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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 3023595" data-attributes="member: 13966">A neat prestige class, robjh.  Here're my thoughts and analysis so far.Personally, I think the c in the name should be changed to a k in keeping with the common English spelling of the Greek word, Pankratist.  Pancratist made me think immediately "Pancreas?!?!  What the?!"  I'll use the spelling with k in it when referring to the class, just out of personal preference, anyway.I should think that Pankratists would get d10 or d12 hit dice.I would suggest adding Improved Grapple as a prerequisite.  Pankration as as much or more a wrestling style as it was an unarmed combat style.  It seems odd that the prestige class has a heavy emphasis on grappling, yet does not require the character to be trained in decent grappling techniques at all beforehand.I do not think Profession, Ride, or Use Rope are terribly appropriate or necessary class skills, but then, I'm not a great sage of Pankration-related lore, so I dunno if these were important skills of legendary pankratists, like Heracles/Hercules.  I think I recall some precedent for Craft and Concentration, anyway.  Also, I do not think the class needs 6 skill points per level; I'm fairly sure 4 points per level would be more accurate and adequate; remember that humans get an extra skill point per level anyway, so an average-Intelligence human would still get 5 points per Pankratist level, allowing them to maintain Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble at high ranks.  Escape Artist is not likely to be important since the class already emphasises grapple check benefits; EA isn't really needed for them to escape grapples unless they're dealing with a rather massive beast.  However, I do see the appropriateness of EA as a class skill for them, and it may still suit a few Pankratists.I would add proficiency in leather armor and hide armor, as well as proficiency in shields.  Based on historical/mythical precedents.  Given that a Pankratist is likely to focus on Str and Con, they may prefer to wear some modest armor and maybe carry a shield to boot, rather than rely on mediocre or fair Dex for AC.I am wondering why the Pankratist does not get a monk's advancement in damage with unarmed strikes and grapple checks?  I should think it's the most important monk benefit to carry over to the Pankratist (even if they were not already monks; in which case they'd just count as a monk of their Pankratist level for purposes of unarmed and grapple damage).  A human monk 6/Pankratist 10 who still deals only d8 unarmed/grapple damage seems kinda ineffective offensively; even moreso a human fighter 4/Pankratist 10 who still deals only d3 nonlethal unarmed/grapple damage.  Similarly, I think the Pankratist should allow the individual to use any part of their body for unarmed strikes, just as a monk may do (since not all Pankratists will be monks, but Pankration training should allow them to strike effectively with headbutts, kicks, and such).I do not think the class needs nor deserves to get this many bonus feats.  I would suggest one bonus feat per 3 levels in the prestige class, or something like that.  Also, if you make Improved Grapple a prerequisite, remember to remove it from this list of bonus feat options.I think this needs to clarify whether or not you are still considered grappled with the opponent if you succeed in tripping them.  And whether or not you are rendered prone as a result, or whether you must then attempt to pin them, or whatever, I dunno.I think this should be useable in light and medium armor, and when carrying a heavy load.I think this should say that you "may make a Dexterity check", rather than its current wording which forces it.  Some Pankratists may have much greater Str than Dex.This should specify if the ability damage return is separate from other natural healing.  Otherwise, it might be assumed that this just replaces the natural rate of ability damage healing, or it might be assumed that this is separate, depending on DM interpretation.Even if you do allow some other Pankratist benefits to work in armor or when encumbered, I agree that this AC Bonus should NOT apply when armored/encumbered/shielded, as it would be inappropriate probably.  This should be just what Pankratists rely on when they don't have armor, such as those who start as monks and don't want to give up their monkish benefits.  However, I do think that this ability should just count the character as a monk of their Pankratist level for purposes of determining their monkish AC Bonus, and this benefit should apply from 1st-level onward (so for instance, a monk 6/Pankratist 4 would have +2 AC from their AC Bonus, up from the +1 they'd have at monk 5; similarly, a monk 4/fighter 1/Pankratist 1 would get +1 AC).  I'm not sure if it should grant the Wis bonus to AC that a monk's AC Bonus does, though (if already a monk, then the character would already have that; but otherwise, it may not be fitting).This needs a note like the Disabling Grip ability's one regarding the ability damage healing, and regarding whether or not it's separate from other natural healing.This is exactly the same as Disabling Grip.  Why?  If intentional, then you really should change it's description (past the first sentence, that is) to just say "This ability increases the Strength damage from Disabling Grip to 4 points."If you intended this to deal Constitution damage or the like, then I'd probably have to say that it's too powerful after everything else is considered, but I'm not sure.</blockquote>

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