TheHoverpope/AzureRibbon2E
Background
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Azure Ribbon Form, Second Edition
A rare technique used primarily by performers and assasins, the Azure Ribbon form was an uncommon style even in the first age, its practitioners concerned with the unusual strength of silk, its flexibility and surprising power. With this style, the quiet ribbons of a dancer could become a deadly weapon in moments. The style relies on the appearance of innocence even as killing power is gathered, carefully deflecting blows and responding with overwhelming force.
((Editor's note: I did not originally create this style; the player of Inari in my FrivYeti/Zeretan game brought it to me. However, I have made a few changes, because the original had a bit of strange stuff in it. Just wanted to note that, for the most part, the following is not my work. If it's yours, please tell me so. ))
Editors note MK2: I am also not the progenitor of this style, but it's being used in my game and I figured I could upgrade it myself and save everyone some work. All I'm doing is making it 2E compliant.
Weapons and Armor
Practitioners of Azure Ribbon form traditionally fight with, as the name implies, silk ribbons, and many of the basic charms require the practitioner to have a ribbon to be effective. Whips are also considered a form weapon, and attacks with a whip or ribbon are considered to be unarmed.
Charms
Dancer's Fatal Parade</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: One Turn Type: Supplemental Keywords: combo-OK Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: None
The dancer deftly flicks her ribbon and sends a charge of Essence down its length. Until her first action of the next turn, the dancer's ribbon (or whip) gains -1 to Speed, +2 to Accuracy, and Defense, and deals lethal damage if it did not before. A non-weapon ribbon is considered to have Speed of 5 and Accuracy, Defense, and damage of 0 to start for this purpose. Under Power Combat, it has Rate 4. This Charm requires the character to be armed with a ribbon or whip.
Antagonist-Toppling Ribbon Array</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Dancer's Fatal Parade
The dancer twirls in a bewildering pattern and strikes, unbalancing her opponent and tripping him to the ground. A single Sweep attack made with a dancer's ribbon adds the attacker's Martial Arts in bonus dice and half the attacker’s Martial Arts (rounded down) to the difficulty of the Dex + Athletics roll to avoid knockdown. See p. 240 of the main book for the rules on Sweeps.
Steel Ribbon Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: One Scene Keywords: combo OK, obvious Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: None
The dancer spins in a continuous defensive pattern, redirecting blows with the slightest touch. For the rest of the scene, all attacks aimed at the dancer are at +1 difficulty, and the dancer may parry lethal attacks unarmed. The charm ends if the dancer stops dancing, is knocked down, or is immobilized. It is not compatible with armour.
Fluttering Deflection</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo OK, obvious Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Steel Ribbon Technique
The dancer's defensive routine grows more elaborate, confounding attackers in a blur of hypnotic motion. For the rest of the scene, the dancer adds half of her permanent essence to her dodge DV, rounded up. The charm ends if the dancer stops dancing, is knocked down, or is immobilized. It is not compatible with armour.
Azure Ribbon Form</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Keywords: Form charm, obvious Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Antagonist-Toppling Ribbon Array, Fluttering Deflection
The dancer performs a graceful and elaborate kata, describing arcane signs in the air with her ribbon. Essence suffuses her body and her ribbon, shaping her into an elegant living weapon. For the rest of the scene, the dancer is treated as having Dancer’s Fatal Parade constantly active on any ribbon or whip that she wields. In addition, the dancer soaks lethal damage with her full Stamina, and adds her Permanent Essence to her Dexterity for purposes of calculating movement speeds and jumping distances. This charm is not compatible with the use of armour. It is a Form-type Charm. NOTE: I... I didn't have to change this bizarrely. WHAT?
Indigo Lance Assault</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Keywords: combo-OK, obvious Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Azure Ribbon Form
The dancer weaves her ribbon into a pattern of terrible power in the air before her, focusing her essence into an all-out attack. When she attacks, her ribbon crackles with blue and purple lightning, and punches through plate armor as if it were paper. However, what she gains in power, she sacrifices in defense, as her every movement is directed towards empowering the Indigo Lance.
The character's next attack with the ribbon gains +6 to Speed, +4 to Accuracy, +0 to Defense, and deals +12L damage. These bonuses replace, rather than stacking with, bonuses gained from Dancer’s Fatal Parade. After an attack augmented by this Charm, the dancer suffers a -3 penalty to both DV ratings in addition to the normal attack penalty. This Charm requires the character to be armed with a ribbon or whip.
Fortification of Cobalt Trimmings</b>
<b>Cost: 4 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Azure Ribbon Form
The dancer infuses herself with the suppleness and resilience of silk, improving her resistance to damage. For the rest of the scene, her Martial Arts is added to her bashing and lethal soak values. This Charm is not compatible with the use of armour.
Cerulean Cascade</b>
<b>Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Extra Actions Keywords:obvious, combo-OK Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Indigo Lance Assault, Fortification of Cobalt Trimmings
A master of the Azure Ribbon style can direct its energies outward in a flood of essence and cutting silk. The dancer attacks viciously, spinning in a tight pirouette and then lashing out with a flurry of essence-laden blows. She gains a number of extra unarmed attacks equal to her Permanent Essence. Each attack she makes after the first receives a cumulative -1 penalty. For example, at Essence 3, the dancer has four attacks, at -0, -1, -2, and -3 dice. The extra successes of every attack made in the turn are doubled for purposes of determining raw damage. The character may not split these attacks or his primary action, and cannot use his primary action for defense. This Charm is incompatible with the use of armour.
Azure Hurricane Stance</b>
<b>Cost: 6 motes Duration: One Turn Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, combo basic Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Cerulean Cascade
A secret technique of the Azure Ribbon style, unknown to all but its most adept practitioners. The dancer spins her ribbon in a wide, superhumanly fast vortex, striking down everything in her reach and even swatting incoming arrows out of the air. The dancer may not move more than one yard in any direction during the turn, but she may make a reflexive ribbon attack at full pool against any opponent within three yards, including opponents who approach during the turn. Additionally, she may attempt to parry any ranged attack directed at her during the turn, at a -1 penalty to her parry DV.
(Note: Unlike the Abyssal Charm Hundred Razor Circle, a character using Azure
Hurricane Stance may choose which targets in range are attacked; she is not required
to attack every available target, friend or foe.)
NOTE: I figured I should at least make this combo-basic rather than OK, what with it being a one turn simple that was balanced primarily because of that. Combo-OK would have been entirely, ridiculously pleasant, but without any combo it's not that awesome at all. This with reflexive defenses, though, is pretty cool.
