Most Unique/Niche PrCs

[atemu1234]

What are the most unique prestige classes out there? Or the ones that fill a very, very specific niche and are interesting?

My favorite so far is Fang of Lolth, from Song and Silence. One of the few PrCs that allow you to play Dr. Brundle with a Spider.

[TheCrowing1432]

Dungeon Delver.

Very specific to dungeons, its like the roguest of rogues.

[Xuldarinar]

Not a favorite of mine, but one I feel suits the discussion.

Risen Martyr. It is the only PrC I have ever seen that requires you be dead to enter. Not undead, not previously dead, currently deceased.

[Nettlekid]

A lot of the _____ Hunter-style PrCs would fit the bill. There are several that hate Aberrations or Undead, and they give up utility for specialization.
I'd also maybe say Stalker of Kharash, because being able to track Evil by scent is totally unique and very flavorful.
But I'd probably say Hellbreaker from FCII. They're ONLY about messing with demons/devils, but they have a lot of fun tricks with which to do it.

[Phelix-Mu]

Was it Prophet of Erathaol? Really interesting if you are using the channeling rules, which are a bit complicated, but otherwise just a way to get 10 levels of all good saves on a 9/10 progression of any spellcasting class (though it requires ability to cast 4th level arcane or divine spells anyway).

Still some interesting flavor. At once possibly the most featureless, but perhaps most flexible, PrC in the book. Except you can't have sex. Cause everyone knows that good people don't go in for that (or something?). I understand Vow of Chastity in theory, but on a practical level, it's a totally weird way to gain power. At least it sucks, hehe.

Whoa, unintended pun.

[Amphetryon]

Merchant Prince springs to mind as pretty niche.

[deuxhero]

Chameleon.

Master of Masks is the only thing even remotely like it and it's not very good.

[Forrestfire]

Silver Key. It's a pretty terrible class based around breaking and entering. Only Kundarak dwarves can enter it, and over the levels of the class, it mostly just gives some okay bonuses to skills.

However, it has what I think is the coolest capstone in the game. Immunity to Doors.


At 10th level, you have reached the pinnacle of a silver key's prowess, this potent ability allows you to make use of any magic door or portal you come across as though you had the specific ability to do so. In particular, you can bypass arcane lock spells as though you yourself had cast them, ignore glyphs of warding as though you knew the password (even glyphs that have no password), and bypass the magic of a hold portal as though you could cast knock at will.
Your power even extends to portals created or maintained by magic. You can follow another character through a phase door, and can enter a Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, a dragonmark demesne (see page 149), and similar structures regardless of whether the caster designated you as one of the creatures able to enter.

[Sartharina]

Silver Key. It's a pretty terrible class based around breaking and entering. Only Kundarak dwarves can enter it, and over the levels of the class, it mostly just gives some okay bonuses to skills.

However, it has what I think is the coolest capstone in the game. Immunity to Doors. And that "And similar effects" clause is pretty damn handy if broadly interpretted enough.

Oh god I can't stop laughing imagining Tippyverse wizards trying to do... whatever it is tippyverse wizards do on their private demiplanes contingencied and warded to prevent all access from people that aren't them (Even through Wish transportations)... and suddenly "HOW THE HELL DID THIS DWARF GET IN HERE?!"

[Forrestfire]

I'd imagine that since the class is so terrible, he's just a fairly harmless dwarf that hangs out in various Magnificent Mansions and drinks peoples' booze :smallamused:

[RaggedAngel]

Eberron is absolutely stuffed with these. Most of them are pretty bland, but a standout is Master Inquisitive. It's an excellently terrible PrC that gives you small bonuses towards things that should probably be roleplayed instead of rollplayed, and doesn't help your character anywhere but a city or for anything but gaining information.

[torrasque666]

I am totally making a Doorlord now. Reoccurring NPC hopefully. Just kinda wanders through scenes, popping up at seemingly random times.

[Jeff the Green]

Dungeon Delver.

Very specific to dungeons, its like the roguest of rogues.

And on the opposite end, Dungeon Lord. There are other classes in the same vein, like Crypt Warden and Evereskan Tomb Guardian.

