Rebecca Borgstrom Enlightened One
Off the top of my head, creating a martial arts style:
1. Create the student techniques---the things you learn before the Form. These aren't very powerful, but have imagery fundamental to the style. I recommend that these be Essence 1-2, Martial Arts 2-3. Look at some Charms with similar requirements to see the basic power level.
1a. Pick one that everyone learns first. Either the most defining or the weakest---ideally, both.
1b. Arrange the others in a mini-tree after that, however you like. Note that requirements should always stay the same or increase as you follow the tree, though---it's almost always silly to have an Essence 1 Charm that requires an Essence 2 Charm to learn, for example.
2. Create the Form. Assume that every serious practitioner of the style invokes the form when fighting. Complete the sentence:
People fear the warriors who practice Triple Goddess Style Martial Arts because . . . , making them undefeatable!
EXAMPLE:
People fear the practitioners of Hungry Ghost Style because they feed off their enemies' strength, making them undefeatable!
Who could defeat a student of Snake Style? They strike like a serpent! They fill their enemies with too much dread to fight! Truly, they are invincible!
Once you have completed the sentence, realize it in mechanics in a way that creates a persistent advantage. It shouldn't have flashy F/X, because that'll get boring through repetition. It should have F/X that can be stunted flashily, though.
I recommend Ess2/MA4, Ess2/MA5, or Ess3/MA4 as a requirement for the Form. It requires all of the student techniques. It should be of an appropriate power level for a scene-length Charm with its Essence and MA requirements.
3. Create increasingly advanced techniques. 6 or so is good. These have increased requirements over the form---up to Ess3/MA5. Arrange these as you like. Completely unrelated techniques should be down different paths. The base of these paths is the Form.
4. Create a finishing move, Ess4/MA 5 or so, to mark the deadliest masters of the style. This requires all the Charms in the tree.
5. Choose weapons that the style treats as equivalent to unarmed attacks, if any. Choose acceptable armor, if any.
6. Check and make sure that you have all of these that you want for the style:
A way to do Lethal damage barehanded;
A way to parry Lethal barehanded;
A dice adder;
A solid defensive benefit;
A solid offensive benefit.
7. Set Essence (and possibly Willpower and/or Health Level) costs by checking against somewhat comparable Charms. Don't make a Charm more efficient than Excellent Strike or Hungry Tiger Technique.
There are probably some considerations I've forgotten.
Rebecca
(Edits mine..Kirin)
Posted to the Exalted Boards by Kirin.
Tumbling Butterfly Defense
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
The exalt's movements seem as light as a butterfly, and combined with a series of tumbles, giving him the ability to evade his opponents more easily and move past them. The exalt uses his essence to make small jumps, and even seems to be floating sometimes. For the rest of the scene, the exalt can move past opponents without giving them any bonuses on attacks for doing so, as long as there is enough room for the exalt to pass through, no matter how difficult. He even can use walls and ceilings to tumble over or under an opponent if need be.
This charm in incompatible with the use of armor.
Dancing Flower Evasion
Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: One scene
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Tumbling Butterfly Defense
The exalt begins walking in a odd style, that looks much like dancing. For the rest of the scene, the exalt adds one die to every dodge pool he uses, for each mote he spends on Dancing Flower Technique. These bonus dice are applied after a character has split his or her dice pool. A character cannot spend more motes on this charm than his permanent essence. This charm is incompatible with the use of armor.
Blowing Feather Prana
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Dancing Flower Evasion
The exalt infuses himself with a little essence, which seems to make him temporarily weightless, and is blown away by the wind, sending him away from the battle. When the exalt moves, and activates this charm, he may immediately move up to his essence x 5 yards away from the point he was standing (or flying), in any direction. This can cause an attack to miss if the opponent has a lower initiative than the user of this charm. This charm is incompatible with the use of armor.
Butterfly Form
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Blowing Feather Prana
The character takes on the moves of the butterfly, his movements fast, and yet gracious. His hands sometimes shaking, to distract his opponent, mimicing the flapping of butterfly wings. For the rest of the scene, the character can float up to his normal movement, with perfect mobility, and gets a bonus to any dodge pool equal to the exalt's Martial Arts score. These bonus dice are added after a character has split his or her dice pool. In addition, the exalt gets automatic successes on every attack pool, equal to his permanent essence.
This charm is incompatible with the use of armor.
Falling Stone Reflex
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Butterfly Form
The exalt suddenly drops himself like a stone, in an attempt to evade an opponents attack. For the rest of the turn, the exalt can dodge all attacks directed at him, just as if he was employing a full dodge combat action. If used in conjunction with an attack to attack someone from above, the base damage for the attack is doubled.
Reverse-Direction Feint
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Falling Stone Reflex
The exalt can make a devastating attack, by suddenly spinning around, reversing direction and swinging his weapon. This can only be used with slashing weapons. Unless the target makes a successful reflexive Wits + Martial Arts roll with a difficulty equal to the user's Martial Arts, all of the target's attack and defense pools are halved against the exalt for the rest of the turn. If simply used as a dodge, the target gets no roll to avoid it's effects.
Frantic Firefly Prana
Cost: 3 motes per turn, 1 willpower
Duration: Until abandoned
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Reverse-Direction Feint
The exalt infuses his anima with essence, causing him to frantically shift through the air. This increases the difficulty for anyone to strike him with his permanent essence, for as long as the exalt keeps spending 3 motes every turn. As long as this charm is active, the exalt does not fall. This charm is incompatible with the use of armor.
Razor Whirlwind Attack
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Reverse-Direction Feint
The exalt spins around like a tornado, striking his opponent multiple times. Or throwing multiple weapons at him. The player rolls the character's Dexterity + Martial Arts, and gets a number of extra attacks equal to the number of successes, with a maximum of the character's Martial Arts. These attacks can only be made with slashing weapons, or throwing weapons.
Wisdom of the Dragon
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Exalted's Essence in turn s
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: None
This charm can only be used when initiative rolled at the beginning of a combat. The character charges her awareness with essence, giving herself the wisdom and intuition of the dragon. The character receives a number of automatic successes on the initiative roll equal to her permanent essence. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed, with tiger's claws, or with the seven-section staff.
Dragon's Might
Cost: 4 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Wisdom of the Dragon
The character charges his anima with Essence, giving his blows the force and certainty of a dragon's strike. The character's attack deals lethal damage and receives a number of automatic successes to damage equal to the character's permanent essence. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed, with tiger's claws, or with the seven-section staff. However, if the tiger's claws or seven-section staff are used the attack itself is still treated as an unarmed punching or kicking attack.
Dragon Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Dragon's Might
The character adopts the canniness and expertise of the dragon in combat for the remainder of the scene. He adds his martial arts to all parrying pools and all raw damage rolls. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed, with tiger's claws, or with the seven-section staff. Players cannot use more than one martial arts form at a time, and all charms below Dragon Form on the tree require Dragon Form active to use.
Scales of the Dragon
Cost: 2 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Dragon Form
The character charges her skin with essence giving it a glimmering, golden, scaled appearance. Her permanent essence rating is added to her bashing soak, lethal soak, and aggravated soak.
Claws of the Dragon
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Dragon Form
The character, who must be wielding tiger claws, charges his claws with essence, causing them briefly to appear longer and resemble golden glowing dragon claws. Until the character's next turn, anyone hit by the claws has their lethal soak halved against that attack. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions with tiger's claws.
Tail of the Dragon
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Dragon Form
The character, who must be wielding a seven-section staff, mimics a dragon crushing a foe in it's mighty tail and then tossing the foe aside. This attack is unblockable; it can only be dodged. If the attack succeeds, it throws the target in any direction the character wishes in addition to dealing normal damage. The target is hurled a number of yards equal to a roll of strength+permanent essence; if the target hits something on the way they take raw damage equal to the number of yards they would have flown had the object not intervened. This damage is bashing unless the storyteller rules otherwise. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions with the seven-section staff.
Tail of the Dragon
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Dragon Form
The character, who must be wielding a seven-section staff, mimics a dragon crushing a foe in it's mighty tail and then tossing the foe aside. This attack is unblockable; it can only be dodged. If the attack succeeds, it throws the target in any direction the character wishes in addition to dealing normal damage. The target is hurled a number of yards equal to a roll of strength+permanent essence; if the target hits something on the way they take raw damage equal to the number of yards they would have flown had the object not intervened. This damage is bashing unless the storyteller rules otherwise. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions with the seven-section staff.
Wings of the Dragon
Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Scales of the Dragon
The character lets out the roar of a dragon challenging another to a dual, is surrounded by a vaguely wing-shaped, golden aura, and leaps high above the ground, then dives down to the ground to strike the target. On the turn this charm is used, after the character activates it, only the target and flying opponents may perform melee attacks against the target without a stunt. Anyone may still use ranged attacks, however. The attack receives an attack bonus equal to the character's permanent essence, and deals lethal damage if it is an unarmed attack. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed, with tiger's claws, or with the seven-section staff.
Dragon's Fire
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Wings of the Dragon
The character uses his essence to make his unarmed attacks fire burning golden bolts of dragon fire, giving them range and force. The character performs a normal punch or kick, but the attack creates a fiery bolt that flies up to 60 yards. This attack deals lethal damage and receives a bonus to raw damage equal to the character's raw essence. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed, with tiger's claws, or with the seven-section staff. If used with the claws or the staff, it still is treated like a normal unarmed punching or kicking attack.
Dragon's Fearsome Blow
Cost: 15 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Dragon's Fire, Claws of the Dragon
The character concentrates her essence into a single fearsome blow that savages a target so badly that it causes aggravated damage. The player makes a normal martial arts attack, but the attack is unblockable and deals aggravated damage. This charm is incompatible with armor, and only functions unarmed or with tiger's claws.
Dragon's Soul
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Dragon's Fearsome Blow
Similar to the Adamatine Fists of Battle charm available to Brawl technique, this charm infuses the charcter with Essence, For one scene, the character may add double his permanent Essence as automatic successes in damage to all Martial Art attacks. This may be used unarmed, with tiger claws, or with a 7-section staff. Furthermore, the Exalted may decide whether to inflict bashing or lethal damage in all such cases.
Breath of Dragon
Cost: 7 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Dragon's Soul
Solars who have mastered the Dragon-style of Martial Arts are capable of momentous combat feats. For the scene, the martial artist adds twice his permanent Essence in automatic damage to all attacks, even melee attacks made w/o Martial Art weapons. Damage is either bashing or lethal, chosen by the Solar.
Dragon Tail Prana
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Tail of the Dragon
The character uses the 7 section staff to devestating effect it floats behind the character like areal dragons tail charged with essence it attacks any thing with hostile intent towards the character - this also prevents back attacks.
Kiss of The Dragon
Cost: 20, 2 willpower
Duration: Three turns
Type: Simple
Minimum Temperance: 3
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Breath of Dragon, Tail of the Dragon, Claws of the Dragon
This is the ultimate dragon charm, using a forbidden technique the exalt can paralyze his oppenent.
The exalted must act last in the turn and this must be done with a pin or an exceptional hand strike the exalt rolls DEX+DODGE to manuver behind his oppenent the the charm can be activated. Roll MA+DEX Diffculty 3 if successful anything with a nervous system is paralyzed for 3 turns. Other creatures may be immune or need a higher diffculty. The technique stops the flow of blood to the head. The blood goes up but dosen't come down. Eventually on the end of the third turn the blood comes out the targets eyes,nose and ears killing them very painfully.
Warning! This Martial Art is very vicious, and powerful, but it is not as powerful as it looks on the surface.
Charms
Snarling Barghest Mien
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
This Charm allows the Exalt to take upon themselves the mien of the dreaded bargest to intimidate and unsettle their opponents. When used to supplement an intimidation roll it allows the Exalt to add their Martial Arts as bonus dice to the roll. These are considered a Martial Arts bonus and explicitly stack with all other Charm bonuses even if this would take the Character beyond their normal total.
Frightful Unsettling Attitude
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Snarling Barghest Mien
Extending the power of the Snarling Barghest Mien this Charm allows the Abyssal Exalted to cause an attack to falter by striking such terror into their enemies that their resolve is shattered. When employing this Charm the Abyssal Exalted may remove a number of successes from their opponents attack against them equal to their Essence score.
Loping Barghest Run
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
Using this Charm the Exalt takes on the loping attitude of the bargest, this requires that he have at least one hand free and he must move somewhat hunched over like a bargest. Using this Charm they make take a free movement action at their normal rate, or double their normal rate if they use it in conjunction with their normal movement. This Charm may only be activated once per Turn.
Fearsome Barghest Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Loping Barghest Run, Frightful Unsettling Attitude
The Exalt hunches over imitating the movements of the bargest; vicious, deadly and cunning. While the character is using the Fearsome Barghest Form they may add their Martial Arts to their initiative total, and to their Dexterity trait for purposes of calculating their base movement speed. This bonus is not considered to be a Charm bonus but a natural one for the purposes of other charms that adjust the base movement rate. Additionally the Exalt may add a number of dice equal to their Essence score to all Martial Arts dice pools while this Charm is active. This Charm is not compatible with armor. A character may only have a single Form-Type Charm active at one time, if another Form Charm is activated the Fearsome Barghest Form is immediately canceled and replaced with that one.
Barghest Strikes Twice
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra-Action
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Fearsome Barghest Form
Attacking like a barghest enraged the character may take two Martial Arts attacks in place of one. This Charm actually consumes the Characters action witch must be to make the first attack. The two attacks are separate and must be blocked or dodged separately.
