MartialArts/ElderMantisStyle
Elder Mantis Style Martial Arts
By Thinker
Background
Mantis Style Martial Arts are very elementary, practiced by those who are not yet powerful enough to master Arts such as Ebon Shadow, or Tiger Style. As such those who practice it for self defense, often pair it with another style as they grow to provide them on offensive component to their abilities. Both these truths are reflected in the Elder Mantis Style, it is the only Elder Martial Arts style that does not actually require one to be an Elder to practice, Elder Mantis Style can be mastered by those who approach but have not reached Elder Status. It was a reasonable attempt to ape the Sidereal’s Secret Styles. Though it still lacks some of the polish and insight of the Sidereal styles of course, its form Charm was a cause for some concern by the Sidereal Exalted until they realized that it was inefficient and inflexible compared to similar Sidereal achievements (They thought someone might be giving away secrets!). These are not Secret Martial Arts Charms and all Celestial Exalted learn them as standard Celestial Martial Arts Charms. Sidereal who learn this style may take a little extra effort while learning it to adapt it to their Essence (Paying Secret Style Costs rather than normal Celestial Ones) they may then take advantage of the Student and Elder Sutra at the appropriate points in the tree. The Player would have to write the appropriate Sutra.
Charms
Grasping Charm Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: None
The character may invoke the Grasping Charm Technique against any blockable attack that is enhanced with Charms. When enacted the Character rolls a standard Martial Arts parry at their full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool, against a difficulty of their attackers Essence plus one for each Charm enhancing the attack. If this roll succeeds not only is the attack automatically blocked (This is a Perfect Defense) but the character may grasp the flows of Essence and suck them into themselves. Any effects that would normally be generated when someone parries do not occur and the Martial Artist may add a number of motes to their Essence Pool equal to the total number of motes used to fuel the attack, up to their normal limit.
Grasping Spell Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 12 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Grasping Charm Technique
The Character may invoke the Grasping Spell Technique whenever they are the target of a spell of any Circle. They immediately roll a Martial Arts parry at their full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool against a difficulty of the Essence of the caster plus the Circle of the spell. If successful then they are not subject to the spells effects, and they immediately break off and twist the piece of Essence and Will that was aimed at them. They may add a number of points of Temporary Willpower to their pool equal to that needed to cast the spell to the limit of their Permanent Willpower. The spell is not canceled and may effect other targets. This Charm cannot be used on standing effects, only those targeted at the character.
Locking Essence Technique</b>
<b>Cost:2 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instante Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: None
The Character may invoke this Charm as part of a Martial Arts parry. If the parry is successful then the character immediately commits the 2 motes from this Charm, and their opponent commits the motes they spent on any instant effects used to bolster the attack. Until the character ceases committing the motes for this Charm their opponent may not stop committing the motes they have been forced to.
Breaking Essence Technique</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Locking Essence Technique
The character may roll a Martial Arts parry at their full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool against a single attack even if it could not normally be parried. If successful then the attacker must immediately soak one dice of lethal damage for every mote spent enhancing the attack, with non-Armor soak only. They may employ a Perfect Defense to avoid this damage if they choose, however if they do then they immediately suffer the effects of the Locking Essence Technique if the character chooses to commit 2 motes.
Flying Soul Leap</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: None
The characters Essence leaps from their body, to make a single Martial Arts attack, taking on the form of a stylized Mantis as it flies through the air. The attack supplemented by this Charm may be made at a range of up to Essence x 100 yards. Damage inflicted by this attack is only partially physical, and therefore is not subject to effects that reduce its level or allowed it to be soak as though it were a lower level of damage. That is Lethal damage inflicted by this Charm, cannot be converted before or after it is dealt to bashing damage, Aggravated cannot be converted to Lethal, etc.
Leaping Defense Strategy</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Flying Soul Leap
The character poises themselves like a Praying Mantis ready to leap for the rest of the scene. In conjunction with an attack, dodge or parry, they may spring up to Martial Arts x 2 Yards as a reflexive action. If done in conjunction with an attack, it makes them difficulty to predict and react to; parries and dodges must remove a number of dice from their pools equal to the characters Martial Arts. Attacks must remove twice this from their pool unless they could still hit the character at the new range, and multi-attack combo’s may be broken unless the character is using a ranged attack.
Crushing Body Claw</b>
<b>Cost:7 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: None
Attempting to crush their opponent with a mighty application of force, the character emulates the Praying Mantis on the attack. The attack supplemented by this Charm doubles its raw damage after everything is counted and halves the targets soak.
Steel Claw Block</b>
<b>Cost:12 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One Turn Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Crushing Body Claw
Preparing themselves to incapacitate prey like the Praying Mantis preparing for a meal, the character brings the flows of Essence around them into an insect like alignment. For the rest of the turn anytime they successfully parry an attack against them, they automatically clinch their attacker (This is a Perfect Attack). A human sized Mantis of Essence leaps from the characters hand and assumes the position of holding down the target. The Essence Mantis exists as long as the target is clinched, and maintains the hold at twice the characters dice pools. The character is free to do what they want.
Unfailing Retribution Stance</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Essence Turns Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Steel Claw Block, Leaping Defense Strategy, Breaking Essence Technique, Grasping Spell Technique
Like the insect that reacts without thought, faster than the human mind can comprehend, the Character becomes a combat machine while this Charm is in effect. For their Essence in turns, they may make a Perfect, Undodgable, Unblockable counterattack against any attack they is leveled at them before the attack is resolved.
Elder Mantis Form</b>
<b>Cost:12 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 5 Prereqs: Unfailing Retribution Stance, Unfolding Retribution Stance (All of Mantis Style)
Assuming the Elder Mantis Form, the character harmonizes themselves with the basic nature of the Solar Martial Arts styles. Preparing themselves as have Mantis Stylists for centuries to pair their defensive art with a more aggressive one. While under the effects of this Charm they may activate and maintain up to two other Solar Exalted Martial Arts Forms at the same time. (Elder Ebon Shadow Form and Mantis Form or Ebon Shadow and Snake Form). This charm does not possess any special affinity for the Mantis Form, and a character wishing to invoke it must treat it as one of the two other forms they may possess. Activating any non-Solar (Animal based, including Ebon Shadow) Form-Type Charm immediately cancels this Charm. This Charm does not interfere with the other Forms abilities to harmonize with their lesser predecessors, so a Character could for Example invoke the Elder Snake Form, The lder Tiger Form, the Snake Form and the Tiger Form all at the same time and in fact this was the favored configuration of the master that created Elder Mantis Form, something he called, The Jungle Terror Strategy. Additionally while under the effects of the Elder Mantis Form, the character may make one free usage of Grasping Charm Technique, Locking Essence Technique, Flying Soul Leap or Crushing Body Claw each turn, though they must still pay the motes and willpower normally.
