Gayo/AnotherExaltedCharmsSolarFundamental
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Fundamental Solar Charms
These are the quintessential Solar charms, which cover the basic functionality that Solar Exalted are expected to need. There are a few more than I'd like, particularly in some of the "busier" skills, but I think I'll still end up with fewer than the 2e core book. Some basic effects (like 2e's Feather-Foot Style) aren't listed here simply because they can easily be represented as the codification of a particular stunt. I'll get into that in more detail later.
These charms represent the natural, instinctual manifestation of things most Solars will want to do, and as such, they're fairly widespread among the Lawgivers. Most Solar charms not listed here will be idiosyncratic custom effects particular to a single Exalt.
Discussion
Solar Flaws of Perfection
At some point I'll put a proper discussion of Flaws of Perfection in the main charm document, but for now, here's the overview: You can have at most 3 Flaws of Perfection, one of which must be in your dominant Virtue. They apply to some noncombative things as well in this system variant. The flaw and Power have to make some kind of sense together -- you shouldn't take a flaw designed for use in combat with a charm that's mostly noncombative, you shouldn't take a flaw that assumes you're defending with an aggressive charm, and so on.
There are two levels of severity for Virtue Flaws. The default level is a flaw that will come up occasionally. However, you can also have a Severe Flaw, which is one that will usually apply in the situations where you'd be inclined to use it. If a charm has a Severe Flaw of Perfection, you regain a point of Agency every time you use it against a significant threat. However, a single Severe Flaw can't provide more points of Agency per chapter than the Virtue's rating.
Solar Flaws of Perfection involve reliance on and surrender to the associated Virtue. The Flaw demands obsessive adherence to the Virtue, or it triggers in a situation where the character cannot be confident in the Virtue, or it only works when the Virtue is highly relevant to the situation. However, you can be fairly broad and metaphorical in your use of this principle. The following examples are intended to demonstrate the idea behind Solar Flaws of Perfection, as well as to provide inspiration and demonstrate the appropriate level of restriction.
Empathy-Based Flaws of Perfection
Basic flaws:
- Against sentient targets, you can't use the power unless you understand what's driving your opponent's behaviour.
- The power can't be used against an unknown hazard (such as an unexpected attack) or when you are caught off-guard in either a physical or mental sense.
- You must be acting in defense of something other than yourself or your Circlemates.
- You must be in the presence of some other person or item for which you possess an Aspect, and you can't have resisted the compulsion of that Aspect during the same chapter. Any such Aspect will do, and it need not be positive -- something like "Vows to Kill Mnemon" is fine.
- You have not attempted to harm any sentient being, physically or emotionally, during the current scene.
- You can't use the ability to oppose or resist anyone with more Agency than you.
Severe flaws:
- You're trying to save someone whose well-being you value more than your own from immediate peril.
- Pick an Aspect related to another person or an item that you do not live or travel with. You can only use the power when in the presence of that thing, and you can't have resisted the compulsion of that Aspect during the current story.
Conviction-Based Flaws of Perfection
Basic flaws:
- You have no hope of achieving a comparable effect without using this power or something like it.
- You're acting to directly further your Motivation.
Prudence-Based Flaws of Perfection
Basic flaws:
- You haven't used the same power previously during the current scene. If the power is non-Instant, you can't have exploited its benefits previously during the current scene.
- Your anima is at the 0 or 1-3 motes level (before accounting for this power's cost).
- You're in immediate danger, but you haven't moved more than a yard over the previous two turns.
- You're Guarding.
Severe flaws:
- Your peripheral essence pool is completely full (no motes spent or committed), and you aren't using peripheral essence to activate the power.
Valor-Based Flaws of Perfection
Basic flaws:
- Either you deliberately initiated the current conflict, or you never had a chance to do so.
- Your anima is at the 16+ motes level (before accounting for this power's cost), or it was so within the past two turns.
Severe flaws:
- You think it's likely that you'll die (or suffer an equally terrible fate) within the next few scenes.
- You took a Critical physical consequence during this scene, and you still have it.
General Flaws of Perfection
These flaws are suitable for any Virtue.
Basic flaws:
- Unless you're Limit Breaking, the power can't be used against anyone with an Essence trait equal to or greater than your current Limit.
Severe flaws:
- Either you're Limit Breaking without partial control, or you've gained at least two limit during the current scene.
Specialized Charms
Generic Charms
- Quintessential (Skill) Excellency
- Flawless (Skill) Execution
- Overarching (Skill) Worldview
- Infinite (Skill) Mastery
- (Skill) Prince's Mandate
Essence-Only Charms
ESSENCE-LENDING METHOD
Cost: 1m Mins: Essence 1 Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, Touch Prerequisites: none
Identical to the 2e version, but the motes-per-use limit is (Essence + Resolve).
- Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
- Celestial Circle Sorcery
- Solar Circle Sorcery
- Shadowlands Circle Necromancy
- Labyrinth Circle Necromancy
Dawn Skills
Brawl
Intimidation
Melee
Missile
War
Zenith Skills
Discipline
ESSENCE-GATHERING TEMPER
Cost: -- Mins: Essence 2, Discipline 2 Type: Permanent Keywords: none Prerequisites: none
- When your consequences are compelled, you may choose to regain 3m instead of a point of Agency. This applies to both physical and mental consequences. but not to Aspects of other kinds.
