With the fashion for Hybrid Classes, and the Millions of Archetypes available, does anyone feel that the Prestige Classes should be rebuilt as characters in their own right?
For example, would you like the ability to play a Shadowdancer or Dragon Disciple from level 1 (albeit much of the strength of the classes locked into higher level positions.
The Blackfire Adept could make a good 2/3 caster; he could do for binding/calling what the Summoner does for summoning monsters.
but the special abilities of that class cover mostly lvl 6-15 You have to make up its native spellcasting ability (arcane or divine wizard/cleric like or more sorcerer/oracle like, what spell list etc, though it will obviously be big on conjuration spells and include such things as planar ally, planar binding, geas...) and what lesser abilities and greater abilities it may gain, including a nice capstone to complement the ability gained at lvl 15 (10 as a PrC)
Do you mean darkfire adept?
With the fashion for Hybrid Classes, and the Millions of Archetypes available, does anyone feel that the Prestige Classes should be rebuilt as characters in their own right?
For example, would you like the ability to play a Shadowdancer or Dragon Disciple from level 1 (albeit much of the strength of the classes locked into higher level positions.
If you take into account the fact you have to turn a 10 lvl class into 20 levels, including about 5 below the start of the class' published abilities and you have to rework the whole spellcasting thing, if any... yeah, that's a daunting, but tempting endeavour.
I would rather rewrite prestige classes to be finished in 3-5 levels.
If you take into account the fact you have to turn a 10 lvl class into 20 levels, including about 5 below the start of the class' published abilities and you have to rework the whole spellcasting thing, if any... yeah, that's a daunting, but tempting endeavour.With the fashion for Hybrid Classes, and the Millions of Archetypes available, does anyone feel that the Prestige Classes should be rebuilt as characters in their own right?
For example, would you like the ability to play a Shadowdancer or Dragon Disciple from level 1 (albeit much of the strength of the classes locked into higher level positions.
I have 20 level versions of the original Prestige Classes written up (including archetypes), but I never got around to the whole publishing thing. The hardest challenge was indeed making higher level features lower level (such as Hide In Plain Sight) and diversifying something like the Mystic Theurge enough that it can be competitive and yet not crush toes.
Funny enough the EK turned out to be very similar to the Occultist when it was released.
I would rather rewrite prestige classes to be finished in 3-5 levels.
I agree with this sentiment. I like prestige classes as another layer of customization and spice. They're often fun exercises to work into an effective build. I honestly think Pathfinder would be worse off without them.
That being said, prestige classes shouldn't have dead levels and they should be more of a dip, rather than half of your levels.
If prestige classes were compressed into 3 to 5 levels, they would be much more accessible and integrate better with other classes, and would open up opportunities for more combinations.
There are some cases where that compression would make the prestige class too powerful for the level investment, sure, but there should be ways to either further gate those abilities or power them down.
Right. 10 level prestige classes should be uncommon.
but rewriting things like the EK or Mystic Theurge as 5lvl classes makes them much less interesting... and a number of them would get a lot more, and excessively, powerful if compressed to 5 lvls.
Not all classes are created equal nor should one be restricted to say 'All X should be Y"; it removes design space.
One of my biggest gripes (that PrC's fix) is the linked BAB to HD for Pathfinder classes. I liked the d8 Ranger with Full BAB for instance.
You're right. I guess I'm saying that 10 levels should not be the default. In many cases it is unnecessary or seems forced.
"Darkfire Adept" is the generic non-PI version of the name for Blackfire Adept that the d20pfsrd site came up with. Those name conversions can create problems when they are used by people unfamiliar with the class names from any other source.
funny, the Nethys Blackfire is known as Darkfirer to the PFSRD
@ David Knott 242. What did you mean by non PI?
Non-Product Identity. I am not sure whether "Blackfire Adept" actually is Product Identity that he is not allowed to use, but the guy at d20pfsrd must have decided not to take any chances there.
And the guy maintaining the Archives of Nethys is not also running a store, so he is allowed to use the Community license that permits him to cite Product Identity and thus use official Golarion names.
With the fashion for Hybrid Classes, and the Millions of Archetypes available, does anyone feel that the Prestige Classes should be rebuilt as characters in their own right?
I don't, no. This looks like a classic solution-in-search-of-a-problem to me.
