MartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle

The Sixteenth Theme is Way of Mastery of the Terrestrial Sphere

Guidelines by IanPrice:

This is a Terrestrial style, which should seek to exceed itself. It should begin with the humblest of forms, and build upon itself. In the beginning, the student of the style should have very little, learning charms that are barely useful (but at least they are cheap essence-wise, and mostly reflexive). The pinnacle of the style should include its own initiation into Celestial-level martial arts, with perhaps an ultimate charm utilizing that rarified level of understanding. I would very much like to see multiple form-charms in this style, perhaps with the pinnacle being a Celestial form. Use your creativity, and let this piece of story be your primary guide. This style should have 20 or so charms, in a sprawling tree. Not all of the branches should be necessary for the ultimate charm.

The Scarlet Empress reigned... For many, this reign was benevolent. For those who crossed her will, the Empress was less than merciful. The closest to mercy was exile on pain of death, and the inventor of the Way of Mastery of the Terrestrial Sphere suffered just such a fate. Savants interested in tracking the various Terrestrial styles sometimes attempt to study this unique individual, and the general consensus is that he was an Immaculate monk of low rank, who commited some indiscretion before he could learn any of his Dragon Path. It is believed that he had already passed initiation, because of the knowledge applied in some of the later techniques of his style. This point is debated, however, because some believe that this knowledge simply grew out of the progression of the style itself.

Regardless, most histories agree on this general outline of the monk's life. After being cast out of the Order and the Realm, he renounced his name and resolved to live in the wilderness as a nameless hermit. He lived utterly naked, without even the use of speech, searching to regain his identity and his enlightenment from the basest of origins. After several years of practicing in the wilderness, some other outcaste Dragon Blooded approached the nameless monk, asking him to be their teacher. He said he had nothing to teach them, but he wondered if they could teach him to wear clothes and armor as they did. So, in fact, they taught each other, and began to develop a unique style of fighting. The outcaste soldiers learned to incorporate their weapons into the forms the nameless monk taught them, for he had wished also to learn of these devices, which had become strange to him.

The master and his students began to travel the threshold, learning all there was to know of the world. Each new place brought a specific lesson, and each lesson was placed in a specific element. As time went on, the nameless master acquired students of all elemental aspects, his style gaining an impressive reputation. Savants say that in the days the nameless master walked Creation, there were hundreds of charms in his style, each representing a very specific lesson he had learned in the world. It was in the following generation that the 5 strongest students of the style, one of each elemental aspect, came together and codified the most important lessons. They discovered at this time the pinnacle of their master's understanding: the unity of the elements in Creation. This Final Lesson allowed the students to ascend, at least in a small way, to the heights normally forever denied to Terrestrial Exalted outside of the Immaculate Order. It is this lesson, many Savants theorize, that has kept this style alive in a few small groups of students, even many generations after the death of the Nameless Master.

This style is incompatible with armor, and also with weapons (but charms later should add them both).

---

Born Naked Into the World - IanPrice

Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive

Minimum Martial Arts: 1
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: None

The first lesson of the Nameless Master is that one enters the world with nothing but one's Essence. The importance of this lesson is to re-enter a fight each moment as if it is a new birth. When this charm is activated, the student of this style re-rolls his initiative. This charm may be activated multiple times per turn, up to the practitioner's Martial Arts score.

• For your description of the style, isn't this rather effective? rerolling can often be more useful than adding MA, and rerolling at only MA 1... I'd pick this charm up as a celestial MAist, it's great... add to any combo for 1xp, and look, I can reroll that die if it comes up low. As many times as I like.
  -- Darloth

• I've decided to put a limit on it... but rerolling can also often be less useful than adding, and it's only initiative. By itself, initiative has little effect. Especially in Exalted, with defenses being so powerful. - IanPrice

• I disagree there. Initiative, I've found, is a very important factor in determining the outcome of a fight, and this is a terrestrial style, is it not? - Trithne

The Infant's First Wail - IanPrice

Cost: 1 mote/health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Born Naked Into the World.

