Prestige Classes?

[gamer_guy]

I know this really isn't about rules but you guys have helped me out considerably before so I thought I'd ask you.

WHat's the basic idea of them?

Whats the difference between the 2nd ed kits and prestige classes?

Why take prestige classes? they may give you bonueses but they also give you penalties. Can't you just give your character more ranks in certain skills to model a prestige class?

Does anyone NOT use them? Why?

 

[Crothian]

The orginal idea (and this went out the window really fast) was prestige classes would show unique training and abilities of certain organizations. Now, it's more like a speciality. A kit was something that defined the character from first level, a prestige class is something that a character works to and may or may not be defined by it. I only use them when it fits the character, I've only made one character with the purpose of gaining a particuliar prestige class. I've got a 9th level Ranger that will not be taking any prestige classes becasue none really fit him. For me it;'s more about the role playing of the class, then the cool abilities a class gets. I'm in the minority on that though.

 

[the Jester]

Well, prestige classes (with a few rare exceptions) don't give you penalties- they just don't give you all the stuff you'd get from your other, base classes.

The basic idea is that prestige classes let you get either a narrow suite of specialized powers and abilities that you can't achieve any other way (although sometimes epic level abilities can, but that's a whole new ball game) or show elite training from a special organization. The lame prcs are the ones you can easily simulate with skills and feats; in these cases, I'd say the prc's designer was lazy.

Kits in 2e were flavor added at first level; prcs are things you have to work up to and achieve. If you played 1e, you're prolly familiar with the 1e bard- if not, basically you took fighter levels, dual-classed to thief, then to druid; but instead of becoming a druid you became a bard. That was basically a prestige class. OD&D had some too, I believe, but I didn't play it by the time all that stuff came out (I'd switched over to ad&d 1e by then).

 

[nharwell]

Although I have been using Prestige Classes, I decided not to allow them in the game I just started. Why? Well, PrCs HAVE become like kits in 2e. Even ignoring 3rd-party publishers, WOTC has put out far too many PrCs of questionable quality and utility. Now whenever a player makes a character, he feels like he has to search throw 20 different books to find the "perfect" PrC to represent his character concept. "Hmm, I want to play a gruff, ale-drinking giant-slaying dwarf who uses a great axe. There must be a PrC for that concept somewhere...."

I, on the other hand, find most of the PrCs I've seen to be "unbalanced", stupid, too specialized for a specific campaing, or simply useless for a PC. I decided that most of the PrCs I actually liked could be modeled with (1) multi-classing, (2) feats, or (3) the variant core class rules from the PHB & DMG. So I converted some PrC abilities to feats and allowed my players to make minor alterations to classes (swap skills appropriate for character concepts, etc.) to better fit their concepts, and I believe it has worked well

If I use PrCs in future games, I've decided that the only way to really make them work is to design all the PrCs I want in my world -- maybe use some published ones as guidelines, but make sure they are all tweaked to fit my campaign specifics and to be better balanced against one another.

 

[hammymchamham]

really the only PrC I really personally love is the Elemental Savant. I like other ones, but generally like straigt X (where X is a class). Right now I am playing a 2nd Druid and a 10th Rogue and have decided to just go straight Druid and Rogue. Now, if one should die, I'll just have to make an ice mage

 

[Kae'Yoss]

My two copper pieces.

Basic Idea: There's no single one (that would span all the PrC's), but several:
They are there to make your campaign unique, to give the player a aim to work towards, and to give them unique powers.

The Difference between Kits and PrC's: Kits were altered classes, while PrC's are new classes (though often based on one or several classes). Kits were there to be taken from the start, PrC's can't be, cause you must meet the prerequisites first. Kits were taken instead of the base class, PrC's are to be multiclassed in.

Reasons for PrCs:

- Racial PrC's fill a special role in the society of that race: There's the elven warrior/poet (bladesinger) or dwarven wild warrior (battlerager).

- Special Societies can have their own PrC, often with the prerequisite to be member or that society: The Assassin, the Guild Mage, the Purple Knight, the Divine Champion.

Both of these will often grant you some prestige in addition to your powers (hence the name): An elven warrior is OK, but a bladesinger's respected by the People.

- A PrC can be a special path to become exceptionally well in a field of expertise: the Weapon Master focuses on his one chosen weapon, the deepwood sniper is the master of sharp shooting.

- Other PrC's are just unique, like the blighter, which is the ultimate anti-druid, killing nature.

Why take a PrC, or why not?
You might want to take the PrC because of the prestige you gain. ("I'm no normal wizard, I'm a War Wizard of Cormyr!")
You might want to take the PrC because of the Power
("Only +4 Str in Rage? I have Frenzy, and get +10")
You might want to take the PrC because of the unique abilities
("What, you can't do that?")
You might want to take the PrC because it fits your charakter concept
("Why take fighter and wizard levels and just call yourself bladesinger?")

Of course, they aren't always the best choice, and just multiclassing the base classes (or playing one class straight) might be better:
For example, you can style your rogue an assassin, with sneak attack, ranks in hide, move silently, sense motive, spot, listen and so on. While the assassin PrC gives you a death attack and spells, but a rogue will get more skill points and those handy special abilities. You also might want to play an assassin who only slays evil folk, and be a good chap, if an underhanded, backstabbing one, who wouldn't curl the hair of a child. But the PrC requires you to be evil.

While PrC's seldom give some penalties, the have trade-offs, stuff you won't have but had if you stayed with your base class. If you don't need these things, the PrC is OK, but if you want to keep that stuff, keep your fingers from it.
Sometimes, the prerequisites aren't alright for you: like above with the assassin, you may not want to be evil (or not allowed to), or the PrC forces you to multiclass and you don't want (because you don't want that XP penalty for uneven base classes). One of these prerequisites (often hidden) is minimum character level: why take feats you hate to be a verdant lord later? You might not live long enough (because of those feats), or the campaign isn't intendet to get so long.
And then, some PrC's are downright crap.

So, there's no single answer for the question "PrC - yea or nay", for it depends on your charakter, and on your preferences (I like to look for a good PrC which might be funny, and work towards it, but not always.)