General Exalted Discussion XVIII: Lunars Time To Shine!

[Lord Raziere]

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/images/site_resources/EX3Logo.jpg

Much has changed since the last thread, so this will be a whole new start, first of all, Reynard's sheets and the popular homebrew fixes for 2e will no longer be linked. Thats last edition 2e, its not a good edition and I don't think its worth continuing to link to outdated sheets and homebrew. you want to preserve go back and do it yourself. Exalted is in its third edition now and this new thread should reflect that. This threads title is in celebration of the Lunars finally getting their time to shine with good charms, good fluff after two editions of getting screwed over! Hooray!

List of Previous Threads:
General Exalted Discussion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172007)
General Exalted Discussion II (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183998)
General Exalted Discussion III (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192237)
General Exalted Discussion IV (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196718)
General Exalted Discussion V (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199728)
General Exalted Discussion VI (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207218)
General Exalted Discussion VII (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217776)
General Exalted Discussion VIII (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223918)
General Exalted Discussion Thread IX (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12700392#post12700392)
General Exalted Discussion Thread X (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239521)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XI (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250101)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XII (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=259060)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XIII (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274919)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XIV (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286904)
General Exalted Discussion XV (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?306943)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XVI (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?357572-General-Exalted-Discussion-XVI-Chej-Kejak-Pokegod-Trainer!)
General Exalted Discussion Thread XVII (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?437730-General-Exalted-Discussion-XVII-Edition-of-Cascading-Years)

Useful Links:
The Onyx Path Exalted Forum (http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted)
New Exalt Info Compilation (http://exalted3e.wikidot.com/lex:new-exalt-info-compilation)

Completed Homebrew of Interest to 3e:
Sidereals: Where Fate Has Led, by wastevens (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T4FTsSprLYd8KWXgE5Rr1x7C9_B6Ln5cnGN8HF7a3Vk/edit#heading=h.ccagel7i0hsv)
Alchemicals 2.0 by Sandact6 (http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted/1263020-alchemicals-2-0-3e-conversion-charm-design-request)
Book of the Emerald Circle By Limited Reagent (https://docs.google.com/document/d/11I0xCPgAS3ZhxGvTlBoePOuaDqgpyWs13jVKhJ4c8hM/edit#)
Book of Bone and Ebony, By Ekorren (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wDWu9U0cSRSy81siEuANsAqMX4WJB2Kt/view)

[Milo v3]

Now that the lunars kickstarter preview for artifacts is out. The Hundred Rings of Hadam-Ul is probably my favourite artifact in the game.

[Accelerator]

Some good homebrew

https://docs.google.com/document/d/14oG3x5qsg3W_2fJrUD6MYMPOWoGyPIl_i1aWXy5-Nzk/pub

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Gm2aFjXFr_uohi2xfaGJQOJTxQaxkrfYbfLB5klhybU/pub

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KiFHm3wSattNfufEKvp0K9gRcfpDcEAUTbgm4VlW-0I/pub

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11I0xCPgAS3ZhxGvTlBoePOuaDqgpyWs13jVKhJ4c8hM/edit#

[Andreaz]

Ekorren took down his necromancy works, since he started working for opp. Does anyone have a link to his Book of Bone and Ebony? It was such a great book.

[Accelerator]

Ekorren took down his necromancy works, since he started working for opp. Does anyone have a link to his Book of Bone and Ebony? It was such a great book.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wDWu9U0cSRSy81siEuANsAqMX4WJB2Kt/view

Can I post my own homebrew demon?

[Lord Raziere]

1. Desk of Aleph is 2e. not adding it.

2. Book of Emerald Circle however, I will add.

3. Book of Bone Ebony, also adding

you can post your homebrew demon, but if its 2e I won't add it. I cleaned out the opening post of 2e stuff that no one uses anymore, so I'm not adding in anything that can't be used in 3e. let the bad edition die, as the Sidereals say "everything has an ending".

[Rockphed]

you can post your homebrew demon, but if its 2e I won't add it. I cleaned out the opening post of 2e stuff that no one uses anymore, so I'm not adding in anything that can't be used in 3e. let the bad edition die, as the Sidereals say "everything has an ending".