Upon entering the world, the initial reaction of most newborns is to cry out in shock that they are no longer in the womb. In seeking to understand the ways of all things in Creation, the nameless master disabused his students of the notion that they must not cry out when injured. Such cries, he found, helped to release the pain of the wound. Additionally, opponents underestimate a martial artist who cries in pain when struck, a bad mistake when fighting students of the nameless master.
This charm may be activated whenever the practitioner of the Way takes damage. One mote must be paid for each health level of damage as it is being suffered. As the Essence is released, the practitioner cries out in pain, and releases it. For the next action after this charm is used, any wound penalties accrued from the damage when this charm was activated are ignored, because the pain has been released. Additionally, for the first action the character takes after releasing the pain, he gets a dice bonus equal to the wound penalty he should be suffering, because his enemies will underestimate him.
If a character using this charm has suffered enough damage to take a wound penalty without using this charm, that amount of wound penalty is not negated when this charm is first used. If wounds are suffered, this charm is used, and then more wounds are suffered later, and this charm is used again, the whole penalty is removed both times and the whole bonus gained both times.
For example: Brand the Outcaste studies this style, and gets into a fight, quickly getting himself hit for 4 lethal damage - taking him to a -1 wound box because of his Ox-Body Technique choices. If he pays 4 motes, he can remove that penalty for the round and gain a +1 die bonus on his next action. Later in the fight, he takes 4 more damage, taking him to a -2 wound box. Until he took that damage, he couldn't activate the technique again. Now that he has, he can pay 4 more motes. If he paid for the technique earlier, he would remove the full -2 penalty for the round, and gain a +2 die bonus to his next action. If he did not pay earlier, then he will remove only -1 from the penalty for the round, and gain only a +1 bonus to his next action.
This Charm does not ever negate or add more than 4 dice. If the current wound penalty is -1, no matter how many levels the charm has paid for, only -1 can be negated, and only +1 can be gained. Only -2 negated and +2 gained at any -2 health level. Only -4 negated and +4 gained at the -4 wound level. This charm has no effect if the student becomes Incapacitated.

Strike Not the Innocent ~ WillCoon

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Born Naked Into the World.

Only the most depraved would strike a newborn child, incapable of defending itself or even understanding why it it is being attacked. The Nameless Master learned to emulate this innocence, turning the hearts, and thence the blows, of his opponents. This charm subtracts a number of dice from an opponent's attack equal to their own compassion, unless they spend a point of temporary willpower - which counts as virtue supression as normal.

Smile To All Corners ~ DeathBySurfeit

Cost: 2 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: The Infant's First Wail, Strike Not The Innocent

The Nameless Master witnessed the readiness with which a young child would take to new experiences, always open to suggestion and experimentation. Eyes opened wider to the world, a martial artist that knows this charm may activate it in response to an attack made against him. That attack is not considered to be made from surprise or behind, for the purposes of the martial artist's response.

Luck of the Newborn -- Darloth

Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Smile to All Corners

Another early lesson of the Nameless Master is that although the newborn of almost every species are almost powerless against the world, circumstances often conspire to keep them alive in spite of things. This charm may only be activated when fighting someone of a higher essence than the Martial Artist, and then only when they are struck and did not attempt to defend. However, if these conditions are met, this charm prevents the Martial Artist from falling below the incapacitated level. Another strike will certainly kill them, but under the protection of this charm, no single attack will ever kill the user.

Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form</i> -- Darloth

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Smile to All Corners 

(Considering Luck of the Newborn as pre-req, but it seems like an offshoot. What do other people think?)

Assuming this form, the Nameless Master puts the helplessness of childhood subtly but firmly behind them. They gain +2 dice on any willpower rolls and +1 die on any virtue rolls to resist effects, almost glowing with the potential and self-confidence of adolescence. These additions also increase the base attribute, but only for calculating the effects of in-style charms.

In addition to those effects, the Nameless Master takes a step out of the eternal innocence of childhood, and towards the consequences of adulthood. They may deal lethal or bashing damage with unarmed martial arts attacks, as they choose.

<i>Jailbait Smile Technique</i> -- Darloth

Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive

Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form

Also known as Unknowing Invitation Atemi when used by those who truly do not understand such things, this charm infuses the martial artist with the vivacity and radient beauty of those in the prime of their young life. The target of the charm (who must be able to see the user) must roll their Temperance against a difficulty of half the martial artist's Essence (rounded up), and if they fail, must subtract (5 - their Temperance) from any attack rolls against the martial artist this turn. If they botch, then they are considered to be at least partially attracted to the martial artist, and subtract a further -1 die from all attacks for the remainder of the scene. If the martial artist attacks someone targetted by this charm, any penalty for the rest of the turn is negated. This charm may only be invoked against a particular target once per turn.