Ravening Hunger Stance
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Extra-Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Barghest Strikes Twice, Vicious Claw Enchantment
Adopting the deadly fighting style of the Barghest for longer than an instant the Character may now take an additional Martial Arts attack each Turn for the rest of the scene in addition to their normal action. This Charm is not compatible with weapons, should the character hold a weapon its effects are canceled until the weapon is released.
Vicious Claw Enchantment
Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Fearsome Barghest Form
The Exalt curls their fingers in imitation of the claws of the bargest and their finger nails grow unnaturally sharp, strong and long. They become weapons with the following characteristics +2 Spd, +2 Acc, +Essence Lethal Damage, +2 Def. This Charm is not compatible with weapons, though the claws are comparable with Melee, Brawl or Martial Arts Charms that are.
Hunting Claw Empowerment
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Vicious Claw Enchantment
This Charm charges the characters hands with Essence, giving them the magical material bonus appropriate to their Exalted type. If this is not Soulsteel then the charm costs 5 motes instead of 4. While this Charm is active the Characters barehanded attacks are fully compatible with other Charms that require the character use a weapon of a specific magical material type, so long as that is the type of material being simulated. This Charm is fully compatible with Vicious Claw Enchantment transforming the claws into the appropriate material for the rest of the scene.
Leaping Barghest Pounce
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Hunting Claw Empowerment, Ravening Hunger Stance
Momentarily hunching down and then leaping with preternatural speed the Exalt makes a Martial Arts attack, from up to Essence x 10 yards away (They actually cross the distance and make the attack all at once). Such is the speed and viciousness of this attack that it cannot be dodged and may only be blocked by a Perfect Parry of some kind, otherwise no matter how many successes are canceled or reduced by the defenders parry the attack still lands for a simple successes.This Charm is not compatable with other Charms that require a successful hand-to-hand attack to take effect except for other Fearsome Barghest Style Charms.
Blood Drinking Jaw
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Leaping Barghest Pounce
By channeling the hunger and blood drinking bite of the Barghest through a Martial Arts attack the Exalt may consume a portion of their opponent's very soul. If the attack is successful the target must roll their Stamina + Resistance in a contested roll against the Exalts Essence + Martial Arts. If they succeed they `merely' take a number of dice of unsoakable aggravated damage equal to the attacking Exalts Essence score, from the tearing at their soul. If they fail then a piece of their soul is actually torn loose, they loose one unspent experience point and the attacking Exalt instantly heals a number of levels of damage of any type (except aggravated) equal to their Essence score as they consume the stolen piece of their opponents soul. If the target should not happen to have an unspent experience point, then they instead take a number of unsoakable levels of aggravated damage equal to their opponents Essence score, this damage cannot be prevented unless the targets defenses specifically include defense against damage directly to their soul (Bottomless Depths Defense and Adamant Skin Technique are both equal ineffective). If the target wins the roll off they may opt to exchange an unspent experience point rather than take the damage, and the damage inflicted on a target who succeeds the roll off (dice rather than levels of Aggravated damage) can be blocked normally (i.e. Bottomless Depths Defense and Adamant Skin Technique both work normally). This Charm is incompatible with weapons and Charms or abilities that allow the character to deliver attacks remotely, they must actually touch their opponent for it to work.
The Glorious Phoenix Style is one of the earliest martial arts schools, dating back to the First Age and the war against the Primordials. It deals with the use of Essence, likening it to the fire and light of the Unconquered Sun as manifested through one of His greatest servants, the Great Garda. It is said the Sun Himself taught this style to the Garda, who in turn brought it to the Chosen. While Lunars, Sidereals, and even Terrestrials (particularly Fire Chosen) would learn it, Solars would make up the bulk of the style's students.
After the triumph of the Chosen, the Glorious Phoenix Style became something of a training school for Solars, particularly those wanting greater understanding of the Essence within them. Though many Dawn Caste preferred the more combative Snake and Tiger Styles, Glorious Phoenix was very popular with other Castes, particularly Zenith and Twilight Solars.
When the Dragon-Blooded revolted, the Glorious Phoenix style enjoyed a very brief surge in popularity, as masters of the style were able to fight on when their brethren had fallen. But the style all but died with the Solars, as even the power of the Phoenix could not save them once the Unconquered Sun's favor was lost.
The Glorious Phoenix style was kept alive by a tiny handful of Lunars who had shared the technique with their mates and several Sidereals who found the style to be particularly useful. It is now undergoing a renaissance with the return of the Solar Exalted, as many of them (including, ironically, at least one prominent Dawn Exalt) are remembering the style from their previous lives. Practitioners of this fast, Essence-rich school often unnerve Exalted opponents, particularly the Dragon-Blooded.
Charms
Rapid Dive Technique
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
The character leaps and strikes with a raptor's speed. During the turn when this Charm is activated, the character adds her Martial Arts score to her initiative total. This Charm may be used only once per turn.
Dancing Raptor Stance
Cost: 1 mote per +1 difficulty
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Rapid Dive Technique
The character's form flickers, as if the light around her were moving of its own accord. For the remainder of the turn, all attempts to physically attack her are at +1 difficulty per mote of Essence spent. A character cannot spend more motes in a turn than her permanent Essence.
Stunning Essence Blow
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
Though the Stunning Essence Blow does not cause any more damage than a normal strike, its effect on an opponent can be crippling. The Exalt focuses on the target's Essence and, with a successful attack, disrupts its natural flow. Figure damage as normal for the attack. A target that takes damage from a Stunning Essence Blow suffers a -1 penalty to his dice rolls for the rest of the scene. The attack must do damage to the target to inflict the penalty. The effect of multiple Stunning Essence Blows is cumulative.
Double-Wing Strike
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Stunning Essence Blow
After the Exalt attacks, but before a defense roll is made, the player may choose to reroll the attack and pick the preferred result. A character may only use this Charm once on any given attack.
Glorious Phoenix Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Dancing Raptor Stance, Double-Wing Strike
The Exalt's eyes glow brightly with her anima's color as she earns the favor of the Unconquered Sun himself. By properly executing the stance and katas of the Glorious Phoenix, the character's movements are attuned to her surroundings, and she can follow trails of Essence to and from every person on the battlefield. This Charm requires a successful Dexterity + Martial Arts roll. If the roll fails, no Essence points are spent, but the Exalt does not gain the benefits of the form.
If the Glorious Phoenix Form is executed successfully, the character may add her Martial Arts to her ranged attacks and dodge attempts for the rest of the scene. This can no more than double her Dexterity + Ability in the dice pools in question, after all active Charms are taken into account. The bonus is applied before any penalties for splitting her dice pools. If she wishes, the Exalt may reflexively dodge attacks with her permanent Essence + Martial Arts score (do not add Dexterity). The above benefits are specifically cumulative with and independent of any other Charms or anima powers invoked by the character, but this Form is only compatible with armor that has a 0 or -1 penalty to its fatigue and mobility modifiers. Attuned armor is counted at its active penalty ratings (if the armor has a penalty of -2 when unattuned and 0 when attuned, it can explicitly be used with this Form while the armor is attuned). Should the armor attunement end during the scene for some reason, increasing the penalty to unacceptable levels, this Form's effects automatically cease.
Only one Form-type Charm can be used at a time yada yada yada.
Flickering Essence Stance
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Until abandoned
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Glorious Phoenix Form
By concentrating on the flows of Essence around her, the Exalt can disrupt attempts to attack her and those around her. Any being deliberately attacking the character must subtract her Martial Arts rating from their dice pools while doing so. Additionally, anyone trying to attack any of the Exalt's allies within sight of her subtracts half that number of dice (rounded down).
While maintaining the Stance, the character can defend herself, move at half normal speed, and take normal actions, but she may not make any attacks or activate other Charms. (Any Charms, explicitly including Glorious Phoenix Form, that are active when this Charm is activated may still be used, as long as no attacks are attempted.) If the Exalt is struck and suffers any health levels of damage, the stance ends instantly. If the character ceases using the Flickering Essence Stance deliberately, the effect lingers on for one turn after the Charm is dropped.
Lingering Essence Blow
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Varies
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Flickering Essence Stance
This Charm uses the opponent's very Essence to strike out at him moments after a successful blow. At the beginning of the turn following the one in which a Lingering Essence Blow was successfully applied, the victim suffers the same post-soak damage done by the original attack. Soak does not apply to this damage, but damage dice are rolled normally.
Phoenix-to-Ashes Strike
Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Lingering Essence Blow
Instead of using the target's Essence indirectly, the Exalt causes the victim's very life Essence to burn as paper does when sunlight is focused perfectly on it through a lens. The character makes a normal Martial Arts attack, but the blow itself does no damage. Instead, the character "charges" a number of temporary Essence points equal to her Essence + Martial Arts, or the victim's remaining Essence pool (mortals begin with 10 Essence), whichever is less. Each of these charged points of Essence is used as a lethal damage dice pool, which ignores armor but can be soaked normally with Stamina and other non-armor defenses. The Essence points are not lost; the energy simply reacts briefly and dramatically, soon returning to its normal state.
Whirling Talon Technique
Cost: 4 motes per attack
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Actions
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Glorious Phoenix Form
The Exalt moves with the speed and power of an enraged phoenix, becoming a blazing whirlwind of destruction. For every 4 motes the character invests in this charm, she may make an additional martial arts or ranged attack without penalty. The maximum number of attacks a character may make in a turn is equal to her Martial Arts rating.
Striking Essence Thrust
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Whirling Talon Technique
By infusing her body or weapon with Essence, an Exalt can cause those struck by the Striking Essence Thrust to fly back as if hammered by the fist of the Unconquered Sun himself. An attack boosted by the Thrust is rolled as a normal attack, and damage is figured normally — with one extra effect. After being hit, the target's player must immediately make a reflexive Strength + Athletics roll. The target is thrown back for the Exalted's Martial Arts x 10 in yards, -5 yards per success on the Athletics roll. This effect occurs whether the blow actually does any damage or not. Additional damage can easily ensue depending on what is behind the victim...
This Charm can be used with martial arts or ranged attacks, which can be an unpleasant surprise for those who underestimate the "lowly" chakram...
Supreme Rising Phoenix Method
Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Phoenix-to-Ashes Strike, Striking Essence Thrust
The Exalt becomes a whirling, fiery, living explosion embodying the Unconquered Sun's wrath. At will, the character can spend one mote for an extra action (though this is considered use of an Extra Action Charm for Charm use purposes), with a maximum number of actions equal to her permanent Essence minus one. Further, a winged anima banner of fire and light surrounds her, which doubles the damage of all attacks she performs. This damage is considered aggravated to creatures of the night, undead, and Abyssal Exalted. In addition, her leaping distance and running speed are multiplied by her permanent Essence rating. Finally, for the duration of the Method, the Essence costs of all other Charms are halved (round up). This bonus does not affect the cost of Sorcery spells of any Circle.
The Glorious Phoenix Style is one of the earliest martial arts schools, dating back to the First Age and the war against the Primordials. It deals with the use of Essence, likening it to the fire and light of the Unconquered Sun as manifested through one of His greatest servants, the Great Garda. It is said the Sun Himself taught this style to the Garda, who in turn brought it to the Chosen. While Lunars, Sidereals, and even Terrestrials (particularly Fire Chosen) would learn it, Solars would make up the bulk of the style's students.
After the triumph of the Chosen, the Glorious Phoenix Style became something of a training school for Solars, particularly those wanting greater understanding of the Essence within them. Though many Dawn Caste preferred the more combative Snake and Tiger Styles, Glorious Phoenix was very popular with other Castes, particularly Zenith and Twilight Solars.
When the Dragon-Blooded revolted, the Glorious Phoenix style enjoyed a very brief surge in popularity, as masters of the style were able to fight on when their brethren had fallen. But the style all but died with the Solars, as even the power of the Phoenix could not save them once the Unconquered Sun's favor was lost.
The Glorious Phoenix style was kept alive by a tiny handful of Lunars who had shared the technique with their mates and several Sidereals who found the style to be particularly useful. It is now undergoing a renaissance with the return of the Solar Exalted, as many of them (including, ironically, at least one prominent Dawn Exalt) are remembering the style from their previous lives. Practitioners of this fast, Essence-rich school often unnerve Exalted opponents, particularly the Dragon-Blooded.
The Glorious Pheonix Style is designed for use with Wind-Fire Wheels or paired shortswords, these count as unarmared Martial Arts attacks for purposes of all Glorious Pheonix Charms.
Charms
Rapid Dive Technique
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
The character leaps and strikes with a raptor's speed. During the turn when this Charm is activated, the character adds her Martial Arts score to her initiative total. This Charm may be used only once per turn.
Dancing Raptor Stance
Cost: 1 mote per +1 difficulty
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Rapid Dive Technique
The character's form flickers, as if the light around her were moving of its own accord. For the remainder of the turn, all attempts to physically attack her are at +1 difficulty per mote of Essence spent. A character cannot spend more motes in a turn than her permanent Essence.
Stunning Essence Blow
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
Though the Stunning Essence Blow does not cause any more damage than a normal strike, its effect on an opponent can be crippling. The Exalt focuses on the target's Essence and, with a successful attack, disrupts its natural flow. Figure damage as normal for the attack. A target that takes damage from a Stunning Essence Blow suffers a -1 penalty to his dice rolls for the rest of the scene. The attack must do damage to the target to inflict the penalty. The effect of multiple Stunning Essence Blows is cumulative.
Double-Wing Strike
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Stunning Essence Blow
After the Exalt attacks, but before a defense roll is made, the player may choose to reroll the attack and pick the preferred result. A character may only use this Charm once on any given attack.
