SuturedDefenseValue/PoolConsistency

Since dice limits apply to pools, this variant attempts to make mechanics more consistent by treating nearly everything as pool enhancement. It attempts to restore the concepts of "internal" and "external" penalties to defense. Charms that add directly to DV are "reworded" to enhance the defense pool instead, with the exception of Excellencies, which are specially treated. This variation has similar issues to theSuturedDefenseValue/LinguisticNormalization variation, where most situations will behave identically to the canon rules, but defense charms become essentially more vulnerable to entropic magic and internal penalties.

"Internal" Defense Charms

Most defense charms are, under this variant, considered "internal" charms, in that they act as dice modifers to the defense pool. Unless otherwise mentioned on this page, charms that "add +X to DV" are "reread" to say "add 2X dice to the defense pool". Likewise, charms that add half of some trait to DV instead add the full trait to the defense pool. Thus, what DissectingDefenseValue calls "success adder" charms are treated in this variant as "pool adders" instead.

"External" Defense Charms

Some charms alter DV in ways other than adding or subtracting. These include charms that "halve DV", set DV to zero or some other fixed value or make certain types of defense inapplicable. These charms are considered external effects, applied after the defense pool has been turned into DV. Like external effects on attacking, these are not limited by dice caps, working as what DissectingDefenseValue calls "external adder or reducer" charms.

Some charms may be also explicitly made external defenses. Any defensive charm claiming to ignore dice caps would work as an external defense charm in this variant. Charms that alter DV explicitly outside of step 1 or 2 in the order of combat would likely be external defense charms as well. Storytellers and charm designers could also specify certain charms as being explicitly defense adders. Which brings us to...

Excellency Charms

The Excellency charms are completely altered in this variation, to more closely match how they work for non-static situations. In particular:

• The First Excellency adds dice to the defense pool, just like it would for any other pool. Like other defense pool dice, these are not rolled. This is, of course, an internal bonus.
• The Second Excellency is a strange case. When used for non-static situations like attacking, it is an external bonus (adding successes) but is still limited by dice caps. This is easier to deal with for defense, where every two motes spent on the Second Excellency add two dice to the defense pool. Note that this makes the first two excellencies behave almost identically for defense (at least for solars; terrestrials get a better deal with the First). The only difference is that the Second requires buying dice in chunks of two. So, in order to make this charm a bit more useful for defense, this rules variant removes the limitation preventing Second Excellency from being used on the same "roll" as the Third (though only when used for defense).
• The Third Excellency explicitly becomes an external defense charm, as it acts in Step 6 of combat. Thus, it adds its effect directly to DV, ignoring dice caps.

Calculating DV

This variant uses the Order of Modifers suggested in DissectingDefenseValue, with a few change as two when various modifiers are applied. The result is:

Step 0: Determine your base pool

Base pool is determined as normal. Charms that add to traits may come into play here.

Step 1: Apply Non-Magical Internal Bonuses

Any internal, non-magical bonuses are then added as dice to the base pool. For parries, the Defense rating of the weapon is applied. For dodges, if your Essence is greater than one, you add Essence you your pool. You also add up to three applicable specialty dice (ex2e.123).

In this variant, stunts and virtue channeling are applied during this step.

Step 2: Apply Non-Magical Internal Penalties

Any internal, non-magical penalties are applied to the defense pool. In this variant, this includes mobility and wound penalties. Charms may prevent some application of some of these penalties.

Step 3: Apply Magical Internal Bonuses

Any pool modifying magical benefits are added to the defense pool. Dice from magical equipment (e.g. Hearthstone Bracers (ex2e.381)) are applied here. Any internal defense charm bonus is applied here, as dice. Most defensive charms are applied during this step in this variant.

Step 4: Apply Magical Internal Penalties

Any pool modifying magical penalties are apply to the defense pool. Any internal defense penalty charms are applied here. This includes some entropic effects.

At this point, determine B: the net number of dice added to the pool from charms, regardless of who cast them. Check this number against your dice cap. If B exceeds your cap, reduce the dice added to the defense pool until B exactly matches your cap. Left over dice are wasted.

Step 5: Determine Minimum Dice

This variant uses the minimum dice pool rules.

Step 5.5: Determine Pool Result

Divide the defense pool to get DV, retaining fractions.

Step 6: Apply Non-Environmental, Non-Magical External Effects

Apply any external effects that don't come from environment or magic. These include:

• Penalties from previous actions
• Shields (provide bonus to DV, but may also reduce it for dodges via extra mobility penalties)
• Onslaught
• Successes purchased with Willpower

Step 7: Apply Magical External Effects

External defensive charms (see above) and other effects are now applied, ending with any that cause inapplicability.

Step 8: Apply Environmental Effects

Remaining external penalties and bonuses are now applied, resulting in a nearly final DV score. These effects include (ex2e.147):

• Cover (if better than shield bonus)
• Terrain
• High or Low Ground. These rules are also bit confusing (ex2e.147), but the intent appears to be that the person on high ground gets a external bonus to DV, while the person on low ground gets a corresponding external penalty to their own DV, unless using weapons that eliminate this penalty (ex2e.373).

Step 9: Rounding

At this point, round the result to get the final DV. Round up for exalts and other magical beings, down for mortals.

Pros and Cons

This variant has the advantage of being more familiar in some ways, it it more closely mirrors how other parts of the system works. The "rewording" of charms, however, can be a little confusing. Determining how dice caps apply is significantly simpler and avoids rounding problems. Effects of stunts, channeling, wounds and mobility are now consistent with how they work for other applications and, in some cases, such penalties are half as severe as they are in canon. In exchange, defensive charms are more vulnerable to entropic magic.

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