SolarBrawl/Ikselam
Ikselam's Brawl Charms
One day, I was thinking about how everyone always makes up new MartialArts styles; I may also have been thinking about one of the "Brawl Sucks (compared to MA)" threads that occasionally pop up on the WhiteWolf Exalted forum. This quickly ballooned into the mess of Charms you see here.
My inspiration for these came from all sorts of places, including Superman, Muhammad Ali (Baiting the Incautious Foe was almost called Dope-Roping Method), pro wrestling, various versus and side-scrolling fighting games, and even D&D3's "Attack of Opportunity" rules. The overall design strategy was to create something that was the "opposite" of MartialArts. MA trees are generally pretty "deep" -- they don't branch much, and the objective is always to work your way down to the supermove at the bottom. I tried to make my Brawl Charms "broad" -- branching out in many directions, with no one path being more appealing than the other. I also tried to keep a distinct flavor to the Charms, by excluding some of the mainstays of other Solar combat trees. Scene-long powers, and defensive powers in general, were eschewed in favor of increasingly-devastating attack moves. I think this turned out pretty well in the end; it certainly got the best reception of any Charms I have posted on the WW forum.
Thanks to hplovescats for encouragement and comprehensive critique when I first posted these on the WW forum.
- back to SolarBrawl.
- back to Charms/Ikselam's Charms.
Baiting the Incautious Foe
Cost: 3 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Thunderclap Rush Attack
By appearing dazed and off-balance, the Exalt sets her opponent up for a lightning-fast sucker-punch. This Charm may be activated in response to any hand-to-hand attack. The Exalt makes an immediate counterattack with a dice pool equal to her Brawl + Essence. The results of this counterattack are determined before the attacker rolls to hit, though it may be defended against as normal with reflexive or held actions. It is permissible for the attacker to abort to a dodge or parry in response to this Charm.
Baiting the Incautious Foe cannot be used in response to other counterattack Charms.
Wary Boxer Stance
Cost: 5 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: One turn Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Baiting the Incautious Foe
The Exalt hones his reflexes, lashing out with lightning speed at any who are foolish enough to approach him. Until his next initiative, he remains rooted to the spot, but may make a single attack at full Dexterity + Brawl pool against anyone within reach (three yards), or who approaches to within reach later in the turn. If the target is attacking the character, both attack rolls are made simultaneously.
The Exalt may only attack a given opponent once per turn with this Charm. He is fully capable of differentiating friend from foe, and need not attack everyone within range. Use of Wary Boxer Stance precludes any action which would require the character to give ground (for example, dodging), but has no effect on actions which can normally be performed while standing one's ground.
Despite its non-instant duration, this Charm may be Comboed as though it was of the Extra Action type. Each reflexive attack is considered to be an "extra action" for this purpose. Wary Boxer Stance may not be Comboed with Baiting the Incautious Foe or any other counterattack Charm.
Example:
Solar strongman Aziz is talking with fellow circus performer Saffiya when armed men wearing the livery of Emir Fayeed come bursting into their tent and demand that Saffiya surrender to them! Not about to let his friend be spirited off to the Emir's harem, Aziz places himself between her and the goons, and activates Wary Boxer Stance.
The first guard tries to push Aziz aside. The moment he comes within reach, Aziz reflexively attacks him with his normal Brawl pool. The guard did not have a defensive action held, so Aziz hits him. The hapless extra is knocked unconscious before he can even touch Aziz.
The second guard, seeing his colleague struck down, readies his cudgel and splits his action twice, for two attacks. Aziz again gets a reflexive attack as the guard moves into range, which is resolved at the same time as the guard's action. Both Aziz and the guard roll poorly, and only lightly wound each other. The guard then makes his second attack. Aziz does not get a second reflexive attack versus the guard, since he has already attacked him with Wary Boxer Stance this turn. The goon has a clear shot, and knocks the Solar unconscious.
Bond-Shattering Strength
Cost: 4 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Fist of Iron Technique, Sledgehammer Fist Punch
Charging his muscles with a brief but incredibly intense surge of Essence, the Exalt breaks free of any restraints that bind him. Against inanimate restraints, he may substitute his (Brawl + Essence) x 2 for his Athletics when consulting the Feats of Strength table to see if he can break free.
