TrialBySchmendrick/AscendingAirVsFiveDragon

Trial started: Tuesday Feb 13, 2007
Trial completed: not yet

Home: Ascending Air Style, "Student of Air"

IanPrice fields a contestant wielding Ascending Air Style, a highly mobile combat style. It offers bonuses to movement rate, attack, and defense, and even allows limited periods of something like flight. Light armor and Chakrams are allowed with this style. In addition, the Student of Air knows these charms: First Martial Arts Excellency, First Thrown Excellency, Whirlwind Shield Form, Vengeful Gust Counterattack, First Dodge Excellency. Air has specialties in Mid-Air Combat (Martial Arts +2 and Dodge +2).

Student of Air is an Air aspect who uses a blue jade Breastplate, "Heart of Sky," an Infinite Jade Chakram, and jade hearthstone bracers, "Sky Dragon Scales," set with a Freedom Stone.

• Heart of Sky bears flowing designs reminiscent of clouds or the erratic path of a breeze. (+4B / +6L soak, 2B / 2L Hardness, Attune 2)
• The Sky Dragon Scales are forged of single pieces of white jade formed by the shed scales of an air dragon. The socket for the hearthstone was made where a warriors spear had once pierced the dragon in battle. (Attack Speed -1, +3 Dodge dice, Attune 4)
• The Infinite Jade Chakram used by Student of Air bears a lightning motif, and when each duplicate disappears, it gives off a shower of white sparks. (Speed 4[3 with bracers], Accuracy +0, Damage +4L, Rate 4, Range 50, Attune 5)

The Student's one Combo is "Victory of the Whirlwind." He flips and spins towards, and often past his opponent at high speed. His erratic movements place him inside his opponent's guard at an unexpected moment for his strike. Using Sow the Wind and Reap the Whirlwind for 3m and 1wp, Student can dash for up to 3 ticks without the usual penalties of dashing, and may make an attack with no DV penalty at any point in those ticks. This attack ignores penalties for reach and height differences.

Away: Five Dragon Style, "Five"

Wordman volunteers the gold standard in general terrestrial styles. Five-Dragon features a variety of offensive and defensive techniques, the ability to deal aggravated damage, and a multiple action charm. It allows armor and treats attacks with straight swords and spears as unarmed.

Five is an Air Aspect. She uses a black jade reinforced breastplate named "Thus To All Invaders", featuring ornate carvings of water spouts laying waste to an armada. Her hearthstone bracers, "The Way Sees Me", feature black tentacled forms with large eyes on a field of blue jade. In place of the largest eye on the left hand is a Monkey Stone. Sheathed to her back, she carries an exceptional straight sword with bonuses added to accuracy, defense and rate (including hearthstone bonus, this gives: Speed 3, Acc +3, Dmg +3L, Def +2, Rate 3). Exceptional spear also with bonuses added to accuracy, defense and rate (Spd 4, Acc +2, Dmg +4L, Def +3, Rate 3). Five exceptional war boomerangs with bonuses to to accuracy, damage and range (Speed 4, Acc +1, Dmg +4L, Rate 2, Range 30). She also carries a blue jade Sling of Deadly Prowess that has no name (Spd: 3, Acc +2, Dmg +4L, Rate 2, Range 200).

Five has the following specialties: Martial Arts (While Leaping: +1, Spear: +2), Thrown (Boomerang: +1). Five also knows the following charms: First Thrown Excellency, Whirlwind Shield Form, Vengeful Gust Counterattack, Effortlessly Rising Flame, First Martial Arts Excellency. She also knows the following combo:

• Teeth of the Hydra: A writhing blur of electric tendrils spring out of Five's anima, forming into a sparking air dragon with five heads. As Five rains blows on his opponent, each phantom head strikes its fangs into the target. Five-Dragon Wrath and Five-Dragon-Force Blow combine to make up to Essence attacks that double base damage for 3m per attack, plus 1wp, 1 hl.

Signs

• The Musician: Second Edition rules in place
• The Pillar: Schmendricks are considered to be Terrestrial Exalts, complete with aspects, with 5 charms besides their styles.
• The Captain: Schmendrick's Archery 3 exchanged for Thrown 4; Schmendricks not considered copies of the same person, they just happen to have similar skills.
• The Mast: All rolls use (dice pool / 2, rounded up) successes instead of rolling.
• The Sorcerer: Each combatant has one Combo with up to 3 charms.
• The Guardian and the Spear: 8 total dots of Artifacts and Hearthstones for each contestant.
• The Quiver and the Rising Smoke: Terrain is rough, and has damaging elements - specifically, the side of a volcano with steam geysers and lava flows.

By rule, both Schmendricks have Essence 4 and Martial Arts 5.

Transcript

Setup

Student of Air stands atop a spur of jagged volcanic rock, a mild breeze stirring up the smoke and ash around him. He surveys the craggy side of the volcano, spotting Five a few yards away. "Good, you're here. Now we can settle this. When I win, you'll tell everyone the Cyclic schools should be declared legal again. These charges of heresy are ridiculous."

Five smiled at him sweetly, almost regretfully, leaning on her spear. "If you win, I shall speak of your school's ability, but heresy is still heresy, even in victory. From you, should I emerge triumphant, I expect nothing at all. You will continue to follow your corrupt teachings regardless. Pity."

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 12/0/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 12/0/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 10 yards

"Now," Five continues, just as sweetly, "let us begin". From her casual stance, Five leaps toward student, spear ready for anything.

Student declaration: Join Battle, Activates Stinging North Wind (4m) and Gentle South Wind (8m)

Five declaration: Join Battle

Resolution: Battle is joined.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 12/0/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 10 yards

Join Battle

Both fighters get 3 sx on the Join Battle roll. Since they have identical stats, they act simultaneously on tick 0.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 12/0/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 10 yards

Tick 0: Student and Five

"Heresy is whatever the Cloister says it is this year," Student says, and he shakes his head. As Five leaps, Student of Air seems to float upwards. This gentle movement is yet quick, and when Student has matched Five's ascension, he dives forward and spins around in midair. A roaring, searing wind builds around the pair as Student's knife hand swings in under Five's guarding spear at her midsection. One way or another, he passes by her as the wind always does, leaving a sudden chill in his wake.

Five quickly adjusts to block the strike with the shaft of the spear, using the momentum to rotate in the air, quickly slashing at Student's back as he passes. As she falls with her back to her destination, the chill wind trailing Student begins to swirl around her, protecting her. She lands facing him, smiling, her spear extended.

Student is attacking with Victory of the Whirlwind, in the form of a punch. He uses Gentle South Wind, accepting a -5 dice penalty to add +2.5 DV. He'll move on the air for 1m using his style's pinnacle charm. With this tick's movement, assuming Five is also moving, he meets her in the middle of the current distance and ends up a yard or so above her starting point, so if she was leaping at his former position they'd still be 10 yards apart at this point.

One die stunt for you. Since we are rounding up, that gives another attack success. I'm confused about the Gentle South Wind sentence, however. How are you both gaining and losing successes at the same time? If I read the charm correctly, you are taking -5 attack successes to gain a +2.5 DV? What am I missing?

Haha, I messed up on my own charm. It should be -5 dice and +2.5 DV, round up to +3. Good catch.

Student's attack:

1. Attack specifics: Punch (acc 1 + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 midair combat - 5 GSW = 7 dice); Damage 8L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (3 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 2 spear + 1 stunt = 15) / 2 = 8DV
3. Attack roll: (7 dice + 1 stunt) avg 4sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 8 DV reduces 4sx to none
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: none
8. Soak: none
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: No damage

To leap and attack, Five uses a two action flurry, jumping being the first action, a single attack on the next. Since this is all simultaneous, I'm assuming that our attacks don't affect our DV until after they are all done. After the attack, she activates the Air aspect anima effect (which I assume is reflexive).

