I'm loving 5-level PrClasses

[philreed]

Which, of course only works if you nix the multiclass restrictions.

Which most games I've seen do.

 

[Nifft]

And, since most classes are front-loaded (especially with saves) taking multiple short PrCs (or even just first level in several different classes) is mechanically better for a character.

Meh. This is why many campaigns use the fractional Save/BAB progressions. If your players want to abuse this, they sure don't need any PrCs to do it. Ranger and Barbarian are still good "dips", too.

But that abuse is beside the point.

The point IMHO is that a certain degree of dipping should be non-abusive. In particular, dips into PrCs which are well designed. I'd like to think that mine are decent, and that someone who wants the first two to four levels of my Arcane Archer (for example) isn't gaining more than they "should" gain.

-- N

 

[Remathilis]

I personally love the redos of Thief-Acrobat and Fatespinner. Those were 10 levels of junk condensed into 5 levels of hard-core abilities.

Both are PrCs I hope to play, as apposed to yet-another-yawn class.

 

[Ace]

I personally love the redos of Thief-Acrobat and Fatespinner. Those were 10 levels of junk condensed into 5 levels of hard-core abilities.

Both are PrCs I hope to play, as apposed to yet-another-yawn class.

What nice is that with carefull use of cross class skills you could do both in the same charcter --

Bard 10 Fatespinner 5 ThiefAcrobat 5 is a .little weird but I could see Wizard 5 Rogue 5 Fatespinner 5 Thief Acrobat 5 -- I don't know how good this would be but it could be done

 

[HellHound]

I've always been a fan of writing the class to do the job, not to fit within a locked number of levels.

I've written 3-level, 4-level, 5-level, 7-level, 10-level and 12-level classes in my various products.

 

[JoeGKushner]

In terms of adaptability, I enjoy...

1. Racial Paragons: they may not fit every character, but most dwarves are going to love their racial class.

2. Substitution Levels: The verdict is still out on these (from Races and Players' Planar Guide) but so far, I'm enjoying the whole swap out specific level for specific benefits deal.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Anyone remember which book was the first to introduce non-10 level PrCs? I think it was the Forgotten Realms setting, which had the first 5 level classes or Oriental Adventures, which had a 14(?) level class.

IIRC, it was Tome & Blood with the teleporter class. Could be wrong though.

 

[Knight Otu]

IIRC, it was Tome & Blood with the teleporter class. Could be wrong though.

No, I believe Tome and Blood was later than the FRCS, though it certainly had the first 3-level PrC.

 

[Henry]

I believe the FRCS was introduced in June of 2001 (no later than that, though), and I believe it was the first WotC product to include them. I know that the Psionics book, Sword and Fist, and Complete Divine all used 10-level classes.

 

[Gez]

FRCS introduced the 5-level classes.
OA introduced a 13-level class.
T&B introduced a 3-level class.

T&B was published after the FRCS, it even says so in some of the feats, as it is written "this feat was first published in the FRCS, and given it was first published in the FRCS, it means that this here publication in T&B is posterior to the publication of the FRCS. That is, if I haven't got my chronological senses all mixed up. What if I actually am psychic and get memories from the future! Can you imagine the angst?" for a few of the feats.

(Yes, this is an exact quote. I would not make things up, would I?)