Bond-Shattering Strength may also be activated if the character is caught in a clinch or hold. In this case, he automatically escapes the clinch, inflicting Strength + Essence dice of bashing damage (soaked normally) on his opponent in the process.
This Charm is explicitly allowed to Combo with Charms that increase Strength + Athletics for purposes of lifting or breaking. Such Charms operate as though the character's base Athletics score was equal to his (Brawl + Essence) x 2, rather than its normal value.
Example:
Aziz wakes up chained to a wall in the Emir's dungeon! Aziz strains against his bonds, but his Strength + Athletics = 4+4 = 8 is not enough to break the iron shackles (difficulty 14 to break). However, Aziz then activates Bond-Shattering Strength. Instead of Strength + Athletics, he uses Strength + (Brawl+Essence)*2 = 4+(5+3)*2 = 20. With a titanic surge of power, the Solar wrestler snaps the shackles and sets off to rescue Saffiya from the Emir's clutches.
Startling Grab Attack
Cost: 3 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Dragon-Coil Technique, Baiting the Incautious Foe
Fighters who rely on strength are often frustrated by nimble adversaries. A Solar wrestler who learns this Charm can remedy that fact; instead of trying to avoid her opponent's attack, she unexpectedly leaps toward it, pulling her attacker into a clinch or hold. Startling Grab Attack may be used in response to any hand-to-hand attack; the character makes an immediate clinch or hold attempt at her full Dexterity + Brawl. This attempt is made after the attacker's roll to hit, but before damage is applied.
Startling Grab Attack cannot be used in response to other counterattack Charms. Its successful use can abort multiple actions or Extra Action Charms if the remaining actions cannot legally be used in a clinch.
Example:
Aziz has fought his way into Emir Fayeed's bedroom, bursting through the doors just in time to stop the wicked Emir from ravishing the helpless Saffiya. Reacting quickly, Fayeed seizes his scimitar and attacks Aziz!
Fayeed splits his action three ways, for two attacks and one parry. Aziz declares a full dodge, and activates Startling Grab Attack in response to the Emir's first attack. Fayeed rolls 3 successes, reduced to 1 by Aziz' dodge. Aziz now makes a reflexive clinch attempt at his full Dex + Brawl, scoring 5 successes. Fayeed uses his held parry, but only gets 2 successes; Aziz's mighty arms wrap around him even as the scimitar scores his flesh. Fayeed now rolls damage. Fayeed's second attack is wasted because he cannot attack while caught in Aziz' clinch.
Advantage-Seizing Wrestler Method
Cost: 3 motes per turn, 1 willpower Type: Simple Duration: Special Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Bond-Shattering Strength, Startling Grab Attack
A Solar skilled in the art of grappling can turn the tables on his opponent, simultaneously sliding out of her grasp and placing her in a devastating chokehold. The character makes a hold attempt at normal dice pool. Unlike a normal hold, he may choose to inflict Strength + 2 lethal damage on the held character as his action for the turn. The opponent may roll to escape the hold as normal, but any such escape roll adds the Exalt's permanent Essence to its difficulty.
The Exalt may choose to inflict damage on the same turn this Charm is activated. If at any time he ceases paying 3 motes per turn to maintain the Charm, he loses all its bonuses and is considered to have his opponent in a normal hold (not a clinch). Paying the upkeep cost for this Charm does not count as a character's Charm action for the turn.
Advantage-Seizing Wrestler Method may be activated in a hold or clinch. In such a case, the Exalt is automatically considered to have his opponent in a hold, just as described above.
PowerCombat: Use of this Charm causes the Exalt to immediately gain control of a clinch. As long as he pays the upkeep cost, his opponent cannot gain control of the clinch; if she wins the opposed clinch roll, she may choose to escape, but cannot damage or hold the character. If she chooses not to escape, the Charm user is considered to still control the clinch, and can damage, hold, or release her as normal. The other bonuses granted by this Charm are unaltered.
