D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 - Some Questions - Monk, Drunken Master, Vow of Poverty

[Ragmon]

First off, taking the Vow of Poverty at Level 15 is only possible after you've taken the Sacred Vow feat- which shouldn't be a problem. If you do so, you instantly gain all the benifits of a Lv15 VoP character, sans the bonus exalted feats between level 1 and level 15.

Between that, what I posted above, and what Sekhmet stated in Post#2, I think all your questions have been answered.

Also, if it's alright with the DM, since you're taking classes in Drunken Master, you could probably add your booze to your 'daily rations' that you carry on your person, provided that someone else buys it for you.

Yes I agree that Sekhmet answered every question...except the last one.

Tho I would like to hear some of you opinions on some additional questions.
- Could I use items, lets say a Cure potion to revive a party member, or anyone for that matter, who is dying? (The potion belongs to the fallen member).
- Could I use a magical golden lever to stop a machine?

These questions are more of my worries, cause if some goes into the -1 to -9 HP range then I can only hope for the best.
Or if a Lich started an evil contraption that only I can stop but I need to take the magical item and insert it into to off-switch mechanism.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

Yes I agree that Sekhmet answered every question...except the last one.

Tho I would like to hear some of you opinions on some additional questions.
- Could I use items, lets say a Cure potion to revive a party member, or anyone for that matter, who is dying? (The potion belongs to the fallen member).
- Could I use a magical golden lever to stop a machine?

These questions are more of my worries, cause if some goes into the -1 to -9 HP range then I can only hope for the best.
Or if a Lich started an evil contraption that only I can stop but I need to take the magical item and insert it into to off-switch mechanism.

If you're talking about the bit about the damage, then he answered it fairly succinctly, but if you're talking about the Thief Acrobat, then I can't answer that because I have nothing to work off it with, since I've not read up on it, sorry.

Also, if you are going to go monk, it would probably be a good idea to invest in Improved Natural Attack, (MM pg 304) as it treats your natural attack damage (read: unarmed attacks) as if you are one size larger, so your max damage goes from 2d10 to 4d8 at monk level 20.

With the Vow of Poverty, you are able to use/benifit from magical items that are cast upon you- so potions and temporary effect spells are good. You are unable to use or own any magic item for your direct benifit, so I'd read that as: your friend is dying, and you use his potion of cure moderate to heal him- not only are you living up to your vow, you're living up to your alignment by saving your companion.

As for the magic rod instance; it depends. Is this a mechanical thing you're talking about? Using the Rod of Wonder as a glorified monkey wrench to stop the doomsday device? Sure, that's all well and good, you're in the green. However, should you need to activate the magic device to prevent the doomsday device, the magic item in essence becomes your property as you use it, and you violate the vow.

It then becomes a roleplaying exercise for you as a player- which is more important to your character, the vow of poverty, or your devotion to your alignment? Remeber, by taking Sacred Vow, and subsequently Vow of Poverty, you are becoming an Exalted character and are a paragon of the Lawful Good alignment, and in allowing the doomsday device to activate by saving your self from failing the Vow of Poverty, you could potentially fail your Exalted status, and lose all your Exalted feats (including Vow of Poverty.) Sticky situation, but it's your call.

Does that make any sense?

 

[Ragmon]

If you're talking about the bit about the damage, then he answered it fairly succinctly, but if you're talking about the Thief Acrobat, then I can't answer that because I have nothing to work off it with, since I've not read up on it, sorry.

I meant the Thief Acrobat, it my fault for presuming everyone has exes to all the books... here is a link if you still wish to comment on the question. Link

Also, if you are going to go monk, it would probably be a good idea to invest in Improved Natural Attack, (MM pg 304) as it treats your natural attack damage (read: unarmed attacks) as if you are one size larger, so your max damage goes from 2d10 to 4d8 at monk level 20.

Yea I know about that but it causes more problems for me, cause we never determined what happens when a monk uses a Monk's Belt.
Which dmg increase takes priority, do I increase the monks Unarmed dmg with the belt and the improve the size dmg on enhanced dmg, or is it visa-versa.

