Failing to meet prestige class requirements

[Caliban]

They have never done that, even in 3.0. There were numerous 'clarifications' published in later books. Tomb and Blood went so far as to reprint polymorph, again. Wizards has used the extended material to clarify the game several times (and sell more books). I fail to see why this is different.

When they reprint something, the newer version always takes precedence. Outside of the core books, this has always been spells, feats, or a specific prestige class.

I can't recall when a non-core book has changed one of the core rules.
This may be the exception, but you would think they would spell it out. Or at least be consistent. The most recent Complete book (Complete Adventurer) does not have this rule. Does that mean the rule has been removed?

 

[Hypersmurf]

They have never done that, even in 3.0. There were numerous 'clarifications' published in later books. Tomb and Blood went so far as to reprint polymorph, again.

You mean they never did that, even in 3.0, like in the Tome and Blood Polymorph Other example you cite which states "Note: This version of the spell is now official and supersedes the version presented in the Player's Handbook"?

-Hyp.

 

[amethal]

I have got confused, specifically in the area of feats.

This is how I thought the rules worked :-

If you no longer meet the prerequisites for a feat, you still have the feat but you can't use it

If this feat was a prerequisite for a prestige class, as you still technically have the feat you still meet the prerequisites for that class

Is this correct?

Or can you hit a blackguard with a ray of enfeeblement so he can't use power attack, causing him to lose all his class abilities (and arguably to land on his backside as his fiendish horse servant disappears out from underneath him)

I would add that there is such a wide range of prestige classes out there that no general rule is going to make sense for all of them.

I just want to know what the general rule is, as otherwise I don't know if I am houseruling something or not!

 

[FEADIN]

I think that if you temporarily lose the prerequisite you don't loose the PrC powers but if it's a permanent drain you can loose it.
If you're damaged by poison and your strength goes under 13 you cannot use power attack but you're still a blackguard, if it's a drain and your strength is now under 13 maybe you're too weak to serve the powers of Evil and they strip you of their support, not immediatly but some days later.

 

[LokiDR]

You mean they never did that, even in 3.0, like in the Tome and Blood Polymorph Other example you cite which states "Note: This version of the spell is now official and supersedes the version presented in the Player's Handbook"?

-Hyp.

Yes, that was an explicit change to the core rules, but the weapon-like spells section of Tomb and Blood was an interpretation/extention of the core rules without claiming it superseded anything. The 'primary sources' have been changed by later books for a while, so it shouldn't be surprizing.

 

[LokiDR]

I think that if you temporarily lose the prerequisite you don't loose the PrC powers but if it's a permanent drain you can loose it.
If you're damaged by poison and your strength goes under 13 you cannot use power attack but you're still a blackguard, if it's a drain and your strength is now under 13 maybe you're too weak to serve the powers of Evil and they strip you of their support, not immediatly but some days later.

I would probably rule that way just to keep my head from exploding. I don't want to track what abilities are linked to what in the middle of a combat, beyond one step. It is just not fun to me.

On the other hand, is this what CW16 says? Are you interpreting the rule, or just simplifying for your own sake? I think the literal reading of the rules does mean the blackguard's fiendish mount goes poof, strange as that is. Maybe the dark powers think he's too much of a weenie to help anymore?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes, that was an explicit change to the core rules...

Ah. Must have been the 'never' that had me confused, then

-Hyp.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Ignore the CW rule, and go with what makes sense. If a blackguard stops being evil, it makes sense that his fiendish servant abandons him and the dark powers no longer grant him spells. It doesn't make sense that he should forget how to safely use poison or sneak attack. So take away the fiendish servant but nothing else.

In general, it's perfectly safe to say that you retain all PrC abilities regardless of losing requirements.

 

[amethal]

Ignore the CW rule, and go with what makes sense.

I freely and happily ignore almost every rule in every book relating to prestige classes.

However, as this is the Rules forum I thought I'd try and find out what the rule actually is.