Even Sidereal pompousness? (Or is it pompousity?) I haven't kept up with the state of 3rd edition (in part because I have been a broke student for the last 2.5 years), but are Sidereals still annoying jerkbags who believe their own propaganda?

[Lord Raziere]

Even Sidereal pompousness? (Or is it pompousity?) I haven't kept up with the state of 3rd edition (in part because I have been a broke student for the last 2.5 years), but are Sidereals still annoying jerkbags who believe their own propaganda?

Thats an interesting question to ask. To be absolutely sure, I'd have to look it up in the 1082 pages of the "Ask the Devs" thread on the onyx path forums, each page being 15 posts long, so about more than 15,000 posts to read through, that has been going on for two years. the answer is probably in there somewhere! but failing that because I'm lazy....

last I recall: In this edition, the Sidereals during the Usurpation, were unanimous in their decision to perpetrate the Usurpation. They all voted yes to kill the Solars at the time. The Gold faction is in fact a much more recent thing and only forming and being a thing when the Solars come back. Before then, the Sidereals had moved on from the Solars existing like everyone else.

But! Trusted DB Immaculates are told that the people they're hunting are actually other Exalted that they believe are corrupted by power, so I doubt the Sidereals believe their own propaganda when they are willing to tell DB's they trust about the real nature of the Solars and Lunars. its not much, but its a clue of how things are going to go this edition.

thing is, we're not going to get a more in depth look on Sidereals until their book comes out, which won't be for a while, we're still on the Lunar kickstarter. which means the Sidereal kickstarter isn't for two years, Exigents comes before that, which only came after core, DBs and Lunars because those three splats are apparently the most popular. so there is indications that Sidereals no longer believing their propaganda is the case and the developers would likely say "we don't do bad writing" -thats their literal response to these types of "is X still bad?" questions- and if you want answers faster you go ask them yourself. don't expect any response that isn't a one line sentence though.

so they probably don't believe their own propaganda, and said propaganda is like, mostly for mortal commonfolk. but jury is out on whether they are still annoying pompous jerkbags though. from what I've seen of DBs and Lunars, while the splats are written better, the Exalted aren't being made good or morally right or anything. most everyone is a jerk in Exalted, just different flavors.

and one would think Sidereal pompousness would end eventually, they literally serve the Maiden of Endings whose entire job is to end literally everything sooner or later. if Sidereal pompousness did not end, they would not be doing their job.

[Morty]

As far as I remember, the main changes to Sidereals this edition is that a) the gods don't all hate them and b) the Bronze and Gold factions are less clear-cut camps with a strict dividing line and more like two ideas circulating in the Fivescore Fellowship. And based on the Dragon-Blooded and Lunar material so far, I'd generally expect more nuance and different points of view, conflicts and convictions. Also, I think being a ronin is supposed to be less of an afterthought/suicidal option, but I'm not sure how that worked before.

[Lord Raziere]

As far as I remember, the main changes to Sidereals this edition is that a) the gods don't all hate them and b) the Bronze and Gold factions are less clear-cut camps with a strict dividing line and more like two ideas circulating in the Fivescore Fellowship. And based on the Dragon-Blooded and Lunar material so far, I'd generally expect more nuance and different points of view, conflicts and convictions. Also, I think being a ronin is supposed to be less of an afterthought/suicidal option, but I'm not sure how that worked before.

yeah those to. this is all still in development. but yeah, given how Lunars and DB's have been written, I doubt we're getting anything stupid for Sidereals. I wouldn't be surprised if the "factions" were closer to a single Sidereal having an Opinion and couple other sidereals agreeing with them like the current Lunars basically are. The cult of Illuminated is still around though. but the Gold Faction and Bronze faction are probably more like philosophies they employ regarding the Exalts they deal with rather than this political divide.

like if 3e Lunars is any indication, the Fivescore Fellowship is probably informal and mentor-based in their dealings since there is so few of them and thus isn't large enough for their to be big divides and such, since they all work together in the same place, thats like having a political debate in your work place, it just doesn't work. like I can imagine them arguing sometimes but the focus would be "how to deal with the situation" rather than some wide high ideal thing for all creation or whatever. like the Sidereals are Heavens' IRS/FBI/CIA all rolled into one, the bottom line of keeping everything working is probably more important to them.

