FixTheLunarCharmTrees/MaskingTheBrilliantForm

Official Charm

Masking the Brilliant Form</b>

<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Manipulation: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Hide of the Cunning Hunter

Makes it harder to spot the Lunar's Tell. No Tell is visible for a Lunar without DBT. One with 1-2 levels of DBT appears as one who has never purchased DBT, and one with 3-5 levels of DBT appears as one who has purchased it 1-2 times. The effects dissipate if the Lunar's anima banner exceeds the 4-7 mote level of anima display.

CrownedSun's version

Masking the Brilliant Form: This charm has a duration of Indefinate, and the motes can be kept commited as long as the Lunar wishes. Unlike the text, the charm doesn't fail (requiring reactivation) until the 8+ mote level. See Exalted: Lunars, Page 123.

Notes: This is another 'ease of use' modification, and just makes the charm more generally useful. It also provides a potential option for Lunars that want to interact with humanity despite their tell. I consider it a fix for one of the main problems of the Lunars, and thus recommend it, but it might be too much of a change for some.

Blauqe's Version

This Charm now costs 3 or 6 motes, 1 willpower. The duration is now Indefinate or One Scene. By committing only three motes, the Lunar reduces the level of her Tell by one. As long as the motes are committed, her Tell will remain one lower. If she commits six motes instead, the Tell is reduced by two, but this will only last for one scene. See the list above for the rules on levels of one's Tell.

EndlessChase's Version

The same as the original, except the charm hides the tell completely regardless of DBT purchases. Charm effect ends if any shapechange or shapechanging charm is used at all. Only works in true forms.

Official version

1. Fifth

CrownedSun's version

1. SMK
2. CrownedSun
3. haren
4. David.
5. BrokenShade

Blaque's Version

1. Blaque

EndlessChase's Version

1. EndlessChase

Comments

While I have no problem with your change, I also have no problem with the original charm. While I think there are quite a few Lunar charms which need to be changed, I don't think this is one of them, and fixing something that's not broken is more a thematic, rather than balancing, choice. Given the choice between thematic views, I believe the canonical one should be preferred. -Fifth

Notes on my reasonings (don't worry; it's shorter this time)

• This one is simple; it's mostly a cost effectiveness issue. If this charm didn't have it's Willpower cost, I wouldn't mind the duration. However, as a Scene-long charm, this charm is hopelessly expensive for Lunars. It makes hiding one's tell and interacting as a shapeshifter nearly impossible even for Lunars with just one DBT. Hell, even with no DBT, the Awareness roll is 'only' difficulty 5. I consider this a necessary charm for any sneaky Lunar, with or without DBT, and thus it's cost is prohibitive.

- CrownedSun

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Frankly, I think that lowering the tell by one isn't enough. DBT is such a neccessary factor for effective Lunars, and the Tell really screws for Lunars who want to be effective at shapeshifting and stuff, but wants DBT for defense or stealth, ro wahtnot. I think this would help if you could make the Charm more variable.

Stuff. Blaque

What exactly does your suggestion mean? If I've bought the DBT-form three times, do I act as if I'd bought it once (-2 purchases of DBT) or use the "never bought it" line (-2 levels on the chart). I'd suggest that, in either case, minus two levels is perhaps a little too low. That'd let Lunars with two or even three (depending on your answer) have an entirely invisible tell, and ones with four and five have a very very good chance of going unnoticed by humans. That is a pretty radical change to the underlying philosophy of the rules as written. Maybe for a higher level tell-hiding charm, but I'd vote not for this one.
- CrownedSun

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Combat Viability of non-DBT Lunars discussion; slightly off topic:
Lunars face a trade off. If they want DBT, to be a combat monster, they have to sacrifice their shapeshifting anonymity. They can get around it to some extent, but I don't think letting them avoid it entirely is a good thing. Your change means a 1-2 DBT Lunar can have no tell, and a 3-5 can have the same as no DBT. That's too much of a reduction for me. -Fifth

The thing is, DBT isn't just for combat monsters. It's an absolutely essential bit of Lunar shapechanging, and it shouldn't cripple a Lunar to take it, because it definitely cripples a Lunar not to take it. - SMK