This charm also has the side benefit of aiding seduction attempts, adding +1 die to such, or +2 dice if the user is significantly younger than the target. What constitues 'significant' in Creation is left up to storyteller's to determine.

<i>Thou-Have-No-Hold Maneuver</i> -- OhJames

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form

The innocence and suggestability of childhood having been left behind, the Nameless Master found this Charm in the headstrong tendencies that develop on the cusp of adulthood. There is a certain subconscious hatred for all the deters and hinders the adolescent, whether that hindrance be friend, foe, or family member and the Nameless Master capitalized upon those tendencies. After spending the required Essence, the martial artist may immediately break free from any clinch whose initiator has a Strength less than or equal to the Charm user's permanent Essence rating.

<i>Stinging Embarassment Mantra</i> -- IanPrice

Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form

With an increasing awareness of himself and the expectations others have for him, the adolescent youth begins to be embarassed by his failures. The Nameless Master recognized that this is a valuable feeling, much like the pain of the infant, which has much to teach about what not to do. He taught his students to remember their failures, embracing the heart's pain that comes with the embarassment, learning from it never to repeat their mistakes.

While repeating the Mantra, the student regains a spent virtue channel each time she fails an ability roll. Rolls which do not involve abilities don't count, because it is too difficult to identify the mistakes made without the use of a trained skill. For opposed rolls, any time the character using the Mantra fails to best the opposing character, it is considered a failure for this effect; this also causes any associated stunts to fail, even if they would normally have been considered successful. If the student has spent no virtue channels, then a point of temporary willpower is regained instead. If the student has all of her temporary willpower, three motes of Essence are regained instead; Peripheral first, then Personal. If the student fails an ability roll while full of all these things, the motes are immediately wasted, causing the character's anima banner (if any) to flare to its maximum level, her spirit enraged by this failure at the peak of her ability.

<i>Clear-Eyed Apprentice Stance</i> -- Hapushet

Cost: n/a
Duration: Permanent
Type: Simple

Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form

Adolescence is the time in which students begin to set themselves on the paths they will tread throughout their lives. Students find Masters, and apprentices begin to learn their crafts. The Nameless Master saw the potential in such unmade choices as well as the discipline in the choice once made, and carried the lesson with him.

When this Charm is learned, the student gains a permenant artificial specialty in Martial Arts. This specialty can be no more broad than any other specialty and does not count against the student's maximum, but no combination of specialties may grant more than a +3 bonus to a roll. Whenever the student wields a weapon while this specialty applies, it is considered a form weapon for the Charms of this style. This explicitly includes contextual specialties as well as weapon ones - if the student chooses "against other Martial Artists," then any weapons would be considered style weapons during a battle against another martial artist, but the student would have no style weapons at any other time.

<i>Soldier and Statesman Form</i> -- IanPrice

Cost: 6m
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Jailbait Smile Technique, Thou-Have-No-Hold Maneuver, Stinging Embarassment Mantra, Clear-Eyed Apprentice Stance

Finally, when the Nameless Master's students numbered near a hundred, he remembered what it had been to be a leader. The responsibility of his station settled upon his shoulders, and he found that with his new wisdom it was much lighter than before. The necessary burdens of unity became his next lesson, one he taught with relish, bringing his students together with this new form. The form became an expression of defending one's brothers and sisters in the school, primarily, as the Immaculate Order began to see the Nameless Master's group as a threat.

While using this form, the character gains a bonus to all Martial Arts actions equal to the highest Martial Arts ability among any allies within (Essence * 5) yards who are also using this form. In addition, he may reflexively parry any attack directed at an ally within Essence yards with his full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool. Any attack may only be parried once, though the target of the attack may choose (before the parry is rolled) whether he will defend himself or allow a teammate to defend him.

<i>Prides Final Schema</i> -- Dasmen

Cost: 3 per Success, 2 Willpower, 1 Conviction Channel 
Duration: indefinite
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Soldier and Statesman Form

While a child may work harder to avoid being reminded of his youth, a man will at times simply because of the shame that success bought with others help can bring to ones heart. Many wise men have chastise such pride, but the Nameless Master understood that while the ways of the heart are not the ways of wisdom, they could hold power.

