Difference between revisions of "SolarDodge/IsawaBrian"

Revision as of 08:08, 5 April 2010

• SolarDodge
• IsawaBrian

 <B>Cost:  10 motes, 2 willpower
 Duration:  One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Dodge:  5
 Minimum Essence:  3
 Prerequisite Charms:  Flow Like Blood

A Solar is, effectively, a being of light in the Age of Sorrows. As a side-effect of attempts to further develop Flow Like Blood’s effectiveness, a young Solar in the First Age, slightly after the end of the war with the Primordials accidentally fully atomized her body, her form becoming fully sunlight. Thankfully, she retained enough self-control to resolidify.

An Exalt using this Charm atomizes her body completely, her form held together by the power of her Solar Shard. While in this state, the Solar has effectively become dematerialized; she is more spirit than flesh. She can fully interact with other dematerialized entities, including combat, but cannot directly interact with the materialized world at all; she is subject to the full benefits and hindrances of this form. At any point, she may choose to return to normal by simply releasing the committed Essence as a reflexive action.

She is affected by charms and other effects that allow interaction with dematerialized spirits as normal, with a few exceptions. Charms and other effects that make it extremely painful for a spirit to reform after being destroyed, or increase the length of time to recreation have no effect on the Exalt’s shard, although they will have full effect on any potential ghost of the Exalt. Charms and other effects that would utterly destroy a spirit will destroy both the Exalt’s higher and lower souls, as well as wipe the Exalt’s shard clean; no past lives, no throwback, etc.

In Second Edition, this Charm is unchanged.

 <B>Cost:  10 motes, 2 willpower, 1 Health Level
 Duration:  One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Dodge:  5
 Minimum Essence:  4
 Prerequisite Charms:  As A Ray of Light, Leaping Dodge Method

By means of great concentration, the Exalt can take firm control of his body’s state in existence, blinking in and out of atomization and materialization. His form will seem to flicker and blur to all forms of detection as it rapidly switches between being and dispersal. This makes it very hard for both materialized and dematerialized beings to harm the Exalt, without impeding his own capabilities, as he can exert control over when he is material and to what extent. He gains the full benefits of being dematerialized, save that he is partially visible, but can act on material objects for brief moments- no longer than an action.

The Exalt is impossible to hit by material beings except on the initiative tic in which he attacks. Even then, any such attack is at a -2 die penalty as the actual moment in which the Exalt is material is very brief. Dematerialized spirits, on the other hand, can always hit him, but are at a -2 die penalty to do so. Charms and other effects that can affect dematerialized spirits will allow for a normal attack on the Exalt, at any point, but no secondary effects that they cause will occur.

In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious. In order to attack the character, a material being must attack on the same tick (ie, simultaneously) with the Solar.

 <B>Cost:  4 motes, 1 willpower
 Duration:  Instant
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Dodge:  5
 Minimum Essence:  2
 Prerequisite Charms:  Seven Shadow Evasion

The character is no longer bound by mere physical motion in her dodge. No attack can touch her, for like the darkness in a room with a newly-lit torch, she is simply gone. The character may dodge, without her player rolling, any one attack against her that she is aware of, even if the attack is listed as undodgeable. If the Exalt could not move to avoid the attack, her body will simply blip in and out of tune with the universe, utterly missing the effect.

In Second Edition, this Charm functions differently:

 Cost: --; Mins: Dodge 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent
 Keywords: None
 Prerequisite Charms: Seven Shadow Evasion, Third Dodge Excellency

The character is no longer bound by mere physical motion in her dodge. No attack can touch her, for like the darkness in a room with a newly-lit torch, she is simply gone. By spending an extra 1 mote, 1 willpower, the character may make a Seven Shadow Evasion a Step 6 Reflexive Charm. This increased cost is compatible with Shadowguard of Heaven, but is not discounted by Fluidic Celestial Majesty until the Solar's Essence is 8. If used with Shadowguard of Heaven, the cost must be paid when the invocation is stored.

 <B>Cost:  5 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration:  One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Dodge:  5
 Minimum Essence:  3
 Prerequisite Charms:  Reflex Sidestep Technique, Sun and Shadow Speed

The flows of Essence that surround a person are generally invisible and undifferentiated. With this Charm, the character forces the ‘ideal defense’ Essence Flows- similar to those energized by Fivefold Bulwark Stance, but for dodges- to come into being. By a convenient quirk of Essence, these flows resemble the person using the Charm. Indeed, with this Charm, they are almost indistinguishable, to any sense, including Essence Sight. These Shadow Guardians, as they are known, cluster around the character in an area with a radius of 1 yard per Essence of the character, but are not centered on him.

