Single-Level Prestige Classes

Is there much precedent for having prestige classes with ridiculous requirements and only a single level that exist solely to confer some amazing ability? It seems like a natural outgrowth of the modularity of Feats while allowing more flexibility in the abilities granted and the prerequisites required (although I suppose there is nothing but precedence that keeps feats from having all the same prereqs as prestige classes). -Slitherrr 10:51, 2 November 2010 (EDT)

I don't think so. Generally it's either a 5 or 10 level progression. There are probably some template/feat tricks in various dragons that get close to what you're describing. -gm

I have seen some 3-level prestige classes, but you're right. -Slitherrr

3 level? Must be some forgotten realms mess! As you can probably tell, I think the 5 level prestige class is the best idea ever. I remember several dragons that allowed things like acquiring templates through feat acquisition, etc., etc. which might be close to what your going for. Idle curiosity, or got something in mind? You don't think Kib has enough classes attached to him in the long term already? :) -gm

Nothing for Kib, certainly. I was just speculating. -Slitherrr

I've been a big fan of 3-level prestige classes since I saw them in some of the later complete line. I used them to represent specialized training that resulted in minor niche skills. In my SB 3.5 game, I did one for the al-quadim style desert rider that got some animal companions and special qualities for their mount, and one for a civil administrator that got civil resources with levels (like the al-quadim pragmatist/ethoist/moralist or mamluk). I like them, although they don't necessarily have a place in every campaign. They have a very low-power feel to them, and make sense in games with a lower power scale. --Msallen

Interesting. I'm surprised I never caught any, or at least many, of these. I might have dismissed them outright because the proper multiple is five. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go trace the grains in my floorboards. -gm

Don't even try to pretend that discussing retarded minutia of useless gaming shit is boring to you! --Msallen

Oh, hardly! I was pointing out more that having a 3-level class goes against 25 years of D&D OCD. Probably a little to esoteric a reference. -gm

So the new level cap at 30 is beyond discussion, I guess! --Msallen