The Exalt pays 3 motes per Autosuccess (max conviction). For that time, the Martial Artist can not take part in nor benefit from synergetic Charms and Effects, nor be strengthened or helped by others magics' (ST discretion you could travel on a cloud a circlemate summoned, but not have your dodge increased by a helpful ally. This specifically does not preclude being healed). His pride pushing him to stand alone, he outdoes himself to do so. For as long as the effect persists, he gains the bought Autosuccesses on all Willpower expenditures and Virtue Channels.

Once a man has started down the path of pride, it takes true convection to turn from that path. To end the effect requires as many Willpower points be spent as success bought.

<i>Unseen Learning Technique -- FlowsLikeBits

Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Prides Final Schema

During his life, the Nameless master learned that there are many methods of learning. His method differed from that of the Order, and after swallowing his pride and meeting the outcaste, he learned that others knew methods that were alien to him. This charm embodys that lesson.

By concentrating for a second and blocking off visual stimulation, the student may sense the flows of essence around them, using all of their senses EXCEPT sight. This takes some getting used to, but repeated effects are recognizable and are relativly consistent between individuals. For example the spell of blood, growls and some coarse hairs brushing against the skin may indicate the presence of a Blood Ape, while tiny drops of blood and a coppery taste in mouth may indicate that a charm was used following an opponents dodge.

Generaly, one may increase difficulty for gaining information by two, vs a more accurate effect, such as All-Encompassing Sorcerers Sight. Attacking dematerialized entities with this charm is still a blind attack, although the penalty is reduced by 1.

This charm and Optimal Awareness of the Prime constitute a Terrestial Initiation into the Celestial Martial Arts.

Optimal Awareness of the Prime -- FlowsLikeBits

Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower + 4 motes per activation
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Unseen Learning Technique 

As the Nameless master moved into the prime of life, he learned that both action and information are important. One is useless without the other. During the prime of life both the ability to percieve and ability to act are at their height. Going into the prime of his life, the Nameless master was at the peak of his capabilities.

While this charm is active the student has perfect awareness out to their Essence x 10 yards. Things cannot be hidden from them without using Essence. The student also gains a number of bonus dice equal to their MartialArts rating to all mundane perception rolls(i.e. not percieving essence) as there enhanced senses take in all situations. Additionally, they may refexivly spend 4 motes to allow a single attack to affect dematerialized spirits.

This charm and Unseen Learning Technique constitute a Terrestial Initiation into the Celestial Martial Arts.

Untouchable Disdain of the King</i> -- Dasmen

Cost: 5 motes per HL, (1 willpower)
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Optimal Awareness of the Prime

A true leader of men is walks with his men, jokes with them, breaks their fears as he leads them into battle, but is never one of them. He is aline, distant, and while he comforts other form their hardship, is untouched by his own. The Nameless Master understood that this invincibility is necessary. For all that in truth the leader might not by so different from his troops, his troops need an Untouchable King

This First time Untouchable Disdain of the King is activated in a scene, it costs 1 willpower in addition of all other costs. For every five motes spent on Untouchable Disdain of the King, the Martial Artist gains one "phantom" heath level at the same wound penility as wherever the Martial Artist is on the heath track that lasts until the end of the scene. Any damange done the the phantom heath vanishes when the phantom heath level does. It is impossible to have more phantom heath levels at one time then the sum of your presence + charisma, but you can replace damaged heath levels with fresh ones.

Comments

Infant stage discussion archived atMartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle/TerrestrialInfancy - IanPrice

Perhaps you should consider merging schoolboy and lover into adolescent, which fits the style of this style better, I think.

...

Feh. Now I have the urge to write a charm called the Jailbait Smile Technique...
-- Darloth<i>, tempted.

It's up to whoever does the next technique. What I'd like to see next, though, is a Form charm for the transition into the next stage of life. Call it childhood or adolescence or whatever, but I'd like to see a Form charm at the major transitions. - IanPrice, who would be amused by a technique based on an underage-temptress theme... after all, the Nameless Master invented techniques based on problems he encountered...

