What is a good class feature?

[Zancloufer]

There are a lot of feats and class features that are considered "bad". Many of them seem to be straight numbers, though numbers can be useful. However most of those get overlooked as class features and feats should be 'interesting' and static buffs either do too little or too much most of the time.

So my major question is: What is considered a good/worthy class feature? You can't entirely ignore numbers, but those can be boring especially in PrCs. While this is probably somewhat of a Homebrew question I think general 3.x optimization is a better way to approach it.

For a more specific question to ask: What features would you put on a base class that is essentially a mix between a specialist wizard and sorcerer? How about a PrC aimed at a cleric that is on the edge of Exhaulted in alignment?

Also on the flip side, is too little in the way of +number bonuses bad as well?

[Zaq]

For a more specific question to ask: What features would you put on a base class that is essentially a mix between a specialist wizard and sorcerer? How about a PrC aimed at a cleric that is on the edge of Exhaulted in alignment?

Honestly? That depends on the power level you're going for. Wizards and Sorcerers may have boring-looking class tables, but they really do get the most powerful class feature in the game in the form of spells. So if you're starting with a baseline of having access to the most powerful spell list in the game, you want to be careful about giving out any other features that really boost power or versatility unless you're explicitly going for a beefed-up game.

Yes, many existing PrCs give class features as well as spells, which is why they're generally considered a straight upgrade over Wizard or Sorcerer unless they have a drawback like especially onerous prereqs or lost caster levels. So if you're intentionally using things like that as a balance point, then yeah, you can add something, but be aware that you're basically improving the strongest classes in the game by doing so.

Same with the Cleric PrC, of course. Boring-looking class table, but full access to an almost unfathomably broad list of spells (and spells, of course, can solve more problems than just about any other class feature you can think of, especially when you have free access to your entire list). Again, existing PrCs do give spells + features and are considered powerful because of it, so if you're okay with that, then knock yourself out. But don't be fooled into thinking that Wizards, Sorcerers, and Clerics "don't have class features" just because their real features are an array of numbers from 0 to 9 instead of a list of words.

I don't have much more time to discuss things at the moment, but if I remember to later, perhaps I'll see if I can come back and think a little bit about the broader question (discussing what makes a class feature good in general rather than discussing what would be an appropriate feature to give a full caster). In a nutshell, class features are good if they let you solve problems that you couldn't solve before (or if they let you approach problem-solving in a different way or in an improved way). Numbers are part of that, but they're obviously not the whole answer. But that's basically what it boils down to.

[Cosi]

A good class feature is one that allows players to do something in the world, because it opens up new stories for the game to tell. Having a numerical bonus isn't just boring, it's only meaningful in the context of other numerical bonuses. The fact that a Fighter gets +10 to attack doesn't mean anything absent ACs. But the fact that a Cleric can use plane shift to visit the Elemental Plane of Earth changes the way the story is told regardless of what the rules are for being on the Elemental Plane of Earth. That's not to say that numerical bonuses aren't necessary or important, but having more numbers should never replace having more abilities.