The think the faction PrC in Planar Handbook did a great gob of capturing the feeling of Planescape and 3.5. Does anyone know of any other faction PrC that are similar in style to those presented in Planar Handbook?
DRAGON #287 also detailed several factions... as planar PrCs.
http://www.kriegstanz.com/
"Fractious Factions" web enhancements:
http://planehopping.tripod.com/287.html
Planewalker.com:
http://www.planewalker.com/ps3e/prclass.php
I like a combination of prestige classes and feats, personally. The most devoted faction members can take prestige classes, while others might just take a feat or two.
You really need a PrC aimed at spellcasters and one aimed at other characters for each faction, at minimum.
http://www.geocities.com/Yogiland_Central/prestige.html
also.....
http://www.geocities.com/Yogiland_Central/prestige.html
Yes, I believe Biomage already mentioned the Yogiland reference.
;)
Yes, I believe Biomage already mentioned the Yogiland reference.
;)
oooops! :embarrass
The FRCS's Regional system provided a good basis to start with (not so much the PGtF). Players can choose from a starting package of feats and equipment if they meet the correct pre-requisites of the Factions beliefs (like from the Player's guide to the Planes and Factol's manifesto) then as they level up gain access to "Faction only" feats, equipment, and then PrC's like the Mercykiller Justicar, or the Doomguard Dustlord.
That was just my take on it... of course I don't think planetouched should be templates applied to any old race either...
YMMVI don't think 3.5 has ever really tried to cover anything like a Faction. Organizations are too broad to pigeon hole every memeber into one or even two PrC's.
I disagree. I don't think that a character is defined by its class or PrC. But, I think that PrC's are prefect for the Factions. You have a group of individuals that share an idea and gain abilities related to those ideas. The one thing that I don't like about many of the factions prestige classes that I have seen are the requirements. Factions should not limit based on spell casting ability. Any character class, given the experience, should be able to join a faction.
I disagree. I don't think that a character is defined by its class or PrC. But, I think that PrC's are prefect for the Factions. You have a group of individuals that share an idea and gain abilities related to those ideas.
Prestige classes, as they are today, are way too constraining to be used as a primary mechanical representation of faction allegiance. Faction membership is based on shared belief, not on shared abilities. Belief can be shared by wildly different factioneers; prestige classes can't represent that adequately.
It's like if you had an organization that forces its members to wear identical uniforms, and then there's another organization which is OK with members only wearing badges, perhaps not even displaying them openly. A PS faction is not (should not) be like the first group.
Prestige classes, as they are today, are way too constraining to be used as a primary mechanical representation of faction allegiance. Faction membership is based on shared belief, not on shared abilities. Belief can be shared by wildly different factioneers; prestige classes can't represent that adequately.
It's like if you had an organization that forces its members to wear identical uniforms, and then there's another organization which is OK with members only wearing badges, perhaps not even displaying them openly. A PS faction is not (should not) be like the first group.
So you are saying that all other PrC fall into the first group? I don't think so.
I don't think that the Faction PrC are for every member. But anyone whating to achieve anything within the faction and gain the appropriate abilities would have a faction PrC.
You are right, factions are about shared beliefs. But, they are also about shared abilities.
...organizations shouldn't be defined by game mechanics.
Don't blame me. I didn't create D&D 3rd edition. But that is exactly what PrC's are for.
Let's face it. Planescape was created for 2nd edition and is most appropriately played in 2nd edition. Converting some of the ideas and mechanics from 2nd to 3rd edition are very difficult.
The 2nd edition faction mechanics were unbalanced and often poorly chosen - they're a direct descendent of kits, which often had similarly arbitrary penalties and advantages. I mean, why should all Doomguard members get a +1 with swords, even those who prefer to fight with other weapons or who advance Entropy in non-martial ways? Why should all Fated get bonus skill points? I can see how it's related to their philosophy of acheivement, but there are many better ways to express that. Why can't Doomguard allow themselves to be healed? If they can repair their weapons - hell, if they can forge weapons in the first place - they should be able to repair their bodies, unless they believe the multiverse ends the moment they, as individuals, die. We didn't really expect any better back in 2e, but from a 3e perspective we know the mechanical part of the factions were badly done.
Giving characters a variety of different feats to choose from and a variety of different prestige classes to (optionally) join is much better. There should be faction prestige classes, but it shouldn't be mandatory for even factols to join them - after all, giving up your character's few feats for faction feats is just as much of a sacrifice, if not more.
There are lots of 3rd edition organizations that offer more than one prestige class or no prestige class, anyway. PrCs add flavor to a game, but they're not mandatory for anyone.