IsawaBrian/SolarInvestigationSocialCombat
First Edition and Conversions
Brilliant Insight
Cost: 1 mote per die Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Investigation: 1 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
For a brief moment, the character’s perceptions stretch beyond the normal, and her mind makes powerful intuitive leaps. For each mote spent on this Charm, add one die to the Solar’s Attribute + Investigation dice pool. This cannot more than double the Solar’s Attribute + Investigation dice pool.
In Second Edition, this Charm works very differently:
Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation: 4, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Social Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms:Any Investigation Excellency
The cunning questions of a Lawgiver are difficult at best to evade. The beauty of a famous courtesan will avail him not against the Solar’s wondrous insights, and no matter how many fellow dancers he arrays against the Lawgiver, she shall not be distracted from her questioning. Remove all penalties except for wound and multi-action to a single Investigation social attack. This never includes DV
Despair of the Fair Folk
Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Investigation: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Judge’s Ear Technique
A Solar’s mind is a powerful thing, and very few beings can conceal the truth from him. If a Solar with this Charm is aware- or believes- that his mind is being fooled, he can attempt to break the illusion by activating this Charm and making a reflexive Perception + Investigation roll. The difficulty of this roll will either be the number of successes rolled for the illusion or the permanent Essence of the illusion’s creator, whichever is higher. If this is successful, the illusion is has no affect on the character. This Charm may be used as a reflexive defense against Glamour powers, Glamour-forged Weapons, or any attack made by a Wyld entity such as a Fae. If this defends successfully against a Glamour-forged Weapon, it may not ever hurt this character again- it will simply pass through. This counts as a parry.
This Charm functions differently in Second Edition. See below.
Illusion-Shattering Technique
Cost: 3 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Investigation: 3 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Despair of the Fair Folk
Now the character may not be challenged by the unreal. She may prevent any one illusion from affecting her. Once she is aware of its nature as an illusion, she will always be aware of it- illusory animals cannot harm her, glamour-forged weapons will pass through her, and so on. This may also be used as a perfect defense against Glamour Powers, the attacks of Fae and similar Wyld creatures, and so on.
This Charm functions differently in Second Edition. See below.
An End to Deception
Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Investigation: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Illusion-Shattering Technique
With a powerful burst of Essence and will, the character utterly destroys one illusion. Glamour-forged weapons shatter, illusory walls disappear, etc. This will not kill Fair Folk, Wyld Creatures, or sapient illusions instantly; instead, roll the character’s Intelligence + Investigation, with a number of automatic successes equal to her Essence + Perception. The resulting successes are applied as lethal damage to the target. Only a perfect defense will shield against this attack. This will not harm someone who has an illusion on them, unless it is glamour somehow sustaining life. This will function as an attack on characters or entities lost in the Sea of the Mind, but they may expend Virtue for perfect defenses.
In Second Edition, this Charm is Obvious and Combo-Ok. It has a Speed of 5 ticks and no DV penalty.
Second Edition
Liar's Bane
Cost: 3m; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive (Step 2) Keywords: Combo-OK, Social Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency
The Solar's keen insight gives him the ability to shrug off the imprecations and arguments of others, no matter how far he has been lead down a conversational trap. This Charm is used in response to a social attack, allowing the Exalt to ignore all penalties that apply to his Investigation-based Parry MDV, not including inapplicability. This Charm is especially efficacious against attacks that are based on lies or deception (storyteller's call); against such attacks, if the storyteller permits, the character may spend an extra 1m reflexively to add his Essence to his Parry MDV against such a social attack. If the defense is successful, the character will learn what, if any, outright lies were used, though not what the truth is.
Despair of the Fair Folk
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 2; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Liar's Bane
A Solar’s mind is a powerful thing, and very few beings can conceal the truth from her. If a Solar with this Charm is aware- or believes- that her mind is being fooled, she can attempt to break the illusion by activating Liar's Bane and rolling Essence + Investigation against the Essence + applicable Ability of the one casting the illusion. A success will negate the illusion. Liar's Bane may now also be used for an additional 1m cost to negate all penalties to a mental or physical DV that is used to defend against an illusion, Glamour powers, Glamour-forged Weapons, or any attack made by a Wyld entity such as a Fae. If this defends successfully against a Glamour-forged Weapon, it may not ever hurt this character again- it will simply pass through.
Illusion-Shattering Technique
Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2) Keywords: Combo-OK, Social Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Despair of the Fair Folk, Judge's Ear Technique
The Solar's insight becomes transcendent for a single moment giving him a total accounting of the motivations and intents of another's attempts to manipulate him. Against any expected social attack, the Solar defends perfectly, even if that attack would ordinarily be unblockable. This also perfectly defends against/ends ongoing Compulsion, Servitude, Total Control, or similar mind control effect. Nor may the character be challenged by the unreal. If faced with an illusion or illusory foe, the Lawgiver may instead prevent any one illusion from affecting him. Once he is aware of its nature as an illusion, he will always be aware of it- illusory animals cannot harm him, glamour-forged weapons will pass through her, and so on. This may also be used as a perfect defense against Glamour Powers, the attacks of Fae and similar Wyld creatures, and so on. This Charm has one of the Four Flaws of Invulnerability common to all Solar perfect defenses, suitably adjusted for Social Combat.
