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Blazing Phoenix Style

Originally developed by the Chiaroscuran Strike Force during the latter days of the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate, the Blazing Phoenix Style of martial arts was never particularly popular even in its place of origin, and was almost unheard of outside the South. This is partly due to its strongly Fire-aspected nature and partly because the signature weapon of the Style is the firewand (although it is equally compatible with plasma tongue repeaters and other flamepieces that behave in a similar fashion), thus attacks made with these weapons count as unarmed. The main advantage that Blazing Phoenix Style had for its (largely Fire-aspected) proponents was that it meshed very well with their Athletics and Dodge Charms, creating powerful synergies for the user with the right combination of Charms.

Blazing Phoenix Style is compatible with all non-warstrider armour.

The Charm Diagram

courtesy of willows - many thanks!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v517/Moxiane/BlazingPhoenix.png

The Charms

Whirling Spark Dance

 Cost: 1 mote
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 2
 Min. Essence: 1
 Prerequisites: None

As glowing motes of fire twirl through the air at even the slightest movement of the air, so too does the Exalted when his foes close in. If the character is successfully struck he can move up to his Martial Arts in yards in any direction, although this is usually away from the attacker. Note that the character must be struck for this Charm to take effect, although damage need not be dealt.

Gale-Driven Holocaust Step

 Cost: 5 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: 1 scene
 Min. Martial Arts: 3
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites: Whirling Spark Dance

Wind feeds fire, turning smouldering embers into new fire with but a breeze, eventually creating a firestorm that feeds itself. The Exalted who learns this Charm discovers how to drive the fire of his blows with the wind of his movement, turning relatively weak unarmed attacks into powerful destructive blows, and the blasts of flame from his firewand become explosive conflagrations. Every 10 full yards that the character moved in the previous turn while Gale-Driven Holocaust Step was active gives him +2L damage to all attacks made this turn and increase the range of any flamepiece attacks by 1 yard.

Enkindled Pinion Shroud

 Cost: 3 motes + 1 mote per extra person
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: 1 turn
 Min. Martial Arts: 3
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites: None

The phoenix at war burns with fury, the heat that blasts from its wings scorching the air itself into dizzying and confusing motion, to hide the raptor from its enemies while giving it free reign to strike. The Exalt can affect up to his permanent Essence in targets with this Charm, each person so affected subtracting the Martial Arts of the Dragon-Blood from their dice-pools to attack him – this effect cannot reduce a target’s pool below his own permanent Essence.

Crackling Brushfire Assault

 Cost: 4 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: 1 scene
 Min. Martial Arts: 2
 Min. Essence: 1
 Prerequisites: None

The long, hot summers of the South bring with them the danger of brushfire - a simple spark in fields of bone-dry grass can spread faster than man or beast can run. The Exalted who uses the Crackling Brushfire Assault becomes like this terror of the south, fast and deadly. The character adds his permanent Essence to his initiative for the remainder of the scene. Furthermore his barehanded attacks now inflict Lethal damage, while attacks made with a flamepiece add the character’s Essence to the damage they inflict.

Scorching Wing Buffet

 Cost: 4 motes, 1 Willpower
 Type: Extra Action
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 3
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites: Crackling Brushfire Assault

The wings of the phoenix are ablaze with fiery Essence, and when those burning pinions strike the phoenix’ foes again and again, they rain down destruction upon his enemies while driving the firebird on. Upon activating this Charm the Exalted can make a number of Martial Arts attacks equal to his permanent Essence, and can reflexively move up to twice his Martial Arts in yards after each attack. Incandescent Wing Buffet does not grant any ability to rapidly reload flamepiecces – the character must employ other means if this is necessary.

Blazing Phoenix Form

 Cost: 5 motes
 Type: Simple
 Duration: 1 scene
 Min. Martial Arts: 4
 Min. Essence: 2
 Prerequisites: Gale-Driven Holocaust Step, Enkindled Pinion Shroud, Scorching Wing Buffet

A bird of living fire, the phoenix moves rapidly through the world, leaving a trail of ash and flame in its wake, joyous in the destruction it leaves. By enacting the Blazing Phoenix Form the Dragon-Blooded becomes like the glorious creature it emulates, moving like brushfire and leaving only death behind. The character’s movement is doubled for the duration of the Charm and he gains a bonus to all Dodge attempts equal to his permanent Essence, although this bonus cannot be used to create a dodge from nothing. Finally, for the reflexive expenditure of 2 motes the Exalted can reload a single shot of any flamepiece he is using – this is an effect of Blazing Phoenix Form and does not count as Charm use, neither does it affect the Rate of the weapon. A character cannot normally have more than one Form-type Charm active at a time.

