Fortuna
2010-11-22, 02:39 AM
Perfected Grandmaster Style
The Exalted live long lives, and are far greater than any mortal. They have developed games, riddles and competitions designed for their abilities, and most Exalted soon forget mortal pastimes in the face of these distractions.
But mortals have their own games, which have a beauty all their own. In particular, certain patrician-class mortals of the Realm developed a game known as chess soon after the ascent of the Empress. It survives to this day, and but for the actions of a single Sidereal the Chosen might never have known of it.
This Sidereal had, for an unrelated reason, taken a resplendant destiny in the patrician class of the Realm. As part of this life, he learned the game of chess, and was taken with the emergence of complexity and near-chaos from seemingly simple rules. Although to an Exalted the game was far too simple to play on its own merits, perhaps something of its beauty could be made into a worthwhile tool. So mused the founder of this style, and he developed an art of movement, of precision, of plan and counter-plan. Even today it is a thing of beauty and deep, bewildering complexity to watch a duel between two masters of this style.
The form weapons for this Celestial Martial Art are the short sword, the knife, and arftifact versions of them. This style is incompatible with armor.
Humble Pawn Advance
Cost: 1m Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1 Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Nine games in ten open with the swift advance of a lowly pawn, preparing the battlefield for their betters while holding it from their enemies. This charm allows the Exalt to move up to (Martial Arts x 2 + Essence x 2) yards. It may be invoked once reflexively on the first tick on which she acts in a combat, in which case it carries no DV penalty.
Bounding Knight Onslaught
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Humble Pawn Advance
The knight is an important piece in offense, bounding seemingly from nowhere and vanishing again to a safe distance. The martial artist chooses one opponent within (Essence + Martial Arts) yards and makes a single Martial Arts attack against them, dealing one additional die of pre-soak damage for every three yards beyond her normal reach. The Exalt actually leaps to the attack when using this charm, so counterattacks are certainly possible.
Penetrating Bishop Prana
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Humble Pawn Advance
From across the battlefield the bishop flies, ignoring the war that would block a lesser piece's path. The Exalt chooses one point within (Essence x 10) yards to which she has line of sight. If there are no obstacles or characters within one yard of this line of sight, and if the intervening terrain would normally be of a sort that she could cross without non-permanent charms, she instantly dashes to that point. This charm cannot levitate the Exalt to a flying manse, but it can permit her to run up a tree nigh-instantly, so long as the branches are arranged the right way; she only needs to be able to traverse it, not walk it.
Perfected Grandmaster Form
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2 Type: Simple
Keywords: Form-type, Compulsion
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Bounding Knight Onslaught, Penetrating Bishop Prana
A master chess player knows how to respond to certain moves automatically, needing little thought to decide on their action. While this charm is active, the martial artist may select up to their (Essence) actions they are capable of taking each time their DV refreshes. For each action, she must specify a condition dependent on the actions of another, for example 'If I am attacked by a zombie' or 'If one of my allies attacks the First and Forsaken Lion'. If the martial artist perceives this condition to be met, even if it is a deception or an Illusion effect, then the martial artist gains a number of bonus dice equal to her (Essence) to that action if and only if she takes it as soon as possible. Otherwise that action drops off the list, and until she invokes this charm again the number of action/condition pairs that she may maintain is reduced by one.
Guarding Rook Understanding
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
Duration: (Essence) actions
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
The rook's first purpose is to guard its own territory and king. So, too, the martial artist guards her territory and allies. This charm is either a Blockade Movement action or a Defend Other action. In either case, the range at which the martial artist may take such an action is multiplied by her (Martial Arts), and the effects of the action last until this charm's duration expires. Further, if any character attacks a character defended by this charm or attempts to pass through territory guarded by this charm, the martial artist may make a counterattack or attack against that character with (Essence) bonus successes.
Enemy-Confounding Gambit
Cost: 2-4 lhl Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
A material loss for positional gain often bears fruit. This charm perfectly negates any damage from an attack that it is invoked in response to. However, the Exalt suffers damage nonetheless, dancing just barely into the attack just far enough to goad the opponent into making a mistake. The martial artist may choose to suffer two to four levels of lethal damage. This cost is incurred in step 10 of attack resolution. so counterattacks and similar may be invoked even if this charm's invocation renders its user Incapacitated. This charm is explicitly capable of enhancing Defend Other actions. The character that made the initial attack suffers a penalty to both Dodge and Parry DV equal to the number of health levels that the martial artist suffered from invoking this charm, being too overextended to properly defend themselves.