This provides two benefits to the character: First, the clustered Shadow Guardians, while not perfectly indistinguishable, do make it harder to target the character, simply by distraction. Second, the character can “follow” the path of the Shadow Guardians, instinctively knowing where around him is best to be to dodge. Mechanically, this adds the character’s Essence in automatic successes to all dodge rolls. If the character does not have a dodge defense or chooses not to dodge, those automatic successes count as a reflexive dodge by themselves. This will not give the character the ability to dodge an undodgeable attack.

In Second Edition, this Charm instead requires Infinite Dodge Mastery in addition to Reflex Sidestep Technique; Sun and Shadow Speed no longer exists. It is Obvious, and Combo-OK. It adds half the character's Essence, round up, directly to the character's static Dodge DV value. Because the Shadow Guardians create both a confusing plethora of images and distortions around the character, and because their very existence can alert a character to an attack, while the Charm is active, the Solar may apply his Dodge DV to unexpected attacks. The total cost is now 6 motes, 1 willpower.

 <B>Cost:  4 motes
 Duration:  Instant
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Dodge:  4
 Minimum Essence:  2
 Prerequisite Charms:  Reed in the Wind

If an enemy wishes to place a weapon or fist where the Exalt who knows this Charm is standing, she need not be so rude as to stand in its way. Indeed, she may help her enemy to get into that spot- and if by doing so, he loses control of his weapon, it is certainly not her fault. By activating this Charm, the character gets a reflexive dodge at her full Dexterity + Dodge pool. Treat any extra successes as bonuses to a reflexive disarm attempt against her attacker, using Dexterity + Dodge rather than an attack skill. If the character has at least three extra successes after the target’s Wits + Ability roll, she may end up with the weapon in her hand. This cannot be used to "disarm" someone's limb.

In Second Edition, this Charm functions slightly differently:

 Cost:4m; Mins: Dodge 4, Essence 2; Type Reflexive (Step 2 and 9)
 Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
 Duration: Instant
 Prerequisite Charms: Shadow Over Water

If an enemy wishes to place a weapon or fist where the Exalt who knows this Charm is standing, she need not be so rude as to stand in its way. Indeed, she may help her enemy to get into that spot- and if by doing so, he loses control of his weapon, it is certainly not her fault. Although this Charm is a Counterattack Charm, it is activated in Step 2. All penalties to the Solar's Dodge DV are negated for the purposes of the incoming attack, although inapplicability does not count as a penalty for this purpose. If the attack fails, the Solar launches a counterattack in Step 9 that can only be used to disarm the target, using Dexterity + Dodge rather than an attack skill, with bonus successes equal to the difference between the attacker's successes and the Solar's DV. If the character has at least three extra successes after the target’s Wits + Ability roll, she may end up with the weapon in her hand. This cannot be used to "disarm" someone's limb.

 <B>Cost:  5 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration:  Instant
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Dodge:  4
 Minimum Essence:  3
 Prerequisite Charms:  Hospitality Defense

Essence suffuses and penetrates all things. The hostile energy of an attacking weapon can be transmuted into Essence, and forced back at an attacker. Upon activating this Charm, the character makes a reflexive dodge at his full Dexterity + Dodge pool. If he gets more successes than his opponent, the opponent suffers the full effects of the attack as though it had been made with as many successes as the dodging character earned above the opponent’s attack total.

Any Charms used before the attack roll, such as Fire and Stones Strike or Leaping Tiger Technique still have their full effect, but if this Charm is used in the middle of a combo, the opponent is not obligated to continue using the combo’s effects upon himself. The opponent may defend as normal, but may not counterattack; this is considered a counterattack Charm and may not be used in response to Solar Counterattack or any other counterattack Charm.

In Second Edition, this Charm functions slightly differently:

 Cost:--; Mins: Dodge 5, Essence 3; Type Permanent
 Keywords: None
 Prerequisite Charms: Hospitality Defense

Essence suffuses and penetrates all things. The hostile energy of an attacking weapon can be transmuted into Essence, and forced back at an attacker. A Lawgiver who has developed the Kharmic Retribution Prana may use the Hospitality Defense to counterattack may expend 1m, 1wp to make the resulting counterattack an unblockable attack, with a damage rating equal to the damage rating of the incoming attack.

Any Charms used before Step Six, such as Fire and Stones Strike or Leaping Tiger Technique still have their full effect, but if Hospitality Defense is used in the middle of a combo, the opponent is not obligated to continue using the combo’s effects upon himself.