The visibility of the tell is the last little appendix of any way to make non-DBT characters viable. Take it away, and you might as well make DBT an automatic, built-in Charm choice, much like Finding the Spirit's Shape. - Quendalon

Yes, you might as well. Then again, unless you're playing in a highly specialized campaign, making a character who's useless in combat (as opposed to just not specialized in it) is usually a bad idea to begin with - and a Lunar without DBT is useless in combat, even against just a DB or two, because Lunar combat Charms besides DBT are utter pants. The exceptions to this are those combat Charms which are fairly useful... as long as the Lunar has the sort of physical Attributes that are possible only through DBT. So, basically, yes, DBT is a must-have for Lunars. Shucks. Combat viability is also rather a must-have for Solars, too, but no one's complaining. - SMK

Combat viability for Solars is only a must-have in certain styles of play. And "combat viability" carries a range of meanings; you can be "combat viable" without any combat abilities or Charms, with the aid of Performance or Presence or Socialize Charms that let you talk your way out of combat or force your foes to back down through sheer force of personality. - Quendalon

DBT is not a necessity for Lunars in combat. Now, it makes it much easier... but you can hold your own with Solars, and definitely with DBs, without DBT. -Fifth

DBT is absolutely the only way that Lunar can compete in combat with other Celestials. I'm not sure what Charms you're thinking of that could conceivably put a Lunar on the same footing as a Solar in terms of combat, because even DBT barely does that if at all, but I'd be open to having my error explained to me (unless you're talking about a non-combat Solar like, say, the Mirror Flag from CB:E, which is just silly); as for DBs, yes, a Lunar could conceivably take a non-combat DB or even two without resorting to DBT, if he had a good assortment of other combat Charms and his luck held up (running away is a different matter, and is much easier). Also remember that Lunar Charms are head and shoulders more expensive than Solar Charms xp-wise, so a Lunar has to be a lot more experienced than a Solar to have a comparable Charm repertoir. - SMK

*shrugs*

I can go into River Dragon Form and basically gain free DBT. I can use clinching with a Tyrant Lizard's bite. I can use the unarmed claw/bite gifts in any form, including, for example, with a River Dragon.

Also, a "technique" Lunar can have some tricks up his sleeve. Snake Body Technique, as well as the redirection charm (Running Through the Herd?) can quite easily rip up DBs and Solars. A Lunar can also quite easily gain enough movement to outdo most Solars (excepting Athletics freaks, of course) and especially under PC, he can utilize that movement in order to take advantage of the Solar.

The final way is for the Lunar to compete in only Celestial MAs. This will retard his growth, but with his own natural charms, and correct selections, he can be quite deadly without even touching DBT.

A Lunar without DBT is not hopeless in combat. DBT is merely the easiest way to become proficient; it is not even close to the only way for a Lunar to hold his own in combat. I can make a Lunar who will rip up several combat proficient DBs; it's not that hard. -Fifth

Ok, I'd forgotten about the I'm-a-River-Dragon approach (even though I've used it before). Point taken there, though my experience has been that the Solar will still win. And it's still inferior to DBT.

Snake Body Technique is very, very nasty, and so is Running through the Herd. I wouldn't say that either could rip up a Solar (especially without the Attribute enhancement of DBT), but I'll definitely conced you several dead DBs. I wish I had the EPG, so I could learn of this Power Combat all you newfangled city-people talk about. I hear it's neat.

As for Celestial MAs, I'd have to say that this is so ungainly in terms of xp expenditure that it wouldn't really be effective - it's 150xp just to buy all the Charms in the average Celestial style, as opposed to 80xp for Solars and something similar for Siddies, putting the Lunar too far behind the curve to compete effectively with people of his own experience level.

Overall, you've convinced me. A Lunar could definitely be a contender (if not a victor) without resorting to DBT. Since a Lunar with no DBT is probably not combat-focused to begin with, this is a perfectly acceptable situation. The first two approaches don't even require an extensive investment of xp. Rightyo, then.

- SMK

PS - as for eliminating the tradeoff between DBT and shapechanging anonymity, I'm actually with you. I voted for CS's version because I think Lunars should have a way of living shapechanged among various folk for a long while, and spending a Willpower every 15 minutes doesn't cut it. I'm still all for the idea that only those who have no DBT can completely eliminate their Tells, though.