Grod_The_Giant
2012-10-13, 12:57 PM
A few friends and I have agreed that, while we love the flavor and feel of Exalted, the rules are... not satisfactory. Clunky in many places, unbalanced in others, and just plain convoluted in more. Meanwhile, we've been playing Mutants and Masterminds, and loving it. I make a joke about statting up my Exalt as an NPC in the game. We all pause. "Wait a minute..."
Here are the conversion rules we've come up with.
(Note that 3e M&M is covered under the OGL (www.d20herosrd.com), but I'm not sure about Exalted. Thus, I'm assuming you have access to the Exalted rules to know about things like Virtues and the Great Curse).
General Character Building
Characters start at PL 5; Each dot of essence is approximately equal to +1 power levels, so a 3-essence character is PL 8, and a 5-essence character is PL 10.
Your caste gives you a special free anima power
Your Caste's chosen skills are cheaper-- one point per three ranks, instead of one point per two.
Try making liberal use of the Limited modifier to get more unique abilities. Give them snazzy Exalted-y names.
To simulate Excellencies, take the Skill Mastery and Ultimate Effort advantages.
Time travel is limited to forwards movement.
Limit "natural" ability scores to 5 (a good benchmark for "peak human.") If you want to raise them more, use the Enhanced Trait power.
The Subtle modifier now costs +1 point/rank
The Obvious flaw now reduces a power's cost by 1 point/rank, and causes you to go into anima for a scene
Anima
The power of an Exalt is such that it is impossible to hide. Every time an Exalt bends the laws of Creation, motes of essence escape, manifesting first as a subtle glow, then as a caste mark, then as an almost overwhelming anima effect.
Don't worry about the size of your essence pool-- M&M isn't balanced around such limits, and "running out of motes" isn't a core part of the Exalted feel. (Unless we're talking about how the mechanics basically turn your essence pool into a health bar). It's the manifestations of your power that matter. Instead of tracking expended motes, we track motes that have escaped from your essence pool to your "anima pool."
Motes of essence escape in the following ways:
Whenever you activate a Sustained or Continuous power, your anima pool grows by a number of motes equal to the power's power point cost. When you deactivate it, subtract a number of points equal to one-half its power point cost from your pool.
Whenever you use an instant-duration power, add points your anima pool grows by a number of motes equal to power's rank.
Whenever you use an "Excellency" (the Skill Mastery or Ultimate Effort Advantages), add motes to your anima pool-- 2 when you use Skill Mastery, and 5 when you use Ultimate Effort.
If you have any permanent-duration powers, essence is permanently bound up in them, already gathered on the surface of your being. Reduce the benchmarks of your anima pool (see below) by the combined power point cost of all permanent-duration powers you posses.
Similarly, essence invested in artifacts (aka Devices, powers with the removable or easily removable flaw) also reduces the benchmarks by the combined power point cost of all artifacts you are attuned to.
When your anima pool reaches a certain size, signs of your power start manifesting:
When there are (5*power level) points in your pool, your caste mark appears.
When there are (6*power level) points in your pool, your caste mark becomes impossible to hide.
When there are (8*power level) points in your pool, you glow like a sun.
When there are (10*power level) points in your pool, your anima is triggered.
These benchmarks can be reduced by having essence invested in permanent-duration powers or devices. However, they cannot be reduced below the number your power level is being multiplied by-- 3 motes for your caste mark, 4 motes for your caste mark to be impossible to hide, and so on.
Motes do fade from your pool over time. Every hour, subtract a number of motes from your pool equal to your power level. You may make your Caste mark appear for a scene at will, and you may add a single mote to your Anima Pool to manifest your full Anima for a scene.
Caste Abilities
Caste
Anima Power (10 points)- May only be triggered while in Anima; alternately, instantly kicks you into Anima
Special Skills
Dawn
Perception Area Affliction 5 (selective, double limited degree, ) (impaired, disabled, resisted and overcome by Will)
Close Combat, Expertise (War), Intimidate, Ranged Combat
Zenith
Impervious Toughness 10, Impervious Will 10 (both limited to use against creatures of darkness)
Expertise (any performance), Expertise (survival), Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion
Twilight
Reaction (damaged by attack) Healing 3 (limited to self, -2 quirk: 1/round)
Expertise (any crafting), Expertise (any knowledge), Expertise (Magic), Investigation, Treatment
Night
Feature 5 (can suppress anima), Concealment 10 (all senses, passive)
Athletics, Acrobatics, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Eclipse
Benefit 1 (diplomatic immunity), Something with Triggered Luck Control-- force 5 rerolls, taking the worse option, for anyone who violates a sanctified oath.
Expertise (bureaucracy), Ride, Expertise (Sailing), Persuade, Deception
Virtues
You start the game with 20 points to assign to the four Virtues. Rate your character from 1-10 in each Virtue, with a 5 representing a normal character. You may buy additional Virtue ranks with power points, at a rate of 1 point per rank. Whenever you attempt to violate one of your Virtues, roll a Will check against 10+Virtue. If your check succeeds, you may ignore the virtuous urge. If you fail the check, however, you are compelled to either act in accordance with the Virtue, or add one to your Limit Break pool. If your Limit Break pool reaches a value equal to your power level, you gain a Hero Point and enter your Limit Break. When acting in accordance with a Virtue, you may spend a Hero Point, Demihero Point (if playing with those houserules), or use of the Luck advantage to gain a circumstance bonus to a single roll equal to your rank in that Virtue.