Then I strongly suggest the next charm be Blossom of Adolescence form, although I've no idea for the... Actually. I do. So I wrote it. I'm not sure though... underpowered? Overpowered? Too costly? Suggestions? This style is hard to write for, but seems oddly rewarding.
-- Darloth

I like it. - IanPrice

I decided the form (and thus the age-band) deserved a bigger header, to make it stand out. Also, that charm called to me, and I had to write it. What do you think?
-- Darloth

I think it's slightly overpowered. An attack should end the charm permanently. Also, it should cost 3 motes. Finally, the target should be able to resist by suppressing their Temperence with a willpower point. However, I think that with these restrictions (necessary in a Terrestrial power-level style), the penalty could be (6 - Temperence), to make sure it's always at least one. - IanPrice

Terrestrial styles cost less, not more. Yeah, they should be able to surpress... Wait... You only get the penalty if you FAIL temperance, so no, of course you can't spend willpower. You can spend willpower to get an extra success as usual, and I noticed it was far too hard to resist... I've changed it to half-ess rounded up, which should be much better. I prefer the 5 - Temp because then a super-temperate person can just ignore it. Thats one of the major limitations... As to an attack ending the charm permanantly, it only lasts a turn anyway, and you can't exactly reactivate it. It basically does, I just word things badly. I'm not sure if you previously botched... that -1 isn't cumulative, but again, it shouldn't go away so easily, since it's a result of moral weakness rather than the MAist actually doing something against you. What do you think of it now, anyway?
-- Darloth

Hmm. Well, I have also determined that I made some mistakes when reading it originally... meh, it's good now. I'm glad you gave it another read and came up with good solutions, even though I didn't clearly see the problems. - IanPrice

If you ever need it up-powered, (Ess - 1) would also work. But it's currently cheap, and if you do it often enough, they're bound to fail. It's pretty useless for non DBs, but hey.
-- Darloth

I like this Style a lot. Although It is weeeeird. -- OhJames

Why thank you. Weird is exactly what I was going for. I noticed that people seem to like writing for Sidereal styles because of the conceptual nature, but that there weren't enough Terrestrial styles. So, I thought, why not make a very conceptual Terrestrial style? And since the concept is a person's life, that ties it very closely with the nearer-to-mortal Dragon Blooded. - IanPrice, who is all about the fluff. Mmm, whipped cream.

Contribute to the CircleRelay or I shall dislike this Style forevermore! -- OhJames mock-wrath

I have no idea if the Charm fits the style, but I'm not sure of much where this style is concerned. I am sure that Luck of the Newborn is a 1m, Terrestrial, perfect soak Charm and that really makes me twitch, no matter how many prereqs and funky restrictions it has. Compare it with Pasiap Still Stands, which is much, much more expensive and has almost as many drawbacks. I think it might need a Willpower cost, or some other modifications... - Hapushet, who's decided he likes this Relay thing

But, uh... Luck of the Newborn will always result in you being unconscious, without other charms. It has no utility as a soak charm, it's an "I don't want to die yet!" charm.

I like the clear-eyed apprentice though. I think it's very appropriate, although I would suggest that if you're taking a contextual speciality, only 'martial arts' weapons and brawling aids should by default form weapons. Well, I'm not sure, but... Hmm... It seems a little odd to have -such- a wide choice in a situation like that, but I can't really see it being abused anyway, since you'd never know. On reflection, keep it as-is, really nice charm. Are we ready to move up to the next stage of life, you think?
-- Darloth

Yes, time to move on. So, I did. Before forgetting, though: as Darloth said, Luck of the Newborn leaves you unconscious. Perhaps a clause should be put in to clarify that it can't keep saving you once you're unconscious? - IanPrice

I have a couple of qualms about Soldier and Statesman Form. It's got a nice Dragon-Blooded philosophy behind it, but I can't help but think that it's a persistant, full-pool defense (with a cookie!) in a Terrestrial style. Yes, the catch is that you need two people using it in order to get that benefit, but two users next to each other are basically using Four Golden Halo Realignment - without the Willpower cost, and in a Terrestrial style.

I'm not necessarily suggesting that the Form get rewritten, but is this perhaps a good point to consider the Celestial initiation phase of the style (i.e., initiating before Soldier and Statesman Form), after which we could simply put an activation roll on [[SaSF]]? - Hapushet

That's over 200xp points spent solely on this style, you realize? To have those two people, both with the right form. 4-halo golden monkey is much, much easier to get, more useful, and to be honest deserves its willpower cost. This is also a martial arts form... you can't benefit from any other form when using it, which is (one of the reasons) why it has no willpower cost.
-- Darloth thinks it's pretty much okay, maybe worth 7m, and that celestial level should start perhaps at the next form, which from the looks of things will be essence 4.

