Few Vow of Poverty questions

[Iku Rex]

Magic Vestement most certainly would add armor to your simple clothes... the armor bonus granted by Vow of Poverty is an "exalted bonus" while Magic Vestment is an "enhancement bonus".

Magic Vestment provides an enhancement bonus to armor, which provides an armor bonus to AC. Effectively, it won't stack with the VoP bonus.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Except the VoP is *not* an Enhancement bonus to *anything*, it's an Exalted bonus.

VoP and Magic Vestments stack.

 

[Thanee]

Bye
Thanee

 

[Particle_Man]

A simple wooden symbol you carved yourself has no value... so its fine.

Simple spell components too.

If you take everything to the extreme this Vow would be impossible. It becomes a hassle instead of a good roleplaying or game choice if you keep nit picking details.

Well spell components are covered specifically under the text (they are allowed if they are not pricy, and one can substitute experience points for pricy material components). But since a character can make a bow (given the relevant craft skill) and then sell it, and since one could make a simple wooden symbol and then sell it, I am afraid that strictly speaking, a simple wooden symbol is not allowed. That said, having a simple wooden holy symbol does seem to fit the whole "Exalted" idea of a character with a Vow of Poverty, so I think a good house rule is to allow it, as does my DM (for clerics and paladins).

 

[Chun-tzu]

The Sage answers the question about holy symbols in Dragon #324, and basically says what Particle Man said. Since a holy symbol does not appear on the list of eligible items, a strict reading of the feat would disallow the item. He goes on to say that a cleric who has to give up his holy symbol could be an interesting challenge (no turning undead, or casting spells that require a divine focus).

 

[Eremite]

(snip) As a monk, I can't figure out why I would take Sanctify Ki Strike instead of Santify Natural Attack (assuming I don't want to later get Holy Ki Strike). What am I missing?

You're not missing anything: WotC is missing a good editor (or three), an editor who would have noticed that, as it stands, Sanctify Ki Strike is redundant with its higher prequisites.

And speaking of possible mistakes, I am looking at getting the Touch of Golden Ice but it seems a bit unbalanced. Is it true that every unarmed strike I do against an evil creature would force them to make a save or lose Dex?

OK, please let me begin by declaring my biases. I think this is a stupid, stupid feat from a flavour point of view. I think that the concept of ravages, doing more damage the higher the foe's Cha, is a stupid, stupid idea from a mechanical point of view. To summarise, IMO, stupid, stupid fluff; stupid, stupid crunch. Oh yeah, for the cost of one feat would you allow an evil character, either PC or NPC, to possess a poisonous touch? No, I didn't think so.

The only way I would allow this to work is by making it a supernatural ability that requires a standard action to activate. The PC can then "hold the charge" so that it affects the next opponent struck as per a touch spell (or he can make an immediate melee touch attack).

Anyway, I can only recommend treating the BoED with the contempt that it deserves.

 

[Trainz]

The Sage answers the question about holy symbols in Dragon #324, and basically says what Particle Man said. Since a holy symbol does not appear on the list of eligible items, a strict reading of the feat would disallow the item. He goes on to say that a cleric who has to give up his holy symbol could be an interesting challenge (no turning undead, or casting spells that require a divine focus).

Wow. He says that ? Most cleric spells require his divine focus. This means that you basically have a dude with very few useful spells at all and no turning. Interesting challenge ?

I think not.

The only two classes I see viable with VoP are a Sorceror with Eschew Materials or a Monk.

 

[Iku Rex]

Except the VoP is *not* an Enhancement bonus to *anything*, it's an Exalted bonus.

Uh, yes. It's an exalted bonus that doesn't stack with an armor bonus.

Magic Vestment: Enhancement bonus to armor.
Armor: Armor bonus to AC.
VoP: Exalted bonus to AC, does not stack with armor bonus to AC.

 

[Scion]

while iku rex is correct he is not explaining it very clearly.

The ability itself in the feat actually says that it does not stack with an armor bonus.

While it probably 'should' stack it doesnt. Too bad.

Still, vop is fun on a druid

 

[Rashak Mani]

So if it doesn't stack with armor bonus... I understand that too be armor bonus not enhancement to armor bonus. Othewise it would read it doesn't stack with other armor bonuses.

Balance wise... Magic Vestment isn't that abusive I feel anyway.