Prestige Classes

[garrett]

I was thinking of it being more of a specialized class, rather than a prestige class.

Prestige classes are those that give you special abilities.

This would be more in the area of specialized training and knowledge about your class.

[Maulbane]

You can already do that, for example Maulbane is somewhat of a "Stronger" Hunter at the moment, considering everything.

[garrett]

That's what I was mainly interested in. Learning the limits of what I could do with a class, for when I begin planning my characters out in full.

I know one is going to be a Tauren though, and I'm angling for Spirit Walker with him. At least that's the goal.

[Falkon]

Yeah I was even curious a little how exactly a to do this with a class Maulbane mentioned... "Beastmaster"... would having a hunter specced in beast mastery be enough for that or what? Rather a bit confusing to me.

[garrett]

That's probably part of it. But you'd also need to RP with a Beastmaster to learn the finer aspects of it. If you are going Horde, Maulbane will probably be the one to train you.

If Alliance, you probably would have to create an NPC and do it yourself.

Check the CotH Wiki page for Beastmaster, and check it out on WoWwiki as well. That'll provide some help.

[Kaghuros]

Prestige mechanics allow the Beastmaster class to have more than what a normal Hunter is allowed in terms of specialized skills and talents. All Prestige titles are essentially a mastery of a certain area of expertise that the normal person cannot attain on their own, or at least not without extreme effort. They confer bonuses to the character as such.

[garrett]

I've been doing some research on WoWwiki, and the Sourcebooks for the Sister of Steel prestige class.

I was wondering at the likelihood of obtaining this class, and Kretol suggested I post here the stuff I had obtained, and some ideas about how to keep it from being overpowered, if it's considered to be that in it's normal state.

The Sisters of Steel are an Alliance group that started with Ironforge dwarves, but humans and gnomes can become one as well. It is for female blacksmiths only.

I have read through the information, and compiled a listing of things for the class, similar to how the wiki has classes listed.

:Classes:
While this is not covered, the most ideal class to apply this to is Warriors. Paladins also could benefit. Any other class isn't likely to go this route, simply because it would be strange for a Mage or Hunter to also be a blacksmith.

:Races:
Ironforge Dwarves primarily, but Humans and Gnomes can as well.

:Gender:
Only females may take this.

:Profession:
I added this in, because it seems to fit quite naturally. But one should have the Blacksmith profession, it is a blacksmith class, after all. I have not yet decided whether one should learn to be a Blacksmith during the training, or prior to the training, but either way, it should be mastered before it's over.

Now for the abilities of the class.

I consider these to be the Basic Passive skills.
Skin of Steel applies a bonus of +6 to the AC of the character. The skin loks to be made of steel or rock and at least part of the body is a form of rocky or metallic flesh. Weight of the character is doubled. (It doubles again at 5th level)

Strength of Granite is the second basic passive. It is a STR bonus of 2, that is applied multiple times during the course of learning. You receive it 5 times total, upon which you have a total of +10 STR.

The rest of the skills I think would be better listed as Advanced. And for the most part come in as Overpowered. You get damage reduction, reduced critical hits, things of that nature.

In all, I mainly want this class for the RP potential. The abilities listed above mean little to nothing for me. I'm quite content to stick with whatever I can acquire with weapons, armor, and the normal bonuses a warrior can achieve through talents.

I would be happy if I was permitted to train for this class, and ultimately only acquired two specific parts of the class, to be used in RP.

The first of these is the weight increase. This is mainly due to the second I like, the ultimate ability Steelflesh Ascendance.

However, I am not trying to get all of the immunities granted by Steelflesh. I just want the appearance alteration to the character, to be honest.

The immunities themselves can be totally left out of the equation. I'm still up in the air in terms of the not requiring food or sleep, or having to breathe.

I'm suggesting all these nerfs to the class, because of something I read here about how you used to handle prestige classes. You allowed people to RP as a class, as long as they didn't claim to have certain special features. That's what I'm ultimately trying to accomplish here.

For all intents and purposes, I want my character to become a Sister of Steel, with her body becoming the living metal through Steelflesh Ascendance, but that's as far as it needs to be.

There are some nerfs inherent in the weight increase, namely in regards to mounts. I believe if we follow the lore of what mounts could carry, this would put my character in the heavy load category.

According to the Alliance Player's guide ((where this class info has been taken)) a heavy warhorse's carrying capacity is capped at up to 900lbs for a heavy load. But a character at 120lbs normal would increase to 960lbs through this, so that would be out.

However, the Battle Ram is capable of carrying up to 1,200lbs, so I could also work to RP gaining the trust of the Ironforge dwarves, to be allowed to use one of their mounts.

I realize I need to be active until December before my 2 months are up, but I am willing to work with you guys as much as possible to make this class become available, no matter what the cost.

[Kaghuros]

Yeah no. Being made of metal isn't allowable.

[Anski]

So you're saying that you want the bonuses of strength and the title rather than what Prestige Classes are actually there for, which is furthering the path of a well played character? People create characters for Prestige Classes and are more often than not let down. They're there for the purpose of having a character that you've played out for a long time further their career as themselves, not just to look cool or have extra powers, but because that character has worked hard and is able to reap what they sow.

[garrett]

No, I was saying to not have statistical bonuses of any kind.

No damage reduction, no STR bonuses, no armor bonus, none of that.

I wanted the class for the RP of learning the trade and teachings of the class, and once I had attained the class, the RP of being one of the Sisters.

I was saying I didn't want to look cool, or have the extra powers, but rather the RP of the class.

[JackofBlades]

Yeah no. Being made of metal isn't allowable.

): Well...there goes my plans

[Maxwell]

Actually we're breaking the terms of use for WoW, not the law. Blizz =/= "the law"

Flaming Fist Blizzard Employee: I AM THE LAW. Been playing Baldur's Gate recently...

On a more serious note, aren't there dwarves somewhere able to turn to stone as a natural ability? Or at least some of them? I know it's a racial talent in the game, but I never have considered this IC for any dwarves I have seen, but I do recall the Mountain King in Warcraft III able to turn to stone. Would this be a special or prestige profile or not possible? Just an alternate route to having a sister of steel.

[Maulbane]

Can't find it at the moment, Maxwell, but yes, there was a prestige title/class that had the ability to turn into stone, and bend stone (I believe). I think it was something about embracing their Earthan heritage. I'll keep looking for it now.

EDIT: Found.

[garrett]

I honestly don't see why having a metal skin is such a big deal. Look at the RP and time involved before that even comes out.

It's not like it's the first thing you obtain with the class, it's the ultimate achievement of the class, something that would take years of learning to accomplish.

And you can't even say that the class is overpowered. I said to simply remove all stat bonuses and features, leaving only the RP of the class. So even if my character did get this, she would still only be as strong as any other Fury Warrior on the server, how could that be overpowered?

[rentreality]

Well, a few issues that I can see.

One, despite what the books might say, I can't see you being able to use a normal mount -- a body made of steel would break the back of anything short of a Clydesdale or elekk. Rams, being little more than an overgrown sheep, would be out of the question, and the spindly legs on a mechanostrider would buckle under that much weight.

Two, you say you would be willing to remove the stat bonuses, etc. Fine and good -- except the fact that we don't use stat bonuses in-character anyway, so really, having a body made of steel would provide you with all those bonuses anwyay in-character. A sword/crossbow/hammer/poleaxe/etc would be useless against something made of steel. Hell, even a Goblin Rocket Launcher wouldn't do much. You'd be really, really conductive, so you might have a worry around a shaman, but a mage's fireball might just make you mildly uncomfortable for a minute. That's... somewhat overpowered.