I know exactly what you mean about the Provari being too rich, but.... after enjoying playing with the sometimes lunatic VMax, and I still really enjoy it's OTT delivery, I am finally considering a Provari, exactly because it doesn't have some of the, sometimes, irritating shortcomings of the VMax.
What shortcomings?
The exceedingly erratic output. Voltage output does definitely drop when the batteries get close to a combined 6.4V.
The inability to fire an atty with resistance under 1.5 ohms. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.
The 3V output which, usually, is more like 4.2V. Sometimes I really only need 3.7V and not a throat shock.
The really very poor paint job, that is rapidly disintegrating.
The VMax and probably ZMax are still pretty damn good for the price, but until Smoktech can improve the quality and accuracy of their product, the Provari is still, and I never thought I'd write this, the very expensive king of VV mods.