At least tentatively, I have decided Prestige Classes will appear in T5.How they Work:- Unless specified, a Prestige Class has no prerequisites.
- Where they do have prerequisites, these are usually flavor-based. Occasionally a mechanical ability is needed, but it's rare.
- You can begin a Prestige Class as early as level 1.
- Still, Prestige Classes are not Base Classes. This is important for game terminology that refers to Base Classes (specifically in the T5 changes).
- If a class is fewer than five levels long, that's it; no class has an "epic" progression. You simply multiclass.
- Proficiencies are a work in progress. If the class doesn't list proficiencies (or lists very partial proficiencies, like adding one or two specific weapons), lift proficiencies from a similar base class (something with similar BAB and spellcasting).
- Spellcasters: Each level that grants spellcasting progression will say either Any, Arcane, Divine, Infusion, or a class name followed by a number 0-5. If it says "Arcane," then choose a Base Class with an arcane casting progression. The same goes for Divine or any other category. If the number is 0, then it grants casting of 0-level spells only as a member of that category level 1. Otherwise, it grants casting identical to a member of that category of the numbered level. If you choose to later multiclass with the class you chose for your spellcasting, these levels stack to determine your spells per day. Note: it does not grant domains or specialization or other such features, only the basic spellcasting of the class. Additionally, a prestige class using a base class spellcasting progression is not eligible for alternate class features of that base class, even if those features trade a spell slot for an ability. This prevents the prestige classes from completely obsoleting the base classes.
It's not a perfect system - I'm always looking for feedback! - as I realize there's little incentive to choose 'inferior' casting progressions most of the time. But, on the other hand, it opens up a lot of mix-and-match room.
In some cases the abilities of later levels were excised for balance and what was left wasn't enough for 5 levels. For this category of prestige classes, there is a possibility I will revisit them at a much later date and see if I can scale the spirit of those too-powerful abilities down to a mechanical level that works for T5.
Classes in Progress (over 200): These classes vary from simply needing a once-over to being so confounding that I might scrap them (looking at you, Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil).
Some Prestige Classes will never be converted (for balance reasons), I suspect, but I'm trying my best to put even the most notorious Prestige Classes into a fair framework.
Please stay tuned and provide feedback!
