Sereg
2009-06-08, 09:02 AM
Ok, here's my situation. When writing the fluff for the villain that I'm entering into Afroakuma's Villain Competition, I realised that he would refuse to use most equipment. I therefore had to think of a way to at least partially offset this disadvantage and realised that Vow of Poverty would help if it wasn't for the fact that he wasn't good. Then I remembered this thread. The ideas there worked for my concept and there now are vile vows. Therefore I altered that which needed altering from Vow of Poverty to make it vile, but this required a slight change in requirements to keep the vow fulfilled. So, my question is this, does this unbalance the vow or should I alter the rate at which benifits acrue?
VOW OF DISDAIN [VILE]
You have taken an unspeakable vow to never insult your own abilities by using objects made by another.
Prerequisites: Unspeakable Vow.
Benefit: You gain bonuses to your Armor Class, ability scores, and saving throws, as well as bonus vile feats, all depending on your character level.
Special: To fulfill your vow, you must not use any material possessions which you have not collected the materials for, crafted and (if it is magical) magically enhanced yourself, with the exception of raw materials (including food).
If you break your vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefit of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it.
{table=head] Level| Benefit
1st| AC bonus +4
2nd| Bonus vile feat
3rd| AC bonus +5, endure elements
4th| Vile strike +1 (magic), bonus vile feat
5th| Sustenance
6th| AC bonus +6, deflection +1, bonus vile feat
7th| Resistance +1, ability score enhancement +2
8th| Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus vile feat
9th| AC bonus +7
10th| Vile strike +2 (evil), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus vile feat
11th| Ability score enhancement +4/+2
12th| AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus vile feat
13th| Resistance +2, energy resistance 5
14th| Vile strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus vile feat
15th| AC bonus +9, ability score enhancement +6/+4/+2, damage reduction 5/good
16th| Natural armor +2, bonus vile feat
17th| Vile strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration
18th| AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus vile feat
19th| Ability score enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2, damage reduction 10/good
20th| Vile strike +5, energy resistance 15, bonus vile feat
[/table]
A character who swears a vow of disdain and takes the appropriate feats, Unspeakable Vow and Vow of Disdain, cannot own items that he has not made himself (including everything from collecting raw materials to providing magical enhancements, but he gains certain spiritual benefits that can help outweigh the lack of other items. These benefits depend on his character level. The level at which the character swears the vow (and takes the appropriate feats) is irrelevant; if he takes the vow at 10th level he gains all the benefits of a 10th-level character with a Vow of Disdain, with the exception of bonus vile feats.
AC Bonus (Su): At 1st-level you receive a +4 vile bonus to your Armor Class. The bonus increases to +5 at 3rd level, and thereafter increases by +1 for each 3 character levels. This bonus does not apply to touch attacks and does not hinder incorporeal touch attacks. Brilliant energy weapons, however, do not ignore this bonus. This does not stack with an armor bonus.
Bonus Vile Feats: At 1st level, you gets a bonus vile feat, and another bonus feat at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter. Unlike the other benefits of a vow of disdain, you do not gain these bonus feats retroactively when you takes the Vow of Disdain feat; you only gain those bonus feats
that apply for the levels you gain after swearing his vow. Thus,
the bonus feat gained at 1st level is available only to humans and characters with flaws
who take both Unspeakable Vow and Vow of Disdain at 1st level.
Endure Elements (Ex): At 3rd-level you are immune to the
effects of being in a hot or cold environment. You can exist comfortably
in conditions between –50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit
without having to make Fortitude saves (as described in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Vile Strike (Su): At 4th level, you gain a +1
enhancement bonus on all your attack and damage rolls. In effect,
any weapon you wield becomes a +1 magic weapon,
and can overcome the damage reduction of a creature as though
it were a magic weapon. This enhancement bonus rises to +2 at
10th level, to +3 at 14th level, to +4 at 17th level, and to +5 at
20th level. At 10th level, any weapon damage the character deals
is also considered to be evil-aligned, so that it can bypass the
damage reduction of some good outsiders.
Sustenance (Ex): At 5th-level you don’t need to eat or
drink.
Deflection (Su): At 6th-level you receive a +1 deflection
bonus to your Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 12th
level, and to +3 at 18th level.
Resistance (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +1
resistance bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases to +2 at 13th level, and to +3 at 17th level.
Ability Score Enhancement (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to one ability score. At 11th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to that score, and a +2 bonus to another ability score. At 15th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to those two scores, and a +2 bonus to a third ability score. At 19th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to those three scores, and a +2 bonus to a fourth ability score.
Natural Armor (Ex): At 8th level, you gain a +1 natural armor bonus, or your existing natural armor bonus increases by +1. It increases an extra +1 at 16th level.
Mind Shielding (Ex): Also at 8th level, you become immune to detect thoughts, discern lies, and any attempt to discern your alignment.
Damage Reduction (Su): You gain damage reduction 5/magic at 10th level. At 15th level, this improves to 5/good, and at 19th level to 10/good.
Greater Sustenance (Ex): Once you attain 12th level, you don’t need to breathe.
Energy Resistance (Ex): At 13th level, you gain resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic energy. At 20th level, this increases to resistance 15.
Freedom of Movement (Ex): At 14th level, you can act as if continually under the effect of a freedom of movement spell.
Regeneration (Ex): At 17th level, you heal 1 point of damage per level every hour rather than every day. (This ability cannot be aided by the Heal skill.) Non-lethal damage heals at a rate of 1 point of damage per level every 5 minutes.
