MartialArts/SharkStyleRevised
Shark Style (Revised)
Background
Khatars may be used with any of the Charms stemming from Depth-Scanning Method
Charms
Depth-Scanning Method</b>
<b>Cost: None Duration: Permanent Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: None
The Exalted martial artist that learns Shark Style Martial Arts first learns to pay utmost attention to the incidental surroundings – because they can communicate changes in the battlefield. Purchase of this Charm allows the Exalt to concentrate at any time to discern his location, as well as large disturbances. Roll the Martial Artist’s Perception + Awareness at a difficulty dependent on the disturbance’s size and distance; sensing a battle on the next hill from the disruptions in the air and the smell on the wind might only be standard difficulty, while discerning one distraction out of an entire crowded shopping district might be at five or higher.
Foe Reaching Senses</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 2 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Depth-Scanning Method
Having learned passive senses of danger, one may also learn to actively pinpoint where his foe is, piercing through most forms of disguise. One use of this Charm allows the player to roll the Exalt’s Intelligence + Martial Arts to feel the traits of the enemy that will give him away – heartbeat, breathing rhythm, and others – which may be recognized later by paying the cost of the Charm again. If attempting to locate the individual while out of sight, a successful Perception + Awareness roll is needed to locate him, though it penalizes his Dexterity + Stealth roll a number of dice equal to the martial artist’s Essence.
Mako Power Prana</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Foe Reaching Senses
Once a shark’s senses reach prey, it is simply a matter of the shark catching up with them. The mako and its relatives can do this very quickly, and emulating the Essence inherent in their natures, the martial artist may gain this ability for a short time. Activating this Charm gives the martial artist a free sprinting action, which he may take as much or as little of for movement as he wishes. Note that this can also speed the Exalt away from his opponents before they act as well. There is only one caveat to using this charm – the movement must be forward. If the Exalt wishes to move back, he must circle around.
Prey-Shaking Technique</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Depth-Scanning Method
With a powerful twisting strike, the martial artist deals a blow that can easily knock his foes senseless. The Exalt using this Charm adds his Essence rating to the damage of the strike; furthermore, the wound penalties the victim receives from attacks enhanced with this Charm are increased by one die.
Shark Form</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Prey-Shaking Technique, Mako Power Prana
Imitating one of many oceangoing predators, the martial artist’s strikes are made with the power of a legion of hunting fish, inflicting lethal damage and increasing his damage dice pool by his Martial Arts. Upon hitting anyone, even if they do no damage, the martial artist may also discern a number of things about his foe, such as how powerful he is, what Charms he knows, how much life is left in him, and so on, discovering one trait per dot of Essence rating at each hit. This can even see through magical disguises and the stealth effects of Ebon Shadow Form.
Up-From-the-Depths Concentration</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 4 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Shark Form
By waiting in ambush, surprise can be made all the more deadly. The strike of an Exalt utilizing this charm has its attack successes doubled for the purposes of determining raw damage. The Exalt’s Stealth pool is also increased by his Essence rating, thus helping to hide the blow until the last moment.
Painless Serrated Incapacitation Method</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Up-From-the-Depths Concentration
Shark teeth are incredibly sharp; so sharp, in fact, that often times, unfortunates on the receiving end of a bite will only feel the pressure as his nerves are severed. Drawing upon the Essence patterns of the bladed teeth, the blows of the martial artist may inflict a deadly numbness on his foes. The attack is made as normal, but for the Exalt’s Martial Arts in turns, the foe’s dice pools are reduced by an amount equal to half the number of successes gained on the attack roll, as he suddenly becomes unable to move as well. This effect occurs regardless of the damage inflicted, and replaces the wound penalties of the character with its own.
Cutting Razor Hide</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Scene Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Shark Form
It is the lesson of some sharks that the hide can be a weapon as well as a source of protection. This Charm is patterned off that idea and implementation, and allows the martial artist to focus Essence into a blade shape, harming any who strike or grapple him in combat. For the duration of the scene, all who touch the martial artist take his Martial Arts in lethal damage, unless they use a weapon. Furthermore, he adds his Martial Arts to the damage of clinches.
Flashing Distraction Fins</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: Until next attack Type: Simple Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Shark Form
By moving his hands in a manner similar to the pectoral fin movements of an oceanic whitetip shark, the martial artist may create secrecy where there could be none before and fade from his target’s view, in an opposed roll of Martial Arts + Essence versus the target’s Perception + Essence. This, of course, then allows him to move around his target and take him unawares. Unless some kind of sense-freeing or enhancing Charm is used, the next attack the Exalt makes cannot be dodged or blocked.
Four Weeks Hunger Principle</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 2 Willpower, 1 bashing health level Duration: Martial Arts in Turns Type: Reflexive Min. Martial Arts: 5 Min. Essence: 4 Prereqs: Flashing Fins Distraction, Prey-Shaking Technique, Cutting Razor Hide
Sharks do not normally enter the so-called “feeding frenzy” muttered about by savants that half know what they speak of; it is, in actuality, a reaction to going a month or more without eating, though it is quite dangerous to be around, and as such, so is a practitioner of Shark Style who has dropped the comfort from his belly, as the saying goes, and entered a state of violent fury. While under the auspice of the Four Weeks Hunger Principle, the martial artist is just as much a whirlpool of carnage as the timid imaginations of those around him would suggest, and his acts a number of times every turn equal to his Essence rating, though only one of those actions may be used for defense; the rest are for attacks. Furthermore, the damage of the Exalt’s attacks is increased by his Essence. Wound penalties are a thing of the past, as is fear – intimidating an Exalt using this Charm is not possible. However, the blood fury can be sated, which occurs after a number of turns equal to the Exalt’s Martial Arts.