Limb-Wrenching Submission Hold
Cost: 5 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Until released Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Ox-Stunning Blow
The Exalt places his opponent in a punishing joint-lock, inflicting extreme pain but little actual damage. This Charm supplements a hold attempt; if it is successful, the target takes an immediate penalty to all dice pools equal to the Charm user's permanent Essence. For each subsequent turn the hold is maintained, he suffers an additional, cumulative -1 penalty. If the hold is broken, these penalties disappear at the rate of one point per turn.
Limb-Wrenching Submission Hold may also be used to supplement an existing hold, in which case the penalties accrue at exactly the same rate: -(Essence) on the first turn, and an additional -1 on each subsequent turn. The penalties inflicted by this Charm are considered to be wound penalties for the purposes of powers which allow their users to reduce or ignore such penalties. This Charm may not be activated twice in the same hold.
PowerCombat: This Charm may only be activated when the character is in control of a clinch. It inflicts a -(Essence) dice penalty the first time it is used in a given clinch, and a cumulative -1 for each additional activation in the same clinch.
Bone-Snapping Twist
Cost: 5 motes Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Limb-Wrenching Submission Hold, Dragon Coil Technique
With a swift, brutal jerk, the Exalt cleanly snaps one of her opponent's limbs, rendering it useless. This Charm may only be used if the Exalt has her victim in a clinch or hold. The target makes a Stamina + Resistance check, at a difficulty of the Exalt's Strength. Failure means that he takes two levels of unsoakable lethal damage, and cannot use the broken limb at all until he has completely healed. The exact mechanical effects of an unusable limb are left up to the Storyteller.
Bone-Snapping Twist can also be used in an attempt to break an opponent's neck or back. In such a case, the target must still make a Stamina + Resistance roll at a difficulty of the Exalt's Strength, but receives a number of automatic successes equal to his permanent Essence score. Breaking a character's neck or back inflicts two levels of unsoakable lethal damage. In addition, the victim must soak a number of dice of lethal damage equal to the Exalt's Strength + Essence. These dice ignore armor, but are affected normally by any Charm or power which increases natural soak.
Finally, it is possible to use Bone-Snapping Twist to merely dislocate a character's limbs. Such an attempt is made exactly like a limb-breaking attempt, but if successful only inflicts bashing damage. Not only is this less lethal, it is also easier to repair; dislocated limbs may be popped back into their sockets with a successful Dexterity + Medicine roll. Outside of combat, this roll is difficulty 1; in the heat of battle, the difficulty increases to 3. Setting one's own limb while in combat requires a stunt.
Any successful use of this Charm results in the victim immediately being released from the clinch or hold. If its use is not successful (i.e., the victim passes his Stamina + Resistance check), the target may roll to escape as normal (even if he already attempted to do so earlier in the turn), but is not automatically released.
PowerCombat: This Charm may only be used when the character controls a clinch.
Stinging Bee Method
Cost: 2 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 3 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Ferocious Jab
Clever boxers learn to not rely on strength alone, but to strike at their opponents' weak spots. The character using this Charm aims his blows at the chinks in his target's armor, or the weak spots on his body; while the attack isn't actually stronger, it stands a much greater chance of inflicting serious damage.
Regardless of the target's soak, the number of damage dice rolled on a successful attack will always be at least equal to the Exalt's permanent Essence score or his Strength, whichever is lower. This effect will not penetrate defenses that completely negate damage. Such defenses include Invulnerable Skin of Bronze and Lunar oversoak, but not starmetal armor; such armor subtracts one from rolled damage, rather than negating attacks outright.
PowerCombat: Stinging Bee Method costs 1 mote, and sets the minimum damage of an attack equal to the user's Brawl. If the attack hits, it will do at least that many dice of damage, regardless of soak or the Charm user's Strength. If the character would normally do less than his Brawl in damage on a successful strike, the lower number counts as his raw damage for purposes of negation by hardness. (Example: Sora has Brawl 5, but only Strength 1. She punches Jun the Iron Mountain with one success, using Stinging Bee Method. Jun is wearing armor with a hardness of 3. Jun takes no damage, because Sora's raw damage is only 2. If Jun were not wearing armor, Sora would roll 5 dice of damage, regardless of his natural soak.)
