Jack_Simth
2008-05-27, 07:04 PM
The Vow of Poverty Redux (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81445) thread got me to thinking on how to fix the Vow of Poverty - the issue isn't so much that the Vow of Poverty itself is weak, it's that the non-casters don't get the stuff they'd normally get through wealth - Flight for when the battle leaves the ground, teleportation and invisibility for when a fight turns sour, and so on. The Vow of Poverty does, on the other hand, grant bonus exalted feats - which means we can "fix" the Vow of Poverty relatively simply by arranging for new exalted feats to grant those missing abilities. So without further ado, I present to you:
New Exalted Feats
Invisibility:
Grig's Stealth [Exalted]
Your intimate relationship with a good aligned Fey gives you the opportunity to learn a few tricks of other good-aligned Fey, as well.
Requirements: Nymph's Kiss, Hide 6 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, as a standard action, you can turn yourself and your attended items Invisible (as the spell) for a number of minutes equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses. This is a spell-like ability.
Pixie's Befuddlement[Exalted]
Your intimate relationship with a good aligned Fey gives you the opportunity to learn a few tricks of other good-aligned Fey, as well.
Requirements: Nymph's Kiss, Grig's Stealth, Hide 11 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, as a standard action, you can turn yourself and your attended items Invisible (as the spell Greater Invisibility) for a number of rounds equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses. This is a supernatural ability.
Teleportation:
Archon's Step [Exalted]
You develop a fledgling bond with the lowly Lantern Archons, and through your bond, you gain a small measure of the Archons' ability to teleport ... and an enhanced glow.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Jump 8 ranks
Benefit: Three times per day, you can teleport yourself and encumbrance up to 50 pounds (but not other people) as a standard action to a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet per two Exalted feats you posses. This is a spell-like ability that otherwise operates as Dimension Door. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 20 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 40 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 2d4).
Archon's Stride [Exalted]
As your bond with the Lantern Archons grows, and with it, your inner light and your ability to jump from one place to another.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Jump 13 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so four times per day and the range is 100 feet plus 10 feet per Exalted feat you possess. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 30 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 60 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 3d4).
Archon's Jump [Exalted]
Your bond with the Lantern Archons achieves a fullness of glory, and with it, your inner light and your ability to Jump from one place to another does as well.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Archon's Stride, Jump 18 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so every 1d4+1 rounds (this replaces the per-day cap), the range is 400 feet plus 40 feet per Exalted feat you possess, and you can do so as a move action. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 40 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 80 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 4d4).
Previous Teleport versions:
Archon's Step [Exalted]
You develop a fledgling bond with the lowly Lantern Archons, and through your bond, you gain a small measure of the Archons' ability to teleport ... and an enhanced glow.
Requirements: Cha 17, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Jump 8 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, you can teleport yourself and encumbrance up to 50 pounds (but not other people) as a standard action to a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet per Exalted feat you posses. This is a spell-like ability that otherwise operates as Dimension Door. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 20 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 40 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 2d4).
Archon's Stride [Exalted]
As your bond with the Lantern Archons grows, and with it, your inner light and your ability to jump from one place to another.
Requirements: Cha 19, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Jump 13 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so twice per day and the range is 100 feet plus 10 feet per Exalted feat you possess. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 30 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 60 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 3d4).
Archon's Jump [Exalted]
Your bond with the Lantern Archons achieves a fullness of glory, and with it, your inner light and your ability to Jump from one place to another does as well.
Requirements: Cha 21, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Archon's Stride, Jump 18 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so three times per day, the range is 400 feet plus 40 feet per Exalted feat you possess, and you can do so as a move action. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 40 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 80 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 4d4).
Flight:
Yearn for the Heavens[Exalted]
You have learned to use your bond with the celestial realms to tug on the heavens a little, cushioning your falls.
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: When you fall, subtract 10 feet from your effective falling distance per [Exalted] feat you posses; if you have 11 or more Exalted feats, you take no damage from falling at all. This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability.
Reach for the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the celestial realms is very strong, and you have learned how to use that bond to pull yourself up off the ground for short periods of time.
Prerequisite: Dex 16, Yearn for the Heavens, Character Level 5
Benefit: As a Swift action, you can grant yourself a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneuverability) usable once per day per Exalted feat you possess. This fly speed lasts for five rounds, and is a supernatural ability.
Climb to the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the celestial realms is so strong that you can use it fly indefinitely.
Prerequisite: Dex 19, Yearn for the Heavens, Reach for the Heavens
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Previous versions:
Yearn for the Heavens[Exalted]
You have learned to use your bond with heaven to tug on the heavens a little, slowing your descent.
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: When you fall, subtract 10 feet from your effective falling distance per [Exalted] feat you posses; if you have 11 or more Exalted feats, you take no damage from falling at all. This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability.
Reach for the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the heavens is very strong, and you have learned how to use that bond to pull yourself up off the ground for short periods of time.
