Vow of Poverty.... for non-Monks

[jasonthelamb]

So, I was talking to one of my players - his older brother plays a Vow of Poverty Monk, and he wanted to do something like the "Vow of Poverty", but as a Wizard.

I was just wondering if anyone had come up with interesting house rules about a Vow of Poverty for non-monks? I was thinking something like his level / 2 extra spells per day, with some restriction on the level of the spells? Not sure - but for some reason he doesn't like or want the gear from the game, he said it does not make him feel "heroic."

[Imbicatus]

There is the 3.5 vow of poverty in the book of exalted deeds.

[Luggs]

I think this is more of a homebrew thing.

Given that some spells require expensive spell materials, maybe his vow of poverty gives him an upgrading Eschew Materials where he doesn't need spell components for spells using components costing 50 x 1/2 his level in gold.

[Oly]

I personally wouldn't allow anything like that if I were GMing.

A Cleric tied to a deity who would like a Vow of Poverty, I probably would. Possibly other deity-serving characters also-- Paladins, Warpriests, Inquisitors-- again, based on the nature of the deity (Asmodeus wouldn't reward it; even a pleasure loving good deity like Cayden probably wouldn't)...but Monks get its rewards out of a form of faith or by the increase in their discipline making them that much better at being a Monk. Clerics would get the rewards by their deity granting them. Non-monk non-divine classes, not so much.

[Claxon]

For spells with expensive material components...I would say that someone else has to provide him with the component and he is allowed to cast the spell. But he cannot own or have the component on him except when he is attempting to cast the spell.

So, as an example. If he wanted to cast wish (or the party wanted him to cast it) the party would give him a diamond worth 25000 gp to cast the spell.

[Weirdo]

Any idea what exactly the player doesn't like about magic items?

If it's just the flavour of dripping with magic items that the player doesn't like, these guidelines for Ascetic characters are the simplest way to keep mechanics intact. You might want to place restrictions on the kinds of effects the player can bind depending on how easy it is for the other players to get the kinds of magic items they want.

If the player doesn't like complexity, you could also come up with a few set bonuses such as Intelligence boosts, extra spell slots, and AC or saving throw improvements, based on the character's expected WBL and their ability to afford headbands of intellect, pearls of power, rings of deflection, amulets of natural armour, and cloaks of resistance.

Extra spell slots could work, but I'd be worried that at high levels the wizard's low AC, saves, and spell DCs would cause problems.

[Cuuniyevo]

The Paizo book Champions of Purity actually has a feat your player may be interested in:

Quote:

Virtuous Creed

You accept a creed to guide your destiny toward good.
Prerequisite: You must be good.

Benefit: Select one of the following virtues. You must adhere to that virtue's creed in order to benefit from its bonus. If you break any part of the creed, you are unable to gain the benefits from that virtue for 24 hours. Significant violations require atonement for you to be able to benefit from this feat again.

Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time you take this feat, you must choose a new virtue.

The books then lists 6 virtues to choose from, including Humility.

Quote:

Humility

Creed: You must always show respect to others. You must put your own desires aside in favor of the needs of the masses. You must be conservative in dress and in actions, and wary not to display pride or gloat about your wealth and achievements.

Benefit: You add your Wisdom modifier on Diplomacy checks in addition to your Charisma modifier.

Not exactly what you're asking for, but it's already written up and good to go for any LG, NG or CG character.

[jasonthelamb]

Basically he feels like magic items are "cheating". He's a new D&D player, so I'm not sure - I know he's going to have a rude awakening when it comes to the final boss fight of this module.

He just spent all his money on this grand carnival (a la "Carnival of Tears") that has gone wrong, I try to give him items and he just gives them to other party members. I think I'll pitch that Vow of Asceticism (General) to him, it sounds like what he's aiming for.

[Fergie]

Fixed Vow of Poverty and other vows
He might like these two:
In the hands of (god)
Restrictions: Not allowed to benefit from items that provide deflection, NA, resistance, or enhancement to ability bonuses.
Benefits: +1 resistance bonus to saves at level 4,+1 Deflection at 6th and +1 NA at 7th (+1 to each per additional 4 levels) +2 to an ability score at level 6, plus an additional + 2 to a different ability score at level 7 (Note: You must alternate between physical and mental ability scores when assigning these bonuses.) every 4 levels past 6 and 7, you may add an additional +2, alternating between mental and physical scores. You may not boost a single score beyond +6 this way.

Uncluttered
Restrictions: Not allowed to use scrolls, wands, staffs
Benefits: cast a spell from your class list (not including or exceeding the highest level spells you can cast) 1 each day, plus one casting for ever 3 additional levels.

Note: These were written with the assumption that the character would be actively spending gold on other types of magic items. If he is really going to avoid that, you might want the bonuses to kick in a level or even two levels earlier.

Another option might be to come up with a real good story reason why he might want to hold onto an item. For example, a courier arrives one day telling him his great grandfathers ceremonial robes have been found. Unfortunately they were stolen by ogres who robbed the courier before they could be delivered. If they kill the ogres, they discover that the robe is actually a robe of the archmagi. They only function at half power until he finishes some quest (say at 10th level). Just make it something that he will not outgrow in a level or two.

Just out of curiosity, how does he feel about the whole spellbook/scroll thing? Also, would he feel different if he crafted the items himself? Sounds like he is an old school AD&D player from back in the day.