ArtifactCreationErrata

Artifact Creation Rules [Bare Bones]

Note: theses are unofficial pre-Power Combat rules for artifact creation from Elizabeth Dierdre, an author of The Book of Three Circles.

Part 1:

Barebones Artifact Armor Rules:

Soak Total / Commitment:

• Lvl 1: 8/2
• Lvl 2: 12/3
• Lvl 3: 16/4
• Lvl 4: 20/6
• Lvl 5: 24/8

These points go into Lethal on a 1:1 basis, into Bashing on a 1:2 basis. At least 25% or 1/4 in either soak category.

Mobility Penalty / Fatigue:

• Lvl 1: 0/0
• Lvl 2: -1/0
• Lvl 3: -1/1
• Lvl 4: -2/1
• Lvl 5: -2/2

Spend 2 soak to reduce either number by 1. Increase either number for soak on a 1:2 basis, but no more than 1 increase on either side for artifact 4-5, no more than 1 increase total for artifact 1-3.

This would mean that a lvl 5 chain swathing would be L/B: 18/20 Mobility Penalty: -3 Fatigue Value: 3 Commitment: 8

These rules would mean that the following entries on the chart would be changed thus:

• Artifact 3 / Reinforced Breastplate (L/B): 11/9
• Artifact 4 / Articulated Plate (L/B): 13/14
• Artifact 5 / Superheavy Plate (L/B): 16/16

Part 2:

Artifact Weapon Rules:

These revisions assume that the baseline weapon in Exalted is the Daiklave, and that weapons of rating 4-5 usually have weird stuff to enhance their value.

Commitment:

• Lvl 1: 3
• Lvl 2: 5
• Lvl 3: 8
• Lvl 4: 10
• Lvl 5: 12

Bonuses:

• Level 1 Weapons (Goremaul): +6L Damage, Commitment 3
• Level 2 Weapons (Daiklave): +8L, Commitment 5
• Level 3 Weapons (Grand Daiklave): +10L, Commitment 8

These numbers assume weapons with 0 Speed, 0 Accuracy, 0 Defense, a minimum Strength or Dexterity requirement equal to the artifact’s level. Adding an additional requirement (Another Attribute, Brawl, Martial Arts, or Melee) adds +1 damage. The requirement is typically the artifact’s base rating (1-3, before adding extra levels due to funky shit), but can be as high as the rating + 2.

Increasing the Attribute requirement by 1 dot adds +1 damage. Decreasing the Attribute requirement by 1 dot subtracts +1 damage.

Increasing the commitment cost by one artifact level adds +1 damage. Decreasing the commitment cost by one artifact level subtracts one damage (level 1 artifacts drop to 2 motes, 2 motes drop to 1, and 1 to none).

To give weapons Speed, Accuracy, and Defense bonuses, reduce damage. Each point of damage reduction adds 2 points that can be used elsewhere. To increase damage, reduce other bonuses by 2 points per point of damage increase. Points can also be shifted from Speed, Accuracy, or Defense to one of the other two on a one for one basis.

Weapons that inflict Bashing damage add +1 damage.

Additional special abilities increase the artifact level (and the appropriate commitment cost, but not the Attribute minimum) according to the following:

• Increase by one dot :: Add one ability equal to the new level or two equal to the artifact’s original level.
• Increase by two dots :: Add one ability equal to the new level, or two equal to the artifact’s original level + 1.

A single power can be split into two powers one level lower than the original - so an artifact of Level 5 can have two level 4 abilities, or one level 4 ability and two level 3 abilities. Or, to be gratuitous, one level 4 ability, one level 3 ability, one level 2 ability, and two level 1 abilities.

Use the guidelines in Book of Three Circles to determine what’s appropriate at each level.

Core book Weapons:

• Daiklaive :: Speed +3 Accuracy +3 Damage +5 Defense +2 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 3 Commitment 5
• Goremaul :: Speed +0 Accuracy +1 Damage +6 Defense +1 Artifact 1 Minimum Strength 2 Commitment 3
• Grand Daiklave :: Speed -3 Accuracy +2 Damage +11L Defense +1 Artifact 3 Minimum Strength 4 Commitment 8
• Serpent Sting Staff :: Speed +4 Accuracy +0 Damage +4L Defense +4 Artifact 2 Minimum Dexterity 4, Martial Arts 4 Commitment 5 Special: Attempts to trip or Disarm with the Serpent-Sting staff are at -1 Difficulty
• Dire Lance* :: Speed +4 Accuracy +2 Damage +4L Defense +0 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 1 Commitment 5
• Dire Lance** :: Speed +10 Accuracy +2 Damage +3L/+12L Defense -2 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 2 Commitment 5 Special: The +12L damage is for using the weapon in a charge, reflecting the quadrupled bonus a normal lance also receives.
• Grimcleaver :: Speed +0 Accuracy +2 Damage +7L Defense +0 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 2 Commitment 5
• Reaver Daiklave :: Speed +0 Accuracy +2 Damage +8L Defense +0 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 3 Commitment 5
• Smashfist :: Speed +4 Accuracy +1 Damage +4L Defense +1 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 2 Commitment 3 Special: Cannot parry lethal attacks without a stunt.
• Slayer Khatar :: Speed: +0 Accuracy +0 Damage +2L Defense +0 Artifact 2 Minimum Strength 1 Commitment 0 Special: Damage inflicted on inanimate objects is doubled. Commitment cost reduced four times. Base artifact level 1. The Slayer Khatar does not receive modifiers for material bonuses.

