MartialArts/WolfStyle
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Wolf Style Martial Arts by CrownedSun
Background
An Advanced School of Martial Arts utilized by the Dawn Caste, in the First Age Wolf Masters were often also accomplished Tiger Stylists as well – combining the two styles to utmost effect. The Style has resurfaced somewhat in the Second Age, though it is still quite rare. It focuses on taking down larger foes through cunning, intimidation, and pack tactics, as well as being a strong foundation of Martial Prowess.
It is commonly a second Style, rather than a first, however, due to its lack of many strong defensive abilities.
Wolf Style, much like the Immaculate Martial Arts, has a signature weapon that the Stylists commonly use, and which is compatible with the benefits of the charms. Much like Immaculate Signature Weapons, only Solars gain this benefit. The Signature Weapon for Wolf Style is a pair of Daggers, wielded in unison like the claws of the animal the Style emilates. When in the hand of a Wolf Stylist, the Dagger-pair inflict +1 to damage and have +2 to their Defense value. In addition, the character ignores any off-hand penalty for using two weapons with multiple attacks as he’s channeling the natural prowess of the Wolf.
All Wolf Style Charms are compatible with these Paired Daggers.
Wolf Fang Dagger</b>\\ Artifact <b>•</b>\\ Dagger, of various Magical Materials\\ Speed +5 Accuracy +2 Damage +3L Defense +1\\ Requires: Strength 2, Martial Arts 2; Commitment: 3 each
Wolf Fang Daggers typically come in pairs, and each dagger requires the same commitment. They can be used singly, but Wolf Stylists don’t gain their bonuses unless they are using a pair. The above statistics do NOT include the Wolf-Style bonuses (which finalize the weapon to +4L damage, and +3 defense), or Special Materials bonuses.
Charms
<b>Growling Wolf Technique</b>
<b>Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Ability: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
The character adopts some of the fearsome menace of the Wolf, adopting a slightly on guard stance and showing just a bit of teeth. This Technique is deeply disturbing and allows the character to add his Martial Arts score to a single Presence based roll for Intimidation.
Bristling Fur Attitude</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Ability: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Growling Wolf Technique
The character slowly approaches his target, growling lightly and holding himself in an attack stance, as if he was ready to strike out viciously at any moment. The attack does not come immediately, however, and quickly enough the victims fear grows. This charm adds the Wolf Stylists Essence score in automatic successes to a single Presence based Intimidation roll. This charm can be efficiently used to frighten an entire group, applying the results of the roll to all those present.
Raking Claws Strike</b>
<b>Cost:3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Extra Action Minimum Ability: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: None
The character gains an additional attack with his hands or paired daggers, which must be against the same opponent. These attacks must be parried separately, and each inflicts damage and penetrates soak separately.
Wolf Form</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Ability: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Bristling Fur Attitude, Raking Claws Assault
The character adopts the attitude and stance of an aggressive Wolf – low to the ground, hands held out like claws, teeth clenched and growling, circling slowly. A character in the Wolf Form can add his Martial Arts score to any Dodge or Presence-based roll focusing on Intimidation for the rest of the Scene. If he desires, he can make a Reflexive Dodge using his Martial Arts. In addition, he may match his Initiative with any of his allies once initiative has been rolled; this is free if the ally rolled lower than the character, or costs 1 mote per +2 to initiative otherwise. This is a free reflexive action.
One with the Pack</b>
<b>Cost:1 mote per +3 to initiative Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Wolf Form
The Wolf Stylist with this charm understands the advantages of Pack Tactics, and may drive his opponents back with aggressive maneuvers and feints, buying the rest of his allies time to join him in the attack. This charm allows the character to spend 1 mote per three points of bonus initiative. He may spend these points on a one-for-one bonus to improve the initiative of his allies so that it matches his own, allowing them to make a combined attack against a single foe. The character can only affect a number of allies with this charm equal to his permanent Essence score.
Herding the Prey Technique</b>
<b>Cost:7 motes Duration: Instant Type: Simple Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: One with the Pack
Wolves do not just work together, they work together intelligently; choosing to herd an enemy toward another, waiting, attacker instead of lashing out themselves. A Wolf Stylist takes this to heart, sacrificing his own attack so that one of his pack mates can take the foe down more easily.
In order to use this Charm, the character must be acting at the same initiative as another member of his pack, either due to Wolf Form or One with the Pack or a simple delayed action. Once this is accomplished, he and his companion attack at the same time but the Wolf Stylist doesn’t intend to do damage only make it harder for the enemy to defend himself from the attack. The characters Dexterity + Martial Arts roll reduces the successes on the opponents defense roll, leaving him open to attack. This charm only works against one defense, which is sufficient against any mortals. However, an Exalt with access to a different type of Reflexive Defense can activate it and use it without penalty if he has it available (i.e., if his Parry was ruined and he has a free Dodge charm available).
No more than two people can participate in this attack, and if the victim has additional defenses he can defend against any additional attacks without penalty.