A dodge fits with what I've already described, and you're right, it's my better value. Even if we did include the penalty for your attack in your DV (mine doesn't impose one), I still wouldn't have hit you, so it doesn't really matter on this pass. You get 1 stunt die as well. Since we both succeeded with the defense part of our stunts, we each get 2m back. Your anima power doesn't commit the motes, by the way. Also, doesn't the leap make your flurry speed 5?

Indeed it does. Also, DV penalties from flurries are cumulative, so an extra -1 there as well.

1. Attack specifics: Spear slash (2 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 2 spear - 3 multi action)
2. Defense declaration: Dodge (4 ess + 4 dex + 5 dodge + 2 midair + 3 bracers + 5 south wind - 0 mobility = 23) / 2 = 12 DV + 1 stunt = 13
3. Attack roll: (11 dice + 1 stunt) avg 6sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 13 DV cancels attack successes
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: none
8. Soak: none
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: No damage

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 19/11/32, DV plty: +3, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 9/0/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 10 yards

Tick 1-2

Student gracefully alights on the jagged stones, darting among them to gain some distance.

Distance: 30 yards

Tick 3: Student

Student of Air stands ready on a low point, near a churning lava flow. In the lee of an obsidian spur, he finds the calm he needs, and matches his inner self with it. His swirling anima takes on the appearance of the eye of a hurricane, centered on himself; violent without, calm within.

Student activates Calm Air Prana, gaining +1 DV and +1 success on all Martial Arts attacks.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 14/16/32, DV plty: +1, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

Distance: 30 yards

Tick 5: Five

Note: See questions in "Player Chat" section below.

Still smiling, Five enjoys the heat warming her blood, but doesn't move a muscle. Almost imperceptibly, steam and shimmering waves of heat begin to circle around her, adding to the vortex of her aerial nature. In a cheerful voice, as if good-naturedly teasing a sibling, she calls out "Do you naught but run, heretic?"

Five activates Whirlwind Shield Form, subtracting 4 dice from the attack pools of ranged attacks made against her.

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 8/8, psnl: 6/3/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: -1, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 30 yards

Tick 10: Student

"Do you naught but talk?" Student's smirk matches Five's cheerful voice as he assumes a defensive stance, red light from the lava gleaming on his bald head.

Student guards.

Five moves toward student.

Distance: 27 yards

Tick 11: Five

As she makes her way over the rocks toward him, she waves her hand abstractly. "Oh," she says, "pretty much." She begins to slowly twirl her spear through various defensive positions as she walks. "How's the family?"

Five activates Five-Dragon Blocking Technique (paying out of aspect penalty). She also moves toward Student. If Student continues to guard, she will move each tick until her next action.

5: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 1/8/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: 0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 24 yards

"In prison or in hiding, as you ought to know. Ironic that I am hunted down by a fighter wearing sacreligious icons on her breastplate, and called a heretic, don't you think?" Student treads cautiously towards Five, his tone no longer cheerful.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 14/16/32, DV plty: +1, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

Distance: 20 yards

Tick 12, 13, 14: Student

"Enough talk." Suddenly, Student's hands slam down in the air in front of him, vaulting off a passing breeze. He twirls through the air with dizzying forward flips, stopping just in front of Five to ascend as if running up an invisible wall. Again he inverts himself, springing past her to deliver a spinning heel kick to her face as he passes in the air. The union of northern and southern air essence creates a violent thunderclap accompanying the attack, splintering the tips of nearby rock spurs. Student lands in a crouch, springing several yards away again to resume his defensive stance.

As Student approaches, walking on the air as if it was solid, Five considers the whirling vortex around her. As Student climbs the air in front of her, she thinks to herself try walking on this and interposes her whirlwind into Student's feat as she moves to parry his strike, hoping the turbulence will knock him off balance.

Student spends 1m for Flight of Zephyrs, and 3m 1wp for Victory of the Whirlwind again. Negating the reach of her spear, Student is able to use his air-running to attack from a position too steep for Five to climb, giving her a -3 DV penalty against this attack. GSW gives -5 DV and +5 successes for this attack.

Two dice for the stunt; however I don't think height modifiers work that way. On pg.147, height modifiers are listed as bonuses to DV, not penalties. The the "DV bonuses" section, it compares having the high ground to having cover. That is, by scaling the air, you are gaining +3DV for yourself, not -3DV to me. Normally, my spear would negate this DV bonus, but your charm prevents that. Also, how is GSW supposed to work again? In the previous attack, you said it "should be -5 dice and +2.5 DV", which implies that now if should be "+5 dice and -2.5 DV". Reading the charm description, I think it says the first attack should have been "-5 successes and +2.5 DV", while this one should be "+5 successes and -2.5 DV". Lastly, it's worth mentioning that the math for average damage works differently than other pools, since 10's don't count twice. It's dice * .4. Not sure what the best rounding policy is.

Check the footnote with ***, which says "apply as a DV penalty to characters with lower height in the designated situation." That point is a bit moot in this situation, since the attack won't do extra damage regardless. On the other issue: the intent with Gentle South Wind is that when you sacrifice offense, you make a sacrifice dice and gain dice; but when you sacrifice defense, you sacrifice DV points after the pool is calculated and divided, then gain successes. This is the way I'm trying to run it in this test. After this test, I will probably revise it to be the same for both offense and defense, just for simplicity's sake. For rounding the damage, I don't care either way, since it will apply equally to both of us.

Got it. Note that my DV penalty is not actually moot in this case. Without it, damage could be reduced to 12L, which I could avoid with Five-Dragon Invulnerability. I could probably throw some Excellencies and conviction channeling in, but let's move on.

Five parries, both with the spear and stunting to use her air effects to mess with Student's footing. Depending on how GSW actually works, it may be worth doing some other stuff.

Two dice for an inventive stunt. As for the footing, Student's Dex + Athletics total of 7 dice produces an average of 4 successes on a reflexive roll to keep it, which equals Five's Essence score. Taking her Essence as the difficulty of the roll seems reasonable, since this makes her wind-buffets equal to a hurricane in difficulty to keep one's feet against them. This new application of an unstable surface seems analogous to being struck while already standing on one, so this roll to not fall is reflexive. If we weren't using the Mast, there would be even or better odds I'd lose my whole action due to falling on my face. Unstable terrain is listed as penalizing DV, though, so it might also penalize attacks up to -3. I'd say half your Essence would be a reasonable instability penalty even though I succeeded at the roll (so -2). Once again, this doesn't change the final damage, though it may be important later in the fight.

1. Attack specifics: Kick (acc 0 + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 midair combat + 2 stunt = 13 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (3 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT + 2 spear + 2 stunt = 20) / 2 = 10DV (- 3 = 7)
3. Attack roll: (13 dice) avg 7 + 5 GSW + 1 calm air = 13sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 7 DV reduces 13sx to 6, instability penalty 2 reduces 6sx to 4.
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 11 + 4 = 15L for the kick. 1L separately inflicted for anima flux.
8. Soak: 14L reduces 15L to 1L, but minimum overrides and sets it to 4L. Hardness eliminates anima flux damage.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 4 damage dice * 0.4 = 1.6, rounding to 2L.

5: XX|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 1/8/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: 0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 14 yards

Tick 15: Student

Student resumes his defensive posture as described above; guarding.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 6/8, psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 14/16/32, DV plty: +1, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

Distance: 14 yards

Tick 16: Five

"Not bad!" Five smiles, tasting her blood. "Try that again!"

Five guards as well, moving forward slightly.

5: XX|-----|----|-|-, wp: 7/8, psnl: 1/8/12, prph: 21/11/32, DV plty: 0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 11 yards

"Of course." Student replies, approaching cautiously. He sidesteps, walking up a spur that sticks out higher than Five's ground.

Student also closes.

Distance: 7 yards.