Part 3

Thrown Weapons:

Thrown weapons sometimes have two sets of traits - one for use in hand-to-hand, and one for use at range. What this means in practical terms is that the basis for a thrown weapon’s rating is its thrown traits, with its hth traits based on that.

As with brawl, melee, and martial arts weapons, thrown weapons go up to three dots in terms of raw power level absent any kewl powerz. Most of the rules for construction for close combat weapons apply to thrown weapons, with exceptions noted.

• Level 1 :: +4 damage, range 20, rate 2; melee capability +4 damage
• Level 2 :: + 6 damage, range 30, rate 2; melee capability +6 damage
• Level 3 :: +8 damage, range 40, rate 2; melee capability +8 damage

Commitment:

• Level 1: 1
• Level 2: 2
• Level 3: 3
• Level 4: 4
• Level 5: 5

Damage can be exchanged for Accuracy on a 1 for 2 basis, for range on a 1 for 10 yards basis, or for Rate on a 2 damage for +1 Rate (max Rate 3). Melee capability can be sacrificed for a +2 bonus to damage. Subtract 10 yards from range to add +1 damage.

Thrown artifact weapons can have rates as high as five, but this is a special artifact power above and beyond the standard rate rules as above, and should be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Thrown artifact weapons can be purchased as “returning” at the cost of increasing their artifact rating (and thus commitment cost) by one dot. Thrown weapons that “return” whirl back through the air at the end of the turn. However, this will not occur if their return is blocked or they travel more than 100 yards from the wielder. In these cases, the wielder must recall them through Elsewhere as a reflexive action by spending a mote of essence. The weapons can be recalled until the invested Essence fades (about a day after they’ve last been touched). This is nearly verbatim from the “Lightning Torment Hatchet” description in Exalted , page 345.

Thrown artifact weapons can be purchased in sets by increasing the artifact rating by one. The number in the set is equal to the weapon’s rate. The commitment cost for the set is based on the new level, not on the cost per weapon. Each additional dot adds another full “set.”

Both of the above options can be purchased, increasing the artifact’s rating by two dots.

Material Bonus for thrown weapons:

• Orichalcum: + 1 accuracy, +1 damage, +10 yards ranges
• Moonsilver: +1 accuracy, +20 yards range
• Jade: +1 rate, +10 yards range
• Starmetal: +2 damage
• Soulsteel: +2 accuracy

For hand-to-hand use of thrown weapons, use the material bonuses as described on page 341.

Example Thrown Weapons

• Whirling Fury (Chakram) :: Accuracy +2 Damage +2L Rate 3 Range 30 Artifact 1 Commitment 1 No melee capability
• Winged Edge (Hatchet) :: Accuracy +2 Damage +6L Rate 2 Range 20 Artifact 2 Commitment 2
• Winged Edge (Hand-to-Hand) :: Speed +2 Accuracy +2 Damage +4L Defense +0 Minimum Strength 2
• Doom Spike (Javelin) Accuracy +4 Damage +5L Rate 2 Range 50 Artifact 3 Commitment 3
• Doom Spike (Hand-to-Hand) Speed +2 Accuracy +2 Damage +4L Defense +2 Minimum Strength 2
• Skullcracker (Throwing Baton) Accuracy +2 Damage +4B Rate 2 Range 20 Artifact 1 Commitment 1
• Skullcracker (Hand-to-Hand) Speed +1 Accuracy +1 Damage +3B Defense +2 Minimum Strength 1
• Stinging Wasp (Throwing Knife) Accuracy +4 Damage +3 Rate 3 Range 30 Artifact 2 Commitment 2
• Stinging Wasp (Hand-to-Hand) Speed +3 Accuracy +3 Damage +2L Defense +0 Minimum Strength 1
• Lightning Torment Hatchets :: Accuracy +2 Damage +5L Rate 2 Range 30 Artifact 5 Commitment 5 Special: See Exalted , pp 345-346. Lightning Torment Hatchets are level 2 artifacts with the “set” and “returning” rules applied. It costs 5 motes to commit both. The 5th dot comes from the “Lightning Torment” power. Lightning Torment Hatchets do not receive modifiers for material bonus.
• Lightning Torment Hatchets (Hand-to-Hand) Speed +4 Accuracy +0 Damage +4L Defense +0 Minimum Strength 2

(possible consideration: level 5 actually costs *6* motes to commit, which would bring the LTH further in-line with the core rules.)

Comments

Mini comment on the weapon creation rules: Trading 1 point of +damage for 2 points of +accuracy is something that you should always do, as much as you can. Why? Because on average, 2 dice will roll 1 success, which will add 1 to your damage, so if you hit the +2 acc is equivalent ot a +1 damage, and this change makes you more likely to hit. (Even worse, if you are using Hungry Tiger Technique, that +2 acc is equivalent to +2 damage.)

The exception, of course, is if you intend to be using some kind of auto-hit charm.

- finbury

That's not the only problem. See WireOfInfinitePrecision. - Raindoll

Question, How do you handle Hearthstone Slots? A Grand Daiklave is supposed to have 3 of them and the points are already balance out here. - Malikai

These are Elizabeth Dierdre's unofficial developer errata. I assume that one just puts on as many slots as one wants, or that a Level 2 weapon comes automatically with 1 slot, and a Level 3 with three. Look at DariusSolluman's work for a more rigorous interpretation.- willows

Anyone attempt to convert these rules to support the Power Combat settings? - Alderaad

See PowerCombatArtifactCreation. The current version does a nice job for hand-to-hand weapons, if I do say so myself. :) (Ranged weapons and non-weapon artifacts are unchanged in Power Combat, so there isn't a need to make new rules for creating those kinds of artifacts.)\\

- Raindoll