Superb Pinning Tactic
Cost: 6m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
When to stay invites attack, but to move invites attack against another, there is no real option. This charm enhances a Martial Arts-based attack. The martial artist chooses one other opponent that they could target with the same attack. If the target of this attack takes any action before the chosen opponent moves, the martial artist may make a reflexive attack against their chosen opponent with a number of bonus dice of pre-soak damage equal to the number of dice of post-soak damage rolled on the first attack. If they cannot reach this enemy for some reason, they may reflexively move directly towards them until they can.
Unfortunate Forking Technique
Cost: 4m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
A threat against two enemies is more than doubly effective. The martial artist chooses two enemies who she could target with a Martial Arts attack. Each one knows that the martial artist has chosen them and one other target, that both targets have the opportunity to move, that the martial artist's next attack will be devastating, and that only one of the two can escape. All this is made Obvious by the martial artist's posture and the Essence that swirls around her. Each target has the option to attempt one Move action to get out of range. If both take the option, then both are held by the magic and the martial artist's upcoming attack is considered undodgeable and unblockable. After the targets have decided, the martial artist makes one attack against either target and deals additional pre-soak damage equal to her (Essence).
Glorious Checkmate Combination
Cost: 15m, 1wp Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4 Type: Extra Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Guarding Rook Understanding, Enemy-Confounding Gambit, Superb Pinning Tactic, Unfortunate Forking Technique
In the final moment of battle, every element brought into play is unified with terrifying efficiency. The martial artist chooses up to her (Essence) actions, and must specify an order in which those actions go. All of these actions which are directed against any target must be directed against the same target. She then takes those actions in turn, and for each action that is not diceless she adds the threshold to the next action in the set as bonus dice. If any action, including a reflexive action, fails during this charm, then the number of successes by which it fell short is added to the next action as bonus dice, and subtracted from all other actions during this combo (effectively canceling its effect on all actions but the next). If an action is perfectly negated, then the next action (and only the next action) perfectly succeeds. If an action perfectly succeeds for any reason other than the preceding clause, it grants no bonus to future actions by virtue of this charm. This charm is explicitly compatible with non-Martial Arts based actions and charms. Any Perfected Grandmaster Style charms used in a Combo with this charm are at a 3m discount, to a minimum of zero motes. Any Charm reduced to no cost by this effect does not count as a Charm activation.
So what do you think? Is it cool? Any form weapons beyond what I have come to mind? Does the game get snapped even more in half by this? Is it cool?
The Exalted live long lives, and are far greater than any mortal. They have developed games, riddles and competitions designed for their abilities, and most Exalted soon forget mortal pastimes in the face of these distractions.
But mortals have their own games, which have a beauty all their own. In particular, certain patrician-class mortals of the Realm developed a game known as chess soon after the ascent of the Empress. It survives to this day, and but for the actions of a single Sidereal the Chosen might never have known of it.
This Sidereal had, for an unrelated reason, taken a resplendant destiny in the patrician class of the Realm. As part of this life, he learned the game of chess, and was taken with the emergence of complexity and near-chaos from seemingly simple rules. Although to an Exalted the game was far too simple to play on its own merits, perhaps something of its beauty could be made into a worthwhile tool. So mused the founder of this style, and he developed an art of movement, of precision, of plan and counter-plan. Even today it is a thing of beauty and deep, bewildering complexity to watch a duel between two masters of this style.
The form weapons for this Celestial Martial Art are the short sword, the knife, and arftifact versions of them. This style is incompatible with armor.
Humble Pawn Advance
Cost: 1m Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 1 Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Nine games in ten open with the swift advance of a lowly pawn, preparing the battlefield for their betters while holding it from their enemies. This charm allows the Exalt to move up to (Martial Arts x 2 + Essence x 2) yards. It may be invoked once reflexively on the first tick on which she acts in a combat, in which case it carries no DV penalty.
Bounding Knight Onslaught
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Humble Pawn Advance
The knight is an important piece in offense, bounding seemingly from nowhere and vanishing again to a safe distance. The martial artist chooses one opponent within (Essence + Martial Arts) yards and makes a single Martial Arts attack against them, dealing one additional die of pre-soak damage for every three yards beyond her normal reach. The Exalt actually leaps to the attack when using this charm, so counterattacks are certainly possible.
Penetrating Bishop Prana
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Humble Pawn Advance
From across the battlefield the bishop flies, ignoring the war that would block a lesser piece's path. The Exalt chooses one point within (Essence x 10) yards to which she has line of sight. If there are no obstacles or characters within one yard of this line of sight, and if the intervening terrain would normally be of a sort that she could cross without non-permanent charms, she instantly dashes to that point. This charm cannot levitate the Exalt to a flying manse, but it can permit her to run up a tree nigh-instantly, so long as the branches are arranged the right way; she only needs to be able to traverse it, not walk it.
