Weakest PrCs

[Rystil Arden]

Yeah, most cities probably have laws against fighting in the streets, whether you have deadly intentions or not. Just drawing a weapon could label you as a smitable target.

That made me imagine the humorous image of an NPC Vigilante who sees an elderly woman jaywalking and draws his blade: "Eat steel criminal!" I guess that's why they're Vigilantes

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Pseudonatural creatures are about equal to celestial ones. However, the alienist can no longer summon creatures which don't have the celestial or fiendish template. These include most of the better ones on the list.

Not that the alienist is GOOD, but I think that pseudonatural is a better template than celestial/fiendish. Having a free true-strike once a day is better than a smite. This way your hoarde of summoned pseudonatural stirges (Or whatever) can actually get an attack in that works against a decently armored foe.

Since most summoned monsters aren't around all that long anyway, I think a kamakaze is a better way to go.

DS

 

[James McMurray]

If it were a free or swift action it would rock. Instead it eats up an attack or full attack they could have made, so is only useful when the AC is drastically higher than the to hit bonus. Smite for a celestial creature and a good party is usable against the vast majority of standard opponents. Likewise (but vice versa) for fiendish.

 

[frankthedm]

Pseudonatural creatures are about equal to celestial ones. However, the alienist can no longer summon creatures which don't have the celestial or fiendish template. These include most of the better ones on the list.

The True strike is FAR better than a Smite and is used at the same speed of a smite. Getting what amounts to a 5th level spell, quickened true strike, is nothing to sneeze at. Psuedo also has better SR. 10 plus HD. The DR is the same IIRC an the resists are eletricity and acid in the same amount as the other templates. Acid often is no SR so that has a nice gap coverage.

 

[Mistwell]

Ah, is it because the spells are Arcane, and thus he can't use them in armor? Yes, that's right. So you're a non-primary caster who gets no special bonus to AC, and you're not going to be wearing armor. Or you're not going to be casting many spells. Wait, you won't be casting many spells anyway, because you get very few spells per day.

...Oh, and one more lovely feature: this class that can't cast in armor also lacks any of the basic armor spells. No mage armor, no shield. Good luck with that smite.

Actually, I noticed last night when re-reading the class that it says they cast as a bard. Doesn't that mean they can cast while in light armor? Pretty sure the intent of the class was for them to be able to cast while in light armor, like the bard (and bards are listed as the most common class to go into this class, and the picture shows a vigilante in light armor).

 

[frankthedm]

If it were a free or swift action it would rock. Instead it eats up an attack or full attack they could have made, so is only useful when the AC is drastically higher than the to hit bonus. Smite for a celestial creature and a good party is usable against the vast majority of standard opponents. Likewise (but vice versa) for fiendish.

A pseudnatural creature's true strike has just about the same wording as a smite. Unless the DM forbids Paladins from smiting as part of a full attack or a charge, the Pseudo's true strike is part of the attack.

True Strike (Su): Once per day, a pseudonatural creature can gain a +20 insight bonus on a single attack roll. In addition, the creature suffers no miss chance against a target that has concealment or total concealment when making this attack.

Smite Evil (Su)
Once per day, a paladin may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per paladin level. If the paladin accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

Destruction Domain
Granted Power
You gain the smite power, the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 bonus on attack rolls and a bonus on damage rolls equal to your cleric level (if you hit). You must declare the smite before making the attack. This ability is usable once per day.

 

[Tzeentch]

My vote goes to Gnome Artificer (Magic of Faerun). Oy. What's the upshot of this thing supposed to be anyways (check the cost of the items they create ... ouch)

Heck most of the PrCs in that book are pretty sucktastic - Master Alchemist should be, at best, a five level PrC for example (I note that most are now updated in other places).

 

[moritheil]

The True strike is FAR better than a Smite and is used at the same speed of a smite. Getting what amounts to a 5th level spell, quickened true strike, is nothing to sneeze at. Psuedo also has better SR. 10 plus HD. The DR is the same IIRC an the resists are eletricity and acid in the same amount as the other templates. Acid often is no SR so that has a nice gap coverage.

Now I'm curious: has anyone run into players insisting that their Alienist summons creatures with the epic pseudonatural template?