PHOENIX RENEWAL TACTIC
Cost: -- Mins: Essence 2, Discipline 3 Type: Permanent Keywords: none Prerequisites: Any Discipline Excellency
- Normally a given Virtue may only be channelled once per chapter. An Exalt with this charm may forfeit a single point of Agency gain (such as from a stunt or Aspect compulsion) in order to restore a channelled Virtue, allowing her to channel it again immediately.
ZEAL
Cost: -- Mins: Essence 5, Discipline 5 Type: Permanent Keywords: none Prerequisites: ???
- A Lawgiver who learns this charm binds her heart to a belief until the two are one and the same. By declaring her undying and unhesitating dedication to a single ideal, she gives herself invincible resolve at the cost of her ability to doubt.
- When learning this charm, the character chooses a general belief of paramount importance to them, which must be associated with their dominant Virtue. The belief must be timeless, and it must either be universal in scope or be centred on the Solar herself. Some examples include:
- Empathy: "Everyone deserves a second chance," "The greatest good is whatever produces the greatest happiness," "'An eye for an eye' is the essence of justice," "One mustn't pass judgment without a complete understanding."
- Conviction: "Only I can do what needs to be done," "Nothing is worse than hypocrisy," "Anything worth doing is worth doing wholeheartedly," "[My cause] is the most important thing there is."
- Prudence: "I have too much responsibility to risk making a bad decision," "It's best to have balance in all things," "Never risk anything you're not willing to lose," "A confrontation avoided is a confrontation won."
- Valor: "Fear is worse than death," "I can overcome anything if I believe in myself," "Never shrink from a challenge," "Battle is the truest measure of a person."
- Any attempts to persuade the Exalt that it is wrong or force her to betray it automatically fail, whether she wants them to or not. The belief becomes an Aspect which can be invoked for free to provide a bonus equal to the Virtue's rating. However, because the belief is the Solar's heart, denying it shatters her. She receives no benefit for allowing the Aspect to be compelled, and rather than costing her Agency, resisting the compulsion gives her permanent Limit. The amount of Limit taken depends on how likely the belief is to lead to trouble. A belief that drips with hubris adds only one limit when resisted, one that is fairly "safe" adds three points, and those that fall between the extremes add two points.
- A Solar Exalted can voluntarily reject the belief she has enshrined if she convinces herself it is wrong. This breaks her heart, with catastrophic consequences. She immediately gains a point of permanent Limit and loses a dot each of Essence, Stamina, Resolve, Composure, Discipline, and the associated Virtue. The charm is lost and can never be relearned, and the character can never again channel her Virtues. No one can persuade or coerce the Lawgiver to abandon her zeal; it is something she must do for herself.
Exertion
BODY-MENDING MEDITATION
Cost: 10m Mins: Essence 1, Exertion 1 Type: Simple (Dramatic Action), Until Healed Keywords: none Prerequisites: none
- The Solar rolls Stamina + Exertion + Essence to redouble his vitality. For the duration of the charm, he heals that many times faster than usual. For instance, if he had a (Stamina + Exertion + Essence) of 7 and rolled +2, he would heal at 9 times the normal rate. Regardless of the roll's result, the Solar immediately regains all Health.
- Invoking this charm is a dramatic action requiring 15 minutes of serene inactivity. It can be used even while unconscious or incapacitated, however. The Charm lasts until the user is completely healed.
DURABILITY OF OAK MEDITATION
Cost: 1m Mins: Essence 1, Exertion 2 Type: Reflexive, Instant Keywords: none Prerequisites: none
- This charm reduces lethal damage to bashing damage.
SPIRIT STRENGTHENS THE SKIN
Cost: 2m per point of soak, 1a Mins: Essence 2, Exertion 3 Type: Simple, One Scene Keywords: Capped (Resolve + Exertion) Prerequisites: ???
- Every two motes spent on this charm raise the user's natural soak by 2 while unarmored or 1 while armored. At Essence 4, the charm's duration becomes Indefinite.
- For the purposes of the charm's spending cap, treat it as using the Resolve Attribute.
ADAMANT SKIN TECHNIQUE
Cost: 3m Mins: Essence 3, Exertion 4 Type: Reflexive, Instant Keywords: Obvious Prerequisites: ???
- Using this charm guarantees that you will not take a physical consequence from a source of damage. If the damage is bashing, you don't lose Health from it, either.
Expression
Persuasion
Survival
Twilight Skills
Craft
ESSENCE-SCULPTING METHOD
Cost: 2m per Resources dot Mins: Essence 3, Craft 3 Type: Simple, Indefinite Keywords: Obvious, Capped (Intelligence + Craft), Focus Prerequisites: Craftsman Needs No Tools
- The Solar draws out a portion of his anima and shapes it into whatever form he desires. He can create any non-magical, non-combative object that he can hold in one hand at a cost of two motes per dot of the object's Resources cost. If trying to make something very specific or complex, like the key to open a particular door, he must succeed on a Wits + Craft roll at the same difficulty as if he were creating the item manually in a well-stocked workshop.
- Things created with this charm are only superficially material. They can't mimic chemical or magical properties, or highly complex mechanical functionality. They evaporate if they leave the Solar's hands for more than a single turn.
- For the purposes of the charm's spending cap, treat it as using the Intelligence Attribute.
