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Blackjackg
2013-10-07, 04:32 PM
This is a repost of a thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267920) I started about 9 months ago... I hope it's OK that I'm bringing it up again, because I've been tinkering with the idea and was hoping for some ideas on a specific question (question is at the bottom, after the long quote).


This concept was imagined specifically for a campaign in which prestige classes are not automatically available to characters; they must be discovered or earned through roleplaying. Limiting access to prestige classes necessarily creates more problems for some characters than for others, and multiclass characters in particular seem to be among the hardest hit. A multiclass cleric/wizard, for example, will have a harder time if they do not have access to the Mystic Theurge class right away.

In order to address this issue, I created the Generic Prestige classes. These are do-it-yourself basic prestige classes for multiclass characters. Unlike "real" prestige classes, they are automatically available to any character who meets the prerequisites. All Generic Prestige Classes have a maximum of 15 levels, and as a rule offer fairly consistent, moderate benefits rather than major class abilities.

What is presented here are not complete classes, they are "aspects." Each one is, in essence, half of a class. They each have a hit die, a number of skill points, a Base Attack Bonus, and one or more "good" saves, as well as a list of specific class abilities, by level.

In order to create a Generic Prestige Class, players choose two aspects (no more, and no less) and combine them. The class uses the better of the two hit dice, skill points, and BAB, and has all of the "good" saves that each aspect provides. In addition, the character gains the class abilities of both aspects. Two examples of complete Generic Prestige Classes are given at the end of this document.

The following are some sample aspects. These are only a few of the most basic options, and you could certainly have fun making some of your own.

A note about the names: In these presentations, aspects are named with the formula (adjective)/(noun). Ideally, players creating their own Generic Prestige Class would invent their own name for the class, but if they want to be lazy they can simply take the adjective from one aspect and the noun from the other and mash them together for a makeshift class name. For the samples in this post, I'm going to be lazy.

Arcane/Mage, Divine/Mystic, and Psionic/Manifester
Arcane/Mage

Prerequisites: Able to cast 2nd level arcane spells
Hit Die: d4
Skill Points: 2
BAB: ½
Good Saves: Will

1 --
2 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
3 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
4 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
5 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
6 --
7 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
8 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
9 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
10 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
11 --
12 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
13 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
14 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class
15 +1 caster level of arcane spellcasting class

Divine/Mystic

Prerequisites: Able to cast 2nd level divine spells
Hit Die: d4
Skill Points: 2
BAB: ½
Good Saves: Will

1 --
2 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
3 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
4 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
5 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
6 --
7 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
8 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
9 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
10 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
11 --
12 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
13 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
14 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class
15 +1 caster level of divine spellcasting class

Psionic/Manifester

Prerequisites: Able to manifest 2nd level powers
Hit Die: d4
Skill Points: 2
BAB: ½
Good Saves: Will

1 --
2 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
3 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
4 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
5 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
6 --
7 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
8 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
9 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
10 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
11 --
12 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
13 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
14 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
15 +1 manifester level of manifesting class
The above three aspects, Arcane/Mage, Divine/Mystic and Psionic/Manifester may be combined with one another, or with themselves. In order for any one aspect to be combined with itself, it must meet the spellcasting or manifesting prerequisite twice, with two different classes. For example, in order to combine the Arcane/Mage aspect with itself, a character must have the ability to cast second level arcane spells with each of two different classes. By combining the Arcane/Mage aspect with itself to create a complete Generic Prestige Class, the character gains access to its special ability twice per level, and the two benefits must be applied to two different arcane spellcating classes.

If a character chooses to combine one of the above three aspects with another of them, or with itself, add the following special class ability to the 1st, 6th, and 11th level slots: "+1 to the lower of your arcane spellcasting/divine spellcasting/manifesting classes." This abilty is applied only once per level, not twice. If the character's caster or manifester levels are equal, they may choose which caster or manifester level to increase each time they gain this ability.

Here's two more fairly standard ones. These aspects can not be combined with themselves (although they could certainly be combined with each other).

Martial/Warrior and Stealthy/Ambusher
Martial/Warrior

Prerequisites: BAB +4, proficiency with all simple and martial weapons
Hit Die: d10
Skill Points: 2
BAB: 1/1
Good Saves: Fortitude

1 --
2 --
3 Bonus feat
4 --
5 --
6 Bonus feat
7 --
8 --
9 Bonus feat
10 --
11 --
12 Bonus feat
13 --
14 --
15 Bonus feat

Stealthy/Ambusher

Prerequisites: Sneak attack, sudden strike +2d6 or skirmish +1d6 dmg, +1 AC
Hit Die: d6
Skill Points: 6
BAB: ¾
Good Saves: Reflex

1 +1d6 dmg to special attack
2 --
3 +2d6 dmg to special attack (or +1d6 dmg, +1 AC to skirmish)
4 --
5 +3d6 dmg to special attack (or +2d6 dmg, +1 AC to skirmish)
6 --
7 +4d6 dmg to special attack (or +2d6 dmg, +2 AC to skirmish)
8 --
9 +5d6 dmg to special attack (or +3d6 dmg, +2 AC to skirmish)
10 --
11 +6d6 dmg to special attack (or +3d6 dmg, +3 AC to skirmish)
12 --
13 +7d6 dmg to special attack (or +4d6 dmg, +3 AC to skirmish)
14 --
15 +8d6 dmg to special attack (or +4d6 dmg, +4 AC to skirmish)
The next three are perhaps the most basic aspects. They grant no class abilities themselves, but instead maximize certain static class attributes (hit dice, skill points, and saving throws, respectively).

