Explain Exalted to a D&D player

[Renen]

I was hoping someone has a rant saved somewhere that explains the general mechanics of Exalted. I am trying to read through the rule book, and one of the many things I am wondering about (I probably missed the explanation somehow) is how the dice rolling works? From what I understand you roll a number of d10's and certain numbers are successes... Can someone explain how mechanics in Exalted work?

[The Rose Dragon]

Well, there are three basic things:

1) Dice pools work like this: you roll a number of dice (always d10s) as determined by your traits and the action you are attempting, usually the sum of an Ability and an Attribute .Those that come up as 7 (the default target number) or higher are counted as successes, while 10s are (usually) counted as 2 successes. Most actions only require one success, while some require more (as determined by the difficulty rating and penalties). If you have no successes, and you roll at least one 1, the action is counted as a botch, which is generally a spectacular failure.

2) Stunts modify your dice pool by adding more dice. Depending on how well you describe your action, you can get 1-3 dice added to your dice pool. Stunts also allow you to recover resources.

3) Charms modify or break basic rules. They allow you to add extra dice, automatic successes, perform otherwise impossible actions such as run on water, block magical attacks or grow magical weapons out of your own flesh. They are wildly varied in what they can do, but number modifiers are quite common, and at least two of them modify the target number, making actions easier or more difficult.

[Tavar]

It uses a dice pool: target number mechanic. First, you have a basic dice pool, which in exalted is usually found by adding one attribute and one ability together. This can be modified in a number of ways, either getting more or less dice based on circumstances, but the core mechanics is Attribute+Ability.

Then, you roll a number of dice equal to your final dice pool, and look for any which reached or exceeded the target number. In Exalted's case, the base target number is 7(though effect can change that), with 10's counting as 2 successes, rather than 1. After adding up successes, you compare that number to either a target number(if you were rolling something at a static difficulty) or to the number of successes the other party in the opposed roll reached.

For static rolls, if you reach or exceed the difficulty, you succeed. Sometimes, succeeding by a lot gives extra benefits.

For opposed rolls it is a bit more complex due to ties. One side in an opposed roll is usually the defender. In that case, if there is a tie, the defender wins.

[Renen]

I read about spending willpower to either give an auto-success or give more dice. Can someone tell me why I would want to have more dice rather than an auto success?

[The Rose Dragon]

Getting 3 dice is generally comparable to getting 1 success, assuming average rolls, but you can get as many as 6 successes out of 3 dice. You can also get zero successes, of course, but that's always a risk with dice. The exchange ratio is not very good if you are channeling a Virtue (the way you get extra dice instead of one automatic success) is rated 1 or 2, though.

Note that the automatic success isn't success at the task, it is a success as you get from dice rolled 7 or higher. For a lot of actions, it is enough. For a lot of other actions, you need to roll more successes to actually perform the task.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Ignore the mechanics. You don't play Exalted for the mechanics. Not even if the mechanics are good. But especially since the mechanics are terrible. You play Exalted so you can engage in giant mech battles with your martial arts prowess, so you can be a magitech Spartan, fiercely protecting the disparate kingdoms and city-states from any conquest attempts from the Romans (who are engaged in their own political turmoil), or so you can make a dangerous trek to the heart of the empire to try and seize control of the Sword of Creation, the first person to do so in five years. All while the Fate Ninjas provide support for the faction of their choice, and attack those they oppose.

And that's just for the standard setting. Shards of the Exalted Dream is basically the single best book ever.

[Tavar]

Getting 3 dice is generally comparable to getting 1 success, assuming average rolls, but you can get as many as 6 successes out of 3 dice. You can also get zero successes, of course, but that's always a risk with dice. The exchange ratio is not very good if you are channeling a Virtue (the way you get extra dice instead of one automatic success) is rated 1 or 2, though.

Note that the automatic success isn't success at the task, it is a success as you get from dice rolled 7 or higher. For a lot of actions, it is enough. For a lot of other actions, you need to roll more successes to actually perform the task.
I thought it was closer to 1 success for every 2 dice.

[The Rose Dragon]

I thought it was closer to 1 success for every 2 dice.

