[Prestige Classes] Hey guys, as a player, would this upset you?

[Quinn]

IMC, prestige classes are almost always based around organizations that have their own rules, benefits, and demands above and beyond what may be in the core rulebooks and splatbooks. An assassin will belong to a guild or organization of assassins who will expect its members to act in certain ways, perform certain duties and missions, and in return, gain special benefits such as access to information networks, assistance from others if necessary, etc. What it boils down to is that being a member of a Prestige Class is a big deal...it's a career choice, so to speak, and it eats up a lot of time. Dedicating yourself to two (much less three) such organizations would be impossible. In a roleplaying sense, something will have to give.

Now...you can make that a positive thing, accomplished through roleplaying, quests, and missions or you can make that a negative thing wherein you spring it on your player unexpectedly and effectively say "No, you can't be an Assassin/Peerless Archer because I don't want you to be in two groups like that."

The reason I do this is because I only have so many prestige classes in my campaign to begin with, and I take it to heart that they are more than just another class that a character could stumble into. They are linked to an organization or a certain ideal within my campaign. Overall, I think it makes for a better game. I haven't had any problems with it from my players because I ask ahead about the kind of character the player would like to have and what kinds of prestige classes or abilities he'd be interested in. From there, I give them some choices. What seems to be lost in this conversation is the art of working with a player to create a character he or she would like while also weaving that character into the campaign world and the story that's going on. DMs ask players to abide by their decisions, but I rarely hear about DMs asking for feedback, or trying to make the game enjoyable for players.

 

[Quinn]

Something tells me I would dig your campaign, Bendris!

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Then it's most unfortunate I just moved from Norfolk.

Of course, I was only there 6 months on a Defense Contract. Then again, I'm not supposed to talk about that.

 

[Quinn]

Then it's most unfortunate I just moved from Norfolk.

Of course, I was only there 6 months on a Defense Contract. Then again, I'm not supposed to talk about that.

Even then, it would've been a heck of a drive from Leesburg!

 

[Gothmog]

Sounds like a really good idea to me Paul. As it stand now, nothing prevents characters from dropping 5-6 ranks in a skill in one level to gain a PrC. To prevent this in my games, I limit a character to buying 2 ranks at a time in a single skill, whether its cross-class or not (obviously this doesn't apply at character creation). So it has the same net effect your modification yours does- it makes the character have to develop an interest in an area and discourages immediate gratification min-maxing.

As far as an in-game reason, I might actually go a step further than you do. I would require that before a character can start shooting for a PrC, he must meet someone IN GAME who can teach him about the PrC or train him. This way, PrCs are not dime-a-dozen "l33t powerz" careers, instead regaining some of the scarcity and mystery that should surround them.

 

[hong]

As far as an in-game reason, I might actually go a step further than you do. I would require that before a character can start shooting for a PrC, he must meet someone IN GAME who can teach him about the PrC or train him.

If there's any story-oriented DMs who aren't doing this already, I'd be surprised. Gaining prestige classes is part of the story; if the story is what's important, then it would be unlikely to omit big parts of it.

 

[Garmorn]

My group uses a different approach then the ones mention. The players tell the DM which PC they want before the campaign starts. Then everything is worked into the campaign. It give the player plenty of freedom and the knowledge that all of their work for the PC is not going to be wasted when the DM says no to their choice. It give the DM time to lay in plot hooks, and the necessary background for that PC. Some times it even fills out a cam pain ideal.

 

[DonAdam]

First, let us make the (clearly extremely obscure) assumption that the character in question meets the mechanical prerequisites for the prestige class in question, because otherwise the whole question of taking multiple PrCs becomes moot. Now, tell me again how "can meet the prerequisites but can't get in" equates to "doesn't have the grades".

First, let us make the (clearly extremely obscure) assumption that the poster in question is involved in a discussion and replying to what another person has said, because otherwise nothing in the post is remotely logically coherent. This is what people in arguments like to call a "counter-example." It does not need to relate directly to the situation at hand, but rather serve as an example that whatever someone else is saying does not hold.
The Harvard example was just such a "counter-example," merely pointing out that when people cannot do everything they would like to it is not a limit on their free will.

Do you commonly have obnoxiously prejudiced organisations in games you run?

Actually, no, but that's a very good idea, seeing as how they sometimes pop up in the real world. Furthermore, without reading into my post what you wanted to be there for the sake of your sarcastic arguments, it would be clear that the character meeting the qualifications could not be assumed.

But now you're going to whine, "But then why would the character be trying to get the prestige class?" Because I never allow a PrC without trials or roleplaying requirements of some sort, which are, just like in real life, subjectively evaluated by the members of the organization.

Ah, clearly you mean to imply that Jedi ace, Jedi master and Jedi scholar don't fit Star Wars. THANK YOU, "DonAdam", if that is your real name.

Remember our old friend "counter-example?"

By the way, while most of the time I appreciate your humor, when you turn it on another board member in such a vitriolic fashion, and make an ass of yourself in the process by putting words in someone's mouth, it ceases to be amusing.
There's no point to these messageboards existing if we're not going to be friendly to one another.

As to why my post probably seems at least as vitriolic (and not as clever) as hong's, I plead self-defense.