Prestige Classes gone?

[WizarDru]

Am I understanding correctly that Prestige Classes are effectively gone in 4e? Not just changed, but actually removed? I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but it's kind of surprising to me. That's a fairly drastic change and one that really has an impact on a large number of 3e design choices. I'm not against it, necessarily...in fact, if handled properly, I'd be all for it. I'm just curious if this is actually the case.

A weakness of the prestige class concept is that it encouraged/required a degree of planning that was both good and bad. Most prestige classes come in two flavors: ones that anyone in the core concept can just drop into and ones that require advanced calculus and planning to prepare to qualify for. Neither are necessarily bad options, either...but making a prestige class simply a talent tree that you have to qualify for via RPG conditions would make me just as happy.

I suspect implementation is going to make all the difference.

 

[Glyfair]

The word is that they are there, but you still continue in your main class. The example given is a barbarian can take levels in a berserker class, but he still is advancing as a barbarian as well.

Basically they are remaining, but in a very altered form.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

I could easily see prestige classes removed and replaced by new Talent Trees. After all, that's really all prestige classes are anyway.

 

[The Souljourner]

They're not out, but they'll be significantly changed.... sounds like they might be add-ons you can give your character as you level up. The example given that you don't stop being a barbarian when you become a frenzied berserker, you're still going up in barbarian levels. So, maybe they're something like kits of 2e - some abilities added and some taken away to make for a new and interesting class.

Dunno, there hasn't been a lot of info on it so far.

-Nate

 

[Wormwood]

They're not out, but they'll be significantly changed.... sounds like they might be add-ons you can give your character as you level up. The example given that you don't stop being a barbarian when you become a frenzied berserker, you're still going up in barbarian levels.

Whoa. This is definitely making my Top Five Potential 4e Concepts list. Thanks!

 

[frankthedm]

This would certainly make the PRC paladin a more interesting role.

 

[Nebulous]

I could easily see prestige classes removed and replaced by new Talent Trees. After all, that's really all prestige classes are anyway.

I'd be happy to see them gone personally, or better integrated in another form. Endless prestige classes in every single supplement from every single publisher was a huge turn off in 3rd edition. Who knows what it might morph into now, though.

 

[WizarDru]

The word is that they are there, but you still continue in your main class. The example given is a barbarian can take levels in a berserker class, but he still is advancing as a barbarian as well.

Basically they are remaining, but in a very altered form.

I'm beginning to get pretty intrigued by the potential for some of the new ideas that are being put forth. If 3.5 was a tweaking to the rules, 4e is sounding more like (as they said) a re-imagining of some concepts. I LIKE Prestige Classes...or more specifically, I like character options like PCs, where the players can be more and more customized, but still be able to hew to a baseline for an organization, for example.

If I want a rogue to be a member of the king's musketeers, for example, PCs have been a good solution. I want musketeers to be similar, but not identical...unique enough to have recognizable traits but I want Athos to be different from D'artagnan, obviously. As long as they preserve that feel, I'm good.

 

[Howndawg]

I have no problem with PrC's in general but I don't want to see 10,000 of them and I don't want to see PrC's based on cool powers and not character concepts.

Assassins, Blackguards, and Cavaliers are okay. Frozen Hand Monks and Butterfly Paladins are not. Neither do I want five warrior mages, three weaponsmiths, and seven flame wizards.

Howndawg

 

[Szatany]

I could easily see prestige classes removed and replaced by new Talent Trees. After all, that's really all prestige classes are anyway.

True, but they also said that feat/talent trees will be mostly gone.