[Fax Celestis]

Jaunter is a fave of mine. A non-casting class that grants you teleportation abilities based on your DEX mod? Weird already. But then it's also only four levels long (which incidentally makes it dovetail with Telflammar Shadowlord very nicely), comes from an adventure path but isn't related whatsoever to the path, and seems to be largely forgotten by pretty much everyone despite having access as early as fourth level (Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, and Know: Planes 4 for prereqs). So it's an early-entry short-leveled PrC from an odd source with odd-yet-awesome mechanics. Sign me up.

[Sartharina]

Jaunter is a fave of mine. A non-casting class that grants you teleportation abilities based on your DEX mod? Weird already. But then it's also only four levels long (which incidentally makes it dovetail with Telflammar Shadowlord very nicely), comes from an adventure path but isn't related whatsoever to the path, and seems to be largely forgotten by pretty much everyone despite having access as early as fourth level (Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, and Know: Planes 4 for prereqs). So it's an early-entry short-leveled PrC from an odd source with odd-yet-awesome mechanics. Sign me up.

... seems like something nice to finish a Dervish with...

[daremetoidareyo]

Jaunter is a fave of mine. A non-casting class that grants you teleportation abilities based on your DEX mod? Weird already. But then it's also only four levels long (which incidentally makes it dovetail with Telflammar Shadowlord very nicely), comes from an adventure path but isn't related whatsoever to the path, and seems to be largely forgotten by pretty much everyone despite having access as early as fourth level (Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, and Know: Planes 4 for prereqs). So it's an early-entry short-leveled PrC from an odd source with odd-yet-awesome mechanics. Sign me up.

Heck yeah, Jaunter! It's like an easy entry elocator.

I am beginning to see a trend from the lamest prestige class thread that seems to inform this thread:
Amplification of an environment: tend to be unpopular, unless they are dungeons.
Amplification of a racial ability: are popular amongst fans of that race and people who just wished the racial requirement wasn't there so they could optimize harder
Blend of two classes: Only as good as the crunch.
Weirdness: pretty well liked.


With that in mind, I predict that this thread will see weird classes, and the better thought out class blendings.

[Phelix-Mu]

One of my favorite PrCs is Runesmith, since it fits the gish role in a way that most of 3e's attempts at fail miserably. Sure it's only adding a bunch of martial viability to a high-tier, but, man, a metric ton of flavor that harkens back to earlier editions where rune magic was more of a thing (though not always a functional thing...looking at you, Giantcraft).

[Eno Remnant]

Ruathar is an incredibly niche PrC. Unless you're in an elf-centric campaign, having a keyword which tells elves you're friendly isn't going to have many significant implications.

And let's be honest, apart from the minor magical item and the age extension, it's not worth much outside the Word of Friendship. Still, only takes up three levels.

It's also the most niche PrC I've ever built a character with. And let me tell you, his Word of Friendship never got used. Not even once.

[Venger]

Ruathar is an incredibly niche PrC. Unless you're in an elf-centric campaign, having a keyword which tells elves you're friendly isn't going to have many significant implications.

And let's be honest, apart from the minor magical item and the age extension, it's not worth much outside the Word of Friendship. Still, only takes up three levels.

It's also the most niche PrC I've ever built a character with. And let me tell you, his Word of Friendship never got used. Not even once.

ruathar's hardly niche. it's a very popular entry to things like abjchamp or swiftblade that require nudging your BA up as an arane guy without losing any CL.

niche prestige classes?

well since the only thing I love more than horrible prestige classes is horrible puns, I nominate peregrine runner.

you have to be a goliath and it gives you some... crappy bonuses to climbing and running. never was a class more clearly intended to be 5 lvls long and stretched to fill 10. noteworthy for being even worse than the highly similar cloud anchorite which, with its immortality ability, doesn't let you do anything, but at least it lets you continue not doing anything for all eternity.

[ace rooster]

Demonologist. Most of it's abilities are a bit meh, but summoning mastery is fun, particularly if you can find a staff with summon monster on it. It also lets you cast summon monster 8 at level 14, which is nice. The spell list is fun too, with lots of spells occuring at lower levels than you would expect. They can make scolls of planar binding at caster level 4, costing only 400gp! A wand of greater curse only costs them 12000gp. They will have tons of spells, but crappy caster levels and save DCs. Certainly an interesting NPC.

