Tactical Charms And Spells Of The Solar Exalted
Under a bit of construction at the moment...
Recruitment Charms
Master Recruiter's Eye Cost: 2 motes / die Duration: One Month Type: Simple Minimum Performance: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The Exalt can instantly appraise new potential recruits to the unit, seeing how well they will mesh, how quickly they will learn, and generally being able to exclude those whose presence would more harm than help a company.\\ Master Recruiter's Eye let's an Exalt add dice to a Charisma+Performance roll to recruit new soldiers, adding one die per two motes spent, up to a maximum of their Charisma+Performance.
Feast From Famine Technique Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Performance: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Master Recruiter's Eye
With this Charm active, the Exalt is able to recruit from the most unlikely of sources- his army will appear to be a mishmash of the young, the old and women- but will function as well or better than any other force of it's size.\\ Any Recruiting Roll made under the Feast From Famine Technique takes only one week per month it normally would.
Wonderous Reputation Style Cost: 15 motes Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Performance: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms:Feast From Famine Technique The Exalt operating under the Wonderous Reputation Style finds recruiting new troops to be an almost stupidly easy fashion- recruits seek their army out, rumros and whispers on the wind bringing them in whatever number the Exalt needs.\\ The Exalt's army heals a number of HLs equal to the Exalted's Essence + Performance, subtracting the army's total bonus. So, if an Exalt with Essence 2 and Performance 4 was recruiting for an army with a +3 Bonus, they would recover 3 HLs a week with the Wonderous Reputation Style.
Training Charms
Barking Dog Prana Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Lore: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms:None
Through careful discipline, a watchful eye and personal attention, the Exalt quickly unifies raw recruits into a true army.\\ The Exalt makes Basic Training checks once a week instead of once a month, with no penelty.
Trust Building Exercise Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Lore: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms:Barking Dog Prana
Trust is the glue that holds an army together. Morale is a trust in your commander to win with as few casualities as possible, and in your fellows to remain on the line and risk their lives for you. This Charm greatly fosters that trust, prompting it to grow and be deserved far more rapidly than normal.\\ The Army recovers all it's Basic Training HLs after one week with the Trust Building Exercise.
Glorious Wisdom of Teacher Method Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Week Type: Simple Minimum Lore: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms:Trust Building Exercise
The Exalt understands much better how to shore up his unit's weak points, how to compliment and insult so that his troops learn far faster than they otherwise would. They respond eagerly, soaking in new knowledge and tactics at a phenomenial rate.\\ The Exalt makes any Supplemental Training check once a week per month of time it would normally take.
Tiger Warrior Training Cost: 10 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Lore: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Glorious Wisdom of Teacher Method
Invoking the blessing of the Unconquored Sun, the Exalt rapidly teachs those at his command how to move and function as a single unit. Even raw peasants will respond rapidly to such learning, becoming eager yet disciplined soliders in mere days, and among the best seen in Creation in a few weeks.\\ Any army makes any Training Check in one day per month it would normally take with Tiger Warrior Training. Additionally, the Exalt gains a number of automatic successes equal to their Permanent Essence.
Movement and Maintenance Charms
Resourceful Army March Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Month Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
No matter how desolute the terrain, a true army will shoulder on, trusting in their commander to provide. A good commander doesn't let the men down- food, water and shelter are found for them, somehow.\\ An army operating under the Resourceful Army March has it's Base Resources Cost reduced by the Exalt's Permanent Essence, to a minimum of 0. (An army with a Resources need of 2 operating under an Exalt with an Essence of 2 needs only Resources 0 to stay in good condition).
War is Life Cost: 20 motes, 2 Willpower Duration: One Month Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Resourceful Army March
A refinement of previous techniques, it absolves an army of many human concerns. Once on the march, equipment never breaks or dulls, while food and water appear out of nowhere. Soldiers don't even feel a compulsion to request pay, and feel no discontent from their poverty.\\ An army operating under War is Life requires no Resources to maintain, up to a full Dragon per the Exalt's Permanent Essence. Armies operating under War is Life cannot have their supply lines cut.
Double Time Step Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Resourceful Army March
A soldier's life is a boring one, and largely consists of walking from place to place. This Charms sets a tempo and provides supernatural refreshment, bringing the army along faster and more easily than they otherwise would.\\ The army suffers no Fatigue penelties for running, and may do so indefinitly. This only works outside of a battle.
Drumbeat of the Soldier's Heart Cost: 15 motes Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Double Time Step, War Is Life
Soldiers may be ordered to run for brief periods- it helps keep the mind clear and fresh, but also wears them out. Those under the influence of this charm feel no weariness from running- they move swiftly while keeping a perfect formation, racing across the land.\\ The army moves at six times it's normal march speed, running the whole way, day and night, until they reach the destination. They suffer no HLs of phantom damage until they have either fought a battle, or been at rest for a full day. At that point, they lose one HL per day they spent moving at it's accelerated rate owing to extreme exhaustion.
