MartialArts/MercifulBearStyle
Merciful Bear Style
The history of this style will be posted soon enough. Be patient!
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Theme: Completely non-lethal combat.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Armor: As rare as it is, this style is completely compatible with armor. Just because the martial artist doesn't want to hurt anyone doesn't mean he wants to be hurt yourself.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Weapons: This Style treats attacks made with tetsubos, clubs, batons (and their Artifact versions) as unarmed attacks, as long as the martial artist either chooses to deal bashing damage or the special damage of Merciful Bear Form. Whenever an attack is made with a weapon that would normally do Lethal damage, the character must accept a +1 difficulty to the attack roll.
Charms
Warning of the Bear Technique
- Cost: 1 motes
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Reflexive
- Minimum Martial Arts: 2
- Minimum Essence: 1
- Prerequisite Charms: None
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The character infuses his entire body with Essence to be able to use the strength of the bear and move opponents aside with ease. When activated during a Martial Arts attack, the Exalt adds his Martial Arts rating to the Difficulty of his opponent's roll to resist Knockback / Knockdown. This Charm can be activated after it is determined whether or not the target is elegible for Knockback / Knockdown but before their Stamina + Resistance roll.
Peaceful Aura Pattern
- Cost: 2 motes
- Duration: One Turn
- Type: Reflexive
- Minimum Martial Arts: 3
- Minimum Essence: 1
- Prerequisite Charms: None
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif By use of this Charm, the Exalt can exude an aura of such peace, tranquility and non-violence with his words and posture that any who would even think of harming him must have a Conviction of steel to perform even the least aggressive acts against him.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif At the beginning of a turn, before Initiative is determined, the Exalt can choose to activate this Charm. He must speak a word (or words, if he has time) of peace that are smoked with Essence. All those who hear his words must make a Coviction roll or be stunned into acquiescence for the duration of the turn, awed by the tranquility that the Exalt exudes with each vocalization.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Once this Charm is activated, the Exalt forfits the option to attack anyone affected for the rest of the turn. Those not affected may not be attacked unless they themselves attack him (although it might be wiser to defend in that situation).
Merciful Bear Form
- Cost: 4 motes
- Duration: One Scene
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 4
- Minimum Essence: 2
- Prerequisite Charms: Warning of the Bear Technique, Peaceful Aura Pattern
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The Exalted adopts the attitude of the Merciful Bear, a creature who does not want to harm, yet must interact in a violent manner. By walking with firm footing and a gruff demeanor, the Exalted gains more than one bonus to his peaceful fighting methods.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The Exalt gains her Essence in automatic successes on hold and throw manuevers, and on rolls to resist a held foe's escape. Her throws do no damage, but cause automatic Knockdown.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Furthermore, the character's attacks do no damage. Instead, determine which health levels would be damaged by a successful attack, and apply a wound penalty appropriate to that level of damage, but apply no actual damage. This can reduce a target to Incapacitated. These penalties 'heal' one scene after combat concludes.
Intimidating Roar Technique
- Cost: 4 motes
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 4
- Minimum Essence: 2
- Prerequisite Charms: Merciful Bear Form
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif If peace and tranquility doesn't deter a foe from attacking, the Exalt can instead call upon the other side of the bear, leaving peace and tranquility aside only in appearance, while having the intent of using the intimidating presence of the bear to subdue the opponent.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The Exalt rears his head back and roars, sending a shout of rage and anger towards those who would attack him. Those subject to the roar who are (or would be) engaging in combat with the Exalt must roll Valor (difficulty 3) or be stunned for a number of turns equal to (6 - Valor). Those that are not actively engaging the Exalt in combat must make a normal Valor roll (difficulty 1) or suffer a -1 dicepool penalty. If either those in combat with the Exalt or not in combat botch the roll, they suffer a fear like no other and immediatly run away.
Limb Numbing Paw Swipe
- Cost: 3 motes
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 4
- Minimum Essence: 2
- Prerequisite Charms: Merciful Bear Form
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif By controlling the flow of Essence through his strikes, the Merciful Bear is able to cause a limb to become completely numb. The character makes a Dexterity + Martial Arts attack as normal, however, the attack is directed towards one of the opponent's limbs (and will always hit a limb if the attack is successful). The attack does no damage, however. Instead, for every Health Level the target would have suffered, the limb that was struck becomes numb and useless for a turn. Thus, if an attack infused with this Charm would do three Health Levels of damage, the target instead loses use of the limb for 3 turns.
Frustrated Bear Method
- Cost: 3 motes
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Supplemental
- Minimum Martial Arts: 5
- Minimum Essence: 2
- Prerequisite Charms: Merciful Bear Form
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif If a warning isn't enough, even the Merciful Bear is liable to become irritated with a persistant annoyance. With the use of this Charm, an Exalt can shove back an opponent with what seems to be casual, even disinterested ease. The maneuver requires a Dexterity + Martial Arts attack. If successful, the target is automatically subjected to Knockdown or Knockback (most likely the second), and no damage is rolled at all.
Illusory Pain Technique
- Cost: 6 motes
- Duration: One Scene
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 5
- Minimum Essence: 2
- Prerequisite Charms: Limb Numbing Paw Swipe
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif As with Limb Numbing Paw Swipe, the Exalted controls the flow of Essence so that every blow is peppered with pain. To begin to use of this Charm, the Exalt must strike his opponent. From that moment on, the target will suffer the Exalt's Essence in additional wound penalties for the remainder of the scene. Should the character regenerate or otherwise heal during the battle, they will still suffer the Exalt's Essence in wound penalties until the battle is over. These wound penalties do not count towards the opponent become Incapacitated.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The effects of using this Charm multiple times on one opponent do not stack.
