Szilard/IdeasInDevelopment

ideas in development</b>

Things I am thinking about and/or working on...

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<b>Free Combos

Hmmm.. how would it change things to implement the following rule:

Celestial Exalts may freely use any Charms in a combo - even if they have not paid experience for such a combo - provided that the xp cost of the combo would be below or equal to their Permanent Essence and they spend a Willpower as normal.

Moreover, if Solar Exalts have purchased a combo at an xp cost below or equal to their current Permanent Essence, they may use that combo without a willpower expenditure.

on magic in Creation

There's something that has been bothering me for a bit now, and I think I just put my finger on what it is:

I don't like the Occult ability.

What is it? It is the ability that has to do with 'magic stuff.' In Creation, everything should partake of magic. This isn't a modern setting in which everyday people study magic separately from other disciplines. If you are mastering a trade in Creation, you should be learning the magical techniques that apply to it. You're a master smith? You know some enchanting. That should be part of what it means to have Craft •••••.

I think what set me off was Stephenls's inclusion of the Prayer ability in his revised ability list. It is effectively 'magical Socialize.' Sure, I can see that you might need to master certain skills to deal with gods that you wouldn't need in order to deal with mortals. Why wouldn't this be dealt with in terms of raising difficulties, though? I mean, you need certain skills to deal with complex court intrigues that you don't need in order to pick up someone in a bar...

I think what I'd like to see is magical abilities (along the lines of Thaumaturgy) being integrated into each ability.

solar performance and presence charms

The Presence tree has some good stuff in it, but it is small.

The Performance tree has a bunch of stuff that seems more like Presence charms.

Here are the beginnings of my barely-coherent solution.

Still working on another Performance branch (focusing upon emotional manipulation of groups)... and Charm titles and flavor text is still lacking.

Comments are requested big-time.

The following charms are removed from the Performance tree and are moved to Presence (changes noted):

Unruly Mob Dispersing Technique

min Presence: 3

prereqs: Majestic Radiant Presence

Rout-Stemming Gesture

min Presence: 4

duration is Essence in turns (previously was 3 turns)

Fury Inciting Presence

min Presence: 3

Heroism-Encouraging Presence

min Presence: 4

Tiger-Warrior Training Technique

min Presence: 5

prereqs: Heroism-Encouraging Presence, Underling-Promoting Touch

New Performance Charms:

Performance Continuation Method

Cost: 3 motes

Duration: One Scene

Type: Reflexive

Min. Performance: 3

Min Essence: 2

Prereqs: Respect Commanding Attitude

The Exalt who uses this Charm may persevere through a performance regardless of those things which may stand in his way. He ignores all wound penalties when making Performance, Presence, or Socialize rolls that involve an audience while this charm is in effect.

Somethingorother1

Cost: 5 motes

Duration: Instant

Type: Supplemental

Min. Performance: 4

Min Essence: 2

Prereqs: Performance Continuation Method

When used in conjunction with a successful stunt performed by the Exalt, allows all who witness the stunt to gain the Essence or Willpower back just as the Exalt does.

Somethingorother2

Cost: 4 motes, 1 Willpower

Duration: One scene

Type: reflexive

Min. Performance: 5

Min Essence: 3

Prereqs: Somethingorother1

Doubles all benefits (dice and Essence or Willpower regen) from stunts.

Voice of Thunder Method

Cost: 3 motes

Duration: Instant

Type: Supplemental

Min. Performance: 2

Min Essence: 2

Prereqs: Respect Commanding Attitude

errr, very loud. Single phrase can be heard up to Essencex100 yards, regardless of background noice. All within Essence yards take a number of dice of (armor-piercing, unparryable without a stunt) Bashing damage equal to the successes on a Stamina+Performance roll.

Speaking with the Volume of the Sun

Cost: 5 motes

Duration: One Scene

Type: Simple

Min. Performance: 4

Min Essence: 3

Prereqs: Thundering Voice Method

Can be heard clearly by all who can see the Solar, regardless of background noise. Not necessarily loud.

