The new Prestige Class format

[Eremite]

Except . . . are they still repeating material (e.g., explanations of the class's special abilities) in the example NPC writeups?

The new format is great... except for this part. The format I used in my own stat blocks is to capitalise SAs and SQs that will be described; SAs and SQs that are not described (eg: sneak attack, uncanny dodge etc...) are left in lower case.

I personally have no use for the stat blocks, and will have even less use once John Cooper comes along and points out all of the errors, but I do appreciate the effort made to make them useful by giving an idea for an encounter.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think this is a very good improvement, it brings back flavor to PrCls instead of treating them as a mere set of features. Some DMs may not like the ready-made flavor, as they'd prefer to make up their own, but at minimum it brings good ideas that you can use somewhere else.

The NPC stats is the only thing I don't think it's useful, unless you can use it for an enemy, and even in that case it's rarely useful.

 

[Ryltar]

*signs Li's post*

Same here ... I really, really like what they've done with the PrC descriptions in their latest books. By providing all kinds of background, they are taking steps towards what prestige classes really should have been from the beginning - organisation-specific classes. It's still not perfect, but it deserves a thumbs up.

Oh, and if that means that we're only gonna see 5-8 PrC per book now, but all in this new format - I'm all for it. Only the sample NPCs are still a waste of space, but that seems to be the general consensus. Hey, WotC, are you listening?

 

[Dr Simon]

Champions of Corellon in the World
- organization
- NPC reactions
- Champion of Corellon Lore (knowledge checks for PCs to know about the order)

*This* part is a big improvement. SInce the original inspiration for Pr-classes seems to have been the Rune Lords and Rune Priests in RuneQuest, all of whom were defined by their role in society more so than the kewl powerz, it might encourage more pr-classes that are part of world-building and not just a cheap excuse to make a pseudo-multiclass ninja-wizard-swashbuckler.

 

[hong]

I say that if you can't adequately convey flavour in six paragraphs, you aren't trying hard enough.


Hong "terse" Ooi

 

[Li Shenron]

I say that if you can't adequately convey flavour in six paragraphs, you aren't trying hard enough.

It's all about the details

 

[JoeGKushner]

I think this started with Races of Destiny as it has something like 8 PrCs too. Of course there was so much grousing over the Illuminus that no one probably realized it.

Complete Adventurer goes a bit this way too with serveral organizations having multiple PrCs like the ShadowBane Inquisitor and Daggerspell Adepts.

 

[Insight]

The first Prestige Class (something that looks like what we have now) was the 1E Bard.

I'm gonna echo what people are posting about the NPCs, although it's sometimes useful to see how a particular PrC would look in play. The only problem I have with the NPCs is that most of the ones I've seen of late are really high level (15+) and how many of us have games that ever get to that point before disintegrating?

 

[HellHound]

I love sample NPCs. Very useful as instant high-level character to throw into a game.

 

[Gez]

Yes, but please, designer people, do me two favors.

1. Do not create these sample NPC until the prestige class is finalized. I know that I do not always bother to have my NPCs fill the prerequisites for their classes and feats. But if I were to publish the adventures I run, I'd make sure everything is rule-legal.
   It's annoying to have a sample NPC that isn't legit, because he was built using a draft version of the prestige class and since then the prereqs were changed, some levels were swapped, etc.
2. Do not reprint any class ability description except if they come from a book that isn't either one of the three core rulebooks or the one the character is printed in. Reasonning? We're supposed to already have that info. Reprinting them is not more practical, but it is paper wasting. Especially when it's just before our eyes twice, once for the PrC and once for the NPC.