Difference between revisions of "Wordman/ExcessivelyRighteousBlossom"

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Honorary Lector Excessively Righteous Blossom is a brave but flawed moonsilver caste Alchemical exalted (and also a signature character). Blossom has been known to be overly idealistic to the point of folly — hence his name — and routinely goes to great rhetorical lengths to defend his unrealistic points of view. Despite these flaws, Excessively Righteous Blossom is a lethal combatant and is always willing to face whatever dangers stand against him or his country. Unfortunately, he has no head for strategy, as witnessed by his utter defeat at Gem. He did, however, manage to kill the lunar Ten Stripes. These are the stats I used for him in my First Edition campaign.

Options and arrays

Some alchemical charms come with options chosen when they are purchased or have particular modules that can be installed. Excessively Righteous Blossom has made the following choices:

• Transitory Augmentation of Strength: has three versions in his panoply, two in different arrays and one for general use.
• Accelerated Response System: has five different versions in his panoply, three for parry, two for dodge. Two arrays (see below) contain one of each, while the remaining parry version is more general.
• Chemical Fog Generators are contained in two of his arrays, both of which contain the following submodules:
  • Knockout Gas
  • Tear Gas
  • Nerve Gas
  • Soul Gas
  • Ignition Gas: This gas is invisible (so does not provide visibility penalties), but has a volatile smell (so causes coughing and choking as normal). Once deployed, it can also be easily ignited by a spark, open flame, etc. When this happens, any mundane flammable material within the gas cloud instantly catches fire. Those caught in the initial ignition are subjected to environmental damage as if standing in a bonfire for that turn (core.244).
• Strain Resistant Chassis Modification: All versions of this provide three -2 health levels.
• Subcutaneous Armor Plating: since one of his martial arts styles does not allow armor, each of the three versions of this charm are internal.

Tactical Targeting and Response Array

Installation Cost: 6
Charms: Aim-Calibrating Sensors, Transmodal Rapid Targeting System, Transitory Augmentation of Dexterity, Chemical Fog Generator, Accelerated Response System (dodge), Accelerated Response System (parry), Dedicated Harmonic Targeting

When this array is activated, Excessively Righteous Blossom may (optionally) use his main action to use his Transmodal Rapid Targeting System, attacking up to four different targets at full pool for 3 motes each. While this array is active, the following effects may be activated reflexively:

• 1 mote: cancel a penalty die on a ranged attack
• 2 motes: cancel 1 point of difficulty penalty on a ranged attack, or prevent a success from being canceled.
• 1 mote: buy a die to augment any Dexterity pool (however, see Charm activation tactics).
• 2 motes: dodge an attack with full pool
• 2 motes: parry an attack with full pool
• x motes: spew a cloud of any one type of smoke with a radius of 3x yards
• 3 motes: a ranged attack ignores all obstacles, shields and other cover

Flexible Response Array

Installation Cost: 6
Charms: Transitory Augmentation of Dexterity, Transitory Augmentation of Strength, Adamant Synthesis Wave Emitter, Moonsilver Synthesis Wave Emitter, Electrification Onslaught Dynamo, Chemical Fog Generator, Accelerated Response System (dodge), Accelerated Response System (parry), Alloyed Reinforcement of Flesh, Subcutaneous Armor Plating, Alloyed Reinforcement of Flesh

This array is activated in combat, providing a slew of reflexive options:

• 1 mote: buy a die to augment any Dexterity pool (however, see Charm activation tactics).
• 1 mote: buy a die to augment any Strength pool, or add a dot to Strength for other purposes, such as damage. Depending on how you read it, Alloyed Reinforcement of Flesh may double this effect.
• 2 motes: dodge an attack with full pool.
• 2 motes: parry an attack with full pool.
• 2 motes: reduce the armor soak of a target by 4.
• 2 motes: add 2 accuracy dice to a hand-to-hand attack. These do not count against caps.
• x motes: spew a cloud of any one type of smoke with a radius of 3x yards.
• x motes: shock someone who makes contact (either hit or being hit) for xL or 2xB damage, soaked separately.

Body Preservation Array

Installation Cost: 3
Charms: Sustained Augmentation of Stamina, Subcutaneous Armor Plating, Subcutaneous Armor Plating, Pain Suppression Nodes

This array takes advantage of the rule that arrays can hold any Attribute-based charms, even those that are not comboable. While no combos can be formed out of these charms, installing the array provides +1 Stamina, +4L/+6B soak and allows Excessively Righteous Blossom to reduce wound penalties by two.

Stalking in Plain Sight Array

Installation Cost: 3
Charms: Optical Shroud, Aura-Dampening Component, Dynamic Cloaking Module

Another array that provides no combos, but allows invisible motion. While this array is installed, all stealth effects, anima powers and Transitory Augmentation charms can be activated with one additional mote to prevent impact on anima banner.

Optical Shroud, by the way, is a speedbump here, but is required for the installation of the charm that supplants it: Dynamic Cloaking Module.

Charm activation tactics

Transitory Augmentation of Dexterity

Excessively Righteous Blossom will rarely use this charm directly. Instead, he will use its benefits to activate his anima power to buy Dexterity dice for two motes each. These dice can be used repeatedly for three turns.