Perfected Grandmaster Form
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2 Type: Simple
Keywords: Form-type, Compulsion
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Bounding Knight Onslaught, Penetrating Bishop Prana
A master chess player knows how to respond to certain moves automatically, needing little thought to decide on their action. While this charm is active, the martial artist may select up to their (Essence) actions they are capable of taking each time their DV refreshes. For each action, she must specify a condition dependent on the actions of another, for example 'If I am attacked by a zombie' or 'If one of my allies attacks the First and Forsaken Lion'. If the martial artist perceives this condition to be met, even if it is a deception or an Illusion effect, then the martial artist gains a number of bonus dice equal to her (Essence) to that action if and only if she takes it as soon as possible. Otherwise that action drops off the list, and until she invokes this charm again the number of action/condition pairs that she may maintain is reduced by one.
Guarding Rook Understanding
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack
Duration: (Essence) actions
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
The rook's first purpose is to guard its own territory and king. So, too, the martial artist guards her territory and allies. This charm is either a Blockade Movement action or a Defend Other action. In either case, the range at which the martial artist may take such an action is multiplied by her (Martial Arts), and the effects of the action last until this charm's duration expires. Further, if any character attacks a character defended by this charm or attempts to pass through territory guarded by this charm, the martial artist may make a counterattack or attack against that character with (Essence) bonus successes.
Enemy-Confounding Gambit
Cost: 2-4 lhl Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
A material loss for positional gain often bears fruit. This charm perfectly negates any damage from an attack that it is invoked in response to. However, the Exalt suffers damage nonetheless, dancing just barely into the attack just far enough to goad the opponent into making a mistake. The martial artist may choose to suffer two to four levels of lethal damage. This cost is incurred in step 10 of attack resolution. so counterattacks and similar may be invoked even if this charm's invocation renders its user Incapacitated. This charm is explicitly capable of enhancing Defend Other actions. The character that made the initial attack suffers a penalty to both Dodge and Parry DV equal to the number of health levels that the martial artist suffered from invoking this charm, being too overextended to properly defend themselves.
Superb Pinning Tactic
Cost: 6m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
When to stay invites attack, but to move invites attack against another, there is no real option. This charm enhances a Martial Arts-based attack. The martial artist chooses one other opponent that they could target with the same attack. If the target of this attack takes any action before the chosen opponent moves, the martial artist may make a reflexive attack against their chosen opponent with a number of bonus dice of pre-soak damage equal to the number of dice of post-soak damage rolled on the first attack. If they cannot reach this enemy for some reason, they may reflexively move directly towards them until they can.
Unfortunate Forking Technique
Cost: 4m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Simple
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Internalised Opening Form
A threat against two enemies is more than doubly effective. The martial artist chooses two enemies who she could target with a Martial Arts attack. Each one knows that the martial artist has chosen them and one other target, that both targets have the opportunity to move, that the martial artist's next attack will be devastating, and that only one of the two can escape. All this is made Obvious by the martial artist's posture and the Essence that swirls around her. Each target has the option to attempt one Move action to get out of range. If both take the option, then both are held by the magic and the martial artist's upcoming attack is considered undodgeable and unblockable. After the targets have decided, the martial artist makes one attack against either target and deals additional pre-soak damage equal to her (Essence).
Glorious Checkmate Combination
Cost: 15m, 1wp Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4 Type: Extra Action
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Guarding Rook Understanding, Enemy-Confounding Gambit, Superb Pinning Tactic, Unfortunate Forking Technique
In the final moment of battle, every element brought into play is unified with terrifying efficiency. The martial artist chooses up to her (Essence) actions, and must specify an order in which those actions go. All of these actions which are directed against any target must be directed against the same target. She then takes those actions in turn, and for each action that is not diceless she adds the threshold to the next action in the set as bonus dice. If any action, including a reflexive action, fails during this charm, then the number of successes by which it fell short is added to the next action as bonus dice, and subtracted from all other actions during this combo (effectively canceling its effect on all actions but the next). If an action is perfectly negated, then the next action (and only the next action) perfectly succeeds. If an action perfectly succeeds for any reason other than the preceding clause, it grants no bonus to future actions by virtue of this charm. This charm is explicitly compatible with non-Martial Arts based actions and charms. Any Perfected Grandmaster Style charms used in a Combo with this charm are at a 3m discount, to a minimum of zero motes. Any Charm reduced to no cost by this effect does not count as a Charm activation.
So what do you think? Is it cool? Any form weapons beyond what I have come to mind? Does the game get snapped even more in half by this? Is it cool?