PDA

View Full Version : Emulating Exalted through Mutants and Masterminds



Grod_The_Giant
2012-05-09, 07:53 PM
I recently placed an Exalted campaign, and while I very much enjoyed the world, I found the system a bit... clunky? It was fun, but the mechanics never quite seemed to match the over-the-top promise of the world. So's I got to thinking... what if I could find another system to run it in? A system built for high power-levels, with fast gameplay and flexible character creations mechanics? And then I thought... you know, Grod, you've got this shiny new Mutants and Masterminds book sitting right there on your desk... :smallamused:

These are some very rough thoughts, given that I'm not that familiar with Exalted. (Also, I'm very busy at the moment). But here we go:


Characters would have an "essence pool," consisting of between 10 and 20 times their Exalted Essence level in power points. This forms one giant array.



Points from this pool are sort of equal to Motes.
Charms are either permanent powers with the Activation flaw, or else Dynamic Alternates (or even non-dynamic Alternates).
Artifact Weapons are equivalent to Devices (that is, committed power points/"motes" from this pool).
Caste mark/Anima effects kick in when a certain number of points from this pool are in use, either in activated "charms"/powers, or committed to Dynamic powers.


There would also be a certain amount of power points not in the essence pool, used for non-augmented abilities, skills, advantages, and so on.
Lethality Rules would, of course, apply
Power Points awarded as experience could be used to buy new "charms, spent to increase skills or abilities, and so on.



Or invested directly into the Essence pool
Or else the pool would increase at arbitrary times, as the campaign power level increased-- maybe boost the pool by 10 after the standard 15 points awarded as experience? This seems like the less-optimal solution, though.


During character creation, you'd start with a PL 2-4 chassis, representing your character pre-exaltation. All of these power points would be spent on skills, abilities, and so on (possibly capped), before adding on the essence pool, and some number of "free" power points for "charms" and extra-mortal ability increases.
A starting Exalt would probably be Power Level 5-8, after all was said and done, and depending on the way various things are distributed.


Thoughts? As-is, you'd be losing a lot of the Exalted "feel" of perfect attacks/defenses, as well as distinctions between various Castes and types of Exalt.