LunarsAreFine/Combos
- Back to LunarsAreFine/Combat
Combos
Lunars Combo quicker and easier than their Solar cousins. Part of the reason is the ability restriction has been lifted - you can Combo any compatible Instant Charms without worrying about whether they all come from Dexterity or not. In trade, Lunar Charms sometimes have restrictions about what Combos they can be part of.
In practice this means more Lunar Combos, but also many potential Combos that are less OBVIOUS. Solar Melee Combos, for example, pretty much write themselves, while many potent Lunar Combos must be discovered.
Also, some Lunar Charms work best (or are ONLY practical) in Combos. The value of this is disputed; see the LunarsAreFine discussion.
Example Combos
A basic one: Irresistable Storm Attack and Foot-Trapping Counter. ISA attacks (Essence) targets within the Lunar's movement, and each one has the option of backing off from an attack. Any targets that don't back off give the Lunar bonus dice to attack them. BUT, Foot-Trapping Counter makes it very hard for an opponent to back away. The net effect of this is that you can get bonus dice against several opponents for a much cheaper Essence investment.
-- BillGarrett
A note: offensive Comboes are assumed to need some reflexive defense Charms added. Look at Snake Body Technique, the parry Charms (initiative restrictions and all), and at combining Unmoving Bear Defense, stunts, and Bending Before the Storm to buy dodge dice, get more for stunting, and then converting them all to automatic succeses.
Base Combo: Snake Body Technique + Bending Before The Storm; Recommended Additions: Bending Before The Storm, Unmoving Bear Defense, and Running Through The Herd 5 Charms needed, all Full Moon. Can reflexively dodge Melee or MA attacks at full pool, and buy up to Dexterity in automatic successes. Extra successes on defense roll are added to base damage of attack, which is applied directly to the attacker. This is not a counterattack-- there is no defense roll. Against other kinds of attacks, can still use action or other defensive Charms added to the Combo to defend. Suggested additions include Bending Before The Storm and Unmoving Bear Defense, or at higher xp levels, Running Though The Herd. Recommended for high-Dex dodge-focused Lunars-- with Comboes in this vein, the Lunar can for multiple turns become an evil dodging machine that spits attacks back out at other people and is very hard to hit without undodgeables.
Note that, since all the Charms included are reflexive, any part of this Combo could be added to an offensive Combo, allowing use of these defenses while also employing offensive magic.
Base Combo: Tyrant Lizard Strike + Deadly Claw Blow; Recommended Additions: Other Supplementals) 4 Charms needed, all Full Moon. Can add successes to unarmed Brawl or MA attacks for 3 motes/succcess-- highly recommended for high-Dex Lunars. Don't go throwing it at active-defense happy Celestials, but a useful starting beginner's Combo for smacking around demons and Dragon-Blooded and being able to wipe out mortals quickly when outnumbered by lesser foes. (For the twinks: at Essence 3, it is possible to roll the statistical equivalent of 40+ dice before stunts and Virtue channels-- a number of attack dice at which even defense-maxed Essence 3 [non-Water Immaculate] Terrestrials go "meep". The number gets higher if you're using PC and use Strength to initiate clinches.) If you're higher-xp, add some nasty other Supplementals you may have learned, like Adder Fang Method, Subduing the Honored Foe (unconscious opponents are as often as good as dead ones), Angry Rhino Charge (so are prone ones), Door-Breaking Method (smashy smashy), or even Weapon-Snatching Coils (yoink! what daiklaive?)
Base Combo: Knowing Weapon Technique + Tiger Claw Swat; Recommended Additions: Monkey Paw Advantage 3 Charms needed, all Full Moon. May buy pre-soak damage by 1 and increase difficulty to parry by 3 for every three motes spent (max diff. increase=Strength). May convert post-soak damage dice to automatic successes for 3 motes/die. A good beginning Combo for obliterating parrying defenders-- avoid use against strong dodgers or Celestials. If you want, add Monkey Paw Advantage, and any parry successes that get through without successfully defending will only give you extra attacks.
Base Combo: Eagle Eye Advantage + Burning Saliva Attack; Recommended Additions: Wind Wings Carry Technique, replacing Burning Saliva Attack with either of its subsequent Charms 5 Charms needed, 4 Full Moon, 1 No Moon. Make the unblockable attack granted by Burning Saliva Attack, convert up to Dexterity to automatic successes. For use against those who can't put up great numbers of dodge dice. At high xp, add Wind Wings Carry Technique to extend range, or use Cobra Eye Method instead of Burning Saliva Attack.
Base Combo: Eagle Eye Advantage + Lightning Stroke Attack; Recommended Additions: Deadly Assassin's Shot 6 Charms needed, 3 No Moon, 3 Full Moon. Make an unblockable, undodgeable ranged attack, and convert dice to automatic successes while you're at it. At high xp, add Deadly Assassin's Shot and start buying automatic damage successes. With the proper build, there's not a lot you can't kill except Solars.
Base Combo: Deadly Beastman Transformation + Monkey Arm Style; Recommended Additions: any unarmed attack charms 3 charms needed, 3 Changing Moon. Changing shape into an animal is a simple action, but Deadly Beastman and changing into your totem animal (Finding the Spirit's Shape) are instant reflexives, making them comboable. Combined with the more advanced attack charms, this can be used to make devistating surprise attacks. This particular combo isn't quite so devistating, but is easily within the reach of starting characters, and would sure be surprising. - Wordman
Comments
TMOS, do you think we should move these Combos over to Combos/LunarCombos, link there, and leave the general combo-building guidelines in? -- BillGarrett