Golden Avatar Method

Cost: 4 motes, 1 willpower

Duration: One Scene

Type: Simple

Min. Performance: 5

Min Essence: 3

Prereqs: Speak With the Volume of the Sun, Phantom Conjuring Performance

Turns your anima banner into a giant replica of yourself, visible for miles. It does what you do. If used with Speak with the Volume of the Sun, this gets scary.

Hearthstones

There ought to be a benefit to using a hearthstone of the same aspect as yourself (i.e., Solar aspected stone for Solar Exalted, Wood aspected stone for Wood aspected Terrestrial).

One possibility -

In times of need, if you have an appropriately aspected stone, you may reflexively spend a Willpower point and attempt to draw a surge of Essence from the stone. Roll Permanent Essence + Hearthstone Rating. For each success, gain one mote of Essence. Willpower cannot be spent on this roll. If the roll botches, the Hearthstone cracks from the strain.

permanent solar charms

something there ought to be more of...

• How about something to parallel the essence replenishment charms of the Sidereals?
  • Okay. Here are a few ideas (names are temporary):

Somethingorother, a Performance charm that increases the Essence gained from stunts (thanks, willows). I'm wondering whether I ought to keep the idea of having each permanent charm be a follow-up to a non-permanent, active essence gathering charm. If so, what would an appropriate precursor to this be? Possibly a reflexive charm that enables you to collect essence when impressing others? It could definitely have its uses in combos...

A Presence Charm that provides you with Essence when those who attempt to stand against you fail a Valor, Conviction, or Willpower roll. You gain a number of motes of Essence equal to their rating in the trait they rolled.

• What about a Lore charm that allows you to learn Charms from watching others? Or invent Solar versions of non-Solar Charms from watching others perform them? Is there a way to keep that from encroaching too much on the Eclipse schtick? Is such encroachment a problem?

other charms

• Redoing the Performance and Presence trees for Solars - Moving most of the Performance Charms to the Presence tree (Tiger Warrior Training will gain Underling Promoting Touch as a prereq) and adding some Performance Charms that actually have something to do with, you know, performing. Some 'new' Performance Charm ideas:
  • A charm that allows quick costume and/or prop changes. This will probably be a new prereq for Phantom Conjuring Performance
  • Charms that allow you to send a message (and w/later charms implant a suggestion) via performance
  • Charms that focus on swaying attentive crowds on a deep emotional level
  • I'm torn about whether or not to develop trees that focus on different modes of performance (singing vs. dancing or whatever) or whether to keep the charms general. Both methods seem to have their advantages.

some of these are above. some are still in the dark recesses of my brain.

• a Solar Craft charm that speeds 'dead time' in creating things (frex, waiting for paint to dry). Another branch (off Craftsman Needs No Tools?):
  • A Charm that uses substandard materials
  • A Charm that altogether dispenses with the need for materials
  • A Charm that allows you to craft things from strange materials with weird properties (the craft equivalent to Generalized Ammunition Technique).
• a Solar Bureaucracy charm that allows you to impose a set of bureaucratic requirements on something that doesn't normally have them (No, you can't just murder me. You haven't filled out the proper paperwork. Besides, this neighborhood isn't even zoned for assassinations.)
• Where would Charms easing travel (avoiding obstacles, choosing the best path, things like that) go? Ride or Sail or Survival? I could even see an argument for something like Stealth or Socialize, but that seems pushing it. I stuck one of these under Survival.
• Solar Awareness charm(s) building off of Suprise Anticipation Method, that either trigger in more focused situations or give you a better idea of what you're getting into... maybe a bit more advance warning? I don't want to get into obvious prescience, but something along the lines of a danger sense could work... What about a permanent effect that simply allows you to perfectly succeed at the rolls to detect ambushes?
• Solar Occult charms that boost Mortal Thaumaturgy. Is there a point to this? Probably. A die adder would be useful, particularly with Sciences. Perhaps something like Thaumaturgist Needs No Tools? Some of this was handled in the CrunchRelay.
• A Solar Brawl Charm tree that emphasizes true brutality. Why isn't there a charm that will let you grab the sword out of that guy's grip and tear it apart with your bare hands, then proceed to do the same to bits and pieces of his body?
• A Solar Ride Charm that builds off of my Mount Training Regimen (see SolarRide/Szilard) that provides permanent powers to mounts. Something like:

Mount Imbuing Method

Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 experience point/level of power