Glorious Phoenix Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Dancing Raptor Stance, Double-Wing Strike
The Exalt's eyes glow brightly with her anima's color as she earns the favor of the Unconquered Sun himself. By properly executing the stance and katas of the Glorious Phoenix, the character's movements are attuned to her surroundings, and she can follow trails of Essence to and from every person on the battlefield. The character may add her Martial Arts to her martial arts attacks and dodge attempts for the rest of the scene. This can no more than double her Dexterity + Ability in the dice pools in question, after all active Charms are taken into account. The bonus is applied before any penalties for splitting her dice pools. If she wishes, the Exalt may reflexively dodge attacks with her permanent Essence + Martial Arts score (do not add Dexterity or the Martial Arts bonus from this Charm). The above benefits are specifically cumulative with and independent of any other Charms or anima powers invoked by the character, meaning that the Martial Arts addition to attacks and dodges do not count against Charm limits on added dice. This Form is only compatible with light-class armor. Only one Form-type Charm can be used at a time.
Flickering Essence Stance
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Until abandoned
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Glorious Phoenix Form
By concentrating on the flows of Essence around her, the Exalt can disrupt attempts to attack her and those around her. Any being deliberately attacking the character must subtract her Martial Arts rating from their dice pools while doing so. Additionally, anyone trying to attack any of the Exalt's allies within sight of her subtracts half that number of dice (rounded down).
While maintaining the Stance, the character can defend herself, move at half normal speed, and take normal actions, but she may not make any attacks or activate other Charms. (Any Charms, explicitly including Glorious Phoenix Form, that are active when this Charm is activated may still be used, as long as no attacks are attempted.) If the Exalt is struck and suffers any health levels of damage, the stance ends instantly. If the character ceases using the Flickering Essence Stance deliberately, the effect lingers on for one turn after the Charm is dropped.
Lingering Essence Blow
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Varies
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Flickering Essence Stance
This Charm uses the opponent's very Essence to strike out at him moments after a successful blow. At the beginning of the turn following the one in which a Lingering Essence Blow was successfully applied, the victim suffers the same post-soak damage done by the original attack, up ot a limit of the martial artist's permanent essence rating. Soak does not apply to this damage, but damage dice are rolled normally.
Phoenix-to-Ashes Strike
Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Lingering Essence Blow
Instead of using the target's Essence indirectly, the Exalt causes the victim's very life Essence to burn as paper does when sunlight is focused perfectly on it through a lens. The character makes a normal Martial Arts attack, but the blow itself does no damage. Instead, the character "charges" a number of temporary Essence points equal to her Essence + Martial Arts, or the victim's remaining personal Essence pool (mortals begin with 10 Essence), whichever is less. Each of these charged points of Essence is used as a lethal damage dice pool, which ignores armor but can be soaked normally with Stamina and other non-armor defenses. The Essence points are not lost; the energy simply reacts briefly and dramatically, soon returning to its normal state.
Whirling Talon Technique
Cost: 4 motes per attack
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Actions
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Glorious Phoenix Form
The Exalt moves with the speed and power of an enraged phoenix, becoming a blazing whirlwind of destruction. For every 4 motes the character invests in this charm, she may make an additional martial arts attack without penalty. The maximum number of attacks a character may make in a turn is equal to her Martial Arts rating.
Striking Essence Thrust
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Whirling Talon Technique
By infusing her body or weapon with Essence, an Exalt can cause those struck by the Striking Essence Thrust to fly back as if hammered by the fist of the Unconquered Sun himself. An attack boosted by the Thrust is rolled as a normal attack, and damage is figured normally — with one extra effect. After being hit, the target's player must immediately make a reflexive Strength + Athletics roll. The target is thrown back for the Exalted's Martial Arts x 10 in yards, -5 yards per success on the Athletics roll. This effect occurs whether the blow actually does any damage or not. Additional damage can easily ensue depending on what is behind the victim.
Supreme Rising Phoenix Method
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower, 1 Health Level
Duration: One Scene
Type:Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Phoenix-to-Ashes Strike, Striking Essence Thrust
The Exalt becomes a whirling, fiery, living explosion embodying the Unconquered Sun's wrath. At will, the character can spend three motes for an extra action, with a maximum number of actions equal to her permanent Essence. Further, a winged anima banner of fire and light surrounds her, which doubles the damage of all attacks she performs. This damage is considered aggravated to creatures of the night, undead, and Abyssal Exalted. In addition, her leaping distance and running speed are multiplied by her permanent Essence rating.
This Martial Arts Form was designed to be used either unarmed or with fighting knives. Knives are the only weapons that can be used with this style and are usually wielded paired. Also, martial Artist's following this Style revere and personalize their figthing knives, treating them as sacred. The MA Practitioners usually ritualistically craft these blades on thier own or were awarded them by their trainers. These Martial Artists will usally go through great lengths to retrieve their knive(s) if lost or stolen.
If anyone is really interested, this Style was created and handed to the Solars from a sect of Fair Folk that live alongside humanity and have made covenants with the Unconquered Sun, Gaia, and Luna. Their main effort is to put down the threat of the Deathlords. I call these fae the "Liosalfar" (meaning 'light-elves').
Charms
Aerial Predator Gaze
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
The Martial Artist bends her senses around her, giving her 360' vision and making her aware of all attackers around her. Being "attacked from behind" is impossible. Penalties from blind-fighting or obscured vision are halved.
Gliding Parry Maneuver
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Aerial Predator Gaze
The Martial Artist may add her Martial Arts rating to parry an attack either armed or unarmed. However, on a successful parry the character glides backwards through the air a number of yards equal to the attacker's strength score. If the parry is unsuccessful, use the knockdown/knockback rules as usual. If the Character is immobile or has nowhere to go, she may still parry, although momentarily hovers as she does so.
Gryphon Form
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Gliding Parry Maneuver
The Martial Artist adopts the form of an enraged Gryphon- knees slightly bent, arms extended in front, with the elbows slightly bent and pointing outward, ready to lunge at, or lure in her prey. For the rest of the scene the Martial Artist adds her Martial Arts rating to her bashing and lethal soak. The character may inflict lethal damage unarmed.
The character may also use her Essence rating in dice to supplement an attack OR a parry, once per turn. These dice can also be used reflexively as a parry but not reflexively as an attack. As usual only one Martial Arts Form charm may be used at a time.
Armour-Piercing Talon Rake
Cost: 3
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Gryphon Form
The character inflicts lethal damage armed or unarmed. Regardless, the target's armour has it's soak value reduced by a number equal to the character's martial arts score when determining damage.
Vital Organ Bite
Cost: 5, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Armour-Piercing Talon Rake
The wise gryphon has learned how to predict his enemies movements, and where to strike to have the most effect. This charm embodies that knowledge, granting the Exalt a bonus to their initiative equal to their Martial Arts score, as well as doubling the successes from their attack roll before soak is applied. Additionally, the Exalt may choose whether to simply incapicitate their foe, as opposed to killing them. Should this option be chosen, no damage is dealt from the attack; instead all successe on the damage roll become dice pool penalties to the opponent for a number of turns equal to the Exalt's Permanent Essence. Multiple uses of this charm do indeed stack, though the maximum penalty that can be inflicted on any one opponent is equal to twice the Exalt's Permanent Essence.
Delay the Suffering
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Gryphon Form
In order to protect the sacred charges entrusted to the Gryphon Artist, the artist must be able to function in top form even when wounded. To represent this, the user of this charm may reduce the dice pool penalties generated by wounds taken (represented in Health Levels of damage) by his Essence divided by 2 (rounded up).
Fortitude of the Defending Gryphon
Cost: 6, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Delay the Suffering
Gryphons defending their charges are a hardy lot indeed, often survivng blows that would fell tougher combatants through their focus on their sacred duty. This charm allows the Exalt to add the twice their Essence score to their Bashing and Lethal soaks for the remainder of the scene. Should the Exalt not have anyone or anything in their charge, or their charge has been removed from danger, this bonus is halved. This charm is not compatible with the use of Armor, though it does stack with the benefits granted by Gryphon Form.
Hovering Death Prana
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Fortitude of the Defending Gryphon, Vital Organ Bite
The Martial Artist hovers slightly above the ground and becomes a whirlwind of carnage in the midst of swirling feathers of essence. The character gains a number of extra actions equal to her permanent essence score. These extra actions cannot be split for multiple actions. At least the last action must be an attack. Further more, for each succesive action a die is taken away from the pool and added to the damage of further attacks and/or the final attack action for the round.
Foe-Rending Lure
Cost: 7, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Hovering Death Prana
This Charm may only be used on opponents who have won initiative and attack the Martial Artist. The charm is activated after initiative is rolled.
When the opponent attacks, the character reflexively parries with her full dice pool plus a number of dice equal to her essence score. The character may also parry a lethal attack unarmed. IF the parry is successful, the Martial artist may immediately counterattack with her full dice pool and the extra successes from the parry. The damage dice after soak is doubled as the Martial artist uses all her limbs to rend the opponent in two. If the initial parry fails the motes and willpower spent are wasted.
Developed in the First Age by a Twilight Caste who made the Martial Arts techniques of the various Exalted her particular area of study. Emphasizing acrobatic ability and patient planning in combat, the Heron Style gained numerous adherents among the Night, Eclipse and Twilight Castes as well as the No Moon Lunars. The Dragon-Blooded, unable to learn the Style without extensive tutoring, destroyed most of the Heron teachings and slaughtered the Celestials skilled in the art with all the rest, rendering the style virtually unknown among warriors of the Second Age.
The Heron Style makes use of twin slashing swords as its signature weapons, and when using them a Heron stylist doubles their accuracy rating and adds one to their speed. This applies to any slashing-type weapon. Special variant Daiklaves were once forged for Heron Stylists, but few if any remain in existence today.
Charms
Groundless Leap
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
Though unable to soar as the Heron, a martial artist using this Charm is freed from such mundane concerns as physical laws. This charm may only be activated while the character is in the air, no matter how they got there. Using this technique, the Heron Stylist treats air as the firmest ground, allowing them to leap and jump about while never letting their feet touch the Earth. For each activation of Groundless Leap, the character may make one jump without touching anything but the air. Rolls made with this Charm are at normal Dexterity + Athletics pool.
Infinite Leap of Heaven
Cost: 3 motes per jump
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Groundless Leap
Herons are creatures of the Air, and the disciples of this Style seek to imitate them. Using the Infinite Leap of Heaven, they gain some measure of the heron's ability to fly. This Charm does not directly aid in jumping further or higher, but it allows for many leaps to come in lightning succession, giving an impression of flight. For every 3 motes spent on the Charm, the martial artist gains one action to be used for the purposes of leaping only. A character can not gain more actions with this charm then their Essence.
Unending Vault
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Special
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Infinite Leap of Heaven, Heron Form
As close as the Heron Style allows to true flight, using the Unending Vault, a character can remain in the air for a number of turns equal to the successes on her original jump roll. While in the air, the character may move and act normally in all respects. She moves at her normal speed and can end the flight at any time by touching her feet to the ground.
Waiting Strike
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
The patient attacker has time to study her opponent's style and weaknesses, and can tailor her attacks to the soft points in her foe's defenses. By expending one mote a martial artist can reduce her initiative by any number she desires, to a minimum of her Dexterity + Wits. The character gains a number of accuracy dice equal to the difference between her original initiative and her new. This Charm can only be activated once per turn. The motes are paid after initiative is rolled. The bonus accuracy dice are added to all attacks made by the character during the turn this Charm was activated, but only to strikes made against the same target.
Patient Preparation Stance
Cost: 2 motes per turn
Duration: Varies
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Waiting Strike
Adopting a still, motionless stance, a disciple of the Heron Style can channel her Essence easily, slowly building up to a great surge of power focused into a single task. Erupting in a blur of motion, the martial artist gains a number of dice for her next action equal to the number of turns she maintained the stance times her Martial arts. 2 motes must be spent per turn the stance is maintained. Should the character be interrupted before she intends to break the stance, she may roll Stamina + Martial Arts (difficulty 2) to use as many extra dice as she would have gained normally for the turns she was still. If she fails, the Essence remains expended, but the benefits of the Charm are lost and the stance must be assumed again.
Heron Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Patient Preparation Stance, Infinite Leap of Heaven
Drawing herself up to her full height and adopting a stance of calm readiness, a martial artist takes on the aspect of the Heron. For the duration of the scene, multiply the number of yards she is able to run or jump by her Martial Arts score. Damage done by the character's hand-to-hand attacks is Lethal instead of bashing and she soaks Lethal damage with her Bashing soak In addition, while Heron Form is active, the character adds her Essence to the accuracy of all attacks she makes.
Reaching the Meat
Cost: 1 mote per soak
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Heron Form
The Heron uses his long beak to reach tasty morsels beyond the reach of others. Using this ability as inspiration, one skilled in the Heron Style can reach beyond the armor and protection of a foe to the vulnerable flesh within. For each mote spent on this Charm, the opponent's bashing and lethal soak ratings are reduced by one each. The number of motes spent on this Charm can not exceed the character's Martial Arts X Essence. An opponent's soak can not be reduced beyond her un-modified Stamina values.
Vicious Strike of Flight
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Reaching the Meat
Combining martial arts prowess with simple physics, the Heron Stylist delivers a fatal blow to all but the mightiest of foes. Launching herself at an enemy in the most literal sense, the Vicious Strike bears all the force of the leap and the fighter's body behind it. When using this Charm, the character first rolls for a normal leap and adds her successes to her damage pool for the attack. These rolls are considered part the same action, but each may benefit from other Charms normally. Should this Charm be in a combo with Extra Action Charms, the successes on all jumps in the turn are added to the attack's damage.