[Accelerator]

1. Desk of Aleph is 2e. not adding it.

2. Book of Emerald Circle however, I will add.

3. Book of Bone Ebony, also adding

you can post your homebrew demon, but if its 2e I won't add it. I cleaned out the opening post of 2e stuff that no one uses anymore, so I'm not adding in anything that can't be used in 3e. let the bad edition die, as the Sidereals say "everything has an ending".

Eh... ok?

Fullankar, the textbook wasps.
Demon of the First Circle
Progeny of the Obsessive Scholar

The Obsessive Scholar is a patron of the arts and of knowledge, with a grand wish to spread understanding and enlightenment throughout Malfeas, the Underworld, Creation, and Heaven itself. Each beggar a poet. Each street urchin a weapons grandmaster. Each street sweeper an artist. Sadly, in these fallen times, most do not have the time nor the inclination to study his books, no matter how well-written or how comprehensive. Why read about the vagaries of the stars, when one is wondering where to find his next meal? Why read about the Treatises of Ahnschlus, when one is trying to till the field for the next harvest? And so, the Obsessive Scholar, with some hesitation, made the decision for them. He made the Fullankar.

The Fullankar, in their dormant form, appear as any form of information recording, and acts as a comprehensive guide and work on a single subject, whether it is melee, war, or medicine. Whether in first-age crystal tablet, paperback book, or silken scroll. In this form, they are near-indistinguishable from other, more mundane books. Using the Fullankar in this form allows one to train themselves up as if they were studying under a tutor, and reduce training times to a third. The knowledge and words themselves slotting themselves into a reader's mind, the pictures, inscriptions, and diagrams, seemingly coming alive on the page itself, the reader's body subconsciously twitching as the book describes how one swings a sword or how to carry out a surgical procedure.

In the other form, the book itself unfurls. Transforming into a Fullankar's full form. It is the size of a dog. A stinger, composed out of punctuation. Wings, made from pictures. Feet, made from adjectives. A shell composed out of nouns. Flickering in and out of existence with compound eyes made from verbs, the Fullankar has a stinger composed out of prepositions, dripping with venom. It is the venom that is key to its abilities. When the Fullankar stings, there is no pain. And then, enlightenment.

The venom of the Fullankar is composed out of liquified and materialized knowledge, an exact copy of the knowledge composed in its other form. It is not harsh. Not much worse than a bee sting. As the poison courses through one's veins, the information within can be accessed by the mind of the victim, allowing it to act as if it had been trained in it all his or her life. A peasant farmer can become a melee fighter that surpasses all but the greatest of mortals, specializing in the use of hoes. An untrained beggar can become the greatest mortal surgeon in the entire region. An newbie brat can become a general that wins against all but the greatest of forces arrayed against him***.

This comes with a price, though. It being poison, and the Obsessive Scholar not realizing the complications caused due to himself being a second circle demon, the poison itself hinders the victim, or beneficiary, of the Fullankar. A swordsman will find his tongue numb, his speech slurred. A surgeon would find that, although his fingers are now nimble and precise, his feet have become sluggish, forcing him to use a cane. A great general's skin now produces a horrible smell, forcing all but the bravest of courtesans to flee from him. *

And it being poison, the Fullankar's toxin does damage to the body, costing one lethal health level per week. After several weeks**, the poison runs its course, and is purged by the mortal's native defenses, and disappears. And with it, goes the knowledge and puissance it grants.****

*Never will the penalty of using the poison of a Fullankar ever negate the gifts of its venom.

** A month

*** Increased dots, plus specialty. War 5 with a specialty against being outnumbered is a hell of a thing

**** I think I should put a limit on how many times one can get stung by a Fullankar before they collapse into a puddle of nouns.

[Rockphed]

Eh... ok?

