TonyC/FiveRealmsDiplomat

The Five Realms being Creation (which includes Heaven), The Underworld, Malfeas, The Wyld, and Autochtonia (hey, how do you think the circle got involved in this fracas in the first place?).

Name: Five Realms Diplomat
Caste: Eclipse
Concept: Archer-diplomat
Nature: Conniver
Anima: A spirit courtier with a golden bow
Quote: "Some of my colleagues are brash and hot-tempered, do excuse them."

TonyC/FiveRealmsDiplomatAnalysis

Five Realms Diplomat as starting character

When Five Realms Diplomat was born, horoscopes were cast and the astrologers rejoiced, for here is a future colleague. When she grew up, she was taught how to observe the stars, to compute their movements, and to predict how the world below will reflect the heaven above. But she found it very boring. Now, people. People are interesting. And thus when the time came for her to take her position in society, she wrangled a position as astrologer-aide to the Varang ambassador to Nexus. That was before her exaltation, of course, because from that moment on, Diplomat is free to pursue whatever she wants while Fate, at best, tries to catch up. Of the exact circumstances of her exaltation, Diplomat wouldn't say.

Attributes

Physical: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2
Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3

Abilities

Dawn: *Archery 5, Brawl 0, Martial Arts 0, Melee 0, Thrown 0
Zenith: Endurance 1, Performance 0, *Presence 1, *Resistance 1, Survival 0
Twilight: *Craft 1, Investigation 0, Lore 1, Medicine 0, Occult 3
Night: Athletics 0, Awareness 3, *Dodge 5, Larceny 0, Stealth 0
Eclipse: Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 3, Ride 0, Sail 0, *Socialize 3
Note: * = Favored skill.

Languages spoken: Riverspeak, High Realm, Old Realm, & Low Realm.

Virtues: Compassion 1, Conviction 2, Temperance 5, Valor 5
Backgrounds: Followers 3, Resources 3, Ally 1
Willpower: 10, Essence: 2, Essence Pool: 16 personal + 37 peripheral
Virtue Flaw: Contempt of The Virtuous (Temperance)

Charms

• Wise Arrow
• Trance of Unhesitating Speed
• Arrow Storm Technique
• Sensory Acuity Prana
• Surprise Anticipation Method
• Reed in The Wind
• Shadow Over Water
• Ox-Body Technique (-1, -2, -2)
• Wise-Eyed Courtier Method
• Mastery of Small Manners

HL: -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated.

Five Realms Diplomat at 500 XP

Total XP so far: 419

There seems to be a competition between Stone Monkey and Invincible Sword Princess for Five Realm Diplomat's favor. But Diplomat, the rogue that she is, seems to enjoy the attention and have successfully managed (yay social-fu) to avoid committing to anything.

As far as XP is concerned, points should be put on Socialize stuffs. Athletics and Occult make sense too.

Attributes

Physical: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2
Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5
Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3

Abilities

Dawn: *Archery 5, Brawl 0, Martial Arts 0, Melee 0, Thrown 0
Zenith: Endurance 1, Performance 0, *Presence 5, *Resistance 1, Survival 0
Twilight: *Craft 5, Investigation 0, Lore 1, Medicine 0, Occult 3
Night: Athletics 0, Awareness 3, *Dodge 5, Larceny 0, Stealth 0
Eclipse: Bureaucracy 1, Linguistics 3, Ride 0, Sail 0, *Socialize 5
Note: * = Favored skill.

Languages spoken: Riverspeak, High Realm, Old Realm, & Low Realm.

Virtues: Compassion 2, Conviction 2, Temperance 5, Valor 5
Backgrounds: No longer applicable. For this fight though, we'll say she has an Orichalcum Short Powerbow (2), a Stone of Airwalking (4), and an Obsidian Sheath (4).
Willpower: 10, Essence: 5, Essence Pool: 25 personal + 59 peripheral (12 motes committed to artifacts, leaving 47)
Virtue Flaw: Contempt of The Virtuous (Temperance)

Charms

• Archery: Wise Arrow, Trance of Unhesitating Speed, Arrow Storm Technique, Fiery Arrow Attack, Dazzling Flare Attack, Phantom Arrow Technique, Rain of Feathered Death, Sight Without Eyes, Accuracy Without Distance.
• Endurance: Ox-Body Technique (-1, -2, -2), Essence Gathering Temper.
• Presence: Harmonious Presence Meditation, Majestic Radiant Presence, Terrifying Apparition of Glory.
• Resistance: Durability of Oak Meditation, Iron Skin Concentration, Spirit Strengthens The Skin, Adamant Skin Technique.
• Craft: Flawless Handiwork Method
• Awareness: Sensory Acuity Prana, Surprise Anticipation Method.
• Dodge: Reed in The Wind, Shadow Over Water, Seven-Shadow Evasion, Leaping Dodge Method.
• Socialize: Wise-Eyed Courtier Method, Mastery of Small Manners.

Spirit Charms:

• Valor: Tiny Damnation, Imprecation, Malediction, Scourge.
  

Learned from the Hidden Judges themselves, these curses are just a few of the myriad ways the Judges enforce the peace during Calibration and the law of Heaven during the rest of the year.

