Class Ability Progressions with PrCs

[rowport]

Sorry if this is a silly question...

Some Prestige Classes provide advancement with Core Class Abilities as if another level of the class was taken. Spellcasting levels is a common one of course, but I have also seen Monk Abilities and Druid Abilities advancement as well. My question is: if you pursue the PrC, then return to the Core class (presumably when you finish the PrC), does your ability "stack" with the Core levels, or just give you the advancement faster, then stop?

An example might help:
Assume I am a Druid taking Nature's Warrior (a 5 level PrC from Complete Warrior). Nature's Warrior includes "Wilding", which advances Wild Shape abilities for each of its class levels as if you took a Druid level. So, a Druid 5/Nature's Warrior 5 has the same Wild Shape abilities as a Druid 10. So far, so good. But here is my question. If the Druid 5/Nature's Warrior 5 then returns to Druid 6, that would normally give only Wild Shape 2/day which he already got at Nature's Warrior 1. So, does he not get any benefit there? Or, does it 'skip ahead' on his Wild Shape abilities as if he took Druid 11?

 

[mikebr99]

Sorry if this is a silly question...

Some Prestige Classes provide advancement with Core Class Abilities as if another level of the class was taken. Spellcasting levels is a common one of course, but I have also seen Monk Abilities and Druid Abilities advancement as well. My question is: if you pursue the PrC, then return to the Core class (presumably when you finish the PrC), does your ability "stack" with the Core levels, or just give you the advancement faster, then stop?

An example might help:
Assume I am a Druid taking Nature's Warrior (a 5 level PrC from Complete Warrior). Nature's Warrior includes "Wilding", which advances Wild Shape abilities for each of its class levels as if you took a Druid level. So, a Druid 5/Nature's Warrior 5 has the same Wild Shape abilities as a Druid 10. So far, so good. But here is my question. If the Druid 5/Nature's Warrior 5 then returns to Druid 6, that would normally give only Wild Shape 2/day which he already got at Nature's Warrior 1. So, does he not get any benefit there? Or, does it 'skip ahead' on his Wild Shape abilities as if he took Druid 11?

He'd be an 11th level Druid WRT wildshape. His casting level would be 8th, however.

Mike

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

As if you were Druid 11.

 

[rowport]

Cool, guys, thanks. That is what I figured, but not sure. So, essentially, he becomes brutal with Wild Shape faster, but loses spell progression for a few levels.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

That's pretty much it.

 

[mikebr99]

Cool, guys, thanks. That is what I figured, but not sure. So, essentially, he becomes brutal with Wild Shape faster, but loses spell progression for a few levels.

Just to clarify... the Nature's warrior isn't getting wildshape faster then an equal level Druid, just at the same rate. The PrC gives you some extra SU abilities (Nature's Armaments) to use while in animal form... at the cost of 3 casting levels. Can you say Practiced Spellcaster?


Mike

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Just to clarify... the Nature's warrior isn't getting wildshape faster then an equal level Druid, just at the same rate. The PrC gives you some extra SU abilities (Nature's Armaments) to use while in animal form...

I think that's what he meant by, "getting brutal faster."

 

[rowport]

LOL Yep, Patron is right, that is what I meant by "getting brutal". And, Mike, thanks for the Practiced Spellcaster suggestion! I planned to take it anyway to help out my Barbarian and Ranger levels, but conveniently enough, it will also pick up two of the three non-caster advancing Nature's Warrior levels.

I am digging the multiclassing-friendly feats in the Complete series, for sure. I am just a multiclassing fool.