MartialArts/NorthernTempestStyle

Northern Tempest Style

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This Martial Art is a favorite of the few remaining sentient Pterok, who find that its relationship with the Path of Clear Air suits them perfectly.

Weapons and Armor

As with all Dragon King styles, the Northern Tempest Style permits the use of armor. In-form weapons for Northern Tempest Style are the throwing blade, bracers of crystal bolts and thorn throwers, all of which are ranged weapons and may be used as such by this style. Northern Tempest Style favors no close-combat weapons.

Charms

Endless Vision Assault</b>

<b>Cost: 1mote/2 die penalty
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: None

The Dragon King stretches out his perceptions, so that the most distant target appears no further away than the closest – all are one in the Dragon King’s eyes.

When making an attack roll with a ranged attack weapon, the Dragon King may spend motes to decrease the penalties he suffers due to range. Every mote spent reduces the penalty by 2 dice. This cannot add additional dice to the attack roll; it merely reduces the penalties the Dragon King suffers.

Mountain Raptor’s Eye</b>

<b>Cost: 3 motes
Duration: See below
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: None

By taking a moment to focus his attack, the Dragon King may add his Awareness to his attack roll when making a Martial Arts attack. This focus requires an entire turn, during which the Dragon King may make only reflexive actions and may not move more than half speed. The following turn, however, all his attacks gain the Awareness bonus.

This counts as the Dragon King’s Charm usage for the turn on which it is activated, but not for the turn on which the bonus is granted. Despite the Charm's non-instant duration, Mountain Raptor's Eye may be placed in a Combo with other Martial Arts Charms.

Soaring Mospid Evasion

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: None

When dodging an attack, the Dragon King may leap up to his Martial Arts rating in yards in any direction. This is a hopping defense. Any character that cannot follow the Dragon King through a reflexive expenditure of movement cannot make a hand-to-hand attack against him again this turn (see the Exalted Player’s Guide, pages 201-202, for more on hopping defenses).

Though this defense is based on a leap, characters that can fly need not return to the ground after leaping, which was the primary use of this Charm for the ancient Pterok practitioners of this art in the First Age. Hand-to-hand attacks against flying characters suffer additional penalties, which might also prevent attackers from being able to perform follow-up attacks. See the Exalted Player’s Guide, page 201, for special rules involving flying attackers and defenders.

Northern Tempest Form</b>

<b>Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Endless Vision Assault, Mountain Raptor’s Eye, Soaring Mospid Evasion, Visions of Attack and Defense

The Dragon King adds his Permanent Essence to his Perception rating and to the dice pools of any dodges he makes. These extra dodge dice can be used reflexively, but cannot grant a dice pool on their own – the Dragon King must have declared a dodge action or have a reflexive dodge ability from another source to gain these dice.

The heightened senses granted by this Charm also allow the Dragon King awareness of attackers. The Dragon King may make a simple Perception + Awareness roll, difficulty 1, to avoid being ambushed. This is not a contested roll against the attacker (see Exalted, page 238, for ambush rules). If this roll fails, the usual ambush rules apply.

This is a Form-type Charm and is not compatible with other Form Charms.

Eyes of Winged Death</b>

<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Scene
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Northern Tempest Style

The Dragon King’s perceptions are such that he may clearly see the most deadly path for his projectile to take, and may use his Essence to guide his weapon along that path.

While this Charm is active, the Dragon King may ignore his ranged weapon’s Rate, using ricochets and clever angles to make as many attacks as he chooses. These attacks suffer the usual penalties for multiple attacks. He may also choose to have his weapon return to his hand at the end of the turn. This effect means that he need not use more than one piece of ammunition at a time, and will only lose that one if he should botch an attack.

This Charm is not entirely compatible with Extra Action Charms. If the Dragon King uses an Extra Action Charm while this Charm is in effect, the only benefit he receives from this Charm is the return of his ammunition, should he choose to do so.

Sight of Weakness</b>

<b>Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Scene
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Northern Tempest Form

Studying his opponent’s weaknesses allows the Dragon King unsurpassed understanding of that opponent’s fighting style. When the Dragon King successfully strikes an opponent, he may activate this Charm to make a reflexive Perception + Martial Arts roll against a difficulty equal to the opponent’s Permanent Essence. If successful, the Dragon King adds a number of dice to his Martial Arts rolls against that opponent for the remainder of the scene equal to the successes he received on his roll. This Charm may be activated multiple times in a scene, but the total bonus from this Charm may not exceed the Dragon King’s Martial Arts score.

Infinite Heavens Avoidance Method</b>

<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Eyes of Winged Death, Sight of Weakness

The perceptive Essence that flows through the Dragon King guides him away from danger, even when it seems impossible.

When the Dragon King is attacked by an attack that may not normally be dodged, he may activate this Charm to allow himself to dodge the attack anyway. This Charm specifically trumps applicability, but does not grant a dodge action on its own right.

Perception of Inevitable Triumph</b>

<b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Infinite Heavens Avoidance Method, Ancient Understanding

The Dragon King’s perceptions now extend beyond the immediate, touching lightly on the face of the future. Every shift and movement of his opponent is known to him, and the target’s doom becomes assured.

The Dragon King makes a standard Martial Arts attack, with a number of automatic successes equal to his Permanent Essence. This attack can be neither blocked nor dodged without the use of Charms. Any such defense begins with zero dice, just as though the defender had been attacked from behind.