In Neverwinter Nights and other recent Dungeons & Dragons settings, the prestige classes (PrC) are sub-classes that can only be reached through certain requirements. (Alignment requirements, such as those required by bards, do not count, as one usually chooses their class before their alignment.) If a character takes levels in a prestige class, normal multi-classing rules apply.

Prestige classes, part of the d20 System that governs Dungeons & Dragons third edition, extended the idea of multi-classing.

The five prestige classes in the first Neverwinter Nights expansion pack, Shadows of Undrentide, are the Arcane Archer, Assassin, Blackguard, Shadowdancer, and Harper Scout. They have various requirements, such as must be non-evil (Harper Scout), must be elf or half-elf (Arcane Archer), and must have 8 ranks in both Hide and Move Silently (Assassin). The new prestige classes in the latest expansion pack, Hordes of the Underdark, include the Champion of Torm, Dwarven Defender, Pale Master, Red Dragon Disciple, Shifter, and Weapon Master.