Master of Masks (Prestige Class) -- your experiences?

[Nifft]

The Master of Masks prestige class (from Complete Scoundrel) is pretty well-known as a deliciously flavorful under-performer.

Have you used it anyway? How did you make it work?

What masks did you like?

Thanks!

[Bavarian itP]

I cannot contribute anything but this link:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?88633-Haberdash-the-Masked-The-3-5-Kitchen-Sink

[Thurbane]

There was a whole Iron Chef (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?156876) about Master of Masks (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070105a&page=3). Some interesting entries.

...it's a class I really want to like, but can't see myself using for more than a 1 or 2 level dip.

1/2 caster progression classes are a trap, IMHO. Even though this PrC can be entered without casting, there is too much temptation to take advantage of the casting boosts not to enter it with some casting; but then, you're only 1/2 progressing your casting, so there's not much reason to stay in the PrC.

Maybe you could throw it on top of an Ur-Priest build? Bard 2/Duskblade 3/Ur-Priest 5/MoM 10, maybe?

[Nifft]

1/2 caster progression classes are a trap, IMHO. Even though this PrC can be entered without casting, there is too much temptation to take advantage of the casting boosts not to enter it with some casting; but then, you're only 1/2 progressing your casting, so there's not much reason to stay in the PrC.

Maybe you could throw it on top of an Ur-Priest build? Bard 2/Duskblade 3/Ur-Priest 5/MoM 10, maybe?

Unfortunately, MoM is only 4/10 progression -- not even half.

Maybe you could do something like Rogue 5 / Trapsmith 1 / MoM 10 / Jaunter 4, but it's not easy to use their casting progression and not feel bad about losing so much casting.

[Thurbane]

Unfortunately, MoM is only 4/10 progression -- not even half.

Maybe you could do something like Rogue 5 / Trapsmith 1 / MoM 10 / Jaunter 4, but it's not easy to use their casting progression and not feel bad about losing so much casting.

Ah, I was misremembering; 4/10 casting really makes me wonder, why bother giving it casting progression at all? :smallfrown:

That looks like an interesting build...

[KillianHawkeye]

I used it on an NPC once and it was okay. She only lasted the one battle, so I can't really say how well it works long-term. I don't remember the specifics, but she was something like a Cleric/Rogue/Black Flame Zealot/Master of Masks. She was sort of like a holy assassin for the church of Erythnul, and she mainly used the mask that gives proficiency with all martial weapons and I think a bonus to attacks/damage.

I agree that the class works best as a couple levels dip and not something you'd devote your build to.

[Fouredged Sword]

It can be fun in gestalt where the lack of casting progression isn't as harsh when doing a skilled or gishy caster.

[WeaselGuy]

I did a MoM build (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=19121466&postcount=68) for a Villainous Competition thread a while back. It did ok. VC is weird though, in that we base it off of CR, so it probably doesn't really work right for a character build.

[Buufreak]

We used it once in a oriental themed campaign in which the player was working toward a build similar to the character Sakashima the Imposter. That said, the build maybe used 2 or 3 levels to get a few masks before moving on.

[Nifft]

It can be fun in gestalt where the lack of casting progression isn't as harsh when doing a skilled or gishy caster. Which masks would you use in specific?


We used it once in a oriental themed campaign in which the player was working toward a build similar to the character Sakashima the Imposter. That said, the build maybe used 2 or 3 levels to get a few masks before moving on.

Sounds fun.

Do you remember which masks that build used?

[Fouredged Sword]

Blank is pretty good for blanket divination immunity. Other than that you want to switch up maks for slas for spells you don't have immidiate access to like lesser restoration on an arcane caster.

SA hit and run fighter / master of masks// beguiler is fun.

[Telonius]

I used a few levels of it several years back in an Age of Worms campaign. I had an Arcane Trickster-ish entry (mostly Rogue). It was okay for the first level or two, then very rapidly lost a lot of power. Gladiator and Assassin were the most useful masks.

The biggest problem with the class is that it doesn't mesh well, at all, with any of the most intuitive entry classes. From PHB, you've got either a Bard entry or a Rogue entry, with a bunch of required ranks in Bluff, Perform, and Disguise. Essentially, your social skillmonkeys. But then you get into the prestige class, and it's 4+Int skill points. Bard seemingly gets a bone thrown to it with Perform on the skill list, but loses Bardic Music advancement so it doesn't matter whether or not they have any more ranks in Perform. Most of the best goodies from either base class (Diplomacy, UMD) aren't on the Master of Masks skill list. The Lord mask can mitigate Diplomacy, but UMD is pretty much hosed. On the Rogue side, Hide and Move Silently aren't on the list, mitigated by Assassin; but Search and Disable are absent too. Unless you've taken Able Learner, you're really up a creek for skills.

That's even leaving aside the fact that Bard gets only 4/10 spellcasting on an already-slow-progressing class.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

It's a good dip, but the rest is underwhelming. It would have been better if integrated into a base class or PF-style archetype. The (3pp) Masquerade Reveler Barbarian archetype is the closest I've seen to a good conversion

[Thurbane]

It suffers from sucking for casting (4/10) and also sucking for skillmonkeying (4 points/level, horribly limited skill list). The benefits you get from the masks don't compensate.

I think you could make the class 7/10 casting, 6 skill points/level without it being remotely OP. I'd also consider making the class skill list the currently listed skills, plus "any skill that has previously been a class skill".