[Xuldarinar]

Given some thought, I have a small handful of PrCs that fall in the same bucket, the same Niche.


Corrupt Avenger
Maho-bujin
Maho-tsukai
Subverted Psion
Tainted Scholar
Tainted Sorcerer
Tainted Warrior

These 7 can only really exist in a campaign in which taint mechanics exist (though undead and evil outsiders could use them without), something most people do not bring to the table and with good reason. They are not unique for their number, but the fact they only can exist under non-standard rules of play.

[ranagrande]

The Apostle of Peace. It's just so different from the way the game is usually played.

[nedz]

Any of the Truenamer ones, e.g.

Acolyte of the Ego
Bereft
Brimstone Speaker
Disciple of the Word
Fiendbinder


All in Tome of Magic.

[Madhava]

Jordain Vizier (Shining South pp. 33-35).
a.k.a. professional lackey.

Very little combat function, aside from defense. Synergizes well with virtually nothing. And I am in awe of the staggering list of entry requisites.

But hey, int+8 skill points is always a nice thing.


Fatemaker (Planar Handbook pp. 50-52).

The player of my current group's Rogue really, really wanted to play an Assassin. But he was at odds with playing an evil character on a non-evil team. So I tried to sell him on Fatemaker. I told him, this is perfect for a social-rogue-type:

You'd get sneak attack progression, I told him. You'd get spells. Good spells. Stat increases. 6+int skills. A minor inspire-courage-esque ability. And you'd be a member of a secret society with a rich history.

In the end, he didn't opt for it. Not really sure why. Maybe it's just a bit too niche? At any rate, this PrC makes me want to make a Rogue someday.

[tadkins]

As a fan of geology and just about anything relating to the earth (metallurgy, gemology, etc), I've always liked the Earth Dreamer PrC (Races of Stone). Never see it get talked about here so I would assume it's pretty unique.

[Venger]

As a fan of geology and just about anything relating to the earth (metallurgy, gemology, etc), I've always liked the Earth Dreamer PrC. Never see it get talked about here so I would assume it's pretty unique.

earth dreamer's a great class. it's one of the few ways to get earthglide and is one of the only things to trump mindsight, so it's very popular here, especially since it's full casting.

[tadkins]

earth dreamer's a great class. it's one of the few ways to get earthglide and is one of the only things to trump mindsight, so it's very popular here, especially since it's full casting.

I came up with a necromancer/earth dreamer idea a while back. Someone who uses their powers to find corpses long-buried beneath the earth to raise.

Honestly don't hear much about that class here though. Might just be looking the wrong threads. I only figured that with the multitude of full-casting PrCs out there, Earth Dreamer just gets overshadowed by things like Incantatrix, IotSV, Master Specialist and whatnot.

[gorfnab]

Silver Key. It's a pretty terrible class based around breaking and entering. Only Kundarak dwarves can enter it, and over the levels of the class, it mostly just gives some okay bonuses to skills.

However, it has what I think is the coolest capstone in the game. Immunity to Doors.
A Silverkey in Sigil would be both hilarious and scary.

[atemu1234]

Sources for most of these would be useful...

[tadkins]

Sources for most of these would be useful...

Updated my post, sorry. xD

[atemu1234]

Updated my post, sorry. xD

Thanks. You're a life-saver (at least, perhaps, for NPCs).

[Fax Celestis]

Sources for most of these would be useful...

Jaunter is in Expedition to the Demonweb Pits.

[atemu1234]

Jaunter is in Expedition to the Demonweb Pits.

Thanks. Thanks to everyone posting and especially to those posting sources.

[Ansem]

Walker in the Waste and Drow Judicator are my two flavourful favourites.

[ben-zayb]

I really like Psion Uncarnate, since it's one of very few ways to get permanent Ex Incorporeality without limiting your race/monster choice.

I'd say Frenzied Berserker is definitely a niche build.

[Phelix-Mu]

Walker in the Waste and Drow Judicator are my two flavourful favourites.

Sandstorm and Underdark (an FR splat), respectively.


I really like Psion Uncarnate, since it's one of very few ways to get permanent Ex Incorporeality without limiting your race/monster choice.

