Wizards and VoP, transmitation spells and such

[sage20500]

Am currently looking at building a gestalt elven generalist wizard on one side, and Monk 2\Paladin 18 with the idea of the character being played sort of like edward elric, using magic as "alchemy". Buff spells, Transmutation Spells, and other self enhancing magic effects, do any of those that dont require expensive components actively conflict with VoP?

[Endarire]

Does Vow of Poverty prevent you from having a spellbook? Spells etched on your skin/form? A spell component pouch?

Consider also the Easy Bake Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?325933-Easy-Bake-Wizard-Handbook).

[ryu]

Am currently looking at building a gestalt elven generalist wizard on one side, and Monk 2\Paladin 18 with the idea of the character being played sort of like edward elric, using magic as "alchemy". Buff spells, Transmutation Spells, and other self enhancing magic effects, do any of those that dont require expensive components actively conflict with VoP?

Depends. How strict to RAW is VoP being ruled? If strict to the letter in which it was written pretty much everything conflicts with VoP. Even that. Especially that. VoP was very poorly written even by 3.5 standards.

[sage20500]

Depends. How strict to RAW is VoP being ruled? If strict to the letter in which it was written pretty much everything conflicts with VoP. Even that. Especially that. VoP was very poorly written even by 3.5 standards.

My dm normally likes to keep with how things were written when it comes to it, we actually had a conversation similar to this with the idea of a VoP artificer that makes items for other people, generally the consensus has been that if it is a magical item and you gain some kind of in game advantage from holding it then it conflicts, since the example the book gave about how you can still drink potions you just can't hold them when you do. For the artificer's case, so long as as soon as the item was made they handed it off to someone else then and there, then they didn't risk their VoP. What was dicey for them was how the artificer infusions worked, since you essentially turned mundane gear into magical gear temporarily, which sort of went along with the example they gave of "you can't borrow someone else's cloak of x for a fight and then give it back afterwards saying you never owned it."

The only experience i've had with Wizards has been playing a strictly Evocation focused blaster wizard, so i'm not sure if any of their other schools spells have effects that can be put into categories of the above example.

As for spell book, I'm allowed to carry around a basic spell book, but aside from using the idea of tattooing the spells i actually plan on using the most onto my skin, i'm considering getting the feat that allows you to smoke all of your spells to memorize them since it's pretty much the same as if i carried a spell book....

[ryu]

So we aren't in the territory of you getting your vow broken by opening doors or standing in buildings? Then this is doable. You're still making yourself weaker, but it's possible to play without losing your sanity.

[sage20500]

So we aren't in the territory of you getting your vow broken by opening doors or standing in buildings? Then this is doable. You're still making yourself weaker, but it's possible to play without losing your sanity.

Any basic guidelines I should possibly look out for when it comes to spells with the examples I gave. I know a few of the ones that come to mind that i know exist but might not have access to are things like magic vestments or magic weapon, or possibly the Luminous Armor spells. Essentially i'm not sure if those spells qualify as being enabled under the i can use bulls strength on myself because someone can force feed me a potion of bulls strength and its ok,

But I'm not allowed to don another's gauntlets of ogre strength for the same amount of time that the potion would have lasted for because then I'm using a magic item even though I do not own it.