How does one balance a PrC?

[bret]

I've looked in the DMG (both versions) and haven't found much useful information on this.

How does one balance a PrC? Especially one that gives full spellcaster advancement?

How do you decide if the requirements are stiff enough, the powers too strong or weak, etc to determine if a custom PrC is balanced?

In my specific instance I'm created a spellcaster PrC for 3.0 that is loosely based on the LoreMaster PrC.

In comparison to the Wizard, it has better skill list, better skill points per level, access to Bardic Knowledge, and a number of special abilities. On the other hand, it is missing familiar advancement and one bonus feat. Comparing it against the Loremaster, it has slightly harder skill requirements, slightly easier spell requirements, and much less power.

In general, how do people try to balance these type of changes? How do you set what the requirements should be for a PrC, and when is it too easy/hard to qualify?

 

[MarauderX]

I think there are a few helper files located in the download section of ENWorld. Someone came up with a point system to create classes & PrCs, and assigned values to many of the abilities that each had. In the end, it's kinda subjective, but keep in mind how it would weigh against any of the others as well as the core classes, and if you think it's weaker than at least one of them, you should be ok.

 

[Crothian]

THere are too many things that can balance a prestige class that it would be really hard to set certain rules. So, I just read over each one and decide if its balanced for me.

 

[Voadam]

In your specific example, compare it to the loremaster.

Is it significantly better than the loremaster?

what are the opportunity costs for qualifying for the prestige class prereqs? Are the prereqs really costs? For instance, the three metamagic of item creation feats for loremaster are generally useful on their own, while the knowledge skill focus is more of a cost requirement.

Figure out what level you need to be to get into the class, higher level classes can be a little more powerful (they are balanced against higher level single class character high level abilities).

For full spellcasting advancement wizards and sorcerers don't usually give up much.

 

[Rashak Mani]

I hate it when they "balance" PrC by demanding wasteful feats. Just silly to do it.

For spellcaster you might skip gaining a spellcasting level only once during the advancement... that is quite a penalty.

 

[Voadam]

I hate it when they "balance" PrC by demanding wasteful feats. Just silly to do it.

For spellcaster you might skip gaining a spellcasting level only once during the advancement... that is quite a penalty.

I agree that prereqs should all make sense for the class and not be solely a waste cost, but my point is that useful prereq feats are not a balancing cost, whereas a flavor correct but suboptimal feat requirement like skill focus knowledge is a power balance cost that can balance out a slight class power increase.

 

[ES2]

Are you sure balance is the appropriate word when nothing in roleplaying is ever balanced to begin with?

 

[der_kluge]

I think the point-based system that is in the files section only deals with core classes.

And I don't even agree with all facets of it. For examples, bards came out really strong on that scale, which is mind-boggling. I optimized that system a while back, and it made more sense.

I've never seen anything for PrCs.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

And I don't even agree with all facets of it. For examples, bards came out really strong on that scale, which is mind-boggling. I optimized that system a while back, and it made more sense.

Not surprisingly most formulas fail to take synergies into account. The Bard, Monk, and Paladin are all wildly overrated by formulaic approaches. The reason is simple: a thematically interesting grabbag of abilities is rarely as potent a skillfully crafted strategy. It is also tends to be easier to factor in advantages than disadvantages.

 

[jmucchiello]

About the only important thing to keep in mind is what level is the character when an ability is gained and how more or less powerful is it to gain such an ability at that level.

For example: A 10 level PrC gained after 5th level should not grant Energy resistance: 20/fire at 1st level (Character level 6). Granting it at 8th level though (character level 13) is not so bad.