Saturday, September 6, 2014

On Prestige Classes (An Opinionated and Very Long Post)

The Original Dwarven Defender

PARENTAL ADVISORY: The following can fairly be called an aggressive salvo in the 'Edition Wars'.

Recently on a thread in the Original D&D Discussion group, someone mentioned (with disdain) kits and prestige classes. Having been absent from the hobby for twenty-five years, I only had a vague idea of what prestige classes were. I figured they were like kits--specific and detailed variations on classes that (from an old school approach) were unnecessary and inadvisable for a number of reasons. I was right on the main. But quite frankly I had no idea of the extent of them. I figured 3e included a few extra classes like Thief-Acrobat, Cavalier, Super Duper Anti-Paladin, or whatever. But a quick check on Wikipedia showed that I was, well, naive on the matter. The entry specifies over 800 prestige classes, all described in official TSR or Wizards of the Coast publications.

I had no idea.

So we go from 3 (or 6) classes in original 0e to 11 in 1e, dipping down to 8 in 2e to 800+ in 3e. Now I know that's a slightly unfair way of counting things as each edition featured supplemental material that upped the overall total somewhat. There were, for example, over 300 kits in the so-called 2e 'splatbooks', which obviously laid the groundwork for the explosion of prestige classes in the next edition. But still.

For the fun of it, I thought I would spend a few minutes copying and pasting them all alphabetically. Keep in mind that according to Wikipedia, this includes only the entries from official TSR sources, and may not even be complete ('you can help by expanding it'). I dare all readers to scroll slowly and hold one's breath until the end:

