MartialArts/IndomitableSpirit
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Contents
Indomitable Spirit Methodology
Background
The Indomitable Spirit Methodology focus on wielding Shields instead of weapons in combat, and infusing your shield with essence to produce wondrous effects. This Form was created late in the first age, by a great master that, according to legend, had mastered every weapon in creation. It was thought this art was lost in time, but its was unearthed in the South when some sand was blown clear and ruins were found. Since then, this methodology has been taught in the South, but has never gained much popularity. The masters of this style have been known to wield two at once. Shields are used for more than just defense, in the hands of the practitioners of this form, shields are wielded as deadly weapons, and still provide protection. Those well versed of this art infuse their shields with their own essence, to help enhance the shields function and deadliness. Nearly all masters form their own shields to provide not only excellent defenses, but also to provide sharpened edges or spikes for attacking. Those that use this art are commonly referred to with the venerated title of Shield Master or Shield Maiden, depending on gender. The users of this combat form prefer heavier armors, but masters tend to wear less having learned to use their shield to defend themselves more effetely than with body tougher, more constricting body armors.
Student Level Charms
Shield Warden Technique
Cost: 1 mote Minimums: Dexterity 2, Martial Arts 1, Essence 1 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Milestone 1, Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: None
With this charm active, a character may both Attack and Defend with a shield in their main hand, in a single action. Off-hand shields may be used to either attack or defend, with appropriate off-hand penalties. If the off-hand shield is used to attack, than it gives no bonus to defense.
Battle Ram's Collision
Cost: 3 motes Minimums: Dexterity 2, Martial Arts 1, Essence 1 Type: Supplemental Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: None
This charge attack has the student of this form place his or her shield up front and brace against it, effectively becoming a battering ram. The attacker and defender make a Strength vs. Strength roll, each gaining automatic successes equal to their characters Essence. The attacking character also add another number of successes equal to their shield Melee DV bonus. If the attacker wins, then this does not deal normal damage, but instead sends opponent flying in the direction the attacker was moving for every yard traveled while making the charge. If the opponent hits something hard enough to stop them in flight, they take 1B (rolled) for each yard they would have traveled. If the Defender wins, than the attack is a normal attack with the shield as a weapon. This attack has a speed equal to your shields speed.
Indomitable Spirit Form
Charm Name
Cost: 5 motes Minimums: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2 Type: Simple Keywords: Milestone 2, Obvious, Form Duration: Scene Prerequisite Charms: Shield Warden Technique and Battle Ram's Collision
An exalt can "Empower" their shield with their own essence. This empowerment lets the essence flow into the flat of the shield, permeating its base elements. Empowered shields glow faintly with their anima banner. This generally is a faint glow, and some kind of appropriate symbol for the character. Empowered Shields get Accuracy +1 and Damage +1, and an increase to Melee and Ranged DV equal to half of the characters Permanent Essence rating (round down), favoring the off-hand shield. Tower Shields give no Fatigue while Empowered. If Dual-wielding shields, divide the DV bonus among them.
Adept Level Charms
Impulse Blocking
Cost: 3 motes Minimums: Dexterity 3, Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious (with Empowered clause), Combo-OK Duration: Scene Prerequisite Charms: Indomitable Spirit Form
While this charm is active, any time you successfully use your Parry DV while holding two shields, you may counterattack. This counterattack must be used to attempt to Disarm your attacker. If the shields are Empowered, if the opponent is successfully Disarmed, the opponent also takes a rolled bashing damage for each success rolled in the Disarm attempt.
Guardian Slam
Cost: 3 motes Minimums: Strength 3, Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental Keywords: Obvious (with Empowered clause), Combo-OK Duration: one attack Prerequisite Charms: Indomitable Spirit Form
Use this charm when making an attack with a shield. You may apply that shield's Defense bonus to this attack's Accuracy. If the shield is Empowered, you may also add the bonus to the Damage rating.
