I was curious. Could a VoP monk use adventuring gold to build small shrines or temples dedicated to tending to travelers or the poor of a community? Like, if he was the founder of a non-profit? In the description of Vow of Poverty, it is pretty clear the monk can't own anything expensive (like a business or an organization), but does that restriction prevent him from building a temple or founding an organization that he neither owns nor runs?
I know in 3.5 a VoP character was expected to get a cut of any gold the party received and donate it to those in need, so its not really much of a stretch for a VoP monk in Pathfinder to do the same. Plus, VoP in Pathfinder is nowhere near as powerful as 3.5. Is there any potential harm or abuse?
For example: say a VoP monk sets up small temples in or around communities he helps, using the downtime system. He pays for the construction costs and hiring managers/teams with the gold that would normally be given to him for his cut in helping the party overcome challenges. He has no intention of running the temple or collecting earnings (all of that goes towards paying the manager and upkeep of the temples). However, he would probably use the temple from time to time to bathe, eat, rest, and otherwise use the temple for its intended purpose; helping weary travelers and the poor. Wouldn't this be akin to donating his gold from adventuring to a temple, except he is doing one better and breathing life into a new resource for the area's poor? Would he be able to do this if his adventuring companions held on to his share of the gold and made the payments to build the temple and hire its employees on his behalf?
Just curious.
I was curious. Could a VoP monk use adventuring gold to build small shrines or temples dedicated to tending to travelers or the poor of a community? Like, if he was the founder of a non-profit? In the description of Vow of Poverty, it is pretty clear the monk can't own anything expensive (like a business or an organization), but does that restriction prevent him from building a temple or founding an organization that he neither owns nor runs?
I'd say he can, even though strictly btr he's using gold to build this, so he should lose the vop. But I think that he can use the money for a greater good, as long as he don't gain any profit from that.
I know in 3.5 a VoP character was expected to get a cut of any gold the party received and donate it to those in need, so its not really much of a stretch for a VoP monk in Pathfinder to do the same. Plus, VoP in Pathfinder is nowhere near as powerful as 3.5. Is there any potential harm or abuse?
I don't think. The pf vow is more a personalization than a powerful option.
For example: say a VoP monk sets up small temples in or around communities he helps, using the downtime system. He pays for the construction costs and hiring managers/teams with the gold that would normally be given to him for his cut in helping the party overcome challenges. He has no intention of running the temple or collecting earnings (all of that goes towards paying the manager and upkeep of the temples). However, he would probably use the temple from time to time to bathe, eat, rest, and otherwise use the temple for its intended purpose; helping weary travelers and the poor. Wouldn't this be akin to donating his gold from adventuring to a temple, except he is doing one better and breathing life into a new resource for the area's poor? Would he be able to do this if his adventuring companions held on to his share of the gold and made the payments to build the temple and hire its employees on his behalf?
Just curious.
I'd say that, as long as the temple is really helping others, the vow is not infringed, even if the monk use the temple for rest. He don't own it, he get no payment, basically he build the temple then let the others run it for the same mission he have. So I'd let him go with it.
Get a "Partner" to "Back" him. The partner "has" all the gold.
As much as I hate the mechanics of VoP, I really like this idea. I dont see anything wrong with doing it this way.
You go there to bathe, sleep or eat: just like anybody else this place helps. :)
I would allow it. In my mind it makes a lot of sense for a lawful character (like a monk) to want to make sure the money he donates is actually being used for what he wants it to be used for (helping the poor) instead of lining some bureaucrats pockets.
The only "abuse" I could imagine would be if the "manager" turns out to be a crook that tries to embezzle some money, but that's why monks have Sense Motive, right?
The only "abuse" I could imagine would be if the "manager" turns out to be a crook that tries to embezzle some money, but that's why monks have Sense Motive, right?
Taking Leadership to gain followers to run the temples could be a solution, but with Cha as generally a lower stat for monks and the fact the monk would wander around alot, it might make it difficult to get a very high Leadership score. Still, it might fit thematically. Although, he cohort could be a "partner" that handles the set up of the temples with the funds the monk earns adventuring.
Taking Leadership to gain followers to run the temples could be a solution, but with Cha as generally a lower stat for monks and the fact the monk would wander around alot, it might make it difficult to get a very high Leadership score. Still, it might fit thematically. Although, he cohort could be a "partner" that handles the set up of the temples with the funds the monk earns adventuring.
That's true. I wouldn't think a very high level cohort would be needed to run such a place. So you should be fine w/ the low leadership score I think. If you had any additional followers they could even be sent out into the community to help those in need who can't travel. It would be a pretty good setup, I would think. It would make any VOP Monk proud! :)