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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nute" data-source="post: 1104617" data-attributes="member: 10607">Here's my thoughts on how to rank the classes:Arcane Archer: Reduced in effectiveness from 3.0. Only really accessible at high levels, unless you only take the minimum required arcane spellcasting levels, in which case it becomes merely a glorified archer. By the time a character would qualify for the class, magic items that surpass the class abilities should be available. The exceptionally useful abilities (Hail of Arrows, Arrow of Slaying) do have their benefits, though.Rank: CArcane Trickster:  Very focused towards a utility character. Goes back to the aphorism of "Do many things, but none of them very well". Useful in stealthy situations, not so much in direct conflict. Skill choices remain viable, though. Rank: CArchmage:  Once you're able to qualify for this class, there's no reason NOT to start taking levels in it. If your campaign requires so many uses of top level spells on a daily basis, make scrolls. The special abilities conferred by this class are insanely useful. The loss of spell progression makes it less than ideal, but the tradeoff's well worth it.Rank: A-Assassin:  By its nature, it's campaign-oriented (requires an assassin's guild or similar organization) which limits it somewhat. A good addition to a rogue's abilities, but not so much as a class unto itself. I consider it one of those that doesn't merit pursuing all ten levels of. Rank: B-Blackguard:  Again, a very useful class, more so than the assassin. It's not campaign-oriented, and provides the best benefit of that class (poison use) with better BAB and HP. Rank: B+Dragon Disciple:  Very limited. Requires spellcaster prereqs, then offers no spellcaster bonuses. DUD.Rank: DDuelist:  For those high-INT rogues or especially rangers, this is a beautiful PrC. The attack progression is amazing, and the abilities just keep getting better and better. Rank: B+Dwarven Defender:  Suffers from the race-limited drawback of the arcane archer, but if you're a melee-oriented dwarf and you're not taking this PrC, Moradin frowns upon you! The benefits more than make up for the limitations. Second only to the Devoted Defender PrC for the role of "shield the wizard", it fits beautifully into a party dynamic. Rank: B.Eldritch Knight:  The build for an EK is better suited for a DEX-based fighter, due to armor-related arcane spellcasting problems, and the need to keep one hand free for somatic spell requirements. An interesting combination could possibly be a Ftr/Wiz/Duel/EK build. But overall, it doesn't offer much more than a straight fighter/wizard multiclass.Rank: C+Hierophant:  Like the archmage, immensely useful for dedicated divine spellcasters. Curing at a distance is one of the most useful abilities, and the ability to bump your effective caster level makes up for the lack of spell progression. At high levels, having things like Widened Flame Strike as a spell-like ability become horribly awesome.Rank: A.Horizon Walker:  An expanded ranger class, really. If you're building the hunter/tracker role, it fits beautifully. If not, there's not much of a need for it. Rank: C.Loremaster:  Most people neglect the fact that bards are technically arcane spellcasters. Working a bard build to Loremaster maximizes its usefulness. And takes forever to do, sadly. High requirements don't meet the payoffs. Rank: D.Mystic Theurge:  Two spell progressions are useless without the skills to use them well. Only good with a lot of levels of it. I've never seen a good divine/arcane build for any character, and this PrC continues that tradition.Rank: D.Red Wizard:  Super-specialist. If you like that build, and don't mind the specific prereqs, this is the class for you. The campaign-specific nature of the class limits it GREATLY, though. As it's written, not as useful given the other stuff in the FRCS.Rank: Compared to other FRCS, C.  Compared to core: B+Shadowdancer:  At low levels, it's just repeating rogue abilities. Only in the higher levels does it become useful. Like the Arcane Trickster, a good utility character but less useful than a rogue until the good shadow abilities kick in. Rank: C.Thaumaturgist:  Prereqs are high, and it's a 5-level class with the big build to a planar cohort. Good if you take it at high levels, an inefficient side path otherwise.Rank: C-.So, in order from awesomest to least awesomest:HierophantArchmageDuelistDwarven DefenderBlackguardAssassinRed WizardEldritch KnightShadowdancerArcane ArcherHorizon WalkerArcane TricksterThaumaturgistDragon DiscipleLoremaster.</blockquote>

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