Why do prestige classes have prerequisites?

[Kae'Yoss]

Beyond the stuff others said, I want to elaborate some things here:

Organization vs. PrC: Many PrC's are tied to a certain organization (Harper Agent, Daggerspell Mage/Shaper, etc.) This doesn't mean you have to take the PrC in order to join the organization, only that you have to join in order to take the PrC. Lower-level members, and even some high-level members never even take a single level. Those that do are the specialists.

Occupation v.s PrC (a.k.a. the "assassin v.s Assassin" issue). Other prestige classes just represent a path of specialization a character can take, trading versatility for greater focus. You often don't have to take the PrC in order to take the name: you don't have to take the Assassin PrC to be an assassin - everyone who kills people for money can call himself assassin. He doesn't have to have levels in the Assassin PrC. I mean, he doesn't even have to have levels in the rogue class - a fighter, monk, wizard, cleric, or whatever can be an assassin as well, and they don't have to be stealthy backstabbers, either. You can just walk up on some guy, draw your greatsword, and hack him and his bodyguards to pieces.
But if you take levels in the Assassin PrC, you get just those abilities a typical assassin (the stealthy sort) needs: More stealth, sneak attack, a nifty death attack, poison-related stuff, even spells that improve your sneaking and backstabbing.


As for the prerequisites: This has several reasons: To make it a "prestige" class not everyone and their pet dog can join, but only people who have what it takes; to control the entry level and class(es) the character needs (though this is rarely exclusive to one class - but often favours a certain build); and to limit those PrC's to a certain race, organization or society. It wouldn't be the Dwarven Defender if everyone could join, now would it?

 

[Nathal]

What I don't like about prerequistes for a prestige class is the work involved with building an NPC who meets those requirements. I know, I can fudge it, but trying to do things "by the book" takes more time than I would like. I wish the software character generators out there would allow me choose a prestige class with a core class *and* automatically make adjustments to include all the required feats and skills. But no, of course not, I have to build NPCs level by level...bah!

 

[Kae'Yoss]

What I don't like about prerequistes for a prestige class is the work involved with building an NPC who meets those requirements.

Should be enough to do this in two steps:
0. Look what class levels you need to meet the prerequisites
1. Build the NPC up to that level
2. Build him up to the max level, filling up with PrC levels.

Example Assassin
0. Disguise 4, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, evil guy who killed someone just for kicks
1. Rogue 5, max hide, max move silently, half disguise, rest as wanted
2. Assassin whatever.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Because some GMs, like yours truly, don't attach PrCs to organizations and usually remove the organizational attachments from PrCs that have them.

 

[Insight]

What I don't like about prerequistes for a prestige class is the work involved with building an NPC who meets those requirements. I know, I can fudge it, but trying to do things "by the book" takes more time than I would like. I wish the software character generators out there would allow me choose a prestige class with a core class *and* automatically make adjustments to include all the required feats and skills. But no, of course not, I have to build NPCs level by level...bah!

See, this is precisely why a lot of GMs can't deal with high level games. The rules make planning an adventure (and by consequence creating high-level NPCs) excruciatingly difficult.

But you see, you don't HAVE to go by the rules when creating NPCs, You SHOULD, but let's be honest, are the players ever going to know if your NPC doesn't have enough levels of Knowledge - Religion to qualify for that PrC? Heck, would your players even know what PrC the NPC took? Probably not in either case. So why beat yourself up trying to adhere to rules that are really designed more for the players than NPCs?

I would say, to save yourself some time, give the NPC whatever PrC you want, and make it as close as possible, especially in the crucial areas (BAB, Saves, Important Feats). Wing the rest. The time you save will enable you to work on the STORY, which is likely far more interesting than a stat block anyway.

Note: I am advocating this only for home campaigns. Certainly, all published adventures should adhere to the rules as closely as possible.

 

[Campbell]

Theoretically, prestige classes have narrow requirements in order to make a DM's life easier. Additionally, those narrow requirements present players with a simple advancement model or path to follow to advance in that prestige class. Ideally, a DM should be able to plug in any given prestige class into a game, and players should be able to pick a DM-approved class and work their way towards the class' requirements. However, much like WotC's take on CR/EL, there are a number of assumptions that are made in order for this approach to remain functional. these assumptions as I see them include a fairly standard campaign structure, players planning advancement ahead of time, prestige class abilities that are relatively well balanced with their requirements, and DMs who would prefer to concentrate on adventure preparation, rather than statblock approval.

