MartialArts/FivefoldWayofBattlesStyle

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by David.
written for First Edition, with Power Combat

The Fivefold Way of Battles

A few Sidereal Exalted expressed that the use of supernatural martial arts has a "feel" comparable to that of manipulating the strands of Fate - they function around patterned, metaphorical, and ritualized manipulations of Essence. Focusing on this aspect of the supernatural martial arts, it was theorized that suffecient application of pattern, ritual, and metaphor with express intent of emulating the sense of fate-manipulation would create a sort of interface, a way to integrate martial arts techniques with the Charms of the Sidereal Exalted.

The Fivefold Way of Battles is a result of this experiment. When learned in the right environment, using the Colleges of the House of Battles as study aids and philosophical foci, a broader palette of effects become available to the student. The style can be learned as a conventional martial art, bypassing the more intense training, and greatly simplifying the instructional process.

Mechanically, this means that the Charms of the Fivefold Way of Battles can be learned as if they were Martial Arts Charms, or as if they were Sidereal Charms. Learned as Martial Arts Charms, they have no particular synergy with Sidereal Charms. However, a character who learns them as Sidereal Charms (at the experience cost the character would pay for Sidereal Charms) may Combo them as though they were Sidereal Charms. For the purposes of these Combos, each substyle is associated with a certain set of Sidereal Charms, and may only be placed in Combos as Charms of that Sidereal tree. However, when a character learning the Fivefold Way as Sidereal Charms learns the Army-of-One Methodology, she may freely Combo any of her Fivefold Way Charms with any of the Sidereal Charms associated with substyles that she has completely mastered.

Characters who favor the Martial Arts Ability may treat these Charms as favored while learning them as Sidereal Charms, but they use the cost for favored Sidereal Charms, rather than the reduced Martial Arts Charm cost. Chosen of Battles learning the Fivefold Way as Sidereal Charms always treat these Charms as in-Caste Charms, even if they do not favor the Martial Arts Ability.

Substyles

The Fivefold Way of Battles is organized into substyles - sort of miniature, incomplete martial arts centered around the trappings and ideology of the five colleges of the House of Battles. Once a character has learned Fivefold-Way Sight, she begins study of the substyles. She need only learn Charms from two substyles to reach the pinnacle of the Fivefold Way of Battles.

There are five major substyles - The Banner, The Gauntlet, The Quiver, The Shield, and The Spear. However, other substyles are quite possible. The oldest known text that discusses the Fivefold Way makes vague references to more refined substyles - The Spear Ascending, The Quiver Descending, etc. - but these substyles have yet to be rediscovered. Still other substyles could exist as well: though lacking the focus of the Fivefold Way's astrological basis, these alleged "lost substyles" may offer yet another step of breadth and power for more specific ends.

It is possible that a substyle could be learned separately from the Fivefold Way of Battles, using a different introductory Charm, different Form, and different pinnacle. However, the substyles are rarely if ever taught in this manner, as the primary purpose of the Fivefold Way is Sidereal Charm-synergy; an expansion upon the toolkit that Mars granted her Chosen. With these ever-darker times, however, the idea of teaching substyles as standalone arts is gaining some appeal to practitioners of the Fivefold Way, typically in the context of theoretical armies of Dragon-Blooded enlisted into Heaven's service. For such soldiers, the substyles of the Fivefold Way, taught as independent arts, could present a distinct advantage over some other Celestial-level Martial Arts, as such a style would be fairly brief, but potent and straightforward; easily grasped by the all-too-finite Essence-manipulation skill of the Terrestrial Exalted.

Charms

Posture-Type Charms
This style introduces Posture-type Charms. These follow the rules for Martial Arts Forms. Posture-type Charms are not compatible with other Posture-type Charms, and are incompatible with Martial Arts Form-type Charms from styles other than the style from which the Posture originates. Postures, though Reflexive in type, may only be invoked on the character's initiative, not before. These should be scene-length Charms, and they should cost between 4 and 7 motes. In styles such as the Fivefold Way of Battles Style, where Charms exist that allow the character to shift Postures at no cost, or don more than one Posture at a time, the activation costs of Postures should be consistent. For example, all Student's Postures in the Fivefold Way of Battles will have the same cost, while all Master's Postures have the same cost.

Weapons & Armor
There is no signature weapon for the Fivefold Way of Battles Style as a whole. However, each of the substyles has its own signature weapon. Once a character learns the Fivefold Way of Battles Form, she may treat the signature weapon of one of the substyles she has studied as the signature weapon for the entire Fivefold Way of Battles Style. Upon reaching the pinnacle of the Fivefold Way of Battles Style, though, the martial artist treats the signature weapon of each substyle she has mastered as a signature weapon of the entire martial art.