Abjurant Champion
Aboleth Savant
Abolisher
Acolyte of the Ego
Acolyte of the Fist
Acolyte of the Skin
Aerial Avenger
Aeromancer
Agent Retriever
Aglarondan Griffonrider
Akodo Champion
Alchemist Savant
Alienist
Anarchic Initiate
Anarchromancer
Ancient Master
Anima Mage
Animal Lord
Anointed Knight
Apostle of Peace
Arachne
Arachnomancer
Arboreal Guardian
Arcane Archer
Arcane Devotee
Arcane Hierophant
Arcane Lord
Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep
Arcane Trickster
Arcanopath Monk
Archmage
Ardent Dilettante
Argent Fist
Argent Savant
Artist's Vengeance
Arvoreen's Keeper
Arvoreen's Warder
Ashworm Dragoon
Assassin
Astral Dancer
Atavist
Auspician
Avenging Executioner
Bane of Infidels
Barber
Battle Howler of Gruumsh
Battle Maiden
Battle Trickster
Battleguard of Tempus
Battlemage Warlord
Battlepriest of Cormyr
Battlerager
Battlesmith
Bayushi Deceiver
Bear Warrior
Beast Heart Adept
Beastmaster
Beholder Mage
Beloved of Valarian
Bereft
Berserk
Black Blood Cultist
Black Blood Hunter
Black Dog
Black Flame Zealot
Blackguard
Rock and Roll
Blade Bravo
Battle of Evermore
Stairway to Heaven
Blade Dancer
Blade of Orien
Bladesinger
Blessed of Gruumsh
Blighter
Blood Magus
Bloodclaw Master
Bloodhound
Bloodscaled Fury
Bloodsister
Bloodstorm Blade
Boge of Nomog-Geaya
Bonded Summoner
Bone Collector
Bone Knight
Bow Master
Bowman Charger
Branch Dancer
Brawler
Breachgnome
Brimstone Speaker
Cabinet Trickster
Cancer Mage
Candle Caster
Cataclysm Mage
Cavalier
Cave Stalker
Cavelord
Cavestalker
Celebrant of Sharess
Celestial Mystic
Cerebremancer
Cerebrex
Chameleon
Champion of Corellon Larethian
Champion of Gwynharwy
Chaotician
Charlatan
Child of Night
Chimeric Champion of Garl Glittergold
Church Inquisitor
Cipher Adept
Cloaked Dancer
Cloud Anchorite
Cognition Thief
Coiled Cabalist
Combat Medic
Combat Trapsmith
Companion of the Dead
Consecrated Harrier
Contemplative
Corrupt Avenger
Corsair
Cosmic Descryer
Council Mage of Cormyr
Court Herald
Cragtop Archer
Crimson Scourge
Crinti Shadow Marauder
Cryokineticist
Cultist of the Shattered Peak
Cyran Avenger
Cyre Scout
Daggerspell Mage
Daggerspell Shaper
Daidoji Bodyguard
Dancer of Sharess
Dark Lantern
Dark Scholar
Darkhunter
Darkmask
Darkrunner
Darkwater Knight
Darkwood Stalker
Dawncaller
Deadgrim
Death Delver
Deathstalker of Bhaal
Deathwarden Chanter
Deep Avenger
Deep Diviner
Deep Thrall
Deepstone Sentinel
Deepwarden
Deepwood Sniper
Defender of Sealtiel
Defiant
Demonbinder
Demonologist
Demonwrecker
Deneith Warden
Dervish
Devoted Defender
Diabolist
Diamond Dragon
Disciple of Ashardalon
Disciple of Asmodeus
Disciple of Baalzebul
Disciple of Dispater
Disciple of Mammon
Disciple of Mephistopheles
Disciple of the Eye
Disciple of the Word
Disciple of Thrym
Dispassionate Watcher of Chronepsis
Divine Agent
Divine Champion
Divine Crusader
Divine Disciple
Divine Emissary
Divine Oracle
Divine Prankster
Divine Seeker
Doomdreamer
Doomguard
Doomguide
Dracolexi
Dracolyte
Dragon Ascendant
Dragon Descendant
Dragon Devotee
Dragon Disciple
Dragon Lord
Dragon Mystic
Dragon Prophet
Dragon Rider
Dragon Samurai
Dragon Warrior
Dragonheart Mage
Dragonkith
Dragonmark Heir
Dragonrider
Dragonscribe
Dragonslayer
Dragonsong Lyricist
Dragonstalker
Dread Commando
Dread Fang of Lolth
Dread Pirate
Dread Witch
Dreadmaster
Driven Leader Warlord
Drow Judicator
Drunken Master
Duelist
Dungeon Delver
Dungeon Lord
Durrak'ash
Durthan
Dwarven Defender
