IsawaBrian/SolarMeleeRangedArea
- SolarMelee/IsawaBrian
Explosive Solar Wrath</B>
<B>Cost:10 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Tornado Assault Technique, Blazing Solar Bolt
The character swings his weapon in a high arc through the air around him, and a corona of power erupts from it, showering the area with damaging bursts of energy. The player makes one attack roll, which is applied to all opponents within the characters permanent Essence x 3 yards. This attack may be dodged, but not blocked. This attack does differentiate between friends and foes of the character!
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK and Obvious.
Courageous Swordsman Strike</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Sandstorm-Wind Attack
The Courageous Swordsman Strike utilizes similar patterns of Essence to Sandstorm-Wind Attack. Unlike that Charm, however, Courageous Swordsman Strike merges the Essence of the Exalt with that of her weapon-- the result being that the Exalt flies across the battlefield with her weapon! The character attacks with her Dexterity + Melee dice pool and does a base lethal damage of her Strength + Essence + Melee. This attack is blocked as a ranged attack not a Melee Attack, and has a range of up to (10 x the character's Essence) yards away.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different.
Cost: --; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Iron Raptor Technique
The Courageous Swordsman Strike is an alteration of the Iron Raptor Technique that expends extra power to literally propel the Exalt across the battlefield with her weapon! Resolve the Iron Raptor technique as normal, expending an extra 2m, 1 wp (4m, 1 wp total). In place of the Solar's ordinary reflexive Move, she flies with her blade to land in front of her enemy as the strike falls. This modification is not compatible with the Sandstorm-Wind Attack; the character and blade must physically travel to the target.
Warhost Mortality Discipline</b>
<b>Cost:15 motes, 3 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 6 Minimum Essence: 6 Prerequisite Charms: Explosive Solar Wrath, Tornado Assault Technique
Many cities were destroyed during the First Age by careless Solars fighting each other. Their wasteful and devastating displays of power would often leave entire regions smoking ruins. The Warhost Mortality Discipline was one of the Charms used in the fatuitously extravagant battles between Solar Lords. Summoning the burning essence that lives within the soul of a Warrior Solar, an Exalt using this Charm could project thousands and thousands of glowing essence copies of himself onto the battlefield, assaulting all of his enemies at once.
In Mail and Steel, this means that the character will individually attack a number of soldiers equal to his Essence in Magnitude. They, and typically their commanding officer and other special characters gain absolutely no protection, extra health levels, bonuses to defense, etc. from the normal mail and steel rules; each faces the Solar individually. The Solar makes one single attack roll that is then applied to all of his targets at once. These targets do not have to be in the same unit, but only one minimum magnitude loss (see below) is inflicted, based on where the Solar killed the most troops.
For most troops and non-named NPCs, it's better to simply make a single defense roll for all of them and figure that those who are not killed outright if the Solar wins simply flee in terror. GMs may wish to section off the armies into smaller amounts for the purposes of scale, though. Named NPCs and PCs of course make individual defense rolls, but gain none of the usual benefits from leading or participating in Mail and Steel Combat. If the Solar successfully kills normal troops, it will reduce the Magnitude of the attacking army as is appropriate for the individual troops killed, but at least one Magnitude will be lost; excess will be in fleeing soldiers or proximity kills. An Essence 10 character can destroy two entire First Age Legions in a single hit.
Outside of Mail and Steel combat, the maximums used in that book are good rough scales to use. An Essence 6 Solar can attack up to 1,250 targets, 7 2,500, 8 5,000, and 9 10,000. Following this doubling progression, an Essence 10 Solar would be able to assault 20,000 targets at once. This Charm can also be used to destroy earthworks, fortifications, towns, and so on.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious, Combo-OK, and War.
Terrible Anger of the Unconquered Sun</b>
<b>Cost:20 motes, 3 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 7 Minimum Essence: 7 Prerequisite Charms: Warhost Mortality Discipline
Ultimately, in the First Age, the search for (and use of) larger and more deadly Charms consumed the Dawn Caste. Not content for controlled and measured sources of destruction on even the scale of the Warhost Mortality Discipline, the masters of warfare developed still-more terrifying methods to destroy. Some would focus on more sophisticated ways of killing individuals-- the artists of the Dawn Caste-- but others sought ways of annihilating still more of their foes. The obscene destructiveness of the Terrible Anger of the Unconquered Sun was one such method.