I'd say Frenzied Berserker is definitely a niche build.

First is Expanded Psionics Handbook, second is Complete Warrior.

My earlier mention of Prophet of Erathaol, and others mention of Stalker of Kharash, Champion of Gwynhwyrf (or w/e), Wonderworker, and Apostle of Peace are all from Book of Exalted Deeds.

Fatemaker is from Planar Handbook.

Jordain Vizier is from an FR splat...Shining South.

Runesmith is Races of Stone, Ruathar is Races of the Wild.

Sure I missed some, just hitting those that I know off the top of my head.

[Jeff the Green]

Champion of Gwynhwyrf (or w/e)

It's spelled "Gwynharwyf" but pronounced "Llanfair*pwllgwyn*gyllgo*gery*chwyrn*drobwll*llant y*silio*gogo*goch".

[Tommy2255]

I'd say Frenzied Berserker is definitely a niche build.

As with some of the other classes people have mentioned, I have seen that one enough in optimized builds (pretty sure it's in Ubercharger, and in some build that's meant to be immune to all damage) that it doesn't seem that niche too me. It's from one of the Completes and it increases the multiplier on power attack. That's definitely something people will use a lot in optimized chargers. Maybe not so much in normal play because of the whole "accidentally killing your allies" thing, but still.

[Venger]

As with some of the other classes people have mentioned, I have seen that one enough in optimized builds (pretty sure it's in Ubercharger, and in some build that's meant to be immune to all damage) that it doesn't seem that niche too me. It's from one of the Completes and it increases the multiplier on power attack. That's definitely something people will use a lot in optimized chargers. Maybe not so much in normal play because of the whole "accidentally killing your allies" thing, but still.

yeah, it's hardly niche. if you're ubercharging, you probably want FB.

the trap people fall into is thinking you're actually supposed to use your frenzies in combat.

if you don't want to kill all your friends, have your tantrums in a padded room or rope trick or similar at the beginning of the day while your casters are preparing their spls. you enter FB for the power attack, not for the indiscriminate rage.

[ace rooster]

yeah, it's hardly niche. if you're ubercharging, you probably want FB.

the trap people fall into is thinking you're actually supposed to use your frenzies in combat.

if you don't want to kill all your friends, have your tantrums in a padded room or rope trick or similar at the beginning of the day while your casters are preparing their spls. you enter FB for the power attack, not for the indiscriminate rage.

Aww, where's the fun in that :smalltongue:. It is just one of your quirks that the party has to live with, (having discussed it with them OOC first) and is the reason the wizard keeps a wand of summon monster 1 (letting them eat a dire rat a turn if required), and having benign transposition prepared (for moving them into combat if they go off). Needless to say that they will have to be a really nice guy the rest of the time for the party to put up with it, but immunity to HP death and +10 to str is not something you give up just because it is a little dangerous. Frankly if you manage to kill your friends then you are probably OP for the party anyway.

As a side note, immunity to HP death is one of the main reasons I like to have at least a scroll of disintigrate on casters at all times, as frenzied beserkers can be disintigrated just fine.


For the people wanting sources, dndtools is a pretty comprehensive site that will give you rules and sources. Worth a look.

[mythmonster2]

Scion of Tem-Et-Nu from Sandstorm is an paladin/cleric-based class that focuses on... fighting near rivers. Hell, nearly all the PrCs in Sandstorm count, since almost all of them are only useful if you're in a desert. If it's a desert campaign, great. Otherwise, not so much. Then again, that is somewhat the point.

[Smegskull]

Deepwood sniper, MotW: really good for buffing up an archery build ranger but is only useful in outside only campaigns.

[Necroticplague]

Sand Shaper, from Sandstorm. Prereqs aren't too hard, but its not really worth staying in past the first level. Spontaneous metamagic a few times a day is decent, ability to make creatures out of sand is crap (takes too long for too short a duration), a lot of it is only really useful in a place with a lot of sand (though they are some interesting abilities). Mostly, its just used to give spontaneous casters a whole boatload of spells known.

