Converting PrClasses into Base Classes

[dogboy]

Has anyone out there attempted to do this? I would like to convert some
because I believe that many Prestige Classes should have been Base Classes
to begin with, but someone probably got lazy and didn't want to detail all 20
levels. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Starglim]

I'm usually more interested in going the other way. Some of the classes in the PHB should not be base classes, either for certain campaigns, or in general. But I've done the Assassin as a base class here: Classes of Barsoom

 

[dogboy]

Barsoom setting

Interesting campaign setting! While I am focused on the fantasy genre, it is
always refreshing to see just how adaptable D20 can be and there is a lot of
old school sci-fi just waiting to be converted. I see where you are going on
the conversion of the assassin into a base class. What is an assassin after all?
A rogue with a death strike. I always thought that the assassin should have
been included as a base class in the PH.

I always look at a Prestige Class and if the title itself sounds as if you need
some experience before taking it, like say a Pirate Captain or a General, then
of course it should remain a Prestige Class. But, like in the case above or something else like a Buckaneer, Highwayman, etc. I just think they look as though someone would be able to train an individual with no prior experience.

 

[sledged]

I'm usually more interested in going the other way. Some of the classes in the PHB should not be base classes

Bard, definitely the bard. It should be more like the 1E version. Thank goodness for the UA. I thought about implementing a rule saying that every class after the first in which a character takes levels (not including the favored class) has requirements. i.e. a dwarf with levels in rogue has to meet a set of requirements to take levels in any class other than fighter (and of course rogue). The same would apply if the dwarf had levels in both fighter and rogue. Conversly, a dwarf that only has levels in fighter may take levels in any other core class without meeting said requirements, but after doing so the dwarf now has to meet requirements for everything else.

 

[Starglim]

Bard, definitely the bard. It should be more like the 1E version.

Paladin is my first concern. For some settings, it would be good to prestige-ise major spellcasting classes (wizard, cleric, druid and/or psion).

Thank goodness for the UA. I thought about implementing a rule saying that every class after the first in which a character takes levels (not including the favored class) has requirements. i.e. a dwarf with levels in rogue has to meet a set of requirements to take levels in any class other than fighter (and of course rogue). The same would apply if the dwarf had levels in both fighter and rogue. Conversly, a dwarf that only has levels in fighter may take levels in any other core class without meeting said requirements, but after doing so the dwarf now has to meet requirements for everything else.

That's a great idea. What would you place as requirements? BAB for full-BAB-progression classes, Knowledge (religion) or (arcana) ranks, total ranks in class skills of the new class? It could be a much better way to do favoured classes as well.

 

[sledged]

What would you place as requirements? BAB for full-BAB-progression classes, Knowledge (religion) or (arcana) ranks, total ranks in class skills of the new class? It could be a much better way to do favoured classes as well.

Yes, Knowledge (religion) for clerics, Knowledge (arcana) for wizards and sorcerers, and Knowledge (nature) for druids (the bard becomes a full-fledged PrC so it can't be taken at first level. Druid will become the favored class for gnomes). Maybe there'll be some other skill requirements, too. In addition, I saw a feat somewhere in one of the FR books that allowed a character cast x number of 0-level spells a day. I'd make a feat similar to it that a character would have to take in order to take levels in any of the major spellcasting core classes (cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard). Track would be required for rangers, Toughness for barbarians, Sacred Vow (BoED) for paladins, and fighters I don't know yet (and yes BaB requirements for all of the warrior types). The rogue will have a bunch of skill requirements, and a minimum base reflex save requirement.

I haven't come close to working out all the details, and in fact, this is the only thing I've done in the way of documenting them.

 

[Li Shenron]

Has anyone out there attempted to do this? I would like to convert some
because I believe that many Prestige Classes should have been Base Classes
to begin with, but someone probably got lazy and didn't want to detail all 20
levels. Any info would be appreciated.

You don't really need to

First of all, notice that the Prestige Classes you probably wish they were base classes, are by themselves quite generic. You mentioned the Assassin, and from the DMG the only others generic enough IMO would be the Blackguard, the Thaumaturgist and the Horizon Walker (ok, and the AT/EK/MT, but they are not prestigious in the original sense).

Making those characters concept a base class is very easy, but even easier is to implement them from an existing base class. For example:

Assassin
1) Be a Rogue: you get the same HD, BAB, ST, uncanny dodge, sneak attack and skills (even more actually).
2) Grant Death Attack as a feat, and perhaps even require to spend skill points to raise the DC instead of being automatic.
3) Grant Hide in Plain Sight as a feat, with high level requirements, or make it one of the Rogue's "special ability".
4) The save against poison can basically come from the Resist Poison feat, and Poison Use can be a feat as well.

If you prefer, agree with the DM to exchange Rogue class features for those abilities instead of taking them as feats. For example, you could exchange all the trap abilities (trapfinding and trap sense) for Death Attack, or Evasion for the poison use and saves.

If you want spells, take a very few levels in a spellcasting class and choose spells oriented to the Assassin's job.

Blackguard
1) Be a Paladin, but switch everything Good with Evil and viceversa, and use the other spell list.
2) Exchange the Special Mount with Fiendish Servant (or keep an evil mount).

Thaumaturgist
1) Be a Cleric or Wizard or Sorcerer, or whatever you prefer.
2) Each special ability is worth very much a feat.

Such an implementation is even better, because this PrCl's special abilities are so few in number that they didn't need a PrCl at all, and furthermore the idea of being a summoner of this kind shouldn't be railroaded into the DMG specific implementation, which is only one of the possible.

Horizon Walker
1) Be a Ranger: you get the same HD, BAB, ST, and more skills.
2) Exhange favored enemies with terrain mastery: 1 at first level, and then every time you get a new fav.enemy + increase of previous one, you instead choose 2 new terrains.

! That said, if you want to have fun by converting PrCls into unique base classes, just do it but my point here is that the PrCls which you may want to convert are often so generic and featureless that something very close is already doable with the core classes, just by turning special abilities into feats or exchange them for other class features. Other PrCl which are very different are also often the ones which have the most distinctive feel (and most powerful features) so it may be best to let them be prestige (and keep those feature only for high levels ).

YMMV