MartialArts/FalseBladeStyle
False Blade Style
- by Telgar
- back to TerrestrialMartialArts
Background
Semi-compatable with Armor
Signature Weapons: Essence-Weapons
To use the False Blade Style the martial artist must have learned either Resplendent Shadow Blade, Glorious Solar Saber or (most commonly) Refining the Inner Blade. Without these Charms or an Artifact that emulates them, this Style is nearly impossible to practice.
Charms
Tempering the Blade</b>
<b>Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Special Min MA: 2 Min Essence: 2 Prereqs: None
Teaching himself to more fully understand the flows of Essence he forms into his personal weapon, the martial artist gains better control over the weapon created and can forge it more skillfully. Any weapon created by using one of the three Charms required by this Style gains a number of extra stat points equal to the Martial Arts score of the creator.
Without Leaving the Hand</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min MA: 3 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: Tempering the Blade
One of the first lessons learned in the False Blade Style is that the blade is an illusion, a simple shaping of violent intent. Once this is established, the form of the blade is immaterial. It can bend and stretch to attack whoever its master wishes. Attacks so enhanced can be made at a range of the character's Essence in yards.
Shaping the Blade</b>
<b>Cost: 1 mote Duration: One scene Type: Reflexive Min MA: 3 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: Without Leaving the Hand
Channeling additional Essence into his blade, the martial artist can enhance whatever aspects he finds lacking. Each use of this Charm increases a single stat by 1. This Charm can not be used more times in a scene then the character has dots of Martial Arts.
False Blade Form</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min MA: 4 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: Shaping the Blade
As understanding grows, the false blade becomes more an extension of the master. It becomes impossible to unwillingly seperate the weapon from its master's hand by any means. As the weapon loses material form and becomes a purer, simpler form of violence he attacks done with it deal piercing damage at all times and the martial artist can choose if his strikes do bashing or lethal damage.
This is a Martial Arts form-type Charm, compatable with any Essence-formed weapon and Essence-formed armor. Mundane weapons and armor are not compatable with this Charm.
Striking the Untrue</b>
<b>Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One scene Type: Simple Min MA: 4 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: False Blade Form
The attacks of a blade not of the material world are not bound to the material world. For as long as this Charm is in force, the character can strike immaterial beings normally. In addition the light of his weapon illuminates them plainly for all to see.
False Edge Attack</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min MA: 5 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: Striking the Untrue
As the enemy moves to parry or block a strike, he finds that the weapon he was defending against is no longer there. The False Blade Style does not depend on material attacks and normal defense techniques have little efficacy. The blade flickers from existance to bypass a defending object and slice into the target. This attack can not be parried.
Deadly Shattered Dance</b>
<b>Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Simple Min MA: 5 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs: False Edge Attack
Divocring the False Blade from its physical form totally, at least for a few moments, the character unleashes a strike against everyone within his melee attack range. A single attack roll is made and applied against all targets, who defend normally.
Treacherous Blood Essence</b>
<b>Cost: 5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min MA: 5 Min Essence: 3 Prereqs:Deadly Shattered Dance
In addition to whatever normal damage this strike would normally inflict, some of the martial Essence of the False Blade is transfered into the victim's body. A number of motes equal to the raw damage of this attack are tainted by the Essence. Whenever they are spent, there is a chance they will damage the internal flows of the target, resulting in terrible internal burns. Every time the target spends any amount of tainted motes, roll 1 die of unsoakable aggravated damage. This damage is not rolled for every mote spent, but for every time any number of tainted motes are spent. Uses of this Charm do not stack, a target already carrying tainted Essence will not gather more until it has all been purged.
Comments
Mmmmh... This seems more a celestial style then a terresterial style... But that's just my opinion. But that's not to say that a dragonblooded can't learn this style.
~ Haku
FourWillowsWeeping said that as well, but I don't really see where it's strong enough to be a CMA. It is a bit more estoic then I generally allow TMA to become, but I think the concept merits it. - Telgar
Pretty nifty. It seems Terrestrail level to me. Treacherous Blood Essence seems kinda nasty, in that, by using the raw damage, you'll pretty quickly taint your targets entire pool. It basicly translates to 40% change of a level of agg damage every time they use a charm. One could limit to "the max health levels that can be done per turn is equal to the attackers essence", but I'm not sure thats needed. Seems cool anyway. - FlowsLikeBits
I agree, that is a bit harsh. I made a note that uses of the Charm don't stack. No tainting their whole pool unless you have INSANE raw damage. - Telgar
Hmmm... A bunch of these Charms enhance the Essence weapon itself, rather than MA attacks when using it. Are these effects compatible with using the weapon in a Melee attack/parry? I'd probably go back through this and make it clear where effects only apply when using MA. For instance, can you put up Striking the Untrue and then use your mega-buffed Glorious Solar Sabre with your ES+HTT+1W2B+DSD+HGD combo? Do the defensive bonuses of Tempering the Blade and Shaping the Blade apply when you put up Fivefold Bulwark Stance? -szilard
If they're supplemental, they must be used to make MA attacks. I think this is standard rulings for Supplemental Charms. If they're scene-longs that apply to the blade, they apply to any use of the blade at all. - Telgar
I'd consider weakening Shaping The Blade, as it is cheaper than conventional attribute-boosting Charms (which cost three to five motes per dot), more flexible (increased Manipulation or Perception, for example, which seems very bizarre as a product of martial arts), and easier to use (reflexive, where most are simple). Nevertheless, a nice style...DeathBySurfeit
- I'm pretty sure that Shaping the Blade increases the stats of the weapon, not the user. -szilard
szilard is correct. I can see where a reflexive 1 mote attribute raiser would be overpowered, but this is a reflexive 1 mote weapon stat raiser. I'm very specific about my wording, but there isn't another term for weapon stats other then weapon stats. - Telgar
- Ah, um, ahem, yes. Henceforth consider myself a moron...DeathBySurfeit
So considered. - Telgar
You might want to switch the first two charms, to cut down on the "only get the first charm, which is really good" effect. Admitably, there is a precedent for this with TMA, but it's a bit extreme in this case, as the first one provides a permanant bonus. It might be good to require a little commitment to the style -FlowsLikeBits
I would do so, but the first Charm is so basic to the entire Style where as the second is really just tangental that I can't see swaping them making much sense BEYOND "I want you to buy more then one Charm." and I try not to make Charms or trees based on that sort of thing. I may create a more basic starter charm, I wanted 9 Charms here. But I don't think I'll swap those two. - Telgar
