What is the lamest prestige class concept (to you)

[daremetoidareyo]

Is fluff just too specific or does the crunch have no real bearing in most adventures? Or does the class just seem...lame? most importantly, WHY?

[OldTrees1]

In Song and Silence there was a prestige class about cursing yourself into a drider form.

[Psyren]

{obligatory Risen Martyr reference}

I'll be a bit controversial here though and say I don't like one of the best PrCs in core, Archmage. Really, any wizard or sorcerer who gets that high up should have that title, and those options (or similar ones) should be available to all such casters. Ditto Hierophant and Arch-Psion.

[Fax Celestis]

Cloaked Dancer. I like the concept, but it doesn't really do anything.

[The Viscount]

Halfling Whistler is a good class crunch-wise, but its very hard to overcome the inherent silliness of whistling in a combat situation (unless you're Yondu).

[Troacctid]

Daggerspell Shaper. It's just so absurdly specialized.

[Zubrowka74]

Was it "Harper Agent" that didn't add anything?

[Anxe]

Acolyte of the Skin never appealed to me that much. A deal with a devil should be giving you more power, not takng it away by giving you fewer spellcaster levels! That's why I modified the Alienist prestige class to fulfill the deal with a devil niche in my campaign.

Also, Ravager has always bothered me. It seems so cool, but its so bad!

[AvatarVecna]

Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on the Fleet Runner of Ehlonna!

The easiest entry class is straight cleric...and it gives only half casting progression!

It has a bad Reflex save...and grants you Improved Evasion!

It can jump from a standing start without penalty...and Jump is a cross-class skill!

It gives you the ability to pounce...and "Shot on the Run" for free!

It has pounce and a combat feat for free...and has medium BAB progression!

Literally most of class features focus around running...since you'll be running away quite often!

It is...the most confused prestige class in the world!

"I don't always remain on the battlefield, but when I do, it's not for very long."
--Fleet Runner of Ehlonna

In all seriousness, this prestige class entertains me with how many directions it's trying to go in at once.

[Harlot]

Anchorite: A caster that can't travel more than 100 feet from his house and thus operates through a willing human familiar called a proxy. Worst. concept. ever.

[Dr. Cliché]

Anchorite: A caster that can't travel more than 100 feet from his house and thus operates through a willing human familiar called a proxy. Worst. concept. ever.

Does the human familiar get to make use of any of your class levels, spells etc.?

[georgie_leech]

Anchorite: A caster that can't travel more than 100 feet from his house and thus operates through a willing human familiar called a proxy. Worst. concept. ever.

The only reference to a class with that specific name is on the D&D wiki in the homebrew section. For the sake of the server, I'd advise against opening up the thread to that.

[Anachronity]

Arcane Archer, though I'm blurring the lines between 'concept' and 'execution' here.

They've had so long to get it right, but the class is still laughably bad.

[A_S]

Every time I read the fluff for Urban Savant, I think of this A Softer World comic.

[Harlot]

The only reference to a class with that specific name is on the D&D wiki in the homebrew section. For the sake of the server, I'd advise against opening up the thread to that.

Crap, you're right! I always assumed that the wiki version was the same as the Ravenloft (Domains of Dread) Version, but looking it up properly, it clearly isn't - the ravenloft version is not a prestige class and it seems to be some weird priest/paladin combo having 'mistwalking'. - clearly able to travel and no mention of proxy...

[dysprosium]

Fleet Runner silliness -snip-

In all seriousness, this prestige class entertains me with how many directions it's trying to go in at once.

Hey I won that round of Iron Chef!


My answer: Shining Blade of Heironeous, a ten level prestige class that (supposedly) makes my sword better(?)

[Sartharina]

Crap, you're right! I always assumed that the wiki version was the same as the Ravenloft (Domains of Dread) Version, but looking it up properly, it clearly isn't - the ravenloft version is not a prestige class and it seems to be some weird priest/paladin combo having 'mistwalking'. - clearly able to travel and no mention of proxy...

Even the homebrew one is not a lame idea for an NPC prestige class. It's like a form of Astral Projection several levels early (And without the 'hide in my own little demiplane' shenanigans accompanying that level).

[lytokk]

Arcane Archer, though I'm blurring the lines between 'concept' and 'execution' here.

They've had so long to get it right, but the class is still laughably bad.