Tick 17

Student stops for a moment at the top of the spur, taking a deep breath. He then bursts into motion, running across the air between himself and Five. One air Anima pushes against another, sending deadly winds and lightning crackling over the rocks all around. At the edge of her swirling vortex, Student's foot finds the flat of Five's spearhead. Student stands on the shaft of her spear to deliver another spinning kick to Five, then flips over her head, keeping her off guard.

Amused at the spectacle of Student on her staff, she holds it place, but moves her body under it, dropping her back onto the ground, keeping the spear between her and the impending kick. As Student adjusts to this, landing his blow, Five's whirlwind pushes her back upright and she aims a righteous blow at Student's retreating back.

Assuming both keep closing, the distance reaches 0 yards this tick. Student spends 1m for running on air and 1m to negate Five's Reach. He takes -4 dice to hit with GSW for +2 DV, and spends 1m out of aspect penalty and 3m for 6 dice on the First Martial Arts Excellency. He channels Valor for +4 dice. Standing on the spear looks cool, and it could be a response to the instability of standing on the air, so I decided to run with it.

Cool. Two dice for you. I'm going to try shifting the ground another way, you can figure out if it has any effect.

Five aborts her Guard and attacks, simultaneous with Student's attack. I can't use charms to make defense worthwhile, so I won't bother. She spends 1m to activate Effortlessly Rising Flame to get the "bounce back up" effect, plus 1m for out of aspect charms this turn. The attack will spend 4m on First Martial Arts Excellency to add eight dice (limited to 7 by cap) and will channel Conviction. The attack will also use Five-Dragon Force Blow.

Two dice on that stunt, because it does give a very good idea of what's happening visually, and it's a good combat tactic. I could see a -1 instability penalty coming out of this, which would affect both Student's attack and defense. Student will pay 1m for the First Dodge Excellency to get +1 DV.

1. Attack specifics: Kick (acc 0 + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 midair combat - 4 GSW + 6 first excellency + 4 valor + 2 stunt = 19 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (3 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT + 2 spear + 2 stunt = 20) / 2 = 10DV (- 3 = 7)
3. Attack roll: (19 dice) avg 10 + 1 calm air = 11sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 7 DV reduces 11sx to 4, reduced to 3 by instability penalty.
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 11 + 3 = 14L for the kick. 1L separately inflicted for anima flux.
8. Soak: 14L reduces 14L to nothing, but minimum overrides and sets it to 4L. Hardness eliminates anima flux damage.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 4 damage dice * 0.4 = 1.6, rounding to 2L.

1. Attack specifics: Spear slash (2 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 spear + 7 excellency + 4 conviction + 2 stunt = 26 dice); Damage 8L.
2. Defense declaration: Dodge (4 ess + 4 dex + 5 dodge + 2 midair + 4 south wind + 2 stunt + 2 calm air + 1 excellency - 0 mobility + 3 bracers = 27) / 2 = 14 DV - 1 instability = 13 DV
3. Attack roll: (24 dice + 2 stunt) avg 13sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 13 DV reduces 13sx to 0
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: None
8. Soak: none
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: No damage. Five's stunt fails.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 5/8 (Valor 3/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 11/16/32, DV plty: +2, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XX---|----|-|-, wp: 6/8 (Con 3/4), psnl: 0/8/12, prph: 14/11/32, DV plty: -1, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Tick 21: Student

Avoiding the worst of Five's deadly blow, Student regains his footing, then flares his anima with a shout. Fragments of sharp volcanic glass now whip around in the air so agitated by the two fighters, which seem like a stepladder as Student climbs for his next attack. Catching a large piece with the bottom of his sandal, he freezes it on with the icy Essence surrounding his foot, then jabs it down at Five with a vicious kick.

Five steps slightly to one side, letting the whirlwind surrounding her shred the surface of a nearby pool of lava. Gobbets of glowing, molten rock join the dance of glass, rapidly cooling in the icy wind. Before one of the larger blobs looses its heat, Five gathers it with the tip of her spear and slams it into the oncoming frozen shard, shattering it in a cracking explosion of glass and sparks.

Student spends the usual 1m walking on air and 1m negating reach, and takes -1 DV for +1 attack success from Gentle South Wind. He'll also spend 1m for out of aspect and 1m on First Martial Arts Exellency for +2 dice and spend a willpower for an automatic success. Should Five-Dragon Force Blow be giving you a DV penalty or does it have a -0 on it? I don't have a borrowed DB book for 2e around anymore to check myself.

Take three dice for the stunt, for running up the whirling fragments and the ice. That is sweet.

Five spends 2m on the First Martial Arts Excellency on the parry (giving 4 dice, only 3 of which are usable), paying an additional 1m for out of aspect. She channels Conviction as well. On the off chance my stunt gets base damage to 12L or lower, Five will spend 5m, 1wp to activate Five-Dragon Invulnerability during step 7, raising her Hardness to 12 and canceling the damage. Since her weapon is not one of the 5MM, this stunt may have done bad things to her spear.

Explosions are also sweet, and you played off my stunt awesomely, so you get 3 dice too. But yeah, I think you'll have to switch to your sword now, because lava + spear = an improvised weapon which is not a spear anymore.

1. Attack specifics: Kick (acc 0 + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 midair combat + 2 excellency + 3 stunt = 16 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (3 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT + 2 spear +3 excellency - 1 wound + 4 Conviction + 3 stunt = 27) / 2 - 1 from last action = 13DV (- 3 = 10)
3. Attack roll: (16 dice) avg 8 + 1 willpower + 1 GSW + 1 calm air = 11sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 10 DV reduces 11sx to 1.
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 11 + 1 = 12L for the kick. 1L separately inflicted for anima flux.
8. Soak: Five Dragon Invulnerability sets Hardness to 12, which eliminates both the attack and the anima flux damage.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: No damage. Five elects to take motes for her stunt.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 4/8 (Valor 3/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 13/16/32, DV plty: -1, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XX---|----|-|-, wp: 4/8 (Con 2/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 8/11/32, DV plty: 0, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Tick 23: Five

As the sparks settle from the explosion, Five takes a few steps back, looking at the smoldering, molten remnant of her still glowing spear tip. With a laugh, she hurls it at Student in order to reacquaint him with the fire dragon. As it travels to its target, Five uses the distraction to leap backwards over the lava flow, wooping with glee through a leasurely backflip to land on her feet. Her sword rings as she draws it from her back, and sparks jump from the volcanic rock at her feet as she inscribes an arc in front of her with the blade before lifting it into defensive posture.

Student raises an eyebrow as Five cocks the spear, wondering if she's joking right up until its release. He shakes his head with a sigh, flicking up his right hand, which bears his Infinite Jade Chakram. The ring's center welcomes the hot spearhead through as Student steps aside and spins in a tight circle, guiding the spear around the curve of his whirling anima. When he releases it to fly back to its mistress, it sparks free of the chakram, carrying with it an electric aura reminiscent of the ball-lightning copies the chakram makes of itself. Though Five's sparking sword flourish catches the returned projectile - as such gestures are intended to do in the Martial Arts - Student's retort reminds her who is the master of air-borne objects in this duel as sparks and molten metal shower her unprotected face.

Five makes a Move action 3 yards away from Student, then makes a three action flurry. The first is a Thrown attack with the remnants of the spear, the second a leap and the third a ready weapon action. All told, that's Speed 5, -3 DV. The leap, using Effortlessly Rising Flame, carries her an additional X yards from Student ( (2 * (4 Strength + 3 Athletics + 2 ERF)) - 1 mobility - 1 wound = 14 * 4 (anima and monkey stone ) = 56 yards. For stats on throwing the spear, I dunno. A javelin without as much range and non-piercing, maybe? Fire damage? She'll use 2m of Thrown Excellency on the attack and channel Conviction again.