Waiting for the Rush
Cost: 2 motes per reduction
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Heron Form
In a seeming paradox, those who have great skill in the Heron Style are able to wait calmly, gathering their concentration for an incredible feat of reflexes and speed. By paying 2 motes per reduction, the character can lower her initiative by down to a lower limit of her Dexterity. For each reduction in initiative the martial artist subtracts one from the penalties incurred by splitting her dice pool. The penalty for multiple actions can not be reduced below 0. This Charm can not be used more then once a turn.
Moment of Frenzied Patience
Cost: 3 motes and 1 willpower per action, 1 Health Level
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Actions
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Waiting for the Rush, Vicious Strike of Flight
While patience and preparation are virtues and traits to be both attained and used generously, there are times when the normal methods of waiting are simply not good enough, for time is short. A true master of the Heron Style can focus his mind and his Essence, slowing her perception of time, allowing her to act at lightning speeds as well as with careful deliberation and planning. For every 3 motes and 1 willpower spent on this Charm, the martial artist gains one extra action to be used the turn this Charm was activated. These extra actions can not be split into multiple actions, nor can the character's normal action. All actions taken during the turn this Charm is activated gain a number of extra dice equal to the character's Essence. Activating the Moment of Frenzied Patience inflicts one level of lethal damage on the martial artist
Flawless Sweep Attack
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
The sweep attack is a useful and powerful tool - it simultaneously damages an opponent and knocks him from his feet. Often the damage is only a secondary concern, and it is the opponent's loss of balance that truly matters. This Charm takes that desire into account. With this Charm, an Exalted may perform a Sweep that never fails to knock an opponent from his feet. The player rolls the Sweep attack and resolves the damage in the usual manner. However, when the opponent makes his reflexive Dexterity + Athletics roll to avoid being knocked down, a number of dice equal to the Exalted's Martial Arts Ability are subtracted from his dice pool.
Feline Grace Meditation
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Flawless Sweep Attack
The character infuses her anima with Essence, granting her the grace, balance, and agility of a leopard. By invoking this Charm, she may add a number of dice equal to her Martial Arts score to a single Athletics roll.
Low Stance Counterthrow
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Feline Grace Meditation
From the Low Stance (one of the two stances most often associated with Leopard style), the character becomes capable of catching any limb extended in attack and using it to throw or hold his opponent. The character may immediately make a Clinch, Hold, or Throw attack in response to any hand-to-hand attack directed against him. Except for this limitation in what sort of attack may be made, this Charm is identical to the High Stance Counterattack Charm (see other).
Leopard's Dance of Avoidance
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
To parry armed attacks, one must have a weapon or special Charm. And to Dodge them, one must have the Dodge Ability. For the duration of the turn, the character may substitute his Martial Arts Ability for the Dodge ability when avoiding attacks. The character may even declare a Full Dodge, using his Dexterity + Martial Arts pool as the base. Except for the Ability being used, these are identical to normal dodges in every way.
Cat-in-a-Box Kata
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Leopard's Dance of Avoidance
Anyone who has attempted to hold or restrain a cat knows that this is nearly impossible. Students of Cat Style soon learn the secrets of becoming unable to be held. By activating this Charm, the character may instantly escape any Clinch or Hold. There is no roll by either the character or his opponent - the character simply escapes, and nothing can be done about it. The use of this Charm does not negate the damage done by a Clinch attack - it merely allows the character to escape it in the next instant (or whenever she chooses). This Charm is explicitly permitted to be used in a Clinch, for obvious reasons.
High Stance Counterattack
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Cat-in-a-Box Kata
From the High Stance (one of the two stances most often associated with Leopard style), Essence guides the character's lead hand and foot, allowing her to strike when her enemy moves in to attack. The character may immediately make an attack with her full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool against anyone executing a hand-to-hand attack against her. This attack is made after the opponent's roll to hit, but before damage is determined. This attack is not an action and does not subtract from dice pools. A character may make as many counterattacks as she has Essence to pay for, but may only make one counterattack for each time she is attacked. Additionally, a character cannot use this Charm in response to another counterattack Charm.
Leopard Form
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: High Stance Counterattack, Low Stance Counterthrow
The character moves and fights like a feline, waiting for her opponent to attack and countering all blows. The character also climbs, jumps, and falls like a cat. For the duration of the scene, the character may respond to all incoming hand-to-hand attacks with an immediate counterattack with his full Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool. In addition, he may add his Permanent Essence to all dice pools involving climbing, jumping, and soaking damage from falling. This Charm is incompatible with the use of armor. Characters cannot use more than one Martial Arts Form-type Charm at a time.
Wary Leopard's Sight
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Leopard Form
The character channels his Essence into not his senses, granting him a cat's ability to see in darkness and an awareness of subtle changes in his visual environment. For the Charm's duration, the character suffers no penalties from lack of lighting. Fog, snow, and the like may still obscure a character's vision, but a lack of light will not. In addition, the character can instantly perceive anything in his line of sight that moves, even if it were otherwise hidden. So an animal stalking though underbrush using its natural camouflage, or a person moving about while hiding in a bush will become visible to the character. Other attempts at stealth function normally, but even the slightest movement is visible.
Furious Feline Frenzy Attack
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Wary Leopard's Sight
Leopards avoid combat whenever possible, seeking to catch an opponent off-balance and flee. But when cornered or outnumbered a leopard can be a deadly and furious opponent. With this Charm, the character may internalize his Essence, becoming capable of lashing out at multiple opponents at once. Upon activating this Charm, the character may make one attack against every opponent within reach. It is up to the Storyteller to determine who is and is not within reach, but anyone who can be attacked by the character will be. The character utilizes his full dice pool for each attack, and is only limited by the number of possible targets. Because dice pools may not be split in the turn this Charm is used, it is desirable to combo it with a defensive Charm. The player need not attack everyone within reach - he may decide to spare allies or certain opponents.
This was a style of Martial Arts I made up for a character who never eventually learned MA at all. The principle behind its design was to make a Solar-level Martial Art that required a higher Essence score than the pre-existing styles (Snake, Tiger, & Ebon Shadow), and was more in line with the power of later Martial Arts trees than Snake Form, which I'm really not very fond of, as it comes off as weak, overcosted, and uninteresting compared to the other combat charm trees in the Solar book.
(And yes, I know the last charm will give a lot of people fits. All I can say is, I thought it worked well when an NPC solar used it in our game...)
Phoenix Style treats attacks with Tiger Claws and Wind-Fire Wheels as unarmed attacks. None of the charms of Phoenix Style are compatible with armor that has an inherent mobility penalty before magical material bonuses are applied.
Charms
Furious Searing Talons
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
By wreathing their hands in fiery talons and striking with the speed of a raptor, the Exalted adds their Essence in dice to an unarmed martial arts attack. By spending an additional mote of essence, the Exalted may make the attack do lethal damage.
Blazing Feather Defense
Cost: Special
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
By using this charm, an Exalted wreathes themselves in a layer of invisible feathers composed of Essence. Whenever they would injured, these feathers burst into heatless flame, protecting them from some or all of the effects of what would injure them.
A character who uses this Charm gains a number of phantom health levels for the remainder of the scene. When they would suffer damage, these health levels are removed before applying any remaining damage to the character. The cost to use this Charm is 2 motes per phantom health level, + 2 motes for each previous health level gained in the scene, or a total of (P)x(P+1) motes, where P is the number of phantom health levels gained.
Phoenix Form
Cost: 8 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Furious Searing Talons, Blazing Feather Defense
A martial artist who is using Phoenix Form burns with a flame that is both colorless and all colors at once. Their body seems to waver from one place to another, and those who seek to injure them suffer terrible burns. For the remainder of the scene, a character who has invoked the Phoenix Form does lethal damage with their unarmed attacks and can parry lethal attacks without a stunt. The difficulty to attack them successfully is raised to their Essence score. In addition, they are immune to damage from fire and heat, and any character struck by their unarmed strikes or otherwise in close proximity with them suffers their Essence in fire damage each turn the contact is maintained.
If the character using Phoenix Form is one of the Solar Exalted, they may spend a point of willpower to cause both their unarmed attacks and their fiery anima to deal aggravated damage to demons and the undead.
This charm is incompatible with armor that is prohibited by Phoenix Form. A character may not normally benefit from the effects of more than one Form-type charm at a time.
Unfolding Fiery Wings
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Phoenix Form
A master of phoenix form can call upon the wings of the phoenix to strike their enemies. Fiery essence congeals around their hands and forearms in the shape of wings, and can be used to lash out across great distances. The Exalted picks up to two targets within (their Essence x 5) yards and makes a single martial arts attack against them. If two targets were chosen for the wings, each target takes (Essence x 3) lethal damage if hit, while if both wings were aimed at a single target, they take (Essence x 4) lethal damage. This attack may not be parried without the use of charms.
Ascending Phoenix Strike
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Unfolding Fiery Wings
By calling on the power of the phoenix, an Exalted using Phoenix Form can perform feats of incredible athleticism and speed, effectively flying across the battlefield to strike their foes. Blazing wings unfold from the character's anima, allowing them to run, jump, fly and hover both before and after performing an unarmed swooping attack on an opponent. A character under the effects of this charm can travel up to double their normal sprinting speed in any direction(s), including straight up or down, if there are no solid obstacles in their way. If they make an attack this turn, they gain their Essence in additional damage dice if the attack connects. This charm may only be activated if the Exalted is already in Phoenix Form.
Dust and Ashes Evasion
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Phoenix Form
An Exalted who has mastered this technique can move out of the way of an attack at the last moment, making a weak strike miss them entirely, and a stronger strike cut merely nick their skin instead of cleaving them in twain. By using this charm, an Exalted adds their Martial arts score to their soak against a single attack. If this would reduce that attack to doing only a token die of damage, do not roll the token die.
Breath of the Next World
Cost: 3 motes per +1 difficulty
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Dust & Ashes Evasion
By stirring up dust and motes of ash into the air around them, the Exalted makes it more difficult for their opponents to anticipate the timing and direction of their unarmed attacks. For every three motes of essence spent, all attempts to parry or dodge their unarmed strikes are at +1 difficulty until the end of the turn. The difficulty cannot be increased by more than the character's Essence.
Incendiary Heart
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Phoenix Form
By infusing their fiery anima with power, an Exalt who is using the Phoenix Form may cause their strikes to explode with fiery energy when they connect. In place of doing the usual damage from their blazing anima, any damage dice from an unarmed attack which remain after subtracting soak are matched by dice of fire damage from the character's anima.
This charm may only be used if the Exalted is already in Phoenix Form, or is a Fire-aspected Dragon-blood with their anima ability active, and must be activated when the attack is declared.
Devastating Firebird Swoop
Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One Turn
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Incendiary Heart
An Exalted who has mastered this charm is one of the most deadly creatures in creation. They can unleash a flurry of terrifying fiery attacks and still be ready to defend themselves once their assault is done. Devastating Firebird Swoop grants the character a number of martial arts attacks at their full dice pool equal to their Essence, and for the remainder of the turn they may buy additional dodges or parries at their full dice pool for 1 mote each. This charm may only be activated if the Exalted is already in Phoenix Form.
Explosive Phoenix Rebirth
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Ascending Phoenix Strike, Breath of the Next World, Devastating Firebird Swoop
A character who has attained true mastery of Phoenix Style is next to impossible to kill. So long as they possess this charm, when they are about to suffer damage that would drop them below their Incapacitated health level, they explode into an inferno of flame and heat. When the inferno dissipates, the character's body is reduced to a pile of ashes, which are immediately scattered by a gust of unnatural wind. The character is not dead, however, only transformed; calculate how long it would take the character to heal from being Incapacitated by aggravated damage without the aid of Charms.
The dawn after the character would have fully recovered, the character's body reforms uninjured within (Essence x 100) miles of where they were `killed', in a place of the storyteller's choosing. The price of such a rebirth is great, however-- the character's permanent Willpower and Essence scores are each reduced by one, and they no longer possess this charm. If they are slain before they can learn Explosive Phoenix Rebirth once more, they die much like any other Exalted would.
Spirit-Fox Style martial arts are all about stealth, trickery, and surprising the enemy. Spirit-Fox Style relies less on ass-beating weapons and more on items with multiple uses: iron fans, samurai pipes, and staves. The shaku-jo, or “five rings staff” is a favored weapon of the Spirit-Fox Style master - innocent in appearance, it can pierce, entangle, or bludgeon with ease.
Spirit-Fox Style is a soft style, with many of its manuevers and Charms used as defense. However, those who take the time to learn the secrets of Spirit-Fox Style discover that it has a deeply mystical aspect - indeed, Spirit-Fox Style lore contains a number of Terrestrial-circle sorceries that can be used in combat and travel.
Spirit-Fox Style masters scorn the use of hot, heavy, uncomfortable armor - they prefer light, breezy robes or baggy pants and sashes. All Spirit-Fox Style charms are incompatible with the use of armor except where noted.
Charms
One Tail Sidestep
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
The One Tail Sidestep allows a character to dodge an incoming attack by the minimum amount necessary to avoid damage, often causing an opponent to assume that the target did not move. Adds a number of Dodge successes equal to character's Essence score. May be used by an armored character.
Two Tails Defense
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: 1 turn
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: One Tail Sidestep
The Two Tails Defense requires the character to wield two weapons—the form's preferred ones being two `iron fans'. The fans (or other 1-handed weapons) are whirled about in a complex pattern. With Two Tails Defense, the character may parry a number of attacks equal to her Essence rating with full dice pools. If she takes any other actions, the penalty for additional actions is increased by 1 die.