I'd have to agree with this. A simple fix for the class would be full or even half casting progression. Let it stack with duskblade so that if you go dusk/AA you get full attack chanelling at level 13, assuming you took levels in only those two classes.

Another archery one that just doesn't work, Order of the bow initiate. Archery is based around hitting someone as far away from you as possible, yet for this class to even work, you have to stay within charging distance of just about everything. Seriously, wth.

[Extra Anchovies]

Another archery one that just doesn't work, Order of the bow initiate. Archery is based around hitting someone as far away from you as possible, yet for this class to even work, you have to stay within charging distance of just about everything. Seriously, wth.

Seconded. The class's abilities would be a lot more thematically fitting if the range restriction on its precision damage was removed, or at least extended to 1 full range increments. It's still a fairly solid class (after all, it's a better damage progression than Skirmish and can keep up with Travel Devotion full-attackers via Greater Manyshot), but having to stay within 30 feet is really annoying for any archer.

As for my choice: Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. I hate the "prismatic X" spells, and can't stand anything that expands/builds upon them. I don't care how much fun you may have rolling on tables to determine what your spells do, I don't like those spells. If you want rainbows, play Rainbow Servant. Also, the artwork for IotSV is pretty bad.

[StoneCipher]

Master of Masks had good flavor but the execution was just simply appalling.

[Honest Tiefling]

Blackguard is alright, except for the weird hide requirement. Because everyone knows that the first thing fallen paladins do is hide from stuff. Hiding from things is an integral step of the process to bind one's soul to a fiend as well!

[True believer]

Is fluff just too specific or does the crunch have no real bearing in most adventures? Or does the class just seem...lame? most importantly, WHY?

Any prestige class that adds melee flavor to Wizards . You simply don't need it !!! Spells are always better from a sword , and in the end if you wanna fight melee from time to time , you could transform yourself in an effective "fighter" with your spells (Tenser's Transformation etc)

But my least favorite prestige class in the game is the Green star adept !Good and strong abilities but the lore simply sucks !!! It is a mix of Superman , hulk and Merlin that i , personally , cant find attractive and most important i think that it really doesn't fit in any usual campaign

[(Un)Inspired]

Any prestige class that adds melee flavor to Wizards . You simply don't need it !!! Spells are always better from a sword , and in the end if you wanna fight melee from time to time , you could transform yourself in an effective "fighter" with your spells (Tenser's Transformation etc)

But my least favorite prestige class in the game is the Green star adept !Good and strong abilities but the lore simply sucks !!! It is a mix of Superman , hulk and Merlin that i , personally , cant find attractive and most important i think that it really doesn't fit in any usual campaign

Lets get one thing straight, while wizards are at their strongest when casting spells instead of swinging swords; if they do want to wade into melee, Tenser's Transformation doesn't the opposite of making one an effective "fighter"

[Amphetryon]

Green Star Adept. "I eat this meteor rock, and as a result I can slow my caster level down!"

[Honest Tiefling]

Green Star Adept. "I eat this meteor rock, and as a result I can slow my caster level down!"

Seems legit. This is why you don't put random glowing space rocks into your mouth.

[atemu1234]

In Song and Silence there was a prestige class about cursing yourself into a drider form.

I like that one, personally. Unfortunately, there's that stupid little caviat where it only becomes actually useful near the end of its run, when you get the ability to multiweapon fight with an extra set of limbs...

[Jeff the Green]

Dwarven Defender. Their entire combat style focuses on not moving. I don't care if you live in tunnels; not meting able to advance or fall back is a very good way to die.

Champion of Llanfair*pwllgwyn*gyllgo*gery*chwyrn*drobwll*llant y*silio*gogo*goch Gwynharwyf. I'm so Good at being angry it makes me magic.

[OldTrees1]

I like that one, personally. Unfortunately, there's that stupid little caviat where it only becomes actually useful near the end of its run, when you get the ability to multiweapon fight with an extra set of limbs...

If it were any other monster then it would make more sense. But becoming a Drider is a divine punishment. Why would anyone intentionally subject themselves to a divine punishment?

[Jeff the Green]

If it were any other monster then it would make more sense. But becoming a Drider is a divine punishment. Why would anyone intentionally subject themselves to a divine punishment?

Someone with a very specific dysmorphic disorder?

[Honest Tiefling]

Someone with very specific fetishes? Someone who realized it was CR 7 as opposed to the drow's 1?