Dwarven Thane
Dweomerkeeper
Eagle Knight
Earth Dreamer
Earthshaker
Ebon Saint
Ebonmar Infiltrator
Ectopic Adept
Effigy Master
Eldeen Ranger
Elder Druid
Eldritch Disciple
Eldritch Knight
Eldritch Master
Eldritch Theurge
Elemental Archon
Elemental Master
Elemental Savant
Elemental Scion of Zilargo
Elemental Warrior
Elocater
Elven High Mage
Emancipated Spawn
Emissary of Barachiel
Empowered
Enlightened Fist
Enlightened Spirit
Entropist
Entropomancer
Epic Infiltrator
Escalation Mage
Eternal Blade
Eunuch Warlock
Evangelist
Evereskan Tomb Guardian
Exalted Arcanist
Exemplar
Exorcist of the Silver Flame
Exotic Weapon Master
Extreme Explorer
Eye of Gruumsh
Eye of Horus-Re
Eye of Lolth
Faceless Ones
Fang of Lolth
Fang of Sseth
Fatemaker
Fatespinner
Fiend Binder
Fiend of Blasphemy
Fiend of Corruption
Fiend of Possession
Fiend Slayer
Fiend-Blooded
Fiendbinder
Fierce Grappler
Firestorm Berserker
Fist of Hextor
Fist of Raziel
Fist of the Forest
Fist of Zuoken
Flame Steward
Flayerspawn Psychic
Fleet Runner of Ehlonna
Fleshwarper
Flux Adept
Fochlucan Lyrist
Foe Hunter
Follower of the Skyserpent
Force Missile Mage
Forest Master
Forest Reeve
Forsaker
Fortune's Friend
Frenzied Berserker
Frost Mage
Frostrager
Gatecrasher
Gatekeeper Mystagogue
Geomancer
Geometer
Ghost Slayer
Ghost-Faced Killer
Ghostwalker
Giant-Killer
Gladiator
Gloomblade
Glorious Servitor
Gnome Artificer
Gnome Giant Killer
Gnome Giant-Slayer
Goldeye
Goliath Liberator
Gray Guard
Gray Hand Enforcer
Gray Sage
Gray Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme
Great Rift Deep Defender
Great Rift Skyguard
Green Star Adept
Green Whisperer
Guardian Paramount
Guild Thief
Guild Wizard of Waterdeep
Halfling Outrider
Halruaan Elder
Halruaan Magehound
Hammer of Moradin
Hand of the Adama
Hand of the Winged Masters
Harmonium Peacekeeper
Harper Agent
Harper Mage
Harper Paragon
Harper Priest
Harper Scout
Hathran
Havoc Mage
Haztaratain
Heartfire Fanner
Heartseeker
Heartwarder
Heir of Siberys
Hellbreaker
Hellfire Warlock
Hellreaver
Henshin Mystic
Hexer
Hida Defender
Hidecarved Dragon
Hierophant
High Elemental Binder
High Proselytizer
Highland Stalker
Hoardstealer
Holt Warden
Holy Liberator
Holy Scourge
Holy Slayer
Hordebreaker
Horizon Walker
Horned Harbinger
Hospitaler
Hulking Hurler
Hunter of the Dead
Iaijutsu Master
Icesinger
Illithid Body Tamer
Illithid Savant
Illithid Slayer
Illithidkin
Illumine Soul
Imaskari Vengeance Taker
Impure Prince
Incandescent Champion
Incantatrix
Incantifier
Incarnum Blade
Initiate of Pistis Sophia
Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil
Inquisitor
Inquisitor of the Drowning Goddess
Insidious Corruptor
Invisible Blade
Iron Mind
Ironsoul Forgemaster
Itinerant Warder of Yondalla
Jade Phoenix Mage
Jaguar Knight
Jaunter
Jester
Jobber
Jordain Vizier
Justicar
Justice Hammer of Moradin
Justice of Weald and Woe
Justiciar of Taiia
Justiciar of Tyr
Kabuki Warrior
Keeper of the Cerulean Sign
Kensai
King/Queen of the Wild
Kinslayer
Kishi Charger
Knight of the Blue Moon
Knight of the Chalice
Knight of the Chase
Knight of the Crown
Knight of the Flying Hunt
Knight of the Iron Glacier
Knight of the Lily
Knight of the Middle Circle
Knight of the Raven
Knight of the Rose
Knight of the Sacred Seal
Knight of the Scale
Knight of the Skull
Knight of the Sword
Knight of the Thorn
Knight of the Weave
Knight Phantom
Knight Protector
Knight Protector of the Great Kingdom