Characters who use another charm that allows them to parry Lethal attacks barehanded (such as Steel Paw Style)may explicitly stack or combo with this charm. This charm may be used while wearing armor.
Fox Yip (The Kiai of Unendurable Imprecation)
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
A shouted slur sure to elicit unthinking rage in an enemy. The target of a Fox Yip must make a Temperance roll with a difficulty equal to the character's Essence; failure means humiliation and distraction, +1 to strike and damage, -2 to parry, -3 to dodge. Additionally, the target will only attack the kitsuke who delivered the insult, and may be brained or backshot by alert opponents. A botch will send the target reeling with rage and shame, forcing her to flee the SFS practitioner's presence. May be used while wearing armor.
Fox Greets the Fieldmouse
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Inari's Oblique Sidestep
With a leap, the Spirit-Fox practitioner moves from concealment to attack. The charm allows the Exalt to leap (Dexterity) yards vertically or (Dexterity + Martial Arts) yards horizontally, ending with a weapon, foot, or fist strike. The target's Initiative total is reduced by the attacker's Willpower + Essence: should the Spirit-Fox initiate (or kitsuke) land the first blow, her damage dice are doubled after soak.
Three Tails Throw
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Two Tails Defense
A judoesque counterattacking throw maneuver that sends enemies sprawling, doing Bashing dice equal to the attacker's Strength + the kitsuke's Martial Arts score. Only the attacker's natural Bashing soak may be used - this charm bypasses any soak bonuses afforded by armor. A Three Tails Throw may take the place of a dodge, and is only effective against an attack.
Four Tails Confound the Archer
Cost: 6 motes, plus 2 motes per missile
Duration: Essence in turns
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Three Tails Throw
Four Tails involves a spinning, leaping kata that can frustrate an archer to no end. The difficulty to hit the character with any kind of flung missile (arrows, slingstones, hurlbats, etc.) increases by the martial artist's Essence. Additionally, the character may nab a missile out of the air as a dice action for 2 motes of essence. This can be kept, tossed aside, or returned point-first to the attacker, as the martial artist desires.
Den-Defending Stance
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Two Tails Defense
The fox's den is his home, and the site of his last stand. As long as the kitsuke does not move or dodge, he cannot suffer a knockback effect and may add his Martial Arts score to both Bashing and Lethal soaks. Two Tails Defense may stack with this charm. May be used while armored.
Spirit-Fox Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Den-Defending Stance, Four Tails Confound the Archer
The initiate takes the stance of the Spirit-Fox: feet shoulder-width apart, hips and torso turned 90° from the opponent, hands loosely cupped in the Fox Paw Fist and held just below chin height (sort of a fencing stance with the head turned to the side, presenting the attacker with a narrow profile). The Exalt may parry or dodge any attack he can perceive with no penalty a number of times equal to his Essence rating. This charm explicitly stacks with Den-Defending Stance, and the defense bonuses may be used with Three Tails Throw.
Five Tails, Five Direction
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Fox Greets the Fieldmouse
With a prodigious leap, the kitsuke may remove herself from an opponent's proximity while dodging. Five Tails, Five Directions allows the Exalt to leap (Dexterity + Martial Arts + Essence) yards in any of the five directions, adding 5 bonus dice to the attempt. This charm may be used to carry one out of attack range of weapon, fist, or spell.
Six Wise Tails Mantra
Cost: 10 motes
Duration: 1 scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Fox Yip
The Six Wise Tails Mantra gives the character intuitive awareness of an enemy's weak points, whether physical (such as old injuries, a quirk of combat style, or ill-fitting armor) or mental (low Virtues, Nature, manifestation of the Great Curse). When the Six Wise Tails Mantra is pronounced, the character may roll Perception + Martial Arts, with a difficulty of her opponent's Essence. Each success reveals a weakness that may be exploited by the character. The Storyteller is encouraged to be creative and flexible when dealing with off-the-cuff frailties in NPCs.
Seven Lucky Tails Kata
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Spirit-Fox Style
A form that teaches one to strike from the Seven Surprising Directions at the Seven Vital Points (at the crown from above, at the forehead from behind, at the throat from behind, at the heart from the right, at the plexus from the left, at the navel from behind, and at the groin from below). Blows to these areas have differing effects.
Crown of the head from above(1): Interferes with Essence flow: Essence cannot be recovered by victim for rest of scene (including via Hearthstone, cult, or charm).
"3rd Eye" from behind(1): Interferes with enlightenment: halves victim's Essence rating for rest of scene (!)
Throat from below(1): Interferes with communication: victim cannot speak intelligibly for rest of scene (stutters, gurgles, mumbles, etc.)
Heart from the right(1): Interferes with life force, victim may not use natural Bashing or Lethal soak for rest of scene
Plexus from the left(1): Interferes with coordination, breathing: +1 difficulty to all Physical-based rolls for rest of scene.
Navel from behind(1): Interferes with Essence control: victim may not spend more motes of Essence at one time than own Essence rating.
Groin from below: Unsoakable Bashing damage, and health level penalties are doubled.
(1)Does not inflict damage, but calculate as if damage were being rolled and if Str + Successes > Bashing soak, the charm effect takes place.
Eight Subtle Tails Path
Cost: 8 motes, + 1 mote per attack thwarted
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Spirit-Fox Form, Six Wise Tails Mantra
The Spirit-Fox practitioner that has mastered the Eight Subtle Tails Path has the ability to walk through a pitched battle unscathed. For 1 mote, the character can absolutely thwart any attack made with either a to-hit pool of less than the character's Essence + Martial Arts, or with a damage rating (before soak) of less than the character's Willpower. Arcs and lines of Essence either direct blows away or absorb their force harmlessly.
Nine Tails Strike
Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower, +2 motes per duplicate
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Seven Lucky Tails Kata, Eight Subtle Tails Path
The Nine Tails Strike creates up to 8 Essence duplicates of the martial artist, who simultaneously strike with her (only one roll is made). If the character fights barehanded, the duplicates carry no weapon. If the character is armed, the duplicates carry Essence-fueled copies that seem identical but lack all magical properties. Each duplicate adds the character's Essence rating to the raw damage, whether Bashing or Lethal. The duplicates appear only for the duration of the strike and are indistinguishable from the the character. Only one attack roll is made—if it misses, the duplicates disappear and the Essence is wasted. However, the difficulties of non-magical attempts to dodge or parry are increased by 1 per duplicate created.
Powerful Demon followers of the Ebon Dragon might teach these 13 techniques to Exalts of any type in the process of steering their moral compasses towards the Yozis.
Charms
Impressions in the Void
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
Impressions in the Void is the first step in learning the Charms of the Ebon Dragon style. Deep in the maddening prison of Malfeas, the Ebon Dragon has incepted this style of Martial Arts as a grim parody of the Immaculate paths. He seeks to lure Exalts into his grasp using the promise of these martial powers as one of many tools to tempt them.
Impressions in the Void, also known as "Ebon Dragon Sight", allows a character to "feel" through darkness following a brief meditation. Out to a certain range, the character's senses are one with the dark - she can "feel" and discern things, as if the surrounding darkness were her own touch.
A character who activates this charm takes no penalty for loss of vision in darkness, whether that darkness is night or magical in origin. Furthermore, she adds her Martial Arts in automatic successes to her Awareness when rolling to perceive anything within (Character's Essence x5) yards of the character, when both she and the thing that she is perceiving are in darkness. This makes her extremely difficult to ambush at night. The extra successes cannot be applied to anything that is not within range AND in the dark.
Light-Banishing Gesture
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
This Charm is the second technique of the Ebon Dragon style.
The character makes a swift motion with his arms, usually a sharp clap of his hands, and light sources within (Character's Essence x5) yards are all suddenly extinguished.
All conventional light sources are immediately snuffed out: candles flicker and die, torches gutter and lanterns cease to illuminate. If the source of light is magical in origin, make a reflexive opposed roll, rolling the character's Essence against the Artifact rating of the light source, or, if the light source is another character, that character's Essence rating. This power can snuff out the glow of a Caste Mark, and even an Anima Banner.
This Charm has no effect on light from the Celestial Incarna (i.e. natural sunlight, moonlight and starlight). It is also ineffective against the light of Ligier, whether he is present as the Green Sun of Malfeas, or present in his anthropomorphic form.
Steps of the Shadow Dragon
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 1
Min. Essence: 1
This is the third of the 13 Charms that comprise the Ebon Dragon Style.
A character who activates this power momentarily moves as if he were a shadow; he seems to glide weightlessly, sliding across sufaces with liquid smoothness.
In the turn in which this Charm is activated, the character can move up walls and across ceilings, as long as he maintains at least walking speed. The surreal evasiveness of the character's motions in this turn means that he adds his Martial Arts to his Dodge rolls for the lenght of the turn. In the turn, the character can also make reflexive dodges using just his Martial Arts pool if he has no other way to dodge the attack (this does not apply to surprise attacks).
Shadow Feint
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Steps of the Shadow Dragon
The fourth Ebon Dragon Style technique, the Shadow Feint allows a character to conjure a shadowy double. The silhouette exists only for a split second, overlaid on the character. As the character makes his move in combat, the shadowy double veers the other way, throwing off an adversary's ability to keep track of the Exalt.
In terms of rules, the character can add his Martial Arts pool to a single dodge attempt, or add his Dodge pool to a single Martial Arts move, usually an attack. This power can, of course, be comboed (and thus "stacked") with Steps of the Shadow Dragon, which could allow an Exalt to add his Martial Arts to a dodge attempt twice.
Ebon Dragon Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Shadow Feint, Light-Banishing Gesture, Impressions in the Void
By executing a series of katas originally mastered by the Yozis, the practitioner of this dark martial style invokes the insidious power of the Ebon Dragon. His stance becomes cloaked in silhouette, and his actions become very difficult to perceive.
If the form is successfully performed, the character no longer takes any penalties for fighting in dark conditions for the rest of the scene. Whenever the Exalt makes an attack in this scene, his target must achieve a single success on a reflexive Perception + Awareness roll, or the attack counts as a surprise attack; the target just did not see it coming out of the darkness that now surrounds the Exalt. Any attempts to observe details about an Exalt using this form, such as spotting what weapons he is carrying, or noting the features of his face, add two to the difficulty. This increased difficulty also applies to all opponents' attempts to make "called shots" in the combat.
If the form is not invoked successfully, the motes of Essence are wasted.
Tenebrous Strike
Cost: 3
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Ebon Dragon Form
With this Charm , the character lashes out with a claw made from demonic shadow, which extends from his own hand.
The claw strikes using the character's Dexterity + Martials Arts, as if it were a normal hand-to-hand strike. If it hits a living target, it's damage is the character's Essence + extra successes on the strike. The damage can only be soaked by Stamina and Charms. Armour is no protection - the shadowy claw just passes through armour.
Each level of damage that the character inflicts is Bashing, and cannot be made Lethal by other Charms. However, the target also becomes cold, numb and slowed. Each level of damage inflicts a -1 penalty on all of the target's actions, for a number of turns equal to the character's Essence + Martial Arts.
After a target has taken more hits from Tenebrous Strikes than he has Stamina in one scene, he must make a Fatigue roll against a difficulty of (the number of Tenebrous Strikes taken minus his Stamina), whenever he is hit by another Tenebrous Strike. If he fails, he collapses from exhaustion (see Exalted rule book, page 241).
Far-Reaching Darkness Technique
Cost: 1 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Tenebrous Strike
This Supplemental Charm can only be comboed with Tenebrous Strike, and it is designed for that purpose. It does NOT cost Willpower to Combo this Charm with Tenebrous Strike(!).
The user can now stretch out with his claw of demonic shadow, making a Tenebrous Strike up to as far away as his Essence in yards.
Ebon Claws Method
Cost: 1 mote per extra attack
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Far-Reaching Darkness Technique
Like Far-Reaching Darkness Technique, this Charm is only meant for being used in a combo with Tenebrous Strike. A combo including this Charm will cost a Willpower point as normal.
A character using this power can extend multiple claws of Demonic shadow from his hand, and attack with them simultaneously. The character must spend 1 mote of Essence, and pay the cost for Tenebrous Strike for each extra attack. Thus, each extra Tenebrous Strike in the turn costs 4 motes of Essence in practical terms, 5 if the Combo includes the Far-Reaching Darkness Technique. The character does not need to split his dice pools to strike with these additional shadowy claws.
A character cannot make more Tenebrous Strikes in one turn than he has dots in Martial Arts.
Night's Suffocating Embrace
Cost: 7 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One hour
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Ebon Dragon Form
Using the sixth technique of the Infernal Ebon Dragon style, the Exalt, surrounds himself with supernatural darkness. The black gloom extends outwards from the character in all directions, out to a distance of (character's Essence x5) yards. The cloak of shadows blocks out even the sun for all those standing within its radius, and the dark is both cold and suffocating.
All characters within this darkness suffer penalties for acting in darkness, including the Charm's user, if he has not been smart enough to activate another Charm from the Ebon Dragon style to deal with the penalties.
Characters within the darkness, except for the Exalt who activated the Charm, suffer a 1 die mobility penalty, and begin to suffocate in the inky blackness. Treat this as the same as drowning in extremely cold water (see the Exalted rulebook, page 243). The suffocating ceases as soon as the victims leave the darkness, but a wise user of this Charm will attempt to keep his targets within its range.
Ebon Dragon Roar
Cost: 10 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Ebon Dragon Form
This variation of a kiai shout harnesses the terrifying roar of the Ebon Dragon, inspiring the sort of fear that a person would also associate with the Dawn Caste Anima Power.
