Talk:Advanced Prestige Classes (3.5e Variant Rule)

Identifier

What identifier would an Advanced Prestige Class use, (DnD Prestige Class) or (DnD Advanced Prestige Class)? Any thoughts? --Sam Kay 12:54, 28 November 2007 (MST)

As a side comment, can "Advanced Prestige Classes" be found in any books made by WotC? --Green Dragon 11:57, 2 December 2007 (MST)

No. I sat down one day and made them up. Come to think of it, that would make the identifier (DnD Prestige Class), wouldn't it? As a side comment, is the idea any good, and does it work? --Sam Kay 13:23, 2 December 2007 (MST)

I don't see the difference between this and a prestige class that has prerequisites fillable only by another prestige class. Why can't the atoning assassin, for example, simply be a PrC with requirements of assassin level 10th and a good alignment? Granted, a strict prerequisite of a specific class in a PrC is unusual and is usually done with a class feature prerequisite, but it's been done once or twice (master specialist, for example, requires being a specialist wizard). --Daniel Draco 15:10, 2 December 2007 (MST)

Daniel Draco makes a good point, this can already be done with using just the normal PrC rules. Also, I remember reading is some D&D book (however I have forgotten where and I am not sure if it is a standard rule or a variant rule... Sledged would know...) that all PrC's, if they are 10 levels long, actually continue onwards onto infinity. All that needs to be done is that the DM and the player, who has maxed out a PrC, get together and make the rest of the PrC's levels. Ultimately, I am trying to get at the fact that this may be obsolete... --Green Dragon 20:01, 2 December 2007 (MST)

Perhaps you're thinking of Epic Level Basics? More generally, I don't see what having a new type of class buys player or DM from a game-mechanical standpoint that just extending the class doesn't. Although the ELH discusses &lsquol;epic’ levels of prestige classes, there's nothing particularly epic about the 11th level of Mystic Theurge, for example. I suppose the question is what can one do with Advanced Prestige Classes that one cannot do with Prestige Classes or Epic Prestige Classes. I didn't see anything like that. Roszlishan 20:47, 2 December 2007 (MST)

Another issue is save DCs for special abilities. With base classes, save DCs increase by one for every two levels (generally). Since a lot of PrCs are only 10 levels long, the save DCs increase at a one to one ratio (like the assassin's death attack) to keep them on par with other abilities and opponent's saves. So by 20th, the save DC is 20 + appropriate ability score modifier. Any save DC that's higher than that before epic levels should be avoided. —Sledged (talk) 21:43, 2 December 2007 (MST)

Good points. As for sledged's point, I have sorted that out; levels for special abilities are not cummulative any more. In answer to Daniel Draco, that is pretty much the point of the APrC- it's more a terminology for a PrC that has a prerequisite of levels in another PrC, rather than an entirely "new type" (although I may have made the mistake of discribing it like a new type of PrC). In answer to Green Dragon, an APrC isn't just an extension, its a focus: like the Dwarven Defender who defends cramped, underground tunnels, or the assassin that infiltrates the strongholds of good forces and eliminates the enemies leader and gathers "Intelligence". I suppose if you think it needs some kind of difference, I could invent one, although I don't think it nessassary. --Sam Kay 10:16, 3 December 2007 (MST)

To answer the original question, going by Daniel Draco's assessment, these classes will just have the "(DnD Prestige Class)" identifier.

So the class features affected by the atoning assassin example would be sneak attack and an increased caster level.

Also, the following line seems a bit misleading:

• An Advanced Prestige Class has no class skills, unless they are in addition to the Base Prestige Class' class skills.

By its wording, it would mean all skills would be cross-class skills, and the character would have to spend two skill points for every one rank. Did you instead mean to say:

• An advanced prestige class has the same class skills and gains the same number of skill points as the qualifying prestige class, unless otherwise noted.

Lastly, the base attack and save bonus table for the atoning assassin need only be five levels long. After that they'll be epic and gain epic bonuses instead. —Sledged (talk) 11:29, 3 December 2007 (MST)

Don't forget the blighter in the Complete Divine. It requires the character to be a 5th-level ex-druid. —Sledged (talk) 11:29, 3 December 2007 (MST)

Ok, sorted the problems. Any more? --Sam Kay 06:52, 4 December 2007 (MST)