Similar note; rainbow servant from Complete divine. Again, not too hard to qualify for , and this one's actually a full caster. Nothing too exceptional, but all decent abilities. Main use I've ever seen is combining it with a fixed-list caster to unlock a lot of power.

[Esprit15]

As a side note, immunity to HP death is one of the main reasons I like to have at least a scroll of disintigrate on casters at all times, as frenzied beserkers can be disintigrated just fine.
Only if they fail their fort save, also known as that thing that barbarians are really good at, being a strong save on a primary stat that a class feature boosts.

[Necroticplague]

Although, frenzied berzerkers can't make DEX based checks while frenzying. So anything that provokes balance checks to move can take them out. Thus became the hilarity of dealing with our frenzied barbarian by sliding marbles under him, and watch him keep tripping until he calmed the heck down.

[Chronos]

I'm not seeing how Earth Dreamer trumps Mindsight. It progresses casting, it lets you earth glide, and it gives you a couple of earth-related senses, but there's nothing in there that protects against the senses of others.

[ace rooster]

Only if they fail their fort save, also known as that thing that barbarians are really good at, being a strong save on a primary stat that a class feature boosts.

Actually no.



A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is partially affected, taking only 5d6 points of damage. If this damage reduces the creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is entirely disintegrated.

Passing their fort save reduces the damage, but the damage is not the important bit. If they start with less than 0 hp the fort save (and the damage) is irrelevant. They are disintegrated either way. If they also have mettle then disintegrate does not reduce their hp, so does nothing, but as standard frenzied beserkers do not.

[nedz]

Well, Barbarians also have a lot of HP — one normally targets their will save, after all if this was any good then they wouldn't be frenzying out of control.

[Chronos]

But if nobody's targeting your HP to begin with, then Deathless Frenzy is pointless.

[Phelix-Mu]

I'm not seeing how Earth Dreamer trumps Mindsight. It progresses casting, it lets you earth glide, and it gives you a couple of earth-related senses, but there's nothing in there that protects against the senses of others.

I seem to vaguely recall a discussion about the nature of Spot, Line of Sight, and earth glides. There may have been a suggestion that earth gliding prevents people from detecting you while you are doing it.

Still, Mindsight and Telepathy are not the best-though-out abilities in 3.5. They really kind of phoned it in with Telepathy being really simplified, and many issues not being fully explored (like can someone without telepathy that the guy with telepathy isn't aware of "shout" at them from within the telepathy range and be heard?).

Anyway, to continue this brief rant, earth glide is even more vague; as one would expect, interactions between two very vague but fantastic abilities generates some confusion as to how it would all work. Pretty much DM territory with much of the earth glide stuff.

[Telonius]

Geomancer is a pretty weird niche PrC. Requires arcane and divine casting (theurge-niche to begin with), very Druid flavor but no advancement of animal companion or wild shape (unusual, but hey, it's WotC), can mix and match spell requirements (weird bordering on unique), and eventually turns you into a monstrosity composed of several different sorts of animals.

You could probably take a Draconic something-or-other, and make Discord out of a Geomancer.

[Venger]

Although, frenzied berzerkers can't make DEX based checks while frenzying. So anything that provokes balance checks to move can take them out. Thus became the hilarity of dealing with our frenzied barbarian by sliding marbles under him, and watch him keep tripping until he calmed the heck down.

well, if you're playing the FB and don't want to be stopped by every band of goblins who have a few pennies to buy a bag of marbles, then you, like any character above lvl 7 or so, should be able to fly somehow.


I'm not seeing how Earth Dreamer trumps Mindsight. It progresses casting, it lets you earth glide, and it gives you a couple of earth-related senses, but there's nothing in there that protects against the senses of others.

mindsight is keyed off blindsense, which requires line of effect. you don't have LoE to a character in a wall, so you can't detect someone with mindsight while they're earth gliding

[Forrestfire]

You'd think that, except that Mindsight only works "much like blindsense", not exactly. The one word sinks any interpretation that Mindsight can be blocked by total cover by RAW.

Also any interpretation that it can't, so there's that. Mindsight is a bundle of DM Call.

[Venger]

You'd think that, except that Mindsight only works "much like blindsense", not exactly. The one word sinks any interpretation that Mindsight can be blocked by total cover by RAW.

if your target is in a wall, then you can't see it by some other means (x-ray vision aside, since it sucks and no one uses it for anything) ergo, no mindsight.