When a character uses Ebon Dragon's Roar, he rolls his Essence + Martial Arts. All characters within earshot (except for the deaf, automata and the walking dead) make reflexive Valour rolls. Each character who does not achieve as many successes as the Exalt suffers a 2 dice penalty when taking any aggressive action towards the Exalt. This penalty lasts for as many minutes as the number of successes that the Exalt scored over the character.
If the Exalt using Ebon Dragon's Roar scores more extra successes over a character than that character has Willpower points, that character immediately flees in terror, as fast as possible.
Ebon Dragon Breath
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Ebon Dragon Roar, Night's Suffocating Embrace
Ebon Dragon breath is an extremely potent weapon in combat, and one of the most feared tactics that an Infernal Exalt can muster. An Exalt who uses this power takes a level of Bashing Damage herself.
The breath weapon is a blast of toxic, inky balckness that billows out in a 45-degree arc from the Exalt's mouth, reaching out to a range of twice her Essence in yards. All creatures, friend or foe, caught in the area of effect are affected by the blast. This attack cannot be blocked, but may be dodged, if a character can cover enough ground to get clear.
The inky blackness clings to the eyes, blinding any character it hits (apply appropriate penalties). The darkness also attempts to claw its way down a victim's throat and afflict that victim with a deadly poison. The difficulty for resisting the poison is equal to the permanent Essence of the Exalt who used the Charm. The difficulty rating is also the amount of Aggravated damage that the Charm does if the poison is not successfully resisted. If the poison is resisted, then it does 3 levels of Lethal damage. The poison has a duration of 6 hours, and a -3 penalty to its victims.
This power cannot poison inorganic beings. Against the inorganic, it acts as an acid that does damage equal to the Exalt's Essence, with 1-turn intervals, for 3 turns. For rules on acid, see the Exalted rule book, page 244.
Song of Erembour
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Concentration
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Ebon Dragon Roar
An Exalt who uses this Charm must achieve a single success on a Performance roll each round, because it requires her to sing. During combat, the act of singing is likely to cause multiple action penalties for the performer, if she needs to fight at the same time.
While it is being performed, the Exalt's song is infused with the sinister power of Erembour, soul and servant of the Ebon Dragon. Her song, in Malfeas, brings out the shadowy denizens of the Yozi Realms whenever the Ebon Dragon casts his shadow across the Green Sun. In Creation, an Infernal Exalt who channels Erembour's song awakens the hidden, frightening darkneses in the minds of men. Those who hear the song feel haunted, beset by paranoia and psychological demons that hover at the edges of their perceptions. The state is enough to drive mortals, Exalts and even spirits, who may fear the Yozis, to insanity.
When a character, other than the singer, hears the song produced by this Charm, he must make a reflexive Willpower roll. If he does not achieve any successes, he loses a point of Conviction temporarily (it will return in an hour). He must continue to make these Willpower rolls every turn in which he can hear the song. If a character is reduced to Conviction 0 by this Charm, he is incapacitated by madness, unable to act because of the intensity of his delusions and personal demons. The state of incapacity lasts until one hour after the singing stops, when the character's Conviction starts to return at a rate of 1 point per hour.
If the Performance roll is failed at any point, the Charm's effects end. The song can only last for 10 minutes maximum.
Heart-Chilling Blow
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Song of Erembour
With this Infernal Charm, a character can strike at the very heart of a target, attacking that target's emotional centre with such malice that it cuts as harshly as any blade.
To use this Charm, a character must touch the target, possibly needing to make a Dexterity + Martial Arts roll. If this succeeds, the target then must contend with the character's Manipulation + Martial Arts in dice of Lethal Damage.
This damage can only be soaked with the Compassion Virtue, and also with the "Fivefold Armour of Virtue Technique" Charm, if the character posseses it (see Castebook: Zenith, page 75).
Voice of All Fears
Cost: 20 motes, 1 permanent willpower, 1 permanent vitue point
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Song of Erembour
The student of the Ebon Dragon style now progresses from channeling the voice of Erembour to channeling a tiny fragment of raw power and voice from her master, the Ebon Dragon himself. This power should never be used lightly; it does not just have an Essence and Willpower cost. The Charm's user must expend a permanent point of a Virtue and a permanent point of Willpower to utilise this gift. If this reduces a Virtue to 0, the Ebon Dragon briefly possesses the user after the Charm's effect expires, for a number of minutes equal to the Permanent Essence of the Exalt. After the spell of possession, the body of the user burns up from the intense power of the Yozi, and the Exalt dies (the Ebon Dragon's consciousness returns to Malfeas).
When an Exalt uses this power, he simply shouts in the voice of the Yozi, issuing either a one word command or a potent threat. He thus chooses to use the Voice of All Fears for one of two puposes - either to cow targets into submission and obedience, or to frighten them witless.
The targets must make Willpower + Valour rolls, and score more successes than the Exalt has Martial Arts. If they fail, one of the following happens:
If the character's intent was to cow the targets into obedience, they must obey the command, no matter how antithetical it may be for them. Victims of the Voice of All Fears can be made to murder their loved ones, while retaining enough self-awareness to realise the horror of what they are doing.
If the character's intent was to frighten the targets, all extras in earshot immediately die of fright. Important characters enter a state that is the equivalent of the Compassion Limit Break "Heart of Tears" (see Exalted rule book page 131) for a number of days equal to the Exalt's Essence. They do not gain Willpower from this condition, unlike the actual Limit Break for Solar Exalts.
If a character successfully resists the Voice of All Fears, he is nonetheless traumatised for a number of days equal to the Exalt's Eseence, and must spend a Willpower point whenever required to roll Valour in that period of time to avoid being afraid, or automatically fail the roll.
This is the first half of a Martial Arts style that my Lunar in an upcoming game will be either learning or developing on his own. Either way, it was designed by a former member of a Dynastic House who was Exalted by Luna, and blends elements of the elemental kung fu taught to mortals in the Realm with abilities more useful and appropriate to Lunars, such as taking zillions of actions each round.
The "Principle of <element>" bit at the beginning of each of the first five charms indicates which element each charm is "aligned" with in the Dynastic manner of thinking about Martial Arts, and ties in with both the name of the charm and its effects. I haven't really gotten around to doing much flavor text for them.
Storm Dragon Style treats characters using spears and seven section staves as unarmed for the purposes of charms. None of the charms of Storm Dragon Style are compatible with armor that has an inherent mobility penalty before magical material bonuses are applied.
Charms
Spark the Hurricane (Principle of Fire)
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
The first time the character is attacked in a particular combat, they may activate this charm to launch an unarmed counterattack w/ their Dex + Martial Arts. This counterattack cannot be parried or evaded without the aid of charms.
Rage of the Tempest (Principle of Water)
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min Essence: 3
Prereqs: Spark the Hurricane
The character lashes out at those around her as she explodes into motion, making a number of unarmed attacks equal to her Martial Arts at nearby targets. The character may not parry on the same turn they use Rage of the Tempest, and must attack the characters closest to her when she activates the charm in order of proximity, regardless of whether they are friend or foe.
The Mountain Endures (Principle of Earth)
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
The character adds their Martial Arts to their lethal and bashing soak against a single attack which they did not attempt to dodge or parry. This soak explicitly applies to aggravated damage.
Willow Bends in the Wind (Principle of Wood)
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min Essence: 3
Prereqs: The Mountain Endures
The character may make a Dex + Martial Arts roll to dodge a single incoming attack they are aware of.
Storm Dragon Form (Principle of Air)
Cost: 8 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Rage of the Tempest, Willow Bends in the Wind
By taking on the aspect of the Storm Dragon, the character vastly increases their speed and coordination, almost seeming to walk on air. They add their Martial Arts to their initiative, triple their movement and jumping distances, and take no damage from falls.
In addition, they suffer only half the normal dice penalties for splitting actions (apply any modifiers, such as those from Gift of Hands and Arm-Array, before halving) and may buy additional fully independent actions at the cost of 5 motes each. (See Charcoal March of the Spiders Form, on page 187 of the Sidereals book, for details on fully independent actions.) A character using Storm Dragon Form may take no more fully independent actions in a turn than half their Essence score rounded down, and their natural dice action counts against this limit.
Storm Dragon Form cannot normally be used with other Form-type charms, and is incompatible with armor that is prohibited by Storm Dragon Style.
Claw of Heaven
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Storm Dragon Form
By focusing the power of the Storm Dragon around their fist, the character charges their next attack with lightning. In addition to its normal effects, the next unarmed strike they make which connects with an opponent deals their Martial Arts in unsoakable dice of damage, which may only be avoided through effects that reduce damage but are not a form of soak, such as the Twilight Caste's Anima ability and the material bonus of Starmetal armor. Claw of Heaven is not discharged until the character either connects with an attack or the scene ends, and multiple uses of it cannot affect the same attack.
Crashing Thunder Assault
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Claw of Heaven
Striking with the speed of lightning and the force of thunder, the character's blows shatters mortal steel and blasts enchanted weapons aside. An unarmed attack enhanced by this charm cannot be parried by any means short of a perfect defense, and destroys any non-magical weapons placed in its path. Any extra successes on the attack roll are added to the difficulty of the Stamina + Resistance roll to avoid knockback from this attack, and if the roll fails, the defender is flung back 10 yards for each success by which they failed the roll. Regardless of whether they are knocked backwards, the defender must also make two more Stamina + Resistance rolls against the same difficulty as the first roll, the first to avoid being deafened for the rest of the scene, and the second to avoid being totally unaware of their surroundings and unable to take actions of any sort until a full turn has passed.
The attack enhanced by this charm explicitly cannot kill one of the Exalted; if it would reduce them below Incapacitated, reduce the number of damage successes until they are left at Incapacitated.
Scales of the Maelstrom
Cost: 5 + 1 mote per turn, 1 willpower
Duration: Variable
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Storm Dragon Form
By enshrouding themselves in a whirlwind of Essence, the character renders themselves all but invulnerable to attack by foes they cannot engage. Any attack by someone beyond the reach of the character's unarmed attacks which is not a perfect effect automatically misses them, buffeted aside by a swirling gust of wind. This is a semi-perfect effect and ends immediately if the character casts a spell or makes a ranged attack of any kind. The 1 mote maintainance cost on this charm is paid as a reflexive action, and does not count as the character's charm for the turn.
Gale-Force Breath
Cost: 15 motes, 1 willpower, 1 aggravated health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Scales of the Maelstrom
The character inhales deeply, and then releases their stored breath in a swirling cyclone that flings everything in the area that is not fixed to the ground into the sky. Everything and everyone within a radius of (Essence x 10) yards of the Exalt is subject to this charm's effects save those who are within three yards of the Exalt himself. To avoid being sucked into the sky and then flung back down to earth, characters must make reflexive Wits + Athletics rolls against a difficulty equal to the Exalt's Essence to grab onto a stable structure or outcropping. Extras automatically fail this roll.
Those who fail to remain fixed to the earth face an ignominious death. For every success they failed the roll by, a character is flung 30 feet into the air, and faces 6 dice of falling damage. Those who have some means of aerial locomotion may either move out of the area affected by Gale-Force Breath before they are flung to earth, or roll Strength + Athletics against a difficulty of the character's Essence to avoid being hurled to their doom, but those who do not are likely to be broken upon the unyielding ground if they are not battered to death by trees or flayed by swirling sand before their landing.
Perfect defenses defend against this attack as normal.
Storm Serpent Fury
Cost: 12 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Martial Arts in turns
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Crashing Thunder Assault, Gale-Force Breath
A character who has mastered this charm is the equal of a true Storm Serpent in might and furious wrath. For the charm's duration, the character has a number of fully independent actions each turn equal to their Essence. This explicitly supercedes the restriction on the number of fully independent actions that can be taken in a turn imposed by Storm Dragon Form. This charm may only be used once per scene.
Eternal Grasp Prana
Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 1
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
Old legends tell, that when the ocean's endless depths get you, they won't let you go. This is also true for those unfortunates, trying to escape the iron grip of a deep water fighter. For each mote the character spent to activate the Charm, he gets one additional die when trying to resist an escape attempt from a clinch. The character can't more than double his Strength + Martial Arts dice pool.
Force From Below Technique
Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Eternal Grasp Prana
When you believe in old myths, many sailors, once fallen overboard, were dragged below the waves by unseen hands and carried forth by the currents. A martial artist with this Charm can grab an opponent with ease. For each mote of Essence spent on Force From Below Technique, the player may add one die to a single clinch or hold combat maneuver. She can't more than double her regular Dexterity + Martial Arts dice pool.
Iron Fangs Attack
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Eternal Grasp Prana
Deep down below the ocean, there are creatures with teeth like daggers, waiting silently for their prey. Using Iron Fangs Attack, a Exalted can harden his fingers, inflicting lethal damage with them. He also adds +2 to the damage. When his attack succeeds, the martial artist can try to maintain his grasp. This makes the arm virtually useless, but while the grip holds, he and his opponent are at -2 to all dice pools. The target can try to escape his grip like any other clinch. This Charm is incompatible with the use of weapons.
Silent Depths Technique
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Exalted's essence turn
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Iron Fangs Attack
The Exalted makes a complex sign with her fingers, extending her aura to become silent like the deep waters. It takes only a moment, but needs a free hand. The aura itself has no visible effect. While this Charm works, the character and everything she carries makes no noise of any sort. Even attacks, that hit her body are utterly quiet. This effect does not extend beyond her touch, but as long as she touches someone or something, it won't make any noise.
Eternal Silence Prana
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Silent Depths Technique
Like its predecessor, anyone under the influence of Eternal Silence Prana can't make any noise. The Exalted becomes like the silent depths of the ocean, her aura suppressing any sound she makes. This Charm provides all the benefits of Silent Depths Technique, but holds for a scene.
