Powerful Master Harper PrC?

[sithramir]

Master Harper PrC

WoTC has this new prestige class up on their website. I thought a good discussion might be in order. I've noticed you gain +1 level of existing class at all levels of the PrC plus at 1st/5th/10th level you can gain an extra feat or choose another option plus you gain other abilities each level.

Seems a bit powerful to me? Isn't it similar to wizard but with a lot more added since wizards only get feats every 5 levels also? I understand there are decent requirements but still seems powerful to me.. What do you guys think?

 

[Numion]

At least it takes some devotion to get to the class .. feats and skills are pretty much consumed by this class. Maybe is is a bit overpowered in the end, even though most of the abilities are mostly for flavor.

 

[Zogg]

Ugh. I hate Harpers.

 

[Valiantheart]

Geez. I thought members of a PrC class were already the elite of the elite. Now we have the really, really elite of the elite.

This is not a progression i view favorably.

 

[Voadam]

Geez. I thought members of a PrC class were already the elite of the elite. Now we have the really, really elite of the elite.

This is not a progression i view favorably.

I took that to mean the organization is made up of more than just prcs, it has members who are also straight PC classes, the harper prc is elite members of the organization.

 

[Voadam]

Master Harper PrC

WoTC has this new prestige class up on their website. I thought a good discussion might be in order. I've noticed you gain +1 level of existing class at all levels of the PrC plus at 1st/5th/10th level you can gain an extra feat or choose another option plus you gain other abilities each level.

Seems a bit powerful to me? Isn't it similar to wizard but with a lot more added since wizards only get feats every 5 levels also? I understand there are decent requirements but still seems powerful to me.. What do you guys think?

Powerful compared to an equal level of wizard, if you are getting wizard spells and not bardic ones.

The 12 ranks of non wizard perform and eight of bluff, diplomacy and sense motive really makes this a bard class. It would take a wizard a long time or some multiclassing or additional feats to get here.

It doesn't seem overpowered as a bard focused prc, although all a bard gives up generally is bardic music uses per day.

 

[Robbert Raets]

Looks like an extended version of the Harper Scout to me.

 

[ShadowX]

Wow. This is crazy 3/4 BAB, d6, 4 skills, 2 good saves, and a general feat at the same levels as wizard (if you count scribe scroll as the first). Not to mention a bunch of other abilities, though most can only be used if the DM integrate them into the game.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

Here are the requirements:

Alignment: Any nonevil.
Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Diplomacy 8 ranks, Knowledge (local) 12 ranks, Perform 12 ranks, Sense Motive 8 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks.
Feats: Alertness, Iron Will.
Spells: Able to cast 2nd-level arcane or divine spells.
Special: Approval of the High Harpers or majority vote of any dozen master Harpers.

d6 hit points. Good Ref and Will saves.

The 'approval' bit is bogus. You can't balance power with role-play. The skill requirement is high, looks like it was aimed at bard. 12 ranks in performs would be pretty hard for a wizard. The skills as-is would be very difficult for a sorceror.

It looks like tons of power for a high entry level cost. There are starting feats that permit you to take another skill as a permenant class skill. Also, on page 94 (?) of the PHB there's the old reminde that the player can simply ask the DM to trade one class skill for another. So a wizard could dump alchemey and take perform.

Sorcerors would probably still be better off with incantrix as a PrC. The skill requirement is too high. Same deal for clerics. But wizards have skill points to spare.

It looks like they aimed for a good bard-only PrC and missed somewhat. They should have tossed in a BAB requirement.

My two cents.

 

[Voadam]

A wizard who takes a feat to make perform a class skill, and uses two other feats on iron will and alertness can take the class at what level 14? due to the 3 8 rank cross-class wizard skills. All to become a bard without music who continues wizard spell progression. They could also be taking archmage at that level instead. The cost of three nonmagic feats for a wizard seems about right.