I don't deny any of that - but at the same time, I personally don't feel the phrase "persistant full-pool defense" has any business being in a Terrestrial style, no matter the restrictions. That's something that I feel should be reserved for Celestial level effects, much like perfect defenses. Like I said, I'm not suggesting that the form should get a rewrite - I like the Charm a lot, and I had not intended to suggest a WP cost either. I'm just concerned about overshooting what Terrestrials should be capable of. - Hapushet

Well, for SaSF, I'd put that no more than one user of this form may parry any attack and this does not stack with parries from the target. Otherwise you kinda get the "With One Mind Problem". Seems ok other than that. (Ad thate is a trend of Terrestial MA being horribly broken in groups. :)

Other questions: For Stinging Embarassment Mantra, what is a "failure" for combat rolls? I.e. is an attacked that is dodged/blocked a failure? (Same problem as "success" for stunts. Arrrg!) -FlowsLikeBits

Added FlowsLikeBits's clarifications. - IanPrice, who agrees with Darloth: we should see the initiation charms now-ish, and then the Celestial-level charms at Essence 4.

Pride's Final Schema is a good concept, but the execution is lacking. I have cleaned up the grammar, but the mechanics require discussion before final implementation.

• The way you have set up to pay for it and set its duration is unnecessarily complicated. Choose a simple cost, and a simple duration. I think 7 or 8m would do fine. Or you could pay per autosuccess (probably 2m per success for a scene). Either way, this charm should have a willpower cost, probably 1.
• Choose a trait to base the addition off of, probably Conviction. That trait should be what is added, or the maximum for what is added if you pay for each success.
• Recommended mechanic: pay 2m/success and 1 willpower, Simple charm, duration is one scene. Add the number of successes purchased (Max: Conviction) to the number gained when Willpower is spent to add an automatic success on a roll. If a virtue is channeled, add this number of successes, and convert the same number of dice of the Virtue channeled (Max: that Virtue) to autosux as well. Prevents benefiting from synergistic effects such as Soldier and Statesman Form in any way for the duration.

I think that captures what you were trying to do, in a less kludge-y way. If you agree, feel free to stick it in there. If not, let's discuss. - IanPrice

(I had an error on my own I just fixed for mote cost, which I just fixed, sorry) What you're suggesting isn't quite the effect I was going for. As it is now, lets say I want three autosuccesses on all my willpower expenditures, and added on to my Channels. I would have to pay 3 + 7 + 7 +7 motes (24 motes). I would then gain this benifit for three scenes, losesing the ability to use or benifitMartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle/I>MartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle/B> from synergistic charms for three scenes <I>Even if I want toMartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle/I>. I designed it to have a nice synergy with Nascent Blossom of Adolescence Form and Stinging Embarassment Mantra, but in return, oonce you've used it, you've given up a lot of other options for a while. Since, to some extent, the duration is the punishing factor, I didn't want people to be force to commet their hole pool towards the effect. The willpower loophole exists for when you really made a mistake activating the charm. - Dasmen

as far as I can tell... What IanPrice and what you are suggesting are basically the same mechanical effect, but with differing interpretations of duration. However... on careful re-reading (and this bit isn't obvious, so I shall make it so here) the tradeoff that differs in Dasmen's interpretation is this... The more power (successes) you want out of this charm... the longer it has to last as WELL as the more you have to pay. Now, admittedly, you get this power for longer, but the unendable nature gives it a heavy drawback. I think that's the main difference as to with IanPrice's version. Sadly, while the duration-power balance is a nice one, it <i>does cause a hideously fiddly mechanic... With so many complicated fiddly bits already, I think a reinterpretation to either formalize the duration = power but less flexibility as a core concept, and get rid of all the other kludge, or drop the duration and keep the rest, like IanPrice is suggesting (maybe by accident though). Does that clear stuff up perhaps?
-- Darloth is aware that it is late and his explanation is probably also not the clearest there could be. Ah, for clarity.

