Telgar/MartialArts

Martial Arts Redone

The Martial Arts ability is strange. Its strange in Exalted and its stranger yet in Ex2. It breaks all the rules set forth by the other 24 abilities in that it is the only Ability whose Charms are totally non-native for all five types of Exalted. It has no Charms that are learnable only by one type of Exalted. There are no Solar Martial Arts Charms and no Terrestrial Martial Arts Charms. I think that's pretty darn weird.

While I don't hate the way Martial Arts works currently, I think it could be improved. Martial Arts should not be an ability. Instead, Martial Arts Styles will become a distinct type of Charm Cascade which can be part of any of the four Combat Abilities: Archery, Brawl, Melee and Thrown. Under these new rules, Styles are non-native for all Exalted, just as they are know. The difference is that in this system, Martial Arts are now based on the Combat Ability of their signature weapon. With the exception of Brawl-based Martial Arts, the Styles can no longer be practiced unarmed.

Removal of the Ability

Because this system removes the Martial Arts ability, it must be replaced with something. In Ex2, I suggest that Martial Arts is simply replaced with Brawl. This eliminates the super-duper rules-breaking Hero Styles by turning them back into native Brawl Charms. In Exalted, this is more difficult since both Brawl and Martial Arts exist. I would then suggest that one of the two new abilities from Ex2 be imported to replace Martial Arts. Either War or Integrity can be subbed in.

If your game focuses on Solars or Abyssals, you may was to import War because that fits best with the Dawn Caste. If it focuses on Sidereals, importing Integrity would be more in-theme with the Endings Caste. The Earth Aspect lends itself equally well to Integrity or War and Lunar Castes are not associated with the abilities at all. For games focusing on those types of Exalted, import whatever best suits your game.

Style Conversions

Each Martial Arts Style is now a static (non-modifiable) cascade of Charms in the ability related to it's primary signature weapon. All mentions of the Martial Arts ability in the Charms is now replaced with the Combat Ability the Style is assigned to. Charms inside the Style may be freely comboed with other Charms inside the ability.

Archery Styles

Righteous Devil Style and Wood Dragon Style

Brawl Styles

Hungry Ghost Style, Prismatic Arrangement of Creation Style, Tiger Style and Water Dragon Style

Melee Styles

Charcoal March of Spiders Style, Citrine Poxes of Contagion Style, Earth Dragon Style, Ebon Shadow Style, Fire Dragon Style, Five-Dragon Style, Mantis Style, Snake Style, Violet Bier of Sorrows Style,

Thrown Styles

Air Dragon Style

Comments

I pretty much totally agree with you on this. The only thing that I don't like is not being able to use styles unarmed unless they're Brawl based. Don't get me wrong if you're using a sword based MA and lose your sword I wouldn't let the player keep attacking using Melee I'd make them switch to Brawl, but I won't take away the use of their charms. This would lead to Martial Artist's taking their primary attack attribute and brawl, but I don't really see that as a bad thing. - BlackFlame

The way I see it, Fire Dragon (for example) is designed to be used with Paired Short Swords. You just can't make the katas and attacks work without them. A better example then the Melee styles are the Thrown and Archery Styles. How do you use them unarmed? It'd be a totally different style of fighting. So, while I can understand that for players working under the current system, it'd be a loss. But its one I'd deal with because it feels better to have to work within the limits of the Style. - Telgar