Prestige Classes

[Drajor]

There is many ways to approach this. Without fully exploring it here is roughly what my first attempt would be.
- Add an extra field to character_ or other table that has an association with a character. Call it class2.
- When a character reaches max level, give them a choice of next classes, store this in class2.
- Modify combat/spell code to handle things differently depending on class2.
- Spell/Disc learning would most likely need to be handled via server/script and would again look at class2.
- Equipment will be the hardest to do well. But again there are heaps of options. You could add a new field to the items table to constrain items to certain class2 types. The client will not know about this data so it will allow players to equip things that do no belong to the class. However, on the server you can look at how stats/bonuses are calculated from a characters inventory and put class2 checks in there. Another way would be to hijack the diety system and use that to both constrain the client and make bonus calculation easier on the server side. (There may also be a way with required skill on items .. I don't know much about this yet).

More knowledgeable folk then me may know more elegant approaches as well.

[Mariomario]

It is completely possible yes. How I personally went about it was completely changing the available classes into something different. As stated above, yes I did change the source around some to adequately achieve what I wanted. I simply used the original bit types of the 16 classes and changed them into what I wanted. Example monk = bit type 64, which is my Myrmidon class, an ascension to the Champion. I wanted both the champion and myrmidon to have the berserker frenzy ability while below 20% which resulted in a source change. My original warrior class is the Assassin, an ascension of the Blackguard, which I did not want to have the berserker frenzy and thus needed to be removed. Skills were also completely changed, allowing some of the original caster type classes the ability to DW or double attack.

Just playing with the 16 original slots gives you endless possibilities. Some of the original casters for me are now viable tanks, dealing great damage and taking hits accordingly with the change of softcaps. Just revamping the AA abilities into something new will also give you the ability to implement cross class features.

What Drajor said holds 100% true. A class is defined by the ROLE you want them to have. This can be done as simply as changing spells, skills and AAs. The only thing you would want to keep in mind is their innate source coded abilities such as berserker frenzy below 20%, innate crit %s, avoidances, archery damage and etc. With a little bit of ingenuity and imagination there are endless possibilities with what's available right now.