Stalwart/Tank, Skilled/Master, and Steadfast/Survivor
Stalwart/Tank

Prerequisites: Proficiency with Medium Armor; Max hit points: 45
Hit Die: d12
Skill Points: 2
BAB: 3/4
Good Saves: Fortitude

Skilled/Master

Prerequisites: 8 ranks in at least six different skills
Hit Die: d6
Skill Points: 8
BAB: 3/4
Good Saves: Reflex

Steadfast/Survivor

Prerequisites: Fortitude Save +3; Reflex Save +3; Will Save +3
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4
BAB: 3/4
Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex, Will
And the most versatile (and therefore, probably the most exploitable) all-purpose aspect:

General/Generalist

Prerequisites: None
Hit Die: d6
Skill Points: 4
BAB: 1/2
Good Saves: Any one

Choose a base class in which you have at least three levels. Choose one class ability of that class. Add your level in the Generic Prestige Class to your level in that class with regard to uses of that ability (e.g., number of uses per day, saves, etc.). At the DM's discretion, add your level in the General/Generalist prestige class to your level in the chosen base class in order to determine access to related class abilities.

For example, Krusk chooses his Barbarian base class and his Rage ability. He adds his level in Generic Prestige Class to his Barbarian level to determine not only his number of uses of Rage per day, but also his access to the Greater Rage, Tireless Rage, and Mighty Rage class abilities. He does not add his Generic Prestige Class level to his Barbarian level to determine his Trap Sense bonus, or his Damage Reduction, as these are not specifically related to his Rage ability.

If the General/Generalist aspect is applied to the Animal Companion class ability, Generic Prestige Class levels always count as Druid levels when calculating an animal companion's hit dice and related benefits, regardless of which base class offered the Animal Companion ability.

This aspect explicitly can not affect spellcasting, manifesting (or similar abilities, such as infusions) or any version of the sneak attack, sudden strike, or skirmish ability.
Sample Generic Prestige Classes
Divine Manifester

Prerequisites: Able to cast 2nd level divine spells; Able to manifest 2nd level powers
Hit Die: d4
Skill Points: 2
BAB: ½
Good Saves: Will

1 +1 to lower of divine spellcasting class or manifesting class
2 +1 level of divine spellcasting class/+1 level of manifesting class
3 +1 level of divine spellcasting class/+1 level of manifesting class
4 +1 level of divine spellcasting class/+1 level of manifesting class
5 +1 level of divine spellcasting class/+1 level of manifesting class
6 +1 to lower of divine spellcasting class or manifesting class
7 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
8 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
9 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
10 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
11 +1 to lower of divine spellcasting class or manifesting class
12 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
13 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
14 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class
15 +1 level of divine spellcasting Class/+1 level of manifesting class


Martial Ambusher

Prerequisites: BAB +4; proficiency with all simple and martial weapons; Sneak attack, sudden strike +2d6 or skirmish +1d6 dmg, +1 AC
Hit Die: d10
Skill Points: 6
BAB: 1/1
Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex

1 +1d6 dmg to special attack
2 --
3 +2d6 dmg to special attack (or +1d6 dmg, +1 AC to skirmish); Bonus feat
4 --
5 +3d6 dmg to special attack (or +2d6 dmg, +1 AC to skirmish)
6 Bonus feat
7 +4d6 dmg to special attack (or +2d6 dmg, +2 AC to skirmish)
8 --
9 +5d6 dmg to special attack (or +3d6 dmg, +2 AC to skirmish); Bonus feat
10 --
11 +6d6 dmg to special attack (or +3d6 dmg, +3 AC to skirmish)
12 Bonus feat
13 +7d6 dmg to special attack (or +4d6 dmg, +3 AC to skirmish)
14 --
15 +8d6 dmg to special attack (or +4d6 dmg, +4 AC to skirmish); Bonus feat
Retraining:
At the DM's discretion, a character who gains access to a new prestige class with similar benefits to their Generic Prestige Class may retrain some or all of their Generic levels into levels of the new prestige class (in order to do this, they must meet all prerequisites for the new prestige class without the benefit of the Generic Prestige Class levels that they intend to retrain). For example, Kegobier is a Wizard 3/Druid 4/Arcane Generalist 3. Through roleplaying, he gains the option of taking levels in the Arcane Heirophant prestige class. The DM decides that this is similar enough to his Generic Prestige Class that the levels can be retrained. Because Kegobier meets all the prerequisites for the Arcane Heirophant with just his Wizard and Druid levels, he is able to retrain all three of his Generic levels. If he had entered the Arcane Generalist class as a Wizard 3/Druid 1 instead, those levels would not provide all of the prerequisites for the Arcane Heirophant class, and he would not be able to retrain all of his Generic levels (although he may be able to retrain some of them).

Creator's notes:
These classes should lean somewhat to the underpowered, but even I can see there are ways that they could be broken to make a character more powerful than they are intended to be. My fix for this is usually "I trust my players not to be jerks," but I wouldn't recommend this option for DM whose players like screwing with them. Obviously, this rule is made as a part of a "real prestige classes have to be earned" ruleset, and I expect its usefulness outside of that is pretty limited.

What I've got here barely scratches the surface of what's possible, but covers a few of the more obvious pieces from the SRD.

The specific question I wanted to ask you homebrewing masterchefs is this: What would the appropriate aspect for Tome of Battle classes look like? I've never played a ToB class before and am uncertain about how to structure appropriate prerequisites or continued advancement for those classes so that it's useful but not overpowered.

Of course, I'm also open to any feedback that can help me to improve or refine this idea generally. Thanks!