Mephibosheth
2013-04-13, 09:30 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again; I love Vow of Poverty. I know that it's mechanically underpowered compared to the equipment you could buy at WBL. I know that it has all sorts of problems in terms of inadequate bonuses, lack of access to flight and alternative movement modes, the fact that exalted feats are too few in number and too uninspiring in effect, and all sorts of other shortcomings.
But I can't help it. I love it. I love that it provides some accommodation, even an inadequate one, for characters who renounce material possessions; an archetype that we see in interesting ways all across real-world and fantasy cultures.
Much of my love is inspired by the ascetic traditions of South Asia, where renunciation of material possessions is, in many ways, only the beginning of the vows of asceticism that practitioners swear. I don't pretend to have great expertise concerning sadhus, shramanas, tirthankaras, and the myriad other traditions of asceticism, nor is this an attempt to adapt these traditions per seto D&D.
And nor are traditions of extreme asceticism unique to South Asia. Cultures across the world include beliefs about the link between extreme self-denial and spiritual power or salvation. Vow of Poverty attempts to accommodate this type of character in D&D, but it doesn't go far enough. It doesn't reflect the supernatural nature of the powers ascribed to ascetics, nor does it require the level of sacrifice that ascetic vows often include.
So this is my Vow of Poverty addendum; another feat that complements Vow of Poverty and attempts to make up for some of its shortcomings. I won't pretend to be a Vow of Poverty build expert, so if there are any glaring omissions, please let me know. I welcome any and all comments and suggestions!
Vow of Asceticism (Psionic) [Exalted, Psionic]
Your discipline and austerity grant you supernatural spiritual powers. But this is more than simple poverty; you sacrifice your comfort, health, and well-being in your devotion and diligence.
Prerequisites: Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty
Benefit: You gain the ability to manifest a number of psi-like abilities. You gain your first psi-like ability at character level 3, gaining additional psi-like abilities based on your character level as shown on Table 1: Psionic Vow of Asceticism. You can use these psi-like abilities a total number of times per day equal to half your character level + your manifesting modifier. Using each psi-like ability, regardless of level, counts as one daily use from this pool.
You choose one mental ability to be your manifesting modifier when you select this feat and cannot change it thereafter. Your manifester level for adjudicating the effects of your psi-like abilities is equal to half your character level. The DC for all saves associated with your psi-like abilities is equal to 10 + half your character level + your manifesting modifier
You choose your psi-like abilities from the ascetic power list (below). When you gain a new psi-like ability, you can choose any power from the ascetic powers list, limited only by the maximum power level that corresponds to your character level on Table 1. You can choose to take the Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge feats, which give you an extra psi-like ability known and allow you to choose that ability from other psionic classes' power lists.
In addition to these psi-like abilities, you also gain a number of augmentation points based on your character level, as shown on Table 1. Augmentation points function exactly like conventional power points, save that they can only be used to augment your psi-like abilities and cannot be used to actually manifest any psionic powers. Augmenting a psi-like ability in this way conforms to all the limitations normally imposed on augmenting psionic powers.
Table 1: Psionic Vow of Asceticism
{table=head]Character[br]Level|Augmentation[br]Points|Psi-Like[br]Abilities[br]Known|Maximum[br]Power[br]Level[br]Known
1|--|--|--
2|--|--|--
3|0|1|1
4|1|2|1
5|3|3|1
6|5|3|1
7|7|4|1
8|9|4|2
9|11|5|2
10|13|5|2
11|15|6|2
12|17|6|2
13|19|7|3
14|21|7|3
15|23|8|3
16|25|8|3
17|27|9|4
18|29|9|4
19|31|10|4
20|33|11|4[/table]
Special: To fulfill your vow (and therefore gain the benefits of this feat) you must abide by the requirements of the Vow of Poverty feat. In addition, you only gain the benefits of this feat during days in which you have undertaken (or are currently undertaking) an act of austerity. Acts of austerity that fulfill this requirement include:
Causing self-inflicted hit point damage equal to your character level. You cannot accept magical healing to remove this self-inflicted damage, though you can receive magical healing for non-self-inflicted damage.
Intentionally suffering non-lethal damage from hunger or thirst.
Suffering fatigue as a result of sleep deprivation.