Mastery
Note that a character only needs two Master's Postures, each of which has only three in-substyle prerequisites, to reach the pinnacles of the Fivefold Way of Battles. Once a character has those dual pinnacle Charms, the Fivefold Way of Battles may be considered "mastered", for the purposes of a Terrestrial Exalt moving to another martial art, or for the purposes of a Celestial Exalt learning a Sidereal-level Martial Arts Form. In the case of Terrestrial Exalted, though, the Charms or substyles not already learned cannot be approached unless the character rededicates himself to the Fivefold Way. Celestial Exalted are free to go back and pick up anything they passed up on the way. In some Charm texts, you will see a reference to a substyle that has been "mastered". All this means is that the martial artist has learned the Master's Posture of that substyle.

The Substyles

The Banner, The Gauntlet, The Quiver, The Shield, The Spear

Student's Posture of the (Constellation) 

Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: (one Charm from the related substyle)

The Student's Postures of the Fivefold Way share physical structure, but each is learned as a separate Charm.

  • Gauntlet - The martial artist adds his temporary Willpower to his bashing and lethal soaks. Additionally, when the target of an unarmed Martial Arts attack attempts to parry or dodge, add the Exalt's Martial Arts score to the base damage of the attack.
  • Spear - When the martial artist declares an unarmed Martial Arts attack or parry, he may reflexively move up to his Essence in yards. This repositioning and the declared action take place simultaneously (though note that stepping out of range while parrying an attack does not nullify that attack, but may nullify subsequent attacks). Additionally, his expertise inflicts a +1 difficulty penalty on anyone rolling in opposition to a combat action made by the martial artist.

Fivefold Way of Battles Form 

Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: two Student's Postures

The martial artist's posture shifts with the tide of battle, readily engaging any threat in the most appropriate manner. When this Form is invoked, the Exalt automatically assumes (at no additional cost) one Fivefold Way of Battles Posture she knows, and once per turn the character can reflexively shift between the Postures she knows. Shifting Postures before her initiative incurs an instant 2-mote cost, but shifting on or after her initiative does not. Furthermore, the character enjoys a small benefit based on the Posture(s) she is using.

  • The Student's Posture of the Banner -
  • The Student's Posture of the Gauntlet - Used with the Fivefold Way of Battles Form, the Student's Posture of the Gauntlet allows the character to count 10s as two successes on the damage rolls of unarmed Martial Arts attacks.
  • The Student's Posture of the Quiver -
  • The Student's Posture of the Shield -
  • The Student's Posture of the Spear - Used with the Fivefold Way of Battles Form, the Student's Posture of the Spear increases the Accuracy and Defense ratings of the martial artist's weapon by 2.
  • The Master's Posture of the Banner -
  • The Master's Posture of the Gauntlet -
  • The Master's Posture of the Quiver -
  • The Master's Posture of the Shield -
  • The Master's Posture of the Spear - The Master's Posture of the Spear, in conjunction with the Fivefold Way of Battles Form, allows the character to add or subtract up to his Martial Arts rating from his initiative total each turn.

This is a Celestial-level Martial Arts Form-type Charm, and its armor compatibility is based on that of the Posture-type Charm assumed upon the Form's invocation.

Master's Posture of the (Constellation) 

Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: the Student's Posture and one post-Form Charm from the related substyle

The Master's Postures of the Fivefold Way, like the Student's Postures, are interrelated, but learned as separate Charms.

  • Spear - The martial artist adopts a stance of pure economy of motion, and he may take two fully independent actions, but still only has one Charm activation per turn. This Charm is incompatible with armor that is not part of the uniform of a military unit that the character serves in, and is a Martial Arts Posture-type Charm.

Army-of-One Methodology 

Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: two Master's Postures

The Master of the Fivefold Way is a legion unto himself! Adapting swiftly to the tide of battle, the martial artist gains a number of Charm activations each turn equal to the lower of his Martial Arts or Essence ratings. These additional Charm activations may only be used to activate Charms of the Fivefold Way of Battles, or Sidereal Charms from a constellation whose substyle the martial artist has mastered.

Additionally, the Army-of-One Methodology allows the martial artist to adopt two Postures at once. Upon the activation of the Methodology, the Exalt immediately assumes any two Fivefold Way of Battles Posture-type Charms he knows, at no additional cost. The martial artist may change what Postures he has active by whatever means he has access to. Normally, this means that the character must choose to terminate one, and then invoke a new Posture, paying its normal cost, and using his Charm for the turn. If the martial artist is also under the effects of the Fivefold Way of Battles Form, however, he may use that Charm's "shifting" effect.

Battle Evermore 

Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: two Master's Postures, Fivefold Way of Battles Form

(character is forever in combat - not sure precisely what this means in 1e. also some synergy effect with Army-of-One, probably going to move the virtue effect from Army-of-One into Battle Evermore, and make it only effective while the character is using Army-of-One. I'll be adding a prayer strip effect that requires Battle Evermore but enhances Army-of-One, to bring a sense of unity to the dual-pinnacle arrangement)

Walking the Fivefold Way

(suggestions on tactics for Fivefold Way of Battles practitioners)

Comments

Undergoing revision! - David.

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