Aid an Exalted newbie [Exalted 2e help request]

[Fortuna]

OK, I've tried storytelling Exalted with my group, and I hit a big snag. Noone, with the possible exception of one player in the group, really knows what they're doing with this system. That includes me. So I thought I might like to try playing a game over the internet with people who do know what they are doing, just to get a feel for the game. Unfortunately, my incompetence extends to character building, and this is where I turn to the playground for help.

I'm interested in playing in this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152950) game, mostly because it looks fun and relatively simple. As I said in the thread, I want to play a Zenith caste character focused on Performance, with some Archery and at the very least a little ability in Lore, Occult and Survival. What kind of charms should I be using for these abilities? Do these abilities just suck? (Answered) Is there anything important that I should really look into as well?

[Yuki Akuma]

Do these abilities suck? Let's see...

Performance: mind control.

Archery: Shoot halfway across the Blessed Isle.

Lore: Wyld-Shaping.

Occult: Sorcery.

No these abilities do not suck. :smallwink:

[Fortuna]

Well, that's one question answered :smallbiggrin:

[GryffonDurime]

I'm interested in playing in this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152950) game, mostly because it looks fun and relatively simple. As I said in the thread, I want to play a Zenith caste character focused on Performance, with some Archery and at the very least a little ability in Lore and Occult. What kind of charms should I be using for these abilities? Do these abilities just suck? Is there anything important that I should really look into as well?

Archery is, in all honesty, a great tree for Solars. Since you only get so many Charms to start, do yourself a favor and grab the Excellency of your choice (I like the Second myself, but I think statistics have shown the First to be slightly better for combat abilities), There Is No Wind, and aim for Accuracy Without Distance once you hit Essence 3. If you want, at Chargen, consider Trance of Unhesitating Speed--flurries are the king of combat. Even still, you're an Archer so as long as you keep your distance, control the situation, and take advantage of range as your main defense, you're golden.

Performance is similarly robust and really? Very few of those charms aren't worth consideration. Even Phantom-Conjuring Performance, the weakest Charm known to man, is at least flavorful. Do check the Mirror Charms published in Manual: the Abyssals, if you've got it. Honestly, pick these Charms according to your personal aesthetic and the flavor of your social-fu.

You'll want to pick up a defense eventually to supplement range--Dodge is probably your best bet since it's easy to pick up Seven Shadow Evasion, but as a Zenith you've got Resistance favored and Adamant Skin might be an interesting alternative. Either way, right now I'd grab a charm or two towards your defense, nothing more. You're not playing with Chungian paranoia, so you'll be fine. Even consider taking an Athletics Charm or two--being able to outrun someone is a valid defense for an Archer, and hiding in trees is a perfectly fine move.

Lore and Occult are...by far, my two favorite Solar abilities. If Occult, either take the plunge into Sorcery or take All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight. On Lore...well, Wyldshaping Technique casts a long shadow over Lore because it is very, very fun to use and opens you up to all sorts of infrastructure.

If you've got any further questions, please ask and I'll try to elaborate. I hope I'm being helpful.

[Fortuna]

Incredibly helpful. Thank you very much.

Is it worth spending the bonus points to pick up Essence 3 at chargen, or should that wait? If I do so, it opens up a number of charms, but it's almost half my bonus points.

The idea in my head actually works quite well flavour-wise with either Dodge or Resistance, and Resistance is fun sometimes.



Oh, I just remembered something I forgot in the OP: I also want to be decent at Survival, but most of the charms look useless. Anything beyond picking up two or three points for a Zenith?

[Yuki Akuma]

You know, you don't need charms to be good at an ability. And there are always Excellencies.

[GryffonDurime]

Is it worth spending the bonus points to pick up Essence 3 at chargen, or should that wait? If I do so, it opens up a number of charms, but it's almost half my bonus points.

I...am of two minds. It is numerically less efficient, even as a Solar, to take Essence 3...but if it's part of your vision, do it. To give you an idea, Ivory Eyes, my Twlight Sorceress and current avatar, blew 14 points on Essence so she could start at Essence 4 with Celestial Circle Sorcery. It made sense for her, since she was racing to try and find any power she could. It's all part of the question.


The idea in my head actually works quite well flavour-wise with either Dodge or Resistance, and Resistance is fun sometimes.

Then go Resistance. Save a Favored Ability for something more interesting.


Oh, I just remembered something I forgot in the OP: I also want to be decent at Survival, but most of the charms look useless. Anything beyond picking up two or three points for a Zenith?

Just take an Excellency. Survival was very poorly executed.

[Fortuna]

I think I will take Essence 3, mostly because I really want Phantom-Conjuring Performance for flavour reasons.

Now, another question: under what ability would appearing harmless and insignificant fall? Because that's another thing that I want to be able to do, and I can't work out how to do so.

[GryffonDurime]

I think I will take Essence 3, mostly because I really want Phantom-Conjuring Performance for flavour reasons.

Now, another question: under what ability would appearing harmless and insignificant fall? Because that's another thing that I want to be able to do, and I can't work out how to do so.

Mmm. Lots of options, really. Manipulation + Presence/Performance could convince people you're weak. Larceny is used for disguises.

