Vow Of Poverty?

[calypso15]

Every level it does the same thing, takes away your wealth chart and puts something else in its place.

Much like improved toughness doesnt give 'more' each time, it always gives 1hp/hd.

Heh, could you abstract that up a bit for me?

See, whereas Improved Toughness can be described in roughly 20 words, Vow of Poverty takes roughly a page.

 

[DanMcS]

Yeah, it's more like a template really, just granted by taking the feats.

It's not overpowered. It's probably really really good for a monk, but most other characters get no net gain for it. We have an NPC VoP wizard in our party, who has never seemed particularly extra-powerful for it, though the DR you get at mid/high levels has helped him a couple of times.

 

[Li Shenron]

I don't have the Book of Exalted Deeds, so I cannot help you. But I think it's a pretty long description that I wouldn't want to write down in its entirety anyway OTOH I wouldn't expect to be hanged if I did...

 

[Nail]

.... but it really should have been a prestige class.

I couldn't disagree more.

Keep in mind: your wealth provides a significant portion of your abilities as you advance in level. Trying to make this a PrC - something you take instead of another class - would weaken this to the point of uselessness.

 

[calypso15]

If I can come up with a character with this feat that is significantly more powerful than a character whose main difference is that he doesn't have this feat (which I can), then something is wrong. If every monk and his brother want it, something is wrong. And, if it takes an entire page to describe a feat, something is wrong.

 

[Scion]

(1)If I can come up with a character with this feat that is significantly more powerful than a character whose main difference is that he doesn't have this feat (which I can), then something is wrong.

(2)If every monk and his brother want it, something is wrong.

(3)And, if it takes an entire page to describe a feat, something is wrong.

(1)Go for it, and the rest of us will come up with a half dozen that beat it. Unless you mean in a very specific area, at which point we are talking about specialization, and that is a different matter entirely.

It does not promote guys that are incredibly more powerful. In addition, the huge amount of lost versitility is an incredibly large hit. If you dont think so then I am not sure what to say besides try playing it and you will see for yourself.

(2) Just because it is useful for monks does not mean that they all want it. In fact, even monks can be way better with proper gear (a monks belt alone is a huge bonus). But the bonuses are nice and they make for a very flavorful lawful good monk.

(3)Some feats are more complicated. Taking up space does not mean it is a bad feat, just that it has more reaching effects. There is nothing wrong with that anymore than anything else taking up enough space to describe it properly.

 

[Jarrod]

I don't think the VoP is a feat, really... it doesn't give you an extra ability, it doesn't give you a bonus to skills, and it doesn't give you an (unnamed) bonus to a statistic.

It costs a feat. But then, you basically trade it for an exalted feat. So it doesn't really cost a feat.

It's not a template, though that's closer... it's definitely not a prestige class. It's a special thing.


As for munchy. Well, a half-orc makes a good barbarian and a poor mage. Does that make the half-orc munchy? Sure, VoP is good for some classes (shaper and monk), horrible for others (wizard even if you allow them a spellbook). I'm playing a spellbook-allowed VoP wizard right now. +1 bonus to attacks... whooptie. Armor bonus. Greeeaaaat. You do lose a lot in versatility, but more importantly it's a fun character concept.

Though I'm going to petition the archons (AKA DM) to allow me to carry a cure light wounds potion to use on other people. I'm tired of playing the holy man that sits there and says "sorry, can't help". Two more levels until I can get Stigmata...

 

[Halivar]

It costs a feat.

Two feats. You gotta take "Swear a Vow" first.

 

[Kashell]

My DM has allowed me to use a custom prestige class (basically an elementalist version of the monk). That's why I was wondering about the VoP.


I think my DM has the book, so we're good.


Thanks for the info.

I've attached the class for your perusal if you wish, though it's a bit of a long read.

-Kash

 

[Halivar]

Well, two things stand in your way. First, your character's LN. You have to be a goody-goody to take Swear a Vow. Since you're level 8, it'll be level 12 before you can take Vow of Poverty.

Also consider the fact that half your group is CN. Becoming LG and taking exalted feats will be very, very disrupting. Then again, your DM might welcome the disruption ("What do you mean, I can't just knock him over the head and take his stuff?").