Knight-Errant of Silverymoon
Landforged Walker
Lasher
Legacy Champion
Legendary Captain
Legendary Dreadnought
Legendary Leader
Legendary Tactician
Leviathan Hunter
Lifedrinker
Lightbearer
Lion of Talisid
Lord of Tides
Loredelver
Loremaster
Luckstealer
Luiren Marchwarden
Lyric Thaumaturge
Maester
Mage of the Arcane Order
Mage-Killer
Magelord
Magic Filcher
Magical Trickster
Maho-Bujin
Maho-Tsukai
Maiden of Pain
Malconvoker
Mamluk
Mantis Mercenary
Maquar Crusader
Martyred Champion of Ilmater
Mask of Johydee
Master Alchemist
Master Astrologer
Master Inquisitive
Master Inquisitive
Master of Chains
Master of Flies
Master of Many Forms
Master Of Masks
Master of Nine
Master of Shadow
Master of Shrouds
Master of the East Wind
Master of the North Wind
Master of the Secret Sound
Master of the South Wind
Master of the Unseen Hand
Master of the West Wind
Master of the Yuirwood
Master of Vipers
Master Samurai
Master Siege Engineer
Master Specialist
Master Thrower
Master Transmogrifist
Medani Prophet
Memory Smith
Menacing Brute
Merchant Prince
Metal Master
Metamind
Mighty Contender of Kord
Mind Mage
Mindbender
Mindspy
Mirumoto Niten Master
Mole
Naked Mole Rat
Monk of the Enabled Hand
Monk of the Long Death
Moon Drover of Cormyr
Moonsea Sentinel
Moonspeaker
Moonstar Agent
Morninglord of Lathander
Mortal Hunter
Moto Avenger
Mountebank
Mystic Keeper of Corellon Larethian
Mystic Theurge
Mystic Wanderer
Mythic Exemplar
Naga Overlord
Nar Demonbinder
Nature’s Warrior
Necrocarnate
Nentyar Hunter
Netherese Arcanist
Neverwinter Nine
Night Mask Deathbringer
Night of the Pearl
Nightcloak
Nightmare Spinner
Nightshade
Nightsong Enforcer
Nightsong Infiltrator
Ninja of the Crescent Moon
Ninja Spy
Noble Adventurer
Noctumancer
Nosomatic Chirurgeon
Occult Slayer
Ocular Adept
Olin Gisir
Ollam
Omatu Master
Oozemaster
Oppressor
Orc Blademaster
Orc Scout
Orc Warlord
Ordained Champion
Order of the Bow Initiate
Ordinator
Osteomancer
Outcast Champion
Outlaw of the Crimson Road
Pact-Bound Adept
Pale Master
Paragnostic Apostle
Paragnostic Initiate
Peerless Archer
Peregrine Runner
Perfect Wight
Perfected One
Pious Templar
Planar Champion
Planar Shepherd
Planeshifter
Platinum Knight
Poison Fist
Poisoner
Prairie Runner
Primal Rager
Primal Scholar
Prime Underdark Guide
Primeval
Prophet of Erathaol
Psi-hunter
Psibond Agent
Psion Uncarnate
Psionic Fist
Purebreath Devotee
Purifier of the Hallowed Doctrine
Purple Dragon Knight
Pyrokineticist
Quori Mindhunter
Quori Nightmare
Knock Knock?
Radiant Servant of Pelor
Rage Mage
Rainbow Servant
Ranger Knight of Furyondy
Who's There?
Ranger of the Night’s Watch
Raumathari Battlemage
Ravager
Reachrunner
Ordinator
Reaper's Child
Reaping Mauler
Recaster
Red Avenger
Ordinator Who?
Red Dragon Disciple
Red Wizard
Red Wizard of Thay
Reforged
Your Pizza's Here. Aren't You The Guy That Ordinated It?
Renegade Mastermaker
Replacement Killer
Revenant Blade
Righteous Zealot
Rimefire Witch
Risen Martyr
Ronin
Royal Explorer
Royal Scout of Cormyr
Ruathar
Ruby Knight Vindicator
Runecaster
Runecaster
Runescarred Berserker
Runesmith
Sacred Exorcist
Sacred Fist
Sacred Warder of Bahamut
Sanctified Mind
Sanctified One
Sand Shaper
Sapphire Hierarch
Scaled Horror
Scar Enforcer
Scarlet Corsair
Scion of Dantalion
Scion of Tem-Et-Nu
Scorpion Heritor
Scorpion Wraith
Scourge Maiden
Scout Warlord
Sea Mother Whip
Sea Witch
Seeker of the Misty Isle
Seeker of the Song
Sentinel of Bharrai
Serene Guard