Unsheathing the Thousand Swords Cost: Special Duration: Indefinite Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Drumbeat of the Soldier's Heart
An army should be an extension of the Commander, as a blade is an extension of a master swordsman. It is where he wills it be, because he wills it there. They are always around, accompanying him invisibly- ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.\\ This Charm costs 1 Willpower and five times the Command value of an Army in motes of Essence to use. (A Fang is 1 Willpower and five motes, whereas a Dragon is 5 Willpower and 25 motes). The essence used is considered committed, and will not be recovered until the Charm is ended by the Exalt. Unsheathing the Thousand Swords swoops the army Elsewhere, held in suspended animation, unaware of time's passage. The Exalt is then capable of traveling indepently, and may resummon the troop- ready to fight -with a Simple action. Soldiers must be willing and understanding of what being a part of the Thousand Swords means- including that the Exalt's untimely death could leave them trapped Elsewhere... forever.
Battlefield Performance Charms
Dawn Caste Anima Cost: 10 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Essence: - Prerequisite Charms: Special
The terror felt when the Unconquored Sun's Warriors unveil their terrible glory is enough to unman even the most stalwart heart. It pierces flesh and bone like a knife of ice.\\ Enemy units suffers the Exalt's Permanent Essence of damage, soakable only with their Spirit, and inflicts a -2 to all rolls for the enemy army. This ability may be used once a Clash.
Foresightful Meditation Cost: 1 mote / die Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Tactics: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
By meditating over a map of an upcoming battle, the Exalt plays through hundreds of possible plans for both sides, picking out the one most favorable to his own.\\ Spend 1 mote per die, paid for upfront. These dice are held in reserve, and may be spent retroactively up the Exalt's Wits+Tactics roll, representing his foresight and ability to seize victory from defeat. An Exalt can hold up to their Tactics times their Permanent Essence in reserve, spending up to their Wits+Tactics on a single Tactics-based roll. This Charm may not be used in Clash Time, as it requires at least one hour of meditation, and the bonus dice are lost after one day. Essence spent on Foresightful Meditation is not considered committed, and is regained normally.
Enemy Empathy Prana Cost: 1 mote / die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Foresightful Meditation
Understanding one's foes is the first step to crushing them. Watching his enemy fight, the Exalt learns their style, their idioms, their flaws and strengths. Armed with such knowledge, he knows both the best way for them to attack- and how they actually will.\\ Spend 1 mote per die before making any Tactics roll on the battlefield, as per a normal dice adder. No more than Wits+Tactics may be gained from both Foresightful Meditation and Enemy Empathy Prana on a single Tactics roll.
Rallying Cry of the Hero Cost: 1 mote Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Foresightful Meditation
A single brave soldier can inspire a unit to feats of glory none of the men would have believed possible. The Rallying Cry fills one of the soldiers with endless zeal and power, pulling the rest of those nearby with him in powerful strikes against the enemy.\\ The unit gains two actions, both of which may be made at the full dice pool.
Hammer and Anvil Attack Cost: Special Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Rallying Cry of the Hero
Through subterfuge or strength, the Exalt forces an enemy's troops between a hammer and anvil- cut off from escape and being crushed from two sides at once. Few units can withstand such pressure.\\ The unit gains a number of bonus actions. Each action costs motes of Essence equal to twice the total number actions the character has made this Clash, including their normal action. A character taking 5 actions would pay 28 (4+6+8+10) motes of Essence to activate the Hammer and Anvil Attack.
Relentless Press of the Blessed Army Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Extra Actions Minimum Tactics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Hammer and Anvil Attack
With perfect vision comes the means to win against any opponent. Each soldier knows when they should engage, fall back, where to swing and where to aid an ally, without orders, operating as a single group. No enemy can stand before such a troop for long.\\ The unit gains a number of extra actions equal to the leader's Tactics.
Speedy Messanger Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Battle Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Foresightful Meditation
Battlefield communication and co-ordination is the bane of war- commanders not able to adapt to the rapidly changing situations, and subordinates unwilling to seize key moments without orders. This Charm grants a unit exceptionally clever and quick messangers, who deftly deliever intelligence from the front to the leader and send orders back out just as quickly.\\ Improves the Communication of an army by the Exalt's Tactics for the remainder of the battle.
Thrusting Lance of the Sun Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Speedy Messanger
A sudden and unexpected charge confounds the enemy, providing the Exalt with the vital lead for this clash.\\ Seizes intative for a Clash (as per normal initative seizing rules).
Commander's Blood and Tears Cost: 1 mote / die Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
No soldier will remain unmoved when they see a beloved leader injured- it spurs them on, even if they are being cut down like wheat, to struggle hard against unyielding fate.\\ The Exalt may opt to take a unit's injuries on itself- this spares the army some losses, at a personal cost. This Charm must be activated prior to the defense being rolled. They must buy all the damage from an attack when they decide to take this option. If they don't have the essence to do so, then the damage is applied to both the Army and the Exalt.
Banner Rallying Technique Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Clash Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Commander's Blood and Tears
Pulling survivors together around a glowing banner of the Sun, an Exalt can bring a badly injured unit back to peak effectiveness for a brief time.\\ The unit ignores wound penelties for this Clash, and will gains the Exalt's Essence in automatic successes on any rally attempts.
