MartialArtsRelay/PressurePoints
CrownedSun's guidelines: This is a Celestial level style. It has 12 charms.
Addendum: From seeming consensus among the Charm writers, this Style is incompatible with any weapons. And, of course, armor. - DigitalSentience
Consciousness-Sapping Strike (CrownedSun)
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The character's blows utilize the character's knowledge of pressure points and lines of essence through the body, each strike disrupting those flows and causing essence to stream out into the world. The character's strike inflicts bashing damage, and he doubles the extra successes (after defense and difficulty modifiers) for the purposes of inflicting damage. The Essence for this charm may be spent after the character rolls the attack.
Body and Mind are One Prana (Fifth)
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Consciousness-Sapping Strike
One who learns how to attack pressure points also learns how to defend them. This charm may be activated reflexively against any "pressure-point attack"; what constitutes a pressure point attack is left up to the ST, but most offensive charms in this tree qualify. The Martial Artist may add his Martial Arts ability to the roll to resist that attack; if no roll is allowed, he may roll just his Martial Arts against a difficulty of the attacker's Essence in order to avoid the effects.
Weakness of Mind Kata (Nikink)
Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
By channeling essence through a sequence of specialised moves, the Exalt can cause their opponent to momentarily hesitate. In effect the victim of this Charm is subject to a brief vision of something they either fear or love: a psychological pressure point. Mechanically, this Charm causes the victim to lose the Exalt's MA from their initiative for the turn.
Burning Vein Strike (CrownedSun)
Cost: 4 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Weakness of Mind Kata
The character strikes out, pressing down on a series of chakra's that convert much of the character's essence flow into burning fiery essence that sears it's way through the target's body. This is extremely painful, and often causes spasms that render the target nearly helpless for a turn. After a successful hit that inflicts at least one level of damage, the subject adds the martial artist's Essence to the difficulty of all actions (A standard-difficulty action becomes dif-3 at essence 2, for instance). This effect lasts for one turn.
Charadrius Form (FourWillowsWeeping)
Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Body and Mind are One Prana, Burning Vein Strike
The charadrius air spirit takes the form of a white bird. It may draw out a disease with a look; the illness passes into its feathers, which grow dark. The bird then passes the disease to another victim, or ascends to the upper air to burn out the disease in the light of the sun. (From Heirs of Sea and Fire, by Quendalon.) With the adept's understanding of the Charadrius Style, the martial artist learns a slightly less subtle way to manipulate the Essence of disease. When he deals at least 1 HL of damage to an opponent with an unarmed strike, he may "capture" a mortal disease or a pressure-point ailment the target is suffering from; the target is relieved, and the Charadrius stylist's fingers are coated in noxious Essence until he next deals damage to a target; this target has the effects of the ailment transferred to him. If he is carrying a "captured" disease in this way when the Charm ends, he becomes the victim of its effects. A captured pressure-point ailment's duration is suspended while it is captured. In addition, the stylist adds half his Essence, rounded up, to the difficulty to defend against his attacks - he attacks with great precision, but not with devastating force.
Third Eye Strike (Fifth)
Cost: 7 motes Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Charadrius Form
As the Body and Mind are one, so may a physical strike affect an opponent's thoughts. On a successful hit, this attack does no normal damage; instead, the target raises the difficulty of all mental actions by the Essence of the Martial Artists. Furthermore, to successfully activate a mental or social charm, they must succeed at an Essence roll at difficulty 2. These penalties last for one scene.
Breath-Draining Strike (CrownedSun)
Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Third Eye Strike
The character impacts several important chakra's that govern the flow of essence through the body, blocking the flow of essence and rendering the target's breath dull and hollow. The Exalt makes a normal attack, which must inflict at least one level of damage. The character makes a Strength + Martial Arts roll, resisted by a reflexive Essence + Resistance roll. Every net success renders the subject unable to regain essence from respiration for three hours. Character's inflicted with this ailment find themselves short of breath and with little energy; this has no effect on Exalted, but mortals must make a Stamina + Endurance roll (difficulty 1) after undertaking any light activity or be greatly fatigued by the activity.