Duration: Permanent

Type: Simple

Min. Ride: 5

Min. Essence: 3

Prereqs: Mount Training Regimen

really choppy ideas: Each use of this Charm imbues a mount with a specific power, building on previous powers imbued. There are three levels of powers which a mount may possess. Level one: traceless passage (no hoofprints), increased speed, increased balance (lesser version of Graceful Crane, must keep moving) Level Two: water walking (must keep moving, requires traceless passage) Level Three: air walking (requires water walking and increased balance), water standing (requires water walking. I'm toying with making this a generational thing. This charm can only be used on an unborn animal, and one of its parents must have had one of the prerequisites for any power the exalt wants to imbue it with...

artifacts

Hmmm... I've seen some ideas on 'unlocking' additional powers of an artifact. I like the idea of there being few, if any, 'generic' daiklaves/whatever (other than Jade) that date from the First Age. Each of them should be a unique and potent artifact. Ways of handling this:

1. The weapon might only work at full power for those it was made for (some reforging or charm use might bypass these locks)
2. There are different levels of attunement: a character might be able to spend some xp and gain access to new powers of an artifact (possibly increasing committment costs)
3. Some powers of artifacts might have minimum ability/essence/virtue/charm requirements or specific specialties bought for their use

Actual artifacts:

• Rising Steam - a black, white, and red jade Daiklave that produces a disorienting screen of hot red vapor when it tastes blood. Hmmm.... how about something like: When the blade causes at least one lethal level of damage to a target capable of bleeding (including Exalts and many gods, but excluding most automatons), or is otherwise touched to blood, the blade is swathed in a fine, red mist that obscures its exact location, raising the difficulty to parry or dodge the blade by one... perhaps something increasing blood loss as well.
• The Shredder of Flesh - Soulsteel Armor that has built-in razor claws and clinch enhancers. It also gradually shreds and reknits the flesh of the wearer, granting them bonuses that increase the longer they wear the armor with the price of damage (and the possibility of permanent effects, including death) being caused when and if the armor is removed that is also increasing with the amount of time worn.

I'm working out a method for rating artifact armor and weapons at: Szilard/ArtifactWeaponsAndArmor

first age incarnations

Would it be worthwhile to have a list of character concepts/ideas/personas/write-ups of First Age incarnations (I was thinking for Solars, specifically, but any Celestial would be appropriate) to use for flashbacks and such when players want the Storyteller to make them up? I should probably look around and see if such a thing exists...

lunar shapechanging

Random thoughts here:Szilard/FavorsOfLuna

gods, demons, and creatures

Khelef, the Lord Messenger

I don't know where to put him in the Celestial Bureaucracy. The Bureau of Heaven? He's your semi-typical messenger-god, but he rarely delivers anything himself, except at the behest of the Unconquered Sun. Image: Kelef appears as a large, muscular man with skin of flowing, liquid Orichalcum. Instead of a human head and neck, his shoulders are topped by the body of a mighty falcon, whose wings are often outstretched and whose lower body seamlessly flows into the god's humanoid form. Kelef wears a heavy breastplate, upon which is a relief design of a warrior's face. The face upon the breastplate is itself animate, and it is through this that Kelef communicates with those who speak the tongues of man and god.

comments

Ooh, permanent Solar Charms. Would the essence replenishment Charms be spread out like the Sidereals'? And would they be based on Virtues? Abilities? Maybe Essence? - SMK

I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be based on Abilities like any other Solar Charm. I don't really want them to be a special category. Sidereals have a bunch of them, and they seem to fit in there well enough. As far as essence replenishment charms go, I think they ought to be more or less spread out. Right now, Solars only have Essence Gathering Temper. With the Player's Guide changes, it is very effective at what it does - to the point that it is almost silly that it costs essence. On the other hand, it is not a charm that is stylistically appropriate for everyone. - Szilard

Oh cool. About the "based on Abilities," I meant, would the regaining be based on Virtues (like the Sidereal Charms), or on some other stat or whathaveyou, the way EGT is based on getting hit? And dear god I wish I had the PG... - SMK, who will just break down and order the damn thing online one of these days...