Upon activating this charm, the Solar slams her weapon downwards. It does not matter if there is no surface beneath her at that moment; when the tip of her weapon becomes aligned with her feet, a catastrophic Essence reaction takes place, unleashing a dome (or sphere midair) of destructive force and burning energy with a radius equal to ten miles per dot of permanent Essence. This Charm does not distinguish friend from foe; it will assault ally, enemy, fortress, shrine, warstrider, and wagon alike. Only Gaia's skin- the very surface of Creation itself- is proof against this assault; an unwise Solar may destroy the very tower she stands on!
The effects of this burst are immediate and devastating. All extras within the range of effect die, instantly. The solar rolls an attack as normal, but generally only for extra successes; this attack is a perfect, unblockable, undodgeable effect. Only meta-perfect, always-applicable defenses like Heavenly Guardian Defense will serve. In Mail and Steel, commanders and other special characters caught in the blast footprint will not be protected by their soldiers, either from magnitude health levels or from other defensive bonuses. Any non-Extra with an Essence less than the Solars will take double damage from all success rolls. This damage is always lethal unless the Solar uses a combo or other effect to change it.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious, Combo-OK, War, and Mandate. In a game where Mandate of Heaven is used, the Storyteller is referred to the "But Can I Blow Up Cities?" sidebar on p. 144 of the Storyteller's Companion. Even if this strike is not used in a population concentration, it may have severe effects on any Abilities or other Traits associated with the area destroyed. It is suggested that the Domain in question be given at least one point of Limit, possibly more.
Centered Warrior Sticking</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Melee: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Iron Raptor Technique
The cowardice of warriors who seek to avoid the righteous vengeance of a champion of the Unconquered Sun is easily conquered by the master of this Charm. The Solar uses bursts of essence to propel herself along with any fleeing foe that she has had melee contact with, using both the violent essence of her Solar combatant heritage and the connection between combatants. Whenever an opponent that the Solar has attacked or defended against within the last round moves away from her, she may reflexively activate Centered Warrior Sticking in order to make a full movement action without requiring the use of her normal movement allotment.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK. It only costs 3 motes, and allows the character to make a reflexive, DV -0 Dash in addition to her ordinary reflexive Move action when an enemy moves away from her as above, so long as the Dash is oriented towards the enemy (and not past).
Vengeance-Chasing Swordsmaster</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Centered Warrior Sticking
There is no escape for those who are pursued by the Vengeance-Chasing Swordsmaster. Carried by the essence connecting combatants and energized by the superlative power of his Solar Essence, the Exalt who utilizes this Charm can pursue his opponents to the ends of the earth. Any time an opponent who has been attacked or defended against by the Solar moves away from him, the Solar may reflexively make a full movement action without requiring the use of his normal movement allotment.
In Second Edition, this Charm is very different: Cost: --; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 2; Type: Permanent
Keywords: None Prerequisite Charms: Centered Warrior Sticking
There is no escape for those who are pursued by the Vengeance-Chasing Swordsmaster. Carried by the essence connecting combatants and energized by the superlative power of his Solar Essence, the Exalt can pursue his opponents to the ends of the earth. By expending an additional 1 mote, the Solar may activate Centered Warrior Sticking as though it was not a Charm use.
Weapon-Locking Technique</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Special Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Centered Warrior Sticking
The Solar utilizes the speed and deftness of Essence-fueled techniques to lock her weapon with her opponent's. No matter the size discrepancy or unlikeliness of the situation, the Solar will be able to retain a total grip on the opponent's weapon. Treat this as a simple, instant attack/charm for the purposes of timing and combos. The Solar makes a Dexterity + Melee roll, with bonuses for the weapon's accuracy, as usual, and the opponent may defend as usual. However, rather than trying to damage the opponent, this action is treated as a clinch that cannot do damage, only hold. None of the character's limbs that are not involved with using the clinching weapon are restrained.
