D&D 5E (2014) Just a thought about prestige classes.

[jodyjohnson]

My preference would be world specific Prestige organizations or roles represented in the game as Downtime activities, with accompanying feats if mechanical benefits are absolutely required.

Some prestige classes might be more properly represented as alternative archetypes, domains, orders, arcane traditions, etc.

Prestige Classes as a separate thing implies using the multi-classing rules and I may not always want to go down that road.

 

[steeldragons]

I see no reason what was once "prestige class" couldn't be done as feats.

I would recommend the following parameters:

1) Not a "chain" per se. But, like an uber Feat-in-three-parts. While yes, it could be done, up to 19th in 5 parts, but if you make it 3 then characters who might not take their first level of the Feat until later in their career can still become a "full" <whatever the Prestige Feat is> by 19th. I also feel that if the "PF" can't be boiled down into 3 parts, then it is not necessary/too complex. This also means, for those that start/grab it right away at 4th, you're gaining the final piece of your Prestige feat by 12th, leaving you with a theoretical near-1/2 of your character's career [assuming a 20th level cap] to have their full suite of special abilities. Seems to improve flexibility and can involve story things to lead to them all along their level progression instead of "well, ya missed the boat at 4th. Never gonna make it now."

2) I agree that it should be left to the normal Feat selections, with a stipulation they can't be taken before 4th (to avoid the variant humans). I further concur with the "in story/RPing" focus and stipulate playing/working your character toward these goals, not just "pick a feat."

3) Each 3-part Feat should have some fairly simple to achieve prereq's that are not necessarily tied to any single class. So as to avoid powergaminess/"gaming the system" shenanigans. The Arcane Archer, for example, could stipulate the character must a) Be proficient with pull bows and b) Has access to Arcane magic. This would mean nearly half (maybe more) standard PCs could conceivably become Arcane Archers and even more if, say, a Champion Fighter or Assassin Rogue takes their 4th [or 8th, 12th, etc...] level feat for Magic Initiate: Arcane. Then their next feat could be Arcane Archer. Other classes: Wizard/Warlcok/Sorcerer could use the 4th level feat - or 1st level variant humans to get their prof in a Long/short bow and go on from there. Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster, arguably Rangers [if you flavor their magic as Arcane], could dive in as soon as they're able to take a first feat...which kinda makes sense.

4) Taking the 1st part of the Prestige Feat does not necessitate taking further pieces with your future feat selections. So you could end up with "Arcane Archers" of varying levels of capabilities at various levels.

So, yeah. I'd go for something like that. A 3-part "Prestige Feat" with 2 prereq buy-in seems fair and flexible.

[EDIT: and no Multiclassing required. /EDIT]

 

[GMforPowergamers]

If it was going to be feats, I think it has to build the entire concept in 1 feat, with at most 1 feat to enhance it. Having said that I would much prefer this handled by the class system.

I already have a home brew idea for mystic theurge

It is a 6 level class that counts toward the multi class chart as +1 caster every level. each even level it counts as taking a level of both cleric and wizard, but only for spells known, each odd level you have your choice of increasing one...

at levels 1, 3, and 5 you get an ability called magic recovery insight, it lets you add to your wizard level for the purpose of arcane recovery.
at levels 2,4, and 6 you get an ability called Improved destroy undead, it lets you increase the CR of undead killed by your turns

prereq would be the ability to cast 6th level spell slots, and knowing atleast 1 3rd level wizard spell and 1 3rd level cleric spell (so 6/6)

basicly it would look like this

level 12 is 6th cleric/6th wizard so access to 6th level slots and 3rd level spells
level 13 you get 13th level on the multi chart and one of your two classes goes to 7th for spells known
level 14 you get 14th level on multi chart and both increase on spells know so count as 7/8
ect ect

 

[AmerginLiath]

A combination of Feats, Backgrounds, and Factions in 5e really replaces the terrain that Prestige Classes trod upon in 3.x – not to mention that the Subclasses themselves perform the role of many of more the general or multiclass-based Prestige Classes (and we should be seeing more Subclasses over time). I honesty think that there's very little of the old Prestige Class flavor that can't be replicated with other core elements of the game already – and that those parts that can't be replicated are deliberately those high-powered pieces that would bend or break Bounded Accuracy too greatly.

 

[Riley37]

How about this: a fighter who has a certain set of Feats, becomes known as a "Master of All Weapons", and gets prestige, especially among other fighters. If anyone who doesn't have those Feats claims the title "Master of All Weapons", then sooner or later some true MoAW will challenge them, and test that claim.

A wizard with a certain set of feats becomes known as an Ultimate Warmage, and gets to wear a special badge on their pointy hat, and gets prestige among spellcasters, and again, false use of that title has certain dangers.

And so forth.

If it were up to me, Paladin would be a prestige class; the gods would only grant paladin abilities to people who already had several levels in Fighter and a few in Cleric, who had a minimum Charisma (maybe 14?), and who then trained to become paladins and took the oath.

 

[weldon]

Prestige classes add little to the game that multiclassing can't already accomplish. They certainly aren't needed for fluff. Fluff can apply to any build.

In case anyone reads along and sees Joe's response just below my post and thinks we are disagreeing, I'd like to make it clear that we are in complete agreement.

I like the idea of fluff where characters advance into some specialty, maybe tied to an organization that they choose. That organization might even have some strict entrance requirements. I think that adds a lot of interesting story and character development options. I don't necessarily think we need prestige classes as implemented in 3e because I really didn't care for the plethora of mechanics options and feats.

I think the factions in Adventurer's League (and mentioned in the DMG) are a pretty good model to add the fluff element without replacing the character advancement mechanics. I'm trying to figure out how I can adapt that to what I want to do.

 

[Carlsen Chris]

I want prestige classes back...

Not me. I think they completely sucked.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Prestige classes might be...

- Feats. Or feat chains.
- Attuned treasure.
- Special multiclass options.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Not me. I think they completely sucked.

I agree.

The backgrounds, Multiclasssing, class options and feats as well as good roleplaying can do anything the prestige classes did.

 

[Ahrimon]

I would be ok with prestige classes modeled as one to two feat chains. Other than that I would rather see them done like the factions for the organized play. I don't want actual classes.