Prerequisite: Dex 16, Yearn for Heaven, Character Level 5
Benefit: As a Swift action, you can grant yourself a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneuverability) usable once per day per Exalted feat you possess. This fly speed lasts for five rounds, and is a supernatural ability.
Climb to the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the heavens is so strong that you can use it fly indefinitely.
Prerequisite: Dex 19, Yearn for the Heavens, Reach for the Heavens, Character Level 9
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Pre-edit versions:
Air's Promise[Exalted] [Vow]
You don't hurt the air, and the helps keep you from harm.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow
Benefit: When you fall, your falling damage is reduced by one die per [Exalted] feat you posses, calculated after the maximum damage cap from falling (20d6). This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability. Thus, if you fall 250 feet, and have this and four other Exalted feats, you only take 15d6 damage from the fall, rather than the normal 20d6.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not poison the air - you may not cast Cloudkill, Acid Fog, or similar spells that make the air hostile to life; you cannot knowingly use Dust of Sneezing and Choking, you may not deliberately exhaust the air in an enclosed space, and so on. Actions that do not make the air unsuitable for life (normal campfires, breathing, Fog Cloud, Solid Fog, and so on) do not break this vow. If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
Wind's Freedom[Exalted][Vow]
You don't bend the wind to your will... and it will carry you for a little while.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow, Air's Promise, Character Level 5
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (good maneuverability) usable on a number of rounds per day equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses, split up however you choose. This is a supernatural ability.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not force your will on the winds - you may not cast Control Winds, Gust of Wind, Wind Wall, or other spells that impose your will on the wind. You likewise can't use items that have similar effects, and are not permitted to use a mundane fan to push the air around (although simple mundane blowing is permitted - living creatures do need to breathe). If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
Weather's Pact[Exalted][Vow]
You don't mess with the weather, and it will support you on your path.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow, Air's Promise, Wind's Freedom, Character Level 9
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not force your will on the weather - you may not cast Control Weather, Fire Storm, Ice Storm, Storm of Vengance, any of the Cloud spells, Obscurring Mist, or otherwise take actions that directly affect local meteorology. You likewise can't use items that have similar effects. If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
----------------------------------------
Any comments on the balance of the above?
So, anyone have any reasonably flavorful ways to do some fairly short feat chains for invisibility (ala Potions of Invisibility) in such a way that it's reasonably balanced?
New Exalted Feats
Invisibility:
Grig's Stealth [Exalted]
Your intimate relationship with a good aligned Fey gives you the opportunity to learn a few tricks of other good-aligned Fey, as well.
Requirements: Nymph's Kiss, Hide 6 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, as a standard action, you can turn yourself and your attended items Invisible (as the spell) for a number of minutes equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses. This is a spell-like ability.
Pixie's Befuddlement[Exalted]
Your intimate relationship with a good aligned Fey gives you the opportunity to learn a few tricks of other good-aligned Fey, as well.
Requirements: Nymph's Kiss, Grig's Stealth, Hide 11 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, as a standard action, you can turn yourself and your attended items Invisible (as the spell Greater Invisibility) for a number of rounds equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses. This is a supernatural ability.
Teleportation:
Archon's Step [Exalted]
You develop a fledgling bond with the lowly Lantern Archons, and through your bond, you gain a small measure of the Archons' ability to teleport ... and an enhanced glow.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Jump 8 ranks
Benefit: Three times per day, you can teleport yourself and encumbrance up to 50 pounds (but not other people) as a standard action to a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet per two Exalted feats you posses. This is a spell-like ability that otherwise operates as Dimension Door. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 20 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 40 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 2d4).
Archon's Stride [Exalted]
As your bond with the Lantern Archons grows, and with it, your inner light and your ability to jump from one place to another.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Jump 13 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so four times per day and the range is 100 feet plus 10 feet per Exalted feat you possess. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 30 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 60 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 3d4).
Archon's Jump [Exalted]
Your bond with the Lantern Archons achieves a fullness of glory, and with it, your inner light and your ability to Jump from one place to another does as well.
Requirements: Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Archon's Stride, Jump 18 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so every 1d4+1 rounds (this replaces the per-day cap), the range is 400 feet plus 40 feet per Exalted feat you possess, and you can do so as a move action. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability improves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 40 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 80 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 4d4).
Previous Teleport versions:
Archon's Step [Exalted]
You develop a fledgling bond with the lowly Lantern Archons, and through your bond, you gain a small measure of the Archons' ability to teleport ... and an enhanced glow.
Requirements: Cha 17, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Jump 8 ranks
Benefit: Once per day, you can teleport yourself and encumbrance up to 50 pounds (but not other people) as a standard action to a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet per Exalted feat you posses. This is a spell-like ability that otherwise operates as Dimension Door. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 20 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 40 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 2d4).
Archon's Stride [Exalted]
As your bond with the Lantern Archons grows, and with it, your inner light and your ability to jump from one place to another.
Requirements: Cha 19, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Jump 13 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so twice per day and the range is 100 feet plus 10 feet per Exalted feat you possess. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 30 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 60 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 3d4).
