DMs: Do you use PrC's and Templates?

[Desdichado]

Rarely to both. I like the concept, but I rarely stat out stuff by hand ahead of time. If there were a good electronic tool where I could plug in monsters, custom classes and templates, I'd probably do it lots more often.

Or, if I ever got off my butt and figured out how to hand code in PCGen data...

 

[Joshua Randall]

Supposedly the new (3.5) version of PCGen is going to be much easier to use on that score, but we'll have to wait and see. Or pay for e-Tools, I guess.

 

[Ferret]

I was suggesting PrCs to my last pc's, but I DM a 1st level game so no real PrCs or temps on the monsters

 

[Desdichado]

I'd certainly welcome that development. As I've said a fair amount of times 'round here before, I don't do tons of preparation ahead of time, and rules like this, which require quite a bit (relatively speaking) of prep time are usually the first to go. This would make them much more likely to see much more use in my game.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I generally figure out what my NPC's are, in terms of general class, then sit back (before doing skills, feats, and such) and consider if there is a PrC that fits with their general shtick. If there is, then I go back and modify the PC.

I use templates occasionally, usually just the classics: Lycanthropes, vampires, etc. Sometimes a template catches my eye and makes me want to use it - such as the Skinwalker template from the Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary.

On a related note, I don't often give class levels to my monsters.

 

[Umbran]

That's backwards, language-wise

No, it isn't. In fact, real-world biologists have a term for the phenomenon - "hybrid vigor" There's a notable tendency for hybrids to be able to maximize the strong suits of their parents, while minimizing the detriments of each root stock. It doesn't always apply, of course, in the real worldor in the fantasy one. Half-elves, for example are not particularly more buff than humans or elves.

 

[Psion]

PrCs:

I use a lot. Often I find that well designed PrCs have interesting and useful concepts entrained with them, and are not just a power-grab-bag. PrCs can:

• Add a little spice to NPCs: I especially dig the ideas of special martial styles for warrior types (such as provided by Masters of Arms) and exotic forms of magic/psionics for arcane and divine spellcasters.
• A little depth to organizations: Diamond Warriors, the Colorless Lodge, The Order of Cordun are a few organizations with associated PrCs that I dig for my campaign. Various Knightly Orders, Secret Societies, Cults, and so forth also benefit from having a uniting concepts and abilities.
• Provide lynchpin concepts for villains: Mages who store their soul in gems (a la Jewel mages and soul gem guardians from Bastion's Spells & Magic) and psions that spawn semi-real mirror images capable of combat (a la the Astral Zealot from Mindscapes) or draw upon the dark powers of the subconscious (like Shadow Minds from the Minds Eye on the WotC website) are a few of the villain concepts I hope to use in my current campaign.
• Support foundational campaign concepts: I am running a Second World Sourcebook campaign, and that book's Warden classes are central to the "world hook." Similarly, some classes aren't necessarily designed specifically for some campaign concepts, but are coincidentally a neat feat (like the Lucid Cenobite, which fit the Army or Tresspass's martial/psionic bent.)

Templates: As someone mentioned, many staple creatures rely on templates. In my case, I use a lot of undead, so vampires, ghosts, and liches are a natural choice.

As I use humanoid/classes opponents more than monsters, I generally use PrCs more than templates, but occasionally templates fit the bill and let you add a neat spin to an otherwise mundane creature:

• The AEG OA modules had a neat concept I thought was cool and appropriate: fiendish animated objects to represent objected animated by the power of evil. Along these lines, I thought you might use anarchic templates to represent items filled with chaos spirits.
• I wanted to make an unusual steed for scouts of the army of tresspass. I was able to make an unusual concept in seconds by applying the insectile template (from Savage Species) to a warhorse.
• I always dug the idea from the 1e MotP that the elemental planes would have a psuedo-ecology of their own. So I dig the idea of elemental and half-elemental templates to make elemental analogs of material plane creatures.
• Other templates make nasty surprises for players, like the Spellstitched template to make undead nastier, or making a drider out of a non-drow with the drider template on the wotc website.
• I like templates that essentially let you make new creatures. For example, last session, I needed a quick take on a different mount for some otherworldly warriors. I applied the instectile template for Savage Species to a warhorse and I was done.

Generally, I like to be able to craft the rules to fit the game and provide means of deviating from the ordinary and explaining unusual aspects of the game in game terms. PrCs and templates allow me to do that.

 

[Psion]

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.

I think you misunderstand what each template represents. A half-fiend is not a hybrid of a material creature and a creature with the fiendish template. It is a hybrid of a material creature and an actual fiend, i.e., evil outsider like a demon or devil.

 

[Voadam]

I think you misunderstand what each template represents. A half-fiend is not a hybrid of a material creature and a creature with the fiendish template. It is a hybrid of a material creature and an actual fiend, i.e., evil outsider like a demon or devil.

Similarly the fiendish celestial templates are not actual fiends or celestials. Fiend touched or celestial touched would probably be more accurate descriptively.

 

[Voadam]

I use prestige classes for ideas for cool organizations or individual villains.

Most NPCs don't get statted right away in my games, they get approximate stats and then specific ones depending upon time to prepare and importance of the character.

Most NPCs will be single classed or enter a prestige class as soon as they can to define themselves as that prestige class (assassin, champion of Shiva, etc.)

If I'm going to mix and match it is only because I have time, otherwise the numbers get harder to guestimate on the fly.

Templates are the same way, I will guestimate stats for some on the fly (lycanthrope minions) and do out for major bad guys (the head weretiger, the wight template necromancer ravenloft darklord who arose because of the party, etc.).

For on the fly monsters I like to use stats out of a book so templates only as I feel comfortable keeping track of the special issues. However I like variety and run in ravenloft so I use lots of undead and other things who are templated villains.