The Hidden Judges' version of the curses all have the following restriction: the victim must be aware that he is being punished for a specific crime. This means that there must be an actual law that was broken and that the law applies. For example, intending to rob someone usually doesn't count, but actually robbing someone usually does, except if the robbery happens in Nexus, where there is no law against it. This also means that unless the crime is obvious, e.g., caught red-handed in a murder, the judge should tell the victim for what crime he is being punished before applying the sentence (curse). Language barrier or physical disability might hinder this, but Judges can usually find a way to get around the problem. This restriction also means that these curses can't be used as a "sneak attack", but there is no actual need for, say, eye-contact or touch. In fact, the proper way of accepting such a sentence is by kowtow-ing respectfully some distance away. The curses do not care about extenuating circumstances, the reasons behind the crime, or the severity of the punishment compared to the crime. The Judges take all that into account, but the curses are merely the means of delivering the sentence, not the actual judging mechanism. The curses don't even care if the victim is actually guilty, although the Judge must actually believe it.

The Hidden Judges know all variations of the curses and do not have to pay the cost of the curses nor observe the time limit when enforcing Heaven's laws. (But when acting outside their position, they do.) Five Realms Diplomat is not so lucky. He must observe all the restrictions, pay the doubled cost, and the curses he knows have the following specific effects.

• Tiny Valor: target loses one temporary Willpower point.
• Imprecation: target loses one Attribute dot.
• Malediction: target loses four Ability dots.
• Scourge: target loses all temporary Willpower.

Sidereal Charms:

• Craft: Mending Warped Designs

Base Initiative: 7
Attacks:
Orichalcum Short Powerbow: Accuracy 12, Damage 4L (11L), Rate 3, Range 300
(Without the Obsidian Sheath, Diplomat does not meet the minimum Strength for the bow. The increased damage represents the increased strength.)
Dodge Pool: 14
Soak: 12B/11L/10A (10B/10L Obsidian Sheath)
Fatigue: 1
Health Levels: -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -4, Incapacitated

Combos:
Reality Fixing Caress: Surprise Anticipation Method, Seven Shadow Evasion, Leaping Dodge Method, Adamant Skin Technique, Essence Gathering Temper, Mending Warped Designs, Flawless Handiwork Method.

Heart-Piercing Arrow: Surprise Anticipation Method, Seven Shadow Evasion, Leaping Dodge Method, Adamant Skin Technique, Essence Gathering Temper, Arrow Without Distance, Rain of Feathered Death, Phantom Arrow Technique, Wise Arrow.

Notes: There are three approaches Diplomat can try. One is by using curses, which, to the best of my knowledge, can't be defended. It's one of those "offenses that aren't an attack". So please, no "what about HGD" arguments. The second way is the Heart-Piercing Arrow combo, which is a piercing perfect attack (Diplomat has a quiver of 20 target arrows, and Phantom Arrow Technique can supply more target arrows), not that Diplomat will ever get more than ping-damage. Anyway, the last method is more subtle. Reality Fixing Caress is actually an improvised healing combo. All these are really expensive, motes and WP-wise, so Diplomat can't just use them at will. Instead, she will wait and see what Lion does and then respond appropriately.

Comments

TonyC/FiveRealmsDiplomatOldComments

I'm pretty surprised that you didn't twink out World-Shaping Artistic Vision. I'm guessing that was on the list of dirty tricks you agreed not to use, though. :) - David.

Oh, I said I could've gone Spirit or Sidereal for the out-of-type charms. Had I gone Sidereal, World-Shaping Artistic Vision would've been one of the obvious choices. As it is, I'm sure Flymolo is looking at that charm.

I see in your other characters an appreciation for Soul Fire Shaper. If this were Power Combat, using SFS with Rain of Feathered Death and Accuracy Without Distance is a truly, truly mean way for a Solar to turn someone into a pincushion. Granted, someone like FaFL is going to perfectly defend anyway, but pinging for 110L is always a neat trick (10L per, up to 10 extra damage resolutions costing 30 motes). At that point, there really isn't any purpose in comboing in Wise Arrow--if the AWD/RoFD hits, whatever it hits is probably going to die. -- Ketrus

To pull that Diplomat needs the entire Wood Dragon Style tree plus the entire Prismatic Arrangement of Creation Style tree. Doable with 500XP, but focusing there means that she won't have anything left for out-of-type charms. Her Eclipse caste ability would've been wasted then. Oh, that build rocks, but it's not for Eclipses. A Dawn (for the MA+Archery caste abilities) or Night (for Dodge) would've been better. You also need a 3 turn set-up, which Lion might not let you have. - TonyC

Hah, you posted that just as I tried to enter: "Oi oi, I neglected to mention: Wood Dragon Form and full PAoC is probably required to assume SFS while wielding a bow anyway. That probably brings it beyond the scope of a 'mere' 500 xp for anything but an utterly dedicated Dawn. Also, another thing to consider if going the Eclipse/Siddie MA route is the familiar charm tree. With Water Spider Bite, this allows you access to truly huge amounts of essence. -- Ketrus" Another idle note is that with ten essence and Irresistable Salesman Spirit, you could probably convince FaFL to leave you alone for three turns, for the low low price of a tooth filling.