Konpeito/SecondEdLunarsNowLunarHeroStyle

Lunar Hero Style

Lunar Hero Style is the natural fighting style of the Lunar Exalted. Used by others, it replicates not only the ferocity of the Chosen of Luna, but also their cunning in battle. Used by the Lunars themselves, it provides a natural synergy with their shapeshifting and becomes a formidable weapon.

Lunar Hero Style may be used with armor. Form weapons are brawling aids and artifact versions thereof (Smashfists, God-Kicking Boots, etc), and improvised weaponry.

Some of these charms are original inventions of mine, and some are charms from 1e Lunars converted to 2e. Anyone with familiarity with the 1e Lunar charmset will probably be able to spot which is which.

The objective here is to create a natural Lunar style that does not rely exclusively on shapeshifting, meaning that it can be learned as a martial arts style by non-Lunars like Solar Hero and Terrestial Hero can be.

Charms

Aspect of the Full Moon
Cost: 1m; Mins: Dex 2, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-OK.
Duration: Instant.
Prerequisites: None

The Full Moon caste was the caste of warriors, hale of heart and body. This charm enhances a Martial Arts attack, adding Accuracy +1 and Damage +2. The damage from this attack is lethal. The martial artist can also parry lethal attacks unarmed until his next action.

Aspect of the Half Moon
Cost: 3m/tick; Mins: Dex 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-Basic
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None.

The Half Moon caste was the caste of tacticians, those who studied the enemy and acted quickly to counteract them. This charm decreases the speed of the martial artist's attack by one for every 2 motes spent. No combination of effects can reduce the speed of an attack below 2 ticks.

Aspect of the Hidden Moon
Cost: 2m; Mins: Dex 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-Ok
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: None

The Hidden Moon caste were the wise men of the Lunar Exalted, who knew the weaknesses of their enemy and exploited them. This charm allows the martial artist to reduce the soak value of an opponent's armor by 1 for every two motes spent. This charm cannot reduce the opponents soak more than the martial artist's Dexterity, or below zero. Multiple attacks require multiple applications of this charm.

Aspect of the Waxing Moon
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dex 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Aspect of the Full Moon, Aspect of the Half Moon.

The Waxing Moon caste, lost in the wake of the Usupation, held the priests and courtiers of the Lunar Exalted. This charm remains in the natural fighting ability of all Lunars, a vestige of what once was. This martial artist activates this charm and rolls a standard martial arts attack. If the attack succeeds and at least one die of damage penetrates hardness and soak, the charm is successful, and the opponent is enthralled. His ability to distinguish between individuals is impaired, and a successful Perception + Awareness roll at a difficulty equal to the martial artist's Essence is required to successfully distinguish friend from foe. This condition lasts for (the martial artist's Essence x 5) ticks.

Aspect of the Waning Moon
Cost: 3m; Mins: Dex 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Aspect of the Hidden Moon, Aspect of the Half Moon.

The lost Waning Moon caste were the hidden hand of the Lunar Exalted, and this charm reflects their predisposition. It reduces the time necessary for the martial artist to establish or re-establish surprise, taking three ticks instead of the usual five as a miscellaneous action. Each additional use on a single target in one scene adds a +1 Difficulty to the Dex + Stealth roll.

Lunar Hero Form
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dex 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple.
Keywords: Form-type, Obvious.
Duration: Scene
Prerequisites: Aspect of the Waxing Moon, Aspect of the Waning Moon.

Embracing the centered totality of Lunar warfare, the martial artist becomes a twisting whirlwind of katas and strikes, confusing his enemies. This charm adds one to the speed of any attack directed at the martial artist, and adds his Essence to his Parry DV. The martial artist may also parry lethal damage while unarmed.

Twisting Surprise Counter
Cost: 2m; Mins: Dex 4, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Lunar Hero Form

The Lunar Exalted are blessed with godlike reflexes, and this charm proves the application of those reflexes in combat. In a tick where the martial artist and the enemy attack each other simultaneously, invoking this charm will cause the effects of the martial artist's attack to be calculated before those of his enemy. If the opponnet is either incapacitated or killed by the attack, his attack does not occur.

Whirlwind Devil Method
Cost: 8m; Mins: Dex 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: (Essence) actions
Prerequisites: Twisting Surprise Counter

Trying to pin down the Lunar Exalted, or trying to surprise them for that matter, is frequently an exercise in futility, as their protean nature asserts itself over the ordered attacks of their enemies. This charm eliminates all Onslaught and Coordinated Attack Penalties and makes it impossible to surprise the martial artist for a number of actions equal to his Essence.

Protean Vise Technique
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dex 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Varies
Prerequisites: Lunar Hero Style

Once a Lunar bites, it rarely lets go until the enemy is dead. This charm adds the martial artist's Strength in automatic successes to all rolls to maintain a clinch. It must be renewed on every refresh of the opponent's Inactive action.

Spine-Breaking Hold
Cost: 3m; Mins: Dex 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Protean Vise Technique

The Chosen of Luna are not only quick; they are also mighty. This charm duplicates some of this might. Having previously established a a clinch, this charm doubles extra successes for the purposes of damage, pre-soak, and makes that damage lethal.

Preemptive Counterattack Prana
Cost: 5m; Mins: Dex 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive.
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisites: Spine-Breaking Hold, Whirlwind Devil Method

The Lunar Exalted are quick and ferocious, able to hold their own against multiple opponents with their devastating reflexes. This charm is invoked after the martial artist has already taken his action and is awaiting a new one. When this charm is invoked, a single enemy is chosen who is also awaiting a DV refresh that will come before the martial artist's. The martial artist's DV will refresh and his action will now renew on the tick immediately preceding the chosen enemy.

Example: She Who Watches And Knows is engaged in battle with a particularly annoying Immaculate. She attacked on Tick 4, and will not see her DV refresh until tick 9. The immaculate, thanks to his jade loadout, is going to act on Tick 7, and he looks pretty keen on smashing. She Who Watches invokes Preemptive Counterattack Prana; her DV and action will now refresh on Tick 6.

This charm is very taxing on the body of the martial artist. It may be freely used in a scene a number of times equal to the martial artist's base Dexterity (ie, not counting Excellencies). The use after that will incur a reflexive Stamina + Resistance roll at Difficulty 4; if this roll fails, the martial artist loses his action as his body stutters and twitches from overuse. Each successive use imposes an additional +1 Difficulty to this roll.