Combat configuration

Combat configuration assumes conflict with many opponents at once, so is based around providing very good parrying capabilities, decent dodging and armor penetrating damage. It is not at all stealthy, however, and burns a lot of essence and willpower to gain the full effect. Some power-up time is needed to make this really work, in most likely order:

• 5 motes - Joy in Adversity Stance: Lets Blossom roll three dice on every successful parry, gaining two motes for each success. In theory, if he can parry well enough, this would allow him to use Accelerated Response System at a net gain of 1 mote on average, essentially giving him a persistent-like parry (though likely requiring a combo each round).
• 5 motes - Violet Bier of Sorrows Form: Blossom will usually target Valor with this charm, combining this with the effects of soul gas. Also gives a ping of five.
• 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 health level - Conclusion-Pursuing Approach: Covers Blossom's largest combat weakness, his dependency on willpower. Since most combats are shorter than ten rounds, if he doesn't get this up in time, it isn't the end of the world.

Once these are up, most rounds will be spent activating the combo in the Flexible Response Array. This will work like this:

• 1 willpower: Fire up the combo
• 12 motes: Buy six Dexterity dice with anima power (discounted by Transitory Dex Augmentation). These will last for three rounds, so this step is only needed once every three rounds.
• If attacked:
  • 2 motes: Buy a fully-pool defense, preferably a parry. Roll for motes if successful.
  • 1 mote: Empower the Electrification Onslaught Dynamo to do 1L damage to attacker. Use more if they are lightly armored, none if they have hardness.
• On attacks:
  • 1 mote: Empower the Electrification Onslaught Dynamo to do 1L damage to attacker. Use more if they are lightly armored, none if they have hardness.
  • 2 motes, if the target has really good defenses: add 2 accuracy dice (un-capped) . This should make the pool at least 19 (Dex 6 + MA 5 + anima dice 6 + accuracy dice 2)
  • 2 motes, if it might matter: reduce the armor soak of a target by 4.
  • 6 motes, if it might matter: increase strength by 6 (or 12, if Alloyed Reinforcement of Flesh allows it, which I doubt). These latter two combined can essentially get past 10 points of soak. But since ping is likely to be 5 anyway, on average this will only help if attack_pool/2 + base_damage - soak > 5.
• Spew smoke at any time.

An alternate idea is to try to build a real persistent parry, but the cap limit probably hoses this idea, depending on how you interpret Blade of the Battle Maiden (there is text there which might read as allowing a higher cap, but probably doesn't). Even though this could build a nine die persistent parry, Blossom can probably only use six of these dice. It also costs a crapload of willpower, which blossom is going to need for his combos. Still, if he can activate the previous charms, it might be worth doing. At the very least, it would prevent him from needing to spend six motes every three rounds to buy Dexterity dice. On the other hand, you can't dodge with the dice from BoBM.

• 4 motes, 1 willpower - Five Dragon Blocking: Adds Essence to parries. Supplies a persistent parry of Essence dice.
• 12 motes, 2 willpower - Blade of the Battle Maiden. Gives six dice to unarmed attacks and parries.

Ranged configuration

The idea here is to remain stealthed for as long as possible, making minor ranged attacks. Once discovered, abandon stealth and attack full blast at range. At first, these charms:

• 5+1 motes, 1 Willpower - Dynamic Cloaking Module: Pay with peripheral, as it will be dampened.
• 12+1 motes - Buy six Dex dice with anima power, augmented by Transitory Aug of Dex. Also using peripheral, as these will be dampened.

Once cover is blown, use Tactical Targeting and Response Array each turn.

Stealth configuration

This works a lot like the Range configuration, but replacing the ranged attack bits for intelligence gathering and movement:

• 2 motes - Personal Gravity Manipulation Apparatus: Pay with personal.
• 5+1 motes, 1 Willpower - Dynamic Cloaking Module: Pay with peripheral, as it will be dampened.
• 12+1 motes - Buy six Dex dice with anima power, augmented by Transitory Aug of Dex. Also using peripheral, as these will be dampened.
• 2 motes - Tactical Analysis Engrams: Pay with personal.

Social configuration

Is used for cognitive and social interaction, and is generally used when Excessively Righteous Blossom is not in the field. It also reflects his lack of patience for tactics, using the charms to make quick decisions.

Gear

The Barisage Device

Artifact ●●●● (Commitment 13) A barbed moonsilver daiklave fitted with a mechanical assault crossbow in the guard, triggered by a switch on the pommel. The barbs can be animated to grab onto weapons; on a successful parry, five motes may be reflexively spent to make a disarming attack at full pool. This is a counterattack. The arms of the crossbow can be similarly animated: if empowered with up to Essence motes, they speedily reload the weapon, adding one to the rate for each mote spent.

Blade: Speed +3, Accuracy +2 (+4), Damage +6L, Defense +4
Bow: Accuracy +3 (+4), Damage 8L, Rate 1, Range 250 (350)

Quicksilver Guidance

Artifact ●● (Commitment 4) In its unattuned state, Quicksilver Guidance is an amorphous blob of dull silver metal, about the size an apple. When attuned, the object liquifies into a mercurial metal that flows over the owners hands and arms, coating them to just below the armpits with a thin layer of fluid metal that continuously shifts in slow ripples. This layer feels weightless to the owner and doesn't inhibit him in any way, but rather helps him slide away from attacks that connect.

If the user unsuccessfully attempted to dodge or parry an incoming attack, Quicksilver Guidance mitigates the impact somewhat, adding +2L/+2B to the owner's soak. This soak is considered natural and is not effective against aggravated damage. The device also provides four dice to attempts to escape from a clinch.

Quicksilver Guidance is made from moonsilver and, for those fully attuned to it, its soak effect gains another +2L/+2B.

Minor artifacts

• ● - Fire Pearl
• ● - Perfected Boots
• ● - Respirator module
• ●● - Soulgem
• ●● - Courier Drone