Charms/WillowsInfernalArchery
Infernal Archery
Thematically, most of these Charms break the rules of Creation, representing the Wyld origins of the Yozis and the power Infernals draw from them.
Charm Count: 11\\ Back to Charms\\ Back to FourWillowsWeeping\\ Back to WillowsInfernal\\
Intoxicated Shot
- Cost: 3 motes
- Type: Supplemental
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 2
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: None
The Infernal calls up power from his dark emotions, adding his Limit in dice to a single ranged attack. This is explicitly permitted to be in a Combo with Charms of other Abilities.
Time-Outrunning Arrow
- Cost: 5 motes
- Type: Simple
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 3
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Intoxicated Shot
The Infernal shoots an arrow so swift it lands before it is shot; it can only be blocked or dodged by Charms, and the defender's base dice pool for doing so is 0, as if he were being attacked from behind. This Charm can be invoked before the Infernal's initiative as though it were Reflexive, but it still consumes the character's action on his initiative. A victim can never die due to a Time-Outrunning Arrow; he will be reduced to his last Incapacitated Health Level instead, and for each HL in excess of this that the arrow would have done, instead promote one level of damage from Lethal to Aggravated.
If at the Infernal's action he does not shoot an arrow (because he is restrained, has no bow, etc.), the wounds caused by the Time-Outrunning Arrow vanish in a twisting impossibility. Mechanically, the wounds and any side-effects that those wounds caused are healed instantly and immediately, regardless of whether they were Aggravated or not. This doesn't occur if some other effect killed the victim in between the arrow's impact and the Infernal's failure to fire it.
There is no way to shoot multiple Time-Outrunning Arrows in a turn, regardless of Extra or Independent Action effects or split actions. As usual, two characters using initiative-trumping effects, such as two infernals shooting each other with this Charm, roll initiative against each other to determine which attack occurs first.
Yes, this means that Infernals using this can attack and abort to full defense in a turn, but in doing so they do no net damage. You can interpret this as you like it.
Many Mirrors Shot
- Cost: 3 motes per duplication
- Type: Simple
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 3
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Time-Outrunning Arrow
With this Charm, the Infernal bends space so that a single arrow strikes from many places at once. The arrow shimmers disquietingly in flight, casting a strange array of shadows. At the moment of impact, feathered shafts sprout from the target in several spots, then all but one vanish, leaving empty wounds. Mechanically, each attack must be dodged separately, or they must be parried as one - but it requires two parry successes to cancel a single attack die. It is not possible to both parry and dodge a Many Mirrors Shot; both can be attempted, but only the more successful defense has any effect. Resolve damage for each duplicate separately. The Infernal can make the arrow appear in as many places as his Archery score.
Thousand Thorns Disarray
- Cost: 2 motes per target, 1+ Willpower
- Type: Simple
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 4
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Many Mirrors Shot
With this Charm, the Infernal perverts space even further, striking many targets with one arrow. He pays 2 motes for each target, and rolls a single attack; the attack can be dodged mundanely, but to block it is as difficult as blocking a Many Mirrors Shot, and with the Infernal's new understanding of bending space, one target's block does not impede the other attacks. The target may attack as many targets as he can afford to, but to attack more targets than his Archery score, he must pay an additional Willpower point. All the targets of this attack must be in short range of the Exalt's bow.
Seven Bowstrings Chord
- Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
- Type: Extra Actions
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 4
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: Time-Outrunning Arrow
The Infernal, like the Yozis he serves, is of many minds; with this Charm he takes advantage of this, and fires many arrows simultaneously from a single bow, as though each flew from a separate string. The Infernal may make up to his Perception in extra Archery attacks this turn. The Exalt may not make any Social rolls in a turn in which he uses this Charm; his minds are occupied in preparing a flurry of merciless action.
Bloody Rapture Volley
- Cost: 7 motes, 1 Willpower
- Type: Extra Actions
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 5
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: Seven Bowstrings Chord
The Infernal unleashes his dark ambitions, allowing his corruption to speed his actions. He may make additional Archery attacks this turn equal to his Limit; all these attacks must be against a single target who has wounded the Exalt in this scene.
Moulting Swallow Method
- Cost: 2 motes
- Type: Supplemental
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 2
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: None
The Infernal causes a single arrow to shed its material skin; as he fires it the shaft explodes, and a bolt of malice flies toward the target. It is invisible, but its shadow can be seen racing across the ground. This is an attack with no material component, and it bypasses soak from armor. It cannot benefit magical arrows.
Arrow of Ill Intent
- Cost: 5 motes
- Type: Simple
- Duration: Instant
- Min. Archery: 3
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Moulting Swallow Method
With this power, the Exalt builds on the principles of Moulting Swallow Method, channeling turmoil into his attack. This Charm has the same effect as the Moulting Swallow Method, but the attack also adds damage dice equal to the Infernal's Limit.
Tenebrous Delirium Quiver
- Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
- Type: Simple
- Duration: One scene
- Min. Archery: 4
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Arrow of ill Intent
With this Charm, the Infernal learns to attack with his intent to injure alone, without the aid of material weapons. While the Charm is active, he can reflexively spend 1 mote (this does not count as a Charm usage) to create an arrow out of negative emotion; it appears as a writhing bolt of upsettingly-coloured energy. This arrow has a base damage of the Exalt's Limit, and cannot be enhanced by Skin-Shedding Method or Arrow of Ill Intent.
Ungraspable Bow of Zeal
- Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower
- Type: Simple
- Duration: One Scene
- Min. Archery: 4
- Min. Essence: 2
- Prereq Charms: Arrow of Ill Intent
The Infernal channels his dark emotions into his bow, transforming it into an eldritch weapon of strange power. It seems to flicker and twist, and trail patterns of verdigris and glowing mist as it moves; occult patterns skitter up and down its arms. The Exalt can distribute his Archery+Limit among the bow's Accuracy, Damage, Rate, and Range; each addition to Range adds 10 yards, while the others simply increase by 1. He may not put negative amounts in any stat. The Infernal must choose how to distribute his Archery dots when he learns this Charm (and whenever his Archery score increases), but can apportion his Limit freely. If his Limit score changes while this Charm is active, he must adjust a single stat up or down accordingly.\\ When this Charm ends, the bow ceases shifting form, but it usually settles into a form slightly different from the one that it began in. After several uses of the Charm, the bow will begin to become an expression of the Infernal's inner self and his connection to the Yozis; the weapon of an Infernal serving the Ebon Dragon might stretch into an ornate black daikyu, while the bow of a servant of She Who Lives In Her Name would slowly turn into an arc of glowing crystal.\\ A single usage of this Charm on a powerbow counts as a week attuned to the Infernal's anima, for the purposes of Taint. Powerbows of the 5MM will gradually change in shape and ornamentation just as mundane bows do, but their material will not.
Imposition of Flying Passion
- Cost: None
- Type: Special
- Duration: Permanent
- Min. Archery: 4
- Min. Essence: 3
- Prereq Charms: Ungraspable Bow of Zeal, some Craft Charm
With this Charm, the Infernal learns to understand the effects his subconscious mind has on his weapon, and manipulates his emotions to shape it into a more perfect weapon. He may freely redistribute all the points granted by Ungraspable Bow of Zeal each time that Charm is activated.
Comments
Imposition of Flying Passion seems too expensive to be worthwhile. Given that you're actually spending a lump of XP to buy the Charm in the first place, I'd allow an Exalt with IoFP to re-apportion the dots freely every time she invokes Ungraspable Bow of Zeal. - Quendalon
Fair enough. - willows
