Meet my friend's fighter, Ginny, she was like a mountain of Mithral at level 5. Basically I have to agree. More over I have found out some things.<br/><br/>1. CR is meant for a 4 person party, so your example about a character standing alone toe to toe with an enemy of equal level is wrong. After all, how many level 20 characters can solo level 20 monsters? This is pretty much stated in the DMG.<br/><br/>2. Prestige classes wouldn't exist if other classes didn't lose their usefulness in some campaign. Its a way for classes to become diverse and branch out from their original path. Fighters, for instance can take many paths, a prestige class is just one of them (and many classes can take them) but if you didn't start out a fighter in some cases you might never earn enough feats to do so.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Name: Ginny / Genevieve<br/>Gender: Female<br/>Race: Half-Orc<br/>Class: Fighter<br/>Age: 14<br/>Level: 7<br/>Movement: 30<br/>Size: Medium<br/>Alignment: Chaotic Neutral<br/>Religion: Gods are there. Some don't like you, some do. Deal with it.<br/>XP: 24550<br/><br/>Str: 20 (5)<br/>Dex: 14 (2)<br/>Con: 16 (3)<br/>Int: 13 (1)<br/>Wis: 10 (0)<br/>Cha: 10 (0) <br/><br/>Spot: 6 (5 + 1)<br/>Climb: 9 (4+5)<br/>Craft Tailor: 3<br/>Ride: 5 (3+2)<br/>Intimidate: 10<br/>Escape Artist 5 (3+2)<br/>Jump: 12 (7+ 5) <br/><br/>Masterwork Mithral Full Plate (+8 AC,-2 AC Penalty)<br/><br/>+1 Keen Silvered Large Falchion (2d6) x 2 Crit on 15-20.<br/>Tower Shield (Kept on back)<br/>Large War Hammer (2d6) x 3 Crit.<br/>Spiked gauntlets(2)<br/><br/>Inventory<br/>Artisan's Outfit<br/>Artisan's Tools<br/>Explorer's Outfit<br/>Traveler's Outfit<br/>Backpack<br/>Bedroll<br/>Mr. Bear.<br/>Trail Rations (10)<br/>Water Skin.<br/>Lantern<br/>2 pints oil<br/>Flint + Steel<br/>Soap (2 lb)<br/>Rope, Hemp 50 ft<br/>Sewing Needles (10)<br/>Shovel<br/><br/>Wealth: 1200 GP <br/><br/>HP: 86<br/>AC: 20<br/>Flat Footed: 18<br/><br/><br/>Saves<br/>Fort: +8<br/>Ref: +4<br/>Wil: +2<br/><br/><br/>Battle<br/>Bab: +7/+2<br/><br/>Melee Attack: +12/+7<br/>Ranged Attack: +9/+4<br/>Grapple Check: +16/+11<br/><br/>Melee Damage: 2d6 + 5 (Hammer, +8 for Falchion)<br/>Ranged Damage: NA<br/>Grapple Damage: 1d4 + 5<br/><br/>Combat Expertise: Ginny may sacrifice attack bonus for additional AC in a given round. This may not exceed +5<br/><br/>Combat Reflexes. Ginny may make an additional number of attacks of opportunity equal to her dexterity modifier + 1. This gives her a total of 3 attacks of opportunity per round.<br/><br/>Improved Trip. Ginny does not grant an attack of opportunity to her opponent when making a trip attempt. She also gets a +4 bonus to the Strength check made to trip the opponent in addition to any other modifiers.<br/><br/>Power Attack. Exchange Attack Bonus for additional damage<br/><br/>Improved Unarmed Strike. Ginny is considered to be armed even when unarmed —that is, she does not provoke attacks or opportunity from armed opponents when you attack them while unarmed. However, you still get an attack of opportunity against any opponent who makes an unarmed attack on you<br/><br/>Improved Disarm. Ginny gains a +4 on the opposed attack roll to disarm an opponent, does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and the opponent is not given a chance to disarm her.<br/><br/>Improved Sunder. When she strikes at an object held or carried by an opponent (such as a weapon or shield), she does not provoke an attack of opportunity.<br/><br/>She also gains +4 bonus on any attack roll made to attack an object held or carried by another character. <br/><br/>Powerful Build:<br/>For many purposes, Ginny counts as being one size category larger than she is due to her muscular body. She may wield weapons sized for a creature one size category larger without penalty.<br/><br/>Whenever Ginny is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), she is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous.<br/><br/>Ginny is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. Ginny can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, her space and reach remain those of a creature of her actual size. The benefits of this trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.<br/><br/>Darkvision: Like other Half Orcs, Ginny can see up to 60 feet in the Dark.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div>