SolarAthletics/Madwand

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Strong Swimmer Technique</B>

 <B>Cost:  3 motes
 Duration:  One hour
 Type:  Simple
 Minimum Athletics:  3
 Minimum Essence:  2
 Prerequisite Charms:  None

With this Charm, a Solar becomes perfectly at home in the water. The Exalt suffers no penalties to his actions due the effects of water, including water-based attacks or spells. The pressures of the depths or the cold of frigid norther waters likewise do not affect him. The Exalt may swim underwater as easily as he walks or runs on land, moving at the same speed as he can on level ground. The Exalt may also hold his breath indefinitely while underwater, and speak normally through his closed mouth. Any equipment carried by the Exalt will remain unaffected by the water, and he will emerge from any dunking completely dry. Other Althletics charms will work as normally as possible underwater, for example, Monkey Leap Technique will allow the exalt to leap off any underwater surface, or off of the surface of the water into the air.

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Arrow-Harnessing Method</B>

 <B>Cost:  3 motes
 Duration:  One Ride
 Type:  Reflexive
 Minimum Athletics:  3
 Minimum Essence:  2
 Prerequisite Charms:  Monkey Leap Technique

With this Charm, a Solar may leap upon a nearby projectile and ride it safely to it's destination. The Solar may instantly leap upon any in-flight projectile within his normal leaping range, and leap off safely any time before the projectile strikes a target. Leaping on a projectile that is heading towards the Solar, however slightly, is difficult: the character must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll at difficulty 3 to succeed. The path the projectile follows will normally remain unaltered by it's use as a temporary mount; however, if the Exalt has sufficient Strength + Athletics to lift the projectile, he may retarget it or alter it's course by careful nudging with his feet or limbs. Doing so successfully is a Dexterity + appropriate Ability (typically Archery or Thrown) roll at difficulty 3. Failure will usually indicate that the projectile spins wildly out of control, allowing the Exalt to jump free normally. Extra successes may be used to attack a new target. Despite it's non-instant duration, this charm is explicitly permitted to be included in a combo.

Comments

Arrow Harnessing technique is cool, though I don't see why its an anchery roll to send it off in a new direction (doen's seem to have anying in common with archery. Throw would be closer, but I would stick with athletics if I were you). Strong Swimmer Technique seems to both get around the servivel charm that lets you go into hostile envorments (can't remember the name), and feel unthematic. I don't know, it's not overpowered or something, it just isn't cool. - Dasmen

There is precedent for swimming charms to exist in Athletics, there are already two such charms in CB: Night (Fish Swimming Technique and Swift Water Prana). I actually made Strong Swimmer Technique before knowing about these two charms, and I find it interesting how closely my charm ended up matching the CB: Night charms. It is something of a compromise between the two in power. My charm could also fit in Survival, but I think the theme of "swimming" is more central to the charm than "surviving in water". If you can think of an interesting way to make my charm seem cooler or more thematic, I'd like to hear it. It's a tier-1 charm, and so I've kept it's function pretty basic. I have modified Arrow-Harnessing method to use different Abilities as appropriate. -Madwand

I'm concerned that the Arrow Harnessing technique is actually a near perfect defense against incoming archery-type attacks for both you and your allies. As it stands, you can alter the course of a projectile fairly easily, and even if you fail, it still won't go to its intended destination - your friend's face. I'd like some clarification there of how this can't be used to do such a thing. In particular, it can be comboed, indicating it can be put in combos with things like other defenses, other offenses, et cetera, making it feel even more like a defensive charm, rather than a movement charm. -- GregLink, worried someone could use this to great and powerful, yet unintended ends

This charm is a perfect defense against ranged attacks, yes. I'm not sure this is a bad thing. Take HGD, remove it's willpower cost for the applicability-trumping effect, and allow it to apply only to ranged attacks. I would cost this at about 1 or 2 motes. Adding in the ability to parry any nearby ranged attacks, and the ability to make long jumps, and we're back at my cost of 3 motes. The exact cost the Charm should be is arguable, but I don't have as much of a problem with a Charm like this being a perfect ranged defense, even if that isn't it's primary purpose. If you can think of a cooler way to implement the mechanic I'm trying for here, I'm all ears. -Madwand

Maybe have a roll of some sort if the projectile is aimed towards the user, or close to the user, because it's harder to jump on an arrow heading straight for you? That would make using it as a defence harder without removing the whoa, cool factor.
-- Darloth

I think clarifying what a "nearby" projectile is would solve most of the problems and cut down on the ability to defend others(say arrows with Essence yards). Personally, I wouldn't call it a perfect defence, probably a semi-perfect one, like ItF. So, using it's against an incomming arrow with AWD, won't save you. Also, you could treat the "nudging" thing as reducing the attackers successes(like active defence). -FlowsLikeBits

Building on the ideas given above, I've made "Arrow-Harnessing Method" require a "challenging" roll to leap onto an arrow when it is headed towards the character. By this, I mean that the arrow is within 90 degrees of being pointed straight at the character. I hope the Charm makes that clear; I couldn't think of a better wording that wouldn't sound too technical. As for what "nearby" means, the Charm already defines that: within the character's leaping distance. This may be increased by Charms, if applicable. I thought about a range of Essence yards, but the mental image I have of a Solar bouncing around between several incoming siege weapon shots, redirecting them back at the enemy, is just too cool not to allow. -Madwand

Not to step on that parade, but depending on what those seige weapon shots are made of (IE large 3 foot cubes of stone) I would wager that if you can't lift it or move it when it's on the ground, you've got just as much chance when it's in the air, hurtling towards its destination. Arrows are one thing, but what about cow-a-pults? I'd guess that some sort of strength check would be in order. -- GregLink, if he were your ST, he'd want explicit text allowing you to move such large things, as otherwise, expect a mighty big STR roll

I, too, think some sort of allowance needs to be made for Cascade of Cutting Yeddim. On the other hand, you're only stealing the momentum the original attack gave it... it certainly shouldn't be as hard to steer it as it would be to, say, lift it. - Hapushet

Yeddim are not known for their aerodynamics, and if you're standing on it, you don't exactly have the best leverage. I'd say they're if anything -harder- to redirect that if you were on the ground lifting it.
-- Darloth

Maybe in Real World Logic, but by Anime Logic it would be a hell of a lot easier to redirect backwards then left, and Exalted tends to run on Anime Logic.
-- Dasmen

I've added a provision to the Charm forcing the character to have sufficient Strength + Athletics. That should do it... -Madwand