 <B>Cost:  None
 Duration:  Permanent
 Type:  Special
 Minimum Dodge:  5
 Minimum Essence:  3
 Prerequisite Charms:  Flow Like Blood

The Exalt has become a master of her body. Her movements are fluid and graceful, and she dances between the clash of swords as though on a calm summer day. Subtract two from the difficulties of all dodge rolls, minimum one. An attacker’s successes or any penalties to her dice pool are not considered difficulties. Only conditions which subtract successes or add a threshold of successes are considered difficulties on a dodge. This Charm was based on an idea of Neph's posted on the Wiki. I just fleshed it out.

In Second Edition, this Charm cancels -2 worth of penalties to the character's Dodge DV, total, per action tick. For example, subtract 2 from the _total_ penalty of a Flurry, or if an attack, or if the character attacks once and is hit by a -3 DV combined attack, she is only at -2 to DV. In situations where the character's Dodge is actually rolled, this Charm subtracts 2 from any External Penalties. Its Prerequisite Charms are all three Dodge Excellencies, Infinite Dodge Mastery, and Essence Dodge Flow.

 <B>Cost:  3 motes
 Duration:  Instant
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Dodge:  3
 Minimum Essence:  2
 Prerequisite Charms:  Shadow Over Water

The character manifests hundreds of semi-real Shadow Guardians, giving them boosts to move further and more chaotically than they usually would. Some will even take non-optimal paths, and the Solar himself is surrounded by shadowed Essence that makes him resemble one of the Guardians. Double the character’s dodge pool for one roll. This may not be used to generate a reflexive dodge.

This one is designed similar to the Thrown Cascade of Cutting Terror, of course; I made it slightly cheaper in order for it to be competitive with Reed in the Wind, which, after all, can also be used to buy a dodge; this can't.

In Second Edition, this Charm functions slightly differently:

 Cost:--; Mins: Dodge 5, Essence 3; Type Permanent
 Keywords: Obvious
 Prerequisite Charms: Third Dodge Excellency

When using the Third Dodge Excellency to improve his Dodge DV, the Solar may opt to spend 2m extra to invoke a Thousand Shadow Scatter, manifesting hundreds of semi-real Shadow Guardians, giving them boosts to move further and more chaotically than they usually would. Some will even take non-optimal paths, and the Solar himself is surrounded by shadowed Essence that makes him resemble one of the Guardians. Instead of adding half of the Solar's Dodge to his Dodge DV, double his Dodge DV rating before any penalties are assigned.

 <B>Cost:  3 motes, 1 Willpower
 Duration:  One Scene
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Dodge:  4
 Minimum Essence:  3
 Prerequisite Charms:  Reflex Sidestep Technique

To a Solar, personal combat-- one warrior facing one warrior-- is the ultimate expression of pure ability. Solars with this Charm active can punish those who try and pull her down through weight of numbers, using Essence to push their attacks and synchronization off slightly, making them trip over each other.. For each opponent past the first who attacks her in a given turn, all opponents attacking her are given a +1 difficulty to all attacks. This difficulty increase occurs instantly on the initiative tick in which such an attack occurs, so if multiple attackers are theoretically attacking her on the same initiative tick, all of them suffer the same penalty (and must therefore declare that they will do so at once, rather than the usual method). This Charm has no effect on the Exalt's own attacks, and specifically still takes effect on individuals covered by charms like Threshing Floor Discipline that assist multiple attackers in attacking a single opponent

Example: Harmonious Jade has been ambushed by five Dragon-blooded, and has Triumphing over the Foolish Horde active. They roll a 14, 13, 11, 11, and 10 for initiative; she rolls a 12. The first Dragon-blooded takes no penalty to attack her, but the one that rolled 13 will be at +1 difficulty. If she strikes the one that had a 14, and he uses a counterattack Charm, he will still be at +1 difficulty. When it is the tick for 11, the penalty for both Dragon-blooded on that charm takes effect, and the difficulty for both is now +3. The final dragon-blooded will have a +4 difficulty.

In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-Ok. Its effects start when the character takes an action, and reset every time her DV refreshes. Whenever simultaneous attacks happen, as in a combined attack, all attackers suffer the largest penalty at once.

