D&D 5E With the reintroduction of PrCs which are on your 'must see' list?

[Duganson]

Heya all,

So with this last installment of UA we see the basics of what a 5E prC is and the first example of them in the Rune Scribe. I'll stand by my cautious bellyache of 'here comes the bloat' and my wish that they wrote up some toolbox for creating our own instead of the shadowbox we received, but they are coming, believe that. My hope is that their quality and care of design are as good as - if not better then - the existing material. I digress...

What I really would like to know is which of the 3.X PrCs and 4E Paragon Paths are you most wanting to have as 5E PrCs, what would they look like? Why do you think your favorites are not represented by existing class/archetype/background combinations and why do you believe it would make a better PrC then an archetype in and of itself?

One I am kicking around:

Incantatrix:

I loved this PrC back in the day for its unique ability to both constrict a caster's depth of spells yet expand what she could do with them. I know that Sorcerers are the wielders of metamagic in this edition but I believe to multiclass into sorcerer enough to emulate what the Incantatrix could do would be to miss the gist of her abilities. She might be translatable to a Sorcerer Archetype but the theme 'Master of metamagic' doesn't jive with the themes of the other two (or three) archetypes that already exist.

I could see this PrC being nice for full progression casters that want to focus on their favorite types of spells at the actual hindrance (unlike 5E's Wizard Schools) of other spell types. I can see a Druid taking Incantatrix and specializing in fire spells, Clerics in healing, or a Wizard in their chosen specialization, loosing the ability to cast spells of the opposite descriptor or school but getting the Metamagic abilities of a Sorcerer in a brief 5 levels.

I'm rummaging my mind for some more, specifically ones that allowed a PC to enter into and utilize the skills or resources of a Faction, race or social group without being easily converted into a background. Like the Rune Scribe using a unique type of magic item, I can see this list being limited to PrCs and Paragon Paths that introduce a new system or expounds upon an existing one.

Anyway I'm interested to see which you guys and gals feel need to be converted to the new edition.

 

[Lanefan]

My first reaction is "none".

That said, I'll keep an eye on what they do.

Lan-"who wants to run bets on how many official PrCs exist for 5e in 5 years - over-under of, say, 100?"-efan

 

[Yaarel]

My ‘must see’ list is prestige classes that are strictly balanced with normal core classes.

A prestige classes is simply a multiclass that happens to have less that twenty levels available. In principle this is fine.

The problem happens when multiclassing with a prestige class is strictly better than multiclassing with a core class.

To multiclass with a core class, the character automatically begins the new class at level 1, then can advance it to 2, 3, or so on.

Likewise, it is necessary for every prestige classes to be equivalent to level 1, 2, 3, or so on.

If it is necessary to give a prestige class ‘beefier’ mechanics that are too powerful for level 1, there should probably be a separate mechanic. For example, some prestige classes can come with optional feats to choose from that help mechanize the prestige class concept in an effective way.

At the same time, core classes should likewise come with optional feats to help make a certain concept more effect. Fortunately, core classes already kinda have special class feats. So, there is already a mechanic to help a prestige class be more powerful via a special feat.

Indeed, the prerequisite of spending a feat slot on a certain feat, makes sense to qualify for certain prestige classes.

 

[Sunseeker]

I don't see why they're rolling out PRCs. They don't support their game past level 17 and if you're taking a PRC at low levels (such as 5) the PRC is either going to be severely limited or nearly a full-blown class. Why not make more classes or subclasses?

 

[Yaarel]

If prestige classes can strictly balance with core classes, then they can serve as an efficient way to give options.

Why have twenty levels of empty ‘filler’ if three levels alone already completes the character concept?

 

[CaptainGemini]

I don't really look forward to any. A lot of the old PrCs would have fit better if just rolled into the base classes. I don't see why they can't go with that option for 5E.

 

[Duganson]

They don't support their game past level 17

That's not fair. Its not WotCs job to hold all of our hands past their adventure paths... unless I'm missing any additional points beyond 'all published adventures end at lvl 17.'

 

[Mercule]

None. Prestige classes should stay dead. If they're going to resurrect them, then each one needs to justify its existence on a case-by-case basis. That should be a high bar.

 

[Sunseeker]

That's not fair. Its not WotCs job to hold all of our hands past their adventure paths... unless I'm missing any additional points beyond 'all published adventures end at lvl 17.'

By that argument, what obligation does WOTC have to support their product at all? Other than ya know, wanting to sell books and make money.

But I was also referring to the larger issue of game balance falling to pieces, such as I mentioned in my thread on CR, at higher level. It's not just that they're not making APs go "all the way" but that they're demonstratively not interested in full product support.

It'd be like if a level-based MMO such as WoW or Guild Wars just didn't have anything for you to do for the last 5 levels of the game.

It's Wizards job to support their product and yes, that means all of it. Not supporting their product and half-hearted support for their product were deadly problems in both previous editions. I can't name a single game that is a success from lack of support.

 

[Irennan]

Speciality priests could be made PrCs IMO. In some cases they carry a flavor that is really different from that of a normal cleric (Sword Dancers of Eilistraee, or Dweomerkeepers of Mystra for example), to the point of deserving class options on their own.