Ooo, pretty. Two dice. I agree with your suggested stats for the dead spear.

Student uses Vengeful Gust Counterattack (2m) - replacing his DV with a Thrown attack roll - and First Thrown Excellency (2m) and channels Conviction.

Nice move. Two dice for you; however, this is a ranged attack, and I have buffs against those. The anima effect I have up adds Essence to DV for one. The other, Whirlwind Shield Form, isn't so clear how it works against Vengeful Gust. Normally it would reduce a thrown attack pool by my Essence, but Vengeful Gust is both a defense roll and an attack, where the roll erodes the attack successes, then counterattacks with whatever successes are left (if any). I think maybe the way to handle it is that Whirlwind Shield doesn't actually affect your pool (thus, not affecting the defense part), but removes two successes from those remaining after the defense is done (which form the basis of the attack). Sound reasonable? Numbers adjusted assuming it is. Oh, also, since I don't have my sword out yet when the attack is made, I'm either going to have to block with my hands (which 5DBT allows) or dodge, so I'll dodge. Also, I'm not sure when DV penalties take effect. In theory, at the instant of the attack, I've only accumulated -1. (One last note, the 4 motes on my attack came from personal, which were regenerated by previous stunt)

1. Attack specifics: Thrown spear remnant (1 acc + 4 dex + 4 thrown + 4 excellency + 4 conviction + 2 stunt - 1 wound - 3 multi-action = 15 dice); Damage 7L.
2. Defense declaration: Vengeful Gust (4 dex + 4 thrown + 4 excellency + 4 conviction + 2 stunt = 18 dice) avg 9 successes = 9 DV
3. Attack roll: (13 dice + 2 stunt) avg 8sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 9 DV reduces 8sx to -1
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 7L
8. Soak:
9. Counterattacks: Vengeful Gust Counterattack
   1. Attack: Base attack pool of 1. If Whirlwind Shield works as above, this reduces the pool to -1, meaning no attack pool. Returned spear remnant, 7L damage.
   2. Defense: If it matters, Dodge (4 Essence + 4 dex + 5 dodge - 1 wound + 2 stunt = 16) / 2 - 1 from attack + 4 anima = 11DV
   3. Attack roll: none
   4. External penalties: DV 11 reduces 0sx to none.
   5. Base damage: none
   6. Soak: none
10. Result: none. Student's defense stunt is success, Five's attack stunt is not.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 4/8 (Con 3/4) (Valor 3/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 13/16/32, DV plty: -1, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XX---|----|-|-, wp: 4/8 (Con 1/4), psnl: 0/8/12, prph: 8/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 59 yards.

Tick 25-27: Student

Student brings his weapon to his brow chakra, mouthing a meditative tantra as he carefully sights on Five. He stops a precise distance away, holding his left hand at his sternum chakra in a mudra representing air. "Be at peace. You and I are one. This part rejoins you now."

With that, he rises into the air and spins, hurling a crackling disc of lightning seeming twice the size of his chakram, which arcs towards Five and tips lazily on its side. Before it reaches her it touches down, rolling along the ground in a trail of sparks and broken rock, then it hits a bump and leaps up into her face with a thunderclap.

Still smiling, Five touches her sword tip to the ground and tries to use her whirlwind to force the rolling electricity into the sword, to channel it into the ground. As this fails, she chuckles sweetly. As the blow hits home and electrocutes her, her laugh continues, turning eerie and psychotic. As the effects run their course, what might be joy returns to her eyes and smile. "Nice," she says, exhaling slight wisps of smoke.

Student will aim for two ticks and attack with a Chakram throw, using the full bonus of Gentle South Wind and a full Excellency pump (1m out of aspect; 4m for 7 dice), as well as Flight of Zephyrs to launch the attack from midair. He'll channel Conviction.

Two dice for you.

Because of mobility penalty, PDV and DDV for Five are actually the same, so she'll parry because it's cooler. About the best I can do here is reduce some damage by spending either 6m, 1wp on Five-Dragon Invulnerability to boost my soak or channel something to eat a few successes away. This would only save a point of damage, though, so doesn't seem worth the Willpower.

Two dice for smoke wisps and eerieness. You're forgetting Five-Dragon Fortitude, though, which you could also use to save that point of damage.

Good point. Still might not be worth the essence, but might as well do that. 2m to add 2L soak, +1m out of aspect.

1. Attack specifics: Thrown chakram (4 dex + 5 Martial Arts + 2 midair + 2 Aim + 7 excellency + 4 conviction + 2 stunt - 4 Whirlwind Shield = 22 dice); Damage 13L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (2 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT + 2 stunt - 1 wound = 14) / 2 - 3 from last action = 4DV + 4 anima = 9 DV
3. Attack roll: (20 dice + 2 stunt) avg 11sx + 1 Calm Air + 5 Gentle South Wind = 17sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 9 DV reduces 17sx to 8
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 13L + 8 successes = 21L
8. Soak: 14L+2L = 16L reduces 21L to 5L
9. Counterattacks:
10. Result: 5 * 0.4 = 2.0, 2L taken.

S: --|-----|----|-|-, wp: 3/8 (Con 2/4) (Valor 3/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 11/16/32, DV plty: -5, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXX-|----|-|-, wp: 4/8 (Con 1/4), psnl: 0/8/12, prph: 5/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 50 yards.

Tick 28: Five

Five takes a few steps to gather some speed and, with a jubliant "hi-yaa", leaps into the air, twisting. As she flies through the air her whirlwind picks up more loose shards of obsidian, still floating sparks, and all the dust and smoke from her body and the volcano, decending on Student as a righteous tornado of light, shadow, and steel.

Student cannot help but feel fear, seeing the relentless assault Five is bringing back to him. The fear paralyzes him for a moment, until he forces it to move him instead. The moment Five's whirling anima touches the edge of his, he dives forward, inside her arc of flight, and behind an outcropping of rock. Yet Five's deadly blade cleaves right through glass and stone, scoring a searing blow across Student's chest.

Five steps up (Move 3 yds), then leaps. ( (2 * (4 Strength + 3 Athletics)) - 1 mobility - 1 wound = 12 * 4 (anima and monkey stone ) = 48 yards, for total movement of 51. Assuming she still has a target, sword slash at the end, which I'd love to boost with Five-Dragon-Force Blow, but can't since it is Simple. So, Excellencies (3m + 1m out of aspect) and Conviction channeling it is.

Three dice because... damn. Your elemental cuisinart is better than the one over in Resplendent Air's fight.

Student pays 1m to keep standing on air, 3m dodging excellently (6 dice) + 1m out of aspect, channels Valor, and takes cover (+1 DV maybe?). All this simply reduces you to minimum damage, since even if I get a 3-die stunt, you'll hit with 1 success.

Two dice for you.

1. Attack specifics: Sword slash (3 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 6 excellency + 4 conviction - 3 multi action - 1wound + 3 stunt) = 22 dice
2. Defense declaration: Dodge (4 ess + 4 dex + 5 dodge + 2 midair + 6 excellency - 0 mobility + 3 bracers + 4 Valor = 23) / 2 = 13 DV + 1 stunt + 1 calm air + 1 cover - 5 south wind - 1 attack last round = 9 DV
3. Attack roll: (19 dice + 3 stunt) avg 11sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 11sx - 9 DV = 2 attack successes
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 8L + 2 = 10L
8. Soak: 8L soak reduces 10L to 2L, minimum sets it to 4L.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 4L * 0.4 = 1.6, round up to 2L. Five's stunt is a success, Student's is not. Five will take the motes (4 go to personal, 2 to peripheral).

