NPC Saint [3.5]

[Volos]

I've allowed my players access to The Book of Exhalted Deeds... which of course allows me to pick up all sorts of nasty things from the Book of Vile Darkness. Much to my surprise my players took the hook, choosing Exhalted feats and Exhalted spells for thier characters. My only problem is that they do not have a good healer for the party... and with how fool-hearty the Barbarian and Rogue are, they need one.

My question is if a Vow of Poverty Saint is too powerful as a NPC party backup. For the most part she'll just be healing and buffing (she is a cleric), but at 6th level I plan on attaching the Saint template to her. The party is Pro-Good, so she won't be a hinderance on whatever actions they want to take, but the Saint template adds two character levels. The encounters they will be running into at 6th level are EL7 to EL8 inside of a city. They will have plenty of chances to heal and run away if nessesary between fights, but they need a healer. Test the build, is it unbalanced?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Just go with a Healer, snag the various cure-boosting feats from PHB II etc, and swap to Pathfinder Turn Undead. That should let them heal without ever doing anything.

Also, it's 'Exalted'.

[Cisturn]

I agree, a healer is a better choice, The Saint is actually really powerful in game, it's worth a lot more than the +2 Character Adjustment it's given. I actually remember playing a Saint who became pretty much untouchable.

[Douglas]

Saint is a powerful template, one of the few that's actually worth the level adjustment, but its bonuses are almost exclusively defensive. I'd say go right ahead. It will make the NPC harder to kill so the PCs don't have to worry about protecting her as much but it won't make her more offensively powerful, and that's usually what gets the spotlight.

Vow of Poverty is actually rather underpowered if you give your players anywhere near recommended Wealth By Level, and its bonuses are also mostly defensive.

Overall I think it should work out just fine as long as you keep her in the healing and buffing role.

[awa]

also their nothing saying you need to make her even slightly optimized once she hits that template you could start giving her subpar feats.

Since its really just a boost in defensive power not offensive and she planning on being a heal bot anyhow. as long as she doesn't spend alot of time showing off how unstoppable her defense is it shouldn't steal the show.

[Soras Teva Gee]

If your worried about power then tack on the nonviolence feats and have the NPC be a total pacifist.... just saying if all your looking for is an invincible heal-bot.

(Or you could scrap an NPC and provide a plethora of healing potions and some Rods of -Healing Spell- to compensate)