Serpent Slayer
Shaaryan Hunter
Shadar Sentinel
Shade Hunter
Shadow Adept
Shadow Apostle
Shadow Hunter
Shadow Scout
Shadow Sentinel
Shadow Sun Ninja
Shadow Thief of Amn
Shadowbane Inquisitor
Shadowbane Stalker
Shadowblade
Shadowcraft Mage
Shadowcrafter
Shadowdancer
Shadowmind
Shadowsmith
Shadowspy
Shadowstriker
Shaper of Form
Shapeshifter
Shark Cultist
Shen
Shiba Protector
Shifter
Shining Blade of Heironeous
Shintao Monk
Shoal Servant
Shou Disciple
Silver Key
Silver Pyromancer
Silverhair Knight
Silverstar
Silverstar
Singer of Concordance
Singh Rager
Siren
Skullclan Hunter
Skylord
Skypledged
Slaad Brooder
Slayer
Slayer of Domiel
Slime Lord
Snake Servant
Solar Channeler
Soldier of Light
Son of Mercy
Soul Eater
Soulbow
Soulcaster
Soulguard
Soulknife
Soulreaver
Sovereign Speaker
Spell Sovereign
Spellcarved Soldier
Spelldancer
Spellfire Channeler
Spellfire Hierophant
Spellguard of Silverymoon
Spellsinger
Spellsword
Spellwarp Sniper
Sphere Minion
Spinemeld Warrior
Spirit Speaker
Spur Lord
Spymaster
Squire of Legend
Stalker of Karash
Stalwart Warden
Steel Legionnaire
Stoneblessed
Stonedeath Assassin
Stoneface
Stonelord
Stonespeaker Guardian
Storm Disciple
Storm Sentry
Stormcaster
Stormlord
Stormsinger
Stormtalon
Streetfighter
Strifeleader
Sublime Chord
Suel Arcanamach
Sun Soul Monk
Sunmaster
Survivor
Swanmay
Swift Wing
Swiss Burger with Bacon
Sword Dancer
Sword of Righteousness
Sworn Slayer
Sybil
Tactical Soldier
Tainted Scholar
Talon of Tiamat
Talontar Blightlord
Tamer of Beasts
Tattooed Monk
Techsmith
Telflammar Shadowlord
Tempest
Templar
Temple Raider of Olidammara
Tenebrous Apostate
Thayan Gladiator
Thayan Knight
Thayan Slaver
The Athar
The Cipher
The Darkwood Stalker
The Duelist
The Flesheater
The Glaive of Azharadian
The Green Hunter
The Infused
The Mourner
The Mystic
The Sensate
The Sinker
The Tainted
The Taker
The Xaositect
Thief of Life
Thief-Acrobat
Thrall of Baphomet
Thrall of Dagon
Thrall of Demogorgon
Thrall of Fraz-Urb'luu
Thrall of Graz'zt
Thrall of Juiblex
Thrall of Kostchtchie
Thrall of Malcanthet
Thrall of Orcus
Thrall of Pazuzu
Thrall of Zuggtomy
Thrallherd
Thunder Guide
Tiger Mask
Topaz Guardian
Totem Rager
Totemic Demonslayer
Trapsmith
Tree-Friend
Triadic Knight
Tribal Protector
Troubadour of Stars
True Necromancer
Truth Seeker
Twisted Lord
Twisted Sister
Ultimate Magus
Umbral Disciple
Unbound Scroll
Uncanny Trickster
Unholy Ravager
Unholy Ravager of Tiamat
Union Sentinel
Unseen Seer
Ur-Priest
Urban Savant
Urban Soul
Vadilis Beastkeeper
Vassal of Bahamut
Vengeance Knight
Vengeance Sworn
Verdant Lord
Vermin Keeper
Vermin Lord
Vigilant Sentinel of Aerenal
Vigilante
Virtuoso
Visionary Seeker
Void Disciple
Waker of the Beast
Walker in the Waste
War Chanter
War Hulk
War Mind
War Weaver
War Wizard of Cormyr
Warchief
Warforged Juggernaut
Warmaster
Warpriest
Warrior of Darkness
Warrior Skald
Warshaper
Warsling Sniper
Watch Detective
Wavekeeper
Waverider
Waveservant
Wayfarer Guide
Weapon Master
Wearer of Purple
Weightless Foot
Weretouched Master
Whisperknife
Whitehorn
Wild Mage
Wild Plains Outrider
Wild Scout
Wild Soul
Wildrunner
Windrider
Windsinger
Windwalker
Windwright Captain
Winterhaunt of Iborighu
Witch Hunter
Witch Slayer
Witchborn Binder
Wizard of High Sorcery
Wonderworker
World Guardian
Worldspeaker
Wormhunter
Wyrm Wizard
Yakuza
Yathchol Webrider
Yathrinshee
Yuan-Ti Cultist
Zerth Cenobite
Zhentarim Skymage
Zhentarim Spy