Only because 10s count as 2 successes in a lot of cases (damage rolls, for example, being an exception), so the ratio roughly becomes 1 success to 2 dice over a large number of dice rolled. I'm just thinking of the ratios required for getting at least one success, which is closer to 1 in 3 than 1 in 2.

[Renen]

Ignore the mechanics. You don't play Exalted for the mechanics. Not even if the mechanics are good. But especially since the mechanics are terrible. You play Exalted so you can engage in giant mech battles with your martial arts prowess, so you can be a magitech Spartan, fiercely protecting the disparate kingdoms and city-states from any conquest attempts from the Romans (who are engaged in their own political turmoil), or so you can make a dangerous trek to the heart of the empire to try and seize control of the Sword of Creation, the first person to do so in five years. All while the Fate Ninjas provide support for the faction of their choice, and attack those they oppose.

And that's just for the standard setting. Shards of the Exalted Dream is basically the single best book ever.

But thats the thing, I am using Exalted for a homebrewed setting, simply because I found someone who already ran that setting, and has extensive materials for use.

[Rhynn]

Only because 10s count as 2 successes in a lot of cases (damage rolls, for example, being an exception), so the ratio roughly becomes 1 success to 2 dice over a large number of dice rolled.

Actually, it's exactly 1 to 2. If '10' is 2 successes, then '7, 8, 9, 10' produce 5 successes, which divided by 10 (the number of different results) is 0.5. So 1 success per 2 dice, on average.

If '10' is just a re-roll, it gets more complicated. Well, I guess it's just 0.4444444... successes per 1 die, or (8/9) successes per 2 dice. A difference of (1/9), which is big or small depending on your point of view, I guess.

[Leliel]

But thats the thing, I am using Exalted for a homebrewed setting, simply because I found someone who already ran that setting, and has extensive materials for use.

...Hope you like density, then.

Seriously, go over to DriveThruRPG, and download the Scroll of Errata. That upgrades 2E rules from utter crap to merely bad.

[TheOOB]

But thats the thing, I am using Exalted for a homebrewed setting, simply because I found someone who already ran that setting, and has extensive materials for use.

I strongly advise against that. The game mechanics of Exalted, like most RPGs, are intrinsically tied to the game setting. Every dice mechanic, attribute, ability, everything is based around the characters playing Exalts in Creation.

As a D&D player, this is likely something you are not familiar with, D&D doesn't have much of a default campaign setting, and it encourages you to make your own, but a great many RPG's (Exalted, Shadowrun, Paranoia, Legend of the Five Rings, Mouse Guard, ect) are built with a specific setting in mind. The essence rules of SR make no sense in a world that doesn't have both magic and cybertechnology, and the anima rules in Exalted don't make sense in a world where you are not playing superpowered demi-gods who are treated as anathema.

As for explaining Exalted, the first thing you need to know is Exalted 2e is hopelessly broken(I've heard Exalted 1e is better, but I have no personal experiance), but Exalted 3e is supposed to come out October-ish as seems like it might be pretty good(the developers at least seem to understand the problems with the older editions).

The next thing is that Exalted, like many systems, uses a Dice Pool mechanic, which Exalted in particular uses to make a bell where players usually get less than their average expected successes per a roll, but it's not unusual for them to get a lot more(it fits the setting).

The final important thing is that the characters are Exalts, which are kind of like demi-gods(actually, in the setting, Exalts can be much much more powerful than gods, they literally killed or imprisoned most of the worlds creators) who get a number of powerful supernatural abilities called charms that allow them to do crazy physics defying things(For example, you could have a martial arts style that doesn't just kill you, but the metaphysical idea of you). However, the more of your powers you use, the more of your nature you show, and the common religion teaches that you're a demon that will destroy the world(which is not 100% untrue).

[The_Snark]

As for explaining Exalted, the first thing you need to know is Exalted 2e is hopelessly broken...

I wouldn't say hopelessly broken - it's better than some game systems I've played - but yeah, it has serious issues. Best played with liberal applications of errata, houserules, and common sense.

Because of that, and the fact that it's tailored for a specific setting, I would not recommend trying to adapt it to a completely different setting. If your homebrew setting is similar enough, it might fit, I suppose, but otherwise you can probably find a better/easier set of rules to adapt.

What is your (the OP's) homebrew setting? Why do you want to run it with Exalted, as opposed to some other system?


