First attempt at a prestige class

[ronpurvis]

I think this PrC is very cool, both in concept and execution. Headed in the right direction indeed!!! However, and this is just about as nit-picky as it gets, I have a question for you: There is a stated assumption in the flavor text that Paladins, Cavaliers, etc are "usually" from a higher class than is a "foot soldier". Yet, the class is available to (FAIAP) clerics and divine casters. It would seem to me that most "foot soldiers" in DnD culture would be warrior, expert, or low-level fighter classed??? Am I barking up a wrong tree to assume that most clerics would probably adhere to a "higher level" of class and culture than a mud-slogging foot soldier?

So there is no misunderstanding, when I say a higher class I am refering to a more wealthy or aristocratic class. Paladins have knowledge of nobility and cavaliers are knights. This is different than the poor orphan taken in by the church which is where most of the Foot Soldiers of God come from. While it is possible that a person from the nobility might have something tragic enough happen that will cause them to become a member of this class, it is far more likely for one of the poor orphans that come from the frontiers.

Also you are right that the foot soldier is probally a lot more coarse and unrefined than those from a more cultured and gentille enviroment.

I only bring this up for the issue of naming the PrC. I have some ideas, none of which are probably what you are working towards, as this is probably unwanted criticism. Names such as "Wrath of ____ (insert good-aligned God here)", "Weapon of the Divine" or "Angel of Force/Power/etc" might convey the flavor of this class. "Foot Soldier of God" (at least in my tiny addled little mind) brings up images of paladin-esque warriors bristling with sharp pointy weapons, standing in long rows on a battlefield like Braveheart extras.

Think of todays military. You have the fighter pilots who aquit themselves bravely in combat, but rarely go after the full evil of the enemy. They fight the other fighter pilots in short combat and then go home. They have the most powerful weapons around them. They are adored by the people.

Compare that to the special forces troops that I was in: 1/3 Special Forces. We go out and stay focused on fighting the enemy and teaching the villagers to fight that enemy. We stayed out in the field and took the fight to the heart of the enemy. THey have weaker weapons and less of them. There are few people who know of their deeds.

Likewise the Foot Soldier of God will take the fight to the heart of the enemy day after day even when he doesn't carry all the weapons and armor of the Paladin. He will work with the locals to protect them against evil on a more personal basis than a knight would.

The class is great, and very very yoink-able. In fact, I am already playing with the name "standard bearer of god" and using the magic weapon/item XP-growth over time rulesest to make a cleric who gains powers through the use of a reliquary or idol that gets more and more powerful. I just think that the name might be tightened up a bit to conjure a little more adequate feel. That's all. Good work by everyone in the thread, though.

Thank you for the comments. I hope that this is a class that some would enjoy using in their campaigns at some point.