Deep Water Form
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Silent Depths Technique
An Exalted using Deep Water Form taps into the power of the cold ocean depths, where relentless, icy currents can freeze even the sturdiest body. The body of the deep water martial artist takes on a faint blue shimmer and becomes freezing cold to the touch, his hands inflicting lethal damage. For the duration of the Charm, the character also adds his permanent Essence score to his Martial Arts trait and damage dice pools. Whenever he attacks successfully, his cold hands leave an icy mark. The opponent's dice pools are reduced by -2 for a number of turns equal to the Exalted's Martial Arts score. While under the influence of Deep Water Form, the Exalted receives no penalties from fighting in or under the water. Only one Form-type Charm can be invoked at any one time. Invoking a new Form-type Charm automatically ends the effects of any currently active Form-type Charm.
Irresistible Pressure of the Deep
Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Deep Water Form
An opponent in a clinch with the deep water martial artist is in big trouble. Through Irresistible Pressure of the Deep, the Exalted converts damage dice to automatic damage successes at a rate of one die per mote spent. This Charm can only be used when inflicting clinch damage and the character can't spend more motes than his permanent Essence. A single damage roll can't benefit from more than one application of Irresistible Pressure of the Deep.
Merciless Embrace Method
Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Irresistible Pressure of the Deep
Infusing her muscles with the power of the relentless currents of the deep, the characters grip can pulverize bones. For the rest of the scene, the Exalted may add her Martial Arts score to his clinch damage dice pools. Naturally, this Charm is incompatible with use of weapons.
The Current's Path
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Deep Water Form
Trying to divert the currents of the ocean is hopeless. So is trying to deflect the grasp of a deep water fighter. A clinch or hold attack, enhanced with The Current's Path can't be blocked or parried, only dodged.
Below the Surface
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: The Current's Path
Where other fighters fail, an Exalted with Below the Surface Prana is still able to get his attack through an opponent's protection. When trying to inflict damage in a clinch, the martial artist fills the opponent's armor with water. The fluid works as a transmitter for his pressure, transferring the damage through the armor to the body of the foe and negating any armor bonus, the opponent may have.
Eternal Darkness Prana
Cost: 5 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Deep Water Form
With a complex gesture of his hand, the Exalted calls forth the darkness of the deepest seas. In a radius of (his permanent Essence x 2) in yards around him, all lights are suppressed. The result is a complete darkness, which can't be illuminated by non-magical light sources. The character who invoked the Eternal Darkness Prana can see normally, but all others get a dice pool penalty equal to his permanent Essence.
Icy Tongue of the Deep
Cost: 2 motes per Essence lethal damage
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Eternal Darkness Prana
After invoking the powers of the icy depths with a gesture of both hands, the Exalted extends his arms and breaths forth icy water from the deepest ocean trenches. Icy Tongue of the Deep has a reach equal to the character's Essence in yards. The attack is rolled with the characters Perception + Martial Arts and does a base damage of his permanent Essence rating times the essence spent. This damage is lethal and even though armor won't protect against it, natural soak-enhancements will. The attack can't be parried, only dodged. The caster can't spend more motes than his Martial Arts score. A living body hit by the gush gets cold and clammy. The target receives a dice pool penalty equal to the attacker's Martial Arts score. This penalty fades away at a rate of -1 per turn.
The Empty Lungs
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Special
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Deep Water Form
In the dark depths of the oceans, pressure is a deadly foe. Utilizing this power, the Exalted takes away the ability to breathe with a mere touch, causing panic and confusion. The character makes a normal Dexterity + Martial Arts attack with his flat hand, scoring damage as usual. If the attack succeeds, all air is removed from the lungs of her victim and the opponent receives a dice pool penalty equal to the attacker's Martial Arts score for the next turn. Thereafter, the penalty fades away at a rate of one point per turn.
Liquid Breath Attack
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Special
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: The Empty Lungs
Pressure is not the only danger in the deeper waters. A diver, who can't reach the surface will drown, his lungs filled with water. A martial artist with Liquid Breath Attack can summon the waters of the deep to fill his foes lungs. The Exalted attacks with a normal Dexterity + Martial Arts roll, which can't be parried, only dodged. If successful, the character adds his Martial Arts score as automatic successes. This attack inflicts no damage. Instead, the lungs of the target are filled with water. This causes one unsoakable level of bashing damage immediately and every turn thereafter. The target can try to resist each turn with a Stamina + Resistance roll, adding all successes so far. Dice pool penalties for lost health levels subtract normally from this roll. After falling unconscious, the victim can still try to resist, but takes lethal damage each turn. The Charm ends, when the victim dies or accumulates successes equal to those scored by the character.
A target can only suffer from one application of this Charm at the same time
Fixing Gaze Prana
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: The Empty Lungs
The predators of the deep have perfected their hunting methods. Here, in the eternal darkness, they attract their prey with a small light source, extruding from their body. The deep water warrior can attract, confuse and paralyze even the most dedicated attacker. After this Charm is activated, the caste mark on the Exalted's forehead begins to glow in a soft tone. The martial artist looks at the opponent, freezing him with his gaze. Her target receives a dice pool penalty equal to the character's permanent Essence score as long as it stays in her sight. If the victim can escape the character's gaze, even for a moment, the Charm ends immediately.
Bone Crushing Force
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: The Empty Lungs
The mighty pressure in the ocean's depths can break bones like matches. When the character has an opponent in his grasp, either through a clinch or hold maneuver or the Iron Fangs Technique, he can decide to break it's bones instead of doing normal clinch damage. This requires a successful Strength + Martial Arts roll, which the opponent can resist with a Stamina + Resistance roll. If the attacker scores more successes, he does lethal damage, adding automatic successes equal to his permanent Essence score to a Strength roll. The victim can resist only with Stamina and if it takes at least two damage levels, a bone is broken. The Storyteller decides which bone breaks depending on the hold of the character, but this usually results in an additional -2 dice pool penalty - be it from a broken limb or broken ribs pressing into the lungs.
Knockback-Punch Technique
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: None
The practitioner of the Pressure Points Style has first to learn how to manipulate kinetic force before she can go on to the more elaborate options of the style.
The opponent has to be struck palm first, what does no damage, but knocks her back one yard per point of raw damage.
Thereafter, she has to spend an action to extricate herself from whatever objects she was smashed through, as per the standard knockback rules, p. 235, core rules.
No high medicine rating is needed to use this charm, because it relies more on force than on knowledge.
It has a wide area of use; it can push a prisoner into his cell, push someone out of the way of a stampede or just keep drunks off you without havng to injure them.
Life-Flow-Percieving Exercise
Cost: 3 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Knockback-Punch Technique
The martial artist attunes himself to a opponent, percieving the flow of essence in her and locating the pressure points she knows already.
The next (6-Perception) turns she attunes herself and can't do anything else, nor can she be attuned to more than one being at once.
Because she can see the points she intends to hit easily, apply the results of charms of this tree as if she had had one more success.
Obviously this benefits only this style, as it is pointless to hit a special point on a person with an axe.
Silencing Strike
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Life-Flow-Percieving Exercise
Having learned where to hit a being to affect its vocal cords, it is possible to silence it efficently.
Roll Dexterity+Martial Arts against difficulty 3. Substract defensive maneuvers normally, but instead of dealing damage the opponents is rendered unable to use its vocal cords for (successes x2) turns.
If not in dramatic time (a fight), this charm silences a being for scenes rather than turns, if the ST sees fit.
Clap of Silence
Cost: 5+ motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Silencing Strike
With but a slight touch it is possible to block someone's hearing completely.
To strike at the appropriate position, an attack roll with difficulty 3 is required. It deals no damage; it merely renders the victim unable to hear something for (successes x2) turns.
For every mote spend in addition to the costs, the difficulty of attempts to feel the touch is increased by one, to a maximum of the martial artist's permanent Essence.
Obviously this charm has many uses, it can assure that someone robbed will not wake, a guard will not hear the thief, or simply distract someone a couple of turns in a duel.
Tissue-Ripping Blow
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Life-Flow-Percieving Exercise
With a simple punch or kick, the martial artist imbues the opponent's tissue with energy. This energy is set free in a destructive manner when the victim strains his body the next time. Thus someone fighting the martial artist will think twice to continue standing against her or just leave her be.
In game terms, the victim takes (half opponent's permanent Essence rounded up) health levels bashing damage when he was struck successfully, and checks Dexterity the next time. This effect expires after (opponent's permanent Essence) turns.
Attacker-Disarming Technique
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Tissue-Ripping Blow
The charackter is able to strike at the nerves of the weaponhand, causing the weapon to drop.
If the charackter blocks an attack completely, the attacker has to roll his permanent willpower score against a difficulty of the remaining successes from the block to see if she drops her weapon.
Attacker-Crippling Defense
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Tissue-Ripping Blow
The martial artist avoids the opponent's blows normally, and launches a counterattack with two dice per mote of essence spend to a maximum of half the charackters normal Dexterity+Martial Arts score. This attack inflicts no damage but causes the opponent to loose one die of all pools for every healthlevel he would have taken normally.
This effect expires at the rate of one die per hour of rest. There is no way to use this charm to attack someone; it is strictly for defense only.
Discouraging-Defense Method
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Attacker-Crippling Defense, Attacker-Disarming Technique
After avoiding the opponent's blows somehow the defender laughs mockingly and slaps her foe's face. Not only this guesture and the laughter, but also the infusion of essence to a certain point between cheek and ear, causes the victim to roll her Temperance against her Valor or loose one temporary Willpower per success missing to succeed the roll.
The attack per se, as usual, does no damage.
Interrupting the Essence-Flow
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Special
Type: Special
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Attacker-Crippling Defense, Clap of Silence
With the knowledge of the essence-flow in a person it is possible to mess it up.
The Life-Flow-Percieving Exercise charm has to be activated prior to this one.
With three strikes, it doesn't matter if the dicepool is split or they occur in three successive turns, the charackter limits the opponent's ability to spend essence.
Each strike must inflict at least three healthlevels of damage, which are not really inflicted but represent the precission needed. The charm is activated before the three strikes are attempted, and, if they fail, the opponent cannot spend more Essence per turn than his temporary Willpower rating.
This effect lasts for (target's permanent essence) scenes, because the higher the rating the more messed up, the longer it takes.
Gentle Death-Blow
Cost: 15, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 6
Min. Essence: 6
Prereqs: Interrupting the Essence-Flow, Discouraging-Defense Method
With a quick blow to the head a martial artist is capable of killing someone instantly.
The charm Life-Flow-Percieving Exercise must be activated but gives no benefits. The punch has to be incredibly precise and be lightning-fast. The character must have 8 successes remaining after the defensive measures of his victim.
Thereafter the opponent has to roll Stamina+Resistence against the attacker's permanent essence, if she fails she simply collapses and dies quietly.
Storm Strengthened Leap Technique
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 2
Min. Essence: 2
Coastal storms have been known to pick up items and carry them great distances before finally releasing them from their invisible grasp. Harnessing these same strong, fast winds, a character calls upon their power to propel him through the air great distances. During a turn in which the character declares they will perform a jumping attack, this charm may be activated. The character may then add double their Martial Arts score in yards to the total jumping distance. This charm may be used on either a vertical or a horizontal leap, but an attack must be performed during the leap, or immediately upon landing.
Furious Wind Strike
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Storm Strengthened Leap Technique
Performing this charm, an Exalted calls upon the savage strength of the wind. He may then attack with the full power of a storm fueling the strike. On the Exalted's next Martial Arts attack, she may add a number of dice equal to her Martial Arts score to the attacks raw, pre-soak damage.
Raging Tornado Form
Cost: 7 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Furious Wind Strike
The Exalted readies himself, placing his arms out and above his head, his legs loose and ready in a sure stance below. In short, the chosen looks to embody the strength and speed of a sudden Tornado, his strikes quick and powerful but nimble enough to spin away from oncoming danger. For the rest of the scene, add the characters Martial Arts score to his initiative. As a storm is a callous, but enigmatic entity, destroying one home while leaving the one next to it virtually untouched; the character may chose before each strike whether he will inflict lethal or bashing damage. Few things in creation can match the raw fury of a natural storm so a character under this charm's effects may add his permanent Essence to his damage. Finally, the raging storm is culmination of a violent torrent of winds, rushing randomly about, without thought or reason; the character may attempt to dodge one attack using his full dexterity + dodge pool per turn without additional cost or splitting his dice pool. This “free” dodge attempt may only be used on an attack that the character is aware of however. If the character has nothing in Dodge, the attempt is made using the characters permanent Essence score instead. A character may only have one Martial Arts Form-style charm active at a time. This charm is incompatible with the use of armor.
Standing Sky Style
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Raging Tornado Form
While concentrating on making her body as light as possible, the chosen wills the air beneath her feet to solidify. Through her will and essence, the character may create a platform just big enough for her feet in thin air. This appears directly under her feet, and lasts only long enough for the character to stop her momentum. She must then leave the “platform” immediately as it will soon disperse. This is useful for making extended jumps, or stopping oneself from falling down a cliff or pit.
