NoOneofConsequence
First Post
The current situation with prestige classes is that if a character wants to take a level of a prestige class they must first possess the necessary prerequisites. Typically PrC prerequisites cannot be achieved by characters of less than 5th level and frequently they cannot be achieved unless a character is over 9th level or higher. It has been observed that these rules mean that I character must frequently plan to take a prestige class several levels ahead, sometimes even from first level.
This situation simulates very well the kind of character who has been dreaming of joining an elite profession or organisation since they were young – like aspiring to be a professional sportsman. However, frequently players do not know what PrC’s a DM will allow in his campaign until long after their characters have been made and played. Also, it makes it very difficult for DM’s to introduce homebrew PrC’s to an ongoing campaign. Finally, it provides rules which can over-rule the campaign, since many DM’s only allow PrC’s in their campaign if they are attached to a specific organisation, group, order, clan etc. The DM has to rule zero the character’s not having a PrC because he hasn’t joined the “group”.
Some DM’s house-rule this situation by saying that PrC membership will only be based on roleplaying concerns, not rules based prerequisites. This can work to a degree, but in many instances PrC class abilities are predicated on the character having the prerequisites. For example, the Superior Weapon Focus ability of the Weapon Master PrC assumes that the character already has the Weapon Focus Feat. Instances like these can force DM’s to be continually house-ruling and basically having their workload increased. Also, in extreme cases, DM’s may be faced with player abuses – such as a character who has an extremely good roleplaying reason why he should start out as a PrC at first level.
The following is a set of rules designed to modify the system of qualifying for PrC’s so that characters who only have a roleplaying reason for taking levels of a PrC can do so in a uniform manner. The rules set paths for player characters and are as follows.
Path 1: The Standard
A character continues with their present class(es) until they have the necessary prerequisites for the Prestige Class. At this point they are contacted by members of the organisation which has the PrC and invited to join. From this point on the character is assumed to be receiving the necessary training to take the PrC (as a novice of the organisation) and becomes a fully fledged member as soon as they acquire enough xp for the next level.
Path 2: The modified Standard
A character may have the prerequisitesfor a PrC but roleplay reasons may not wish (or may not be able) to join the relevant organisation necessary to acquire levels in the PrC. This character instead decides to become self-taught, figuring the class out for himself. This character may adopt the new PrC if they choose, when they gain a new level. However, for the next level they suffer a –10% xp penalty, representing the fact that they are following the PrC without the benefit of training or instruction from previous members. If the character takes a level of a base class after the level of the PrC, then the –10% xp penalty is removed. However, the penalty returns each time another level in the self-taught class is taken. If the character should at any point gain official training in the self-taught PrC, then the xp penalty is permanently removed.
Path 3: Roleplaying
If a character is in a situation where they can take training in a PrC but do not have the necessary prerequisites, then the character may take the PrC when they “level up”. From this point on, they experience a –20%xp penalty until they acquire (through standard gameplay) the necessary prerequisites. This penalty remains, even if the character takes subsequent levels in another class. It represents their being on a “steep learning curve” until they figure their skills out. Until then, they “just don’t get it!” This path also requires that a character be at least first level before they take a PrC – ie. their first level cannot be in a PrC.
These rules are designed to maximise roleplaying while minimising abuses like class sampling.
What do people think?
This situation simulates very well the kind of character who has been dreaming of joining an elite profession or organisation since they were young – like aspiring to be a professional sportsman. However, frequently players do not know what PrC’s a DM will allow in his campaign until long after their characters have been made and played. Also, it makes it very difficult for DM’s to introduce homebrew PrC’s to an ongoing campaign. Finally, it provides rules which can over-rule the campaign, since many DM’s only allow PrC’s in their campaign if they are attached to a specific organisation, group, order, clan etc. The DM has to rule zero the character’s not having a PrC because he hasn’t joined the “group”.
Some DM’s house-rule this situation by saying that PrC membership will only be based on roleplaying concerns, not rules based prerequisites. This can work to a degree, but in many instances PrC class abilities are predicated on the character having the prerequisites. For example, the Superior Weapon Focus ability of the Weapon Master PrC assumes that the character already has the Weapon Focus Feat. Instances like these can force DM’s to be continually house-ruling and basically having their workload increased. Also, in extreme cases, DM’s may be faced with player abuses – such as a character who has an extremely good roleplaying reason why he should start out as a PrC at first level.
The following is a set of rules designed to modify the system of qualifying for PrC’s so that characters who only have a roleplaying reason for taking levels of a PrC can do so in a uniform manner. The rules set paths for player characters and are as follows.
Path 1: The Standard
A character continues with their present class(es) until they have the necessary prerequisites for the Prestige Class. At this point they are contacted by members of the organisation which has the PrC and invited to join. From this point on the character is assumed to be receiving the necessary training to take the PrC (as a novice of the organisation) and becomes a fully fledged member as soon as they acquire enough xp for the next level.
Path 2: The modified Standard
A character may have the prerequisitesfor a PrC but roleplay reasons may not wish (or may not be able) to join the relevant organisation necessary to acquire levels in the PrC. This character instead decides to become self-taught, figuring the class out for himself. This character may adopt the new PrC if they choose, when they gain a new level. However, for the next level they suffer a –10% xp penalty, representing the fact that they are following the PrC without the benefit of training or instruction from previous members. If the character takes a level of a base class after the level of the PrC, then the –10% xp penalty is removed. However, the penalty returns each time another level in the self-taught class is taken. If the character should at any point gain official training in the self-taught PrC, then the xp penalty is permanently removed.
Path 3: Roleplaying
If a character is in a situation where they can take training in a PrC but do not have the necessary prerequisites, then the character may take the PrC when they “level up”. From this point on, they experience a –20%xp penalty until they acquire (through standard gameplay) the necessary prerequisites. This penalty remains, even if the character takes subsequent levels in another class. It represents their being on a “steep learning curve” until they figure their skills out. Until then, they “just don’t get it!” This path also requires that a character be at least first level before they take a PrC – ie. their first level cannot be in a PrC.
These rules are designed to maximise roleplaying while minimising abuses like class sampling.
What do people think?