 <b>Cost: None
 Duration: Permanent
 Type: Special
 Minimum Dodge: 5
 Minimum Stealth: 4
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Lord of Shadows Aura (SolarStealthSolarDodge/IsawaBrian/IsawaBrian)

See Unseen Thief Method, in SolarLarcenySolarDodge/IsawaBrian/IsawaBrian for an explanation of the history of the Subtle Methodologies

Like all Subtle Methodologies, Unfelt Motion Method increases the efficiency of the Night's anima ability to suppress motes-- to the point where there is no increased mote cost to suppress anima banner development for Dodge Charms. The Unfelt Motion Method is the Subtle Methodology for Dodge. A Night with this Anima Refinement moves across the battlefield almost undetected, with no flares of essence to reveal his masterful defenses. None of the Subtle Methodologies affect essence gained from other sources, such as that from a Radiant Spirit pool (see Blazing Soul Discipline in SolarEnduranceSolarDodge/IsawaBrian/IsawaBrian). Only Night Caste Solars can learn Subtle Methodologies. Even other beings who can mimic Night Caste abilities and anima effects cannot learn this Charm; it relies on the fundamental Essence of a Night Caste Shard

This Charm negates the increased cost for both Obvious and non-Obvious Athletics Charms in Second Edition. It now affects non-Peripheral Essence.

 <b>Cost:--; Mins: Dodge 5, Essence 5; Type Permanent
 Keywords: None
 Prerequisite Charms: Seven Shadow Evasion

The Solar's control over Dodge Essence progresses to the point where she can "store" a single invocation of Seven Shadow Evasion in advance. To activate this effect, the character spends the usual 3 motes of essence to trigger Seven Shadow Evasion, but its effect is frozen and the motes are committed until the Solar chooses to use the perfect dodge. This may be at any point that Seven Shadow Evasion could normally be used. Using the stored Seven Shadow Evasion does not count as a Charm use, though storing it in the first place does. At Essence 6 or higher, the Exalt may store a number of evocations equal to her Dodge score.

 <b>Cost: 12m, 2wp; Mins: Dodge 7, Essence 7; Type Simple (DV -0)
 Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic
 Duration: One Scene
 Prerequisite Charms:Shadowguard of Heaven

The Solar's tremendous grace and mobility transform the battlefield around him. Wherever peril strikes, it misses, and no force can hold or stay the Lawgiver from his vengeance. Until the end of the scene, the Solar gains a complete discount on a number of Seven Shadow Evasions equal to his permanent Essence every Action. This may not be combined with effects that allow Seven Shadow Evasion to be used as a non-Charm activation, except for "stored" defenses such as those produced by Shadowguard of Heaven. In that case, the Solar may still pre-prepare invocations for free; however, each use of those free invocations later counts against a Fluidic Celestial Majesty discount on activation, just as it did during invocation-- the character may not "double up" to produce 14 or more free Seven Shadow Evasions in a single round! The discount does of course apply to Seven Shadow Evasions used as a part of a combo.

 <b>Cost: 18m, 2wp; Mins: Dodge 8, Essence 8; Type Reflexive (Step 2)
 Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK
 Duration: One Scene
 Prerequisite Charms: Fluidic Celestial Majesty

An Elder Solar need but only once prove the superiority of her defense. Conquering her opponent with the transcendent power of her Essence, the Elder can therefore evade the offender's attacks consistently and constantly without seeming effort on her part, regardless of the power arrayed against her. This Charm is activated during Step 2 of an attack against the Solar, who must use her Dodge DV. If the attacker fails to hit the Solar, the Solar perfectly defends against any other attack made by that enemy for the rest of the scene. This Charm will not function on a being with a higher Essence than that of the Solar. The Solar may only have a number of Triumphant Mercurial Vexations active at once equal to her Essence, and unlike most charms, Triumphant Mercurial Vexation may only be deliberately ended on the character's action. If even one invocation of Triumphant Mercurial Vexation is active, any attack by an extra will automatically be perfectly defended against. This often renders mass combat attack bonuses from units useless against the Solar.

 <b>Cost: 45m, 5wp, 2ahl; Mins: Dodge 9, Essence 9; Type Simple (DV -0)
 Keywords: Obvious, Combo-Basic
 Duration: One Scene
 Prerequisite Charms: Triumphant Mercurial Vexation

Elegant and unstoppable, the Elder Solar who has mastered the Total Fluctuation Defense staves off all the tears of Heaven, for it is only by the most terrible and unthinkable of offenses that he can be brought low. No matter the opponent, no matter how thick the fighting, the Elder cannot be caught or touched, save by the worst chances and odds. For every period between DV refreshes, as attacks occur, the Solar may designate a number of opponents up to his Essence whose attacks he dodges perfectly. Attacks of Extras, and beings with less than 2 Essence, automatically fail, rendering their attack bonuses in mass combat useless. Such enemies need not be designated. This Charm may not be designated against beings with a greater Essence than that of the Solar.

 <b>Cost:--; Mins: Dodge 5, Essence 4; Type Permanent
 Keywords: None
 Prerequisite Charms: Flow Like Blood

Position and place are no bar to the supernaturally elevated fluidity of a Solar. Whenever the Solar is using a Dodge Charm or is under the effects of a Dodge Charm, she may bend to the limits of human flexibility, and possibly slightly beyond. So long as the character has any room to even shift her body, she can dodge regardless of space, mobility, or other impediments without a stunt or penalty.