Surprise Reflex Meditation
- Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
- Duration: One Turn
- Type: Extra Action
- Minimum Martial Arts: 5
- Minimum Essence: 3
- Prerequisite Charms: Frustrated Bear Method
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif When one is confronted with more than one opponent that are not to be harmed, one needs to react quickly and with precision. With the use of this Charm, the Exalt gains the ability to defend himself against more than one opponent by using non-lethal counterattacks.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The Exalt must be faced with two or more opponents who are attacking him. By activating this Charm, he gains the option of forfitting all offensive actions and movement. His feet become embedded in the earth and his eyes sharp as a hunting bear. Everytime an attack is made against him, he may counterattack at the same instant. The Exalt rolls Dexterity + Martial Arts against the opponent. If he wins, he may throw, knockback or otherwise parry the attack in a calm, flluid manner. Knockback done while this Charm is active is determined as with Frustrated Bear Method.
Numbing the Core Technique
- Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 5
- Minimum Essence: 3
- Prerequisite Charms: Intimidating Roar Technique, Surprise Reflex Prana, Illusory Pain Technique
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif With a mighty, all-or-nothing blow (Dexterity + Martial Arts), the Exalt is capable of creating the same effect he does with Limb Numbing Paw Swipe, but throughout the entire body of his target. If successful, the target is automatically Stunned. The dice penalty for being stunned is doubled and the duration is (12 - Stamina) turns. This attack is severely debilitating, but can be avoided with a simple dodge. The blow does no damage, as usual.
Deprivation of Wakeful Anger
- Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
- Duration: Instant
- Type: Simple
- Minimum Martial Arts: 5
- Minimum Essence: 3
- Prerequisite Charms: Numbing the Core Technique
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif In the search for the ultimate mastery of peace, the practitioner of the Merciful Bear Style learns this Charm which allows him to put an opponent to sleep with a touch.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif The martial artist makes a Dexterity + Martial Arts attack as normal. This attack ignores Armor soak values and halves all natural soak values. This attack does no damage. Instead, if the amount of dice left after soak has been applied is higher than the target's permanent Essence, the target falls asleep for the scene. This charm is usually used after Numbing the Core Technique, so as to have an easy way of disableing the target without hurting them further.
http://www.geocities.com/seiraryu/tab.gif Characters should be prepared to have very pissed off adversaries if they use this Charm successfully.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/fourwillows/Kungfu/mercifulbear.gif
Comments
What level is this? It looks like Terrestrial to me...am I right? -Dorchadas
- No. It's Celestial. Why, do you think it's too weak? - Seiraryu
- nods* Though I'm not sure what to do about it while still maintaining the non-lethal format. Exalted Martial Arts aren't really my forte--so I suppose it could be incorrect perception on my part. -Dorchadas
- Well, it's still missing a Charm or two. I've got a Charm that comes up after this last one that'll put things in perspective. Hehe. Also, try to remember that you can use a TETSUBO with this thing...that's pretty harsh; and it's perfectly compatible with armor, which is a large bonus for Martial Artists. - Seiraryu
very Native American Bear Spirit. A couple of Questions tho,why is Frustrated Bear Method need the form gives an auto knockdown anyway, and why is this Martial Art tree so charm starved before Form? Other than those small quibbles i really like the style i've never seen a comlpletely peacful MA in Exalted i really think it's an idea who's time has come. - Issaru
- two charms before form isn't unusual for basic celestial styles. Especially animal based styles. It tends to be only the more powerful and strange celestial styles that have more than two or three before the form.
-- Darloth
- I was going to say exactly that, Darloth. If you consider this Style Charm starved before the Form Charm, then you must consider Snake Style the same, yes? Remember, this Style is just mostly completed. Not entirely so yet. As to why Frustrated Bear Method is necessary: because the Form Charm makes THROWS count as automatic Knockback / Knockdown...and just throws. - Seiraryu
- I was trying to say that since they both do no damage they are mechanically the same and as far as Snake style goes it Blows in the cannon write up.Don't get me wrong i love the style i was just offering suggestions not flames - Issaru
- Oh, no flame taken--I was just responding in my own, heavy way. One of the reasons it's only got 2 Charms before the Form Charm is because I was running out of ideas. >.< It could use revision, that much is for sure. - Seiraryu
Hmm. About the Form ... "it takes no time for opponents to heal the "damage" done with this Charm". What does that mean? If it truly takes no time, then opponents of a character using Merciful Bear Form will literally never be incapacitated. I'm assuming you mean that it takes no time, after the fight, for the damage to fade. In any case, I would suggest changing it to always deal bashing damage, with the note that either the bashing damage never rolls over into Lethal, as the Errata describes, or that while it does roll over into Lethal, the target won't die from it. I'll think on this a bit, and offer some more complete thoughts later. - David.
- This is something that I, too, have been thinking on. I think I will change it to the "damage" being "healed" completely during one scene. That way, the character is still under penalty for an entire scene after the fight. Also, the character will never die from the "damage." How's that? - Seiraryu
- Hmm. I think I'd reword the Form entirely, actually. Don't refer to the "damage". Instead, refer to the penalties, and explain when those fade. That seems the most elegant solution to me. - David.
- Done, o'course. - Seiraryu
