Is there any good reason for a spellcaster to not take the Archmage prestige class?

[LordAO]

With the Archmage prestige class now part of the core rules, I have to ask. Why would any spellcaster not want to gain this class? For one thing, the title of "Archmage" carries with it a certain prestige. This may not sound like a big deal, but in actuality most people will be far more impressed when "Veldric the Archmage" comes throught their door than "Veldric the Wizard." Not only that, but the class only has 5 levels to it. This makes it an easy class to pick up and master. And lets not forget the tremendously powerful abilities it offers.

And since most prestige classes are available at level 6, a charcter can get 5 levels in Wizard or Sorcerer, 10 levels in the prestige class of his choice, and fill the remaining 5 levels with Archmage.

So I have to ask? Why would any Wizard or Sorcerer pass this one up?

[Edit: spelling]

 

[Camarath]

Well for one thing spell choice might be a factor for Sorcerers because the Archmage requires the ability to cast 7th-level arcane spells, knowledge of 5th-level or higher spells from at least five schools that means that at 14th level all but one of the Sorcerers 5th+ level spells have to be of different chools. Also the Archmage mage requires 3 feats which is not a big deal for Wizards but but might be for a Sorcerer.

 

[James McMurray]

Some people may not want to dilute their spell focuses across two schools, and many people will not want to bother with skill focus (spellcraft).

If you don't mind the prereqs though, its a very nice class. However, there are other nice classes as well, and I could easily someone going for Wizard 5 / PrC-1 10 / PrC-2 5 instead of Wiz 5 / PrC 10 / Arc 5.

 

[Corinth]

The most basic reason is this: as Archmage is a prestige class, the DM must rule first that it exists within his campaign and second must rule that it's available to PCs.

 

[James McMurray]

I believe the question was taking those two things as a given. After all, you can't even take Wizard as a class unless your DM agrees that it exists in the world and is available to players.

 

[Sejs]

Familiar progession and that last metamagic or item creation feat?

Already progessing in another PrC that they want to stick with?

Don't meet the prerequisites, particularly the feat requirements?


Personally in my games, I changed both the Archmage and Hierophant to have 3 levels of spellcaster progession (1, 3, 5). Seems to have balanced 'em out more.

 

[Geoff Watson]

They don't want to waste three feats on useless prerequisites?

They want a different powerful prestige class?

Geoff.

 

[Driddle]

I know it sounds silly, but I actually like the idea of my familiar progressing, even if it's just a couple of points of intelligence and natural AC.

And, yes, the feat prereqs are sorta expensive to some players who might want to expand their non-arcane abilities to be a little more well-rounded.

Other than that? (shrug) It's all a matter of personal choice. No right or wrong answer.

 

[the Jester]

Archmage is cool, but my recently created epic-level pc is a wiz 5/alienist 11/planeshifter 5.

 

[LordAO]

They don't want to waste three feats on useless prerequisites?

Yeah, that's true. Skill Focus is anything but my favorite feat, and after Spell Focus was nerfed (horribly) in 3.5, I can see why people wouldn't want to be forced to take it, let alone have to take it twice.

I guess I'm not really sure if I like the Archmage and Heirophant prestige classes. They seem too powerful and too flavorless. The idea of a class based around being the most "advanced" Wizard or Priest just doesn't sit right with me.

Prestige Classes are supposed to provide the character with a special role for his or her character. There are definate roleplaying elements to this. Even classes as bland as the Master Alchemist provide a character with a roleplaying concept and a unique niche in the world. The Archmage and Heirophant just don't seem to do that. And until these two classes came out, no one prestige class was supposed to be more "prestige" than any other.

It would be like making a "Supreme Fighter" prestige class that is only 5 levels and gives a fighter super-duper weapon focus and super weapon specialization or something. The idea being someone who is more advanced than his "less disciplined, determined, and advanced" counterparts of the regular fighter class. Not exactly what I'd call an interesting or appealing concept.

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? Or is this just turning into a pointless rant on my part? If so, I apologize.