Since I tend to run a fairly nonstandard sort of campaign and have players that prefer to advance fairly fluidly, I prefer to play it by ear as far as prestige class requirements go. Generally I'll look at a given prestige class, and see if its class features and general concept fit a given character. If the prestige class seems like a good fit, I'll take a look at the requirements and analyze how easy it is to meet those requirements for characters with similar class choices as the PC in question, and assign a general level for entry into the prestige class. Finally, I take a look at the prestige class' features with an eye towards possible abuses and general power level. While the process is fairly involved, it works for me. Then again, when I'm not using D&D 3.x, I'm either using GURPS, Hero, or Mutants and Masterminds. I believe the approach taken in the RAW is perfectly valid, as long as you stay close to the RAW's assumptions.

 

[Saeviomagy]

D&D does not assume that your DM is any good. The game has been designed for bad DMs. Even a bad DM can run a workable game by sticking to the rules.

Prestige classes are supposed to be something you work at, that is accessable to someone with the right talents. If your DM is less than stellar, he doesn't have the time to run an individual quest or storyline that involves YOU becoming a loremaster. He doesn't have an organisation worked into the campaign. He doesn't keep an eye on your stats and he doesn't present you with an opportunity to get into such a group.

So instead, the prerequisites make you have the right talents.

View the prerequisites as what they are - a mechanic for when you don't have the time to craft a story about getting into the PrC. If a character would be perfect (like a sorceror with invisibility, alter self and lots of ranks of move silent who kills people in a sneaky way for money) feel free to drop the prerequisites or replace them with something else (for instance - a dwarven defender needs dodge, endurance and toughness. I'd allow in someone with combat expertise, a con of 22 and great fortitude - it represents a quick, tough fighter).

And when you don't have the time use the prerequisites.

And forget about all that garbage that "a dwarf would never teach a non-dwarf X". Rubbish they wouldn't. I daresay if you've got a dwarven defender in the party, he'd be perfectly willing to instruct one of his party members.

 

[Nathal]

But you see, you don't HAVE to go by the rules when creating NPCs, You SHOULD, but let's be honest, are the players ever going to know if your NPC doesn't have enough levels of Knowledge - Religion to qualify for that PrC? Heck, would your players even know what PrC the NPC took? Probably not in either case. So why beat yourself up trying to adhere to rules that are really designed more for the players than NPCs?

I agree with you 100%. When I was GMing D20 I tried at first to do it by the book, but I had been spoiled by quick NPC generation common to earlier editions. I wanted to match the PCs with monsters and NPCs that had matching skills, which is not hard to do quickly if fudged. It didn't take long before I gave up creating baddies level by level, paying close attention to the rules.

I would say, to save yourself some time, give the NPC whatever PrC you want, and make it as close as possible, especially in the crucial areas (BAB, Saves, Important Feats). Wing the rest. The time you save will enable you to work on the STORY, which is likely far more interesting than a stat block anyway.

Excellent advice. I still wish the software programs out there would automate more of that sort of thing.

Note: I am advocating this only for home campaigns. Certainly, all published adventures should adhere to the rules as closely as possible.

Which is part of the reason why I wouldn't bother trying to write D20 adventure modules. But then, I'm more of a Lejendary Adventure or Castles & Crusades kind of guy.

 

[Nathal]

Should be enough to do this in two steps:
0. Look what class levels you need to meet the prerequisites
1. Build the NPC up to that level
2. Build him up to the max level, filling up with PrC levels.

Example Assassin
0. Disguise 4, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, evil guy who killed someone just for kicks
1. Rogue 5, max hide, max move silently, half disguise, rest as wanted
2. Assassin whatever.

Thanks for writing that out. But it's building the NPC up to that level, evaluating skill points and prerequistes that drive me a bit batty in the first place. But I admit to being a little impatient with that sort of thing. With 2nd Edition AD&D I never had to "build up" any NPC or monster. I just decided level and knew everything else by heart (or at least the pages numbers), and it was easier to wing it without ignoring the written rules.

 

[Crothian]

Thanks for writing that out. But it's building the NPC up to that level, evaluating skill points and prerequistes that drive me a bit batty in the first place. But I admit to being a little impatient with that sort of thing. With 2nd Edition AD&D I never had to "build up" any NPC or monster. I just decided level and knew everything else by heart (or at least the pages numbers), and it was easier to wing it without ignoring the written rules.

I've never found it that hard. Figure out the levels of the classes. That's easy as their are rarely more then three. Skill points are easy, I just max out the ones he would have and make sure prerequites are filled. Count up the number of feats and assign, again making sure that any prerequites are there. Copy down BAB, saves, roll hit points, assign stats, copy down abilities and pick spells if needed. Maybe a half hour tops for a high level NPC.