Example:
Just as Aziz finishes dispatching Fayeed, the Emir's cobra-man vizier Khaveen enters the room. Having been alerted to Aziz' presence by the noise the Solar made breaking down the door, the snakeman is ready for battle, poisonous teeth bared.
Aziz wins initiative, and splits his action for an attack and a dodge. Expecting that Khaveen's scaly skin will provide some protection against normal blows, Aziz activates Stinging Bee Method. Essence flows through the Solar's fist, guiding it unerringly towards Khaveen's soft belly.
What Aziz does not know, however, is that Khaveen is not a beastman at all, but a diabolical Lunar Exalted! The Charm Calling Luna's Favor allow him to manifest his snake scales and fangs in human form; in conjunction with his soak Charms and a hearthstone which adds two points to his Stamina, this raises his soak to 12L/12B, and allows him to ignore attacks which do less than 1L/8B.
As Aziz throws his punch, Khaveen uses his Serpent Eye Defense! Momentarily disoriented by the vizier's hypnotic gaze, Aziz only scores two net successes on his attack roll. His raw damage is 4+ 2 = 6B < 8B. The punch is fully negated by Khaveen's oversoak, so Aziz rolls no dice even though he used Stinging Bee Method. Khaveen laughs evilly and flares his hood, lashing out with a venomous fang strike that Aziz barely manages to dodge.
If Aziz had scored 5 successes, his raw damage would have been 9B > 8B. Khaveen's oversoak would be ineffective, so Aziz (who has Essence 3) would roll three dice of bashing damage, even though Khaveen's normal bashing soak is 12.
Crushing Piledriver Assault
Cost: 4 motes Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Shockwave Technique
Seizing her opponent, the Exalt leaps high into the air and comes crashing down, drilling the hapless victim into the ground. The Exalt makes a Brawl attack at normal dice pool against the target; this attack cannot be blocked, only dodged. If the attack is successful, the target is automatically knocked down, and takes an amount of bashing damage equal to the Exalt's Strength + Brawl + extra successes on the attack roll. The surface he strikes takes a like amount of damage (which may result in both him and the Exalt crashing through the floor). In addition, the target's soak value is divided by the Exalt's permanent Essence score (round up) for purposes of resisting the damage dealt by the Crushing Piledriver.
Versus effects which totally negate damage, Crushing Piledriver Assault also divides the threshold at which they begin nullifying damage (again, round up). For example, Invulnerable Skin of Bronze normally negates attacks which do less than 6L/12B raw damage. Versus Spinning Piledriver Assault used by an Essence 3 Exalt, it would only completely negate an attack doing less than 2L/4B raw damage. The exception to this rule is Lunar "oversoak." In that case, the Lunar's raw soak score (i.e., what she would have if not subject to the oversoak rule) is divided first, and then oversoak is recalculated based on her modified soak score.
Example:
Aziz can hear alarm gongs echoing down the corridor outside; he needs to defeat Khaveen quickly, or risk being overwhelmed when the Emir's elite guards arrive! With a great roar, he rushes at Khaveen and activates Crushing Piledriver Assault. The vizier's dodge attempt is unsuccessful, but even as Aziz' mighty arms close around him, Khaveen activates his Deadly Beastman Transformation! Ballooning into full cobra-man form, he gains +4 to Stamina; his normal soak is now 12L/12B, and he ignores attacks doing less than 5L/12B.
Aziz, with the giant snakeman clutched in his iron grip, spirals up into the air and slams back down on top of Khaveen. The attack inflicts raw damage of 11B, and cuts the Lunar's soak to one-third its normal value. However, although Khaveen's normal soak is only 12L/12B, his "actual" soak is 17L/24B -- the extra 5L/12B are the "overflow" which gives him his damage immunity. Therefore, his reduced soak is 6L/8B (rather than 4L/4B, ignoring attacks that do less than 2L/4B). Aziz only rolls three damage dice, and inflicts only one point of bashing damage on the vizier.
As Khaveen rises up from the crater in the marble floor, hissing menacingly, Aziz knows that he cannot win this battle with a single powerful blow.