Only because 10s count as 2 successes in a lot of cases (damage rolls, for example, being an exception), so the ratio roughly becomes 1 success to 2 dice over a large number of dice rolled. I'm just thinking of the ratios required for getting at least one success, which is closer to 1 in 3 than 1 in 2.
The probability of getting at least 1 success on a single die is 2 in 5, that's true. (This increases to 16 in 25 with two dice, 98 in 125 with three, and so on.) But this doesn't come up all that often, I find - it only applies when rolling small dice pools at low difficulties. In my experience, it's typically more important to know approximately how many successes you'll get than how likely it is you'll get one at all.

The average number of successes you get when rolling X dice is equal to X divided by 2. So 2 dice = 1 success is your basic rule of thumb.

[The Rose Dragon]

But this doesn't come up all that often, I find - it only applies when rolling small dice pools at low difficulties.

That's exactly the kind of dice pool you are rolling when considering channeling a virtue versus getting an automatic success by spending Willpower, though, which was the context I brought it up in.

[Hopeless]

I was hoping someone has a rant saved somewhere that explains the general mechanics of Exalted. I am trying to read through the rule book, and one of the many things I am wondering about (I probably missed the explanation somehow) is how the dice rolling works? From what I understand you roll a number of d10's and certain numbers are successes... Can someone explain how mechanics in Exalted work?

Look at your attributes which are rated 1 to 5 or more in the case of Exalted and add them to whichever skill is involved and the total is how many d10's you roll.

You are looking for at least 7 or greater to succeed on that die and more successes are preferred so you can then elaborately explain how your character just out classed Conan the Conqueror or the demon/devil/god thats come after you.

Sorry you did say dice didn't you?

Almost took the title of this thread too literally!

[neonchameleon]

I strongly advise against that. The game mechanics of Exalted, like most RPGs, are intrinsically tied to the game setting. Every dice mechanic, attribute, ability, everything is based around the characters playing Exalts in Creation.

As a D&D player, this is likely something you are not familiar with, D&D doesn't have much of a default campaign setting, and it encourages you to make your own, but a great many RPG's (Exalted, Shadowrun, Paranoia, Legend of the Five Rings, Mouse Guard, ect) are built with a specific setting in mind

My only disagreement here is that pre-4e D&D has a lot of setting conceits embedded in the game's rules. Look, for example, at "Vancian" Casting or the D&D Cleric. The most powerful of Jack Vance's wizards could memorize half a dozen spells at once. And the D&D Cleric is a D&D native (starting life out as a vampire hunter to combat a vampire PC in Blackmoor). The Realms and Eberron don't count because they were written for D&D rules and most of the other settings had to hack the D&D rules pretty hard for an awkward result.

There are, in my experience, three types of RPGs. Those that you can drift from setting to setting because they concentrate on a playstyle and those you can drift from playstyle to playstyle within a setting. And those you can't drift at all. (Yes, this even applies to GURPS and Fate - you need a lot of optional rules in GURPS, it's just set up that way).

Anyway, the core theme of Exalted is "You have ridiculous power. Now what?" A lot of starting PCs get a "Perfect defence" which can parry anything but a perfect attack. In other words a perfect defence can stop a nuclear blast through one means or another. You are ridiculously overpowered and get more dice through performing stunts (so everyone stunts with their massive powers leading to highly narrative games). And any munchkin who's trying can create gamebreaking combos. Which is fine as every munchkin who's trying will have such combos. And they more or less cancel each other out. Now what?

[TheCountAlucard]

First, neon, even a perfect attack breaks against a perfect defense.

Secondly, I don't think it was ever intended for PCs to have game-breaking power. Because the whole point of the game is to sit with your friends and create legends of bygone ages and epic heroes. Being able to construct a factory-cathedral in a day and stomp on the Mask of Winters' head with it was not a core tenet during the initial game development - rather, it's the product of later authors who came in and missed the point.

You do have power - world-shaking power that even the gods fear. But it's not intended for you to snap the game in half over your knee, and anyone who uses it to do that is making it less fun for everyone.

[Hiro Protagonest]

But thats the thing, I am using Exalted for a homebrewed setting, simply because I found someone who already ran that setting, and has extensive materials for use.