Other feats as agreed upon by the player and DM. Possible examples include eating nothing but grass, not sitting or lying down, traveling long distances by rolling on the ground instead of walking, or similar feats of austerity.
You do not gain the benefits of this feat during days you have not undertaken a act of austerity. You do not, however, permanently lose the benefits of this feat. When you begin a new act of austerity, you regain the benefits of the feat.
Vow of Asceticism can only be taken once. No character can make multiple vows and select multiple versions of this feat.
Ascetic Powers List
1st Level – astral traveler, attraction, biofeedback, burst, call to mind, catfall, chameleon, charm (psionic), compression, conceal thoughts, déjà vu, detect psionics, empathy, empty mind, expansion, far hand, float, force screen, inertial armor, mental disruption, missive, my light, precognition (defensive), precognition (offensive), prescience (offensive), sense link, synesthete, vigor
2nd Level – animal affinity, aversion, body adjustment, body equilibrium, body purification, cloud mind, detect hostile intent, dimension swap, ego whip, energy adaptation (specified), fly (psionic), hustle, id insinuation, levitate (psionic), recall agony, sense link (forced), strength of my enemy, suggestion (psionic), thought shield, tongues (psionic)
3rd Level – astral caravan, control body, crisis of breath, dimension slide, dispel psionics, ectoplasmic form, empathic transfer (hostile), escape detection, mental barrier, telekinetic force, telekinetic thrust, ubiquitous vision
4th Level – adapt body, aura sight, dimension door (psionic), divination (psionic), energy adaptation, freedom of movement (psionic), immovability, metamorphosis, mindwipe, psychofeedback, steadfast perception, suspend life, true seeing (psionic)
Adaptation
Vow of Poverty, and therefore Vow of Asceticism, operate within the context of exalted feats, a series of feats that requires characters who take them to maintain a Good alignment and uphold the highest moral standards. However, many gamers have commented that many exalted feats, Vow of Poverty included, can be refluffed for just about any alignment. If you make this change, simply remove the exalted tag from the feats and their prerequisites. The bonus feats granted by Vow of Poverty can be any bonus feats for which the character meets the prerequisites, rather than exalted bonus feats. All exalted or perfection bonuses granted can be re-typed and alignment-based damage reduction altered.
But I can't help it. I love it. I love that it provides some accommodation, even an inadequate one, for characters who renounce material possessions; an archetype that we see in interesting ways all across real-world and fantasy cultures.
Much of my love is inspired by the ascetic traditions of South Asia, where renunciation of material possessions is, in many ways, only the beginning of the vows of asceticism that practitioners swear. I don't pretend to have great expertise concerning sadhus, shramanas, tirthankaras, and the myriad other traditions of asceticism, nor is this an attempt to adapt these traditions per seto D&D.
And nor are traditions of extreme asceticism unique to South Asia. Cultures across the world include beliefs about the link between extreme self-denial and spiritual power or salvation. Vow of Poverty attempts to accommodate this type of character in D&D, but it doesn't go far enough. It doesn't reflect the supernatural nature of the powers ascribed to ascetics, nor does it require the level of sacrifice that ascetic vows often include.
So this is my Vow of Poverty addendum; another feat that complements Vow of Poverty and attempts to make up for some of its shortcomings. I won't pretend to be a Vow of Poverty build expert, so if there are any glaring omissions, please let me know. I welcome any and all comments and suggestions!
Vow of Asceticism (Psionic) [Exalted, Psionic]
Your discipline and austerity grant you supernatural spiritual powers. But this is more than simple poverty; you sacrifice your comfort, health, and well-being in your devotion and diligence.
Prerequisites: Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty
Benefit: You gain the ability to manifest a number of psi-like abilities. You gain your first psi-like ability at character level 3, gaining additional psi-like abilities based on your character level as shown on Table 1: Psionic Vow of Asceticism. You can use these psi-like abilities a total number of times per day equal to half your character level + your manifesting modifier. Using each psi-like ability, regardless of level, counts as one daily use from this pool.
