Questions about PrCs

[dergon darkhelm]

So the other thread about assassins got me thinking. And since I have plans to take a PrC with my current PC I wanted to lay out some questions about how this works in ALFA NWN2

1) Are PrC quests a prerequisite for taking a prestige class?
2) Are PrCs "locked" until made available via a DM?
3) Does the HDM on your server have to give permission ot obtain PrC?

4) In general ...what's the deal with PrCs these days?



I see this for recent changes to CPrcs: http://www.alandfaraway.org/node/1649

This page still discusses PrC quests in detail: http://www.alandfaraway.org/node/839 , mandating the "cross server" requirement etc.

[JaydeMoon]

AFAIK:

Requests for PrC get tossed into a thread, discussed by DMs, then the HDM of the server makes the call.

Non-Mechanical Requirements are out, per se... basically you need a DM that is willing to say, "Yes...this dude is Assassin Worthy" and then not have anyone with compelling reasons not to give it to you.

[Mirabai]

1) Are PrC quests a prerequisite for taking a prestige class?

No, not really.

2) Are PrCs "locked" until made available via a DM?

Yes

3) Does the HDM on your server have to give permission ot obtain PrC?

Yes

4) In general ...what's the deal with PrCs these days?

This page still discusses PrC quests in detail: http://www.alandfaraway.org/node/839 , mandating the "cross server" requirement etc.

That page you link there is woefully out of date.

The way PrCs are handled was changed by the former PA (me, as FI). My term ended before I had the chance to get the documentation changed, and I guess the documentation team, if there still is one, never finished it up. For those with access the original thread is here. Curmudgeon has adopted these changes clearly posted in the TSM forum, here and I am in the process of writing up the changes in a bit more detailed way for BG.

There are a few reasons we looked at changing the way you obtain a PrC and all based on common sense. Some people never see a DM due to timezones or whathaveyou. These people should still be able to obtain a PrC without DM involvement. Additionally, it used to be a hell of a lot of work on the DM side to make a PrC happen. Tons of documentation and several "tasks", as you see in the page you linked, generally culminating in a cross-server quest. This is all well and good when you have an active and prolific staff of DMs but as time wore on and the DM staff became smaller it became an onerous chore and for the most part DMs avoided taking on PrCs. Also, what was observed was that the PrC "templates" were being treated as law. In other words, the examples of tasks to run PCs through were run exactly as written, leaving little room for creativity. Templates were supposed to be just that- templates.

The modified way to pursue PrCs placed the burden of documentation squarely on the shoulders of the player instead of the DM. Basically if you want one, you have to be proactive about it and document what you're character is doing to obtain such. These requirements will vary from server to server, as the method of exact implementation is purposefully left open for the HDM to decide what you will have to do. If a DM on the server raises a hand and wants to personally guide the PrC, then there will likely be a lot more 'required' quests and tasks and such than if no one wants anything to do with it. If the HDM approves your request to pursue the PrC but no DM wants to DM it, then the HDM decides what documentation s/he will require from you to satisfy them that you have earned it.

So here are the basics of how it goes:

Player informs a DM of their intent to pursue a PrC. They submit in writing to the DM a short statement that identifies their character, current classes, and pertinant background and history that applies to the PrC they are moving towards. The write-up should include why the Player thinks the character is moving towards that PrC.

The DM posts this write-up in the player advancement forum. The DM adds his own initial observations and opinions.

As the character continues to develop, she should write and submit to the DM the IC activities of the character that are contributing towards moving that PC towards the PrC. The DM posts these to the Character's thread. If the DM has any input to add, he should do so.

During this time and depending on whether you have DM involvement, you may be required to complete a quest. Players who are unable to find a DM sponsor should not be penalized by being required to complete a quest they have no support for. It is possible for the player to obtain the PrC simply through detailed entries as noted in the last point.

The HDM has the final yes/no say on the PC taking the PrC

Unless the current PA wants to overturn things, that's the dealio.

[dergon darkhelm]

Thank you for that highly detailed and informative reply! I think I've done my part then.

ALFA cutting red tape and making common sesne decisions....whoddathunkit?

[Castano]

I get lots of PrC requests. Few ever do this step:

As the character continues to develop, she should write and submit to the DM the IC activities of the character that are contributing towards moving that PC towards the PrC. The DM posts these to the Character's thread. If the DM has any input to add, he should do so.


I won't grant if you are not putting your stuff in a journal someplace.

[Swift]

I get lots of PrC requests. Few ever do this step:

As the character continues to develop, she should write and submit to the DM the IC activities of the character that are contributing towards moving that PC towards the PrC. The DM posts these to the Character's thread. If the DM has any input to add, he should do so.


I won't grant if you are not putting your stuff in a journal someplace.

+1 billion.

When it comes to being pro-active about a PrC, don't ever feel like sending in regular updates to a DM is nagging them.

The tips I would give is discuss it with your DMs and come to an agreement to have 1 DM be who you report to. They can then post your updates in the appropriate DM forums. Additionally this gives them the chance to throw in some twists and challenges, even if they cannot actually get in game and DM it themselves. Just remember, when a DM can run a PrC, the quests are generally long and challenging. Do not expect a couple of witty journal entries to suffice. It needs to show as much commitment as would be shown in the quest itself.

Lastly, don't feel like you have to have a PrC. Are they cool? Sure, some of them are, but staying pure or multiclassing with the base classes can make combinations that are just as cool as PrCs.

[dergon darkhelm]

edit: the few posts to which the post was mostly a response have been taken down....so a bit redundant.

I posted this thread with hopes of learning for myself.


I've learned a couple of things already:

a) The currently published public guidelines for ALFA pursuit of PrCs are out of date. Perhaps this page should be taken down.
b) There are other guidelines in the Admin Forum and on TSM that detail the "current" PrC guidelines. Perhaps these could be moved to the APM or a stickied Discussion Forum thread.
c) HDM's and DMs have the final say.....as it should be.


________


I know that we would like to think that Prestige classes arise wholly out of organic RP in game, springing forth from the rich web of storytelling and relationships that is ALFA. But the reality of the mechanics of many PrCs necessitate that character's be developed with a distribution of feats, skills, and classes in a very precise (and unfortunately, often contrived) fashion.

I myself have been very open and communicative about my planned PrC pursuit, dating to the original biography of the PC and including a formal declaration and other updates. (At least I hope that my DM team feels that I have been communicative).

I will say, however, in defence of other ALFAns that may not have taken this approach, that up until Mirabai's post above I was unaware of the "new" requirements and was basing my behavior on the outdated APM.