Prestige Leveling System (5e Variant Rule)

XP Gain

You are reincarnated with the ability to learn faster, train harder, and improve your skills to mastery. For every prestige level, XP from monsters grants additional XP equal to 25% of the given XP. This boost stacks (25%, 50%, 75%, etc...), and does not apply to creatures with a CR of 1/4 or lower. This bonus XP and the total XP is listed on the XP Boost Table (at the bottom of the document)

Ability Score Increase

Your prowess becomes sharpened and honed, making you stronger, smarter, or more dextrous. At prestige 1st level , you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. For every prestige level after 1st, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 1.

For every prestige level after 1st, one ability score maximum of your choice increases by 2.

Subclass

your rebirth has opened your eyes to many other domains to surge your potential. At prestige 1st level, choose a subclass other than one you already have. The subclass must be from the same class. You now benefit form both subclasses, and can level them up as normal. However, the secondary subclass that you choose can only advance to 5th level. At prestige 2nd level, the secondary subclass can advance to 10th level. At prestige 3rd level, it can advance to 15th level, and at prestige 4th level, 20th level.

At every fourth prestige level after 1st (5th, 9th, 13th, etc...), you can choose to either gain an additional subclass, or choose a additional class to benefit from. In order to gain an additional class, you must have two subclasses, with the ability to reach 20th level, on every class that you benefit from so far. You gain benefits from this class, but it also can only advance to 5th level. This can be raised with prestige levels.

When using two or more subclasses on one class, you only benefit from the subclasses themselves, meaning you do not get extra benefits such as extra Hit Die, Ability Score Increases, or Extra Attacks. If subclasses use on feature multiple times, such as a druid's Druid Circle, or a paladin's Holy Aura, they can choose which feature to benefit from when using. If using two or more classes, you only benefit from the class's features, meaning no extra Hit Die.

When using this bonus, it is important for the DM to watch out for subclasses with features that can stack upon each other. Take, for example, a mystic's Psionic Disciplines. Most subclasses of the mysic, called orders, have features that allow a character to gain an extra two disciplines. This means that a mystic with prestige 1st level could potentially have up to 5 disciplines at 1st level (to put to scale, most mystics get 5 disciplines at levels 5th-11th). This can become exponentially unbalanced, and may need to be altered in order to fit better. In the case of the mystic, for every subclass after the first, maybe they get just one additional discipline.

Extra Feature

Characters come back with an additonal number of features. This is the bonus that can be most customized by the DM. Any number of benefits can come from this. from something small, like learning an additional language, to something large, like recieving the power of an epic boon. It is really up to the DM to choose what bonus talents you get. Below are but several examples:

Languages & Proficiencies. Maybe the character learned from valuable skill an expert linguist, war general, or painter. The character gain an additional language, or proficiency for armor, simple or martial weapons, or artisan's tools.

Racial Traits. Possilby the character created a more physical connection to their dwarven ancestry. The character gains a racial trait from another race. Alternatively, they could benefit from lineages (things like Dhampir, Fairy, Hexblood, and Owlin are all good examples).

Feats. A character might have shown a hone of skill with feats. The character gains a feat.

Cults. Cults may be ruthless and deadly, but they do have their benefits. The character recieves a feature given to members of a cult, even if that character has no relation to said cult. Some examples are the Cult of Dispater's Infernal Insight, or the Demoninc Boon of Baphomet's Labyrinthine Recall.

Supernatural Gifts. Why be apart of a cult when you can gain powers from gods and demons? The character can gain a Supnatural Gift, from Mythic Odysseys of Theros, or possilby a Dark Gift, from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft.

Other Class Features. Maybe a wizard uses a sorcerer's metamagic, or a paladin able to fire an arcane shot from the fighter subclass. You gain a number of features that would only be avaible to certain classes. Just be sure to give them the proper dice and coordination to enable such features.

Blessings & Boons. If you don't care about balance, you could even give your character a blessing or epic boon!

XP Boost Table

I hope that people can use this system to level up their D&D experience. (no pun intended)

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