D&D 5E Prestige Classes?

[77IM]

The point, though is still valid, in that a character class name is something that shouldn't necessarily be (or even necessarily shouldn't be) used in character or be linked to the fiction of the world, but, IMHO a PrC name should be both.

This is an excellent guideline.

 

[Ratskinner]

My feeling was that most of the Prestige Classes were just some bonus mechanics tacked onto a base class. In 5e, let that be a feat or two and call it done.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

There's acutaly an optional ''reputation'' mechanic in the DMG (could be another name, I dont remember) that also works for faith. Like, you do quests for an organization or church and you gain titles based on the total points you have in a specific organization.

You know what, I'd like PrC to allow players to gain impact on the rules we have, but are optional, like Reputation, Mass Combat or Chase rule. It would be highly optional and situational, but some players might like it if it added to their character concept.
Ship Captain
lvl 1: You gain advantage on any check using Navigator tools and Vehicule (water)
lvl 2: You gain the Mariner fighting style
lvl 3: While you are on the sea or in a known port, creature have disadvantage to resist you social check.
lvl 4: See legs: you are immune to force movement while on a ship.
lvl 5: In a Naval Mass combat, you increase the moral rating of the unit in which your ship is by 2 steps.

This is exactly what I want Themes to do. But with more RP benefits, like contacts, access to resources, etc.

Heir In Exile needn't be a feat, or subclass, or even background (although themes related to/specific to a background, race, place of origin, etc would make sense), it could just be a collection of benefits like being able to find a guy who knows what's up in most settlements in a region, or being able to gain audience with nobles, or being able to rouse the locals, and eventually access to a specific important item, etc.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Archmage /was/ an 18th level magic-user, back in the day. Of course, Wizard was an 11th level one. And 'wizard' more than 'archmage' conjures(npi) images of a wise, magically capable elder like Merlin more than a precocious young apprentice (Harry Potter notwithstanding) so it doesn't really make sense for a 1st level character, either.

The point, though is still valid, in that a character class name is something that shouldn't necessarily be (or even necessarily shouldn't be) used in character or be linked to the fiction of the world, but, IMHO a PrC name should be both.

A Purple Dragon Knight should ride around Cormyr, wearing purple, bedecked with heraldic dragons-rampant, and introducing himself as - or better, having his herald preceding him, loudly proclaiming that he is - "Sir Wassisnaym of Cormyr, Purple Dragon Knight!"

...cause, y'know, it's prestigious.

In contrast, a 'bannerette' could be any third-level fighter with a dram of leadership talent, or maybe a kid twirling a flag in a marching band*.






















*arguably also 'prestigious' if you're marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade or something, just not in the same sense.

I'd quibble that not all Purple Dragon Knights are all lordly. Some are basically just Rangers with a title. I have a hard time imagining most of them being heralded, outside of being presented at court for some honor. The novels that feature them tend to treat the folk of Cormyr as much less fawning over its actual nobles, or even Royalty, than the standard fantasy "medieval" kingdom, much less their Knights.

 

[Tony Vargas]

The novels that feature them tend to treat the folk of Cormyr as much less fawning over its actual nobles, or even Royalty, than the standard fantasy "medieval" kingdom, much less their Knights. I have a hard time imagining most of them being heralded, outside of being presented at court for some honor.

Thanks, I'll admit my exposure to FR is all organized play and the odd supplement like SCAG.

I'd quibble that not all Purple Dragon Knights are all lordly. Some are basically just Rangers with a title.

All the more reason for the PDK to be a PrC or theme open to Rangers, et al..

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Thanks, I'll admit my exposure to FR is all organized play and the odd supplement like SCAG.
All the more reason for the PDK to be a PrC or theme open to Rangers, et al..

Agreed. It is entirely silly that they can't be Rangers, Paladins, or even Rogues. Or any various types of gish. IIRC, they have spell using warriors in their ranks these days, instead of the strict division between Knights and War Mages of the past.
Although. If that was a 4e-ism, we can probably assume it's been "totally-not-retconned" out of existence. I mean, I won't, because the Sundering never happened, but in organized play, who can say. It's not like they've given much info on the current state of the realms.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Agreed. It is entirely silly that they can't be Rangers, Paladins, or even Rogues. Or any various types of gish.

Or Champions or Battlemasters, for that matter - a Ranger or Paladin could MC to take 3 levels of fighter to chose the PDK archetype, but a Champ or BM tapped to join their ranks would be out of luck.

 

[Hussar]

We just finished up a Dragonlance campaign and used a PrC for the Solmanic Knights orders.

It worked fairly well. I was the Knight in question and I was using the mechanics. A 5 level PrC for Knight of the Crown. Gave me some cleric goodies based on a warlock casting system - essentially 3 spells per short rest and a couple of other goodies.

Like I said, it worked well. To be honest, for that specific example, it would likely be simpler just to take paladin levels and likely would have given the same or even better results.

So, at the end of the day, I'm fairly ambivalent. The class system is so versatile that it does remove a lot of the need for PrC's. 3e used PrC's because the classes had very strong niche protection and often it was a huge power down to take level 1 of X class when you're a 7th level character, whereas the PrC's allowed a much stronger synergy between the base class and the PrC.

But, 5e already has that. Caster classes "stack" to a large degree. You're not losing out on BaB by taking another class. Really, the only thing you might lose out on is an ASI when you multiclass.

 

[SkidAce]

I've tossed PrC by the wayside, but kept the "idea".

You can be a member of a Prestige Class (organization) multiple ways.

1. Take a background at character creation or later. (The Varencic Scholars)

2. Take a feat that the group specializes in. (Swordmasters)

3. Take a class level that represents the group. (Paladins of the Blue Fire)


Each group is different, the scholars might have nothing more than the loose association and the background. The paladins will let you join, but until you take a level of paladin, you are more of an honorary member.

Once the "requirements" for each group are established, I map them to the renown rules from the DMG(?).

So again, you gain renown with the scholars if you have the background, or you bring back books. As you advance you gain the bennies. You might have a non-member with more prestige than you, if they've been helping the scholars a lot.

With the paladins, you gain negligible renown for services, but cant go past a cap until you take a level of paladin.


Neat. Sweet. Complete.

 

[Hussar]

Primeval Thule has an expanded "backgrounds" section that works as a kinda/sorta prestige class. Your background actually provides mechanical benefits as you level up. So, if you belong to this or that group, your membership in that group impacts your character, directly at a mechanical level.

Kinda borrowing the Factions rules from the 3e PHB2. Another area that I think could be used instead of prestige classes.