MartialArts/SunStyle

Sun Style Martial Arts--Celestial Level Form Weapons: None Armor: No.

Obviously Solar-inclined. Ran this by people on RPG.net, posting it here for more "harsh peer evaluation" Pardon the lack of a Twilight starting charm. I couldn't think of one and still can't.

Solar Warrior Strike:

• Cost: 3 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Supplemental?
• Minimum MA: 3
• Minimum Essence: 2
• * Prerequisite: None

The Martial Artist channels the fury of the sun and may add his permanent Essence rating to any attack. Note, this does not do lethal damage.

• Sun Priest Endurance:
• Cost: 5 motes
• Duration: One Scene
• Type: Supplemental
• Minimum MA: 3
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Prerequisite: None

Like the enduring priests of the Zenith caste, the martial artist focuses her Essence into her skin and hardens it. She may then soak lethal damage with her bashing soak. This is incompatible with the use of armor.

• Silent Assassin Maneuver
• Cost: 4 motes
• Duration: One Scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 3
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Pre requisite: None

The Martial Artist takes a deep breath, and like those of the Night Caste, becomes very stealthy. Striking her is at a difficulty equivalent to her permanent Essence.

Aggressive Negotiation Style:

• Cost: 2 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 2
• Minimum Essence: 2
• Prerequisite: None
• Sometimes it is just better to get an enemy out of your way, rather than harm him. For every successful attack landed with * Aggressive Negotiation Style, the target is flung a number of yards equivalent to the Martial Artist’s Essence x 3. This attack does no damage, simply sends the target flying, though it can be potentially deadly if the target is flung into a wall, off a cliff, into a volcano or onto the end of your Melee Monster’s sword.

Sun Form

• Cost: 8 motes
• Duration: One Scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 4
• Minimum Essence: 3

Prerequisite: Solar Warrior Strike, Sun Priest Endurance, Silent Assassin Maneuver, Aggressive Negotiation Style The character takes a deep breath, believing that the Unconquered Sun and his Chosen will someday rule the world again. Her body then coruscates with the brilliant and terrifying power of the Sun. Those attempting to attack her must make a willpower roll. If it fails, they are at a dice penalty equal to the character's Martial Arts. Creatures of Darkness and Abyssal Exalted who make unarmed attacks against her must take unsoakable lethal damage equivalent to her Essence. If the character using this charm is a Solar Exalt, she may then choose one of her Caste Abilities and for the rest of the scene may add her martial arts score to that ability.

Bronze Tiger Style:

• Cost:3 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 4
• Minimum Essence: 3

Prerequisite: Sun Form The Martial Artist channels Essence into his fists and strikes with the fury of the Dawn Caste. His fists deal lethal damage equivalent to twice his Strength. The user may parry melee attacks unarmed.

Golden Bull Method

• Cost: 3 motes per 2L/4B
• Duration: One Scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 5
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite: Sun Form

It is the nature of the Zenith Caste to survive all odds. The character using this charm emulates the durable priests of the Unconquered Sun and hardens his body with his Essence. For every 3 motes of Essence spent, he gains 2L/4B soak that is considered natural soak. He may not take it more times than he has dots of permanent Essence. Creatures of darkness and Abyssal exalted who come into contact with his glorious Solar body (be it via attack, cinch, grapple, etc) must take his essence in unsoakable lethal damage every turn they are in contact. This is incompatible with the use of armor. If the character had previously activated Sun Priest’s Endurance, the effects of Sun Priest’s Endurance are negated for the better effects of Golden Bull Method.

Copper Spider Defense:

• Cost: 5 motes
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Reflexive
• Minimum MA: 4
• Minimum Essence: 3
• Prerequisite: Sun Form

The Martial Artist may spend 5 motes of Essence to roll his Martial Arts. For every success, he may negate one health level of damage.

Iron Wolf Kata

• Cost: 8 motes
• Duration: One Scene
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA:5
• Minimum Essence:3
• Prerequisite: Sun Form

For the rest of the scene, all the character’s unarmed attacks deal lethal damage equivalent to his Strength + Essence.