At Essence 5, the Solar may spend 1 mote when activating a Dodge charm to scatter her body for a few brief moments into a holographic form of Essence-- less than a single tick goes by between dematerialization and rematerialization. By doing so, the Solar may apply her Dodge DV to normally to undodgeable attacks or if she cannot otherwise move, though this will not allow her to dodge unrolled perfect success attacks, such as Accuracy Without Distance. This effect will not aid the Solar if the incoming attack can affect dematerialized beings.

Comments

First up: These are nifty & original - me likee.

Second: A couple of issues, though - Between the Moment & the Strike seems a bit cheap for its effect - since it renders you more or less immune to attacks (particularly under Power Combat, with the really harsh rules for delaying your action). Transcendant Dodge Prowess seems a bit wierd - there aren't that many effects that increase the difficulty of a dodge attempt, particularly since you've ruled out wound penalties & attack successes.

- Moxiane

Thanks! Glad you like. These are my stress reducers- I write Charms for fun. :) Anyway as for BM&S, its cost was something of an estimate. I based it off double the mote-cost for the Athletics flying charm in Night, whose mechanics I fussed around with to make the penalties for the flickering. I can, however, see that it might be a little bit more than just that double, since you can reach flying folks by archery and the like. What would you think about adding a health level cost to represent the damage to the body caused by the flickering, or perhaps just a second willpower in cost? As for TDP, that's based on the Transcendent (Ability) Prowess suggest by Neph. It's roughly the same as any other T(A)P; it serves to deal with environmental penalties and other situational difficulties more than it does direct influence on combat. The Transcendent Melee Prowess I wrote up in my melee charms section does roughly the same thing. It's a permanent Charm, so as a result, I'm trying to make it more of a perk than a major advantage - IsawaBrian

Some really cool effects, as Moxiane said. I appreciate a true perfect dodge, regardless of how obvious a charm it might seem. Stepping Aside feels like it steps on the toes of the Occult charms for interacting with spirits, but I really like BM&S and it makes sense as a prereq for that, so I'm not sure how to deal with that. Damn you for giving me this conflicted feeling! -- Qaphsiel

*chuckles* Yeah. It flows from Flow Like Blood (I can never resist a pun) and into BM&S. I'm planning on rewriting it as it stands for flavor text though- to make it more Solar anyway. There we go. Stepping Aside is now 'As A Ray of Light'. Think of it this way- it's not really an interaction-with-spirits Charm. It's just that all Dematerializes are created equal. - IsawaBrian

Okay that makes a bit more sense to me. Also, ARL doesn't allow interaction with the material world, which I don't think I got before. I'm happy, for whatever that's worth. ;-) -- Qaphsiel

I fell in love with the dematerialize charms at first sight. I'd have to play with (a lot) them to judge if they are overpowered, but thematically, they are just awesome.

Sun and Shadow Speed is a necessary charm, but I'm not sure that it needs Seven Shadow Evasion as a prereq. Pg.199 of the players guide pretty strongly implies that you can just change the cost of Seven Shadow when you learn it to make it more like HGD, and vice versa.

Shadow Guardian Reality is a cool descriptor, and a useful effect. I worry about stacking it with Flow Like Blood and Fivefold, but that's a problem with too many persistents, not anything specifically wrong with your charm.

Hospitality Defense is really a speedbump; disarming is hard, and if you can beat the enemy's attack by enough to disarm her, then you really don't need to disarm her at all.

Then again, Kharmic Retribution Prana is seriously mighty, so needs a speedbump or two. It's also just a cool name for a cool effect. And it almost guarantees all kinds of opportunities for stunts; Imagine trying to describe using your own Daiklaive to parry itself :)

Trancendent Dodge Prowess is kind useful, but kinda useful is exactly what permanent charms should be to keep them from being overpowered. Good call.

Finally, I really like the idea of Triumph over the Foolish Horde. The Inverse Ninja Law is a big part of Wuxia films that exalted is based on, and this helps makes it reality. But does the charm really merit a willpower cost, even though it's persistent?

Anyway, there's my perspective, for what it's worth. Thanks for the ideas!

-- Reyemile

Glad to see you like them. Unfortunately, I've never really had a chance to play with them in an actual game, so I've never really tested them. I'd love to see testing results. :)

The reason I made Sun and Shadow Speed require Seven Shadow Evasion as a pre-req (and upped the cost over HGD) is because it's potentially more useful than HGD. HGD requires you have something in your hands to make the block; Sun and Shadow Speed can be done naked, tied up, and suspended mid-air.

