"Prestige" Classes (Not PrC's)

[Y.O.Morales]

Maybe my opinion is slightly off-topic as we're playing with a Classless System I developed (based on some Unearthed Arcana's rules). But there are still prestigious roles in the setting, particularly:

Undead hunters
Ruin explorers and 'salvagers'
Tree-huggers (druids, rangers, shamans, etc.)
And artificers and crafters

Divine-related (clerics, paladins, divine agents, etc.) are virtually non-existant because the setting is deity-less. Priest, archbishops, and other clergy members do exist, but only for the few religions.

 

[ForceUser]

In the game and world in which you play, which classes haev the most prestige?

IMC, sorcerers, paladins and clerics are the top of the scale. Wizards are illegal in the characters home country, rogues are barely tolerated. Everyone else falls in the middle.

I can see worlds where Paladins are seen as Hooty-tooty and clerics as stuffy while rogues and rangers are seen as people of honor and taste.

What is up in your world as far as adventuring classes and societal preferences?

Wizards of reputation are highly respected as learned individuals. Clerics and ranking clergy of certain faiths have a lot of political clout. Any other character that has achieved notable aptitude in his profession (maybe 10th level or higher) is taken seriously by those in the know, though favored souls, hexblades, spirit shamans, rogues, bards, sorcerers and druids tend to be marginalized because of their difficult relationships to a society that embraces feudalism and other systems of patronage.

 

[jerichothebard]

Well, in my campaign, there are some definite hierarchies that have been established.

Paladins, Clerics and Monks all basically belong to the ruling class - it's a theocracy. Paladins have the most political power, though they are one of the smallest groups. Then Clerics and Monks. The bulk of the Church is filled out with adepts and experts, though. So, anyone working for the Church is pretty prestigious.

Then there are the merchants, who belong to no specific class, but count many rogues, fighters, bards, and so on amongst their class, along with lots of NPC classes. High level adventurers are often equated socially, though of a different "branch".

In the middle are your basic folks, which includes low level adventurers.

Druids are pretty much untouchable, though tolerated legally.

Wizards, sorcerers, and other arcanists are outlaws, as arcane magic is viewed as a sin by the Church authority (the PCs are starting to have other ideas).

Each of these groups has prestige classes, of course, which are more, well, prestigious. Though, for example, a druid with levels in shifter is still not more well respected than a mid-level cleric with no PrC. And the Undead Hunters are pretty much the pinaclle of mortal achievment.


A lot of this is pretty well-defined by religious orders and guild groups, which equate fairly well with the classes. Many orders have more than one class - the Order of the Light of ORB, for example, contains both Sacred Exorcists and Hunters of the Dead, as well as folks who are qualified to take those levels but haven't yet.


jtb

 

[ThirdWizard]

I play Planescape, and generally noone cares what class you are. It's what you know, who you know, and what you do with that information that determines how others react, in general. There are exceptions such as a cleric on his power's home plane, but those are special cases.

 

[Amal Shukup]

My Home Brew setting has about 30 cultures identified (varying degrees of detail). Each rank the classes somewhat differently:

(a few off the top)

The Cymry tribes (semi-nomadic herders) revere Bards and Druids, respects Clerics and 'Warriors' (Barbarians and Fighters), but LOATHE any Wizards they come across - having none of their own (totally non-literate society).

Thuryn (advanced, quasi-feudal society) holds Aristocrats and members of the military caste (typically Fighters of Aristocratic stripe), and the clergy of recognized churches, in high regard, respects Wizards, craft/tradespeople (Experts) and Commoners. Druids, Sorcerors and Rogues are often treated with suspicion.

Another (fairly small and volatile) group divides society into two parts: 'Pirates' (typically Rogues and assorted Rogue Multi-classes) and 'Everybody Else'...

World has about 30 cultures identiofied, and with some degree of detail. Undoubtedly I'll need to flesh out a bunch more at some point.

A'Mal

 

[Starglim]

Wizards are the most feared, but not the most respected. Sorcerors are less respected or trusted because they are unlearned and haven't been through an apprenticeship that might have taught them ethical behaviour.

Clerics are highly respected in places where their church is powerful but hunted where it is out of favour. Still, they are known for wisdom and learning. Druids are also looked up to as religious figures but unlikely to hold power in civil society.

Other characters gain respect by their family, accomplishments and honour more than their class. A fighter might be a lord, or an alley-thug. A rogue might be a charming rakish courtier or a beggar. It's still true, though, that a fighter of the same social rank commands more respect than a rogue.

Bards vary widely in status in different nations, depending on whether they are respected in a traditional role of knowledge-keepers, or looked down on as mere entertainers and possible thieves.

Other classes may fit into the traditional role of one of the classic four, or might be distrusted because nobody knows where they stand in society, depending on the individual.