Burning Talon Retort

 Cost: 4 motes
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 3
 Prerequisites: Blazing Phoenix Form

The phoenix is a dangerous creature, and will strike back when threatened with lightning speed. The Dragon-Blood activates this Charm in response to an attack against him, making a counterattack using his Martial Arts in dice (this Charm overrides the Rate of a firewand or other flamepiece, but the weapon must be loaded and ready to fire). If the Exalted dodges or uses a Dodge-based effect (such as Safety Among Enemies) against the attack then add any leftover successes on the dodge as dice for the counterattack. Burning Talon Retort cannot be used in response to any other counterattack Charm or effect.

Incandescent Warrior’s Prowess

 Cost: 4 motes plus 2 motes per success
 Type: Supplemental
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 3
 Prerequisites: Blazing Phoenix Form

When the phoenix goes to war all fear it wrath, for it can devastate entire lands and render cities down to piles of smouldering ash and glass, its attacks always striking deadly and true. The Dragon-Blood makes a normal Martial Arts attack that, if it successfully strikes, inflicts double its base damage. Furthermore, for the listed cost of two motes per success the Exalt can choose to convert a number of dice equal to his permanent Essence or the Accuracy of his weapon whichever is lower into successes on the attack – these dice are not rolled.

Glorious Fiery Rebirth

 Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 Aggravated Health Level
 Type: Reflexive
 Duration: Instant
 Min. Martial Arts: 5
 Min. Essence: 4
 Prerequisites: Burning Talon Retort, Incandescent Warrior’s Prowess

The mightiest feat of the phoenix is its rebirth from the pyre of its own demise, born anew unharmed and ready to face the world once again. Upon being struck by a blow that would reduce the Exalted to Incapacitated or below, she can activate this Charm instead. The hit is negated and the character disappears in a fiery explosion that, although violent, will inflict no damage to her surroundings or enemies (barring some charring of the ground). At the end of the next turn the character reappears in a similar blaze of fire, exactly as she was the instant before the blow was struck, minus the cost of the Charm.

If the health level that Glorious Fiery Rebirth inflicts would itself take the character to Incapacitated then she can choose to allow the Charm to consume her utterly. This kills the character, but leaves no ghost or spirit to be captured or interrogated as well as destroying all mundane equipment on her person. Items made of the Five Magical Materials are unharmed by the Dragon-Blood’s explosive suicide.

Comments

I definitely like the imagery! Maybe I'm being a little thick today, but the first few charms seem a little vague in the description of what they do. For example, I have no idea what Whirling Spark Dance does, exactly. I don't suppose you could clarify a bit? -Okensha likes fire

Whirling Spark Dance (and to a degree Scorching Wing Buffet) are "feeder" Charms for Gale-Driven Holocaust Step. You use them this turn to give yourself a damage boost next turn. As for what WSD does it's kind of a hopping anti-dodge, in that you have to be hit in order to use it - however, if you're the target of a multi-attack Combo there is a chance it can break it if your attacker can't follow you and if you survive being hit. Another way of saying it, is that it's like those Brawl Charms that cause knockback when you hit, but here it's the victim choosing to be knocked back. - burn baby burn Moxiane

I definately like the style and imagery, even if the charm effects seem more celestial level then terresterial. ~ Haku who also likes fire

Out of curiosity, which Charms do you think are Celestial level? Apart from the pinnacle (which is a tad strong, but I couldn't not include something like that in a style with this name ^_^) the conditions and restrictions attached to a lot of effects make the character dance to the tune of the style, rather than the other way around. - curious Moxiane

Enkindled Pinion Shroud, Scorching Wing Buffet would be the celestial level if used pre-form ^_^

Glorious Fiery Rebirth is just cool, but odd, given that if a martial artist whose going to go to incap or lower would usually about 1 health level away from incap. ^_-
~ Haku with 100% more Burnination

Most of the canon TMAs tend to be pre-Form heavy, and the first one we ever saw had a persistent parry and a nifty damage-doubler pre-Form. I was pondering switching MA and Essence between Enkindled Pinion Shroud and Crackling Brushfire Assault before putting the style up here, but decided against it for what may be house-rule based reasons. As for Scorching Wing Buffet - well, the way the style works it'll end up costing you another 6m if you want to use a firewand for the attacks, and multiple barehanded attacks just ain't that great. - reasoning Moxiane

That's a most excellent point regardin TMA and yes... when you put it that way regards Scorching Wing Buffet. It -read- as powerful extra actions... until I saw the caveat that you need to reload to use it. ^_^
~ Haku