Prestige Classes and XP penalties.

[hydra_ex]

I have heard from various sources (ie my friends who play D&D) and their interpretations of what exactly a prestige class is. Some say those who choose to pick one up sustain the standard 20% XP penalty for having two classes more than one level apart from eachother. Others say that this would render prestige classes unappealing and therefore the XP penalty is removed. Can somone please settle this debate for me?

[NullWolf]

I'll have to dig up the actual rule / quote (It'll be from 3.0 or 3.5, don't have 4 right now) later at home, but Prestige classes don't have the XP penalty that standard classes do.

[hydra_ex]

thank you, I thought that was the case (as I have been playing), but I've looked through the DMG and other books many times and couldn't find the quote.

[Rawum]

Taking a prestige class does not incur the experience point penalties normally associated with multi-classing.

Page 27 DMG 3.0.

I looked in the DMG 3.5 but couldn't find the same rule.

[QuantumFX]

From the SRD.


Prestige classes offer a new form of multiclassing. Unlike the basic classes, characters must meet Requirements before they can take their first level of a prestige class. The rules for level advancement apply to this system, meaning the first step of advancement is always choosing a class. If a character does not meet the Requirements for a prestige class before that first step, that character cannot take the first level of that prestige class. Taking a prestige class does not incur the experience point penalties normally associated with multiclassing.

[hydra_ex]

Taking a prestige class does not incur the experience point penalties normally associated with multi-classing.

Page 27 DMG 3.0.

I looked in the DMG 3.5 but couldn't find the same rule.

I assume its just a forgetful editor then. Same rules should apply.

PS Wow, a response a year...