This works
much like blindsense—the creature knows what square each
thinking being is in, but it does not see the being, and the
being still has total concealment unless the creature can see
it by some other means.

[georgie_leech]

if your target is in a wall, then you can't see it by some other means (x-ray vision aside, since it sucks and no one uses it for anything) ergo, no mindsight.

That seems more like an illustration of the manner in which Mindsight makes you aware of something (comparing it to Blindsense), rather than saying that it requires the same things Blindsense does.

[Sartharina]

Mindsight still lets you sense where the creature is. It still has total concealment and cover. It's like an Aliens/Halo Motion tracker+ TES map marker put into your mind.

[darksolitaire]

Mindsight still lets you sense where the creature is. It still has total concealment and cover. It's like an Aliens/Halo Motion tracker+ TES map marker put into your mind.

I now want to give all players mindsight and run a campaign full of Kaorti and Kythons. That happens entirely on enclosed, ruined dungeon complexes which are very poorly lit.

[DrKerosene]

One of the few Dragon magazines I've read had some PrC like "Kyuss Touched" or somesuch. I'm pretty sure it would only be useful in a campaign where the Worm that Walks is defeated, but the world stays an undead-infested hellhole. Clearly useless in a world without rampant Spawn of Kyuss problems.

Edit: Wormhunter, I think it's intended for Martial Classes...

[Petrocorus]

One martial class i like and that is a bit niche is the Bloodstorm Blade from ToB. The Throw Anything and Returning Attack abilities are just so cool, fluff-wise. You can just throw you waraxe or your shield at someone and it will rebound to come back in your hand., Captain America style.


It's spelled "Gwynharwyf" but pronounced "Llanfair*pwllgwyn*gyllgo*gery*chwyrn*drobwll*llant y*silio*gogo*goch".
Wait, what?!?


Geomancer is a pretty weird niche PrC. Requires arcane and divine casting (theurge-niche to begin with), very Druid flavor but no advancement of animal companion or wild shape (unusual, but hey, it's WotC), can mix and match spell requirements (weird bordering on unique), and eventually turns you into a monstrosity composed of several different sorts of animals.

I was willing to mention that class, i like it. If you use the Dragon Compendium, the Geomancer (CDiv) become a very good Sha'Ir PrC.


... run a campaign full of Kaorti and Kythons. That happens entirely on enclosed,
What book can i find those in?

[Venger]

One martial class i like and that is a bit niche is the Bloodstorm Blade from ToB. The Throw Anything and Returning Attack abilities are just so cool, fluff-wise. You can just throw you waraxe or your at someone and it will rebound to come back in your hand., Captain America style.


Wait, what?!?


I was willing to mention that class, i like it. If you use the Dragon Compendium, the Geomancer (CDiv) become a very good Sha'Ir PrC.


What book can i find those in?

bloodstorm blade is hilarious.

in angelsy, there's a very small town. it's a very small town but it has a big name and if you go there, you'll understand its fame, it's Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll)

kythons are in bovd, kaorti are in fiend folio. neither is in any way immune to mindsight, so I'm not sure what the point of that would be, though kaorti is the most popular choice for fiend of possession, who obviously can't be targeted normally while possessing someone/something.

[Squark]

Planar handbook had Ardent Dilettante, which required you to become an ungodly mess of multiclassing as you progressed, since in order to take higher levels of the class, you had to meet new requirements. To be a 10th level Ardent dilettante, you needed 8 ranks in perform, five ranks in five other skills each tied to a different ability score, you needed to be proficient with four martial.weapons, one exotic weapon, know 1st level arcane and divine spells, have visited six different planes, and have died and come back to life.

I guess an Elf Beguiler with a one level dip in cleric could get in with minimal fuss, and it does have some pretty cool tricks, but talk about a complicated class.

[Troacctid]

Planar handbook had Ardent Dilettante, which required you to become an ungodly mess of multiclassing as you progressed, since in order to take higher levels of the class, you had to meet new requirements. To be a 10th level Ardent dilettante, you needed 8 ranks in perform, five ranks in five other skills each tied to a different ability score, you needed to be proficient with four martial.weapons, one exotic weapon, know 1st level arcane and divine spells, have visited six different planes, and have died and come back to life.

