Multiple Prestige Classes

[myancey]

Is there a rule that states that you are only allowed to advance in one prestige class at a time?

I had done it as a house rule a while back, but a party member believes it to be RAW. I would rather not sift through 18,000 pages of material looking line by line...but the burden of proof is, unfortunately, on me...

Please help.

This is 3.5 edition, btw.

[The-Mage-King]

Is there a rule that states that you are only allowed to advance in one prestige class at a time?

I had done it as a house rule a while back, but a party member believes it to be RAW. I would rather not sift through 18,000 pages of material looking line by line...but the burden of proof is, unfortunately, on me...

Please help.

This is 3.5 edition, btw.

No. No, there is not.


You may have as many as you want, so long as you meet the prereqs.

[Curious]

In gestalt, yes. Otherwise, no.

EDIT: Ninja'd by a hair!

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I'm not sure what you're asking.

If you're playing the Gestalt rules, yes, the rule states that you can only take one Prestige Class per level. Many people ignore this rule.

If you're playing under the standard rules, then there's no limit on the number of Prestige Classes a character can have and a character can take a level in any class he qualifies for any time he gains a level.

[Diefje]

A gestalt character can’t combine two prestige classes at any level, although it’s okay to combine a prestige class and a regular class. Prestige classes that are essentially class combinations-such as the arcane trickster, mystic theurge, and eldritch knight-should be prohibited if you’re using gestalt classes, because they unduly complicate the game balance of what’s already a high-powered variant. Because it’s possible for gestalt characters to qualify for prestige classes earlier than normal, the game master is entirely justified in toughening the prerequisites of a prestige class so it’s available only after 5th level, even for gestalt characters.

It is to note that these are adapted rules already. They can be adapted further at your/DMs discretion.

[Daftendirekt]

Well, no mention of gestalt was made in the OP, so I'll assume you're not referencing it. No, you can only ever be in one class at a time. You can't magically be in multiple classes simultaneously; gotta go in order.

[Allanimal]

Remember this from the DMG p. 176:


Prestige classes are purely optional and always under the purview of the DM. We encourage you, as the DM, to tightly limit the prestige classes available in your campaign.

So PrCs are definitely in the area where your DM may change or limit things. It's best to ask your DM.

[Dazed&Confused]

If you meet the prerequisites, you can have as many as you want.

Which is great, limiting number of PrCs means you've got way less different options for your char. Of course having a neutral good necromancer/sacred exorcist would be stupid wrong even though it's "allowed", but I wouldn't see a problem in a Transmuter/Master Specialist/Ruathar/Loremaster/Archmage or even a little more than that.

[KillianHawkeye]

Which is great, limiting number of PrCs means you've got way less different options for your char. Of course having a neutral good necromancer/sacred exorcist would be stupid wrong even though it's "allowed"

Why can't a Necromancer/Sacred Exorcist be NG? Especially since Sacred Exorcist requires a Good alignment?

There's nothing in the wizard's class description that limits necromancy to nongood characters, so as long as he avoids raising an army of undead or casting a lot of other [Evil] spells, he shouldn't have any trouble maintaining a Good alignment.

Don't say something's stupid when there's nothing wrong with it. :smallannoyed:

[Hand_of_Vecna]

It was a fairly common houserule in early 3.0 in my experience. Basically back when very few people had figured out what actually made strong characters and diptastic melee could dominate games.

Also alot of DM's were (or still are) intimidated by a level block that extends beyond the allotted space that you need to look in 4 books to know everything it can do.

[herrhauptmann]

I'm not sure what you're asking.

If you're playing the Gestalt rules, yes, the rule states that you can only take one Prestige Class per level. Many people ignore this rule.

If you're playing under the standard rules, then there's no limit on the number of Prestige Classes a character can have and a character can take a level in any class he qualifies for any time he gains a level.

One prestige class at a given level. Yes.
But a gestalt can still have 5 different prestige classes by level 12, just like a non gestalt character. So usually one side gets filled with cleric or factotum, something to help improve the other side of the build.