Prior History and Prestige Classes

[Skylinkdave]

There is no Prior History information for Prestige classes, but I can find nothing that says a character cannot take a term of prior history as one. Do the rules assume that, once a character chooses a presige class, that character immediately begins play at first level in that class?

Dave

 

[ljsteele]

Standard D3e rules are that it is not possible to take a prestige class until you have all of the qualifications in the prior level. I suppose if you had alot of levels of prior history and worked hard at it, you could qualifiy for a prestige class before start of play.

 

[lightsenshi]

*cough* Actually, you could qualify for Big Hunter prestige class at 6th level. TAS Reporter and Ace Pilot at 5th.

I'd suggest using the last service/prestige class.

 

[Skylinkdave]

Yes, it is quite possible to qualify for a Prestige Class before finishing Prior History. Due to the complete lack of Prior History rules for Prestige Classes, I have concluded that a character cannot multi into a Prestige Class until after finishing Prior History.

Dave

 

[ljsteele]

Yes, it is quite possible to qualify for a Prestige Class before finishing Prior History. Due to the complete lack of Prior History rules for Prestige Classes, I have concluded that a character cannot multi into a Prestige Class until
after finishing Prior History.

Ah. That's what I get for replying without looking at the book 1st.

Can anyone find any reasons of game balance or design that would make it undesireable to be able to take a prestige class during prior history?

Are there feat/skill progressions that make it necessary to take a class at by a certain level in order to gain its full benefits before reaching character lvl 20?

If a PSI prestige class comes out, it might be necessary for a character to take it at an early level to have the feats necessary to handle the full range of Telepathy as currently written.

 

[Ellros]

Personally, I feel it is up to the Gm as to allow prestige classes before the start of actual play. I for one do not mnd, and actually had a player toy with picking up a level or two of Ace pilot during character gen. He eventually went another route, but I would not have stopped him from picking up the levels.
All up to the GM in my opinion. The GM is god is common knowledge in my campaigns.

 

[DrSkull]

People are confusing class and career again.

If you can qualify for a prestige class, you can take levels in it during Prior History. You are not required to spend experience gained in a particular career on levels for that particular class.

Example: Frank is Navy-level 6 after 3 terms. He re-enlists for navy for a 4th term. During that term he gets enough EXP for one more level. He does not need to go to Navy-7, instead he could multiclass into Traveller, or perhaps Professional, Rogue, Mercenary or Ace Pilot, depending on whether he has the qualificiations.

The rule is:
SERVICE CLASS: you must be in the service to take levels in the class.
NON-SERVICE CLASS: you must have 1 level in the class before you can enter the career.

THere's no rule forcing you to take levels in the Career you are in.

A guy could go 6 terms in the Navy and take all his levels in Traveller or Mercenary if he wanted to. So it is entirely possible to take Prestige class levels during Prior History.

 

[manley_t]

The way I play it is this:

If you're in a service you're taking levels in *that* service.

But if you're not in a service you can take levels in whatever you can explain that makes sense. So it's possible to take levels in a prestige class if you can explain it to make sense.

 

[Stormraven]

Originally posted by Big Tim:
The way I play it is this:

If you're in a service you're taking levels in *that* service.

But if you're not in a service you can take levels in whatever you can explain that makes sense. So it's possible to take levels in a prestige class if you can explain it to make sense.

I guess you don't see many Navy Doctors, then. Doctor being a Professional (or Maybe Academic) class, by your rule, the character could not take levels in the class that makes them a doctor while in the Navy, even if, while in the Navy, they're still a Doctor.

Or am I reading you wrong there?

 

[MichaelL65]

Originally posted by Big Tim:
The way I play it is this:

If you're in a service you're taking levels in *that* service.

I have not been in any millitary service myself, but my understanding from friends and family that have been (or are), it is not uncommon for someone to learn skills that are not directly "service related," but necessary to their career in the service. The Navy Doctor already mentioned is a good example. Those doing intellegence work also need to learn lots of skills that are not part of normal service training. Your skills you learn also are not always having to do with your job, but your spare time as well (what does your character do when not on duty? While on leave? etc.)

Limiting them to levels in their service class isn't exactly realistic. The Army needs someone to learn to service the vehicals, run the computers, keep the communication equipment working, etc. But none of the T/ skills are available as part of the Army class. Those that have the aptitude for that type of thing usually get training in them - which for T20 purposes means they level as a Professional or Academic even though they are in the Army.

Now these same individuals will also not receive as much training in weapons as the others, which is reflected in their BAB bonus and feats for that level.

Now as it would make no sense to be in the Army if you never leveled in the Army class, requiring every other level to be in that service class is something that could be fair ("You are in the Army, you will learn to be a soldier"). That would make sense. But to limit them to that class is not realistic.

 

[womble]

Stormraven sed:
"...I guess you don't see many Navy Doctors, then. Doctor being a Professional (or Maybe Academic) class, by your rule, the character could not take levels in the class that makes them a doctor while in the Navy, even if, while in the Navy, they're still a Doctor...."

Navy and Doctor aren't perhaps the best examples, since Navy class PCs have "Technical" as a Class skill, so the Doc can get his T/Medical ranks thataway. Maybe a Quartermaster posting (Shore Duty assignment in Navy career, Player assigns a Merchant Level to his char) or "Naval Intelligence" posting (Shore duty again, assigns Rogue level)...

 

[GypsyComet]

Doc Skull's example of the Navy careerist taking a level of Ace Pilot is very relevant in this case, as military service is ideal for the creation of "aces" of all sorts.

As for the Navy Doctor example, yes, the Navy class can take T/Med. In my opinion, that is the equivalent of being a Corpman or Paramed. Mingle levels of Professional optimised toward the medical side with the occasional level of Navy, and you have the modern picture of the Navy Doctor.

That said, T20 is playable in many modes. Find one that suits, but try to make liberal use of "IMTU" ("In My Traveller Universe") when describing it...