Okay, so I added a few lines just to see if anyone was paying attention. But 99% of the above is 100% accurate.

What are we to say of them all?

Well, first, especially when listed on, well, a list like this, it's amazing, to be frank, just how plain dumb many of them sound:

Knight-Errant of Silverymoon?
Purple Dragon Knight?
Silverhair Knight?

And those are just the knights.

Second, of the remainder it's notable how sinister so many of them are:

Dark Scholar
Death Delver
Deathstalker of Bhaal
Demonologist
Diabolist
Disciple of Baalzebul

And those are just the D's.

(I can't believe Spalding's even bringing that up. It's only a game. Twelve year old's know that--though clearly Spalding doesn't. He's probably, you know, one of those moral police people or something, in favor of censorship.)

I'm not in favor of censorship actually. But in honesty, if I were (please note the if), forget about D.H. Lawrence, Nietzsche and The Anarchist's Cookbook. I'd settle for banning prestige classes and be done with it. Would Congress go for that?

But seriously, the silly and sinister aside. The whole idea of prestige classes is just cracked from a design point of view. As an example, take Dwarven Defender--one of the more 'normal' options. Here's part of the description from the Hypertext D20 SRD:

When he adopts a defensive stance, a defender gains phenomenal strength and durability, but he cannot move from the spot he is defending. He gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the defender’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 4 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in a defensive stance, a defender cannot use skills or abilities that would require him to shift his position. A defensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A defender may end his defensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defensive stance, the defender is winded and takes a -2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. A defender can only use his defensive stance a certain number of times per day as determined by his level (see Table: The Dwarven Defender). Using the defensive stance takes no time itself, but a defender can only do so during his action. When he adopts a defensive stance, a defender gains phenomenal strength and durability, but he cannot move from the spot he is defending. He gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the defender’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 4 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in a defensive stance, a defender cannot use skills or abilities that would require him to shift his position. A defensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A defender may end his defensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defensive stance, the defender is winded and takes a -2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. A defender can only use his defensive stance a certain number of times per day as determined by his level (see Table: The Dwarven Defender). Using the defensive stance takes no time itself, but a defender can only do so during his action.

Hmm. Interesting. Okay, here's my alternative suggestion. You want to be a Dwarven Defender? Okay, just be a Dwarven Defender. Act like one. Stand there on the stairs as the Orcs are coming up them and hit them with your axe, one by one. Make notches somewhere to record your kills. When your axe becomes ineffective (at on average about 30 Orcs or so), throw it away and grab a spare. And so on.

Why must all of this be done for you (and then described in the most needlessly complicated and excruciatingly boring way possible)? Is it because your imagination (you are a twelve year old) isn't good enough? Do you need the experts at Wizards of the Coast to help you on that?

Give me a break.

...

THE PARENTAL ADVISORY IS NOW OVER. GO BACK TO YOUR STATIONS. Whatever your group wants to do is okay as long as your group wants to do it. Kumbaya, my Lord, and all that. If you want to build a Breachgnome, go for it!

7 comments:

  1. Those three prestige classes you pointed out are all campaign-specific ones, they made a lot of prestige classes that were thematic to certain worlds, and a prestige class usually offered extra powerful abilities but you only got 10 levels worth of as prestige class. It was a neat system, but you're absolutely right, there were way too many of them and most of them were ridiculous.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can you even imagine trying to get all the rules for all the classes to work together in some halfway reasonable fashion? Must have been insane. Well I've played a good deal of 3.5 and weirdly never seen anyone take levels in a prestige class, so it certainly wasn't integral to the system.