That's exactly what I was, intentionally, suggesting. I now recommend dropping duration = power mechanic and keeping the "difficult to end" mechanic. To wit, have the charm be indefinitely committed (probably 4m per autosuccess), but it can only be ended by some big expenditure. - IanPrice

With that much committed, you're fighting at much less then your best, and this is supposed to be a <B>I Stand AloneMartialArtsRelay/TerrestrialSphereStyle/B> Charm. You may be right, it just feel wrong. If I can't figure something out tomarrow, I'll change it to your suggestion, just give me a bit to think. -Dasmen

I would suggest being clear on what is considered a synergistic charm. IIRC, Dragon Blooded have some specific charms with that ability. And Soldier and Statesman form isn't one of them. You need to be clear what specificly is meant. Personally, I would just buy the autosuccesses and duration sepereratly. Say 3 motes per autosucc + 2 motes per scene or duration. (I would go wtih hours for the duration, rather than scenes, as it's really difficult to determine multiple scene lengths. So, say 2 motes per hour. ) The ending penalty is fine as is. Also, I don't consider the synergy restrictions that limiting. -FlowsLikeBits

I went and did the initation, because I don't think people would want to do that part. (Sorry, but it needs to be two charms that go together). I feel an initiation charm should have to do with awareness or essence somehow. YMMV -FlowsLikeBits

To FLB: I like it. Would the perfect perception apply to the Essence awareness of the previous charm if it were active? Obviously you've excluded that from the die bonus, but I wonder about the other combination.

Fixed this. Was supposed to be awareness, rather than perception. Bad word choice at the time. - FLB

To Dasmen: I know, it's frustrating when people tell you that what you want to do with a charm isn't viable. Unfortunately, I think that's the situation we have here. Charms need to be simple effects, and you've got several different things going on in your design, each of which could be the core of a charm. You have the duration:power ratio, you have the powerful but limiting effect which is difficult to end, and you have a charm which conditionally adds autosuccesses. A charm can have two halves: a setup, and the actual benefits. For many charms, the conditions on the autosuccesses (in this case, "when you spend willpower for the one you'd normally get") would be considered the setup. In this case, you're also putting a limitation on the power so it can be greater, but your current design doesn't just have one limitation, it has two. This is too much. It overcomplicates things. Thus, I recommend choosing either the duration:power ratio (requiring people to pay a higher cost because they buy duration and power), or the powerful but limiting (prevents group bonus charms from applying) effect which is difficult to end.

My thoughts. - IanPrice

Ian: Well said. I really like the mention of how a charm most often has a setup and a benefit. It's a simple thing, but one of the things that really separates charms from sorcery in practice, as sorcery often has a much more complicated, or much less complicated setup. Perhaps something towards this end should be written up on a high level CharmTheory page? (With a rather heavy copy-paste from the [[[TheMyriadOfShades/CharmTheory]]] page, perhaps? Also, get your butt over to [[[SolarCraft/GregLink]]] and make with the commenting. Not to be too pushy or anything :). -- GregLink

This has been somewhat dead, but seeing as I'm a labyrinth circle necromancer, well I have a solution - Dasmen (serving the Malfeas)

Lovely flavour text, Dasmen, but I've a few questions about the mechanics - are the health levels -0, -1, -2, or -4, and does damage to them disappear with them at the end of the scene? Furthermore, the Charm seems rather paltry when compared to the rather basic DB Presence Charms; is this intentional? ...DeathBySurfeit

Their where you were on the damage track when you activated it, any damage in them disappears - and this charm has 3 major advantages, a: you don't commit the cost (meaning you can stunt back the essence), you can reapply it to regain lost bonus heath, and you can have more then a one bonus heath through this. I'll cleaifiy the text. I've also changed the type so that it's easier to use, and raised the amount of phantom heath it can create. Does that fix it to you? - Dasmen

Looks great! Although I'd be wary of allowing you to replenish your damaged phantom health levels with fresh ones, lest this become an easy route to untouchability. Wait, this is Essence 4 and goodness knows how many charms up into a tree. Forget that...DeathBySurfeit

Fifteen chrams in, and the first charm in this style to be celestial. The next charm need to be the second to last form charm, by the way.

Hey, so, this Relay hasn't been posted to or commented on in six weeks. What do you say we shelve it and, applying the lessons of earlier MARelays, start a shorter theme? It'd be nice to break the Relay doldrums a bit, and sitting on a dead theme isn't the way to do it. - willows

I have done so. - w