Prestige Classes: Too much of a good thing?

[Aethelstan]

With the release of Complete Adventure, I'm beginning to wonder if D&D is becoming oversaturated with an ever rising tide of new Prestige classes (WotC or others). The sheer number of PrCs creates issues of game balance and power creep. At least to my eyes, they seem to be getting over-powered to the point that mid-high level PCs are at a disadvantage if they do not take levels in one or more PrCs. I remember reading comments from D&D designers (around the time 3.0 was launched) that PrC were balanced by the requirement that character's invest in somewhat undesirable skills, feats etc. in order to access the class. In many cases, this guideline does'nt seem to apply anymore. My intent here is not to rip on PrC, but I am a bit concerned that a good idea is being done to dead. Are you happy or vexed by the current state of PrCs? Does the PrC concept just need to be tinkered with or toned down or do designers need to demolish the PrC and rebuilt it from scratch?

 

[Jdvn1]

Well, to my knowledge, after the Complete books, the later WotC books won't have nearly as many prestige classes. The Races books have some, but not a lot. I don't expect the DMG II to have any. The environment books (Sandstorm, Maelstorm) will have some. The monster books will have some. The Genre series and the Magic series will probably have very few.

None to the extent of the Complete books, though.

 

[Arnwyn]

I think PrCs have been done to death, outside of specific campaign settings.

But I don't think the designers need to tone anything down - they can produce whatever they want if it sells.

It just won't sell to me.

 

[Umbran]

The sheer number of PrCs creates issues of game balance and power creep.

I disagree, because the darned things are optional. No particular game needs to include them all, so no particular game needs to suffer the problems you mention.

The sheer number of them might give a particular GM a headache from reading each one over and deciding if it is balanced and fits in his game. But, there's a simple solution even for that - only look at a PrC when it serves a particular purpose for your game world. Never consider new PrCs "just because".

 

[Corinth]

Prestige Classes, by the RAW, are optional. DMs may legitimately choose to disallow all of them, or to cherry-pick which ones he'll allow at all--or just for PC use--as with all of the stuff outside the core rulebooks (or, quite frankly, in them). I appreciate having all of this material in print because it allows me, as a DM, to select a precise sub-set of rules to use for a given campaign and thereby shift the feel of D&D gameplay just enough for a player to sense that one D&D game will differ from another- and yet be within the RAW.

 

[Insight]

You have to make your players aware of what's available, though, which can be a challenge, especially if the DM doesn't have access to all those books.

 

[Crothian]

No such thing as too many prestige classes. Now, not all of the are good, and many cover the same area. But there are still creative and interesting classes coming out. I'm not on the lo0okout for the latest, I'm just looking for the right ones that fit my character ideas.

 

[taliesin15]

Taste-wise, I'm inclined to agree with Aethelstan. OTOH, market-wise, its a very healthy thing that there are many many new variations coming out (thanks in large part, in many peoples' views, that WoTC has made d20 Open Source). I'm still appalled with the 3ed DMGs with all those silly prestige classes...come on, didn't The Dragon start suggesting almost 25 years ago now the notion of Evil Paladins, do we really need to create the Blackguard? Then again, maybe as a DM, lack of imagination isn't my problem. Many players are new to these possibilities.

 

[Ranger REG]

No such thing as too many prestige classes. Now, not all of the are good, and many cover the same area. But there are still creative and interesting classes coming out. I'm not on the lo0okout for the latest, I'm just looking for the right ones that fit my character ideas.

Ditto.

It can't be helped. Most D&D gamers prefer D&D-labeled products. Look at their messageboards. "They want this, they want that." 80% of their request are already available in d20-labeled products, but they don't think they're "authentic." Just as americans care about "Made in the USA" label on merchandise, D&D gamers want "Made by WotC."

 

[Numion]

I don't agree. Few of the PrCs ever get used, so its good that WotC produces a lot of them. Higher chance that someone finds at least some PrCs they like.

I haven't used a PrC's yet for any of my characters, but hopefully I'll find something. Makes the character 'stand out' a little more.