Master Level Charms
Essence Shield Forming Style
Cost: 4 motes or 2 motes and 1 temporary Willpower Minimums: Martial Arts 4, Craft 3, Essence 4 Type: Simple Keywords: Style, Obvious (with Empowered clause) Duration: Instant Speed: 6 Prerequisite Charms: Impulse Blocking and Guardian Slam
This character can use their Essence on Empowered shield to permanently sharpen the sides of the shield to a blades edge. This adds +1 to the damage, and it is now Lethal. Furthermore they could form spikes on the surface of the shield, this reduces their DV values by 1, this adds +4 to damage, and is now Lethal. If the character is using an Empowered Tower Shield, they can spend 1 temporary Willpower and permanantly 'break' the tower shield into two, personal Combat Shields. Combat shields are look unique to each wielder, displaying their Anima Banner quite well. Treat these shields as improvised weapons for everyone except their creator. See the stats of combat shields below.
Screening Wall Defensive Stance
Cost: 3 motes Minimums: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Obvious (with Empowered clause), Combo-OK Duration: until your next action Prerequisite Charms: Essence Shield Forming Style
If you successfully use your shield's Melee Defense to block an attack, the shield clangs loudly, disorienting your opponent, delaying their next action by a number of ticks equal to the shields Melee Defense bonus. If the shield is Empowered, the exalt may instead counterattack a blocked attack, for 1 mote of essence. For this attack use your own attack pool, but with the opponents weapon's stats. When empowered the shield starts to crackle with power along the edges, and sometimes creates harmless arks of lightning between it and metal objects.
Grand Defenders Essence Discharge
Cost: 5 motes Minimums: Martial Arts 4, Throw 3, Essence 4 Type: Simple Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK Duration: Scene Prerequisite Charms: Essence Shield Forming Style
This charm charges your Empowered shield in your main hand, so it can be Thrown as an attack. This attack has a speed of the shields speed, a range equal to ten times the characters Essence + Martial Arts, and causes the Rate of the weapon to be replaced by the characters permanent Essence. This rate can only be used to make multiple attacks as a 'ricochet,' before the shield returns.When thrown, the accuracy of the shield is increased by half of the characters Personal Essence (round down), because the character is willing its flight with their Essence. The shield floats on a cushion of essence, crackling with power along the edges. The shield returns after each attack, unless otherwise impossible.
Pinnacle Charm
Flawless Shield Mastery
Cost: 4 motes + 1 temporary Willpower Minimums: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5 Type: Simple Keywords: Milestone 3, Obvious (with Empowered clause) Duration: Scene Prerequisite Charms: Screening Wall Defensive Stance, and Grand Defenders Essence Discharge
While active this character suffers no Mobility penalties from shields. Empowered shields becomes raw Essence, making shields speed -1 to a minimum of 2, and increase to Melee and Ranged DV by the characters Permanent Essence rating (this bonus does not stack with the DV bonus from the Form). If Dual-wielding shields, divide the DV bonus among them. Empowered shields now can be bladed and spiked for no mote cost, and suffer no DV penalty from gaining spikes. This shield is nearly-solid Anima Banner, and looks it.
Milestones
Milestone 1: The character is permanently able to use shields as weapons, using the Shields as Weapons stats below, instead of an improvised weapon. Shields held in main hand may be used to attack or defend, off hand are defense only unless otherwise stated.
Milestone 2: The character permanently gains the ability to dual wield shields, and so without penalty (from things like a lack of ambidexterity). This also increases the Rate of shields they wield by 1, or to 1 for Tower Shields.
Milestone 3: This character permanently has a bonus +1 to damage, and +1 Accuracy with shields as weapons.
Shields As Weapons Table
||||||||||||||||Starting Numbers|| || ||Speed||Accuracy||Damage||Melee DV||Ranged DV||Rate||Standard|| ||Buckler||4||1||2b||0||1||2||yes|| ||Target||5||2||4b||1||2||1||yes|| ||Tower||6||3||8b||2||4||1/2 (.5)||yes|| ||Combat||4||3||6b||2||3||2||no||
||||||||||||||||Charm Mastery (+ all charms active)||
|| ||Speed||Accuracy||Damage||Melee DV||Ranged DV||Rate||Standard||
||Buckler||3||3||9L||0*||1*||3||yes||
||Target||4||4||11L||1*||2*||2||yes||
||Tower||5||5||15L||2*||4*||1||yes||
||Combat||3||5||13L||2*||3*||3||no||
|||||||||||||||| * = + Characters permanant Essence||