S: XX|-----|----|-|-, wp: 2/8 (Con 2/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 5/16/32, DV plty: -5, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXX-|----|-|-, wp: 3/8 (Con 0/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 3/11/32, DV plty: -2, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Tick 30: Student

"You're persistent, but still losing!" Student jibes, flowing into Five's defensive zone with deceptive gentleness, left hand coming down on her sword-arm to ward it off as he aims a punch at the battered girl's midsection. The force of their clash explodes, blowing the accumulated detritus away to rain down in the lava pools all around. As she blinks against getting cinders in her eyes, Five realizes that the gut-punch was a feint, just as Student's elbow comes crashing towards her back from above.

Student will use a flurry: he'll try to feint and gain surprise (on which he will channel Conviction), before attacking from above and behind (on which he will spend the 1m for aerial movement). He'll again take full Gentle South Wind bonus on his attack. For the feint, (Dex 4 + Stealth 3 + Conviction 4 - multi action 2 = 9 dice) avg 5 successes without the stunt dice. Your (Wits 3 + Awareness 3 + 2 re-establishing surprise bonus = 8 dice) avg 4sx suggests you won't see me unless you too spend something.

Nice move. Two dice for you. I'm not even going to bother stunting back, because I'm lazy and have writer's block. Also, no channel on the perception, so no DV either. I will bump my soak by a point, though. (1m + 1m out of aspect).

1. Attack specifics: Punch (acc 1 + 4 dex + 5 MA + 2 midair combat + 2 stunt - 3 flurry = 11 dice); Damage 8L.
2. Defense declaration: None
3. Attack roll: (11 dice) avg 6 + 5 GSW + 1 calm air = 12sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: none
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 8 + 12 = 20L for the elbow.
8. Soak: 14L+1L=15L reduces 20L to 5L.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 5 * 0.4 = 2L damage.

S: XX|-----|----|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 1/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 5/16/32, DV plty: -5, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXXX|X---|-|-, wp: 3/8 (Con 0/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 3/11/32, DV plty: -2, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Tick 33: Five

"Of course I am, dear," Five grins, then launches into the air. Trailing dust and her own blood in a whirlwind behind her, she zips upwards past Student, inverting as as she ascends to strike a blow directly down at his head. As her momentum carries her away from her opponent, she continues to turn end over end. Gravity grabs hold of her, and she descends head first using her anima to control her fall, slashing another blow from above as she passes Student. As she lands on her feet, her whirlwind sends smoke and ash billowing outward.

This lady is nuts, Student realizes, matching her ascent. As she swings down her sword, he meets her gaze, searching her eyes for an instant before he darts past her. Student sails past Five, out of her whirling dust cloud and describing a lazy arc down to a spur of rock in the middle of a lava pool. He turns towards his opponent and bows, blood trickling from his shoulder. "I admire your spirit."

Five flurries a leap and two attacks. First attack will channel valor and use excellency dice (3m + 1m). Might as well blow my wad and use excellency on the second attack as well.

Two dice, 'cause that chicka is crazy. Are you sure you want to flurry two attacks when you know I can escape the second reflexively?

Yes. In theory, you could reflexively move away from my first attack as well. It is a reflexive move, after all. I assumed you'd be doing that all along, and have been a bit baffled as to why you haven't. Also, I'm not sure how much control the air anima really gives you over descent; if the level of control is high, Five might be able to adjust to your movement.

Student will buy 2 dice (2m) with his Excellency, spend 1m to move in the air, and spend 1m to move reflexively away - in the opposite direction of the leap. Also, I'm not going to proceed until I find out the answer to this question: if things stand with these actions, will we both succeed at our stunts, since you hit me once and I got away from the second attack?

Sure. One die on the stunt. Stunt success all around.

1. Attack specifics: Sword slash (3 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 6 excellency + 4 valor - 4 multi action - 2 wound + 2 stunt) = 19 dice
2. Defense declaration: Dodge (4 ess + 4 dex + 5 dodge + 2 midair + 2 excellency - 0 mobility + 3 bracers = 20) / 2 = 10 DV + ? stunt + 1 calm air - 5 south wind - 1 attack last round = 5 DV
3. Attack roll: (17 dice + 2 stunt) avg 10sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 10sx - 5 DV = 5 attack successes
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 8L + 5 = 13L
8. Soak: 8L soak reduces 13L to 5L.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 8L * 0.4 = 2.0.

1. Attack specifics: Sword slash (3 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 6 excellency - 5 multi action - 2 wound + ? stunt) = 12 dice
2. Defense declaration: Out of range
3. Attack roll: (12 dice + ? stunt) avg 6sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties:
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage:
8. Soak:
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: Out of range.

S: XX|XX---|----|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 1/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 3/16/32, DV plty: -5, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXXX|X---|-|-, wp: 2/8 (Con 0/4, Val 3/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 0/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 9 yards.

Tick 34-37: Student

I must end this, Student tells himself, studying Five as he catches his breath. She is learning my weaknesses. I must take advantage of hers somehow. Her guard is weak above the left shoulder, where the tip of her sword hovers.

Over a tense pause, Student watches Five recover from her assault on him. Calculating his own waning Essence reserves and increasing fatigue, he realizes he cannot commit himself too much to any attack at this point. Instead of a powerful leap, he seems to dance lightly off his spur of rock. Turning in the air, he brings a light, shallow kick in at Five's weak left side, then dances over her to land behind in a defensive stance.

Slightly lightheaded from blood loss and off-balance from her attack, Five swivels her arm behind her head to block, but even the jovial "hi-ya" she cries seems forced, and her blood spatters from under her armor as Student's foot hits home.

Student takes a -2 dice to hit and +1 to DV from Gentle South Wind, and makes a flying kick after aiming for three ticks. 1m for Flight of Zephyrs, 1m for Graceful Breeze.

Our stunts are getting worse. One die for pure narration.

It's true, this tick was pretty lackluster. One for you too.

1. Attack specifics: Flying kick (4 dex + 5 Martial Arts + 2 midair + 3 Aim + 1 stunt - 1 Wound - 2 Gentle South Wind = 14 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (2 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT - 2 wound = 13) / 2 = 7DV - 3 from last action - 3 height + 1 (1 die) stunt = 2DV
3. Attack roll: (13 dice + 1 stunt) avg 7sx + 1 Calm Air = 8sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 2 DV reduces 8sx to 6
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 11L + 6 successes = 17L
8. Soak: 14L reduces 17L to 3L, minimum 4L.
9. Counterattacks:
10. Result: 4 * 0.4 = 1.6, rounded up to 2L.

S: XX|XX---|----|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 1/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 3/16/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXXX|XXX-|-|-, wp: 2/8 (Con 0/4, Val 3/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 0/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 9 yards.

Tick 38-40: Five

Five staggers to the side from the attack, right to the edge of the lava, stopping herself short of falling in. As her whirlwind peels streams of molten rock from the surface to swirl around her, the orange glow making her smile and eyes seem to swirl between calm, friendly regard and raging phychosis. As the lava builds, she stares at the pattern of his armor for several seconds, realizing that it conceals a weakness at the neck line. Knowing this may be her last chance to stop the heretic, she launches into a high, mostly vertcal leap, coming nearly straight down on student from above, head first, sword extended. Just before impact, she moves the sword to strike the weak spot in the neck. As her blade sinks in, she uses the leverage to rotate her body around so her feet land on the ground, slamming her whirlwind between them, and scattering lava everywhere.

Student meets Five's eyes again, seeing the end coming, and he finally understands the blood-crazed look of her. He steps up to meet Five; knowing the seam she aims for, he leans his chest into her strike, so her blade is presented with a strong point in his armor rather than a weak one. Student pushes forward, wrapping his arm around her sword and landing right with her. Flecks of burning lava sizzle on his arms and face as he grins at her. "I think we understand each other now, sister."

Five aims for two ticks, then leaps and attacks from above. She will channel valor and use excellency. She's assuming that the lava will hit them both, but is gambling that her armor will protect her from it better than Student's will protect him. If not, well, she's probably going to die anyway. This is probably ancillary lethal or aggravated environmental damage.