With the Vow of Poverty, you are able to use/benifit from magical items that are cast upon you- so potions and temporary effect spells are good. You are unable to use or own any magic item for your direct benifit, so I'd read that as: your friend is dying, and you use his potion of cure moderate to heal him- not only are you living up to your vow, you're living up to your alignment by saving your companion.

Ah, ok, that is nice to hear that I can help in a situation like that.

As for the magic rod instance; it depends. Is this a mechanical thing you're talking about? Using the Rod of Wonder as a glorified monkey wrench to stop the doomsday device? Sure, that's all well and good, you're in the green. However, should you need to activate the magic device to prevent the doomsday device, the magic item in essence becomes your property as you use it, and you violate the vow.

No, I just merely wished to ask if picking up the magical item and jamming it into the machine like a monkey-wrench would break the vow?
- yea i should made my self more clear.

It then becomes a roleplaying exercise for you as a player- which is more important to your character, the vow of poverty, or your devotion to your alignment? Remeber, by taking Sacred Vow, and subsequently Vow of Poverty, you are becoming an Exalted character and are a paragon of the Lawful Good alignment, and in allowing the doomsday device to activate by saving your self from failing the Vow of Poverty, you could potentially fail your Exalted status, and lose all your Exalted feats (including Vow of Poverty.) Sticky situation, but it's your call.

Agreed it is an interesting quandary.

Does that make any sense?

Yes, and thnx again.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

I meant the Thief Acrobat, it my fault for presuming everyone has exes to all the books... here is a link if you still wish to comment on the question. Link

Just skimming over the info there, I see nothing wrong with taking this PrC with Monk- in fact, many, if not all, the abilities and class features would benifit a monk in some way or another. I think the Thief that's in the title there is just for fluff.

Yea I know about that but it causes more problems for me, cause we never determined what happens when a monk uses a Monk's Belt.
Which dmg increase takes priority, do I increase the monks Unarmed dmg with the belt and the improve the size dmg on enhanced dmg, or is it visa-versa.

Well, if the selling point on that feat for you is whether or not you can use it in conjunction with a Monk's Belt, you should probably remember that the Belt is a magic item, and you wouldn't be able to use it with the Vow of Poverty anyway. :shrug:

Also, magic items enhance your normal attributes, so if a feat would permanently change an attribute, the magic item would enhance that feat-altered attribute. Just saying.

No, I just merely wished to ask if picking up the magical item and jamming it into the machine like a monkey-wrench would break the vow?
- yea i should made my self more clear.

Your question was fine, really. Mostly because a DM that's not familiar with the rules of voluntary poverty would have to ask the same question and have to come up with (hopefully) the same results.

The real problem comes in when you get someone who, for whatever reason, is going to interpret the rules differently- which every DM has the right to do. So, your best bet would probably be to, out of character, announce your intentions to the DM and ask if there would be any adverse ramifications to your character due to your vow.

 

[Sekhmet]

I agree with dragonfriend7738 regarding both the Thief Acrobat (good mesh up with Monk's fluff) and Monk's Belt + Imp. Unarmed Strike stacking.

I'd allow you to use a friend's potion to heal him if he were unconscious/dying. You are not the direct beneficiary of his item, it isn't your item, and it falls under the same category as using a friend's potion on yourself (which is perfectly fine).

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Yes I agree that Sekhmet answered every question...except the last one.

Tho I would like to hear some of you opinions on some additional questions.
- Could I use items, lets say a Cure potion to revive a party member, or anyone for that matter, who is dying? (The potion belongs to the fallen member).
- Could I use a magical golden lever to stop a machine?

These questions are more of my worries, cause if some goes into the -1 to -9 HP range then I can only hope for the best.
Or if a Lich started an evil contraption that only I can stop but I need to take the magical item and insert it into to off-switch mechanism.

Potion to help a party member, definitely no. It's one of the serious flaws of the system as far as I'm concerned.

I would think the level would likewise be prohibited.