaign ... at which point it's hardly DnD IMO

 

[Crothian]

If you can't find a role playing reason for this class, you really are not trying. I think it is a cool way to have a mysterious character that abilities vary from day to day if needed. It goes beyond the normal scope of characters and I think it could be a fun challenge to play. This character could be knopwledge oriented, tapping into different ideas so throughly that it alters him. Or it could be a minion of chaos and so can't be the same each day. It would make a great spy type character that needs to mascerade like different classes. Of course the doppleganger element is obvious.

It's not the best class, but it pushes the bounderies of the game and that is a good thing. It is one of the more orginal and creative PrCl Wizards has made for 3.5

 

[Raylis]

From what I can tell it is the ultimate versitility character. If you're running a game with few PCs and there is one or two big niche's available. You can throw in an NPC with this PrC and be thier substitue Cleric or Rogue or whatever.

On the PC side it'd be a great class for a spy or for those times where the party needs a second character of a certain class to take down some big monster(s) that they had to flee from. I'd seriously consider taking this PrC and as a DM see no reason to disallow it.

 

[Tuzenbach]

I see it as a good excuse for comic relief.

 

[Blue Sky]

You know, I really wanted to like this class. I mean REALLY wanted to like it. The powergamer in me just about wanted to wet my pants when I saw this. Heck, I even dug the flavor of the organization behind the PrC. But I can't see any reason to not take this class over say, Mystic Theurge. At sixteenth level, this class can do anything that a Mystic Theurge can, with the sole exception of 7th level spells. And in exchange for that, he has a better attack bonus, better hit points, better saving throws, better turn undead ability, and an extra feat and +2 to any stat, changeable every day. And that's assuming that he only wants to mimic a Mystic theurge. If not...

I can just see my dm's reaction if I asked to be allowed this prestige class. And if I were the dm, there'd be no way I'd allow the class. The only way I can see this not utterly destroying balance, is if all the players were playing one, or there was only one player. Otherwise, it sounds like The Complete Elf all over again.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I have a problem with the chameleon. Specifically, the fact that it's not a core class.

Don't get me wrong, flavor-wise, PrC makes more sense. But mechanically, it seems like having the chameleon begin as one other class and then shift to this defeats the purpose. I'd either make it a core class, or else design the prerequisites so the person who wanted it had to have at least one level of rogue, fighter or barbarian, wizard or sorcerer, and cleric. Sort of a vague throwback to the 1E bard.

Balance-wise? Not broken at all, or at leats not overpowered. After all, it's not like he can use all these abilities at once. Might be underpowered, but I have no real problem with that. The notion that WotC did something "wrong" with it, however, is bunk.

 

[Remathilis]

Honestly, it fits so many cool archtypes...

Think of the Saint (Val Kilmer). A new persona everyday. Enough training and natural talent to fake it. Never truly the same person twice.

A changeling (eberron) cameleon would be the ultimate troubleshooter! Throw in worship of the traveler, and you have a consumeate spy, conman, and trickster.

As for the mechanics... meh.