I would call the lava equivalent to an Acid Bath, but with the L tag on the trauma 5 (thus, automatic levels instead of dice). Our Stamina + Resistance is 7, which produces an average 4 successes - so the damage stays lethal. Due to our soak values, we each reduce the 5L to 1L, which I would take automatically as the minimum, Mast or not. You actually do have Hardness high enough to ignore the damage though. Three dice by the way. I mean. Lava. I did not see that coming.

Student can't avoid an attack like this, so he tries to minimize the damage, and sets up for a disarm on his next action by trapping Five's sword where it stabbed him.

1. Attack specifics: Sword slash (3 acc + 4 dex + 5 MA + 1 while leaping + 6 excellency + 4 valor - 3 multi action - 2 wound + 2 aim + 3 stunt) = 23 dice
2. Defense declaration: Dodge (4 ess + 4 dex + 5 dodge - 0 mobility + 3 bracers - 1 wound = 15) / 2 = 8 DV + 1 stunt + 1 calm air +1 south wind - 1 attack last round - 1 aim = 9 DV
3. Attack roll: (20 dice + 3 stunt) avg 12sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 12sx - 9 DV = 3 attack successes
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 7L + 3 = 10L. 4L Lava reduced to 1L.
8. Soak: 8L soak reduces 10L to 2L, minimum 4L. 1L Lava.
9. Counterattacks: none
10. Result: 4L * 0.4 = 1.6, round up to 2L. 1L Lava. Five's stunt is successful.

S: XX|XXXXX|----|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 1/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 2/16/32, DV plty: -0, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXXX|XXX-|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 0/4, Val 2/4), psnl: 4/8/12, prph: 2/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Tick 41-42: Student

Icy Essence flows from Student's palm into Five's sword-hand, numbing her grip. Student of Air twists to the side, the bloody blade coming free of him, then backflips over Five's head while holding her now ice-cold blade. As the sword pulls against her freezing thumb, Student lets go of it for a moment. He spins in the air, drawn for a moment into the spiral of Five's anima, then his foot comes to rest on the blade of her sword. All his piercing icy Essence flows into the blade in that moment. With a wrenching twist, he sends it away as he does the splits, his other foot delivering a roundhouse kick to Five's nose.

Five reacts a split second to late to Student's rushing foot, distracted by the loss of her weapon. As Five's nose shatters and blood explodes over her face, it is impossible to tell if her innocent smile remains, as her unconscious form begins to teeter into the lava.

Aim for one tick, disarm, kick. Gentle South Wind used fully for attacking purposes. Flight of Zephyrs used for the usual purpose. Student will pull his kick to inflict only Bashing damage, but strike fiercely (thus, to the nose).

Three dice for cool visual tactic and finishing move.

Five gets owned. Lets assume a 1 die stunt for her impending incineration. She could use charms to pump her soak to only take 2 points, but at -4 wounds, she'd be done next round anyway.

Just for the sake of arguement, two dice out of respect for your willingness to describe your own fighter getting owned.

1. Attack specifics: Disarm (4 dex + 5 Martial Arts + 2 midair + 1 Aim + 3 stunt - 1 Wound - 2 flurry = 14 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (2 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT - 2 wound = 13) / 2 = 7DV - 3 from last action - 3 height + 1 stunt = 2DV
3. Attack roll: (11 dice + 3 stunt) avg 7sx + 1 Calm Air + 5 Gentle South Wind = 13sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 2 DV reduces 13sx to 11, 2 disarm penalty reduces 11 to 9sx.
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: None
8. Soak: N/A
9. Counterattacks:
10. Result: (3 Wits + 5 Martial Arts + ? stunt = 8 dice) avg 4sx vs difficulty 9 = sword flies 5 feet away, into the lava.

1. Attack specifics: Flying kick (4 dex + 5 Martial Arts + 2 midair + 1 Aim + 3 stunt - 1 Wound - 3 flurry = 13 dice); Damage 11L.
2. Defense declaration: Parry (2 def + 4 dex + 5 MA + 4 5DBT - 2 wound = 13) / 2 = 7DV - 3 from last action - 3 height - 1 onslaught + 1 stunt = 1DV
3. Attack roll: (10 dice + 3 stunt) avg 7sx + 1 Calm Air + 5 Gentle South Wind = 13sx
4. Attack reroll: none
5. External penalties: 1 DV reduces 13sx to 12, -1 pulled, -1 fierce = 10sx.
6. Defense reroll: none
7. Base damage: 14B + 10 successes = 24B
8. Soak: 13B reduces 24B to 11B.
9. Counterattacks:
10. Result: 11 * 0.4 = 4.4, rounds up to 5B. Student's stunt succeeds.

S: XX|XXXXX|----|-|-, wp: 1/8 (Con 1/4) (Valor 2/4), psnl: 0/12/12, prph: 1/16/32, DV plty: -7, Soak: 8B/8L/2A, Hardness: 2B/2L/2A

5: XX|XXXXX|XXX/|/|/, wp: 1/8 (Con 0/4, Val 2/4), psnl: 0/8/12, prph: 0/11/32, DV plty: -3, Soak: 13B/14L/10A, Hardness: 8B/8L/8A

Distance: 0 yards.

Student of Air catches the falling body of Five by the neck of her armor, hauling her onto his shoulder and beginning the weary trek down the mountainside. "No dying today, my sister-in-spirit. You wouldn't tell anyone much about my style in death."

Conclusions

A section for what was learned

Home player (IanPrice)

Pre-battle predictions.

• If my style is overpowered, I think it will come from three things:
  • The fact that almost all the charms are reflexive, and it's intended for use by Dragon-Blooded.
  • It allows an insane movement rate by spending a bit of Essence.
  • The Gentle South Wind charm creates a disproportionate offensive or defensive advantage. If it turns out to be insurmountable, I am thinking of tweaking it so that the trade of one for the other is set when the charm is activated.

Post-battle observations.

• I've already decided on the rough tweaks I will make to my style based on this combat over at its page (MartialArts/FifteenMonthsAscendingAir).
• The reason I stuck around to take as many of Five's attacks as I did was to try for successful defensive stunting, because I noticed the essence race tactic Five was using early on and needed a way around it.
• High ground IS brutal. Solar players take note - this makes Eagle-Wing Style a lot better than you might have thought without realizing this.
• Trying to get everything this style does to work really did rely on Dragon-Blooded free reflexive use, but it taxed my poor Terrestrial Essence Pool to the very limit.
• I honestly didn't think I could avoid the first attack in a flurry even though the leap preceded it in the flurry, since I didn't think I could pre-empt the active player's movement (whether that movement forced a flurry penalty or not).
• I didn't move away on tick 27 because I didn't think I could hit Five again at range after the one attack. Whirlwind Shield plus the Air Aspect power really did shut down the kiting tactics I originally had in mind.
• This style does fight just the way I had hoped, though. Very mobile, relying on its acrobatic potential to control the fight.