    The term 'prestige' implies that the class is a reward of sorts, and all of them have requirements, things one must actually do, in order to take levels in them. (No one starts in a prestige class.) But it occurs to me that as well as rewards available if you do something particularly heroic or dastardly, there should be a corresponding set of punishment classes one is forced to take a level in after being a complete jerk. "Dwarven portapot cleaner" or "Wretched Cannon Fodder of Khorne". Might have redeemed the whole idea. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nice article. I think it also comes under the idea of "rules bloat" where you just have so many different character classes and expansion rules that you can't keep track. It's like that in many games - Pathfinder, Rifts, and even Warhammer 40K amongst others.
    This inevitable ends up leading to "power creep" as each new book's classes get more cool powers than the last...until the original rulebook's classes are totally useless in favour of the "Super-Warrior of Awesomeness."
    Totally agree about just _playing_ the character as they should be played. I mean...that's Role Playing is it not? That being said, the D&D rules were not all that flexible when it came to individual combat style (there really wasn't much of that) and even characters. I mean, how many generic "elven archers" have you seen around the place? Loads. Which means it's way too easy to have carbon-copy characters.
    Anyway, that's how I see it :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sweet mother of Christmas. I think I'll stick to Cleric, Fighting-Man, Magic-User, and Thief.

    Unless I'm playing Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerors of Hyperborea, in which case, I'll generally go for any of the classes in that game and the ones in Scott Moberly's fanzine.

    But yeah. When there becomes more classes than dice can fit in a fishbowl, it's time for me to find another game! Thank you for the analysis, Oakes!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Having played in the 3/3.5 era, I can say that as a DM all the prestige classes drove me nuts. Especially, as mentioned, they were not designed to all work together, and many players derived great joy from finding all the broken class combinations that made them uber-munchkin-style powerful.

    It took me a long time to understand what it was really all about. As with you, I come from the school of "if you want to play that kind of character, just play it..." But the thing is, a lot of the younger crowd and even older players then new to D&D didn't see it that way. As has been discussed elsewhere and more in depth, Old School gaming was/is more about building a character through in-game experiences, i.e. creating a character history through adventure; modern gaming styles, influenced from console/computer RPGs, is more about character building in the statistical abstract, i.e. building the character stats and abilities, with adventures providing the resources (XP) by which a character can be built.

    Very different focus, very different gaming styles. Whether 3/3.5 was originally designed to embrace that style, I cannot say, but it eventually grew (bloated) to do so...

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  6. I went cross-eyed somewhere in the middle, but then I got better.
    I loathe the prestige classes of 3e. When I first read about them in Dragon before 3e released I thought, "Hey, kits." Now being a big 2e player I did like kits. Well, I liked some kits. I thought the fighter kits were nice because they gave the fighter, an otherwise boring character, a bit of depth. It was also the only way in 2e to get the cavalier back, albeit modified, but better balanced. I can't believe I just said balanced. Then the next complete handbook came out and the next one and suddenly I wasn't so happy with the kits anymore.
    When you see all those prestige classes in a list it boggles the mind. So many of them are so narrowly focused, due to campaign settings and such, as to be pointless. They point to a major problem with 3e, which is that the adventurer is no longer an adventurer. The adventurer is just a dude doing a job. Many of those prestige classes are, effectively, jobs that NPCs should be doing. Do you want to tie your character permanently to the fate of a political system by being a secret spy for them? Not me, mate. I've got dungeons to delve and property to take from the inhabitants of said dungeons. It's just too much work to try to justify why my special knight of a special cult is off helping a village in lands that are not my own.

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    1. Yes. Exactly so. I wonder how many players chose one of these at some point, reveling in the frisson of it for a few hours, and then all but forgot about it later as they--as you so well reference--went back to killing monsters and taking their stuff.

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