Finding the Harsh Truth
Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 1; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Crippling Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency
A Solar's interrogation can leave the weak-minded sweating, distracted, and confused-- weakened to further influence. By making an especially harsh investigative attack, the Solar can cause mental anguish in a target. This Charm may be activated when the character makes an Investigation social attack designed to ferret the truth or information from a target. If the attack succeeds, her player rolls a number of dice equal to the successes she has in excess of the target's MDV. Apply an internal penalty equal to the successes from this roll to the target's Social Attribute dice pools and one point per success from the equivalent static ratings. This is a Crippling effect that lasts for the remainder of the scene.
Subtle Interrogation Technique
Cost: 4m; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Social Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Any Investigation Excellency
Although Solar power is often overwhelming, it can be useful for a Chosen to be more subtle from time to time. As talented interlocutors, Solars can manipulate their words so as to disguise their intent to draw out information or truth from their subject. This Charm is used to hide an Investigation social attack designed to gather information or force the subject to tell the truth, making it appear as though the Solar did not ask a question, or as though the question came from another source in a group conversation.
Anyone paying attention to the Solar-- including the target-- must make a Wits + Awareness roll and garner a number of successes equal to the Solar's permanent Essence to notice that the social attack was made by the Solar. This requirement decreases by one each additional time this Charm is used by the Solar during a scene. Those who fail to achieve sufficient successes or who are not paying attention in the first place will be completely fooled; the Solar's interrogation will seem like pleasant, ordinary conversation, virtually unrelated to the topic. If there is a group of individuals engaged in social discourse (not necessarily combat) the Solar can lay 'blame' for the attack in a general direction, but, unless there is only one other person, not on a specific individual.
Crushing Inquisition Barrage
Cost: 6m; Mins: Investigation 3, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Social Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Crafty Observation Technique
Faced with evasive or recalcitrant subjects a Solar can draw upon the magnificent weight of her august mandate and bear down on upon them, unleashing an inexorable barrage of questions and interrogations that will brook no interference, no evasion, and no deflection. Only a stubborn, total will can possibly withstand this questioning. This Charm supplements an Investigation-based social attack aimed at forcing the truth from the subject or garnering information from him. It renders the subject's Parry MDV inapplicable against this attack, and doubles the Lawgiver's successes on the attack roll during Step 3, prior to the application of a defense, if any.
Ten Magistrate Eyes
Cost: 2m, 1 wp; Mins: Investigation 5, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental Keywords: Combo-OK, Social, Obvious Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Brilliant Insight
The eyes of the Solar bear down upon those facing his questioning, and drive into the questioned target’s soul. The weight of this righteous inquisition feels like the stare of many magistrates, beating into the target’s consciousness and making their answers inevitable. This Charm augments an Investigation-based Social Attack. Resolve the attack normally, but if the attack would have deflected normally or “miss”, then it scores through and the target must suffer the normal effects of the social attack. If this Charm is used in a Combo or otherwise combined with effects that depend on threshold successes, consider this Charm to have given the character 0 threshold successes, unless 1 would be necessary for any effect. This Charm may only be used in social combat and does not effect searching, research, or any other use; for that, see Ultimate Mastery of (Investigation Specialty) or Supreme Perfection of Investigation.
Impeccable Lawgiver's Defense
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Judge's Ear Technique
The power of truth gives strength to a Solar, allowing her to disregard any attempt to convince or subvert her by means of deception. This Charm modifies its prerequisite. If the Exalt is subject to an attack is depends upon deliberate falsehoods or half-truths which have been recognized, the player may opt to spend 2 motes to enhance her character's defense against that attack. If the attack is based on lies, the character perfectly defends against the attack, even if a parry MDV would normally be inapplicable. If the attack is based on deliberate half-truths, this expenditure only grants the Solar a bonus to DV equal to (the Solar's permanent Essence), but still allows the character to apply her Investigation Parry MDV to an otherwise unblockable social attack.
At Essence 5, the Impeccable Lawgiver's Defense refines both normal and modified uses of Judge's Ear Technique, allowing the character to know and understand when a target or attacker is unknowingly stating things that are objectively (judged by the Storyteller) false, though it will not provide the truth.
Inexorable Solar Inquisitor
Cost: --; Mins: Investigation 4, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Irresistible Questioning Technique
Although minds are capable of great resilience, the mandate of the Lawgivers is clear: ultimate authority. No one may become inured to their questioning, save by sheer force of will alone. This Charm modifies its prerequisite and similar charms, enhancing their ability to be used repeatedly on the same subject. Targets no longer gain bonuses to their MDV to avoid truthfully answering the Solar when Irresistible Questioning Technique and similar Charms have been used more than once during a Story.