Sacred Soul of the Leader Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Clash Type: Simple Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Speedy Messanger, Commander's Blood and Tears
With a rallying cry, the Exalt charges forward, leading his troops from the front while still able to direct the whole of the battle as though in normal communication of the army.\\ For a Clash, the Exalt may act seperately from the unit while still maintaining control of it.
Heroism Encouraging Presence Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Battle Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Sacred Soul of the Leader
Those whom the gods favor are more resiliant, stronger, tougher and faster than normal man. They march where others would flee, they struggle on where others would pass out from terror.\\ Provides a number of bonus phantom -0 HLs equal to the Exalt's Tactics rating. They also gain a bonus defense equal to the Exalt's Permanent Essence for resisting supernatural fear, such as the Dawn Caste's Anima. Both benefits persist the entire battle.
Clear Sight of the Sun Cost: 3 motes Duration: One Clash Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
For a few brief minutes, the soldier is made as wise as his Commander. He sees the world with the same keenness of the Exalted, breathes the air with the same sharpness, and feels his blade as his leader. As one, the army becomes filled with blademasters.\\ Adds an Exalt's Melee to the unit's Accuracy for a Clash, no more than doubling it.
Golden Arms Cost: 3 motes Duration: One Clash Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Clear Sight of the Sun
As the Exalted are forged in the Sun, so is his army's weapons and armor retempered and improved. All of it glows with a quiet sheen of yellow and white, polished to mirror perfection. These weapons are supernaturally sharp and strong, laying ruin before them.\\ Adds an Exalt's permanent Essence to a unit's Equipment rating for a Clash, no more than doubling it.
True Gold of the Sun's Chosen Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Battle Type: Simple Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Golden Arms
Of the Five Magical Materials, Orihalcum is the purest. Gold refined to a strength greater than steel, it resonates with the purity of the Unconquored Sun's light. For the remainder of a battle, it is as though the whole troop were equiped with such weapons and armor- they are impossibly improved, and burn with an inner white-gold light.\\ Adds an Exalt's permanent Essence to a unit's Equipment and Training rating for the remainder of a battle. This bonus is cumulative with Clear Sight of the Sun and Golden Arms, but the Army's attributes may still not be more than doubled.
Intuitive Understanding Prana Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Enemy Understanding Prana, Clear Sight of the Sun
As the dawn of a day burns away mists and clouds, so does the glory of the Dawn's Generals burn away the fog of war. The commander perfectly understands the situation on the battlefield, including ambushes and traps he has no way of anticipating. This understanding is also shared implicitly with lieutents- they never miss an oppurtunity to stirke at weakness, nor do they march blindly into a trap.\\ Doubles the Exalt's attack successes for determinig damage.
Morale Shattering Charge Cost: 2 motes / die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Intuitive Understanding prana
With a single cry, the army of the Exalt surges forward, pressing against the enemy's weakest point. Men flee and faint in panic at the onrushing hoarde, as troop morale disintigrates into nothingness. \\ Convert one die of damage into a successful wound level. The motes of Essence spent on the Morale Shattering Charge must be spent before the attack roll is made.
Cloudy Day Defense Cost: 5 motes Duration: One Clash Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Enemy Understanding Prana, Clear Sight of the Sun
As even the Sun may disguise it's glory by wrapping it in clouds, so to can an Exalted dimish it's army's apparent power, leading the enemy into foolish attacks that gain them nothing.\\ The unit has a Persistant Defense for this clash. Against an army or an Exalt not using a Persistant Attack, they gain a free reflexive parry to every attack. Against a Persistant Attack, each success on the reflexive defense roll cancels one of the attack successes.
Concealed by the Fog of War Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Battle Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Cloudy Day Defense
Communication is vital to war, and this Charm confuses the enemy. The Exalted's troops seem to come from everywhere at once, striking and vanishing without warning.\\ The unit has a Persistant Defense for this battle. Against an army or an Exalt not using a Persistant Attack, they gain a free reflexive parry to every attack. Against a Persistant Attack, each success on the reflexive defense roll cancels one of the attack successes.
Heavenly Army of the Exalted Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: True Gold of the Sun's Chosen, Cloudy Day Defense
No man serving one of the Exalted need fall. No soldier in the service of the Sun need perish. No beast in Creation may harm those whom the Exalted wills not to be harmed.\\ The Heavenly Army of the Exalted is a Perfect Defense against any single attack.
Golden Porcipine Phalanx Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Cloudy Day Defense
The unit holds itself ready, leaving some obvious weak points for enemy commanders to exploit. In exploiting them, however, the enemy is opened up to a far graver counter-strike.\\ After a successful attack but before damage is rolled, the unit gains a counter attack. This charm may be used once per attack, not in response to counter-attacks, multiple times a round.
False Rout Retort Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Golden Porcipine Phalanx
Nothing heartens an enemy more than to see the foe scatter like the wind, fleeing before him. Even the most discplined troops frequently break ranks to charge a fleeing enemy- leaving them in position for a devestating counter-attack if the 'rout' is a planned and carefully organized retreat.\\ For the Clash, the unit gains an automatic counter-attack against any non-counter attack action used against them.
