SolarMelee/Zibithides

Melee Dice Pool SMASH Tree

Master’s Lessons</b>

<b>Cost: 10 Motes
Duration: 6 hours
Type: Simple
Min Melee: 4
Min Essence: 2

With a moment’s concentration, the Exalted imbues within others a momentary glimpse at the manner in which certain classic sword motions touch upon the travel of pure essence flows. The sword becomes a vessel of the will of Creation, and its travel is the fulfillment of that will, and so too is the swordsman. With concentration and training, the pupil can maintain this understanding until the act of combat becomes as natural as the flows of Essence itself. When an Exalt uses this Charm and acts as a tutor for the purposes of training the Melee ability, he cuts his pupil’s training time by 75%.

Meditation on the Pupil’s Wisdom</b>

<b>Cost: 8 motes
Duration: Special
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Melee: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Master’s Lessons

As each master exists only in the presence of a student, so too does wisdom only exist in the relationship between the seeker of that wisdom, and he who bestows it. The true master of the sword seeks truth with each prana, stance, and kata—even those that are not his own. While observing a student of the Melee ability, or even while watching an opponent with an inferior Melee pool in combat, an Exalt may activate this Charm and roll his Wits + Melee. Successes indicate stored automatic successes that may be used for attacks, parries, or damage rolls. An Exalt may have no more successes stored by the use of this Charm than his Essence score, and may repeatedly use this skill to reach his maximum number of automatic successes.

Artisan of the Ancient Purposes</b>

<b>Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Melee: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Meditation on the Pupil’s Wisdom, Designs of Hope’s Destruction

An Exalt with this Charm gains the potential to learn a supernatural degree of skill with his Melee weapon. The limitations for his Melee ability are loosened, allowing him to have a number of dots in Melee equal to his Essence Score + 1. He must buy this dot regularly.

Essence Sculptor Style</b>

<b>Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Melee: 5
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Artisan of the Ancient Ways, Bulwark Stance, Solar Counter Attack.

The impulse of essence moves the sword, and in that instant, the sword itself is nothing for most Solar Exalted. Through delicate manipulation of these impulses, an Exalt can return substance to her sword. When used, this Charm grants weapon bonuses (accuracy and defense) to Charms that provide a non-action Dexterity + Melee pool, such as that given by Dipping Swallow Defense. This Charm requires a Combo to be used.

Master of the Ancient Purposes</b>

<b>Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Melee: 6
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Artisan of the Ancient Ways, Five Fold Bulwark Stance, Ready in Eight Directions Stance

An Exalt with this Charm calls upon ancient mandates of the Unconquered Sun that allow for an even greater defiance of the natural limitations of his Melee ability. He may now exceed his limitations by half of his Essence score, rounded down.

Hesitation Inspiring Stance</b>

<b>Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Melee: 5
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charms: Master’s Lessons

Essence flows through the body of the Exalt, highlighting his level of prowess with the blade. For an instance, the target of this Charm is hesitant, as prey that stares into the maw of a great beast. When the Exalt uses this Charm, the player of the Exalt and the target compare their Dexterity + Melee pools. For every dot of difference that favors the Exalt, the target loses one point of either accuracy, defense, or speed. Two points may reduce the damage of the target’s weapon by one. The Exalt using this charm decides what deductions are made. If the Exalt and the target have the same pool, or the Exalt is inferior, this Charm has no effect.

Designs of Hope’s Destruction</b>

<b>Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 Health Level.
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Melee: 5 
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Hesitation Inspiring Stance

With this Charm, the Exalt now becomes the embodiment of all that causes a swordsman to despair. The realization of failure becomes palpable in the mind of all who confront him, and their hope of success becomes ever more faint as the battle progresses. Foes who are killed in this state take ten times longer to achieve lethe, as they wander the Underworld despairing about the last failed moments of their life. If the foe failed to harm or prevent harm even once during the fight, he may not achieve lethe at all, at the Storyteller’s discretion. Whenever an opponent is successfully parried by the Exalt, the Exalt gains +1 to parries actions for the remainder of the scene. Whenever an opponent is hit, the Exalt gains +1 on attack rolls for the remainder of the scene. Whenever an opponent is damaged, the Exalt gains +1 to damage rolls. These benefits are limited by the Exalts Essence + Melee.