Man-Breaking Thresher Technique
Cost: 6 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: One turn Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Shockwave Technique
Grasping his enemy in an iron grip, the Exalt swings her about like a human bludgeon. The character must have an enemy in a hold (not a clinch) in order to perform this maneuver. On the turn in which the Charm is activated, the character may freely use the held enemy as a weapon in conjunction with Brawl attacks. His attacks do no more damage than normal to their targets, but every time he hits, the held character must soak an amount of bashing damage equal to his Strength + Essence + extra successes on the attack roll (lethal damage if smashed into spikes or similarly dangerous things). If the target of the Brawl attack has some ability which causes unarmed attackers to take damage (such as Corona of Radiance or Cunning Porcupine Defense), the held character takes the damage in place of the Charm user.
This Charm does not allow the user to move, dodge, parry, or take any other actions normally disallowed in a hold, with the exception of Brawl attacks. It is permissible to attack inanimate objects while using this Charm.
PowerCombat: This Charm is only useable when the character controls a clinch.
Enemy-Interposing Defense
Cost: 4 motes Type: Reflexive Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Man-Breaking Thresher Technique
A Solar brawler who learns this technique can jerk a held opponent around to meet an attack, simultaneously placing him in harm's way and protecting herself. The character must have an enemy in a hold or clinch in order to perform this maneuver. Upon activating the Charm, she places her opponent in the path of an attack aimed at her; the held character is affected by the attack just as if it had been aimed at him all along. Attempting to block an unblockable attack with this Charm will result in the attack having full effect upon both the Charm user and the held character.
Enemy-Interposing Defense can also be used to present a held opponent to attacks made by the Charm user's allies. As long as the Charm user pays the full Charm cost for each such attack, the held character cannot attempt any defense apart from soak. A botch on the attack roll will probably result in the attack hitting the Charm user.
This Charm does not allow the user to move, dodge, attack, or take any other actions normally disallowed in a hold or clinch, with the exception of parries.
PowerCombat: This Charm may be used even if the character does not control the clinch. The Charm allows her to move in such a way as to place her opponent in harm's way, even though she may not be able to escape his grasp. Only attacks launched by characters who are not clinching her may be blocked with this Charm.
Example:
Aziz, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, picks up Saffiya and crashes through the wall, fleeing from Khaveen. As he runs down the corridor, Aziz spares a glance behind him and sees that the serpentine vizier is slithering after them, rapidly closing in.
As luck would have it, Aziz finds a royal guard just around the corner. Carefully setting down his friend, he grabs the extra in a hold.
Khaveen rears back and strikes at Aziz, splitting his dice pool for two attacks. Aziz spends 4 motes to make a reflexive parry with the luckless extra. Khaveen rolls two successes on his first attack; since the extra is in a hold, he cannot parry or dodge, and is struck by the full force of the vizier's blow.
Khaveen makes his second attack. Aziz again spends 4 motes for a parry with the guard. Khaveen's attack hits the extra with five successes, killing him. Aziz can continue to use the dead body as a shield if he feels like it, as long as he pays the full Charm cost for each parry. Alternately, he could use his Crashing Wave Throw + Heaven Thunder Hammer + Ferocious Jab Combo to blast Khaveen through the wall and onto a parabolic trajectory ending three districts away. Which he does.
Ground-Shaking Strike
Cost: 4 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Heaven Thunder Hammer
Charging his hand with a nimbus of Essence, the Exalt slams his fist into the ground, causing a shockwave to ripple through the earth and explode beneath his target's feet. Mechanically, he may make a normal Brawl attack at a range of up to his permanent Essence in yards; this attack is unblockable, and the target is automatically knocked down if it hits. There need not be a clear line of sight to the target, and the attack bypasses cover, but it has no effect on targets who are not actually standing on the ground. It is also useless on any surface which is not at least six feet thick (so it will usually fail to function indoors, unless the character is on the bottom floor).
Tsunami of Earth and Stone
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Ground-Shaking Strike
The Exalt slams an Essence-charged hand or foot into the ground at an angle, ripping up the top layer of soil and sending it crashing over her enemies like an earthen tidal wave. The Tsunami of Earth and Stone affects a 45-degree arc directly in front of the character, extending out to a distance of three times her permanent Essence in yards. Any character who is standing even partially in this area must soak an amount of bashing damage equal to the Exalt's Strength + Essence, and must make a reflexive Dexterity + Athletics check to resist knockdown. This check is made at a difficulty of the Charm user's Strength.
