Category:Prestige

Prestige (pre-steezh, -steej)

- Noun


 * 1. reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes.


 * 2. distinction or reputation attaching to a person or thing and thus possessing a cachet for others or for the public

Prestige classes represent a strongly held philosophy or membership in an organization. Most prestige classes will have elements of both to them. A character will usually start with just one prestige class and gain a second one by the time they reach third level, but they may start with two. Levels in prestige classes are given out at the discretion of the DM as rewards for the completion of quests and good role-playing. Higher levels in a prestige class represent higher rank in an organization or a better understanding of a philosophy.

The only prestige classes allowed are those permitted by the DM. Certain combinations of prestige classes can be disallowed by the DM if they are clearly and irreconcilably at odds with one another. For example, a Paladin who is also a member of the church of Nerull.

In general, it is best to permit most combinations and to simply role-play the results. All combinations have the potential for conflicting goals and large amounts of character development can be nurtured in these conflicts of interest. The hard choices the player makes can lead the character and even the campaign in interesting and unexpected directions. Also remember that membership in an organization entails duties to that organization. I don't advocate detailed role-playing of a character filling out weekly inventory reports for the organization's western holdings, just understand that the character has mundane chores like this to perform. The higher the rank the more duties, with only so many hours in the day.

Levels, Hit Points, Skills, and Other Stats
Levels gained in prestige classes do not count towards overall character level or caster level unless they are specifically noted otherwise. The power of level dependent spells and the maximum ranks a skill can reach are not altered by prestige levels.

Levels gained in prestige classes cannot be drained by level draining effects and the like. They can only be lost through in game, role-playing situations, such as being demoted or willfully violating one of the core tenants of the philosophy. In an amnesia situation, the character may not be able to access the skills and abilities granted by a prestige class. They are still physically able to do so, they just can't remember how or don't remember that they can. This means that a character with resistance to fire would still take reduced damage from fire even if they had no idea that they possessed this ability.

Modifiers to Attack Bonus, Defense Bonus, and Saves are considered to be part of the character's base and follow all of the appropriate rules. For example, a character with a +5 weapon would not gain more attacks per round as a result of the attack bonus granted by the weapon. A character with +5 attack bonus granted by prestige levels would gain more attacks per round.

Hit Points gained from prestige classes never gain a bonus from Con, feats or bloodlines. The listed amount is the amount that you get, no more and no less.

Skill Points, like Hit Points, are not modified by any external modifier. Bonus from high Int, feats, or bloodlines do not apply.

Tagged skills gained from prestige classes are always considered tagged as long as the character is a member in good standing. This means that a character could spend skill points gained from training or bloodline on prestige tagged skills at the tagged rate. The reverse is not true though, and skill points granted by a specific prestige class can only be spent at the tagged rate on skills tagged by that specific prestige class.

=Creating Prestige Classes=

The first thing to remember when creating a prestige class is that prestige classes always have 10 levels. Never more, never less. Apart from this rule and the rules noted above, the only other mechanical consideration is the relative power of the class. There are any number of ways to create a prestige class and have it be balanced with pre-existing content. I will cover two.


 * 1. The Core Class Method

This method assumes that the classes available in the PHB are well balanced. Make your new prestige class but make it 20 levels long. Compare it to whatever base class it is most like. Does it seem to be about as powerful as the base class? Be honest. If so then condense it down to 10 levels. Change the Hit Points, Attack Bonus, Defense Bonus, and Saves according to the charts below. Write about the organization's goals, beliefs, and history and your prestige class is ready to go. Be prepared to make changes to the class the first few times it is played as problems may become apparent.


 * 2. The Prestige Class Method

This method is almost identical to the above method except you use an existing prestige class as a reference. Make sure it is one with 10 levels and that it's one you feel is balanced with the other classes available in the world.

There are, of course, many other ways of going about it. I feel these two are the best for anyone not interested in making spreadsheets and doing mathematical analysis (which is most people).



=List of Prestige Classes=