Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dykstrav" data-source="post: 5668197" data-attributes="member: 40522">One of the things about Pathfinder that I really like (that I've realized perhaps a bit slowly, over several months of regular play) is that very few Pathfinder players aspire for their characters to take levels in a prestige class. With abilities that scale through single-classing (barbarian rage powers, cleric domains, fighter's weapon training, sorcerer bloodlines, wizard schools, and so forth), players have a strong incentive to stick with their first class--especially since every class has a capstone ability at 20th level. Add favored class bonuses into the mix, and there's even stronger incentive to stick with a single class.Character archetypes (introduced in the Advanced Player's Guide, and expanded in further source books such as Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Combat), allow players to customize their characters for a certain theme from the ground up. No need to wait six to eight levels to make an undead-hating paladin, a viking skald-type bard, or an acrobatic rogue--there are build options from the ground up to accommodate a wide variety of character concepts and the mechanics to realize them.At first, I found it a bit odd that Pathfinder players were rarely interested prestige classes--they were a mainstay of the third edition era. The more that I think about it, the more I dig the idea of downplaying prestige classes. Players seem to get less tunnel vision about rigorously following a certain build so they can qualify for a prestige class. They have more freedom to select class features, feats, and other options as the campaign develops without having to diverge radically from their established class abilities. Furthermore, one thing that I personally like... It reinforces the idea that characters don't have to wait to get cool abilities, they can do something cool now.Yeah, I'm not missing prestige classes. Keep the archetypes and alternate class features coming.</blockquote>

Verification