The Tsunami of Earth and Stone displaces a very large quantity of soil, leaving a deep trench in the ground. Only a few inches deep at the point of origin, the trench deepens as it fans out, reaching a maximum depth of about six feet at the outermost extent of the Charm's cone of effect.
If used on a relatively thin (i.e., less than six feet thick) surface, such as the floor of a building's upper story or a bridge, Tsunami of Earth and Stone will still work, but will also completely destroy the floor in its area of effect. Any characters caught in this area who do not succeed on their knockdown rolls will go plummeting through the newly-created gash in the floor. Those who do succeed are considered to have leaped to a stable portion of flooring.
Tsunami of Earth and Stone may only be blocked or dodged by perfect effects such as Heavenly Guardian Defense or Seven Shadow Evasion. While excellent at destroying floors (even those not actually composed of earth or stone), it has no direct effect on walls or doors. It can, however, be effectively used to undermine such obstructions.
[#WhirlingDervishOnslaught] Whirling Dervish Onslaught
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower Type: Extra Action Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Thunderclap Rush Attack
The Exalt spins into a hurricane of destruction, her whirling fists battering all assailants within reach. On the turn she activates this power, the Exalt may make a single Brawl attack, at full dice pool, versus every opponent within her Brawl score in yards.
This Charm cannot be Comboed with dodge or parry Charms, but may be combined with Charms that allow the character to soak or ignore damage.
Hurricane Gust Technique
Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower Type: Simple Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Whirling Dervish Onslaught, Heaven Thunder Hammer
Spinning about at incredible speed, fists extended, the Exalt creates a powerful shockwave of force which hurls away all nearby enemies. When a character activates this technique, all characters (friend or foe) within his Strength + Essence in yards compare their Strength + Athletics + Essence to his Strength + Brawl. Those whose totals equal or exceed the Exalt's Strength + Brawl manage to stand firm against the wind's buffeting, and are unaffected. Those whose totals are less are immediately thrown directly away from the character, flying a number of yards equal to his Strength + Brawl.
When a target hits the ground (or a wall or other obstruction), she takes the Exalt's Strength + Essence in bashing damage, and must roll Wits + Athletics at difficulty 3 to avoid knockdown. If she strikes a wall or other such obstruction, she takes an extra die of damage per yard she would have continued flying had the object not gotten in the way. Hitting spikes, sharp rocks, or suchlike may result in lethal damage. Being thrown off cliffs, balconies, and so forth will result in falling damage on top of the Charm's normal damage.
This Charm cannot be parried or dodged except by perfect effects, such as Heavenly Guardian Defense or Seven Shadow Evasion.
Example:
Holding the more-than-somewhat-wide-eyed Saffiya gently in his arms, Aziz boots down the palace door and rushes into the courtyard. The outer gates, and freedom, are only a few seconds' sprint away... but in between them and him stand a dozen of the Emir's elite eunuch guards, alerted by the alarm gongs and the sight of Khaveen exploding out through the third-story wall and sailing into the sky.
Brandishing their scimitars, the guards rush at Aziz en masse! Aziz waits until they are all within 7 (his Strength + Essence) yards of him, then tosses Saffiya straight up into the air and spins into Hurricane Gust Technique. Aziz' Srength + Brawl is 9; the eunuchs are using the Elite Troops template, so each one of them has Strength + Athletics + Essence = 3+3+1 = 7 < 9. The burly men are tossed aside like rag-dolls by the tornado of force emanating from the whirling Solar, flying 9 yards through the air and crashing to the ground. (If Saffiya was on the ground, she would have been affected as well, but Aziz' stunt has placed her out of danger.)
As the guards hit the marble flagstones, Aziz deftly catches Saffiya and dashes off towards the gates.