[Fortuna]

Alright, I'll invest a bit in Larceny then.

Any recommendations for a fifth favored ability? I'll go Larceny if there aren't.

[The Demented One]

Grab Socialize. Mastery of Small Manners will help out your social-fu; it's one of the most small and efficient bonuses you'll be getting. It also has charms for mind-controlling entire societies, which may be something you want. Larceny's useful, but getting perfect disguises is just three charms, not worth favoring it for just that if it's not a big part of your concept.

[Fortuna]

Socialize it is. In that case this is my character thus far:


Name Faelkun Nydd
Exalt Type and Caste Zenith caste Solar

Motivation To unify all beings, intelligent or not, in the light of the Unconquered Sun and the love of each other.

Background
Faelkun was born in the North, and that is almost all that is known of his early history. He was found wandering the ice at the age of ten, and remembered nothing before that except a vague, warm light and a day of hardship. He impressed the party that stumbled across him with his speed, and so he was brought with them to a nearby town in the vast wastes between the seas. Here he grew to the age of twenty-eight, learning much and in his own way teaching more. He left suddenly, three months before the nineteenth anniversary of his finding, taking with him only his personal possessions and vanishing into the night. He was next seen on the coast, speaking earnestly and with all his heart to the populace of the ideal of knowing every fault of another person, and of loving them despite their flaws.

More to come

Attributes

Physical (Secondary)
Strength ●●
Dexterity ●●●●
Stamina ●●●

Social (Primary)
Charisma ●●●●●
Manipulation ●●●
Appearance ●●●●

Mental (Tertiary)
Perception ●●
Intelligence ●●●
Wits ●●

Abilities

(F) Archery ●●●● (At long range: ●)
Martial Arts
Melee
Thrown
War

(C) Integrity
(C) Performance ●●●●● (Playing the harp: ●●●)
(C) Presence
(C) Resistance ●●●
(C) Survival ●●●

Craft
Investigate
(F) Lore ●●
Medicine
(F) Occult ●●●

(F) Athletics ●●
Awareness
Dodge ●●●
Larceny ●●●
Stealth

Bureaucracy
Linguistics ●●●
Ride
Sail
(F) Socialize ●●●●

Backgrounds

Artifact ●●●
Cult ●●
Resources ●●
Influence (The North) ●●●●

Artifacts and Equipment

Attacks

Charms

Archery
First Archery Excellency
There Is No Wind
Essence Arrow Attack*

Performance
Second Performance Excellency
Heart-Compelling Method
Phantom-Conjuring Performance
Memory-Reweaving Discipline
Husband-Seducing Demon Dance
Respect-Commanding Attitude*

Resistance
Durability of Oak Meditation*

Dodge
Shadow Over Water
Leaping Dodge Method

Socialize
First Socialize Excellency*
Mastery of Small Manners
Pleasing Speech Discipline (by The Demented One)

Join Combat: 2

Defenses
Dodge DV 5
Parry DV 3

Soak: B/L

Health: -0/-1/-1/-2/-2/-4/Incapacitated

Mental Defenses
Dodge MDV
Parry MDV

Virtues
Compassion ●●
Conviction ●●●●
Temperance ●
Valor ●●

Virtue Flaw Heart of Flint

Intimacies

Willpower: ●●●●● ●

Essence
Permanent: ●●●
Personal: 15
Peripheral: 36
Committed:

Bonus Points
2: Performance 4 and 5
1: Archery 4
2: Socialize 3 and 4
7: Essence 3
1: Essence Arrow Attack additional effects
2: Specialties

Experience Points
3: Influence 4
8: Husband-Seducing Demon Dance
8: Combo - Leaping Dodge Method + Durability of Oak Meditation + Essence Arrow Attack + Second Archery Excellency
6: Resources 1 and 2


Any immediate problems? I'm doing charm selection as soon as I finish this post.

EDIT: Charm selection is done.

[The Demented One]

(F) Athletics ●●●
Awareness
Dodge
Larceny ●● (Disguising; ●)
Stealth
With Dodge 0, you're going to have really poor defenses in combat. I'd recommend getting at least a few dots of it, just in case someone closes the distance to you in combat. That'll also let you get Leaping Dodge Method, which is greater for any archer–someone attacks you, and then you get to spring back.


First Archery Excellency
There Is No Wind
Accuracy Without Distance
Sun Ray Retribution
Essence Arrow Attack*
I'd recommend thinning this out, and getting some more defensive charms. Accuracy Without Distance, for instance, probably isn't going to be too much more useful than the Excellency until you start going up against behemoths and powerful spirits, and Sun Ray Retribution is sorta situational. Drop those, and grab something like Shadow Over Water and Leaping Dodge Method. Also, you'll probably want to make a combo pretty soon, just so you can use all your combat charms together.



Socialize
First Socialize Excellency*
Mastery of Small Manners
Pleasing Speech Discipline (by The Demented One)
Yay! People using stuff!

[Fortuna]

OK, I've done that. Dodge is now at three, so I can have Leaping Dodge Method. I have 25 xp to spend as well, which I will do shortly. For now I'll pick out some backgrounds and a virtue flaw.