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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 3242244" data-attributes="member: 13966">For reference, in 3.0's Tome & Blood, which was the first or second supplement by WotC to include spellcasting prestige classes (not counting the DMG, as that's a core book, not a supplement):15 prestige classes5 of which get 100% spellcasting advancement2 of which lose only 1 level of spellcasting advancement2 of which get 60% spellcasting advancement4 of which get 50% spellcasting advancement2 of which get unusual and different spellcasting advancement(1 of which is slightly weaker than 50%, the other of which only gets a handful more spells per day over 10 class levels of the spell levels it already knew spells from beforehand)Of the 5 prestige classes in T&B that got full spellcasting advancement, 1 required a specific 4th-level divine spell as well as a specific 3rd-level arcane spell (and only improved spellcasting from one class), 1 was limited to wizards and gave up familiar advancement for a few extra languages and gradual spellpool access (and has some guild-related costs and benefits, mostly monetary costs and roleplaying/social benefits), 1 turns the caster into a less-than-sane wierdo that can't deal with people and is likely to attract unwanted/dangerous attention and may very well be consumed by horrors from beyond time and space if and when he eventually gets where he's fixin' to go, 1 is focused on strange candle-based spellcasting, and 1 requires at least 3 rogue levels beforehand (and thus effectively has to give up 3 levels of spellcasting progression anyway).I'll mention a few others, from other books, and how they compare in 3.0/3.5 with base classes....Order of the Bow Initiate: Gives up the use of their class features and several of their previous feats if their bow is broken or stolen, and in melee they are effectively a pure fighter but with no bonus feats (and probably not a great magic melee weapon).  Their ranged sneak attacks and point blank shot feat are also useless beyond 30 feet, so enemies can still be effectively positioned outside their most useful ranges.  They also need a high Wisdom if they want to make the most of the prestige class, though it's only for one class feature and thus unnecessary for most.  A fighter or ranger is more versatile and only at a minor disadvantage in ranged combat against an OotBI, unless they get real close without simply starting a grapple and beating down the Initiate up close and personal.  The fighter or ranger will still be more effective in melee and have more feats or class features that aren't limited to archery.The Ghostwalker is cool, but often impractical, and only rarely useful.The Fist of Hextor is a fighter who gains no bonus feats and instead gets an occasional, minor Strength boost for the length of a very short battle (or an average battle at upper levels in the class), along with a minor boost to one attack roll or damage roll each round, as well as a short-range fear-inducing ability; with annoying skill requirements and a reliance on Charisma for their fear ability.......out of time for the moment it looks like, have to go to work.</blockquote>

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