X4: Master of the Desert Nomads - OOC

[renau1g]

Yeah, most of them are much worse than the base classes or are super strong, making the choice a no-brainer, with the exception of RP. (Radiant Servent of Pelor?)

I find that many are very, very specialized. For example a dragon hunting PrC, will be below average relative to the base fighter, except when he fights dragons than the class is so good it makes the encounter much less deadly.

Just my two cents. There are some PrC's that I love (as evidenced by my Shadowbane Stalker) as they provide some really cool/unique characters you wouldn't otherwise see.

 

[Leif]

As a rule, I don't like or even permit PrCs at all in my games. The current 12th level game being the sole exception to that rule so far. I guess we'll see how things go there as far as future games go. So, renau1g, you may well be one of the few (one of the only) players who will ever play a PrC in a game of mine!

 

[Rhun]

Yeah, most of them are much worse than the base classes or are super strong, making the choice a no-brainer, with the exception of RP. (Radiant Servent of Pelor?)

There are very few prestige classes that I consider "super strong." Radiant Servant of Pelor is good, but it requires putting points into skills and choosing feats that a normal cleric might not even bother with. Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, which I am playing in Leif's game, is strong, but again requires the dedication of a significant number of feats for entry into it. So while many are strong, I think that prestige classes should be strong as a trade off for the requirements for entry.

The only prestige class that I've banned outright is Frenzied Berserker. The ability to not die and destroy all of your friends is not one that should be valued in a team game.

I find that many are very, very specialized. For example a dragon hunting PrC, will be below average relative to the base fighter, except when he fights dragons than the class is so good it makes the encounter much less deadly.

This is true. And some of them are only really good for dipping into. Of course, some base classes are the same way.

 

[Leif]

So, if one can "dip" into as many PrCs as desired to optimize a character's power, are the base classes still worth pursuing at high levels? See, I'd like to see more people not even play PrCs, and I really think that there should AT LEAST be a limit of 2 PrCs for any single pc.

 

[Rhun]

So, if one can "dip" into as many PrCs as desired to optimize a character's power, are the base classes still worth pursuing at high levels? See, I'd like to see more people not even play PrCs, and I really think that there should AT LEAST be a limit of 2 PrCs for any single pc.

Base classes are still very playable. Cleric and Druid base classes are stronger than almost any prestige class. And Wizard/Sorcerer is generally just as good as any prestige class. With Fighter and Rogue, though, there is little reason to play for 20 levels. Now, if you allow say Warblade or Swordsage, that would be totally different. Those are definitely worth taking 20 levels in.

 

[renau1g]

I agree with you Rhun. Biggest drawback for the fighter is that the feats don't scale in power to higher level foes. The rogue... not so sure about. I like the high-level rogue abilities. Maybe I just like rogues so I'm quite partial.

 

[Leif]

Base classes are still very playable. Cleric and Druid base classes are stronger than almost any prestige class. And Wizard/Sorcerer is generally just as good as any prestige class. With Fighter and Rogue, though, there is little reason to play for 20 levels. Now, if you allow say Warblade or Swordsage, that would be totally different. Those are definitely worth taking 20 levels in.

See, I don't get that. I mean for fighters the BAB keeps right on going up up up, and for Rogues, the skill points do likewise. And monsters keep getting tougher and tougher and traps/locks also keep getting more and more diabolical. So, given the facts that rogue's/fighter's abilities keep progressing at about the same rate as the challenges get more and more challenging, why should it not be worth it to go all the way with those classes? Does it get boring? Sure! But, hey, that's the price you pay!

 

[Leif]

But me? I'm a Wizard guy. Which seems kinda funny, since I really have no experience playing a high level wizard. In fact, my highest level wizard EVER is in Scotley's Island Empire game now, and he's 10th level! And that's why I'm really quite excited about playing Iffy, renau1g, both because of his power, and also because I've never played a sorcerer at all! (That wizard in Scotley's game is a gnome, too: Gnurl Whiskerling.)

 

[Rhun]

See, I don't get that. I mean for fighters the BAB keeps right on going up up up, and for Rogues, the skill points do likewise. And monsters keep getting tougher and tougher and traps/locks also keep getting more and more diabolical. So, given the facts that rogue's/fighter's abilities keep progressing at about the same rate as the challenges get more and more challenging, why should it not be worth it to go all the way with those classes? Does it get boring? Sure! But, hey, that's the price you pay!

At higher levels, Clerics and Wizards can accomlish the same things as a rogue or a fighter, and then some. So there isn't as much use for those classes. They can still be fun to play, but their abilities don't scale as well as casters. For example, in JA's Great North game, my 14th level cleric can not only blast the enemy with spells and perform healing, his spells also allow him to regularly outperform the dedicated warriors in the party in melee combat.

 

[renau1g]

Awww....c-u-t-e....