Vow of Peace Weapon Fortitude Save

[ComaVision]

I have a PC in my recently started game with Sacred Vow + Vow of Nonviolence + Vow of Peace, and I'm not sure how the fortitude save that weapons get to avoid being shattered works.

Does the wielder make a fortitude save with their modifiers? If so, how does that work with projectile weapons? Any direct rules citations to explain how this works would be appreciated.

[ComaVision]

Here's the actual text:


If a creature strikes you with a manufactured weapon, the weapon must immediately make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + one-half your character level + your Con modifier) or shatter against your skin, leaving you unharmed.

[Gemini476]

IIRC the rules for item saving throws are one of those weird hidden-away ones that take ages to find.

I think ones in a character's possession use the character's saving throw modifier, and others... Don't?
No, wait, they have a saving throw modifier of 2+CL/2. Mundane objects auto-fail.

That's probably good when it comes to arrows if VoPe covers those. Unfortunately, the characters most likely to hit you in melee are the ones that have good Fortitude saves.

Have fun being immune to most enemies at low levels, though. Make sure to get something that covers natural weapons as well.

[Red Fel]

Here are the rules for item saving throws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/exploration.htm#savingThrows):
Nonmagical, unattended items never make saving throws. They are considered to have failed their saving throws, so they always are affected by spells. An item attended by a character (being grasped, touched, or worn) makes saving throws as the character (that is, using the character’s saving throw bonus).

Magic items always get saving throws. A magic item’s Fortitude, Reflex, and Will save bonuses are equal to 2 + one-half its caster level. An attended magic item either makes saving throws as its owner or uses its own saving throw bonus, whichever is better.

[ComaVision]

Huh. That's not very intuitive. Thanks a lot for the responses.

[nolongerchaos]

I had a Vow of Peace character once who got attacked by a Hulking Hurler, the DM forgot about that particular aspect of VoPeace, so needless to say it was amusing to see my DMs expression when I reminded him that half ton boulders don't get saves and therefore somehow shattered harmlessly upon contacting my character...

[Erik Vale]

I had a Vow of Peace character once who got attacked by a Hulking Hurler, the DM forgot about that particular aspect of VoPeace, so needless to say it was amusing to see my DMs expression when I reminded him that half ton boulders don't get saves and therefore somehow shattered harmlessly upon contacting my character...

"'I throw a planet at him."
"It shatters harmlessly one impact, doing no damage.... Somehow."

[nyjastul69]

I had a Vow of Peace character once who got attacked by a Hulking Hurler, the DM forgot about that particular aspect of VoPeace, so needless to say it was amusing to see my DMs expression when I reminded him that half ton boulders don't get saves and therefore somehow shattered harmlessly upon contacting my character...

I guess it just goes to show that a manufactured boulder is never the same quality as a good old natural one.

[Cowardly Griffo]

I guess it just goes to show that a manufactured boulder is never the same quality as a good old natural one.Heh. :smallamused:

I'd personally rule that the moment you use something as a weapon, it counts for the purposes of that feat. I in no way claim that's the only way of ruling it, or even necessarily the right way, but it cuts out a lot of confusing (and frankly boring) middle ground, e.g. clubs, improvised weapons. It also seems to suit the flavor and intent of the feat best, imo.

That said, here's a question for y'all: what happens when a golem hits a Vow of Peace character? Provided it's a non-intelligent golem, I'd be inclined to say that the particular limb used for the attack shatters, but I'd be curious what other people think.

[Erik Vale]

Technically, Golems while creatures are still magic items, and their body may or may not be their weapon.
So, when they hit you, should it be with their body, you then have to check their fort save as a magic item or as a creature, choose the highest, and roll to see if it's destroyed, and given the text in the construct type, that would reduce their HP to 0 and kill them, rather than leave them alive with a destroyed body.

[The Grue]

A golem attack would be considered a natural - as opposed to a manufactured - weapon, would it not?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe the distinction between natural/manufactured follows from the literal English definitions of those words. If I'm not mistaken a "natural" weapon is a weapon that is part of a creature's body, whereas a "manufactured" weapon is one that is not.

In addition I believe the rules glossary definition of the term "manufactured weapon" explicitly includes "found" objects like, for example, boulders.

[Erik Vale]

Yes, Natural weapon is anything that's a part of the base creature, a manufactured weapon is everything else.