Because the character using Weapon-Locking technique is manipulating Essence, she may freely move around with the locked weapons, dragging the target with her. She may not force an opponent into immediate danger (off a cliff or into lava, for example), nor will his move to keep up count against his action for the turn, even if the Solar takes a full movement action. On the other hand, the target must succeed in a contested strength roll to make more than a few steps around the Solar.
Every round, the Solar and the target reflexively make Dexterity + (relevant Ability) rolls in order to maintain or take control of the weapon clinch. Strength may not be used for this roll, as the weapon lock is a matter of skill and deftness, not outright power. Strength-related charms or abilities that could ordinarily be applied to a clinch may be applied to this roll, however, regardless of their normal rules. If the target succeeds in taking control of the weapon clinch and does not break it or throw the opponent, all move actions require a strength roll, and reflexive rolls to maintain control will still be made each round.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK.
Will of the Warrior</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 5 Minimum Presence: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Sandstorm-Wind Attack
Sometimes, a battle can be won or lost in a single instant. When the steely gazes of two warriors meet, one may be turned away, cowed by the warrior spirit of the other. Will of the Warrior allows the character to invoke a 'phantom duel' with his opponent by locking gazes and concentrating. Instantly, phantom projections of the Essence of both warriors clash between them. Each participant rolls Charisma + Essence + Melee as their spirits participate in an iaijutsu duel. The loser must succeed in a valor roll or be at a -2 dice penalty to face the winner; on a botch, she flees. This Charm is somewhat biased towards the user; if the Solar using the Charm wins, regardless of the results of the loser's valor roll, the target will be sapped of 1 willpower per dot of the Solar's Permanent Essence.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Combo-OK and Emotion. It requires Iron Raptor Technique. It generates an instant Social Attack on the target. This attack uses Charisma + Melee + Essence, and the target's defense can only come from (Charisma + Melee + Essence)/2 as a Parry MDV or an ordinary Dodge MDV, whichever is higher. If the Solar succeeds, the target is struck by incredible fear, and must succeed at a Valor roll or flee. Even if the target succeeds, she is at a -2 internal penalty to all combat rolls (-1 to DV) for a scene. The target may pay Willpower equal to the Solar's permanent Essence to shrug off either effect. The Solar does not suffer a penalty if he loses.
Battlefield-Leveling Solar Spirit</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 5 Minimum Essence: 5 Prerequisite Charms: Vengeance-Chasing Swordsmaster, Courageous Swordsman Strike
The Solar surrounds herself with a brilliant corona of martial Essence. Out of this blazing inferno, Essence-copies of the Solar periodically erupt, moving at the very speed of light to strike her opponents. Once active, the Solar utilizing Battlefield-Leveling Solar Spirit can target any being she can perceive and attack them, so long as they are within the Exalt's Permanent Essence x 100 yards. This does not grant extra attacks. Using this Charm causes the character's Caste Mark to burn as though she had spent 4-6 motes of Peripheral Essence
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious and Combo-OK. It has a Speed of 5.
Inescapable Annihilation Technique</b>
<b>Cost:15 motes, 3 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Minimum Melee: 6 Minimum Essence: 6 Prerequisite Charms: Battlefield-Leveling Solar Spirit
A Solar of sufficient Essence can totally control the battlefield, to the point where mere distance and obstruction are unimportant details, to hamper lesser beings. The Essence Corona of the Exalt becomes a blazing inferno, just as though he had spent 11-15 motes of Peripheral Essence. Essence-copies blaze into existence and tear through the world without limit or control. Any opponent that can be perceived can now be attacked without the Solar moving, including dematerialized or otherwise intangible beings. Furthermore, any being that the Solar has fought in the last round is automatically perceptible no matter what the distance or concealment! A Solar utilizing Inescapable Annihilation Technique can attack a foe who has fled to Yu Shan or the Underworld, so long as at least one attack per round is made on that opponent. If one round goes by without the Solar attacking the opponent, the connection is lost until the Solar has another means of establishing an attack. This Charm specifically permits the character to continue attacking an opponent who has "dodged" the entire combat with Avoidance Kata (although the initial "dodge" is still successful)! The only escape from this Charm is to head into the Deep Wyld and become hidden in the infinite chaos.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious and Combo-OK. Instead of attacking or being attacked in the last round, the character must attack or have been attacked by a target once every DV Refresh.
