Is the hospitaleer from 'Defenders of the Faith' worded wrong...or just broken??

[Storyteller01]

According to the PrC, the character casts spells as a cleric of the Hospitaleers level. This either enables those who didn't previously cast spells to cast them, or to stack with previous devine spellcaster levels (so a paladin won't gain caster levels as a cleric).

Now, the PrC also gains turn undead (per the table provided for the PrC, but the description of the PrC does not mention this), Lay on hands, and remove desease, per the paladin abilities. The PrC also gains bonus feats.

The requirments are pretty basic (any non chaotic, Ride and Handle Animal of 5 Ranks, and the Mounted COmbat and Ride By Attack feats), and these were some of the combos I came up with:

Paladin/Hospitaleer vs a Full Paladin: reduced Hit Die for the Hosp., Will Save degrades for the Hosp. Paladin gains some bonus feats. Spellcasting levels stack.

Cleric/Hospitaleer vs Full Cleric: Improved BaB, Will save degrades for Hosp., gains bonus feats some Paldin abilities. Spellcasting levels stack, but Domains may be changed.

Fighter/Hospitaleer vs Full Fighter: BaB and saves are unchanged. Loses one bonus feat as a Hosp. GAINS LAY ON HANDS AND REMOVE DISEASE AS A 10th LEVEL PALADIN!!! GAINS THE SPELL CASTING ABILITIES OF A 10th LEVEL CLERIC!!!

Is it me, or does this seem like something is missing??

 

[Crothian]

They redid it in Complete Divine

 

[Hypersmurf]

From memory, the DotF Hospitaler broke the PrC rule: "Don't balance mechanical advantages with roleplaying penalties".

I don't have the book in front of me, but isn't the Hospitaler pretty much supposed to hang out at a temple or shrine his whole life and defend it, or guard caravans of pilgrims? Which makes for a fairly boring PC.

Either the DM has lots of adventures that happen to coincide with guarding a caravan of pilgrims... or those responsibilities are handwaved away.

Either way, the disadvantage becomes unimportant, while the mechanical advantages of the class remain undiminished.

And that's where the imbalance comes in.

-Hyp.

 

[Greylock]

Don't have the book in front of me either, but this much I have commited to memory: The Complete Divine Hospitaler requires that char already have divine casting capabilities.

Annoys me, because all the better Mounted PrCs require casting, keeping them out of reach for pure Fighters.

 

[DM_Matt]

Don't have the book in front of me either, but this much I have commited to memory: The Complete Divine Hospitaler requires that char already have divine casting capabilities.

Annoys me, because all the better Mounted PrCs require casting, keeping them out of reach for pure Fighters.

Cavalier?

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Yes, the original version was way overpowered. Ridiculously munchkin.

 

[Greylock]

Cavalier?

Should amend that remark I suppose.

Casting ability or a Lawful Alignment.

The only WotC published PrC I know of, from an earlier thread, is the Windrider. And the Purple Dragon Knight, which I do not care for, especially since it's campaign specific.

Only pure fighter Mounted PrC I can think of is, erhhh, is, errmmmm... ???

 

[Hypersmurf]

Only pure fighter Mounted PrC I can think of is, erhhh, is, errmmmm... ???

... Cavalier?

-Hyp.

 

[Spatula]

Only pure fighter Mounted PrC I can think of is, erhhh, is, errmmmm... ???

Kishi Charger, from OA. OA also has the Battle Maiden, but that requires a Lawful alignment like the Cavalier.

 

[Sejs]

Halfling Outrider?