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Message: <blockquote data-quote="incognito" data-source="post: 559977" data-attributes="member: 7008">jdavis:Ok, I'm inclinded to answer your question as to how PrCs give a unique advantage over simepl multiclassing.  And provide and example of this.First, let me say that DD is not the ONLY prestige class that Allows characters to Mary Jane, it is just one of them.  Arcance Trickster, Holy Liberator, and Hopalitier are all other examples.But I'll use a quick DD exmaple, sticking with just the core 3E books (PHB, DMG, MM1).A L20 fighter has a +6 will save, a L10 fighter/L10 DD has a +10 Will save.  Dwarven defender has Spot as a calss skill, and no matter what you INT is  I'd arther have it, than not.  They also have Sense Motive to offset Bluff.DD has uncanny dodge, so invisibles and flatfootedness no longer cost him his DEX (or dodge bonuses).   He has Damage redcution that is 2x what a L20 Barbarian has, and he has +1/hp per level as compared to a straight fighter.  And a generic AC bonus that's significant, and "on" all the time.For this he must take 1, arugably 2  poor feats, and be Lawful.Compare this to a 10/10 Fighter barbarian (and we'll say defesive stance is roughly  = rage)BAB = the same,  HD = the same, Align pre req's Lawful vs Chaotic  = the same. Uncanny Dodge = SamePositives for Barbarian Feat pre=reqs DD cost's 3 more.  Move = Barbarian get's +10'Positive for the DDSaves = DD+4 on will.  Damage Reduction = DD get 6/-, L10 Barbarian get's none. AC = DD get's +4 AC.   a wash maybe?Skills: Barbairan +2 pts a level, DD Spot as a class skill: edge ? Leaning twds DD.  What I am trying to illustrate, is that the Bonus will save is somethign fighter's need to beef up - and the DD grants this without giving up BAB.  The fighter's class skills need help, and the DD does this.  And fighter can really get hurt if sneak attack damage gets heaped on them, uncanny dodge with DD helps this.  Their "touch AC" is pretty, low DD helps this.  Finally, since fighter types tend to soak melee damage, DD gets significant  damage reduction.So, in giving up the feats, the fighter type get's good at the stuff that fighter's generally are not good at!  Avoiding sneak attacks, makign will saves, and having high Touch ACs.  they becomg "good" at fighting, and "good" at *many* other things.  Notice that you cannot get Damage reduction at all as a L10 Barbarian! So I submit that the DD is better than multi-classing as a fighter/barbarian, and the DD has a tendency to give the fighter patches for his weak points.  Thus the "Mary Sue" commentWill reply to your ECL post at a later datePS Magic Vestments is a L3 cleric spell which give +1 Enhcancement Bonus to armor, per 3 caster levels.  At L15, that's +5.  It lasts 1  hour/level.  Since I states I was not being cheaty, I did not have the casting cleric in question use a "Bead of Karma" form the "Necklace of Prayer Beads" to increase the caster level by 4, which would allow a L11 clercic to grant this +5 bonus.</blockquote>

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