Charadrius Kata (Fifth)
Cost: 7 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One Scene
Type: Reflexive Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Charadrius Form
Striking certain pressure points on his own body, the Martial Artist loosens his limbs and makes himself supernaturally flexible. The Martial Artist may add his Essence in dice to any athletics rolls involving flexibility. The main power of this charm, however, comes from the Essence that continues to flow through the Martial Artist's pressure points, allowing him to reflexively dodge all attacks for the remainder of the scene with his full Dexterity + Dodge pool.
Writhing Essence Chakra (David.)
Cost: 8 motes, 1 lethal health level Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Charadrius Kata
Expanding on the lessons of the Charadrius Kata, the martial artist can better manipulate his own pressure points. Performing a brief gesture that involves brutal strikes to a series of pressure points, the martial artist reshapes the flows of her own Essence, which in turn can reshape the flow of Essence in her foe. For the duration of the scene, the martial artist can enhance a pressure-point attack by spending 5 motes, which should be considered a Supplemental Charm use. Attacks enhanced in this way upset the spiritual energies of their targets, imposing a surcharge to any Charm use by the target. The attack so enhanced must deliver at least one health level of damage, the mote surcharge is equal to the martial artist's Essence rating, and endures for a number of turns equal to the martial artist's Martial Arts Ability. Multiple applications of this Charm are not cumulative. Dragon-Blooded who practice this style must succeed a Dexterity + Martial Arts roll to invoke this Charm, much like the roll required to adopt a Celestial-level Form-type Charm. The health level lost in activating this Charm cannot be healed without instantly ending the Charm, as the Writhing Essence Chakra relies on the unique way that the user alters his body to channel Essence.
Charadrius' Implacable Beak (DigitalSentience)
Cost: 8 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Charadrius Form
The martial artist's ability to heal with his skill is impressive; his ability to harm is legendary. Tightening his fingers into a single striking point, the beak of his style's namesake, he merely has to tap an opponent to inflict grievous internal injury. Because the user can strike virtually any surface of the opponent's body to do damage, including blocking limbs or otherwise nonvital areas, the attack is vastly more difficult to defend against. Add the user's Martial Arts to the attack roll, and treat damage done by the attack as piercing damage. The attack cannot be blocked. This Charm can only be used while the Charadrius Form is active.
Stained Feather Strike (szilard)
Cost: 6 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Charadrius' Implacable Beak
The Charadrius can impart disease with its blackened feathers, with this Charm, the martial artist emulates that ability. When using this Charm, darkened Essence will coalesce around the character's strike and remain at the point of impact, slowly sinking into the target. The attack does normal damage immediately, but each subsequent turn up to a number of turns equal to the martial artist's Essence it does an amount of bashing damage equal in dice to the original attack that can be soaked only with natural soak.
Sun-Snuffing Technique (DigitalSentience)
Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Martial Arts: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Stained Feather Strike, Writhing Essence Chakra, Breath-Draining Strike
The ultmimate technique of the Charadrius Style practitioner, this attack is feared by opponents both mortal and Exalted. With an appropriate moment of stillness in preparation, the user strikes with all the speed of the charadrius' powerful gaze. On a successful attack, the user does no damage, but the affected opponent is immediately robbed of their sight. This ability can actually rob victims of more than literal visual ability; the disruption of Essence is so complete that if the victim would otherwise be able to navigate and/or defend themselves by alternate means, be it sonar, Essence-sensing, or otherworldly senses, these abilities are likewise negated.
Against mortals, the blindess is permanent. Against Exalts and other supernatural creatures, the blindness will last a number of weeks equal to the martial artist's Essence. All other sensing abilities will remain negated only for the duration of the scene.
Comments
Here, we'll test out MARelay and make a style I've been wanting to create for a while now at the same time. -- CrownedSun
Here's one... although I'm not sure if that's a direction you were planning on going in. -Fifth
- Hmmm, I like it, and it's an interesting direction with some huge potential. However, it might be a little too focused. On the other hand, this is a pre-form charm so that's probably okay. -- CrownedSun
Please attach your names to the Charms you write. - Quendalon
- I got it covered. - w
Weakness of Mind Kata - I'm tempted to have this subtract (the user's MA + Essence - victim's Conviction) but suspect that might be too complicated. Thoughts? - Nikink
- Looks fine as it is. That other idea is just as complicated as you think, I think. - willows
- Cool. I thought so... B-) - nikink
I think the Form charm is probably next:) Any ideas for a name for this style? -- CrownedSun
How about Scorpion Style? ~ G
- ...or not. :P ~ G
"half his Essence" - rounded down or up? -Fifth
I think the default is up if it's unspecified. I'll make that explicit. - willows says that Fifth should write another Charm.
