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<blockquote data-quote="Cadfan" data-source="post: 2996338" data-attributes="member: 40961">I don't like prestige classes.PrCs tend to lead to characters who are overpowered when they complete the PrC, then underpowered when they go back to their regular class.&nbsp; Or, they lead to characters that dip just a toe into the PrC for a particular ability that was overly frontloaded, as part of some sort of whacky combo PrC mixing creation, and upset the game's power balance.As an example of the first type of problem, look at the Master of Shadow (book isn't with me at the moment, its the shadowcaster PrC that gets a pet shadow elemental and focuses on enhancing and controlling it).&nbsp; At level 15, you get a pet with the stats of a medium shadow elemental, plus 8 hit dice and plus large size.&nbsp; That's a 13 hd monster with some nice special abilities.&nbsp; Very powerful.&nbsp; Then, at level 20, you have... exactly the same monster.&nbsp; Except now its comparatively very weak.&nbsp; I don't like this sort of design.As for dipping classes, well, we've all seen that.&nbsp; Sometimes it can be done nicely for good flavor, but usually not.Some PrCs are well written, and add on well at any point in a character's career.&nbsp; PrCs that mix classes tend to do this well, or PrCs that add generic abilities.&nbsp; The Dread Commando, for example, works very well as a PrC no matter when you take it.&nbsp; But that's because it gives relatively generic abilities- helps you with armor, sudden strike, skill points, and attack bonus.&nbsp; PrCs that give genuinely innovative abilities tend to work poorly, as those abilities stop growing the moment you leave the PrC, or you can dip them obnoxiously.My vote for a change would be to make more PrCs begin at level 11.&nbsp; Then you could make the level 10 PrC ability actually balance with level 20 gameplay, instead of being too good when you get it and too weak later.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Cadfan, post: 2996338, member: 40961"] I don't like prestige classes. PrCs tend to lead to characters who are overpowered when they complete the PrC, then underpowered when they go back to their regular class. Or, they lead to characters that dip just a toe into the PrC for a particular ability that was overly frontloaded, as part of some sort of whacky combo PrC mixing creation, and upset the game's power balance. As an example of the first type of problem, look at the Master of Shadow (book isn't with me at the moment, its the shadowcaster PrC that gets a pet shadow elemental and focuses on enhancing and controlling it). At level 15, you get a pet with the stats of a medium shadow elemental, plus 8 hit dice and plus large size. That's a 13 hd monster with some nice special abilities. Very powerful. Then, at level 20, you have... exactly the same monster. Except now its comparatively very weak. I don't like this sort of design. As for dipping classes, well, we've all seen that. Sometimes it can be done nicely for good flavor, but usually not. Some PrCs are well written, and add on well at any point in a character's career. PrCs that mix classes tend to do this well, or PrCs that add generic abilities. The Dread Commando, for example, works very well as a PrC no matter when you take it. But that's because it gives relatively generic abilities- helps you with armor, sudden strike, skill points, and attack bonus. PrCs that give genuinely innovative abilities tend to work poorly, as those abilities stop growing the moment you leave the PrC, or you can dip them obnoxiously. My vote for a change would be to make more PrCs begin at level 11. Then you could make the level 10 PrC ability actually balance with level 20 gameplay, instead of being too good when you get it and too weak later. [/QUOTE]

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