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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mearls" data-source="post: 2087018" data-attributes="member: 697">IMHO, the key design difference between a core class and a prestige class comes down to a simple divide.A core class should explore new design space that offers viable room for growth across 20 levels, has obvious synergies for feats, fits into one of the five class silos*, and can do something interesting that none of the core, PHB classes can do.If the concept doesn't fit all of those points, it should be a prestige class.NB: I believe that under my definition, the current ranger and bard don't fit the criteria needed for a full, core class. I've redesigned both (or re-re-redesigned them, considering 3.5 and Monte's versions) and maybe I'll slip them into a project one of these days.As with all things that tumble through my keyboard, YMMV.* The four basic food groups (fighter, arcane caster, divine caster, trap finder) plus the fifth wheel, any class that works best as the fifth member of a party that covers all four food groups (the monk is the best example).</blockquote>