Lightning One-Two Punch
Cost: 4 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Hammer on Iron Technique
The Exalt's fist moves in a blur of motion, following up a successful attack with superhuman speed. This Charm supplements a Brawl attack. If the initial attack hits, the character immediately makes a second attack at the same dice pool as the first. If the target dodges or parries, he makes one roll and compares it to both attacks.
This Charm's use must be declared before the attack is made. It Combos as if it were of the Extra Action type.
Falling Mountain Elbow Drop
Cost: 3 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Hammer on Iron Technique
The Exalt jumps up into the air and comes smashing down on a prone opponent, her full weight behind the blow. This Charm supplements a Brawl attack. If the attack knocks down its target (or if the target was already prone), the character immediately makes a second attack at her full Dexterity + Brawl pool. This attack receives a number of automatic successes on the attack roll equal to the character's permanent Essence, and adds her Brawl score to its raw damage. However, the character herself is automatically knocked down after Falling Mountain Elbow Drop is used.
This Charm's use must be declared before the attack is made. The attack it grants is considered a reflexive action, and cannot legally benefit from other Supplemental Charms. It does not grant extra movement; if the target is knocked down, but the character cannot reach him as part of her normal movement for the turn, the Charm is wasted. It will also be wasted if the character herself is prone when the Charm activates (for example, if she fails to regain her balance after a tackle).
Burning Knuckle Technique
Cost: 2 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Fist of Iron Technique
Charging his fists with a searing corona of Essence, the Exalt causes his strikes to become much more deadly. Attacks enhanced with this Charm add the user's permanent Essence score to their base damage. If used to supplement an unarmed Brawl attack, the character's strike does lethal damage, in addition to receiving the damage bonus.
Shining Solar Fist
Cost: 2 motes, 1 willpower Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 5 Min. Essence: 3 Prereqs: Burning Knuckle Technique
The Exalt's hands blaze with the blinding golden light of the Unconquered Sun, dazzling enemies and burning creatures of darkness. Attacks enhanced by this Charm do lethal damage, and add the character's permanent Essence to the difficulty of any dodge or parry attempted against them. Additionally, the Exalt's blows cause aggravated damage to inhabitants of Malfeas or the Underworld, including Abyssal Exalted.
The searing aura is also quite resilient, and blinds those who attack the Exalt. If used to supplement a Brawl parry maneuver, Shining Solar Fist allows the character to parry lethal or even aggravated attacks barehanded without the need for a stunt, and the attacker adds the Exalt's permanent Essence to the difficulty of his attack. This penalty is halved (round up) if the attacker's eyes are closed, or he is under some other effect which would allow him to look directly at the sun without being blinded. The difficulty-increasing effect will affect unblockable attacks which require an attack roll (e.g., Crashing Wave Throw, Burning Saliva Attack, Fakharu's dragon breath); in such a case, the Exalt must still devote an action to parrying, even though Shining Solar Fist will not allow her to roll an actual parry.
Shining Solar Fist is allowed to supplement reflexive parries, or other parries made prior to the user's initiative. It follows the normal rules for Supplemental Charms in regard to enhancing attacks.
Overbearing Bull-Rush
Cost: 2 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 1 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: none
The Exalt charges forward, using sheer mass and momentum to overwhelm her foe. Her attack roll receives a number of bonus dice equal to her Strength. This bonus cannot raise her Dexterity + Brawl pool to more than twice its normal value.
Floating Butterfly Prana
Cost: 1 mote Type: Reflexive Duration: One turn Min. Brawl: 1 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: none
Although most brawlers rely on strength rather than agility, only the most foolish discount the usefulness of mobility. On the turn in which he activates Floating Butterfly Prana, the Exalt may move up to his normal sprinting distance and still retain his action, which may be split as normal but may not be used for further movement.
Floating Butterfly Prana may be used as an alternate prerequisite for Thunderclap Rush Attack. Despite its non-Instant duration, it may be Comboed.
Leaping Dragon Tackle
Cost: 2 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 3 Min. Essence: 1 Prereqs: Overbearing Bull-Rush
Leaning forward and kicking off from the ground, the Exalt uses Essence to propel her forward with incredible force, slamming into an opponent and (hopefully) knocking him to the ground. The character makes a tackle attack against a single target up to her normal sprinting distance away, adding a number of automatic successes equal to her permanent Essence to the attack roll. The attack is resolved as a normal tackle attempt, except that extra successes on the attack roll add to damage, and the Charm user need not roll to resist knockdown.
