Pathfinder has dramtically reduced the emphasis on prestige classes. The truth is paizo has produced a relatively small amount of them. The idea was that it should no longer be a default choice to pick up a prestige class at level 5, and that continuing a base class from 1 to 20 would be a good option.
Prestige classes are there to allow players to do something very specific that base classes dont already do. You wont find a prc to 'enhance spellcasting' you do that by continuing on in sorceror.
Paizo is no longer big on Prestige classes. Though Loremasterr isn't bad for a straight caster. You keep spellcasting and get some interesting abilities, though you lose out on your sorcerer powers.
Not taking a PRC is probably the best way to go.
Unless of course 3.5 material is open for discussion.
We are playing a golarion campaign for some time now, and after many perils we managed to reach lvl 5. Everyone in the group is ready to pick a prestige class except poor me (I play a draconic Sorcerer). I would like to get a prestige class that enhances spellcasting ability, not necessarily combat wise, and a nice touch would be if it was something unique to sorcerers.
So...
Are there any prestige classes that require ability to cast arcane spells without preparation ?No Dragon Disciple jokes plz!!
PF made the base classes good, so prestiging ASAP is not a typical part of character advancement anymore. You'll make your character more powerful by sticking to your base class than your friends will make theirs by prestiging.
There are very few prestige classes for anyone in PF.
It is almost all handled through archtypes, the feats you choose, bloodlines, arcane heritage, traits, and maybe (depending on your build philosophy) muticlassing.
Most people actually do not want the few PrC's available because the stuff your primary class gives you are so cool.
For example if your drac sorc takes a prestige class (except dragon disciple) then he loses progression on the bloodline stuff.
If you are not wanting to really bump up your melee capability (DD), I would recommend just continuing with drac sorc.
That said, since they made a PrC for 1 bloodline, it only seems fair they would make one for the others. I believe many GM's do so.
Wow. ninja'd x3
Paizo dislikes PrCs. But does it have be core only or can you get 3rd party/3.5? If it's the later I can search for something that would help you.
Seconding Dragon Disciple as cool and flavourful for your sort of character.
Unseconding the Dragon Disciple. They're melee based, not really for casters.
Super Genius Games has a product for sorcerers out. No PrCs, but interesting options. And the guy who makes them has done a lot of work for Paizo.
There really aren't that many 3rd party prestige classes. 4 Winds Fantasy Games Book of Arcane Magic doesn't have any.
I have played a dragon disciple in the past, and my current character has 8 str so no melee for me. Well I guess I will play the core sorcerer again :(
The variety for sorcerors really comes out of bloodlines. But, the pdf mentioned above by super genius games does offer the option to take Quasi Feats at certain levels that give you different abilities (for instance one allows you to add your bloodline powers to monsters you summon) which in the case of a draconic sorceror would be pretty awesome (natural armor, claw attacks, eventually breath weapons and flight). And that would likely take you in a direction a normal sorceror would not normally go. That is just one example (i dont have my copy with me) but there are many other ways it lets you customize your sorceror to be different then a pure core one.
The last one loses a caster level, but isn't so bad otherwise.
I have played a dragon disciple in the past, and my current character has 8 str so no melee for me. Well I guess I will play the core sorcerer again :(
Make it unique through the spell selection. i was thinking of making one with only the odd or little used spells. There are only a couple you really have to have like detect magic and read magic. I won't take magic missle, mage armor, haste, etc... I'm going to go through the list and choose from the spells I've never seen anyone cast. Not optimal, but it should still be useful and interesting. I would also consider the arcane heritage feats to get a second set of sorc bloodline abilities. Elemental goes pretty well with draconic.
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The day that Paizo developers ruled that wizards, witches, and magi don't get their spells known when they go into a spellcasting prestige class was the day that I knew without a doubt that Paizo hated prestige classes.
Or Paizo just hates witches, wizards, and magi.
Or Paizo just hates witches, wizards, and magi.
I might believe that if they got less support than the prestige classes. :P
It's a cover up. I mean, come on, you saw some of those wizard archtypes in UM, right? ;P
What about the Bloat Mage from the City of Secrets book he is really cool
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... There are MAJOR differences between 3.5's Dragon Disciple and it's Pathfinder incarnation. For one thing the 3.5 version did not advance spellcasting AT ALL. only giving you a couple of extra spells every now and then.
But it actually turned you into a large half-dragon! I mean what could be cooler than that ?!?
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... There are MAJOR differences between 3.5's Dragon Disciple and it's Pathfinder incarnation. For one thing the 3.5 version did not advance spellcasting AT ALL. only giving you a couple of extra spells every now and then.But it actually turned you into a large half-dragon! I mean what could be cooler than that ?!?
Thank goodness I'm not the only one that misses that part of DD! :(
Greetings, fellow travellers.
While it does not contain prestige classes, the compilation in this thread is specifically designed to give sorcerers a new edge.
Ruyan.
As others have said if you want to be the most powerful caster you can be then you should focus on being a caster and not get diverted by other paths.