Does Vow of Poverty have Epic benefits?

[Thanee]

Yeah, and considering how much of a limitation it poses at epic levels, anything beyond that would be too much. It's weak enough as is.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Pax]

What follows is a copy of the rules for the Vow of Poverty as used in the Epic-level arena "The Exodus", on RPOL.net (see my SIG for more information). I only wish I knew how to build a Table with the BB code here ... it looks SO much nicer in Table format!

Anyway, many of hte pre-epic abilities were tweaked significantly, in order to make them better fall into line with an easily scaled-to-level progression. Balance at epic levels was more important for this version than balance at pre-epic levels - somehing to keep in mind before leaping headfirst into using this progression in your pre-epic campaign.

"[Epic Levels and the Vow of Poverty]
When taken into Epic levels, the vow of poverty's benefits need to be ... tweaked, somewhat. Also, other considerations have prompted additional changes to the Vow of Poverty.

First, it must be taken no later than 4th level - anyone can do this, just take Sacred Vow at 1st level, and Vow of Poverty at 3d (Humans, and similar species, can take it much sooner, of course). Characters built with the Vow of Poverty are assumed to have never owned anything - not even at 1st level.

Second, several changes have been made. Inherent bonusses are gained, bonus feats are back (in much smaller quantities than by the RAW), and the progressions of existing bonusses have been "smoothed out" to make for a more-logical progression into Epic levels.

Level   Exalted   Deflection   Natural   Resist.   Exalted   Damage         Ability           Special
          AC          AC         AC                Strike    Reduction      Enhancement       Ability
-----   -------   ----------   -------   -------   -------   ---------      -----------       ------------------------------
 1        +4          -          -         -         -         -                 -             Rapid Healing
                                                                                                  (1hp/level/hour)
 2        +4          -          -         -         -         -                 -             -
 3        +5          -          -         -         -         -                 -             Endure Elements
 4        +5          -          -         -        +1         -                 -             Inherent Bonus +1
 5        +5          -          -         -        +1         -                 -             Sustenance, Bonus Exalted Feat
 6        +6         +1          -         -        +1         -                 -             -
 7        +6         +1          -        +1        +1         -                +2             -
 8        +6         +1         +1        +1        +2         -                +2             Inherent Bonus +2
 9        +9         +1         +1        +1        +2         -                +2             -
10        +9         +1         +1        +1        +2       5/magic            +2             Bonus Exalted Feat
11        +9         +1         +1        +1        +2       5/magic            +4, +2         Improved Rapid Healing
                                                                                                  (1hp/2 levels/minute)
12       +10         +2         +1        +2        +3       5/magic            +4, +2         Greater Sustenance,
                                                                                                  Inherent Bonus +3
13       +10         +2         +1        +2        +3       5/magic            +4, +2         Energy Resistance 5
14       +10         +2         +1        +2        +3       5/magic            +4, +2         Freedom of Movement
15       +11         +2         +1        +2        +3       5/magic and evil   +6, +4, +2     Bonus Exalted Feat
16       +11         +2         +2        +2        +4       5/magic and evil   +6, +4, +2     Inherent Bonus +4
17       +11         +2         +2        +3        +4       5/magic and evil   +6, +4, +2     -
18       +12         +3         +2        +3        +4       5/magic and evil   +6, +4, +2     True Seeing
19       +12         +3         +2        +3        +4       5/magic and evil   +8, +6, +4,    -
                                                                                and +2
20       +12         +3         +2        +3        +5       10/magic and evil  +8, +6, +4,    Energy Resistance 15,
                                                                                and +2            Bonus Exalted Feat,
                                                                                                  Inherent Bonus +5
21       +13         +3         +2        +3        +5       10/magic and evil  +8, +6, +4,    Fast Healing
                                                                                and +2            (1hp/3 levels/round)
22       +13         +3         +2        +4        +5       10/magic and evil  +8, +6, +4,    -
                                                                                and +2
23       +13         +3         +2        +4        +5       10/magic and evil  +10, +8, +6,   -
                                                                                +4, and +2
24       +14         +4         +3        +4        +6       10/magic and evil  +10, +8, +6,   -
                                                                                +4, and +2
25       +14         +4         +3        +4        +6       10/epic and evil   +10, +8, +6,   Bonus Exalted Feat
                                                                                +4, and +2        or Epic Feat
26       +14         +4         +3        +4        +6       10/epic and evil   +10, +8, +6,   -
                                                                                +4, and +2
27       +15         +4         +3        +5        +6       10/epic and evil   +12, +10, +8,  Energy Resistance 30
                                                                                +6, +4, and
                                                                                +2
28       +15         +4         +3        +5        +7       10/epic and evil   +12, +10, +8,  -
                                                                                +6, +4, and
                                                                                +2
29       +15         +4         +3        +5        +7       10/epic and evil   +12, +10, +8,  -
                                                                                +6, +4, and
                                                                                +2
30       +16         +5         +3        +5        +7       15/epic and evil   +12, +10, +8,  Bonus Exalted Feat
                                                                                +6, +4, and       or Epic Feat

(All benefits continue progressing at the above rates, where applicable ... DR would be an exception requiring custom attention)

+2

The following abilities replace the Regeneration normally granted by the Vow of Poverty:
Rapid Healing: The character heals 1hp per level, each hour, as long as he is alive. This ability is gained at 1st level.
Improved Rapid Healing: The character heals 1hp per two levels each minute, and 1 point of ability damage or drain per hour, as long as he is alive. This ability is gained at 11th level, and replaces (does not stack with) Rapid Healing.
Fast Healing: The character heals 1hp per three levels each round, and 2 points of ability damage or drain per hour, as long as he is alive. This ability is gained at 21st level, and replaces (does not stack with) Improved Rapid Healing.

Inherent Bonusses: At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level, the character gains the listed Inherent Bonus to all attributes. They do not, of course, stack with each other. This benefit is provided because, quite frankly, when the feat could still be taken at later levels, it was possible to BUY those same inherent bonusses, anyway - but that wasn't broken, and characters built that way still seemed perfectly balanced. And now that it's not possible to delay taking the Vow, it is neccessary to provide for those bonusses within the feat's own benefits.

Bonus Feats: Starting at 5th level, and again every 5 levels after that, the character gains a bonus feat. At pre-epic levels, it must be an Exalted feat; at epic levels, it may be an Exalted feat, or any non-[vile] Epic feat the character qualifies for.

Except as noted here, the rules in the Book of Exalted Deeds are still in effect as written."