MartialArts2/SteamDragonStyle

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The Steam Dragon Style is one of the five Recalibrative Martial Arts, designed as a variation upon the Air Dragon Style by the Alchemical researcher Dazzlingly Luminescent Provericate in the early years of the Third Age. Tuition in this style involves breathing exercises and formalised katas designed to instill rather than release tension in the muscles. Its practitioners consequently fight with alternating poise and power, accompanied by plumes of Essence.

This is an air-Aspected Celestial style; Dragon-Blooded can only learn it after initiation into Celestial martial arts, and should a different Aspect attempt to learn it a one-mote elemental surcharge is applied to all Charms they use. However, once the style is completed, three benefits are conveyed: one, the Recalibrant (as master practitioners are known) treats all air-Aspected Charms as in-Aspect; two, they regain Essence and willpower normally within Reality; three, their bodies are sufficiently honed to mechanistic ideals that they may install Alchemical Dexterity Charms at twice the normal price. These benefits are conveyed to Dragon-Blooded and Celestial Exalts equally.

Form weapons for this style are the razor gear (see TheThirdAge/Technology) and gyroscopic chakram. When wielded by a practitioner of this style, these weapons are propelled further by infused pressure; multiply their ranges by 5. This style is fully compatible with armour.

Charms

Pressure-Sensitive Shell

Cost: 3 motes Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1 Type: Simple Duration: One scene Prereqs: None

Skin bristling at the slightest breeze, the martial artist becomes acute to the slightest variations in pressure. For the remainder of the scene, the martial artists is considered aware of any attack against her that has a material component. Should an unseen creature move within (Essence x 5) yards of her, she receives a reflexive Perception + Awareness check (difficulty 1 for still conditions, up to difficulty 5 for during a hurricane). A single success will tell her of its presence, and approximate size. Three successes will tell her its location, species and what it is doing, whilst five successes will allow her to identify specific individuals by their movements alone.

Pulse Blast Palm

Cost: 1 mote Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1 Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: Instant Prereqs: Pressure-Sensitive Shell

Coalescing steam-aspected Essence about her hand, the martial artist gathers a pocket of thunderous pressure to accompany her strike. Should her attack hit, add the character's Martial Arts to its raw damage for the purposes of determining knockback or knockdown (and only that purpose). If knockback or knockdown is is incurred from this attack, the minimum difficulty for resisting it is equal to the character's Martial Arts. With a stunt, this Charm may be used to fulfil more unusual tasks such as remotely snuffing candles or blasting sheaves of paper out of sight, although the force at range is insufficient to amount to a proper attack.

Howling Vent Motion

Cost: Varies Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prereqs: Pressure-Sensitive Shell

The martial artist hangs still momentarily before releasing a knot of tension, sending a plume of dust and steam back as she erupts forward. She may add an amount of dice to her Join Battle action equal to the number of motes spent on this Charm, up to a maximum of her Martial Arts.

Intrinsic Vapour Release

Cost: 2 motes Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Obvious Duration: One scene Prereqs: Pressure-Sensitive Shell

Opening her mouth and letting loose a deep sigh, the martial artist imbues Essence into that breath. Quickly, it blossoms out into clouds of thick vapour, obscuring sight all about her. The vapour cloud quickly grows to a size of (the character's Essence + Martial Arts) in radius and remains until the scene has ended or it is blown away, whichever comes first. The cloud imposes a -2 visibility penalty on any actions requiring sight within it. It is also considered a suitable distraction for the purposes of making a Stealth roll to escape, and reduces the difficulty of any Stealth roll within it by 2 – the 'release' mentioned in the Charm's name has multiple meanings.

Steam Dragon Form

Cost: 5 motes Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2 Type: Simple Keywords: Form-type, Obvious Duration: One scene Prereqs: Pulse Blast Palm, Howling Vent Motion, Intrinsic Vapour Release

Releasing her internalised pressure with a heavy breath and a blast of steam from her anima, the martial artist gains mastery of internal and external force. For the remainder of the scene, she may add her Martial Arts as automatic successes to any thrown attack, and to her dodge DV against ranged attacks she is aware of. She may not more than double her attack successes or DV this way.

Feedback

So far, I like it a lot. I like the theory of steam, the concepts of pressure-at-a-distance, and the form-type's use of thrown weapons (I simply adore thrown). My biggest concern is with Pulse Blast Palm, which seems awfully expensive. I was considering 1-2m for cost, rather than 4, which is at the level of HGD and other such highly powerful effects. Really, four motes invested into an excellence would get you two more attack successes, and thus not only two more damage for purposes of knockdown, but also two more damage (and a much higher chance of hitting). In addition, you'd have used an excellence as your charm action, allowing you to use it for defensive purposes that round as well, whereas Pulse Blast Palm is really only useful offensively. As a question, I would like more about this style, most specifically the form-weapons, if any. -- GreenLantern

Good analysis! I've dropped the cost of Pulse Blast Palm accordingly, and written up the blurb and rules of the style - let me know what you think. The post-Form Charms will follow shortly! ...DeathBySurfeit

Next up - Can I use this with a 'real' chakram? What about shuriken? If not, why not? -- GreenLantern, who thinks 'real' chakrams and shuriken should be allowed.

• Thanks for the salvo of feedback! I wanted to differentiate the Style from Air-Dragon Style proper, and it was designed to increasingly revolve around the mechanical chakrams' ability to store pressure; perhaps more emphasis in the flavour text would help that. If you'd like to have shuriken and chakrams as in-style weapons, I'd suggest houseruling so...DeathBySurfeit

And another thing - You can wear armor in the traditional dragon styles. Is this true of the recalibrated style as well? -- GreenLantern, just checking

• Yep, check the end of the blurb - "This style is fully compatible with armour." ...DeathBySurfeit

And a third thing - What about dealing and parrying lethal? A fairly common effect, it seems to be absent pre-form, which seems odd, even though it's not a problem. -- Still GreenLantern

• If you're using martial arts weapons that can deal and parry lethal attacks, it shouldn't really be a problem. I eschewed it in favour of more interesting effects...DeathBySurfeit

Look! I'm on a roll! - Can you use Pulse Blast Palm for other, non-effect purposes? Can I put out a candle across the room with it? What about ranged attacks with it? -- GreenLantern, who thinks he's done for now

• Nice idea! But not so much ranged attacks, I feel. I've added a bit on the end accordingly...DeathBySurfeit