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View Full Version : 3.5 PrC houserule (P.E.A.C.H.)



Anithexx
2010-06-03, 03:36 AM
recently I've been hit with this nagging need to build a house rule for prestige classes. A lot of the prestige classes my players are looking at are classes the give benefits for joining such and such guild and or group so I was hoping to build a rule that symbolized the training that guild would give them. (yes I know the prestige class already does that but this stupid rule won't go away so I was hoping to make the best of it)

The house rule that is sort of forming in my mind goes something like this: You must have additional levels of a base class above the prerequisites needed for such and such prestige class. When you enter the prestige class you must retrain at least one base class level per level you wish to take in the prestige class. (though I'm thinking a sort of gestalt of the prestige class and the sacrificed class... maybe) This comes with a lengthy down time and "training" fees.

Right now In the group we have a Elven focused specialist (evocation) who wants to go into Geometer and a whisper Gnome ninja who wants to take levels in Assassin. While these characters have the mechanical prerequisites they won't be able to gain the story prerequisites for some time due to where they are. (another reason I'm trying to get a fix on this house rule)

Anyway your thoughts on how to make this house rule possible without being over powering, questions on other factors that I might of forgotten about, or just comments telling me my rule is unrealistic and why (so the stupid voices in the back of my head go away) would be much appreciated.

So 26 views not one post, either I/m asking in the wrong forum thread, It's that stupid and your laughing to hard to type (or one of the few people out there that are just to polite to say anything) or I need to explain myself better. Anyone wanna give me a clue to which is it?

Glimbur
2010-06-03, 11:49 AM
The easiest way to do what you want is to let the PC take the class mechanically when they mechanically qualify for it. When they can get the training story-wise, it turns out they figured out some of this on their own. Now that they're star students, they get sent on a special assignment... adventure hook!

Also, this might belong in general gaming, not homebrew.

DracoDei
2010-06-03, 01:42 PM
I think the original idea actually works fine as long as the training is portrayed as long and arduous enough.

If you didn't mind retcons, you could always go back in time and RP them joining the guild, and receiving some instruction... very frustrating instruction, but their teachers just smile knowingly and say "When you are ready, you will remember my words and understand them..." they have memorized by rote the theory of how to do it and the correct ways to practice, but knowing how and actually doing are two different things. I often let my players go up ONE level in the field on that theory.

If you really insist you could skip that RP, but that doesn't sound like the way your group rolls.

Anithexx
2010-06-03, 03:25 PM
I think what I'm going to do is when I get everyone together Friday before we start playing let them know their options in stead of saying here is the rule.

I've already weakened the wizard once by a home rule by saying that no you don't get free spells every level they don't magically appear in your spell book and if they were in your head and you just figured them out then you wouldn't need the book to began with. Also when paying to use another wizards spell books I only allow Players handbook spells with a % chance them having the spell he wants. (spells from other sources have to be "researched' or captured from enemy wizards.)

Anyway thanks for responding and I'll probably edit my post later to let you know what the group voted on. (if you care)

DragoonWraith
2010-06-03, 03:34 PM
Depending on what I wanted my character to do, I might find this rule exceedingly annoying if it prevents me from taking levels when I want them. Often times I design a character, fluff and crunch, with a certain Prestige Class in mind, and sometimes that character starts too low to actually take levels in that class. While I'm cool with roleplaying how I get into that class, in my mind the character is supposed to be that class, and delaying when I actually get it would bother me.

Fluff-based restrictions should always be mutable. If they actually want to join these organizations, and you want the abilities of the PrC to require specific training from these institutions (as in, they can't do this on their own), then you should work with them to make that happen on time.


Also when paying to use another wizards spell books I only allow Players handbook spells with a % chance them having the spell he wants. (spells from other sources have to be "researched' or captured from enemy wizards.)
Just, point of interest: the Core spells are far more broken than any others, so likely those are the spells you should be most concerned about him getting. That said, this is a pretty decent rule in a low-ish magic setting, where magical libraries are unheard of and wizards of any hue are uncommon, especially those with spells above 3rd or whatever.

Anithexx
2010-06-03, 04:32 PM
If they actually want to join these organizations, and you want the abilities of the PrC to require specific training from these institutions (as in, they can't do this on their own), then you should work with them to make that happen on time.

point in fact that the party was originally going to sell their loot then travel to the location that they would have gotten the training they needed but somebody (Goliath Fighter) decided that looting the nobles mausoleum a ran up against the ancestral ghosts. Deciding that it was "haunted" ran back to the inn (did I mention that this is all after consuming large amounts of alcohol?) to retrieve the party and preceded to kill the guardians and loot the place.

So yeah the party got a unexpected experience boost are no longer on the path that was originally set out for them gaining their prestige classes and are now on the run from the kingdoms knights (rather than having to break out of jail they killed the arresting officiers cause lets face it how else are they going to such snazy picture of themselves drawn up?)

DragoonWraith
2010-06-03, 04:34 PM
Then, IMO, let them learn parts of it on their own, or for the Assassin, have them contact him, since he's now a notorious outlaw. They could have very reasonably heard about him and decided to recruit him.

I mean, your solution is not bad, but I just don't see the point of it.

Anithexx
2010-06-03, 04:47 PM
hey look at that, the stupid voice in the back of my head saying I needed to make the house rule I felt was off is defeated by gasp; more roleplaying!

Sweet I guess I just needed someone to bounce Ideas off of, Thank you all for your help and input.