Prestige Class Scrutiny

[Magnyr_Delorn]

This is a prestige class I proposed to my GM:

Mine:
Terranigma

Entry requirements:
Knowledge: Planes 5 ranks
Languages: Terran
Feats: Spell Focus(Conjuration), Augment Summoning
Special: Ability to cast summon monster 3


d8HD
Good Save:Fort
BAB progression as wizard

1. +1 Natural Armor, Improved Stability, +1 Spell Level
2 +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
3 +1 DR/-, Burrow Speed equal to land speed, +1 Spell Level
4 +1 Natural Armor, +1 Spell Level
5 +2 Strength, Landbound, Earthen Legion, +1 Spell Level
6 +1 DR/-
7 +1 Natural Armor, +1 Spell Level
8 +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, +1 Spell Level
9 +1 DR/-, +1 Spell Level
10 +1 Natural Armor, becomes native outsider(earth), gains elemental traits

Improved Stability- As long as a Terranigma is on land, he gains a +8
to knockdown and bull rush attempts

Landbound- When a Terranigma goes 24 hours without contact with
natural earth, he must make a DC14 Fortitude Save or take 1 point of
Con damage. Each day the Terranigma is deprived natural earth, the DC
increases by 1.

He responded, "I like it, but I want to change it to:"

Terranigma

Entry requirements:Race: Dwarf Only

Knowledge: Planes 5 ranks
Languages: Terran
Feats: Spell Focus(Conjuration), Augment Summoning, Earth Sense

Special: Ability to cast summon monster 3


d6HD

Good Save:Fort
BAB progression as wizard

1. +1 Natural Armor, Improved Stability, +1 Spell Level
2 +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity
3 +1 DR/-, Earthen Glide, +1 Spell Level

4 +1 Natural Armor, +1 Spell Level
5 +2 Strength, -2 Charisma, Landbound, Earthen Legion, +1 Spell Level
6 +1 DR/-,
7 +1 Natural Armor, Burrow Speed equal to land speed, +1 Spell Level

8 +2 Constitution, -2 Dexterity, +1 Spell Level
9 +1 DR/-, +1 Spell Level
10 +1 Natural Armor, becomes native outsider(earth), gains elemental traits

Earthen Glide- While the Terranigma is on Natural earth, his speed
increases by 10 ft.

Improved Stability- As long as a Terranigma is on earth, he gains a +4
to his Strength or Dexterity to resist trip, trample and bull rush
attempts

Landbound- When a Terranigma goes 24 hours without contact with
natural earth, he must make a DC 16 Fortitude Save or take 1 point of
Con damage. Each 12 hours the Terranigma is deprived natural earth,
the DC increases by 1.

Earthen Legion- When you cast a summon monster spell to summon an
earth creature, you summon one additional creature.

Here were my thoughts on my original progression:

Regarding the PrC, while I'm not dismissing your concerns, keep in
mind it is a caster PrC that gives bonuses to:
1. Natural armor(I have a 14 AC now, with all of the natural armor in
the PrC it will leave me with 18 AC. Hardly gamebreaking for a 15th
level character.)
2. Improved Stability- How often does this come up? Its mostly just flavor.
3. +2 Con/ -2Dex- A bonus mixed with a negative. Albeit, the bonus is
obviously in my favor, but nevertheless, it is not a powerful ability.
4. Losing out on THREE casting levels, in a caster PrC! This is a big deal.
5. DR. Having a static DR/- is really nice, but DR3/- at 13th level is
nothing to write home over.
6. Burrow speed- really nice, thematically appropriate without being
overpowered.
7. +2 Str- thematically appropriate, but other than encumbrance, my
character could care less about his str score.
8. Landbound- A minor drawback, but could be signifigant if we planar travel.
9. Earthen Legion- Basically the entire point of the PrC. Very much in
the same spirit as the Malconvoker.
10. 10th level transformation- very common for a PrC of this type.

It won't change anything, but I am curious about what the DDO community thinks. Which one of us had a better progression and entry requirements?

[Temet]

Honestly the differences there are extremely small (Assuming you meet his requirements as well), albeit the extra feat requirement might be mildly annoying. That said, he should've just let you have things your way. Why? Because you're gimping yourself deliberately, most DMs would notice this and either let you have what you're asking for or rework it to something (substantially) stronger. Well, assuming they allowed summoning in the first place (many DMs discourage it, since it can make combat drag).

[GramercyRiff]

The DM's version is really bad. Your version should have full casting. There's nothing here that is remotely worth losing caster levels.

The DM's prerequisites are fluff only.

In short, yours is better, but it's also not very good either. Seriously, you should get full casting.

I do have a question. Why do you gain outsider type with elemental traits? Shouldn't you just get elemental type, which gives you elemental traits? Not that it really matters of course.

[SquelchHU]

Honestly the differences there are extremely small (Assuming you meet his requirements as well), albeit the extra feat requirement might be mildly annoying. That said, he should've just let you have things your way. Why? Because you're gimping yourself deliberately, most DMs would notice this and either let you have what you're asking for or rework it to something (substantially) stronger. Well, assuming they allowed summoning in the first place (many DMs discourage it, since it can make combat drag).

Yeah really. Both of those are very, very weak even if you get them for free. There is absolutely no reason to ever take either of them unless you really enjoy having elemental traits. And if you do, I suggest looking up the spell Elemental Body from the Spell Compendium. All the elemental flavor, none of the self gimping.