MartialArts/DreamingPearlCourtesanStyle2

Justification

I love some of the ideas behind Dreaming Pearl Courtesan. However, it seems to me that the style suffers from a severe lack of focus. It's trying to be both a courtesan style and a dream style at the same time, and it just doesn't work. Furthermore, several of the charms are just not well-designed. Lethal Paper Fan Attack, if used for its nominal purpose of fighting with props, is horribly ineffective. Resplendent Sash Grapple is apparently useless unless used in a Combo with LPFT while in the style's form. And finally, the flying gazellefish is just weird. Accordingly, I'm dropping the dream aspects, including the gazellefish, and focusing on the courtesan aspect.

As a personal matter, I strongly dislike non-combat MA charms, so I've tried to make this style as combat-oriented as possible. Some people argue that a courtesan's style shouldn't be as strong in combat as styles like Tiger or Endings. I say pshaw to this; if someone wishes to play a courtesan with less fighting skill and more social tricks, they can do so perfectly well by spending fewer points on Martial Arts and more on Socialize. The Socialize charm requirements of DPCS style help enforce this a little.

Speaking of which, I've restored the MA-universality of the style by changing the Socialize requirements to a simple number of charms, instead of specific Solar charms. I'm not sure what to do about Lunars.

Weapons and Armor

As with the printed version, all DPCS charms are incompatible with armor. The allowable weapons for DPCS are changed to wind-fire wheels and fighting chains, instead of seven-section staves, which aren't very much like silk sashes at all.

Charms

This revision is still very much in progress. Charms mentioned are identical to the printed version in all respects not otherwise described.

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Demure Carp Feint: as printed

Lethal Paper Fan Attack:
Cost: 1 or 3 motes
Prereqs: Demure Carp Feint

This charm costs 1 mote to use a prop as a weapon, or 3 motes to enhance the stats of a real weapon.

Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form:
Prereqs: Lethal Paper Fan Attack, one Socialize charm

As printed, except: props may be counted as weapons as per Lethal Paper Fan Attack, and can be enhanced by that Charm like real weapons. Floating props instantly move to block attacks; the character may add her Essence in dice to all parry rolls, or reflexively parry attacks she is aware of with just her Essence. Ignore the dice bonus to Performance and Socialize rolls.

Flurry of August Leaves Concentration: as printed

Resplendent Sash Grapple Technique: as printed

Fragrant Petal Fascination Kata:
Duration: one scene / special
Prereqs: Flurry of August Leaves Concentration

Each turn, the user may protect a number of characters up to her Charisma. All unprotected characters within (user's Essence x 5) yards suffer a dice penalty to all rolls equal to 6 - their Temperance. This effect lasts for a scene. Additionally, the character may choose to continue the dance. This consumes her entire action each turn, and requires 1 willpower every four turns to maintain. If she does so, all beings within range with Willpower less than her Essence are overcome with a pleasant stupor and drift into sleep. This sleep lasts for four turns after the character stops dancing.

Vindictive Concubine's Pillow-Book Understanding:
Cost: 5 motes
Prereqs: Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Form, two Socialize charms

Subtract (user's Socialize) dice from all defense rolls made against one attack.

Fallen Blossom Rebuke Prana
Prereqs: Vindictive Concubine's Pillow-Book Understanding
Type: supplemental
Duration: instant

As flowers fall from their branches, so does the Courtesan send away those that wish her harm. Using this prana, the martial artist lands an attack, forcing her opponent to refuse to attack for (x turns?).

Graceful Weaving of Heartstrings Method
Prereqs: all DPCS charms, three Socialize charms (at least one Essence 3+)
Type: simple
Duration: one scene

Each turn, all enemies within Essence x 10 yards must make a Conviction roll. If this roll is failed, they may not take any action against you this turn, but may defend themselves. Yet as they are taken in by the grace of the Courtesan, they may even rush to defend Martial Artist against other attackers, their heartstrings at the command of the practitioner (for x turns?). If the roll is botched, they may not take any offensive actions at all this turn.

Comments

what about Pearlescent Filligree Defense?- Little Rat

Pearlescent Filigree is gone. I originally folded its effect into the form, but then I decided that the parry bonus was more appropriate. Filigree always annoyed me anyway, since it's described as strengthening your clothing but the soak counts as natural instead of armor. - NatalieD

• nods* I see. I have some name ideas for the other charms...And maybe some mechanics as well...-Little Rat (who needs an Exalted Wiki User name...)