MartialArts/StubbornYakStyle
Stubborn Yak Style
This style was pioneered by a rice farmer whose yak would not move for 3 days straight. He had a flash of genius, and developed an entire martial art around being an immovable object. His style became a relatively unknown, but well-loved favorite of those who hate all those freakin' high kicks and jumps and whatnot.
Signature Weapons
Being a largely defensive style, and valuing toughness and sheer bloody-mindedness, practitioners fight unarmed and unarmored. But they don't count hand and forearm coverings as weapons. They're accessories. (We're looking at you, cestii, smashfists, carapace gauntlets, Autochthonian hydraulic talons, etc.)
Charms
Toughness of the Stubborn Yak
Cost: 3m Minimums: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable Duration: One full day Prerequisite Charms: None
This Charm fortifies the character with Essence, giving them the endurance of a yak, and the patience of one too. For every 3 motes spent, add one to the caster's Stamina. Upon activation of this Charm, the caster decreases any penalties imposed by boredom or mental fatigue by one, to a minimum of zero.
Unyielding Mountain Stance
Cost: 3m Minimums: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Toughness of the Stubborn Yak
With this Charm, the practitioners of Stubborn Yak Style become as immovable as the mountain upon which the frickin' yak refuses to frickin' move. When this Charm is activated, add half the caster's permanent Essence to her Parry DV, and subtract it from their Dodge DV. They also receive 1 automatic success to Knockback & Knockdown resistance rolls.
Be Rooted In Stone
Cost: 3m Minimums: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Unyielding Mountain Stance
Having honed their immovability, Stubborn Yaks now stand as if their feet have fused with the ground, like their namesake's apparently have. This charm may be activated whenever the caster must make a Knockback or Knockdown resistance roll. The user of this Charm receives dice equal to her permanent Essence to the resistance roll, and cannot be knocked prone except on a botch.
Unbendable Arms of Iron
Cost: (Target's Essence)m per die Minimums: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK, Stackable Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Be Rooted In Stone
The caster may activate this Charm reflexively when making a roll to maintain a Clinch. By spending motes equal to her target's permanent Essence, up to her Martial Arts score in motes, she may impose a one-die penalty on her opponent's roll. This effect may be purchased a number of times equal to her Martial Arts score.
Millwheel Technique
Cost: 2m Minimums: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive (Step 5) Keywords: Combo-OK Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Unyielding Mountain Stance
Taking a lesson from the millwheel, which catches the water and throws it elsewhere, so does this Stubborn Yak catch the blows of her opponent and throw them over her shoulder. Along with her opponent. Whenever the character's parry reduces her opponent's number of attack dice below her Martial Arts score, the opponent must test for Knockdown as the character grabs them and throws them over her shoulder.
Stubborn Yak Form
Cost: 6m Minimums: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -1) Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Form-type Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Millwheel Technique, Be Rooted In Stone
This is the expression of a unified and harmonious Stubborn Yak Style. The Stubborn Yak becomes a bastion of stability and permanence, and could very well stay that way until the world ends or she runs out of Essence (Guess which will happen first). Mechanically, this Charm prevents the first (Essence) points of penalty from Stunning damage, as well as adding automatic successes equal to half her permanent Essence to all rolls to resist Knockdown & Knockback. It also adds dots equal to her permanent Essence to her Parry DV and subtracts half her permanent Essence from her Dodge DV, a bonus which is cumulative with that of Unyielding Mountain Stance.
Avalanche-Halting Defense
Cost: 7m Minimums: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4 Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Stubborn Yak Form
This Stubborn Yak is so fixed in position and resilient that even an avalanche will break on them as the waves break upon the shore. If they completely parry an attack, the attacker takes levels of Bashing damage equal to the character's Essence. This damage is not soakable. The character also adds his permanent Essence score to his Parry DV when parrying inanimate objects, e.g. waves, landslides, etc. This bonus is cumulative with that of Stubborn Yak Form and Unyielding Mountain Stance. This Charm also allows the character to spend motes equal to (the pre-soak damage of an environmental attack/her Essence) to parry environmental attacks normally considered unparriable without a stunt (e.g. waves, landslides, falling trees, etc.).
Avalanche-Redirecting Method
Cost: 9m, 1w Minimums: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5 Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms:
The masters of this Charm have such mastery over the redirection of force that they can even turn aside natural disasters. All unparriable attacks are no longer considered unparriable. In addition, if the character completely parries, the attacker takes levels of Bashing damage equal to the character's permanent Essence score and will suffer Knockback unless they succeed on a (Stamina or Dexterity + Athletics or Resistance) roll at a difficulty equal to the character's Essence.
Elemental Pole of Earth Defense
Cost: 8m Minimums: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5 Type: Simple Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: One Scene Prerequisite Charms: Avalanche-Halting Defense, Avalanche-Redirecting Method
This Stubborn Yak has achieved a level of resilience and immobility on par with that of most major geographic features. Such as the Elemental Pole of Earth. Or Nexus. Or Mount Metagalpa. Or freakin' Kukla. We're serious, these nutjobs are tough. Mechanically, this Charm renders the character totally immune to Knockback, Knockdown, Stunning, and any wound penalties greater than -1. Due to the weight of the Essence used to anchor the caster, they subtract one-third of their permanent Essence in yards from their Move and Dash actions, and cannot jump at all.
