The (prestige) class that HASN'T been crafted yet ...

[Driddle]

I'd like this thread to avoid specific rules and/or elaborate game mechanic disections (which would thrust it into the House Rules sub-board), and instead discuss character concepts and generalities here. So, please, don't lose yourself in a tangent.

Here's the deal: You've got your undead hunters, your singing bard+fighter concepts, your lords of the beasts, your master riders, your dedicated elven archery snipers, your clerical heal-heal-healers, your master of all arcane magicks, your sneaky rogue+mage, your stoic dwarven whatevers ... Sheesh! It would seem we've done all the classic archetypes and variations thereof to death. Everyone and his mother's favorite milk cow has published the same ol' same ol' prestige classes, each with slightly different features but all based on the same concepts.

So your challenge here is to craft a new character class concept, or at least share one that is relatively undeveloped within our community. Doesn't matter how wacky or illogical it might seem -- heck, the more creative the better.

(And to repeat my warning above: Stay away from dwelling on game mechanics here! Brief references are OK, but don't make this a House Rules topic.)

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Here's my new class: Prestige Killer.

It's for a PC who goes around killing everyone who takes Prestige Classes just to power up. First, he spreads "vicious truths" about the target (a little bard-type flavor) to ruin the target's Prestige (if any). Then, he tracks down the offender (a little ranger-type flavor). Then, he offers the sinner a chance to repent (a little cleric-type flavor). If the sinner agrees, the PK's shadow companion/familiar (a little wizard-type flavor) appears to drain away the offending levels. If the sinner does not agree, the PK tries to kill the offender (a little fighter-type flavor). Once the offender is dead, the PK will raise--kill--raise until all Prestige Class levels are gone and character is a "base-class-only" character.

Of course, someone who truly role-played the mentality of this class would almost never take a Prestige Class, so it's a very rare (and therefore very prestigious) Prestige Class.

If you combine this with our home-brew "Vow of Affluence" the PK will be quite wealthy, thus showing all the sinners that the best way to advance is through base classes with only one prestige class (if any).

 

[Driddle]

Just off the top of my head...

"The Planter," a roguish derivative focused on reverse-pickpocket skills. The Planter has an unquenchable desire to put objects where they DON'T belong (namely, other people's pockets), and then bring attention to it.

 

[Driddle]

"Ssshhh!" -- a loremaster/bardish class dedicated to the silencing of new information and chitchat. He seeks out both ancient and newly published texts to destroy them (lest their concepts disrupt society as we know it); and he applies his Gather Info skill to "kill" viable rumors (for the same reason). His bardlike abilities rely on the audience's total silence -- so no conversation or communication is allowed during combat. Appropriate to the concept, the PC must be of lawful alignment.

"Fish Dancer" -- I'm not sure about this one, but it probably involves performance skills and summoning spells or druid abilities. The further away from bodies of water, the better. ("We bring the joy of dancing fish to those who would know it not.") ... Why become a fish dancer? For the halibut.

 

[Pants]

A PrC devoted to Butter Churning
A stripper PrC.
A Rapping Bard PrC.

 

[Driddle]

"The Trousers Mender"

"The Passer of Gas" (oddly enough, this requires levels of barbarian AND paladin)

"He Who Counts Really Big Numbers" (complete with the "Ready or Not, Here I Come" ability)

"Virginity Absconder" (a rogue variant, heavy on the charisma)

Has anyone actually put together a true "Jack of All Trades" class concept? Not just a rogue or bard, but something that ... well, it looks a lot like a single level from each character class.

 

[fredramsey]

Well, I tried and tried to come up with a serious answer to this question. But anything I think of I'm certain someone has done.

As far as a Jack-of-All-Trades, just let them continue to add x number of skills as class skills.

Well, let's see. How about someone that specializes in non-lethal damage?

A master of camaflogue (sp?).

 

[Delemental]

A monk prestige class dedicated to the concept of quiet contemplation, religious purity, and a divestment from worldly concerns, rather than beating people up.

A druid prestige class dedicated to observation and protection of the natural world, rather than getting Mother Nature to beat people up.

Here's one to wrap your head around; a commoner prestige class (Cat-Hunter, perhaps?)

 

[Gez]

The Medieval Computer Nerd. This PrCs offer lots of special abilities and features that will prove really useful a thousand years later, provided the campaign setting follows a similar technological timeline as the real world did.

 

[tarchon]

One could argue that very few PrCs have actually been "crafted."