Draft Prestige Classes

[Magnus Argent]

The game mechanics for prestige classes may be unique to 3rd/3.5th edition but the concept is not. Prestige classes are groups of renown that are a cut above the norm. They help to differentiate one campaign setting from another.

I don't argue that prestige classes wouldn't be a nice addition. I just disagree with the assertion that Cerilia doesn't already have them. It does. They just need to be identified and updated with the current rule set.

I thought that was the whole point to the Atlas and BRCS.

[Raesene Andu]

You can find the Traverser of Shadows here.

Ok, great. I've cut and pasted all the info over into a file and move it into my prestige class directory on my computer.

Furthermore, I had an idea for a prestige class for the Rjurik: the Elder Loremaster; the class would require a few levels in both classes, would increase the spellcasting ability of both classes by a reasonable amount, count its levels with bard and druid levels in regard to access to or capability in some class features (including some non-shapeshifting druidic abilities as well as bardic knowledge), and allow the expenditure of a druidic spell to gain additional daily uses of bardic music or the expenditure of a number of daily uses of bardic music to cast a summon nature's ally spell of equal level. One of the secondary issues is that the elder loremaster must use a divine focus and a verbal component for all of his spells; finally, he gets a poor BAB, BFB, BRB and only 4 base skill points per level, but has a high BWB.

Sounds like an interesting idea for a prestige class. Perhaps link it to a specific religion, say the Emerald Spiral, which is unlikely to have a lot of written records of its secret lore...

[Raesene Andu]

I don't argue that prestige classes wouldn't be a nice addition. I just disagree with the assertion that Cerilia doesn't already have them. It does. They just need to be identified and updated with the current rule set.

Then please identify what you think are Cerilia's prestige classes, that is what this thread is for. And don't just list the name of a group, post a concept of the prestige class so I have something to work with.

[RaspK_FOG]

Sounds like an interesting idea for a prestige class. Perhaps link it to a specific religion, say the Emerald Spiral, which is unlikely to have a lot of written records of its secret lore...

OK, I'll look into that; by the way, I hope you realised that by "both classes" I meant "both bard and druid" classes, 'cause I forgot to type so...

[Raesene Andu]

OK, I'll look into that; by the way, I hope you realised that by "both classes" I meant "both bard and druid" classes, 'cause I forgot to type so...

Yes, I realised that.

I was a bit unsure at first about the idea of matching druids with bards, but when you read through the Rjurik sourcebook, you can see clearly that in tribal Rjurik culture the two are fairly important and Rjurik bards are seen more as keepers of knowledge and tales of the past rather than wandering minstrels.

[RaspK_FOG]

Yes, I realised that.

I was a bit unsure at first about the idea of matching druids with bards, but when you read through the Rjurik sourcebook, you can see clearly that in tribal Rjurik culture the two are fairly important and Rjurik bards are seen more as keepers of knowledge and tales of the past rather than wandering minstrels.

Which is exactly the reason that I came up with this; the Rjurik are an amalgam of Celtic and Norse traditions but that's where the game is most interesting: their druids and skalds are the keepers of tradition, which is rarely if ever recorded, preferring the oral tradition. Remember here that RL druids thought that the Truth was larger than anything, and putting it down in written form would reduce it to a lesser state, which is why they never wrote of the totality of their customs and traditions...

So far, the following ideas is what I came up with:

12-level Prestige class. (Maybe 9-level? Definitely not 10-level.)

Requirements
Age: Middle-aged or older.
Race: Human (Rjurik).
Alignment: Lawful neutral.
Skills: Knowledge (local [Rjurik?]) 10 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 10 ranks, Konwledge (religion [Erik?]) 10 ranks, Survival 5 ranks.
Special: Bardic Knowledge, Inspire Competence, Resist Nature's Lure.
Spells: Ability to spontaneously cast 1st-level arcane spells and to cast 2nd-level divine spells.

Hit Die: d8.
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int modifier. (Obviously, +1 for being human.)

Base Attack Bonus: Poor.
Fortitude: High. (Mainly to offset the setback for the bard levels.)
Reflex: Poor.
Will: High.

I think that any non-shapeshifting druidic ability (other than the Thousand Faces ability) should be gained as if your Elder Lorekeeper levels were druid levels...

Bard and Elder Lorekeeper levels stack in relation to Bardic Knowledge.

Your spellcasting increases by 1 lvl in any of the two classes of your choice, while the same is true for the second class for all levels except for 3, 6, and 9. (If the class turns into a 9-level one, change this to 3 and 7.)

Plus, add the special abilities mentioned above. (Or add them?)

[Arjan]

Original prestige classes are cool but shouldn't the Atlas spend more of an effort defining the prestige classes already presented in the 2nd edition material?

to add a bit to ians comment on your 2nd ed list.
the decission to not include PrC's into the atlas does not mean we cannot post it here on BRnet.
If you really would like to see more PrC's you should post them into the article section. That section is meant for stuff like: Homebrew, conversions, newly written etc etc
for PrCs theres a whole section.
http://www.birthright.net/articles.p...iewcat&catid=6

[mhelles]

I think the following prestige classes are both good and inventive (although they still require some editing, a bit of game testing, etc.):

* Bladesinger
* Doomguard
* Gheallie Sidhe
* Penumbral Master
* Servant of the Sea
* The Primal Adept
* Watch Guardian
* Traverser of Shadows (posted separately)

Also, I like the concept of the Moon Initiate but the details seem a bit off somehow.

Some of the other prestige classes can still be useful and fun, though, even if not of sufficient quality (imho) for inclusion in the Atlas. Maybe we can still have them somewhere for download?

[Raesene Andu]

Some of the other prestige classes can still be useful and fun, though, even if not of sufficient quality (imho) for inclusion in the Atlas. Maybe we can still have them somewhere for download?

Any that are not included in the Atlas can be posted in the articles section of birthright.net and made available for download there.

[The Jew]

I was under the impression that the Atlas and the BRCS are supposed to update the original material to make it compatable with new rules? Variants and original material is great but should be segregated from the original material if you wish to champion the preservation of the setting.

I was under that impression to when I first joined here, but then came to realize that while many people have great reverence for 2ed material, that the Atlas and BRCS updates will reflect the wants of those willing to spend signifant time working on them. The reason those prestige classes you listed aren't written up, is because no one who cared about that decided to invest the time.

as for the preservation of the setting, well it seems like most of the new prestige classes were developed around the setting. They are not abstract classes, but actually very specific to Birthright and its oddities.