D&D 5E (2014) With the reintroduction of PrCs which are on your 'must see' list?

[Tony Vargas]

That said, if 5E can handle the PrCs as "deep cut" class concepts, it might work. I'm talking Warlord (Fighter PrC), Shaman (Cleric PrC), Warden (Druid PrC), Artificer (Wizard PrC), etc.

Except all of those have worked as full classes - the Shaman had several incarnations in 2e, the Spirit Shaman in 3e, and the 4e (Primal) Shaman, for the most dramatic instance.

The trick is that you can MC into a PrC and, even though you lose your core class capstone, still get the capstone for the PrC.

So PrCs need to come with a very-high-total-character-level capstone? An interesting possibility. Perhaps it could even come at a certain character level, rather than the last level of the PrC, in case the build doesn't use all the PrC's levels, and would otherwise be deprived of a Capstone (Obviously, you'd only get one such if you had multiple PrCs for some reason). But what about any other MCing characters, they also lose any capstone feature, no?

So... capstones need to replace core class capstones AND PrCs need to reflect niche class concepts and not just the promise of power creep.
If that's the case, I'm all for it. Otherwise, "none".

Sounds perfectly unreasonable.

 

[Psikerlord#]

I dont want any prestige classes. I dont think they fit 5e (I dont think MCing is a good fit either). If you want a certain concept added to your class, there is already an excellent tool to do this - custom feats. It doesnt need to get any more complex (or potentially unbalancing) than that.

 

[Pssthpok]

Except all of those have worked as full classes - the Shaman had several incarnations in 2e, the Spirit Shaman in 3e, and the 4e (Primal) Shaman, for the most dramatic instance.

So PrCs need to come with a very-high-total-character-level capstone? An interesting possibility. Perhaps it could even come at a certain character level, rather than the last level of the PrC, in case the build doesn't use all the PrC's levels, and would otherwise be deprived of a Capstone (Obviously, you'd only get one such if you had multiple PrCs for some reason). But what about any other MCing characters, they also lose any capstone feature, no?

Sounds perfectly unreasonable.

No one cares what you think about what I think, I can tell you that much for sure.

 

[TwoSix]

That doesn't sound like a PrC mechanic, at all. Actually, it sounds more like a 'Theme' - any class can take it, it lets you swap out existing class abilities for 'theme' abilities.

The problem is that sub-classes aren't consistent when it comes to how much of the class is in the base class vs under the sub-class. Each Theme would need to specify how it interacted with each class, individually. (In another thread, I was pushing the pro-5e idea that 5e could handle any concept from prior editions, I guess I might have just found an exception. Annoying.)


How would that work, though? You give up several levels of you main class? That's a big sacrifice for some horseback (or even dragonback) riding lessons.

OK, or feats, sounds more like a feat,

Every class gets feats/ASIs at 4/8/12/16/19, maybe a talent-tree like progression of alternate feats to take at those levels?

 

[Blue]

Yeah, we really need classes that grant full spellcasting advancement and full BAB advancement.

What do you mean, all of them already do? How can I lord my system mastery over the helpless noobs?

Sheesh, next you'll tell me that my cleric isn't special anymore because everyone can heal.

 

[77IM]

Weapon Master

 

[The Myopic Sniper]

That doesn't sound like a PrC mechanic, at all. Actually, it sounds more like a 'Theme' - any class can take it, it lets you swap out existing class abilities for 'theme' abilities.

The problem is that sub-classes aren't consistent when it comes to how much of the class is in the base class vs under the sub-class. Each Theme would need to specify how it interacted with each class, individually. (In another thread, I was pushing the pro-5e idea that 5e could handle any concept from prior editions, I guess I might have just found an exception. Annoying.)


How would that work, though?

I have been playing around with a theme mechanic to add certain flavors to any class by dropping the hit size die by one (kind of an anti-Toughness). It works with certain ideas more than others. It is good for adding exploration and interaction tiers, not so much for combat. Since it is basically can be offset by toughness it ends up pretty much feat sized, but over more levels. Given that most of the explorations and interaction feats come with a +1 to an Attribute as well, you can do a bit more with it though. If I ever come up anything really interesting with it other than replicating old 2e kits I may post something in the Homebrew section here.

 

[Staccat0]

My gut says that backgrounds, subclasses and maybe a FEW feats combine to do anything intersting a PrC could do and the game would benefit more from that than some other splintering aspect.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I dont want any prestige classes. I dont think they fit 5e (I dont think MCing is a good fit either). If you want a certain concept added to your class, there is already an excellent tool to do this - custom feats. It doesnt need to get any more complex (or potentially unbalancing) than that.

Genuinely curious: What are you going to do, now that Prestige Classes are a thing the designers are explicitly willing to consider creating?

 

[Uchawi]

I am afraid that releasing PRCs at this point would lessen the chances of seeing pure classes like the shaman, warlord, or any class from 4E for that matter. PRCs will further dilute what is left in order to make new classes.