...Like I said. You don't play Exalted for the mechanics. Not when you could be playing GURPS (Exalted has that gritty-mortal superhuman-exalt feel that actually works fairly well with GURPS), or HERO, or even FATE. Or hell, Burn Legend.

[Lentrax]

Yeah. Exalted is all about the setting.

Playing in the Age of Sorrows is for my Solar group mostly like a game of Midnight Chronicles. You have the power to do something. To change the world, and right the injustices around you.

But it's a balancing act, do too much, and the Wyld Hunt bears down on you like a mother. Do too little, and you're missing the point. The rest of the rules is simply for determining who is right, and who is dead.

And the count is right, perfect defense blocks perfect attack. That's a lot of the reason perfect defenses all got errata'd to 8 motes.

[Tavar]

And the count is right, perfect defense blocks perfect attack. That's a lot of the reason perfect defenses all got errata'd to 8 motes.

Not really. I mean, in return the perfect attacks got boosted in price as well.

It actually had to do with the mechanics regarding damage. See, pre-errata, it was really easy to make attacks that would kill a person in one hit. Easy as in it wouldn't cost you any resources in order to do so. This is not optimal in a game where characters are meant to last a bit. So, perfect defense were created, and costed in such a way that one would have trivial access to them. Damage effects were costed accordingly, so that it was trivial to automatically kill most beings you hit in one attack, assuming they were unable to use a perfect defense.

Of course, this cause other problems, as most combat became people trading attacks and then just perfecting for defense, which combined with charm use rules meant that fights were just long grinds of doing the same thing(or not, and then dying horribly).

Fixing this meant reworking many fundamental parts of the game, including boosting the cost of perfects so that one couldn't recoup the cost of a perfect with trivial effort.

[Lentrax]

You know, I don't think I've ever had a Solar die to a perfect attack.

They all bite it from minimum damage.

[Tavar]

You know, I don't think I've ever had a Solar die to a perfect attack.

They all bite it from minimum damage.

Perfect attacks weren't the problem, no. Nothing I wrote suggested that they were.

[Lentrax]

True. It was just a huh moment I had as we were talking.

I actually never went for perfect attacks. Though to be honest I usually go for quantity of attacks over quality. The combo of infinite mastery and a 2nd excellency usually goes a long way for me.

[SaurOps]

True. It was just a huh moment I had as we were talking.

I actually never went for perfect attacks. Though to be honest I usually go for quantity of attacks over quality. The combo of infinite mastery and a 2nd excellency usually goes a long way for me.

One more caveat: Infinite Ability Mastery is extremely advantageous. So much so that, if you want to have a game rather than a one-sided curb stomp, it might be a good idea to cut it out.

[Lentrax]

It's pretty much the only reason my characters survive.

[Tavar]

One more caveat: Infinite Ability Mastery is extremely advantageous. So much so that, if you want to have a game rather than a one-sided curb stomp, it might be a good idea to cut it out.

It is extremely advantageous. The system is also, at times, built with the assumption that it will be present.

Really, this is the problem of 2.0 in a nutshell: the system was built on extremely bad mechanics. Because those are foundational pieces, changing them essentially requires re-writing large swaths of the system.

[The Rose Dragon]

It is not actually that crucial before Essence 4, since you can only commit so many motes to it at Essence 3, which can be very useful, especially now that you don't need to build combos, and thus can activate all your Reflexive Charms anytime you don't use a Charm without the Combo-Basic or Combo-OK keyword, but it doesn't turn you into a perpetual god of the ability.

[Juhn]

But thats the thing, I am using Exalted for a homebrewed setting, simply because I found someone who already ran that setting, and has extensive materials for use.

Don't.

The only reason people tolerate Exalted's mechanics is because they (at least purport to) model a system they really, really like, and not everyone is willing to do a complete mechanical overhaul in order to play in that setting (partially because you'll inevitably lose something from the original mechanics in your new system, and very few people agree on which bits of Exalted they want to keep vs. would be happy to pitch out). Exalted's mechanics themselves are pretty awful.

If you're not using Exalted's setting? Use a better system.

What sort of setting and game are you planning to run? We could probably suggest a number of systems that could model the sort of game you're trying to run, and also have mechanics that actually work.