Prestige classes that keep getting done... again and again and again..

[CWD]

I've always felt that prestige classes should be tied to organizations that provide "secret" training.

To use Forgotten Realms as an example:

Red Wizard = Good prestige class idea
Archmage = Bad prestige class idea
Harper = Good prestige class idea
Divine Disciple = Bad prestige class idea

 

[Black Omega]

The Artisan prestige class in Rokugan also ismorean NPC class. Well, unless a PC is -really-serious about their artanddoesn't mind it's a non-combat class.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Let's see....

Archer (I've love to see expert knife throwers though...)
Bounty Hunter
Berserker
Necromancer
Swashbuckler
Sword/Blade Master
Warrior-Mage
Healing Knights

Too often a lot of PrCs tend to just be as equivelent if the character had effectively multiclassed between fighter and something else.


Not enough assassins, psionc, psychic warrior, bard PrCs thus far.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

Not enough {edit}, psionc, psychic warrior, bard PrCs thus far.

I agree with you on those. I'd like to see more of them as well.

 

[LostSoul]

I've always felt that prestige classes should be tied to organizations that provide "secret" training.

This is what I think, too. I find it strange that your Fighter, who wants to be the best in using a whip, isn't half as skilled with his whip as the guy who takes Lasher levels.

I think everything would be fair, though, if the Fighter knew about the Prestige Class early on, heard about its teachers through in-game rumours, and decided to search out a Lasher teacher on his own.

 

[the Jester]

Too many archer types and combos that would be easily done through multiclassing!

imnsho, prestige classes are best when tied to a group or individual that trains people in the "secret ways" or whatever (like the assassins imc), or if they're culture-specific (like the orcish warbeater that I just posted in another thread), or if they involve some very specific and focused area of a class (like the healer imc). I find that of the splatbook prclasses, I like about half of them (though I _allow_ more than I like, and sometimes I disallow ones that I like for reasons of balance or- more importantly, imo when it comes to prestige classes- FLAVOR).

My idea of bad prestige classes includes- hospitaler, exotic weapon master, arcane trickster, etc. Anything that's all power and no flavor.

 

[Frosty]

Although somebody posted an idea of a "Dark Farmer" prestige class a while back.

Glad you remembered it. However, the Dark Farmer was invented due to the silliness of paladins making for better Blackguards.

If ex-paladin blackguards are more powerful than regular blackguards then most blackguards will turn out to be ex-paladins, due to the rule of munchkinism. In turn, this means that of the LG population paladins are the ones most likely to turn-coat and become evil. -Paladins are not to be trusted.

To remedy this the Dark Farmer PrC is introduced. It presents an opportunity for LG farmers to benefit from a radical change of alignment. One of their features is a free Weapon Focus (Scythe)-feat. Moreover they get to destroy crops.

 

[Kargin el Tomath]

The most original Presige Classes I've seen yet are the Drunken Master and Master of Chains, both of which can be found in the Sword and Fist book for Fighters and Monks.

 

[RangerWickett]

Really? You found a class that just made you good at fighting with chains to be more original than a class that lets you graft the flesh of demons onto your body, or a class that lets evil ex-druids blight the landscape to power their unnatural spells?

 

[Hand of Evil]

blademaster/dancer/singer are getting old, every time you turn around someone has another one (at least on the net).