The Sidereal essence replenishment schtick is, loosely, regain essence when you influence the world. For Solars, I could see them being simply better at regaining essence in a general sense: having a faster essence replenishment rate, being able to benefit from multiple hearthstones at once, things like that... maybe the ability to actually gain essence through being worshipped... hmmm... that could lead to interesting moral quandaries... fun. - Szilard

I generally agree with you on Solar essence-regeneration effects. But I wanted to voice a specific disagreement to "gaining Essence from being worshipped" - I don't think that that's a sensible improvement of anything that Solars can do; it's too indirect and particular. However, I think you can generalize it into a much more appropriately Solar effect, which would tie in neatly with some other mechanical widgets as well: Normal people regain Willpower from their Natures. Solars, therefore, should be able to find joy in additional things, gaining new Natures, and perhaps they should be able to improve the rewards they get for following Natures - increased Willpower awards already have a presedent in the Sphere of the Revolutionary Dog, and converting a Willpower award to a mote award, or adding a piggyback mote award, don't seem out of line. Similarly, I could also imagine a Charm that increases the mote reward from stunting.

Prediction: Brandon, notable among many luminaries who would agree, thinks that these are generally terrible ideas. They break some kind of metagame wall between the material rewards that make players want to do stuff and the things that Charms should interact with. In anticipation of this response, I say bullshit. People in the game world clearly understand the effect of Nature, whether they have a unitary term for it or not - Impose Nature makes this abundantly clear. They also understand the mechanics of the flow of Essence - otherwise they could not create Charms like the Essence Replenishments and the Essence-Gathering Temper, and so it's ridiculous to say that they are not aware of the surge of self-confidence or Essential energy that comes from stunting. - willows

Good thoughts. You are probably right on the worship bit, but it does appeal to me for the opportunities for Solars to display immense hubris... - Stuart

One thing I forget to mention is that it seems like Solars should have access to a worship-seeking Nature, thus reenabling your idea, but in a much more generalized way. - willows

Occult deals with magic and spirits in a very direct, practical fashion. But magic comes from other places too - high Craft is "the magic of the forge" in the words of the Player's Guide, and your ability to make exceptional weapons, armor, etc. is partially a magical act. So if you don't like how things are handled, put a magical spin on exceptional successes and/or rule that "magical" things can be done with otherwise-"mundane" abilities. For example, horse-whispering with Ride, or starting a fire with an invocation using Survival. Look here for ideas: http://www.io.com/~sjohn/hedge.htm -- BillGarrett

That's the basic idea, but what I am saying is that I think that... taken to its logical conclusion, this leaves nothing left for Occult to do on its own. -szilard

This is the problem of Occult. - willows

Sorcery and Geomancy, not to mention other mortal related magics.- grypph

I happen to think that occult has it's place. Now don't get me wrong, I would have no problem letting someone describe a high success roll or a stunt in magical terms (like that artical suggests) or letting, say, someone use craft with enchantment or a social skill with summoning, instead of occult. However, I see Occult as being the systematic, organized study of magic and I maintain that that is a nessisary skill. I think of it as kinda like the difference between math and physics. Physics uses math to accomplish things and you can learn a bit about math through physics, but math isn't just physics. Math can be very handy by it's self or though being able to apply it to other areas more throughly. --BrilliantRain

On free use of charms in a combo. If I understand you correctly you would let a character use any combination of comboed charms as a sort of sub-combo. Considering your provision of XP cost, this would only allow really basic sub-combos such as GEB+DSD or Excellent Tiger. Even Solar Counterattack+Excellent Strike would require Essence 5. As such I don't see this as a game breaker, but flavour might be an issue as you give options to other charm types which are currently reserved for Reflexive charms, i.e. may be used optionally in a combo.

The next one about launching cheap comboes w/o paying WP might be a bigger issue. Even Excellent Tiger can often be a significant threat and would only require Essence 3 to launch w/o paying WP. I'm not sure I'd allow that.

An idea I've had is to allow characters to spontaneously create comboes from any charms they currently possess by paying double WP and essence cost, inspired by Ars Magica's spontaneous casting. The horrific costs would probably discourage overuse, while allowing desperate supermoves.

I like how you've reorganised the Presence and Performance charms by the way.
-- RedMegaman