MartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle
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It's a Celestial Level focused on permanent charms, starting at Ess 3 and going up to Ess 5 at the pinnacles. It's a big deviation from traditional MA's due to the whole "all but one charm is a permanent no-cost charm", so I'm hoping for mad compliments. That, or, you know, criticism. Anyway, the pdf is available here Effortless Master Style, because it helps show the tree well.
Effortless Master Style v 0.9
Celestial Level Martial Art
The Effortless Master Style was developed by an elder Sidereal frustrated by the regularity with which his Solar students could best him during practice. Even though he was obviously a far superior martial artist, every now and then a blow would slip past his defenses. Even though his mastery of Essence was far beyond that of his Solar studens, he would still find himself exhausted at the end of the day, while the sheer magical endurance of those students kept them going strong. When sparring with his Dragon Blooded students, his frustration increased as his inability to activate multiple charms without a great expenditure of effort gave them an edge. After some months of practice, the Effortless Master Style was born. Now taught only to those who have graduated his school and are worthy to begin educating their own students, this style is slowly spreading across Creation due to its general utility. This style is incompatible with armor, and all of it's charms have no effect if armor is worn. It considers all in-style weapons for any martial art the character knows as unarmed and in-style, even if the Martial Arts ability isn't being rolled.
One who studies the Style of the Effortless Master has integrated his arts into himself, and no longer relies on Essence to fuel his actions. To fight with such a martial artist is to find one's self exhausted before an opponent who needs no preparation, and no rest. Surely, a master of this style is invincible!
This style consists of 11 charms, varying between Essence 3 and 5, and is intended to be learned after one has already studied another style extensively. None of the charms in the style can be learned until you have already learned another Celestial-Level form-type charm, and you must have completely mastered a style before you can learn the Effortless Master Style's form charm.
Controlled Master's Fury
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 1 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: One Martial Arts Form-Type Charm
Over the course of his training, the Master has made thousands of blows, each unique, but always striving to have the greatest effect. Finally surpassing his own frail limitations, the Master's strikes hit with greater force, and pure intent. Any unarmed attack the character makes does 2 additional damage, which may be lethal if he chooses.
Sneering Master's Resilience
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 1 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: One Martial Arts Form-Type Charm
As he has made thousands of attacks, a well-trained Martial Artist has absorbed thousands of blows. As he trains those lesser than him, he scoffs off their blows, mocking their weakness. His body ignorant of lesser damage, the character's natural soak is increased by +2 Bashing and +2 Lethal, and he may now parry lethal damage unarmed.
Laughing Master's Intuition
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: One Martial Arts Form-Type Charm
Many young students are quick. Quick to anger, quick to strike, and quick to assume their superiority over an old man. Age and physical condition, however, aren't necessarily a good measure of one's speed. Laughing at those who would attempt to gain the upper hand and control the situation, the Master's initiative is increased by 3 in any turn in which a Martial Arts or Dodge action is to be taken.
Overconfident Student Rebuke
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Controlled Master's Fury
As the student trains, he too often grows arrogant. Under the tutelage of one such as the Master, his skills quickly increase, and eventually, his confidence will outstrip his wisdom, and he will require... re-education. This charm ensures that even those who are sure of themselves still have something to fear from their Master, as even the lightest of his blows sting. Anytime the character deals unarmed or in-style damage, he may choose to automatically convert one damage die to an automatic success.
Unfailing Master's Technique
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Controlled Master's Fury, Sneering Master's Resilience, Laughing Master's Intuition
Even on a bad day, the Master's skills do not fail him. Even in the worst of moments can he block the haphazard blows of the uneducated and untrained. He adds one automatic success to any unarmed or in-style attack or parry attempt. This does not create a pool if none exists.
Superior Master's Confidence
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Laughing Master's Intuition
As he sees the battle before his opponent acts, and as his skill far outreaches that of any opponent, how could the Master not be confident? His own skill pleases him and refreshes him, ensuring that a successful training session in the morning will only lead to a better one in the afternoon. The character gains 1m for every successful and meaningful Martial Arts action taken in a given turn, up to a maximum of the Master's MA motes per turn. An example of a meaningful action would be parrying a blow intended to harm him, while a non-meaningful action would be punching a wall with no intent to break it, and no real purpose to strike it.
Chosen Form of the Effortless Master
Cost: Varies Type: Simple Duration: Indefinite Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: One Complete Martial Art, Unfailing Master's Technique, Overconfident Student Rebuke
As the day wears on, the Master must train many students. He must assume many forms, and demonstrate many techniques. As he truly internalizes the way of the Effortless Master, he may shift back and forth between styles with ease, always ready to provide an example to all. When this form is activated, the character pays the activation cost for a given martial arts form-type charm he knows. He then gains all benefits and drawbacks of that form-type charm, as if it were activated. The essence spent activating this charm is not committed. The assumed form must have an Essence requirement of four or less. To switch between multiple known forms requires the re-activation of this charm.
Enduring Master's Ignorance
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Chosen Form of the Effortless Master
Master though he may be, a proper Martial Artist continues his training, conditioning his body to ever greater heights. While normal sparring and training can sometimes be debilitating to others, the Effortless Master can continue for hours, never stopping to rest. With the purity of Essence flows through his body, the Master begins to heal wounds almost as they are received, and at the end of every turn, he heals a number of health levels of damage equal to the number of times he was successfully damaged in that turn. The type (s) of health level(s) healed correspond to the type(s) of damage that he received that turn.
Prepared Master's Effortless Action
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Chosen Form of the Effortless Master, Superior Master's Confidence
The Effortless Master is ready to train at any time, ready to shift to the next student without pause. While other, lesser trainers reserve their Essence for only the best of students, or the most dire of situations, the Effortless Master is unimpressed by such things, as his abilities transcend such trivial limitations. When this charm is learned, the character gains a "Martial Arts Pool" containing (MA+Ess) motes of personal essence and (Ess-1) Willpower. These may only be spent activating MA charms or combos containing MA charms. This pool is automatically refreshed at the end of each scene, but may not be refilled through any other means, including stunts.
Unceasing Consistent Superiority
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Enduring Master's Ignorance
Reaching the pinnacle of his training, the Effortless Master is a sight to behold. All motions perfect and practiced, he is without mistake, and absent of error. On any die roll involving MA dice, he may automatically convert (MA divided by 2, round up) of them to automatic successes.
Effortless Expenditure of Effort
Cost: NMartialArts/EffortlessMasterStyle/A Type: Special Duration: Permanent Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Prepared Master's Effortless Action
At comfort with himself and his surroundings, the concept of Effort is now foreign to a true Master. While others struggle to control the energies within, the Effortless Master simply acts, and accepts. At the end of any turn in which the character expends more than one Willpower, the character regains one Willpower. If the character expended only one Willpower, roll one die. If successful, the character regains one Willpower.
Comments
Archived old comments at GregLink/EffortlessMasterStyleOldComments. Is this the proper place/way to archive old comments, or am I mis-interpreting BestPractices? -- GregLink
Made some changes to the form, otherwise, I think it's ready to go for round 2 of evaluation. Comments welcomed! -- GregLink