Quicksilver Falcon Prana

• Cost: 5 motes, 1 wp
• Duration: turns in Martial Arts
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 5
• Minimum Essence:3
• Prerequisite: Sun Form

The character takes on a deep breath and leaps from the ground, momentarily sprouting a pair of silver falcon wings. She remains “in flight” for a number of turns equal to her Martial Arts. While she is in the air, her Martial Arts attacks are treated like ranged weapons, with a range of Martial Arts + Essence in Yards, damage done as usual. Difficulty to hit the character while in flight is equal to her Essence.

Solar Flame

• Cost: 15 motes 1 wp 1 health level
• Duration: Instant
• Type: Simple
• Minimum MA: 5
• Minimum Essence: 4
• Prerequisite: Bronze Tiger Style, Golden Bull Method, Copper Spider Defense, Iron Wolf Kata, Quicksilver Falcon Prana

The character takes a deep breath, makes a momentary prayer to the Unconquered Sun and then exhales. Her breath becomes an expulsion of solar flame that has a 180-degree area effect of her permanent Willpower +Essence in yards. Everyone within that range is dealt the characters Martial Arts + Essence + permanent Willpower in lethal damage, so it’s a good idea to make sure your allies stand back. If the targets are the undead, creatures of darkness, Malfeans, demons, ghosts, abyssal exalted, etc, the damage done is aggravated. The aggravated damage can only be dealt by Solar Exalts. If learned by any of the other Exalt types, the damage is simply lethal.

Comments

Haven't read the whole thing, what with having to go to work and all, but I have a thought for a Twilight starter power. Something like "Canny Defence Technique", which adds your Essence to Martial Arts parries. And maybe lets you parry lethal attacks without stunts. On the whole, it seems a little underpowered, but that might just be my personal tastes coming through. And I think Copper Spider Defence should be Reflexive. - Falcon

Yeah, it was pretty dumb of me to not have it be reflexive. That's been fixed. I'm also considering what you said about the twilight starting charm. Funny that you should say you think it's underpowered. I had been getting a lot of complaints of overpowered. There's a running joke among my troupe that Megami-charms are far tougher than they should be...~DualMegami

My only criticism is that in an effort to represent all the castes, you've made a style that can do no wrong. It's offensive and defensive, with both soak adders and parry/dodge adders, mobile, and capable of moving its opponent. In short, it does everything at once. A martial art should really only do a few things well. I would consider taking one of the themes of this style and expanding it. -Seraph

Silent Asassin gives you the benefit of Ebon Shadow form, scenelong, for cheaper, and stacks with other forms. And Sun Priest Endurance is the same as Spirit Strengthens the Skin, except it doesn't need willpower. I'd raise prices, or decrease durations on some of these. Falcon has a good idea for the twilight student charm, as this seems to be a defensive style. At least, untilt he last two charms. Which are just ... a bit (no, very) off from the rest of the style. (like Seraph said) - Scrollreader

I second Seraph's comments. Martial Arts should ideally have a single schtick. Here's a way you could achieve that - downgrade the performance of all the charms slightly, so they're below-Celestial-standard, but grant Solars ( only ) extra bonuses if they're using the appropriate charm for their Caste. So Solar Warrior Strike might now cost 4 motes, but for a Dawn, it also counts extra successes twice for damage ( say ). That way, the style is only good at one thing, but it's a different thing depending on who's using it. -- Xarak

Or you could make five styles, one for each caste. A martial dawn style that allows the use of armor, a defensive zenith style that increases soak, a dodgy, stealthy night style, a defensive, essence-manipulating twilight style, and a pretty eclipse-style with social applications. Those styles won't be too powerful or unspecialized. Then make an elder (essence 5 and up) meta-style that allows the five styles below it to cooperate. -Seraph

Seraph, I like your suggestion the best. I mess around with it when I get more time. ~DualMegami

I like the theme and the overall organization, it's very neat and tidy. However, I do think it needs a more descriptive name. "Sun Style" seems very bland. Just my two cents. -- Will