Vow of Peace/Nonviolence and Crisis of Breath

[Crake]

I'm playing a pacifist elan telepath, however, I need something to disable enemies or something to make me useful in any way in combat, however, I dont want to deal any damage (even nonlethal damage). I'm thinking Crisis of Breath, since it either forces the enemy to waste an action or take a fort save to resist becoming disabled. I'm just wondering if the disabled part would count as breaking my vow of peace/nonviolence.

[Brendan]

I think you could argue that they are choosing to do the act to themselves rather than you aggressively damaging the enemy. the closest thing i could compare it to is if you made a wall of fire around yourself and the enemy charged at you. by choosing to attack and take the fort save rather than spend the action breathing they put themselves at risk. you just gave them the opportunity.
i could be wrong though... im not really all that versed with the VOP.

[Talentless]

I'm playing a pacifist elan telepath, however, I need something to disable enemies or something to make me useful in any way in combat, however, I dont want to deal any damage (even nonlethal damage). I'm thinking Crisis of Breath, since it either forces the enemy to waste an action or take a fort save to resist becoming disabled. I'm just wondering if the disabled part would count as breaking my vow of peace/nonviolence.

Talk to your DM. I'd allow it, but others may not.

The biggest issue is the ambiguities of VoNV. Technically speaking, you're breaking it just by wandering around with a group of adventurers who are killing things.

You personally are not performing the violent acts, but you are allied with a group of people performing the acts, and willingly reaping the benefits of it, I.E. loot and xp.

[Crake]

the DM will basically go with whatever I say, but I dont want to make myself overpowered or anything.

With vow of nonviolence, my DC is a crazy 20 base, 22 if im buffed with animal affinity (got it using my level 5 bonus feat and expanded knowledge) meaning for crisis of breath, I'm getting a total DC of 25, which is kinda crazy high for 5th level

that said, I literally have no use in combat as it currently stands

edit: for clarification, when they drop below 0 from crisis of breath, my immediate priority becomes running over to them to stabilize them, and I dont allow my (primarily neutral/evil) party members to touch them

[Talentless]

the DM will basically go with whatever I say, but I dont want to make myself overpowered or anything.

With vow of nonviolence, my DC is a crazy 20 base, 22 if im buffed with animal affinity (got it using my level 5 bonus feat and expanded knowledge) meaning for crisis of breath, I'm getting a total DC of 25, which is kinda crazy high for 5th level

that said, I literally have no use in combat as it currently stands

edit: for clarification, when they drop below 0 from crisis of breath, my immediate priority becomes running over to them to stabilize them, and I dont allow my (primarily neutral/evil) party members to touch them

well... uh... nothing personal, but i don't think a character with those vows would willingly partner up with known evil party members.

but as for the DC thing... it is crazy high, but on the other hand, there are plenty of other classes/feat combos to get DCs through the roof... and most are for Save or Die. So basically as long as your party members are optimizing their schticks you should be fine.

[Crake]

well... uh... nothing personal, but i don't think a character with those vows would willingly partner up with known evil party members.

but as for the DC thing... it is crazy high, but on the other hand, there are plenty of other classes/feat combos to get DCs through the roof... and most are for Save or Die. So basically as long as your party members are optimizing their schticks you should be fine.

my character probably wouldnt, but the DM is using a fairly corny compulsion effect to keep the group together, something similar to a geas, but for roleplay effect we have no way (as of yet) to get rid of it (his first time dming, he also made the mistake of making no restrictions on alignment or class or anything really)

there isnt much optimizing going on in the group, most of the optimising is coming from the occasional suggestion I provide when they ask me what they thing I should get

thing is, I already have a bit of stigma in the group because one of the players, who's played like once or twice called me out on going a psion. He's convinced psionics are OP and I think my smart decision in powers and feats has led the rest of the group to believe him. I think I'll just go with it, the other casters in the group will start to become more powerful now anyway, so hopefully the whole "psions are" OP thing will just migrate to "casters are OP"

[Fouredged Sword]

Sounds like you could basicly play a truenamer and still be OP compared to the rest of the group. I wouldn't worry about it.

Ectoplasmic cacoon works well if your foes don't get bigger than medium. Entangling ectoplasm is also useful and can be gotten without a feat.

Crystallize may be almost gamebreaking in your hands.

Also look up Disable. Not a bad power really.