Away player (Wordman)

• The most important charm in this combat was actually Stinging North Wind. Without it, most of the attacks Student made would not have penetrated Five's hardness.
• Defensive stunting, if successful, is a really good way to reverse an essence race. Five's early strategy was to make Student run out of Essence by forcing him to move over and over, while spending very little herself. A few successful defensive stunts prevented this from happening, even though Five had an early essence lead.
• Using high ground is brutally effective.
• The five successes from South Wind may a bit much for a terrestrial style. On the other hand, without the -5 DV, Five might not have ever hit you.
• Reflexive movement completely destroys flurry-based combat strategies.
• This fight should have been a bit more one-sided. I don't see any reason why the rules that allowed Student to avoid Five's second attack in tick 33 (which was the third action in a three action flurry) wouldn't also have allowed him to have avoided nearly every other attack Five made (which were typically the second action in a two action flurry). Ian chose not to do so, which surprised me. I assumed he would have, as there seems to be nothing preventing it.
• Hearthstone bracers were completely useless to Five in this fight. Since all of Five's attacks were likely to require leaps, the uselessness of the bracer's Speed improvement was entirely predictable. Had the rules of the engagement allowed it, Five should have used the two artifact dots for these to improve her armor to superheavy plate. The ability to use this is a significant advantage of Five-Dragon, and the extra two points of hardness may well have mattered, allowing Five an (expensive) chance to avoid damage in some cases where pumping defense was, in the event, not worth doing.
• Likewise, knowing that Student's reflexive movement wouldn't allow me to make much use of flurries, I'm not sure what I was smoking by using points of Five's exceptional weapons to boost rate. I should have boosted accuracy, damage and defense on both weapons.
• I chose to give Five Vengeful Gust Counterattack not as a useful charm, but rather as a deterrent. The idea was that having it in my arsenal would prevent student from going all attack with South Wind at range, as the Vengeful Gust would make him pay dearly for the related -5 DV penalty when Five hurled his attack back at him. This turned out to be not much of a deterrent. Five should have learned Water Style Formulation instead. Or, perhaps, Falling Star Maneuver.
• In tick 27, Student might have been better off to move away from Five. His chakram has a range of 50, so attacks from 51 to 100 yards would have only caused a -1 sx penalty, and he could have gotten out of Five's jumping range.
• Five-Dragon Invulnerability may be too expensive. It has extra cost to allow for the fact that it is a semi-perfect defense, but this is an illusion, because the restriction on this defense means, in practice, that it is never used. Any attack that can get past the formadible armor and defense of Five-Dragon is pretty much gaurenteed to be magical. I can't think of many non-magical attacks that would make it worth invoking the semi-perfect.
• As I mentioned in the last fight, Five-Dragon Wrath is much more limited than it appears because it only grants attack actions. This means that, even if flurries were useful against student, Five couldn't have used Five-Dragon Wrath for one in most cases, because she had to leap to reach him, and Five-Dragon Wrath doesn't grant leap actions. Five-Dragon-Force Blow is similarly crippled by being Simple, making it largely useless against mobile opponents.
• Five never activated her form charm in this battle, which implies that Five-Dragon may mix with other Martial Arts (at least those that allow armor) better than I expected. None of the form bonuses would have been that useful during the battle, though I wonder if the "+1 Accuracy" given to form weapons counts against charm limits.

Initial Negotiations

Since my style is designed for 2E, I've gone ahead and set our system sign to the Musician. I'd also like to use the Pillar, mainly to see how brutal the number of reflexive charms in my style turn out to be in the hands of a Dragon-Blood (standard set of 5 charms from the type would also be good - and perhaps three or four dots of specialties to sprinkle among abilities like MA, Athletics, Awareness, etc?). I'd like to use the Guardian and the Spear, and allow 8 combined dots of artifacts and hearthstones with no single one higher than 3. Under the Sorcerer, I'd like each of us to have one Combo of up to three Charms. I would like to fight in a place corresponding to the Quiver (broken ground which may provide positional or height advantages) and the Rising Smoke (I'm thinking the side of a volcano with lava flows), mainly because I think it would look really cool. - IanPrice

That all sounds good. I assume we are using the rule for the extra mote for "out of element" charms? Also, do you want to ignore aspect abilities or not? Normally, I think they get in the way of these tests, but with the elemental focus of your styles, it may make sense to test them with the most likely aspect ability as well. What would you think about using the Mast also? I can see it serving two purposes: 1) it would theoretically give the "average" result of many bouts between the styles, without actually having to fight multiple bouts, so may be more useful in getting a general sense of how the styles match and 2) it will probably speed things up, as we won't need to wait for each other to roll once the pools are declared. On the flip side, that may make it a bit more "number crunchy", where we can gimmick the outcome by knowing the result ahead of time, takes a bit of the spontaneity away, and prevents extraordinary results. Even so, it might be worth trying.

I would also like to swap Schmendrick's Archery skill for Thrown. For one thing he otherwise wouldn't qualify for your style. I also wouldn't mind bumping it to 4 so I can use Vengeful Gust Counterattack, but that might be pushing it. -- Wordman

Thrown 4 instead of Archery 3 sounds good. And yes, I do want to pick Aspects and use their abilities; as I said, I want to see what these would look like with real DBs. As for using the Mast, how about yes, with the stipulation that Stunts are rolled? - IanPrice

This negates one of the advantages of using the Mast (i.e. speeding up the process), but OK. If you find yourself in a situation where you can't proceed without my stunt being rolled, just go ahead and roll it yourself. - Wordman

You know, you're right. We'll just use the Mast to speed things up. I think we're just about ready. - IanPrice

I have several different strategies in my head, most of which would keep me safe(ish) from you, but prevent me from doing anything to you as well. So, I'm going with the worst of the strategies I considered, as it is the only one I can think of that has a very slight chance to inflict damage. I'm assuming that the bonus from the Monkey Stone and the Air aspect stack in the typical Exalted way. That is Monkey Stone (+100% to leaping) + Air anima (+200% to leaping) = +300% to leaping (i.e. four times). Further, since both Effortlessly Rising Flame and the Five Dragon Form work by enhancing underlying abilities and attributes "for purposes of calculating" leaping rather than flat bonuses, that these bonuses enhance the base leap, which is then multiplied. If either of these are mistaken, let me know and I'll use a different strategy.

My combo is basically useless, but there isn't much to work with combo-wise in 5DS against mobile targets. If we had an extra charm to work with, I could maybe to slightly better, but not by much.

- Wordman

The only thing I see as a possible problem is that both the form and Effortlessly Rising Flame seem to add something in the category of "dice bonus from a charm," so with Schmendrick's Athletics rating, you won't be getting full effect. However, the monkey stone / air anima stacking should work the way you find it. So with those and the form, you should have (Str 4 + Ath 3 + 3 max bonus = 10) x 4 = 40 yards leaping vertically, 80 yards horizontally. - IanPrice

Since this isn't a dice pool, I'm pretty sure the ability limit doesn't apply. And even if it did, Effortlessly Rising Flame is adding "dots", not dice, which, it could be argued, raise the cap. Dunno. If it works as you say, I may as well not bother with Effortlessly Rising Flame and pick something else. Also, I'm assuming the mobility penalty applies pre-multiplication as well. - Wordman

I'm pretty sure it's a dice pool, since on page 185 (Ex3) where it talks about static ratings and dice limits, it references feats of strength in addition to DVs. Leaping is the same kind of pool as feat of strength, certainly. However, if Effortlessly Rising Flame says "dots" in the Manual of Exalted Power: Dragon Blooded, that probably does make it work out. That would mean (4 + 4 + 3 + 2 - 1 = 12) x 4 = 48 vertical yards, 96 horizontal yards. - IanPrice

Interesting. I'm not totally convinced, but let's play it like that anyway. Maybe I'll throw up another Rulings page to discuss further. One interesting implication is that such a rule would imply that you can use Athletics Excellencies to increase your jumping distance. - Wordman

Since you can explicitly use them to increase the movement rate you get on a tick when you have Lightning Speed active, that doesn't seem strange to me. - IanPrice

Player Chat

I'm thinking instead of the "random appearing in a strange place" that has gone on with the other Schmendrick fights, this could be treated as two actual fighters who are having a martial arts challenge to prove whose school is better. They just happen to have an equivalent spread of statistics because hey, they're both martial artists of equal skill, they've had similar training. - IanPrice

Works for me.

Question: would an air aspect pay the out of aspect surcharge for Martial Arts Excellencies, even if using an Air style? - Wordman

I am of two minds about that.