Eh. I don't worry about Shadow Guardian Reality too much, stacking-wise. Look at the defenses you can get by dual-applying parries and dodges with Fivefold Bulwark Stance and Flow Like Blood canonically. Just remember you're investing motes, which reduces your "emergency pool"... :)

Hospitality Defense was initially designed a long time ago. Looking back on it, frankly, it seems DB rather than Solar. Changed a bit.

Heh. I do not claim ownership over the Transcendent (x) Prowesses. Those were inspired by a list Neph made of possible Solar Permanent Charms. It's on the wiki somewhere, but I'm too lazy today to look up the link. >_>

I do think it's necessary to have a willpower cost. First, it's a persistent effect in combat. Second, it negates a large part of, say, DB or mortal anti-exalted tactics. Finally, I'm a little less concerned over willpower costs than most, since only essence is committed.

Always love to get C&C! Thanks again! -- IsawaBrian

I actually think "Shadow Guardian Reality" is too weak in 2 ed. It deos(more or less) for dodge what 2ed 5DB does for parry, and 5DB does it much easier and a bit cheaper. That's not right.Also, if I read 2ed core corectly, the round up functiopn is now an inate propert of Exalts when halving something. -Azurelight

First up-- my apologies. I'm not quite sure what you mean by 5DB; I'm going to assume you mean Fivefold Bulwark Stance, and if I'm wrong, feel free to poke at me. :) Anyway, I don't see it as being roughly the same as Fivefold (among other things, I intend to make a +success charm for Melee, too). Fivefold cancels DV penalties, which, admittedly, can be fairly significant; Shadow Guardian Reality flat-out adds to your DV. Assuming there was a Fivefold (I'm going to use 5BS for an acronym here, btw) equivalent for Dodge, its effects would stack directly with SGR, resulting in someone who had a fairly significant increase in defense. My fear here is that a full +Essence bonus (which is the norm with success buyers) would be much too powerful in 2e, especially since it avoids the Excellency limits, this not being dice and Second's being internal, not external. Furthermore, directly adding Essence would smack you right up against the maximum very quickly, since no static value can be increased by more than half your (Attribute + Ability) total.

Actually, that brings up an excellent question. My success buyers (currently only one other is translated, in MartialArtsSolarDodge/IsawaBrian/NaturalSolarCharms -- it's Fourfold Pupil Dedication there) only add half to DV because I didn't want them to hit the maximum increase too swiftly. However, in keeping with Infinite Ability Mastery for Success-buying, I've still kept them at fairly expensive levels-- FPD slightly more because it's Martial Art based. What do you-- and anyone else out there reading this-- think? Should they stay the same? Drop in price? Go back up to Essence and thus get closer to the Limit? -- IsawaBrian

I believe he's referring to the Five Dragon Blocking Technique, from Exalted: The Dragon-Blooded. It's a Scene long simple (4m, 1WP) that adds your Essence to your parry pool, generating one where none exists. In addition, you can parry lethal unarmed. Requirements are 3 ability, 2 essence. -- GreenLantern

Oh duhhhh. I feel like an idiot. And, of course, it's translated as the same cost, ith PDV + 1/2 of essence in the STC (not that that's a great example of good translations). Hmm. It's starting to look like more and more, the benefit -should- be full Essence, at least for the Dodge. What do you think about a (more expensive) version for, say, Melee or Archery, that adds successes to attack rolls and directly to PDV? -- IsawaBrian

Tweaked Shadow Guardian Reality; DV bonus is still low, but it has a -nice- benefit now. -- IsawaBrian

Yes it has, but I'd like to point out something. First of, you're wrong about the cap. Read the first few lines in "Charms and pools" on page 185 and you'll find out that charms that add automatic sucesses do not couny against the cap unless otherwise stated. Second, I have a more general queation. I loved most of your old stuff and I still love it. But, in second ed you seem to have nerfed alot of charms. I wonder how you arrived at this? At the WW forum, the general consensus was that the power level has been pushed up in 2ed. I am just curious.-Azurelight

