unique prestige class/faction suggestion

drakbear · Post by **drakbear** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:02 pm

As everyone knows, the 6 factions (ie., not LA) have unique prestige classes. In playing for the past 2 months, the one faction that has the weakest prestige class, IMO, is: the Shadow Legion. The assassin is....a rogue with some perks. That's it. Ghostly visage, improved invis, poison (when it gets implemented, BG can also do it), and the "almost-doesn't-happen ever" death attack are not good compensation for being in shadow legion.

LA is better than SL because it can have any class (excluding the unique ones) and alignment. Dwarf defender, Champ of Torm, Pale Master, and RDD are all much better than an assassin. (Shifter a bit buggy, but I'm sure it'll be stronger after the 1.63 patch).

So, my radical suggestion is: make the shadowdancer the unique for the SL. Reasons why: 1) HIPS gets a lot of people bitching, so why not make them [censored] about a faction; 2)Shadow in the name already!; and 3) that'd just put the evil back in the Shadow legion.

I know that it's beta, so I don't expect this to occur any time soon. But maybe when it goes full-out legit? Feedback appreciated!

AndrewCarr · Post by **AndrewCarr** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:08 pm

I don't think it fits perfectly lore wise, but I like the idea.

kiros · Post by **kiros** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:10 pm

For the Shadowdancer, objectively i'd say it's a good idea... (though personnaly i have an LA character that i want to build as a Shadowdancer)

JesterOI · Post by **JesterOI** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:05 pm

I wouldn't disagree with that, giving Shadow Legion the shadowdancer and assassin.
I would take it a step further and let members of SL to be able to take both of those PrC's on the same build, as long as they level them evenly.

kiros · Post by **kiros** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:12 pm

JesterOI wrote:I would take it a step further and let members of SL to be able to take both of those PrC's on the same build.

I think it could be a good idea... but to simplify the process of dealing with current non-SL shadowdancers I'm suggesting the middle option... :

Don't put Shadowdancer "unique prestige class" but give the Shadow Legion the possibility of including Shadowdancer levels in their character build (even if they are Assassins).

JesterOI · Post by **JesterOI** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:15 pm

kiros wrote:I think it could be a good idea... but to simplify the process of dealing with current non-SL shadowdancers I'm suggesting the middle option... :

Don't put Shadowdancer "unique prestige class" but give the Shadow Legion the possibility of including Shadowdancer levels in their character build (even if they are Assassins).

Good point, for the rest of beta for sure.
But once beta is over and there is a wipe could then give SL both PrC's and let them take both in a build.

HealingBreeze · Post by **HealingBreeze** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:54 pm

As soon as one faction gets 2 PrC's, you will absolutely EVERY non SL person bitching that they want 2 classes also. Besides, Shadowdancers are not "Evil" inherently like an assassin. So it makes no sense to just lump it in with an evil faction because the names match...

drakbear · Post by **drakbear** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:21 pm

Yay, a post of mine that sparks interesting ideas!

HealingBreeze wrote:As soon as one faction gets 2 PrC's, you will absolutely EVERY non SL person bitching that they want 2 classes also. Besides, Shadowdancers are not "Evil" inherently like an assassin. So it makes no sense to just lump it in with an evil faction because the names match...

I threw out the idea of Shadowdancer for the SL because, well, the SL really are the weakest faction. I'm not really sure how to make them any better except giving them a stronger PrC. Assassins just don't intimidate people any more than a rogue would. I see a RDD, I think better not waste time on fire, I see a PM, I think "stupid immune to crit". I see an assassin, I think, "Rogue with perks". The five other factions unique PrC can become really intimidating. Assassin being just a rogue with some gadgets just doesn't cut it on its own. And if the unique PrC isn't that great a build, it makes the uniqueness of the faction useless. You could have just been LA member. (well, at least SL being on server 2 doesn't crash that often...I guess that's a benefit).

Denort · Post by **Denort** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:34 pm

I still do not understand the whole "1 prestige class" thing. With the 2 of the most powerful prestige classes now faction specific, whats the big deal about being able to have a RDD/Arcane Archer or a Blackguard/Shadowdancer and the poor old Assassin is even more gimped now that he can not get HiPS. A rogue/shadowdancer makes a better assassin than an assassin.

Why not lift this restriction and if any combinations show up that people think need to be hit with the nerf bat do it through the existing factional class, alignment and racial restrictions.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:56 pm

There is also always the option of creating a faction/class-specific item with the HiPS bonus feat as a job or quest reward item.

JesterOI · Post by **JesterOI** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:34 pm

HealingBreeze wrote:As soon as one faction gets 2 PrC's, you will absolutely EVERY non SL person bitching that they want 2 classes also. Besides, Shadowdancers are not "Evil" inherently like an assassin. So it makes no sense to just lump it in with an evil faction because the names match...

I think you are absolutely wrong.

dond · Post by **dond** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:11 pm

shadowdancer isn't evil.

Blackguard would be a better choice
agree that the assassin sucks though.

HealingBreeze · Post by **HealingBreeze** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:12 pm

JesterOI wrote:
HealingBreeze wrote:As soon as one faction gets 2 PrC's, you will absolutely EVERY non SL person bitching that they want 2 classes also. Besides, Shadowdancers are not "Evil" inherently like an assassin. So it makes no sense to just lump it in with an evil faction because the names match...

I think you are absolutely wrong.

Wrong about what, People complaining or my stance on shadowdancers?