Here are the conversion rules we've come up with.
(Note that 3e M&M is covered under the OGL (www.d20herosrd.com), but I'm not sure about Exalted. Thus, I'm assuming you have access to the Exalted rules to know about things like Virtues and the Great Curse).
General Character Building
Characters start at PL 5; Each dot of essence is approximately equal to +1 power levels, so a 3-essence character is PL 8, and a 5-essence character is PL 10.
Your caste gives you a special free anima power
Your Caste's chosen skills are cheaper-- one point per three ranks, instead of one point per two.
Try making liberal use of the Limited modifier to get more unique abilities. Give them snazzy Exalted-y names.
To simulate Excellencies, take the Skill Mastery and Ultimate Effort advantages.
Time travel is limited to forwards movement.
Limit "natural" ability scores to 5 (a good benchmark for "peak human.") If you want to raise them more, use the Enhanced Trait power.
The Subtle modifier now costs +1 point/rank
The Obvious flaw now reduces a power's cost by 1 point/rank, and causes you to go into anima for a scene
Anima
The power of an Exalt is such that it is impossible to hide. Every time an Exalt bends the laws of Creation, motes of essence escape, manifesting first as a subtle glow, then as a caste mark, then as an almost overwhelming anima effect.
Don't worry about the size of your essence pool-- M&M isn't balanced around such limits, and "running out of motes" isn't a core part of the Exalted feel. (Unless we're talking about how the mechanics basically turn your essence pool into a health bar). It's the manifestations of your power that matter. Instead of tracking expended motes, we track motes that have escaped from your essence pool to your "anima pool."
Motes of essence escape in the following ways:
Whenever you activate a Sustained or Continuous power, your anima pool grows by a number of motes equal to the power's power point cost. When you deactivate it, subtract a number of points equal to one-half its power point cost from your pool.
Whenever you use an instant-duration power, add points your anima pool grows by a number of motes equal to power's rank.
Whenever you use an "Excellency" (the Skill Mastery or Ultimate Effort Advantages), add motes to your anima pool-- 2 when you use Skill Mastery, and 5 when you use Ultimate Effort.
If you have any permanent-duration powers, essence is permanently bound up in them, already gathered on the surface of your being. Reduce the benchmarks of your anima pool (see below) by the combined power point cost of all permanent-duration powers you posses.
Similarly, essence invested in artifacts (aka Devices, powers with the removable or easily removable flaw) also reduces the benchmarks by the combined power point cost of all artifacts you are attuned to.
When your anima pool reaches a certain size, signs of your power start manifesting:
When there are (5*power level) points in your pool, your caste mark appears.
When there are (6*power level) points in your pool, your caste mark becomes impossible to hide.
When there are (8*power level) points in your pool, you glow like a sun.
When there are (10*power level) points in your pool, your anima is triggered.
These benchmarks can be reduced by having essence invested in permanent-duration powers or devices. However, they cannot be reduced below the number your power level is being multiplied by-- 3 motes for your caste mark, 4 motes for your caste mark to be impossible to hide, and so on.
Motes do fade from your pool over time. Every hour, subtract a number of motes from your pool equal to your power level. You may make your Caste mark appear for a scene at will, and you may add a single mote to your Anima Pool to manifest your full Anima for a scene.
Caste Abilities
Caste
Anima Power (10 points)- May only be triggered while in Anima; alternately, instantly kicks you into Anima
Special Skills
Dawn
Perception Area Affliction 5 (selective, double limited degree, ) (impaired, disabled, resisted and overcome by Will)
Close Combat, Expertise (War), Intimidate, Ranged Combat
Zenith
Impervious Toughness 10, Impervious Will 10 (both limited to use against creatures of darkness)
Expertise (any performance), Expertise (survival), Insight, Intimidation, Persuasion
Twilight
Reaction (damaged by attack) Healing 3 (limited to self, -2 quirk: 1/round)
Expertise (any crafting), Expertise (any knowledge), Expertise (Magic), Investigation, Treatment
Night
Feature 5 (can suppress anima), Concealment 10 (all senses, passive)
Athletics, Acrobatics, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Eclipse
Benefit 1 (diplomatic immunity), Something with Triggered Luck Control-- force 5 rerolls, taking the worse option, for anyone who violates a sanctified oath.
Expertise (bureaucracy), Ride, Expertise (Sailing), Persuade, Deception
Virtues
You start the game with 20 points to assign to the four Virtues. Rate your character from 1-10 in each Virtue, with a 5 representing a normal character. You may buy additional Virtue ranks with power points, at a rate of 1 point per rank. Whenever you attempt to violate one of your Virtues, roll a Will check against 10+Virtue. If your check succeeds, you may ignore the virtuous urge. If you fail the check, however, you are compelled to either act in accordance with the Virtue, or add one to your Limit Break pool. If your Limit Break pool reaches a value equal to your power level, you gain a Hero Point and enter your Limit Break. When acting in accordance with a Virtue, you may spend a Hero Point, Demihero Point (if playing with those houserules), or use of the Luck advantage to gain a circumstance bonus to a single roll equal to your rank in that Virtue.