I agree with you on the "he nerfed a lot" theory, but would like to add what I think is more precision. That is - that charm trees are now much more flat. Many charms that were once trees are now almost flat, often with charms now augmenting each other, rather than subsuming each other. Thus, an extreme example would be that it's not that Charm Y includes Charm X's schtick, thus meaning you don't need to activate charm X, it's that Charm Y has a schtick, and so does Charm X, and they augment each other, such that if you augment X, you also get Y (and vice versa). My gut feeling then, is that Isawa's trees tend to be a bit 'tall', and should involve more charms that act independently, and more interaction between them. Thus, getting to a given powerful effect requires fewer charms. At the same time, getting 2x as many charms means more augmentation, and thus having more charms means more power across the board, often without having to individually activate 2x as many charms. (And thus reducing the power-up period quite a bit). The problem is that to match this, Isawa would essentially need two sections for each ability (1st vs. 2nd), as you can't as easily do a one-to-one without losing the order entirely, and thus it's probably easier to just duplicate. -- GreenLantern, on the general differences he has noted in the trees

Actually Azure, that bit you've mentioned just says that success adders don't affect the dice pool .. which just adding successes.. of course they don't.. it's the third paragraph which states the limit on improving static DV's equal to half your att + abb. So yes.. you can't add more than 5 to your dodge DV.. using any combination of charms. FluffySquirrel

I've tried not to nerf as many as possible, although some-- like the holy attacks-- have been subsumed or put into other places. Really, my main attempt is to keep them in line with the _existing_ charms as they show up in 2E. However, I've always tried to keep Solar Power in mind, and, as GL says, I've changed a lot so that they modify others. For example, the basis of my 'perpetual super-solar defenses' was Protection of Celestial Bliss, which is no longer a sort of an HGD Bulwark Stance, but instead, a 'prep' sequence-- which, admittedly, gets you in without charm use. I've tried to make my higher-power ones reflect that change, to adapt 'lesser' charms. The only ones I -thought- I nerfed inconsistently with 2E were the 3 (so far) +essence success ones, because I didn't want to run up against the DV cap (which is why I gave SGR the 'anti-surprise' function FLB no longer has). What Charms do you guys think have been nerfed unfairly? I'd like to know now, before I start rolling along and getting the rest, and would highly appreciate the input from all of you. -- IsawaBrian

• Thousand Shadow Scatter-2E: This doesn't seem usefull. As is, if your enemy is hitting my more than the +3 you get from it, why didn't you use 7SE for half the cost? I'd just make it a straight upgrade, as the Dodge Third Excellency just isn't usefull, so your effectivly paying 2 charms for it.

• Shadow Guardian Reality: 6m + 1 willpower is rather weak for +2 DV and working against unexpected atttacks. (Honestly, FLB should have the "works on unexpected attacks thing"). I'd make it cost 4m and be Reflexive. You can leave the thing about unexpected attacks.

• Kharmic Retribution Prana: Huh? It'd just leave this working the way it did in 1E. Maybe: [i]If an attack fails to hit due to Dodge DV, this charm makes the attacker the target of the attack in step 7. Treat the amount the attacker missed by as the successes on the attack. This is considered a counterattack. [/i] Which seems to be what your going for.

-FlowsLikeBits

• • Remember, the Third Excellency is step 6, rather than step 2. Unlike any other defensive Charm, it can be used if you decided to bet that your base DV would hit it-- and you lost. This turns your subsequent bonus from a +2-3 into a range of +2-5, almost certainly at least +1 higher, probably more, which makes it at least as efficient as using the Second Excellency, only later in the game. If that's not powerful enough, I may poke at it some more to figure something out.

• • • Yeah, it's a bit of a tough one. The third excellency is basicly useless as is. (The only possible use is to put it in a combo in case someone misses by less than 3 and your trying to save motes. This hardly seems worth 9 xp. And for 17xp, this isn't that good. And it cost 6m and really only defends against people who have lots of successes. One possiblity would be to make it an upgrade to Shadow over Water, rather than the Third Excellency. A Precedent would be Irresistable Salesman Technique, which cost 3m. If you want to leave it as an upgrade to the Third Excellency, I would say it also works against undogeable attacks and cost an extra mote - FlowsLikeBits

• • I based SGR's cost on a rough approximation of Infinite Dodge Mastery, counting the "unexpected attacks" as effectively being a +1 DV (though it really can be MUCH more than that, especially if you get 5th-manned). I'm not sure that making it cheaper would be valid, given IDM's cost, though subtracting the willpower, maybe. I'll give it a shot. Thanks!
  • ... Really, you don't like KRP? It's a LOT more effective now; it's a fully rolled attack with bonus successes.

