MartialArts/SoaringWindRiderStyle

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Soaring Wind-Rider Style

A Terrestrial Martial Art by DeadManSeven.

Introduction

So, dragoons. The Final Fantasy kind. Have lances, leap in the air and drop to skewer monsters. I've always been a big fan of the class/job/whatever, and I finally figured out a way to stick them in Exalted. Also, this was designed to be one of those styles that did not stand the test of time, so don't be surprised if it doesn't rock as hard for non-Air Aspects.

Background

Originating in the frozen North, the Soaring Wind-Rider Style became a martial art of momentary interest within the Realm when a brash Dynast saw its potential for engaging in brilliant public duels, high above the rooftops and visible for miles. However, since Air Aspects had an unparalleled advantage with the style’s unique mode of combat, it just a quickly fell out of favour, practised only now by its outcaste creator. Rumours persist that those wishing to learn the style from him are to trek through the mountains in the North; if the grizzled old mountaineer observes the potential student acting in a manner that pleases him, he will descend from the mists, prepared to share his secrets. Most sensible people, however, discredit this as a legend spun by the flashy traveller who first brought knowledge of this style to the Blessed Isle, and further theorise that he himself may have created the style.

This style allows attacks made with lances to count as unarmed attacks. Also, because of the focus on mobility and free movement, none of the Charms are compatible with armour. This style is Air-aspected.

Charms

   Gale-       Whirlwind
   Force         Guard
  Advance       Method
      \           /
     Mount   Fickle
      the     Winds
      Air     Blow
        \     /
        Soaring
      Wind-Rider
         Form
        /
 Lighter     Freefall
Than  The -- Clarity
   Air        Strike
              /
     Hurricane-
    Channelling
      Exercise

(For a non-ASCII Charm tree, click here.)

Gale-Force Advance
Cost: 1 mote per yard
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisites: none

The Wind-Rider dashes forward, her blow sending her opponent flying on the wind. After a successful attack (that need not deal damage), she may increase the amount of knockback her opponent suffers for a cost of 1 mote per yard, up to a maximum of her Martial Arts rating.


Mount the Air
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisites: Gale-Force Advance

The martial artist needs no steed, for she is able to command the winds to bear her as she chases down her enemies. She may make charge attacks even if she is not mounted, provided she travels a distance of at least ten yards towards her opponent beforehand to build up momentum. If she is attacking barehanded, charging will increase her raw damage by 2.


Whirlwind Guard Method
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One Turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisites: none

With mastery over the winds, the Wind-Rider may call on it to defend her from airborne assault. She adds her Essence to the difficulties of Archery and Thrown attacks made from a distance greater than 10 yards away. Such attacks must have a physical component in order to be guarded against. Whirlwind Guard Method may be negated by Charms that remove environmental penalties.


Fickle Winds Blow
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisites: Whirlwind Guard Method

One can never truly know what the wind is thinking, for it so easily changes its mind. The Wind-Rider emulates the fickle wind, tossing herself through the air like a fallen leaf caught in the wind. While jumping, she may spend a mote to make a radical shift in direction before she lands.


Soaring Wind-Rider Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisites: Mount the Air, Fickle Winds Blow

The wind stills for a moment as the martial artist takes on the Soaring Wind-Rider Form, and then erupt in a furious gale as she leaps through the air, spurring the winds to lift her higher. The distance the character may jump vertically becomes Strength + [Athletics*3] + Essence, and twice that horizontally. Also, by reflexively spending a mote, she may command the winds to hold her in place in the air, neither rising nor falling. This effect only lasts a turn, but may be activated on consecutive turns to keep the character suspended in mid-air.

This is a Martial Arts Form Charm, and cannot be active with other Form Charms.


Lighter Than the Air
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisites: Soaring Wind-Rider Form

Seeking to avoid attacks, the Wind-Rider lifts her feet and is swept away on the breeze. After a successful dodge, the character may roll her Martial Arts rating; she may travel up to ten times the number of successes in yards to escape her opponent.


Freefall Clarity Strike
Cost: 2 motes per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisites: Lighter Than the Air

Suspended in the air, the Wind-Rider takes her time to observe the world laid out beneath her; with practise, she may apply this moment of clarity to her fighting style. Every two motes spent on this Charm allows the character to gain an extra die to her attack pool while sacrificing 4 points of Speed.


Hurricane-Channelling Exercise
Cost: 8 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisites: Freefall Clarity Strike

The wind flares around the martial artist as she embodies the power of a raging storm; the further it travels, the more damage it causes across the land. Every 10 yards the character is able to travel before making an attack adds +1 to her damage.

Comments

Nice stuff as always DBS! Hurricane-Channelling Exercise doesn't seem very useful or powerful for the cost, although maybe I'm missing something? Hmm, perhaps I am forgetting the Air Anima power, which would make jumping (particularly with the Form activated) distances huge, thus this charm quite dangerous. Further hmm, nice. Very nice. B-) I have a similarly themed style MartialArts/StormCrowStyle2 for celestials that seems like a good counterpoint. I'm not happy with the higher charms, and humbly pimp it for your suggestions and comments? (And anyone elses of course!) Anyways... nikink

I did a bit of number-crunching before finalising the Charms; at Essence 4, an Air Aspect using their anima power, with Strength 6 (Legendary Strength), Athletics 6 (Athletics Prodigy), three specialties in Jumping, and Soaring Wind-Rider Form up can jump 186 yards horizontally, for an extra 18 dice of damage. For a less twinked-out character (Strength and Athletics of 5), the distance is 144 yards, for 14 extra dice. An average character (Strength and Athletics of 3) leaps 96 yards, and gets an extra 9 dice. Non-Air Aspects (or those without access to Air Aspect Exalt Ways... cheating Sidereals) only get a third of the benefits, but this was never designed for use without the Air Aspect anima power. - DeadManSeven
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