Pathfinder RPG Prestige Class Web Enhancement Released

I know most of my posts has been all from Wizards' side and I haven't been posting content or news from Pathfinder. This doesn't mean that I've lost interest in the system but I've still haven't been able to playtest it until I get off from uni and get back with my group.

This news isn't news anymore but I still think that I should let people have the heads up on the progress of the Pathfinder RPG.

It's been a while since the beta launch of Pathfinder RPG and most of playtesting period for the classes are over. So it's time to take it to another level with the prestige classes.

Paizo has launched the web enhancement for prestige classes which can downloaded for free here and playtesting for it will begin on the 24th this month.

This 18 pages pdf contains the Pathfinder RPG rendition of most of the prestige classes found in the 3.x DMG with the exception of one new prestige class; the Pathfinder Chronicler.

The notable absences that did not make it for the cut are;

Archmage
Blackguard
Dwarven Defender
Hierophant
Horizon Walker
Red Wizard (replaced by the Pathfinder Chronicler)
Thaumaturgist

Archmage and Hierophant were omitted because the designers felt that wizards and clerics of high level should be called just that and did not need to have a prestige class to represent that.

Blackguard was left out because the designers are in the middle of developing it into a base class.

Dwarven Defender was out due to space constraints although the elvish arcane archer is still in.

The designers felt that the Horizon Walker was a prestige class that nobody would ever use which I agree.

There is no word on why the Thaumaturgist was thrown out though.

From a general view, the web enhancement has mostly improved the prestige classes such as giving Eldritch Knight a more balanced benefit to being a fighter and spellcaster with Diverse Training.

Assassins now don't have any spellcasting capabilites which I though was weird when I first saw it in the 3.x DMG but that's a personal preference of flavor.

As for the new Pathfiner Chronicler, it appears to be interesting prestige class for bards which plays up their performance abilities. The features such as Call Down the Legends and Lay of the Exalted Dead which summons barbarians that serve the Chronicler was amusing but it's seriously not funny to have on the battlefield (for the enemy anyways).

The artwork is also recommendable which beats the illustrations of the prestige classes from the 3.x DMG by a long shot. I particularly liked how they potrayed the Dragon Disciple which looks nasty.

I'll be trying to keep posting more updates on any development happening with the Pathfinder RPG beta in the future to keep everyone posted.