I guess an Elf Beguiler with a one level dip in cleric could get in with minimal fuss, and it does have some pretty cool tricks, but talk about a complicated class.

Bards qualify for it quite easily. I've used it in a Sublime Chord build before. The abilities are decent enough and it has full casting with 6 + Int skill points and every skill as a class skill.

[Venger]

Planar handbook had Ardent Dilettante, which required you to become an ungodly mess of multiclassing as you progressed, since in order to take higher levels of the class, you had to meet new requirements. To be a 10th level Ardent dilettante, you needed 8 ranks in perform, five ranks in five other skills each tied to a different ability score, you needed to be proficient with four martial.weapons, one exotic weapon, know 1st level arcane and divine spells, have visited six different planes, and have died and come back to life.

I guess an Elf Beguiler with a one level dip in cleric could get in with minimal fuss, and it does have some pretty cool tricks, but talk about a complicated class.

you could just use southern magician.

[Petrocorus]

bloodstorm blade is hilarious.

in angelsy, there's a very small town. it's a very small town but it has a big name and if you go there, you'll understand its fame, it's Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll)

I will never pronounced (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Cy-Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogoch_%28Welsh_pronunciation%2C_recorded_17-05-2012%29.ogg) that correctly. I will not even try, i think.


Planar handbook had Ardent Dilettante, which required you to become an ungodly mess of multiclassing as you progressed, since in order to take higher levels of the class, you had to meet new requirements. To be a 10th level Ardent dilettante, you needed 8 ranks in perform, five ranks in five other skills each tied to a different ability score, you needed to be proficient with four martial.weapons, one exotic weapon, know 1st level arcane and divine spells, have visited six different planes, and have died and come back to life.


Personally, i like the class, i use it with Sha'ir to solve the dual casting problem, Planar Touchstone (Catalogue of Enlighmennts) to solve the first proficiency problem, with later a dip into Seeker of Misty Isles or Dragonslayer. After the first 3 levels, you have enough skill points to solve the skill problems. It's hard, but you can make it. I actually love that class and its fluff. I do concur that it's pretty niche.

[Orsyn]

If we're allowing PF material, I love the idea (if maybe not the implementation) of the Halfling Opportunist. "I use my opponent to do stuff for me!" feels great thematically, given the nature of halflings.

[Sartharina]

kythons are in bovd, kaorti are in fiend folio. neither is in any way immune to mindsight, so I'm not sure what the point of that would be, though kaorti is the most popular choice for fiend of possession, who obviously can't be targeted normally while possessing someone/something.
It was obviously an Aliens reference.

[Sam K]

Jade phoenix mage is pretty niche in that there's only a handful of them ever in existance. Def not a PRC for the masses. That class also has one of the most interesting prepreqs in that in order to be one, you have to have been one in a previous life.

[Venger]

It was obviously an Aliens reference.

then what are the kaorti? are they the hominid aliens from insurrection?

[Forrestfire]

Kaorti supply the resin on the everything, presumably. Kythons don't have resin and grossness-covered nests, Kaorti build everything out of it.

[Qwertystop]

Silver Key. It's a pretty terrible class based around breaking and entering. Only Kundarak dwarves can enter it, and over the levels of the class, it mostly just gives some okay bonuses to skills.

However, it has what I think is the coolest capstone in the game. Immunity to Doors.

And yet, if the door isn't magic, they have nothing for it. They also have nothing (in that ability) to deal with magic locks, especially on things that are not doors, such as boxes. Or barred doors, if the bar is not magic. Or really good nonmagical locks, if they lose their silver keys.

So you know, useful, but it'd be great if they could just open and close a barred ogre-size door without noticing the log in the way.

[Forrestfire]

Well, by the time you're level 10 in the class, you're probably gonna have enough Open Lock to open most doors anyway. Not too hard to optimize it. If I wanted a character who was completely and utterly immune to doors, all it would take is one extremely thematic feat (Item Familiar: Warder's Keys and a +3 dex bonus passes Amazing Lock's DC on a 1)