True Seeing (Su): At 18th level, you gain a continuous true seeing ability, as the spell.
Besides these benefits,you may sacrifice experience points in place of expensive components, with 1 XP equivalent to 5 gp value of components if you are a spellcaster. Unlike with a vow of poverty, you have no requirements to donate your treasure.
VOW OF DISDAIN [VILE]
You have taken an unspeakable vow to never insult your own abilities by using objects made by another.
Prerequisites: Unspeakable Vow.
Benefit: You gain bonuses to your Armor Class, ability scores, and saving throws, as well as bonus vile feats, all depending on your character level.
Special: To fulfill your vow, you must not use any material possessions which you have not collected the materials for, crafted and (if it is magical) magically enhanced yourself, with the exception of raw materials (including food).
If you break your vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefit of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it.
{table=head] Level| Benefit
1st| AC bonus +4
2nd| Bonus vile feat
3rd| AC bonus +5, endure elements
4th| Vile strike +1 (magic), bonus vile feat
5th| Sustenance
6th| AC bonus +6, deflection +1, bonus vile feat
7th| Resistance +1, ability score enhancement +2
8th| Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus vile feat
9th| AC bonus +7
10th| Vile strike +2 (evil), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus vile feat
11th| Ability score enhancement +4/+2
12th| AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus vile feat
13th| Resistance +2, energy resistance 5
14th| Vile strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus vile feat
15th| AC bonus +9, ability score enhancement +6/+4/+2, damage reduction 5/good
16th| Natural armor +2, bonus vile feat
17th| Vile strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration
18th| AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus vile feat
19th| Ability score enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2, damage reduction 10/good
20th| Vile strike +5, energy resistance 15, bonus vile feat
[/table]
A character who swears a vow of disdain and takes the appropriate feats, Unspeakable Vow and Vow of Disdain, cannot own items that he has not made himself (including everything from collecting raw materials to providing magical enhancements, but he gains certain spiritual benefits that can help outweigh the lack of other items. These benefits depend on his character level. The level at which the character swears the vow (and takes the appropriate feats) is irrelevant; if he takes the vow at 10th level he gains all the benefits of a 10th-level character with a Vow of Disdain, with the exception of bonus vile feats.
AC Bonus (Su): At 1st-level you receive a +4 vile bonus to your Armor Class. The bonus increases to +5 at 3rd level, and thereafter increases by +1 for each 3 character levels. This bonus does not apply to touch attacks and does not hinder incorporeal touch attacks. Brilliant energy weapons, however, do not ignore this bonus. This does not stack with an armor bonus.
Bonus Vile Feats: At 1st level, you gets a bonus vile feat, and another bonus feat at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter. Unlike the other benefits of a vow of disdain, you do not gain these bonus feats retroactively when you takes the Vow of Disdain feat; you only gain those bonus feats
that apply for the levels you gain after swearing his vow. Thus,
the bonus feat gained at 1st level is available only to humans and characters with flaws
who take both Unspeakable Vow and Vow of Disdain at 1st level.
Endure Elements (Ex): At 3rd-level you are immune to the
effects of being in a hot or cold environment. You can exist comfortably
in conditions between –50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit
without having to make Fortitude saves (as described in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide).
Vile Strike (Su): At 4th level, you gain a +1
enhancement bonus on all your attack and damage rolls. In effect,
any weapon you wield becomes a +1 magic weapon,
and can overcome the damage reduction of a creature as though
it were a magic weapon. This enhancement bonus rises to +2 at
10th level, to +3 at 14th level, to +4 at 17th level, and to +5 at
20th level. At 10th level, any weapon damage the character deals
is also considered to be evil-aligned, so that it can bypass the
damage reduction of some good outsiders.
Sustenance (Ex): At 5th-level you don’t need to eat or
drink.
Deflection (Su): At 6th-level you receive a +1 deflection
bonus to your Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 12th
level, and to +3 at 18th level.
Resistance (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +1
resistance bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases to +2 at 13th level, and to +3 at 17th level.
Ability Score Enhancement (Ex): At 7th level, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to one ability score. At 11th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to that score, and a +2 bonus to another ability score. At 15th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to those two scores, and a +2 bonus to a third ability score. At 19th level, you gain an extra +2 bonus to those three scores, and a +2 bonus to a fourth ability score.
Natural Armor (Ex): At 8th level, you gain a +1 natural armor bonus, or your existing natural armor bonus increases by +1. It increases an extra +1 at 16th level.
Mind Shielding (Ex): Also at 8th level, you become immune to detect thoughts, discern lies, and any attempt to discern your alignment.
Damage Reduction (Su): You gain damage reduction 5/magic at 10th level. At 15th level, this improves to 5/good, and at 19th level to 10/good.
Greater Sustenance (Ex): Once you attain 12th level, you don’t need to breathe.
Energy Resistance (Ex): At 13th level, you gain resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic energy. At 20th level, this increases to resistance 15.
Freedom of Movement (Ex): At 14th level, you can act as if continually under the effect of a freedom of movement spell.
Regeneration (Ex): At 17th level, you heal 1 point of damage per level every hour rather than every day. (This ability cannot be aided by the Heal skill.) Non-lethal damage heals at a rate of 1 point of damage per level every 5 minutes.
True Seeing (Su): At 18th level, you gain a continuous true seeing ability, as the spell.
Besides these benefits,you may sacrifice experience points in place of expensive components, with 1 XP equivalent to 5 gp value of components if you are a spellcaster. Unlike with a vow of poverty, you have no requirements to donate your treasure.