MartialArts/HandsomeDevilStyle

Handsome Devil Style

• back to Stanoje.
• back to MartialArts.
• back to CelestialMartialArts.

These Charms were designed with the Power Combat rule set in mind. Flavor text is forthcoming.

Weapons and Armor

The Charms of Handsome Devil style treat attacks made with bows as unarmed. None of these Charms function in armor.

Charms

Early Days Euphoria</b>

 <b>Cost: 1 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Reflexive
 Minimum Martial Arts: 3
 Minimum Essence: 1
 Prerequisite Charms: None

The martial artist adds his Essence score to his initiative rating and instantaneously draws and readies any weapon he carries. This Charm may only be activated once per turn.

With Cruelty Most Intimate</b>

 <b>Cost: 4 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Martial Arts: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Early Days Euphoria

An attack aided by this Charm must be parried as immaterial and bypasses all armor that is not made from one of the Five Magical Materials or otherwise magical in nature.

All the Pleasure of the World</b>

 <b>Cost: 2 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Martial Arts: 3
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Early Days Euphoria

The Handsome Devil adds a number of damage dice equal to her Essence score to the raw damage of a ranged Martial Arts attack.

Handsome Devil Form</b>

 <b>Cost: 6 motes
 Duration: One scene
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Martial Arts: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: All the Pleasure in the World, With Cruelty Most Intimate

While this Charm is active, minimum damage isn't determined only by the character's Essence, but also by his beauty. The minimum number of dice rolled for damage from a successful and potentially damaging unarmed Martial Arts attack cannot be reduced below either the character's Essence or his Appearance score. Additionally, add the character's Martial Arts score in dice to any pre-existing parry attempt. He may parry Lethal and ranged attacks unarmed. He also adds half his Martial Arts score (rounded up) in dice to any seduction attempt incorporating his physical appearance.

Wind-Carried Razor Kiss</b>

 <b>Cost: 3 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Martial Arts: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Handsome Devil Form

A ranged Martial Arts attack accompanied by this Charm has twice its normal range. This applies not only to attacks with bows and thrown weapons, but also to Charm-generated ranged attacks.

Eager, Thrusting Lover</b>

 <b>Cost: 4 motes
 Duration: One turn
 Type: Supplemental
 Minimum Martial Arts: 4
 Minimum Essence: 2
 Prerequisite Charms: Wind-Carried Razor Kiss

By invoking this Charm, the Handsome Devil adds his Essence score to the rate of his unarmed Martial Arts attacks for this turn.

All Yield to Thee</b>

 <b>Cost: 5 motes
 Duration: Instant
 Type: Reflexive
 Minimum Martial Arts: 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Handsome Devil Form

The character may attempt to parry any one attack against him that he is aware of with a dice pool of his Appearance + Martial Arts. This counts as Martial Arts parry and is applicable against immaterial attacks as well as attempts to seduce the character and magical compulsions that make him fall in love.

Pretty Eyes Distraction</b>

 <b>Cost: 8 motes
 Duration: One scene
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Martial Arts: 5
 Minimum Essence: 3
 Prerequisite Charms: Handsome Devil Form

Anyone who sees the character is too overwhelmed by his beauty to fight effectively. Attackers subtract the character's Appearance rating from the dice pool of their attack. Characters with a permanent Willpower score higher than the Handsome Devil's Appearance may choose to close their eyes and fight with the usual penalties for blindness.

Dalliance with the Damned</b>

 <b>Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
 Duration: One scene
 Type: Simple
 Minimum Martial Arts: 5
 Minimum Essence: 4
 Prerequisite Charms: All the Pleasure in the World, Eager, Thrusting Lover, Pretty Eyes Distraction

For the rest of the scene, the character can retaliate against any attacker with an immediate Martial Arts counterattack made with his full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool. The counterattack happens after the enemy makes his attack roll but before damage effects are applied. This Charm cannot be used in response to any counterattack Charm. Also, the Handsome Devil can make a Martial Arts parry against any incoming ranged or hand-to-hand attack as long as the Charm is active.

Comments

I love bow styles. Thus, comments.

Early Days Euphoria - Very nice. Good feel, nice mechanics.

With Cruelty Most Intimate - YIKES! Don't you think it's a bit early in the tree for a mostly-unparryable, partly-unsoakable attack?!

All the Pleasure of the World - No issues here either.

Handsome Devil Form - It feels a bit weak, but I can't put my finger on exactly why. I like the Appearance minimum, but in Power Combat it's not likely to be much of a boost; even VBoS Form actually loses its benefit fairly quickly, and that's an Ability - much easier to raise than an Attribute. With the extra benefits, though... It's probably a bit too expensive, at the least.

Wind-Carried Razor Kiss and Eager, Thrusting Lover - Both of these seem to have the same problem - they are severely underpowered for their place on the tree. I'd strongly suggest swapping Eager, Thrusting Lover for With Cruelty Most Intimate (and raising the Essence minimum to 3 on WCMI, and some kind of WP cost to boot). Wind-Carried Razor Kiss should be cheaper, and possibly even include an out-of-Ability Combo provision.

All Yield to Thee - I really like this Charm - it's just quirky enough to work for me - but I think it's probably only worth 4m.

Pretty Eyes Distraction - This is like Snake Form, but with more prereqs and a lot more expensive and with none of the Form's other benefits. Though it might make the opponent lose a die or two more. Maybe.

Dalliance With the Damned - Personally, I've never been a fan of Martial Arts Charms that are Melee Charms in funny clothes, and this is obviously Steel Devil Style (note that the Power Combat version of SDS limits the counterattacks to your Essence per turn). Nothing that I can see wrong with it from a purely mechanical standoint (though I think you meant for it to have All Yield to Thee as a prereq, right?), but aestethcially, I would prefer to see something that is as original as the rest of the style is.

All in all, I like the idea here and some of the execution, but I think there's still some work to be done. Looking forward to a second draft! - Hapushet