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Still working this out for my home game, but thought I'd share. Some mechanics still need some figuring out, names aren't 100% solid, but I think the wacky idea behind it is all good:
Prestige and Achievements
Prestige Classes carry an inherent opportunity cost in the case of levels that might not always reflect the real concept for a character. While Prestige Classes offer a great deal of customization, they don't always feel worth that cost. Lowering a character's base class features in order to obtain levels in a prestige class will drive some players to never take levels that might otherwise be interesting for them.
Prestige Titles
This variant replaces prestige classes with a different system altogether. Inspired by Mythic Adventures, the Prestige system replaces prestige classes with a Achievement system: Titles. Like Mythic Tiers, Prestige Achievements aren't the same thing as levels a character obtains, and don't cost any sort of multiclassing. They have requirements like Prestige Classes do, but the First Achievement is earned when a character joins the organization that supports that class for the first time.
Characters each new Achievements when they complete Challenges that their Prestige Organization likes and supports. Their title grows in ability as a character completes challenges that reflect the goals and nature of that title.
Characters first can choose to pursue and gain a Title at 5th level. Characters can achieve up to five Achievements in a Prestige Title. In order to join and gain access to a Title and its achievements, characters must first meet the prerequisites of that title.
Peerage: At the first achievement, the character receives a bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks made against any one else that shares the same title as they do. This bonus is equal to that character's number of Achievements.
Prestige Saves: At the first achievement, the character receives a bonus on saving throws. Each title has its own favored saving throws. On these favored saving throws, the character gains a prestige bonus equal to the character's number of achievements.
Additional Training: At the first achievement, the character gains new class skills. Each prestige title has its own class skills, which the character adds to their own list of class skills. In addition, every time a character gains a new achievement, they also gain additional hit points or skill points. Each prestige title lists the skill or hit points gained at each new achievement obtained.
Title Feature: Each Prestige Title has a feature ability that all members obtain when they first gain a Achievement in that Title. This feature isn't a Prestige Ability, and is in addition to the prestige ability they can select on their first achievement.
Prestige Ability: At each Achievement, the character gains a prestige ability from that title's list of available prestige abilities.
Capstone: All prestige titles end in a Capstone ability at the 5th achievement.
# of Challenges needed to reach a new Achievement in a Prestige Title:
1st Achievement: Meeting the prerequisites and obtaining membership itself is all that is needed to gain the first achievement of a Prestige Title.
2nd Achievement: 3 Challenges
3rd Achievement: 5 Challenges
4th Achievement: 7 Challenges
5th Achievement: 10 Challenges
This is only a rough outline of the idea, but I think it is implementable as this. I think it'll allow people to consider prestige class ideas for their characters that previously they hadn't considered for the cost of losing their base or core class levels.
New Feat: Dual Titles [Prestige Feat]
Prerequisites: 1st Achievement
Benefit: You can select a second title. If you meet its prerequisites and can join it, you may select that Title's abilities in addition to your first title's. Furthermore, you can select to use that title's hit points, skill points or favored saving throws instead of your first title. You must select which title you use for your Prestige Saves and Additional Training, but both together. You cannot select separate titles for Additional Training and Prestige Saves, they must both be selected from the same Title.
Extra Prestige Ability [Prestige Feat]
Prerequisites: 1st Achievement
Benefit: You gain a prestige ability from your Prestige Title.
More musing and examples on my blog.
Whatcha think?