You choose one mental ability to be your manifesting modifier when you select this feat and cannot change it thereafter. Your manifester level for adjudicating the effects of your psi-like abilities is equal to half your character level. The DC for all saves associated with your psi-like abilities is equal to 10 + half your character level + your manifesting modifier
You choose your psi-like abilities from the ascetic power list (below). When you gain a new psi-like ability, you can choose any power from the ascetic powers list, limited only by the maximum power level that corresponds to your character level on Table 1. You can choose to take the Expanded Knowledge and Epic Expanded Knowledge feats, which give you an extra psi-like ability known and allow you to choose that ability from other psionic classes' power lists.
In addition to these psi-like abilities, you also gain a number of augmentation points based on your character level, as shown on Table 1. Augmentation points function exactly like conventional power points, save that they can only be used to augment your psi-like abilities and cannot be used to actually manifest any psionic powers. Augmenting a psi-like ability in this way conforms to all the limitations normally imposed on augmenting psionic powers.
Table 1: Psionic Vow of Asceticism
{table=head]Character[br]Level|Augmentation[br]Points|Psi-Like[br]Abilities[br]Known|Maximum[br]Power[br]Level[br]Known
1|--|--|--
2|--|--|--
3|0|1|1
4|1|2|1
5|3|3|1
6|5|3|1
7|7|4|1
8|9|4|2
9|11|5|2
10|13|5|2
11|15|6|2
12|17|6|2
13|19|7|3
14|21|7|3
15|23|8|3
16|25|8|3
17|27|9|4
18|29|9|4
19|31|10|4
20|33|11|4[/table]
Special: To fulfill your vow (and therefore gain the benefits of this feat) you must abide by the requirements of the Vow of Poverty feat. In addition, you only gain the benefits of this feat during days in which you have undertaken (or are currently undertaking) an act of austerity. Acts of austerity that fulfill this requirement include:
Causing self-inflicted hit point damage equal to your character level. You cannot accept magical healing to remove this self-inflicted damage, though you can receive magical healing for non-self-inflicted damage.
Intentionally suffering non-lethal damage from hunger or thirst.
Suffering fatigue as a result of sleep deprivation.
Other feats as agreed upon by the player and DM. Possible examples include eating nothing but grass, not sitting or lying down, traveling long distances by rolling on the ground instead of walking, or similar feats of austerity.
You do not gain the benefits of this feat during days you have not undertaken a act of austerity. You do not, however, permanently lose the benefits of this feat. When you begin a new act of austerity, you regain the benefits of the feat.
Vow of Asceticism can only be taken once. No character can make multiple vows and select multiple versions of this feat.
Ascetic Powers List
1st Level – astral traveler, attraction, biofeedback, burst, call to mind, catfall, chameleon, charm (psionic), compression, conceal thoughts, déjà vu, detect psionics, empathy, empty mind, expansion, far hand, float, force screen, inertial armor, mental disruption, missive, my light, precognition (defensive), precognition (offensive), prescience (offensive), sense link, synesthete, vigor
2nd Level – animal affinity, aversion, body adjustment, body equilibrium, body purification, cloud mind, detect hostile intent, dimension swap, ego whip, energy adaptation (specified), fly (psionic), hustle, id insinuation, levitate (psionic), recall agony, sense link (forced), strength of my enemy, suggestion (psionic), thought shield, tongues (psionic)
3rd Level – astral caravan, control body, crisis of breath, dimension slide, dispel psionics, ectoplasmic form, empathic transfer (hostile), escape detection, mental barrier, telekinetic force, telekinetic thrust, ubiquitous vision
4th Level – adapt body, aura sight, dimension door (psionic), divination (psionic), energy adaptation, freedom of movement (psionic), immovability, metamorphosis, mindwipe, psychofeedback, steadfast perception, suspend life, true seeing (psionic)
Adaptation
Vow of Poverty, and therefore Vow of Asceticism, operate within the context of exalted feats, a series of feats that requires characters who take them to maintain a Good alignment and uphold the highest moral standards. However, many gamers have commented that many exalted feats, Vow of Poverty included, can be refluffed for just about any alignment. If you make this change, simply remove the exalted tag from the feats and their prerequisites. The bonus feats granted by Vow of Poverty can be any bonus feats for which the character meets the prerequisites, rather than exalted bonus feats. All exalted or perfection bonuses granted can be re-typed and alignment-based damage reduction altered.