[3.5] Vow of Poverty Barbarian Build!

[Ryulin18]

Okay my DM has allowed me to play a lion totem vow of poverty (tumbling not riding from cityscape) barbarian!

YAY LENIENCY! :smallamused:

I'm thinking neanderthal (roleplayed as human), with a tiger skull club but Im at a loss for the rest...

Ideas gentlemen?

This thread ended with the grand recognition that vow of poverty is a real life Kender trap.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Don't. That's all the advice I have.

[gomipile]

I hope you mean Spirit Lion Totem. Lion Totem is:

Lion Totem Class Features
A barbarian dedicated to the lion totem does not gain the standard fast movement, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge barbarian class features, and instead gains the following abilities.

At 1st level, a lion-totem barbarian gains Run as a bonus feat.
A 2nd-level lion-totem barbarian gains a +2 bonus on Hide checks.
A 5th-level lion-totem barbarian gains a +2 bonus on damage rolls whenever he charges.

Source: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#lionTotemClassFeatures

[Ryulin18]

Don't. That's all the advice I have.

Why so. It seems okay...doesn't it?


I hope you mean Spirit Lion Totem.

That I do, good brother!

Ideas time?

[Big Fau]

As with all noncasters, Barbarians virtually require magic items. Exalted feats do not offer much to you, you have no real weapon worth using, and you can replace VoP entirely with the standard WBL. VoP is a massive trap, especially for a Barbarian.


If you are dead-set on a primal character with VoP, your best options are Druid or Totemist.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Why so. It seems okay...doesn't it?

You can't wear armor or wield a decent weapon, or use any magic item except for maybe some potions your friends carry. In exchange, you are assumed to buy AC boosting items, magic weapons with no special abilities, saving throw boosters, and some cheap magic items that mean you don't have to track food or water. No magic items for flight, for miss chance, for elemental resistances. The only chance for VoP to be as good as normal is IF you play a druid and your DM lets you keep your holy symbol.

[Ryulin18]

Thanks for the help guys. Read everywhere and realized that this is a horrid, shiny trap only an illiterate barbarian kender would take.

Thanks for everything.

[eggs]

Champion of Gwynharwyf's biggest downfall is its useless Exalted Feat prerequisites. It cure some of the obvious VoP downfalls (Death Ward, FoM, various defensive buffs and group support spells), as well as complementing Fear-stack tactics.

VoP gives tons of useless Exalted Feats. You see where this is headed.

With a dip into Cleric, you can grab a couple domains (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2773.0) and some turn attempts that can be used to fuel feats like Animal Devotion (flight, extra strength boosts) or Divine Vigor, which works rather nicely with CoG's spell list and a charging MO.

Add some skill of the skill tricks that complement charging and intimidation (Never Outnumbered, Twisting Charge, Nimble Charge, etc.) and you should be able to get around VoP's biggest flaws.

It's not going to match a full caster, but it should hit the concept without too much gimping.

EDIT:
Totally didn't have a reason to register. >_<

[Crasical]

Thematically, Fist of the Forest would fit well in this.

[Suddo]

VoP Barb would probably go Bear Warrior but even then its probably not in your best interest, as stated above.

[Big Fau]

Totally didn't have a reason to register. >_<

And now you are trapped Mr. Eggsman, trapped in this massive skillet.

[gkathellar]

Strongly recommend you try Totemist instead. At the very least, go Totem Rager.

[huttj509]

Thanks for the help guys. Read everywhere and realized that this is a horrid, shiny trap only an illiterate barbarian kender would take.

Thanks for everything.

Well, there is one thing heavily in VoP's favor:

If you are dead set on playing a character with a vow of poverty anyway, the feat makes it MUCH better than it is with no feat support. Something > nothing. That something is just < the things you could buy with more flexibility in spending if you weren't set on having a vow of poverty.

[gkathellar]

Strongly recommend you try Totemist instead. At the very least, go Totem Rager.

[Aeryr]

Play it if your DM is really scarce on the shiny things if not you better keep the shiny.

[Otomodachi]

Might want to consider Dragonborn as well, for flight, if you do end up going this route.

[Talya]

Urban city brawler barbarian is a good idea, here, too. (Apart from the VOP thing.)

Actually, I sorta played this character in a low-magic setting.

ranger 1 / brawler barbarian / warblade / fist of the forest w/VOP.