Least favorite Prc

[Vigilant Fiend]

I was just wondering as to what Prc's most of you dislikes the most. Personally mine is the BEar Warrior. Something about getting +20 to strength for being a bear

 

[maddman75]

My least favorite is the Shadow dancer. Reason being that is has no place in the campaign world. Being a 'Shadow dancer' doesn't mean anything - like being a Hunter of the Dead, Duelist, or Alienist means something roleplay wise. I can't see any reason to become a shadowdancer except 'to get some l33t powerz'. Of course a DM could make them have come kind of role, but if I'm going to that kind of trouble I'd just make a new prestige class.

That, and I can't really picture Hide in Plain Sight. Is it just invisibility? Then why not call it that?

 

[Ravellion]

That, and I can't really picture Hide in Plain Sight. Is it just invisibility? Then why not call it that?

It is very close to invisibility, except that someone can still roll an opposed spot roll and see you. I don't like the class either, but I like that ability.

My least favourite is the Tribal Protector. The benefits are very specific, and hence will almost never come into play. For some reason, human barbarian tribes don't have tribal protectors, and then ther is the incredibly broken "wild fighting" at 1st level ("flurry of blows" with a greataxe? What were they thinking?!)- more frontloaded than the ranger class IMNSHO... because after that, you're far better off taking more barbarian levels, unless you really protect your tribe every friggin' day.

Rav

 

[Donatello]

Mine is the Fang of Lolth (from Song & Silence)

The prereq is that the DM has to give the player this ludicrous magic item for charming spiders and the rogue/bard has to use "Use Magical Device" on it to fuse it to his head...

It sounds like a PrC that was good for one PC in the writer's campaign, and he decided to publish it.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I don't really have a "least favorite" (which means it is still a favorite, heh)- I have PrC's I allow in my campeign and those I don't.

FD

 

[Umbran]

My least favourite is the Tribal Protector. The benefits are very specific, and hence will almost never come into play.

For PCs, this is probably true. But the DMG is pretty specific - they expect that come Prestige Classes will only be used for NPCs. SO while it is usually difficult to have a tribal protector PC, because that role is so specific as to make "adventuring" difficult, it is still quite useful for an NPC.

 

[ForceUser]

I am not impressed with roughly 60% of the prestige classes in the splatbooks. I think many of them are poorly conceived. On the other hand, I think most of the prestige classes in Oriental Adventures are the best thing since sliced bread! I won't comment on non-WOTC prestige classes since I ignore most of them.

To the orginal poster - I love the Bear Warrior! Great prestige class - fresh, interesting, and well-conceived

Most stupidly munchkin prestige class I have ever seen: The Shadow Adept from FRCS.

Worst prestige class ever: The Metamind from the Psionics handbook.

 

[Psion]

Mine is the Fang of Lolth (from Song & Silence)

That one is pretty high on my list of "why did they waste paper on this" classes as well.

 

[Psion]

My least favorite is the Shadow dancer. Reason being that is has no place in the campaign world.

Were that it were alone in this aspect. This in one of the most prevalent flaws in prestige classes. "Okay, I have these neato powers. Now WHY do I have these neato powers?"

It's a tough row to hoe, though, for the other extreme is adding too many campaign details to a prestige class, which also typically makes it hard to fit in a game. I like FFG's Path books for this reason... the PrCs there come with a background that is reasonably easy to fit into a campaign.

 

[Glamdring]

One use for a Shadow Dancer

A buddy of mine played a monk early in our campaign. When I stepped down as DM for a time, another player took up the riegns, and I played a Shadow Adept/Sorcerer. My patron was Shar, and soon enough, the monk tagged along and realized that everything eventually turns to darkness, as everyone knows that darkness will eventually swallow all, and Shar became his patron.

Later, when I began DMing, I took my former PC Shadow Adept and my buddy's monk and made them into powerful NPCs (as I did with all the former original players, as newbies joined, and the focus of the game changed). Xiang (the monk) now has 16 monk levels, and being that he works so closely with Guldraven (my shadow adept, who is also a Chosen of Shar) and that they both worship Shar, Xiang also has 4 Shadowdancer levels. The PrC stems from his supernatural monk abilities, his connections with Shar, and his shadow weave influences through Guldraven.

The Shadowdancer might not have a role in every campaign, but I think it works here.