## Vow of Poverty (Exalted) *You have taken a sacred vow to forswear material possessions.* **Prerequisite:** Sacred Vow **Benefit:** You gain bonuses to your Armor Class, ability scores, and saving throws, as well as bonus exalted feats, all depending on your character level. See Voluntary Poverty in Chapter 2 for details. **Special:** To fulfill your vow, you must not own or use any material possessions, with the following exceptions: You may carry and use ordinary simple weapons, wear simple clothes, and carry enough food to sustain you for one day in a mundane sack or bag. Your possessions cannot be of masterwork quality or possess any magical properties. You may not use any magic item of any sort, though you can benefit from magic items used on your behalf—you can drink a _potion of cure serious wounds_ a friend gives you, receive a spell cast from a wand, scroll, or staff, or ride on your companion's _ebony fly._ You may not, however, “borrow” a _cloak of resistance_ or any other magic item from a companion for even a single round, nor may you yourself cast a spell from a scroll, wand, or staff. If you break your vow, you immediately and irrevocably lose the benefit of this feat. You may not take another feat to replace it. | Character Level | Benefit | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1st | AC bonus +4 | | 2nd | Bonus exalted feat | | 3rd | AC bonus +5, endure elements | | 4th | Exalted strike +1 (magic), bonus exalted feat | | 5th | Sustenance | | 6th | AC bonus +6, deflection +1, bonus exalted feat | | 7th | Resistance +1, ability score enhancement +2 | | 8th | Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus exalted feat | | 9th | AC bonus +7 | | 10th | Exalted strike +2 (good), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus exalted feat | | 11th | Ability score enhancement +4/+2 | | 12th | AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus exalted feat | | 13th | Resistance +2, energy resistance 5 | | 14th | Exalted strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus exalted feat | | 15th | AC bonus +9, ability score enhancement +6/+4/+2, damage reduction 5/evil | | 16th | Natural armor +2, bonus exalted feat | | 17th | Exalted strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration | | 18th | AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus exalted feat | | 19th | Ability score enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2, damage reduction 10/evil | | 20th | Exalted strike +5, energy resistance 15, bonus exalted feat | **AC Bonus (Su):** A 1st-level ascetic receives a +4 exalted armor bonus to his AC. The bonus increases to +5 at 3rd level, and thereafter increases by +1 for each 3 character levels. This bonus applies against brilliant energy weapons, but otherwise functions as an armor bonus. **Bonus Exalted Feats:** At 1st level, an ascetic gets a bonus exalted feat, and another bonus feat at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter. **Endure Elements (Ex):** A 3rd-level ascetic is immune to the effects of being in a hot or cold environment. He can exist comfortably in conditions between –50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves. **Exalted Strike (Su):** At 4th level, an ascetic gains a +1 enhancement bonus on all his attack and damage rolls. In effect any weapon the character wields becomes a +1 magic weapon and can overcome the damage reduction of a creature as though it were a magic weapon. This enhancement bonus rises to +2 a 10th level, to +3 at 14th level, to +4 at 17th level, and to +5 a 20th level. At 10th level, any weapon damage the character deal is also considered to be good-aligned for purposes of damage reduction. **Sustenance (Ex):** A 5th-level ascetic doesn’t need to eat o drink. **Deflection (Su):** A 6th-level ascetic receives a +1 deflection bonus to his Armor Class. This bonus increases to +2 at 12t level, and to +3 at 18th level. **Resistance (Ex):** At 7th level, an ascetic gains a + resistance bonus on all saving throws. This bonu increases to +2 at 13th level, and to +3 at 17th level. **Ability Score Enhancement (Ex):** At 7t level, an ascetic gains a +2 enhancement bonus to one ability score. At 11th level, he gains a extra +2 bonus to that score, and a +2 bonus to another ability score. At 15t level, he gains an extra +2 bonus to those two scores, and a +2 bonus to third ability score. At 19th level, he gains an extra +2 bonus to those three scores, and a +2 bonus to a fourth ability score. **Natural Armor (Ex):** At 8t level, an ascetic gains a +1 natural armor bonus, or his existing natural armor bonus increase by +1. It increases an extra +1 a 16th level. **Mind Shielding (Ex):** Also at 8t level, an ascetic character become immune to detect thoughts, discern lies, and any attempt to discern his alignment. **Damage Reduction (Su):** An ascetic gains damage reduction 5/magic at 10th level. At 15th level, this improves to 5/evil, an at 19th level to 10/evil. **Greater Sustenance (Ex):** Once he attains 12th level, a ascetic character doesn’t need to breathe. **Energy Resistance (Ex)**: At 13th level, an ascetic gain resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic energy. A 20th level, this increases to resistance 15. **Freedom of Movement (Ex):** At 14th level, an ascetic can ac as if continually under the effect of a _freedom of movement_ spell. **Regeneration (Ex):** At 17th level, an ascetic heals 1 hit point per character level after 1 hour of rest (rather than after 8 hours of rest). Nonlethal damage heals at rate of 1 point of damage per level every 5 minutes. **True Seeing (Su):** At 18th level, an ascetic gains a continusous _true seeing_ ability, as the spell. ### Other Ramifications of Poverty A character who has forsaken material possessions may fin himself at a marked disadvantage when it comes to certain ne essary expenses, such as expensive material components. On option is for ascetic characters to beg components from othe party members, who are probably gaining as much benefit fro having the spell cast as the caster is. Alternatively, an asceti spellcaster can sacrifice experience points in place of expensiv components, with 1 XP equivalent to 5 gp value of components. Having a character in the party who has taken a vow of poverty should not necessarily mean that the other party members get bigger shares of treasure! An ascetic character must be as extreme in works of charity as she is in self-denial. The majority of her share of party treasure (or the profits from the sale thereof ) should be donated to the needy, either directly (equipping rescued captives with gear taken from their fallen captors or indirectly (making a large donation to a temple noted for its work among the poor). While taking upon herself the burden of poverty voluntarily, an ascetic recognizes that many people do not have the freedom to choose poverty, but instead have it forced upon them, and seeks to better those unfortunates a much as possible.