DMs: Do you use PrC's and Templates?

[Sir Whiskers]

I almost never use prestige classes for npc's. It's basically a case of laziness - I use an excel spreadsheet for creating characters and manually adding a prestige class is not worth the time.

I use templates often, though I agree with the others that it should match the situation (different undead templates as tomb guardians, elemental templates when the players assaulted a group of evil priests, and so on). I want my players to experience the same sense of mystery I had when I first began playing and had no idea what any of the creatures could do. Templates are one way to reduce the effect of too much player knowledge.

Besides, they're fun...[evil laugh]

 

[jmucchiello]

I wish there were a choice between "often" and "rarely", i.e.

[ ] I never use ....
[ ] I rarely use ....
[X] I use .....
[ ] I often use ....

Because I rarely use templates, but I use prestige classes.

 

[jaerdaph]

This poll is broken: PrCs are overpowered. Templates got the shaft.



Seriously though, I really like PrCs. I love templates. I use both all the time.

 

[DM_Matt]

Yes, bring em on! Down with stock critters, up with Fleshbound Vampire Shade Assassins and Sarkrith Forsakers!

 

[jgbrowning]

Lots of both ... could a moderator change the poll so it's got a couple more Template entries?

-- N

Yes, any nice mods out there?

joe b.

 

[Valiantheart]

Templates are good.
PrCs are complete crap.

 

[Wombat]

I use templates with middling frequency, but more often just "progress" monsters; the templates that I tend to use the most are Undead.

As for PrCs, just like with my players, I use them infrequently. There are a few PrCs that are allowed in my campaign as "NPC Only", but that is because of the severe restrictions on movement and lifestyle that they would entail (such as King's Bodyguard-type PrCs).

Overall, as with similar items in most rpgs, I think there are too many variant classes, too many PrCs, too many templates, and way too many monsters in published material, but I can see no way that they would ever be limited at this point.

So I pick and choose very judiciously and use only a very, very few.

 

[Umbran]

Overall, as with similar items in most rpgs, I think there are too many variant classes, too many PrCs, too many templates, and way too many monsters in published material, but I can see no way that they would ever be limited at this point.

I'm curious. How are (or can there be) "too many" monsters, templates or the like in published material? It isn't like anyone is forcing you to use them. They are presented for the DM to pick and choose from. How is having many options available for choice a detriment?

 

[Tonguez]

Yep like Many I use Templates all the time but PrCs infrequently

I use Fiendish and Celestial Templates, Ghosts, Half-Elemental and stuff to represent 'spirits'. I've also picked up the insectoid template and use that lots

eg my Twin gods of Madness and Disease are a pair of Fiendish, Bloodstained, Plaguebearing, Troll Barbarian/Scorcerers with Psychic Feats (Speed of Thought and Up the Walls)

 

[Joshua Randall]

Y'know what really annoys me? That celestial and fiendish creatures are weaker than half-celestial and half-fiendish creatures.

Celestial or Fiendish template: LA +2
Half-Celestial or Half-Fiendish template: LA +4

That's backwards, language-wise: the XXX template should be stronger/better/etc. than the half-XXX template.