Prestige Class Balance (D&D class)
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In the 3.0 to 3.5 revision, prestige classes took a major hit. No longer are they a free lunch and a road to power unparalleled; instead they are to be balanced against the core classes. Of course, this does not always work. There are two major problems; unbalanced prestige classes, and unbalanced core classes.
Unbalanced Core Classes
These will only get a short note here; the majority of this article is about balancing the prestige classes themselves.
Certain core classes lend themselves poorly to being balanced against prestige classes because they have no abilities to give up. Worst of these is the original Sorcerer; basically any prestige class is an improvement because the basic sorcerer gets no new abilities as it advances. The Cleric has similar issues, if not so severe. In general, the best way to proceed is to change the core class, as those links will show.
The Balanced Prestige Class
A well-devised and balanced prestige class follows these guidelines.
- Not significantly more powerful in any one area than a core class specialized in that area.
- Has a clear focus and role.
- Develops a new ability outside the scope of core classes.
- Fills a social niche in the game world (such classes are often world-specific).
- Cannot be built as a simple combination of core classes.
Specialist Prestige Classes
These generally appeal to single-class characters, and develop some ability to new heights. Examples include a prestige class to develop bardic music or wild shape, to specialize in a certain weapon, class of skills or type of spells. Such classes should be more powerful than core classes in their selected area, but must give up some of the versatility of the core class.
- Virtuoso
- Warshaper
- Duelist
- Invisible Blade
Multiclass Prestige Classes
These combine the class abilities of several core classes and create a mix where you develop some of these powers faster than a combination of core class levels could do. They almost always require you to take levels in each of the component classes before you can take the prestige class. Again, they should always give up some aspect of what the core classes can do; for example divine spellcaster multiclass prestige classes almost always stop developing their ability to turn undead or wild shape.
- Bladesinger
- Arcane Trickster
- Warpriest
- Mystic Theurge
Unique Prestige Classes
These classes could be a core class, but the concept is not wide, well-developed or unique enough to support one. They gain new abilities with little resemblance to those of any other class. Such classes frequently have their own spell list and special abilities that come out of the blue and do not work well with the character's earlier class abilities. As opposed to all other prestige classes, it is quite easy to make unique prestige classes weak or just unfocused; with no way to continue developing your class abilities after the prestige class has run out you are left by the wayside as your companions continue to grow in their chosen field. Some of these could be expanded into core classes if their role in the campaign merits it.
- Cavalier
- Dervish
- Knight of the Chalice
- Animal Lord
- Blackguard
Cultural Prestige Classes
The hardest to classify, cultural prestige classes are developed not to develop the rules but to fill a role in the campaign. In general, all prestige classes should have a cultural element, but most can still be classified as either specialist or multiclass. A cultural prestige class is often more of a generalist than the other types; their abilities are not determined by a build and game values but rather by the needs of the campaign and their social origin. It is very easy to make an overpowered cultural prestige class, as they often lack a clear focus and it really doesn't make sense to take away any of the abilities they already have. Often, a cultural prestige class can be given entirely new and arbitrary limitations.
- Loremaster
- Church Inquisitor
- Alienist
- Dread Pirate
Balance
Unlike a core class, a prestige class cannot be balanced in a vacuum. It must always be compared to what a core class of equivalent level can do.
Prerequisites
The prerequisites they require mess things up; it is certainly a disadvantage to have tough prerequisites, but you do not lose these abilities; if you were going to get them anyway, the cost is negligible.
Prerequisites should be considered for the class that makes the best basis for the prestige class; the fact that a paladin does not learn third level spells until level 14 does not really affect the balance for a class aimed at clerics.
Entry Point
This is an important consideration and has two effects. Fist and obviously, it determines when you can start the class. The later you begin, the better the class abilities have to be to be competitive. In general, prestige classes that can be entered after level seven need a reason, often that they build upon a specific core class ability that is only available at higher level. Second, it determines when the prestige class ends. A ten level class that can be entered at level 6 ends at the earliest at level 15. A character of this class must have some reasonable development options options before reaching epic levels. Almost all prestige classes should be possible to exit at level 20 at the latest.