1. The Excellencies are not part of any style, simply "Martial Arts" charms, just like "Horse-tipping" excellencies would be Wood charms. So an Elemental surcharge would apply.
2. However, if using an Air style, the exalt is likely to be using the Excellencies reflexively with "Air" charms. Hmm.

I think the first mind wins out. Which means I'll be paying 1m per action for that if I want to use Excellencies, which I probably will. - IanPrice

I could see it working either way, but I too think the "first mind" is "cleaner", so let's do that. I'm still trying to see if if this will apply to Five, as I might select something other than a water aspect. - Wordman

Terrestrial caps always mess me up. I could do a few things here, but it occurs to me that I'm not sure how certain effects will stack. The anima effect adds Essence to DV against ranged attacks. I'm not sure how much of that bonus I can even use. This would, essentially, be +8 dice to my "defense pool" (pre-divide by two). For parries, isn't that capped by MA + specialities? One thing I could do is activate Five-Dragon Blocking, but this, I think, is a waste against thrown attacks, since I'm already capped (though it would help non-ranged defense). Is that correct? I could use Whirlwind Shield Form, which is a slightly different situation, since it seems to be reducing your attack pool, rather than increasing my defense and, thus, isn't effected by my cap. Correct? My move above assumes this analysis is correct. If it isn't, I might do something differently. -- Wordman

The anima effect isn't a charm, so it doesn't count against the charm limit - similarly, sorcery and artifacts don't care about these limits. Thus how Wood Dragon's Claw can get away with adding so many dice to hit and defense for a terrestrial. Five-Dragon Blocking Tech is probably constrained by the pool limits, so it essentially saves you some essence on excellencies. Whirlwind Shield Form is indeed not affected by the cap, since it creates an effect seperate from your dice pool. That's how I see it. - IanPrice

On Tick 21, you started with 0 personal and 14 peripheral motes, then spent eight. You should regain 6 motes for a successful 3-die stunt. You write yourself in as ending up with 4 personal and 13 peripheral motes after that tick, implying you somehow gain 11 motes. Am I missing something? - IanPrice

My bad. When I first did the math, I hadn't actually cast Five-Dragon Invulnerability, but then later went back and thought it was already added in. Should be correct now. -- Wordman

ACK! We've been fighting this whole time without Hearthstone Bracers adding to our dodge pools! - IanPrice

Which means my attack in tick 17 didn't hit you. Adjustments made. -- Wordman

Observer Comments

Is there some reason why you're applying the onslaught penalty that way? The penalty should be -0, -1, -2, -3 - where's the extra +4 coming from, and why are you applying it from the very first attack? - Hapushet

Because I misread the onslaught penalty rules, missing the part where onslaught penalties only exist for a single flurry. Which makes any attempt at attacking pretty pointless at this point, so I have to re-think my strategy. - IanPrice, feeling pretty stupid.

I have a quick question: How did you two get to those health level counts? It would appear that you each have 2x -0, 5x -1, 4x -2, 1x -4, 1x inc. Is this a function of TrialBySchmendrick that I missed somewhere? - Ambisinister

Yes it is. Look at TrialBySchmendrick/Schmendrick for full details on what stats come standard - that many health levels is part of the deal. Probably to prevent one lucky hit from deciding the victor, so more exchanges of charms and strategy are necessary. - IanPrice

I believe the assumption was that it reflected one purchase of each of the Solar Ox-Bodies; that's why those specific counts were chosen. It does not, however, represent actual Ox-Body purchases... - Hapushet

So I did overlook it. Thanks for the clarification.-Ambisinister

Check me on this, but Student is getting +4 DV from GSW already, right? How does that permit an additional bonus from his Excellency - doesn't he run up against the DV cap? Isn't he already there? - Hapushet

I think you are correct. His cap is 7 (Dodge 5 + specialty 2). Using 2nd Excellency as a guide, a +4 DV would act as an 8 die boost, of which Student could only take advantage of 7. The +1 DV from Calm Air might not actually be helpful either, as this would act as another 2 die bonus. On the other hand, Student attacked from the high ground, which not only gives me -3 DV, it gives him a +3 DV, which I'm not sure is present in my attack. Lastly, though I hestitate to mention it, we are using stunts incorrectly in at least one way, possibly two: 1) stunt die used to enhance static values act like successes on First Excellency rolls. This makes stunts statistically twice as effective on static values as on normal dice pools, as one First Excellency success adds directly to the static value. Thus a two die stunt = +2 DV, not +1. (Also, it is unclear if the rule on page 128 which spells out that stunts work this way is intended to duplicate the way the First Excellency affects pool limits. I'm inclined to say it doesn't, but the rule seems to imply it does, otherwise why mention the First Excellency at all?); and 2) I'm not sure it's kosher to use the same stunt on both defense and offense, as we have been doing. What do you want to do, Ian? - Wordman

As far as the stunts thing goes, there is actually some confusion on that point. Pg 124 does indeed say what you report, but pg 147 says to roll them ("Dice awarded for stunts can temporarily inflate one of the two DVs against a specific attack, in which case the defender's player rolls the stunt dice separately and adds any successes to the character's DV."), and most people I have seen on various fora tend to use the latter rule, based on a comment from Neph that suggested it was the intended one. - Hapushet

Normally, you are supposed to roll stunt dice, and add +1 DV for each success - just like First Excellency dice, which is why the rule mentions the First Excellency. That means we average the dice like all the others with the Mast. The reason my +3 DV wasn't present from high ground is that I negated your reach against my attack, but not for you attacking me, the way I designed Sow the Wind. Stunts explicitly affect all rolls involved in the mechanical decision of their results, so one description can indeed provide bonuses to attacks, defenses, and even other actions in the same flurry or described time period. If you want to make them seperate, that'll take more time for the seperate descriptions and stunt assignments, and also imply that we should be getting seperate stunt rewards - I say leave it as is. As for my pool boosting, Gentle South Wind is only adding +2 DV, ie, +4 dice. Calm Air Prana is a bit different, but since I wrote it the way I did, you're right that it should be affected by the limit. That means I can only spend 1m on the dodge excellency for 1 die, but that does average to a +1 DV, but still subject to my cap. Ultimately, this means you hit me, and I go ouch. How does Force Blow's knockdown work now? - IanPrice

OK. So, for the record we are using three specific rules interpretations: 1) Stunt dice for defense work as "dice", not successes (i.e. two dice = +1 DV). 2) A single stunt can be used both offensively and defensively. 3) You only need to pay 1 mote out of aspect penalty per tick. One last question, on tick 17 we both stunted. We both succeeded on the attack but failed on defense. Were these successful stunts? -- Wordman

On tick 17, I say we both succeeded at our stunts (much like I earlier said we succeeded since neither of us hit, but both had successful defenses). I agree with interpretations 2 and 3, but I wasn't trying to imply 1 generally - that's just the effect that comes of it when we're using The Mast, since we average the roll we would make of the stunt dice. Actually, what this ought to mean is that 1-2 die stunts are always +1 DV, and 3 die stunts are always +2 DV under the Mast. Also, another question: I hit you, but didn't inflict damage... does my stunt count as successful? I'm inclined to give us both our stunt rewards on tick 21 just because that would look so awesome on a movie screen. - IanPrice

So let it be done! Stunt success all around. I have to go back and make sure I'm counting my motes right. - Wordman

Per pg 156 of the Ex Core, reesablishing surprise in the midst of combat is resisted by (Wits + Awareness), which is the same size pool, but they get a +2 dice bonus, so the average is 4sx, not 3. Just FYI. - Hapushet, impressed by the tactical push of the Mast

Fixed, thanks for catching that. As for the tactical push, well... the stunt occurred to me first, then I realized that a feint is something I could represent mechanically. So I did. - IanPrice

Was tick 30's damage recorded correctly? -- GreenLantern

Oddly, yes. Tick 28's, however, was mistaken. -- Wordman