David./WorkInProgress

This is meant to be a Terrestrial-level martial art, compatible with no armor, and with straight swords. I've yet to name the style, obviously.

This Style features Stance-type Charms. They are not unlike Form-Charms in that a character cannot normally use more than one Stance at a time. These Stances are incompatible with any Martial Arts Form save the Form Charm for this Style. Stance Charms, while Reflexive in type, may only be invoked on the martial artist's initiative.

My current plan for the tree involves three or four student techniques that are the prerequisites to each Stance. Each Stance will then have one following Charm, and the Form will require three Stances. The pinnacle will require the Form and three of the other Charms that immediately follow Stances. Also, borrowing a page from Crimson Pentacle Blade Style, martial artists will have a favored Stance (chosen when the Form is learned), and will enjoy an artificial specialty while using that Stance. The martial artists have different titles, depending on which Stance they favor. More on that after I actually finish the Style.

Also, the Style might need a name.

Lotus Blossom in the Breeze Stance

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Until Abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: 

This smooth, elegant Stance takes its name from the training technique it evolves from, in which the student must balance a lotus blossom on the tip of his finger or sword while parrying attacks. While this Charm is active, the character may roll a martial arts block with his full dice pool against any percieved hand-to-hand attacks. The character must dedicate an action to this defense, though. The martial artist may split his dice pool, dedicating one action to this Charm, and using the other actions for other purposes, but the parries use the base dice pool for that action. Characters who split their dice pool only enjoy the parries from this Charm against attacks that occur on or after the martial artist's initiative, but the martial artist can abort his action (not unlike aborting to a normal parry) to dedicate himself fully to this Charm's effects for a turn.

Blue Storm Weaving Stance

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Until Abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: 

This Stance is so fluid and graceful that the martial artist seems to be moving slower than normal, but acting with supple swiftness. While using the Blue Storm Weaving Stance, the Exalt reduces multiple action penalties by his permanent Essence rating.

Whirlwind in the Thorntree Stance</b>

<b>Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Until Abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: 

This Stance is swift and powerful, as the martial artist lunges and darts this way and that. Hand-to-hand attacks against the martial artist suffer a difficulty increase equal to the martial artist's permanent Essence rating. Ranged attacks are less impeded, suffering a difficulty penalty equal to half of the character's permanent Essence rating, rounded down.

Cold Wind from North and South Stance

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Until Abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: 

The martial artist moves with airy grace or stormy ferocity, striking firm, fast blows or making attacks that weave around the offered defense. When the Exalt makes a martial arts attack, he may subtract his permanent Essence rating in dice from either his target's defense dice pool. This penalty can reduce the target's defense dice pool to 0 before the use of Charms.

Cloud and Thunder Stance

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Until Abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: 

The Cloud and Thunder Stance is distinctively solid and sure in motion, lacking the fluidity of the Lotus Blossom in the Breeze Stance and the swift ferocity of the Lightning Strikes Twice Stance. For the duration of this Charm, the Exalt gains a bonus to the base damage of his unarmed attacks equal to his Martial Arts score. This bonus explicitly applies only to unarmed attacks, not to attacks made with the signature weapon. Additionally, the penalty for multiple actions is reduced by 1 for unarmed attacks and blocks.

Comments

Interesting stuff. I like the idea of the multiple Stances; there's no reason not to muck about like this with Terrestrial styles, as any sensei designing a style other than Five-Dragons would necessarily tend towards the exotic in their interests. I'll note that, at first glance, these Charms seem pretty strong for a secular Terrestrial style, though I'll leave detailed analysis to those better suited to it (and more awake than I am at this time.) ;)

For a name, how about Five Winds Master the Sky Style, or just Five-Winds Style? - Quendalon

Hmm. Yeah, they may be a bit strong. I've set this project aside for the time being and intend to look back on them after I've put energy into other ideas. Hopefully I'll have a better grasp on an appropriate power level by then. ;) I'm glad you like the Stance idea, though. - David.