Gale Wracked Attack Method
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Raging Tornado Form
A sudden storm can howl down upon a town, destroying nearly all it touches. Most things are powerless to resist, and even the strongest armor or stone wall can be worn down by the pounding rain, rushing winds, and flying debris. Calling forth this power, the Exalted attacks an inanimate item of his choice (living creatures are unaffected directly by this charms, though golems made of pure wood or rock or mechanical automatons may be at storytellers discretion.) For most objects (trees, doors, walls, etc) double the damage after the soak has been applied. If this attack is used against armor, take one point away from the armor's highest soak value for each point of damage scored after the soak. This is permanent until the armor is repaired or destroyed. If the soak value is reduced to zero, the armor falls apart, nothing left but random scraps of metal. If used against a weapon, it loses one point in its base damage for every two points of damage left after the soak. Also note that attacking a weapon used against the character is near impossible without a cool looking stunt. Like armor, the weapon is destroyed when its base damage is reduced to zero. These rules apply only to normal items however. Artifacts were made using long lost technology and sorcery, and are much harder to damage. Level one artifacts double there highest attribute (damage or soak) for the purposes of soaking this attack. Level two artifacts triple their highest attribute while Level 3 and beyond are considered indestructible for the purpose of this charm.
Overcast Eyes Strike
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 1
Prereqs: Raging Tornado Form
Like swift clouds blotting out the sun, the Exalted strikes his enemy bringing darkness and chaos. The character using Overcast Eyes Strike makes a normal Martial Arts attack, including the roll for damage. No damage is inflicted however. Instead, for a number of turns equal to the character's permanent Essence plus the successes on the damage roll, the victim of this strike becomes totally blind. No other senses are hampered by the attack, so it is possible that someone afflicted by this attack may be able to continue fighting relying on his hearing, though it will be extremely difficult.
Reflexes of Lightining
Cost: 6 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Special
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Overcast Eyes Strike
Harnessing the sheer speed and unpredictability of lightning, the chosen lashes out around him, attacking all within reach while remaining untouched. For a number of turns equal to the chosen's Martial Arts score, she may take as many actions as she has dots in Permanent Essence. This is the total number of actions that may be taken, not additional (Therefore a character who has four Essence receives four actions, not five). Dice pools may not be split on any of these actions until the charm ends. No other Extra Action type charms may be used during this charm's effect.
Rain Driven Throw Technique
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Raging Tornado Form
The chosen's throw attempts become much more precise and directed. Now, without the need of an elaborate stunt, the chosen may throw his opponents nearly anywhere she would like, such as through a specific window, or directly into her opponents companions. Also, the chosen may double her strength in determining distance the opponent may be tossed.
Hail-Stone Hurling Prana
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Rain Driven Throw Technique
Falling from the sky like the gods retribution, hail falls on all damaging property and bringing ruin. Conjuring this force on the characters current throw attempt, she counts each success on the attack roll as an extra damage die, instead of every two successes for one damage die.
Created by the Sidereal Exalted in the First Age, the Tapestry Style draws heavily from the Sidereal ability to affect fate. Some scholars believe that the Style even draws partially from Sidereal Astrology. The weave of fate becomes visible to adepts of the Tapestry style and they pluck at the threads, playing fate as a master performer plays a harp. Into the weave of the Tapestry, they incorporate threads of victory and strength.
The Tapestry Style is not compatable with weapons.
Charms
Following the Threads
Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Min MA: 2
Min Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
One of the three most basic abilities of the Tapestry Style, this Charm imbues an initiate with the ability to percieve the probable shapes the web of fate will take in his imediate vicinity. Small things, such as a door opening, can be predicted without effort. In combat, add the martial artist's Perception to her initative, which becomes exempt from Wound Penalites.
Braiding the Strike
Cost: 2 motes per reduction
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min MA: 3
Min Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
The first combat Charm of Tapestry Style, a Braided Strike is created by forcing the fate of a blow to conform to her desires. For every 2 motes spent, reduce the target number of a single strike. Target numbers can not be reduced below 4. 2 health levels and 1 Willpower can be spent in order to convert all dice into automatic successes if the target number is reduced to 4.
Folding the Cloth
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One Turn
Type: Reflexive
Min MA: 2
Min Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
Third of the basic abilities, Folding the Cloth teaches initatites to focus their Essence into the Tapestry itself and control not only fate but reality. This ability allows limited re-shapping of the area around the Tapestry Stylist. Double movement rates while this Charm is active. Folding the Cloth cannot be activated more then one time per turn.
Tapestry Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min MA: 3
Min Essence: 3
Prereqs: Following the Thread, Braiding the Strike, Folding the Weave
Executing a complex series of hand motions that appear to weave the character's Anima into the Tapestry, greater oneness with fate and reality is achieved. For the rest of the scene, a character under the effects of this Charm reduce the target number of their defensive combat rolls by 1 and increase the target number of attacks made against them by 1. They may also do lethal damage with unarmed attacks, wrenching fate so they hit the most vital spots with their blows.
Patterning the Soul Stance
Cost: 7 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 4
Prereqs: Tapestry Form
A refined version of the Tapestry Form, an adept martial artist can invoke this stance in order to further empower herself with the ability to alter the pattern of fate that affects her own body. For the duration of this Charm, the Tapestry Stylist converts all Lethal damage done to her into Bashing damage and the martial artist adds her Martial Arts score to her Bashing soak. All attacks made by the character add the character's Martial Arts in accuracy dice and all atacks against her subtract her Martial Arts in successes. This Charm can be stacked with Tapestry Form for a cost of 1 willpower per turn both Charms are active. Ceasing to pay ends either of the Charms, decided by the player. Treat this as a Form-type Charm.
Warping the Weave
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Patterning the Soul Stance
By changing the intersection of threads around her, a master of the Tapestry Style can make sure that she comes out on top in a battle. By expending 10 motes and a willpower, the effects of any single action or Charm can be re-directed to a target of the Martial Artist's choice. This Charm can only be invoked a number of times per turn equal to the user's Essence divided by 3.
Burning the Threads of Fate
Cost: 10 motes, 2 health levels and 2 willpower per turn.
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min MA: 5
Min Essence: 5
Prereqs: Patterning the Soul Stance
All actions are a single thread of Fate. With careful control, these threads can be removed from the great Tapestry. For 10 motes, 2 health levels and 2 willpower, the actions taken during a single turn can be deleted from history. They never happened. This charm can only remove a number of turns equal to 1/2 the user's Essence, rounded down.
The Tapestry In One Thread
Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower, 1 health level
Duration: Insant
Type: Extra Action
Min MA: 6
Min Essence: 6
Prereqs: Warping the Weave, Burning the Threads of Fate
Breaking the truism that one thing cannot be in more then one place at the same time. By imprinting a copy of himself into the weave of reality, a master of the Tapestry Style can project himself into more then once place at a time for a few moments. This gives a number of extra turns equal to half the character's Essence. Each turn is fully independent, down to having seperate initatives. However, they all draw from the character's Essence, Willpower and health levels. After one round of combat, the Tapestry will reject the duplicate patterns of the character and he will snap back into himself. At that point, he takes 1 aggravated health level of damage. That is the health level required to activate this Charm, it is not paid when the Charm is first used.
Developed by the Dawn Caste Exalted Challace Nagata who believes that if a fight goes over three moves then and your opponent is not dead yet, then you are doing something wrong. Going on the belief of his own family's martial art style which says, that fighting is a barbaric act, those who fight lack the mental discipline to find another way to solve their problems, and those that wish to fight must be taught that it is the wrong path to follow. So when you fight show them the monster they have become through your own self. And let them know that the rage that defeated them was not yours, but their own. It is through this belief that Challace created The Way Of Rage fighting style, a kind of fighting that sacrifices grace, speed, poise, and tactics for sheer power, crippling strikes, and destructive killing blows. The Way Of Rage is the art of using one's own hate, anger and pain to do whatever it takes to make sure the battle at hand is a short one, even at the cost of one's own body.
Charms
Indestructible Wall Meditation
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Varies
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 3
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: None
To fight a student of The Way of Rage is to confront a great wall that cannot be moved by any force. For a number of turns equal to the Chosen's Essence score he cannot be knocked down, knocked back, or stunned. Any attack that would make the player roll for any of these conditions automatically fail.
Hate Drive Technique
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 4
Min. Essence: 2
Prereqs: Indestructible Wall Meditation
Often when an opponent sees that the person he his fighting is willing to do anything to make sure he is victorious, he will lose his nerve and try to run or hide. When the Exalt sees that his fight is trying to cut their encounter short it gives him a power that ensures he will not be denied his glory. After paying for the Charm the Chosen gives chase to anyone that is trying to escape him and completely destroys whatever is in his way to get there. Trees, huts, small stone walls any small to medium inanimate object is torn to pieces as the raging Exalted smashes through him hunting his pray. This Charm does not work against very large objects and can not be used to drive his way through a battalion of soldiers.
Rage Form
Cost: 8 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Hate Drive Technique
The Exalted lets the hate swell inside her body. Fury courses through her veins and as she feel her blood start to boil and all things around her turn too red. As she sets her stance every muscle in her body hardens making as tough and durable as tempered steel. For the remainder of the scene she may add her Essence score to her strength for determining damage. Her Essence score is also added to her bashing and lethal soak. However she subtracts her Martial Arts rating from her initiative. Another effect Rage Form has is that while in this form she will never have to roll her Valor or Conviction in situations were she may become frightened or try to flee from battle, and any attempt to intimidate her will immediately fail. And the last and most beneficial effect is that until the Charm wears off she is no longer affected by health level penalties. However while using this form all Compassion and Temperance rolls are at a + 2 to their difficulty.
Ruin Block
Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Rage Form
A student of The Way of Rage believes that anyone that uses a weapon against an unarmed opponent is a coward. Whenever the Exalted makes a Martial Arts block he may attempt to destroy the weapon that strikes his body of steel. The player makes a normal martial arts block but if the successes rolled are more than the attackers weapon's damage rating, the weapon will shatter into several pieces (example: A Straight Sword does + 3L so if three or more successes are scored on the block then the weapon will break). Weapons made of the Five Magical Materials are much more difficult to break so the number of successes needed to break them is doubled. Even if the weapon is destroyed the character takes the full damage unless he is wearing a martial art or brawling aid that allows him to block lethal attacks.
Sundered Armor Method
Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Ruin Block
Those that follow this path of Rage know that armor is an excuse for one's own weakness, and wearing it only hinders your true potential. The Exalt makes an essence empowered strike at his opponent, but the damage is taken only by the armor he wears. The player makes a normal attack roll then takes his Strength + extra successes and applies them directly to the armor. If the damage is more than the armors bashing soak then it shatters and falls and flies from it's wearer in a hundred pieces. If this Charm is used on armor made from the Five Magical Materials the amount of damage needed is doubled.
Rage Mirror Strike
Cost: 1 mote per bashing soak
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Rage Form
To attack the Chosen using this Charm is as good as attacking one's own self. When the Exalted using this Charm is successfully attacked she may make an immediate counter attack before damage is determined. She makes a normal Dexterity + Martial Arts attack, but for every mote of Essence she spends she may trade one bashing soak for another dice on her attack roll. She may spend as many motes of Essence as she has bashing soak. The damage of this attack is determined by her Strength + extra successes + the extra successes of the person attacking her. This counter attack is performed on the attackers turn and does not count against her normal dice pools.
Crush Engine Attack
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Rage Mirror Strike
The Exalted sees her target, then sees beyond it. With a powerful spin the Chosen punches or kicks her opponent doing horrible damage and throwing them into an uncontrollable flight through the air. She makes a normal Martial Arts attack but the presoak damage is doubled and the difficulty for stopping knock back and resisting stun is the Exalted's making the attack Essence score.
Decadence Ax Strike
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 3
Prereqs: Crush Engine Attack
The Exalted lets the anger in his heart spill out into his essence, then takes that essence and pours it into his fists or feet making his attack so powerful and brutal that no man nor spirit could even think of stopping it. A normal martial arts attack is made but it cannot be blocked or parried without the use of special defense Charms. If the person defending cannot dodge and attempts to block or parry the attack he takes full damage and cannot soak.
Shatter Cross
Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Sundered Armor Method
This attack got its name from the essence pattern it makes when executed. The Raging Exalted leaps into the air delivering a crushing uppercut, then spins to perform a massive hook kick. The attack is lethal and rolled as normal but the damage is the character's Strength + extra successes + Willpower. Soak is applied as normal but for every point of damage the soak did not eliminate is how many bones of the target is now broken. The bones that are shattered is up to the storyteller to decide pending on how well the player described the attack.
Pillar Of Heaven's Hate
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 4
Prereqs: Decadence Ax Strike, Shatter Cross
The Exalt releases an ear shattering scream and is thrown high into the air on a whirlwind of essence. He then begins to form a massive ball of white hot essence in his hands as sparks and currents of raw power course over him. As he starts to descend back to the ground he fires a thick beam of rage at his target. The attack roll for this attack is the character's Perception + Martial Arts. The damage is the character's Willpower + Essence scores and is aggravated. This attack can only be dodged, it cannot be blocked or parried without the use of special defense Charms. A side effect of this attack is that weather or not the beam hits it's target is creates a huge crater in the ground and throws debris in all directions. Anyone within ten yards of the explosion must make a successful Dexterity + Athletics roll or be hit by flying chucks of rock and earth and take half the attacks damage in bashing damage, this can be soaked as normal.
Final Breath Of Malice
Cost: 15 motes, 3 Willpower
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Min. Martial Arts: 5
Min. Essence: 5
Prereqs: Pillar Of Heaven's Hate
Sometimes a warrior will meet his superior in battle and finally be given the reward of death eternal by someone better than himself. But with this charm he can deliver a deadly attack before he slips into the realm of death and make sure the warrior that defeated him comes along for the ride. After damage is determined the character pays for the Charm and for every level of damage that is below the incapacitated the player may make one action. These actions can only be used to attack the warrior that killed him and nothing else. This Charm can only be used if the character will truly die, being knocked out doesn't count. It also can only be used once, if after the attack the person that killed the character is still alive he still dies.
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