RazorWolf/HouseRules

Despite the length of this list, I don't actually tinker with the game that much. I use Power Combat, and the majority of my system changes are more linked to setting than mechanics, though it goes without saying that the line is blurs. Many of my houserules were adopted from my game mastering mentor SolVachel, though he is more prone to rebuilding entire systems than I am. After writing these down, I can't believe that I kept so much of this junk just in my head. These are all First Edition rules.

General Stuff

Character Creation

• Stats may be raised above 3 without spending Bonus Points, nor is there an increased BP cost for doing so.
• The Greater Curse Flaw is banned for Solars and Lunars. Solars gain this flaw automatically starting when Essence is raised above 4, at the rate of 1 box per dot (Essence 5 Solars have 9 boxes of Limit, Essence 10 Solars Limit Break after gaining 4 points of Limit). Lunars gain the Flaw at half this rate (1 less box at Essence 6, 8, and 10). This is to represent how the Great Curse increasingly affects Exalts as they become more powerful.

Mechanics

• 10's count twice on damage rolls.
• Essence is not added to Dodge rolls.
• Characters may have as many dots of specialties per ability as their permanent Essence rating.
• Eclipse/Moonshadow Castes may not purchase Ox-Body Technique of other Exalt types. Ox-Body is not a Charm. While we're on the subject, Moonshadows can't use Solar Circle Sorcery, and Eclipses can't use Void Circle Necromancy.
• Buying the Charm that gives you access to X Circle Sorcery/Necromancy includes the ability to cast its associated Countermagic spell.
• Sorcery and Necromancy Countermagics work at equal levels (Onyx Countermagic can be used against Celestial Sorcery, not just Terrestrial).
• Charms may be added to existing Combos, at the experience point cost of 3 per Charm added.
• The cost to buy Combos after character creation is (Number of Charms included) x 3.

Setting

• Creation is a planet. I don't like flat worlds, and in my games the Elemental Poles go straight through the planet and serve the same purpose on the continent on the other side of the world. Everything besides these two points of stability is the Wyld (it covers the planet like water does Earth).
• Creation's day is 24 hours. A year is comprised of 13 lunar months (28 days each). There are four seasons, called Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter in most places. The time when Winter transitions into Spring is the month of Calibration. Yeah, you heard that right.
• It has been roughly 1,000 years since the Usurpation. The Shogunate Era lasted approx. 230 years until the Great Contagion, followed by the 770 years of the Scarlet Empire.

• The fact that the Empress is missing is not common knowledge beyond the Blessed Isle. The efforts to keep this a secret were a legendary conspiracy, and the official story is that she has temporarily left for a holy communion with the Great Dragons. Note: Sometimes I use this scenario, sometimes I don't.

• When they were created, there were 400 Solar Exaltations, 400 Lunars, 100 Sidereals, and 10,000 Terrestrials. Subtract the Solar Essences captured by the Deathlords and the Lunars lost as Chimaeras, there are roughly 200-something Solars, 300-something Lunars, a little better than 100 Abyssals, exactly 100 Sidereals, 50 Infernals and more Terrestrials than most people can count running around Creation, Yu-Shan, the Underworld, and Malfeas.

• Terrestrial Half-Castes do not exist. You either Exalt or you don't when it comes to Dragon-Bloods.
• Water Aspects favor Martial Arts, while Earth Aspects get Brawl. Water embodies finesse, Earth is more like force.

• Alchemicals and the Mountain Folk aren't real either. This is because as printed, they do absolutely nothing for the game, so my campaigns get along fine without them.

• Sidereals can and do create their own Charms, just like everyone else.
• Prismatic Arrangement of Creation Style includes a Soulsteel Charm. SolVachel, please get the mechanics on this one from the player who made it.

• Lunar Exalts do not have Tells. Many are bestial in appearance and/or mien, but some look completely normal. Such masters of their form should not have unalterable giveaways.
• Lunars are the only Exalts that can breed beastmen.

• The Midnight Caste has been renamed the Nadir Caste. It sounds cooler, and is astronomically correct.
• The mechanics for Abyssal redemption blow hard, so I got rid of 'em. If it ever comes up, I'll figure something out, but there will be no loss of permanent Essence. Lame.
• Deathknights are subject to Underworld Fate and Astrology only.

Martial Arts

Later.

Other Notes

I'm working on a complete rebuild of the Lunars, which will make their Charms ability based, so anything related to them listed here is likely to change later on. Also, I already rebuilt the system for Sidereal Astrology, so ignore what's in the book. I'll post it here when I get around to it.

Blasphemy

Wouldn't you like to know what's going to be here? Well, I'm too tired to write about it now. Later though.