Archon's Jump [Exalted]
Your bond with the Lantern Archons achieves a fullness of glory, and with it, your inner light and your ability to Jump from one place to another does as well.
Requirements: Cha 21, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Archon's Step, Archon's Stride, Jump 18 ranks
Benefit: As Archon's Step, but you can now do so three times per day, the range is 400 feet plus 40 feet per Exalted feat you possess, and you can do so as a move action. Additionally, your Holy Radiance ability impoves - the Bright Light and undead damaging radius extends by 10 feet (to 40 feet), the shadowy illumination radius increases by 20 feet (to 80 feet), and the damage per round to undead within your radius of bright light increases by 1d4 per turn (to 4d4).
Flight:
Yearn for the Heavens[Exalted]
You have learned to use your bond with the celestial realms to tug on the heavens a little, cushioning your falls.
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: When you fall, subtract 10 feet from your effective falling distance per [Exalted] feat you posses; if you have 11 or more Exalted feats, you take no damage from falling at all. This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability.
Reach for the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the celestial realms is very strong, and you have learned how to use that bond to pull yourself up off the ground for short periods of time.
Prerequisite: Dex 16, Yearn for the Heavens, Character Level 5
Benefit: As a Swift action, you can grant yourself a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneuverability) usable once per day per Exalted feat you possess. This fly speed lasts for five rounds, and is a supernatural ability.
Climb to the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the celestial realms is so strong that you can use it fly indefinitely.
Prerequisite: Dex 19, Yearn for the Heavens, Reach for the Heavens
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Previous versions:
Yearn for the Heavens[Exalted]
You have learned to use your bond with heaven to tug on the heavens a little, slowing your descent.
Prerequisite: Dex 13
Benefit: When you fall, subtract 10 feet from your effective falling distance per [Exalted] feat you posses; if you have 11 or more Exalted feats, you take no damage from falling at all. This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability.
Reach for the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the heavens is very strong, and you have learned how to use that bond to pull yourself up off the ground for short periods of time.
Prerequisite: Dex 16, Yearn for Heaven, Character Level 5
Benefit: As a Swift action, you can grant yourself a fly speed equal to your land speed (good maneuverability) usable once per day per Exalted feat you possess. This fly speed lasts for five rounds, and is a supernatural ability.
Climb to the Heavens[Exalted]
Your bond with the heavens is so strong that you can use it fly indefinitely.
Prerequisite: Dex 19, Yearn for the Heavens, Reach for the Heavens, Character Level 9
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Pre-edit versions:
Air's Promise[Exalted] [Vow]
You don't hurt the air, and the helps keep you from harm.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow
Benefit: When you fall, your falling damage is reduced by one die per [Exalted] feat you posses, calculated after the maximum damage cap from falling (20d6). This does not alter your actual falling speed, just the amount of damage you take from the impact. This is a supernatural ability. Thus, if you fall 250 feet, and have this and four other Exalted feats, you only take 15d6 damage from the fall, rather than the normal 20d6.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not poison the air - you may not cast Cloudkill, Acid Fog, or similar spells that make the air hostile to life; you cannot knowingly use Dust of Sneezing and Choking, you may not deliberately exhaust the air in an enclosed space, and so on. Actions that do not make the air unsuitable for life (normal campfires, breathing, Fog Cloud, Solid Fog, and so on) do not break this vow. If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
Wind's Freedom[Exalted][Vow]
You don't bend the wind to your will... and it will carry you for a little while.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow, Air's Promise, Character Level 5
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to twice your land speed (good maneuverability) usable on a number of rounds per day equal to the number of [Exalted] feats you posses, split up however you choose. This is a supernatural ability.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not force your will on the winds - you may not cast Control Winds, Gust of Wind, Wind Wall, or other spells that impose your will on the wind. You likewise can't use items that have similar effects, and are not permitted to use a mundane fan to push the air around (although simple mundane blowing is permitted - living creatures do need to breathe). If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
Weather's Pact[Exalted][Vow]
You don't mess with the weather, and it will support you on your path.
Prerequisite: Sacred Vow, Air's Promise, Wind's Freedom, Character Level 9
Benefit: You gain a fly speed equal to your land speed (average maneuverability), usable at will. This is a supernatural ability.
Special: To maintain your end of the bargain, you must not force your will on the weather - you may not cast Control Weather, Fire Storm, Ice Storm, Storm of Vengance, any of the Cloud spells, Obscurring Mist, or otherwise take actions that directly affect local meteorology. You likewise can't use items that have similar effects. If you deliberately break this vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefits of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. If you break your vow as a result of magical compulsion or otherwise unintentionally, you lose the benefit of this feat until you perform a suitable penance and receive and Atonement spell.
----------------------------------------
Any comments on the balance of the above?
So, anyone have any reasonably flavorful ways to do some fairly short feat chains for invisibility (ala Potions of Invisibility) in such a way that it's reasonably balanced?