This will be posted on multiple forums.
Ok It seems like there isn't much PRC love in pathfinder that said. Dose their need to be?
I think their needs to be some PRC for flavors sake like when mixing a couple different classes together like the eldritch knight. Or Once that serve some specific niche like for example the lore-master. But other like for example a samurai Is very similar to a fighter. Or A pirate is pretty much a high seas rogue.
My idea
Take allot of the older class abilities from whatever prestige class, Maybe tweak them out a little and make this into class features. For example some of the Frenzied Berserk-er abilities may be changed into rage abilities.
Or maybe Some Dread pirate abilities can be converted into rogue talents? This way you can have characters which are the flavor of the prestige class without slitting your own throat.
Do you think this would be a worthwhile community endeavor?
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In every conceivable way, yes.
I'm a big supporter of "Less Classes, More Options."
Honestly, just toss some prereqs on abilities. There's no reason a Barbarian couldn't gain Frenzied Berserker abilities while raging.
I'm currently working on converting the Blood Magus PrC into a Sorcerer Bloodline, so when I finish that, I'll post it up here to try and get this thread going.
Part of the issue is that prestige classes became a necessity in 3.5 because nearly all the classes in their later levels had big empty dead levels where you got nothing. Now no one said you had to pick up a prestige class (in fact they were originally meant to be a GM tool for NPCs) but its was a big incentive to be able to always get something for every level. I think the designers knew almost instantly that they were going to be a popular choice for PCs (not just because of the class feature thing, but also because they offered a huge possibility for character customization) and wah-lah! A gagillion PrCs became published in every book.
In Pathfinder there was a intentional reworking of that dynamic, and multiclassing general became slightly less savory. Every class has something going on from level 1-20, and you get a small bonus for sticking with your "favored class". There were more class options from the get-go so you had some customization without having to multiclass. The APG archetypes even further reduce the need for multiclassing by offering even more customization.
Prestige classes still exist in pathfinder, of course, however they are less of a necessity and are more designed to fill certain story roles and character careers. An assassin for example is a very specialized killer, and not every assassin is a rogue. A fighter could conceivably become a very effective killer-for-hire.
There will probably be more prestige classes, page for page in the Golarion world books, I am willing to bet, because that's what they were originally meant to do, flesh out the organizations and cultures of specific campaign worlds. In fact, I imagine that for the most part you will see that most PrCs in pathfinder books will be linked to specific organizations rather than being loners with special powers.
I'm thinking organizations could be fleshed out better by Selecting some "Organization Only" Talents or feats or something. Like a faith might be better fleshed out by creating a few Prayer (spells) known by that faith.
Maybe make a few "organization Only" Traits as well.
I'm thinking they can do without almost any PRCS.
Edit: I'll try and come up with some stuff too.
Animal aspect an additional option for a Druids nature bond.
Animal Aspect (Su): At 1st level A druid May select an animal aspect as her natures bond options, (Instead of animal companion or Nature affinity) The druid can take on an aspect of the animals of his selected group. Assuming a wild aspect is a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity Unless otherwise noted, the effect lasts for 1 minute per level. A Druid can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels gained after 1st (twice per day at 6th level and three times per day at 9th level). When a Druid reaches 7th level, his wild aspect becomes more powerful, as described below. If A Druid has the wild shape ability, he can spend one daily use of wild shape to assume his wild aspect instead (the duration is as normal for the wild aspect). If an Druid already has a natural attack of the type gained by his wild aspect, use whichever damage figure is superior while the wild aspect is active. If a Druid wields a weapon while using his wild aspect, he can use the natural attacks gained as natural secondary weapons if he uses his weapon as a primary attack, provided they are still available (an ape aspect couldn’t use a secondary claw attack, for example, if he wields a two handed weapon).
Second Aspect: At 6th level, gains a bonus feat related to his selected group, even if he doesn’t meet the prerequisites. If the Druid already has the feat, he can choose any other feat for which he meets the prerequisites.
Third Aspect: At 10th level, a Druid gains a permanent 2-point increase to one of his Physical ability scores. at 15th level the Aspect gets an additional +2 bonus (making a total of +4) to said ability score.
Ape aspect
First Aspect: An ape aspect gains two claw attacks One primary and one secondary. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small ape aspects).
At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small ape aspects)
The Ape aspect can Rend for normal claw damage + 1.5 times strength bonus.
Second Aspect: Skill Focus Climb
Third Aspect: Strength
Bear aspect
First Aspect: A bear aspect gains a primary and secondary claw attacks. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small bear aspects). If a bear aspect hits with a claw attack, he can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. The bear aspect still follows all the other normal grappling rules. At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small bear aspects).
Second Aspect: Improved Grapple
Third Aspect: Constitution
Bird aspect
First Aspect: A bird aspect grows feathery wings, allowing him to fly at his base land speed (average maneuverability). At 7th level, the duration increases to 10 minutes per level.
Second Aspect: Flyby Attack
Third Aspect: Dexterity
Cat aspect
First Aspect: A cat aspect gains a primary and secondary claw attacks. Each claw deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small cat aspects). If a cat aspect charges, he can attack with both claws at the end of his charge. At 7th level, the claw damage increases to 1d6 points (or 1d4 points for Small
cat aspects).
Second Aspect: Lightning Reflexes
Third Aspect: Dexterity
Horse aspect
First Aspect: A horse aspect’s speed improves by 10 feet for a duration of 1 hour per level. At 7th level, the speed increase improves to 20 feet.
Second Aspect: Endurance
Third Aspect: Constitution
Shark aspect
First Aspect: A shark aspect gains a devastating bite as a primary
natural attack. The bite deals 1d8 points of damage (or 1d6 points for Small shark aspects). A shark aspect also gains the ability to breathe water while his wild aspect is active. At 7th level, the bite damage increases to 2d6 points (or 1d8 points for Small shark aspects).
Second Aspect: Improved Critical Bite
Third Aspect: Strength
Snake aspect
First Aspect: A snake aspect gains a poisonous bite as a primary natural attack for 1 round per level. This bite deals 1d4 points of damage (or 1d3 points for Small snake aspects). At seventh level the bite damage increases to 1d6 (1d4 for Small Snake aspects.)
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 Druid level + Con ; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 (1d3 at 7th level) Con; cure 1 save.
Second Aspect: Improved initiative
Third Aspect: Dexterity
Wolf aspect
First Aspect: A wolf aspect gains the scent ability (see page 304 of Pathfinder Bestiary for details.) for 10 minutes per level. At 7th level, the duration increases to 1 hour per level.
Second Aspect: Improved trip
Third Aspect: Strength
The animal aspect sounds like the GOmancer, but different enough.
Now the Ninja has to be a member of a clan.
I can't do the converting because I'm busy creating Ooglers.
They're floating eyeballs that fill the gap left by a certain other creature.