-- IsawaBrian

• • • KRP is just confusing. As far as I can tell, it's basicly Snake Body Technique. (Why is dodge making an unblockable attack?!?) Hmm.. I would make unblockable and undogeable. You could also make it an unexpected attack, but that might be a bit weak. (The dang fifth man rule means everyone is gonna get a cheap way to deal with un-expected attacks I bet). If you want it to be a full attack, I'd go with unblockable and undodgeable. Even then, it cost way to much, 6m + 2 willpower is ALOT. 5m +1 willpower is about right I think. -FlowsLikeBits

One other thing, not as useful. From my interpretation, FFBS and FLB now have very different effects. In particular, FFBS now reduces the DV penalty of all actions taken by one, meaning that (as I read it) flurries can become nightmarishly awesome-tastic. FLB has nothing like this, so while your DV won't drop against a single opponent hitting you multiple times (FLB ignores onslaught), it's not nearly as generally useful. It also eliminates coordinated attack penalties. Thus, FLB effectively says "Hey - if one guy is hitting me, my DV will no longer drop as he flurries, and if multiple guys are hitting me, my DV still won't drop." Since in the one-guy case, your DV drops just as his attack pool (in the case of a non-magical flurry), it's not all that great. FFBS, on the other hand, does the onslaught thing too, but also drops that DV penalty, you can effectively flurry as much as you want without hurting your DV. That's huge. My great hope is that Isawa will put such a generally awesome thing into the Dodge tree as well, hopefully not that far in, as FFBS is only the fourth charm in a tree. -- GreenLantern, jealous of Melee's ability to really allow some serious flurrying

The only reason I haven't is because I've made a 5BS-equivalent for Martial Arts, and personally, since they do not specify a type of defense, I figure that they apply to -any- defense. Well-- the -1 DV effect I'd say wouldn't apply to an -attack- made with your bare hands, but nonetheless... See, I think of the 5BS charms as being a "defensively minded" set, now. They allow you to attack or maneuver without significantly decreasing your defensive capabilities, whereas FLB instead means that your defenses themselves are more fluid, negating the effects of planned or overwhelming attacks. This -does- sort of leave Archery and Thrown in the lurch, but I'm considering writing 'defensively minded' charms for them, too, though with each, it'll be harder to get an appropriate one. They may be further down their trees, but cheaper, only changing the -1 DV thing, no onslaught bonus. -- IsawaBrian

That's one way of looking at it. I would tend to make an upgrade to FLB that adds the -1 DV thing. Mainly because trying to fit such a thing into the Thrown or Archery tree's ends up weird. It's to small a thing to make a scene lenght simple charm out of(and I hate increasing powerup time to much), but making it permenant would probably require Essence 4. Thus I would tend to do it as a FLB up grade(maybe increase the mote cost by 1-2). Just having your DV never decrease isn't all that powerful. -FlowsLikeBits

Also, I just realized the potential for 'step six' perfect defenses.

I'd like to appologise for not reading things properly. Regarding specific charms, it's a bit hard for me to point one out, mosty becuase I only looked over them, and because I just realised I do not know 2ed as well as I thought. (add that to my appology.) I shall looks it all over again and then be a bit constructive.. I'd also like to talk about pools. The way I read the side bar, you could maka a +sucess charms tha did not count against the cap so long as it's not a stacic value?

Also, GL, by "Flat", do you mean they dont rise in essence level as fast? -Azurelight

Not that they don't rise in essence level so fast (I haven't noticed a big change there, it's minor at most), but that you don't need as many prerequisite charms, in as high of a 'column'. Many charms require at most an Excellency, or perhaps one to two other charms. Gone are the days that to get certain medicine charms you needed 9 prereqs - now, you need at most 3 other medicine charms (or so) to get any of them. To get full effect and raw power, yes, 9 charms is good, but you can get any one charm with only a total of 3-4 charm slots. The only real bad exception to this is TWTT, which requires some ungodly number of other charms before you can get it (like 7). So by 'flat' I mean 'you could get this charm with a smaller total number of other charms in the process'. Sure, having a ton of charms is well and good, but for any one effect, you don't need as much. Thus, for Dodge (as a relevant example) you might be able to get the "ignore -1 DV of penalty per action" thing with having only, say, an Excellency and one other charm, rather than needing FLB. Sure, it'd be nice if you had them both, as your DV's would stay high almost all the time, but you don't need FLB as a prereq. -- GreenLantern

Hmm.. in -theory- azure.. yeah.. you could make a success adder to a normal pool that won't count against the limit.. there isn't anything specifically stopping it.. it's only in the 2nd excellency that it specifically states each success is worth 2 dice.. so I don't see why not.. but it should probably be more expensive than the 2nd, so as not to trump it. FluffySquirrel

Or just augment the 2nd Excellency. No need to make someone re-build all of their combos! -- GreenLantern, pushing augmentation

I suspect, for now, that while I may produce an augmentation of some form in the future-- and I heartily encourage you to make your own-- I'm going to leave it be for now; I'm not wholly comfortable with the idea of it being in Dodge. -- IsawaBrian