Prestige Classes being Privilages?

[Breakstone]

Say, I have a bit of an issue at hand, and, of course, I come to the infinite wisdom of the EN World for help.

I have characters who base their character ideas off of Prestige Classes.

Now I think this is okay for one character or two, but the Whole Group does!

I mean, I ask them what they're planning on playing, and one says "a Duelist," the other tells me "a Dragon Disciple," and a third announces "a Mage of the Arcane Order."

Now in my campaign I'd like to make Prestige Classes what they originally were intended to be (at least by my understanding): More Advanced Classes that the characters must quest for.

It's easy to come up with a quest to become a Mage of the Arcane Order (joining up with said Order), Duelist (being taught by a master Duelist) or even Dragon Disciple, but how about some of the more personal classes.

What quest could an Animal Lord take to become that class?

Or an Oozemaster?

Or even a Forsaker?

 

[Crothian]

I like this approach and intend to use it in my next game.

Animal Lord: Must seek out the Animal Lord type of the animal type they've chosen.

Oozemaster: Must use that alchemy skill to extract parts of certain ozzes to create the potion they need to become an oozemaster. And if you need more I can come up with others on these guys, I have an affinity for them

Forsaker: Well, being almost killed by magic isn't the easiest thing to have happened. But if you need something mor ehow about a quest to find an item of power and destroy it.

 

[Tonguez]

Animal Lord = Grizzly Adams - go into the wilderness and live without human contact for years, save a young bear cub and become its firiend etc etc

Oozemaster = Uncle Fester Adams- develop an unhealthy interest in Oozes - allow ones flesh to be dissolved a few times - encourage the growth of pustules on ones left foot, be arrested for doing perverted things with green slime

Whats a Forsaker?

 

[Crothian]

Whats a Forsaker?

It's out of MotW. They forsake the use of all magic and even destroy magical items. They get abilities like limited fast healing, DR, SR, ability increases every level, etc

 

[dren]

Prestige Class Destiny?

One alternative to this, is don't make it a quest but a destiny.
Just because it's the players goals, doesn't necessarily mean it's the character's intended goal. A lot of characters turn to prestige classes in my campaign because of unique situations, that are unplanned in the character's life, but are destined to happen in order to cause a desired effect.

For an animal lord, probably someone who saved (or even spared) the life of an awakened creature, who will then come back to their hero and offer them service to their soverign lord.

For an oozemaster, I could see someone half dead crawling through catacombs or swamps...they meet an ooze, and mentally bonds with it. They discover the unique nature of oozes, and then wish to master it.

For a forsaker...someone who is cursed by an evil priest who tries to go to the high level mage nearby who is unable or refuses to remove the curse. In desperation, the barbarian uses their own spirit by sheer act of willpower to remove the curse, but in so doing forever turns their back on all magical arts.

Not all prestige classes can be done this way, but some certainly should. It creates great roleplaying scenarios, especially if, for example, someone is attempting to be an animal lord, but the other players doesn't know what is going on. It's not as simple as - ok, I'm 6th level, now I'm going to take the animal lord prestige class. Because it happens in character, there is surprise and a roleplaying experience that can occur...

 

[Xarlen]

Expounding on that last post, ask your players privately if they'd like to go for a prestige class, ones that are more then 'I find this dude, and he trains me'. Something like yes, Dragon Discipline, Forsaker, Oozemaster, Shifter, Elemental Savant, Acolyte of the Skin or Blood Magus.

That way, the DM can know what to plan for ahead of time (Even have people of the PrCs who train have a little guest spot in the adventures, see the characters, and take note, unbenounced to the other members of the party), and it'll surprise the other members of the party.

 

[Breakstone]

Hm... good ideas, folks!

For the guy who wishes to be an Animal Lord, he's going with a kind of Crow theme, so maybe I'll have a giant (dire?) awakened crow, who's kind of the King of Crows, fly over every once in a while, but never explain it, until 6th level, when the King of Crows will give him a proposition...

 

[Synicism]

Not sure if I agree with you on this one. Some prestige classes can be the objects of quests. You want to become a Mage of the Arcane Order? Cool, go seek them out.

But not all prestige classes are necessarily like that. Some of them simply represent specialization in a particular field.

Just because a character doesn't have all the prerequisites necessary to qualify for a prestige class doesn't mean that he doesn't live that particular vocation. For example, a 3rd level Rogue might not be able to qualify for the Thief Acrobat class, but the right skills, feats, and attitude can certainly create a young Thief Acrobat who is still perfecting his craft. In some situations, a prestige class is less a matter of questing than a matter of practice.

 

[Breakstone]

Hm.... Good point, Synicism

 

[Tonguez]

Just because a character doesn't have all the prerequisites necessary to qualify for a prestige class doesn't mean that he doesn't live that particular vocation. For example, a 3rd level Rogue might not be able to qualify for the Thief Acrobat class, but the right skills, feats, and attitude can certainly create a young Thief Acrobat who is still perfecting his craft. In some situations, a prestige class is less a matter of questing than a matter of practice.

Actually I don't agree and it is one of my biggest concerns with a lot of the 'hey this is a cool shtick PrCs'. If as you said a Thief Acrobat is just a better Rogue with a key selection of Feats and Skills then it makes the PrC pointless (and a crutch)

a PrC shouldn't be crutch it should help define a setting and at the very least require those of the class to join an organisation to access its goodies...