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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dimwhit" data-source="post: 2785250" data-attributes="member: 2576">OK, for all you literalists, I'll state my position--despite the fact that I still see this as a DM's call and a pointless argument. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />You really have to define 'value' in terms of VoP. I don't see it as black and white. In many cases, what's valuable for one person is worthless for another. Examples: Divine Focus, spellbook. A magic sword, however, can be picked up by any member of a party and used (yes, there are exceptions).A spell book, IMO, is more part of a class feature than an item of value, like a sword, that enhances existing class features (those being, in the case of a fighter, combat prowess). A Wizard without a spellbook is worthless (Spell Mastery notwithstanding). Spellbooks have no intrinsic value. Their only value is to spellcasters who can put it to use--again just a function of a class feature. As opposed to a +5 vorpal (I can't believe I'm entertaining this one), which does have intrinsic value. It's sellable to anyone and usable by most. It's not tied to a particular character/class.So does it violate VoP to allow a spellbook? By RAW, perhaps. Why? Well, it's not listed in among the items permissible (though neither is a divine focus, but I'd certainly allow that). Also, it has value. I don't recall, however, that the VoP disallows items of 'value.' It doesn't say "you can't have anything worth more than 10gp" or anything to that effect. Why? My opinion is that VoP is very much a 'spririt of the concept' thing. Was VoP written so that Wizards can't take the vow? So that Clerics who take it can't use a divine focus? Maybe. I, however, don't see it that way, so I would rule as a DM that they're allowed; however, I would pay careful attention as to how the character uses that liberty. If they remain within my view of the spirit behind VoP, that's cool. However, if that Wizard then starts bumming scrolls from party treasure so he can stock his spellbook...well, he might find that book mysteriously gone in the middle of the night. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />So there you have it. Not sure if I adequately summed up my position, but I want to go home now, so that's what you get.</blockquote>

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