Relative Costs
A fifth level nonhuman sorcerer of average intelligence has three feats and 16 skill points to divide on a very short list of class skills. A prestige class that requires three feat prerequisites and two non-class skills at 4 ranks would consume the entire allotment, which means that there are no free options open to the character. And options are fun. Thus, you have to keep track of the relative cost of prerequisites for the target class. An example of a class that is very costly to enter is the loremaster; at seventh level it requires all skill points and feats, as well as three of the sorcerer's 10 spells and one of the sorcerers two third level spells. The loremaster has a strong wizard slant, but it is open to sorcerers, and the above example illustrates relative cost and how hindering they can be.
Relative cost is an important balancing factor for a prestige class, but also a "soft" way to keep certain core classes out of the prestige class. This exaggerates the problems under core class balance (above); weak core classes tend to pay a higher relative cost.
Build Considerations
Certain prestige classes require a special build or combination of classes. Since multiclassing is generally a disadvantage, this affects the balance of the prestige class.
Disadvantages
Certain core classes include disadvantages meant to balance their class abilities. Examples include the oath of service of the Kensai or the rampage of the Frenzied Berserker. Codes of honour are always nebolous and generally only ways to express an alignment restriction. Disadvantages and codes of honor are a role-playing aspect and generally don't affect class balance at all, the exception is if they negate an ability you already have.
Class Abilities
The meat and bone and the reason we all take prestige classes is the abilities they offer. To be worth having, these should be different from core classes but to be balanced they shouldn't be too much different.
In general, compare the class abilities against those of the most similar core class. This is usually one for the four basic classes; the fighter for warrior classes, the wizard for arcane spellcasters, the cleric for divine spellcasters, and the rogue for skilled classes. Classes with a limited spell ability compare to paladins, rangers, or duskblades. Martial arts classes compare to monks and fighters.
In general, prestige classes get more and more powerful abilities than core classes. This is to make up for the difficulty of getting the class in the first case. These abilities are usually more focused, which still leaves the class weaker than core classes in several areas. Generalist prestige classes should be somewhat weaker so they do not outclass core classes.
Specific Class Abilities
As a general guide, simply consider the number of entries in the special section of the class progression table. Most abilities are approximately equal to feats in strength, and those abilities that develop in several steps are generally about as valuable in each of their steps. Of course, certain abilities are stronger or weaker; these are generally worth about twice as much. Examples include most of the class abilities of the rogue (evasion, uncanny dodge, sneak attack), Weapon Specialization (fighter), skirmish (scout), fast movement (barbarian) and so on.
Five skill points (and about three extra class skills) is equivalent to one ability or feat.
Spellcasting ability is worth one feat per spell level achieved, but becomes much more valuable if it stacks with other spellcasting abilities from other classes. Stacking with bard, cleric, or druid spellcasting ability counts as one specific ability per level of spellcasting ability, wizard and sorcerer caster levels are worth three times as much.
Prestige Class Progression
In general, prestige class balance has to be considered at three points in the class progression; upon entry, after about five levels, and at the end of the class. Many prestige classes have only a few levels and thus the last balance point is not applicable to them.
Entry Point
A prestige class is generally quite weak at the entry point. Having just paid the cost to qualify, the character is lacking in other fields and has to start compensating for earlier build choices, getting skills and feats delayed by the entry into the class. At the same time, there are new class abilities to incorporate, which places an even higher stress on skill and feat choices, but at the same time allows the character new tactical options.
In general, a prestige class should offer a significant reward at level one, to make up for the prerequisites and to establish the base for the later abilities of the class.
Midpoint
At or about level five, the prestige class should have matured. By now, you should merit the name of the class and be able to do things you otherwise couldn't. You should have some extra abilities compared to a competing core class; as a rule, about half the prerequisites as "extra" class abilities are about right. So a fighting prestige class that has two feats and eight skill points as prerequisites should have about one extra feat and four extra skill points by now, compared to a standard fighter.
Endpoint
Few prestige classes should have more than ten levels, so I will assume that as the endpoint of the class. By now, the prestige class concept is exhausted; you have fulfilled the archetype the prestige class aims for and need to move on. Compared to a core class character, you should now have recouped all of your prerequisites; by now what was once a cost has turned into assets. But further advancement should be considered. Especially for multiclass prestige classes, further advancement can be a hurdle; the Mystic Theurge must finally decide whether he is an arcane or divine spellcaster and so forth. However, this is beyond the scope of this article.
