Most Unbalanced Prestige Classes?

[Aaron L]

When is a druid with the ability to wild shape ever NOT in wild shaped form in a combat situation? Unless the player is inexperienced, druids are wild shaped all the time.

Really? I have played and seen played many druids who weren't wild shaped every combat. I wouldn't consider myself inexperienced by a long shot.

 

[Arnwyn]

Windwalker (of Shaundakul) from FR's Faiths & Pantheons. Ugh.

Full spellcasting progression every level, plus special abilities (some very good) every level, plus another domain. As written, this thing is ridiculous (and was discovered to be so through play).

 

[Psion]

Pkitty and someone,

I'm curious: what levels of MTs have you run, and are they as PCs or NPCs? That could make all the difference IMO/E.

 

[BobROE]

Windwalker (of Shaundakul) from FR's Faiths & Pantheons. Ugh.

Full spellcasting progression every level, plus special abilities (some very good) every level, plus another domain. As written, this thing is ridiculous (and was discovered to be so through play).

I think it was based on the theory that you'd be a ranger taking it, and if that's true it's not that bad. But from a cleric it's definitely broken.

 

[3catcircus]

Give it a second glance.

The damage a Hulking Hurler does with a thrown object is based on the object's weight. The heaviest object an HH can throw is something up to their light load capacity, or their medium load capacity with the Overburdened Heave trick. And remember carrying capacity scales not only with the strength of a creature, but also with its size. And additionally, a sharp or pointy object deals damage as if were an object of twice its actual weight.

So as a very modest example, say we have a Str 25 ogre with 2 levels of Hulking Hurler, and Overburdened Heave. Medium load is 533 lbs, doubled due to being Large, clocks in at 1,066 lbs. Okay, so our ogre purchases a 1000 lb ball of spiked iron. Imagine it looking like the head of a really large, really mean flail. Enchant it to be +1 and Returning, just for convienance sake. Each attack, our very, very modest example can chuck his weapon for 13d6 dmg, plus relavent modifiers.

But *if* you allow a Str 25 Ogre w/ 2 levels of HH in your campaign - is it as PC or NPC? If your campaign is high-powered enough for this example to be a PC, and *assuming* the DM *allowed* him to enchant the thing, then wouldn't *everything else* in the campaign be of equal power? If it is for NPCs only - then obviously, the answer is not to throw that at a party that couldn't handle a spellcaster launching a 13D6 fireball...

 

[ForceUser]

I'll join the chorus on the Radiant Servant of Pelor. Thumbs down.

The revised Sacred Fist is worrisome, though I have yet to see it in play to decide for myself.

To whomever claimed that the Archmage is something every single wizard would strive for, I disagree. The entry requirements are less than optimal. You are forced to sacrifice three potential metamagic feats for Skill Focus and Spell Focus (X2). That is a hard sell.

 

[BASHMAN]

I don´t agree with the mystic theurge being broken. I´m playing one right now

oh, i see.

 

[Pants]

To whomever claimed that the Archmage is something every single wizard would strive for, I disagree. The entry requirements are less than optimal. You are forced to sacrifice three potential metamagic feats for Skill Focus and Spell Focus (X2). That is a hard sell.

Plus, you have to give up actual spell slots in order to use all those fancy-schamncy powers. A very hard thing to give up indeed.

My list of unbalanced PrC's:

Overpowered:
Vigilante (Relics and Rituals)
Thrall of Dispater (Book of Vile Darkness)
Frenzied Berserker (Complete Warrior)
Skylord (Book of Exalted Deeds)
Illithid Savant (Savage Species)

Underpowered:
Tempest (Masters of the Wild) (it was bad in 3.0 and now its really bad in 3.5)
Most of the Disciple and Thrall PrC's from the BoVD
Vermin Lord (BoVD)
Forsaker (MotW)

 

[Nightfall]

3.5 archmage isn't broken. 3.0 was. (That's only because they've nerfed Spell focus, and thus they did so with 3.5 archmage.)

I already gave my vote for RSoP.

I side with Psion on what's broken for the most part. (I like Divine champion but doubtful I'll use it outside of the Realms.)

MT isn't broken but it's just a crock IMHO.

 

[MDSnowman]

Overpowered:
Vigilante (Relics and Rituals)

This I can see... The Vigilant was always a powerhouse uber-ranger

Underpowered:
Tempest (Masters of the Wild) (it was bad in 3.0 and now its really bad in 3.5)

This makes no sense to me, the Tempest was the cornerstone in the worst bit of powergaming I'd ever concieved of... it was called the human blender and got 10+ attacks on a full attack action.

..also where has it been updated to 3.5?