Pouncing Lion Attack
Cost: 5 motes Type: Supplemental Duration: Instant Min. Brawl: 4 Min. Essence: 2 Prereqs: Leaping Dragon Tackle
Crouching low and then springing forward like a pouncing cat, the Exalt leaps through the air and grabs his opponent with startling speed. The character makes a clinch or hold attempt, which cannot be blocked or dodged, versus an opponent up to his normal sprinting distance away. If the attack is successful, it does no immediate damage, and the opponent receives a roll to escape just as though it were a subsequent round. This roll is reflexive, and if successful, the opponent retains her normal action for the round.
Pouncing Lion Attack is functionally identical to the Abyssal Brawl Charm, Owl Seizes Mouse.
- back to SolarBrawl.
- back to Charms/Ikselam]]'s Charms.
Ikselam, I am so pleased that you put these up ... I truly love your brawl charms! ^_^ - BrokenShade
I have a question about Lightning One-Two Punch - my reading of it for Combo-usage would be that, although it is fitted into a Combo as if it were an Extra Action Charm, you wouldn't pay the motes for a second attack, if the first one were to miss, correct? --Moxiane
You need to pay for the Charm before the attack roll. If it's Comboed, and the first attack misses, you wouldn't have to pay for anything attached to the second attack, since the second attack wouldn't occur. But if the second attack does occur (i.e., the first attack hits), then you would have to activate Simples and whatnot to benefit it, as per the rules for Extra Action Charms.
Example: I have it Comboed with Crashing Wave Throw. On my first attack, I must pay for both LOTP and CWT. If that attack misses, I don't need to pay for CWT again; if it hits, I do. Hopefully that makes it clear. _Ikselam
I have to claim my worship of you, now. I've been tinkering with some Brawl charms myself, for my angry barbarian Twilight, but yours are so much better. :) I especially like Stinging Bee... heh heh heh.. one thing, though. I'm assuming that in the previous comment, that should have been "if that attack misses..."? - Ashande
Yes, that's correct. I'll go and change that. _Ikselam
The text for Wary Boxer Stance should probably include something about what happens if the fellow Combos it and runs out of Essence to Supplement each attack. Can he no longer make attacks if he can no longer use the required Supplementals or Simples? Domino
Hm, is there precedent for such situations -- like for example, what happens when you Combo Iron Whirlwind with some Supplemental, and run out of motes? I think I'd say you get your full number of attacks, but obviously unenhanced.
I may address that when I go back through and retrofit these for Power Combat, which will probably occur right after I go through and actually read the Power Combat rules. The ones I can already tell will be pains are Advantage-Seizing Wrestler Tech and Stinging Bee Method. I figure the first will make you automatically gain control of the clinch, and maintain it as long as you spend motes (a clinch perfect attack!); the second's effect duplicates a basic part of EPC rules, so it will probably do something like doubling your minimum ping. _Ikselam
Actually, you couldn't activate a combo with an Extra Actions Charm if you didn't have the motes to repay for every instance of the action. Otherwise, you can't activate the combo.
Just saying. :) DS
Does it actually say that? It's been forever since I've actually thought about the Combo rules (mainly because attempting to decipher that section still makes my head hurt). _Ikselam
Actually, I'm sorry, I was speaking in error. From the example of a Multiple Action combo (CRB pg 215), it says that if she can't pay the motes, the Combo ends immediately. Implying that you could start the Combo knowing you were gonna be short. DS
In the last part of Stinging Bee Method's example, you say "so Aziz (who has Essence 3) would roll three dice of bashing damage, even though Khaveen's normal bashing soak is 12." Shouldn't that be "so Aziz (who has Brawl 5) would roll five dice of bashing damage, even though Khaveen's normal bashing soak is 12"? DigitalSentience
No, the example is for the regular rules, not for PowerCombat. _Ikselam
Question, Ikselam. Can you defend against Tsunami of Earth and Stone somehow?Azurelight