- P I was trying to come up with a concept for a charm that I liked; I think I've got one now, though. -Fifth
- Nice idea. What do you mean by 'unaided essence roll' though? And what defines a Social or Mental Charm? This charm is just asking for a version to block physical movement and Charms too... anyone? Anyone? - Nikink
Generally, an unaided roll means you can't use Willpower for automatic successes or to channel Virtues, and you cannot use any other charms to affect the rol. I think though that it's not really appropriate in this charm, especially since it makes it immune to one of the earlier charms; it's not advanced enough. So I think I'll remove that.
I think "Social" and "Mental" charms are fairly self-defining. Anything that involves non-physical interaction with others is a Social charm; anything that involves ones mind (such as investigation charms) is a Mental Charm. FFBS would be an example of a charm not affected.
Physical movement and charm blockage is a very possible idea, but due to the enhanced combat applications of a charm like that, the prereqs and cost would have to be higher, at least IMO. -Fifth
Does Third Eye strike really demand a willpower point? It doesn't strike me as that powerful a charm, really. -CrownedSun
I can't really think of any similar mechanic in any book... so I'm not sure what the cost should be. I put the willpower point in on the theory that if it's too expensive, I can take it out, but if the charm is too powerful, a willpower cost neatly limits it. -Fifth
For Breath Draining Strike - why not build off of the fatigue mechanic for armor, since it is already there? - szilard
I think this charm works, but it might fit better in the tree if it had another prereq. -Fifth
Interesting... I don't think I've seen that mechanic before, of creating a scene-long that lets you activate supplementals for free. Seems nice and balanced, though, so neat. -Fifth
Put my submission up, but I'm very new to this sort of thing, so if no one likes it, my feelings won't be hurt if it's scrapped. Or at least change the cost or other parameters. I just felt that, for a MA style, this one was lacking some... oomph. Of course, I'm hoping the ultimate Charm will be a "10 steps then you fall down dead" kind of 'Dim Mak' strike, so I figured my Charm (and whatever follows it) could be some of the lead-up. - DigitalSentience
It's a reflexive attack charm? -Fifth
- Hmmm... Seems like two charms in one. Both supplemental - A Dice Adder, and an Armour Ignorer. I reckon split it into those two charms, that would have that branch finished, and provide for more nifty combos. And personally, I'd just make the attack piercing, not 'ignoring' in either case. Maybe 3m Dice Adder, 2 Mote Piercer? I'm beginning to ramble now. I'll stop and let wiser heads discuss... Nikink
- I'd make it an unblockable Supplemental die-adder that does piercing damage. That seems to get at the idea while being a bit neater. - szilard
How's this? - DigitalSentience
- Much better, IMO! Very Cool, even! B-) Nikink
5 motes might be too cheap, though. Maybe 8? -Fifth
- I agree. Changed. - DigitalSentience
Charadrius Beak is vastly overcosted. It's just a piercing attack plus a die-adder. - willows
- Hm, it'ss also unblockable. Hm. - w
- Yes, but I was debating with myself whether it should still be parryable or not. That is, distinguish between blocking with just your limbs and blocking by interposing a weapon. Maybe just with stunts? - DigitalSentience
Also, it's not quite clear how much damage the subsequent turns of Stained Feather Strike do; equal to Essence, or equal to a regular attack? - DigitalSentience
clarified it, I think. - szilard
Still unclear on what happens if it's comboed. Does the attack still only do "normal damage"? And do subsequent turns deal the same amount of damage as was done in the original attack, even if that was some crazy-high amount due to boosting via comboed charms? Not that this style has a lot of dice-adding... - DigitalSentience
- The base attack does normal damge. This can be augmented with a combo or whatever. The follow-up damage is the same amount (whatever that is), but always bashing. - szilard
- Ker-razy, man. I like it. - DigitalSentience