Pack Mentality</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Herding the Prey Technique
The Wolf Stylists prowess with Pack Tactics further increases, allowing him to simply roll initiative for the entire group. He gains a +1 bonus to this roll for each additional pack member with a higher initiative value (Dexterity + Wits) than his own. The characters pack can number no larger than twice his Essence score, and the group must be able to communicate in some form in order to use this charm.
Wolf Mauling Strike</b>
<b>Cost:4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Wolf Form
Wolves are very efficient animals, and the goal of an attack is always to bring down an animal so that it can feed the pack. Toward this end, any method of attack is acceptable and a Wolf Stylist takes a similar view toward attacks against his own foes, striking at tendons and muscle.
To use this Charm, the attacker must make a successful Martial Arts attack against his opponent, which does no damage. Instead, the Stylist rolls his Strength + Martial Arts against the opponents Stamina + Resistance. If the Stylist wins this contest, the target looses one point of Dexterity. Though Wolf Mauling Strike inflicts no damage, its appears like a normal attack and is quite bloody. Subsequent uses of this Charm are cumulative, and a target whose Dexterity has reached zero is immobile and only able to crawl at a very slow speed; all attacks are at a +2 difficulty in this condition.
Exalts regain their lost Dexterity at the end of the scene, while Mortals are forever hobbled by this charm unless subject to some form of magical healing.
Shelling the Porcupine</b>
<b>Cost:5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Wolf Mauling Strike
Much like the Wolf must find a way to get at the soft meat of the Porcupines Underbelly, a Wolf Stylist has discovered a way to get past the protective shells of armored warriors that can dull any but the strongest of blows. This method involves a mixture of the wolfs ingenuity and raw essence empowered strength, enabling him to rip apart the individual plates and layers of the armor in a roar of rage.
This charm deals damage not against the character wearing the armor but against the armor itself. The character rolls as normal, but if he successfully hits the raw damage is compared to half of the Lethal Soak of the armor itself without the victims stamina added nor any other enhancements that he might have. Each level of damage that gets through the armor is applied to the armors soak value, as the Solar rips the armor apart with his bare hands and exposes more of the warrior beneath. If the soak ever falls below 0 the armor is destroyed and rendered useless.
Only a skilled craftsman with the proper tools can restore the soak value of any mundane armor, and this requires a good deal of time. This requires Craft 3, or 4 for destroyed armor. Magical armor that was destroyed can usually be repaired after the battle by anyone with at least one dot in Crafts, as it is much more durable and resilient.
Essence Fangs and Claws</b>
<b>Cost:6 motes Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Wolf Form
Wolves are equipped with sharp claws and a powerful maw full of teeth, while the human form is not really designed for hand-to-hand combat. A Wolf Stylist with this charm activated becomes more like the Wolf that he emulates, essence sharpening his fingernails and rendering him more easily nip at his foes with razor sharp teeth.
For the rest of the scene, the characters hand-to-hand attacks do +1L damage, or if he is using a pair of daggers he receives an additional +1L bonus to them on top of his Style bonus. In addition, he gains access to a new attack option: Wolf Bite! Wolf Bite has a speed modifier of -3, +1 accuracy, +3L damage, and +0 defense. Lastly, the character subtracts –3 from any multiple action penalties if he chooses to take a Claw/Claw/Bite attack routine. The exact order of the attacks doesn’t matter, but he can take no more than three actions and two of them must be barehanded or with his paired daggers; these can be attacks or defense. The remaining action must be a Wolf Bite and it must be an attack.
Terror-Inducing Howl</b>
<b>Cost:8 motes, 1 willpower Duration: One scene Type: Simple Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Essence Fangs and Claws
Head rolled back, the Wolf Stylist with this charm lets out a long chilling howl that brings chill terror to the hearts of all who hear it. All those who heard the howl must make a Valor roll.
If they succeed with at least as many successes as the characters Essence, the howl is frightening but they suffer no penalties. If they succeed but don’t get at least the characters Essence in successes, any wound penalties they suffer from are doubled (a -0 wound is increased to –1, and even Abyssals who are immune to pain suffer –1 if they’ve taken any damage). If they fail, they double wound penalties as above and increase the difficulty of all rolls against the Wolf Stylist by 1. If they botch, they instead increase the penalties against by the Wolf Stylists Essence.
Lastly, anyone who hears this howl will re-evaluate the progress of the combat so far and is very likely to flee if the battle is going against him. How hurried and rushed this flight is depends on how many successes he got on the Valor roll.
Cunning Predator Deception</b>
<b>Cost:10 motes, 1 willpower Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Ability: 5 Minimum Essence: 4 Prerequisite Charms: Pack Mentality, Shelling the Porcupine, Terror-Inducing Howl
Wolves are smart and sneaky creatures, but even they pale before the Cunning Predator in sheer skill at deception. The exact method varies from skillful feints to attempts at distraction, but whatever the effect it is enhanced by will and deception and extremely effective. The Wolf Stylist makes a single attack, which cannot be parried or dodged without a Perfect Defense charm being used. The only defense allowed is Soak, which defends normally against any damage inflicted.
Note: This charm traditionally involves the channeling of essence in a Solar-styled way, as it is a Perfect Attack, and as such costs two extra motes for any other Exalt attempting it.