Fullankar, the textbook wasps.
Demon of the First Circle
Progeny of the Obsessive Scholar

The Obsessive Scholar is a patron of the arts and of knowledge, with a grand wish to spread understanding and enlightenment throughout Malfeas, the Underworld, Creation, and Heaven itself. Each beggar a poet. Each street urchin a weapons grandmaster. Each street sweeper an artist. Sadly, in these fallen times, most do not have the time nor the inclination to study his books, no matter how well-written or how comprehensive. Why read about the vagaries of the stars, when one is wondering where to find his next meal? Why read about the Treatises of Ahnschlus, when one is trying to till the field for the next harvest? And so, the Obsessive Scholar, with some hesitation, made the decision for them. He made the Fullankar.

The Fullankar, in their dormant form, appear as any form of information recording, and acts as a comprehensive guide and work on a single subject, whether it is melee, war, or medicine. Whether in first-age crystal tablet, paperback book, or silken scroll. In this form, they are near-indistinguishable from other, more mundane books. Using the Fullankar in this form allows one to train themselves up as if they were studying under a tutor, and reduce training times to a third. The knowledge and words themselves slotting themselves into a reader's mind, the pictures, inscriptions, and diagrams, seemingly coming alive on the page itself, the reader's body subconsciously twitching as the book describes how one swings a sword or how to carry out a surgical procedure.

In the other form, the book itself unfurls. Transforming into a Fullankar's full form. It is the size of a dog. A stinger, composed out of punctuation. Wings, made from pictures. Feet, made from adjectives. A shell composed out of nouns. Flickering in and out of existence with compound eyes made from verbs, the Fullankar has a stinger composed out of prepositions, dripping with venom. It is the venom that is key to its abilities. When the Fullankar stings, there is no pain. And then, enlightenment.

The venom of the Fullankar is composed out of liquified and materialized knowledge, an exact copy of the knowledge composed in its other form. It is not harsh. Not much worse than a bee sting. As the poison courses through one's veins, the information within can be accessed by the mind of the victim, allowing it to act as if it had been trained in it all his or her life. A peasant farmer can become a melee fighter that surpasses all but the greatest of mortals, specializing in the use of hoes. An untrained beggar can become the greatest mortal surgeon in the entire region. An newbie brat can become a general that wins against all but the greatest of forces arrayed against him***.

This comes with a price, though. It being poison, and the Obsessive Scholar not realizing the complications caused due to himself being a second circle demon, the poison itself hinders the victim, or beneficiary, of the Fullankar. A swordsman will find his tongue numb, his speech slurred. A surgeon would find that, although his fingers are now nimble and precise, his feet have become sluggish, forcing him to use a cane. A great general's skin now produces a horrible smell, forcing all but the bravest of courtesans to flee from him. *

And it being poison, the Fullankar's toxin does damage to the body, costing one lethal health level per week. After several weeks**, the poison runs its course, and is purged by the mortal's native defenses, and disappears. And with it, goes the knowledge and puissance it grants.****

*Never will the penalty of using the poison of a Fullankar ever negate the gifts of its venom.

** A month

*** Increased dots, plus specialty. War 5 with a specialty against being outnumbered is a hell of a thing

**** I think I should put a limit on how many times one can get stung by a Fullankar before they collapse into a puddle of nouns.

I feel like Meschlum would make something like that out of the 2nd edition fey.

[Accelerator]

I feel like Meschlum would make something like that out of the 2nd edition fey.

Meschlum?

Fey?

[Rockphed]

Meschlum?

Fey?

Meschlum is a poster who occasionally discusses Exalted. I believe his mind was broken trying to read the 2nd edition Fair Folk/Raksha/Whatever-you-call-inhabitants-of-chaos rules. In his broken state he occasionally becomes lucid enough to write a miraculous thing the fairies could do.

[Accelerator]

Meschlum is a poster who occasionally discusses Exalted. I believe his mind was broken trying to read the 2nd edition Fair Folk/Raksha/Whatever-you-call-inhabitants-of-chaos rules. In his broken state he occasionally becomes lucid enough to write a miraculous thing the fairies could do.

Um... what does this have to do with the demon I wrote up?

[Rockphed]

Um... what does this have to do with the demon I wrote up?

Because that sort of ability (the giant wasp stings you to give you skills you do not naturally possess) is the sort of madness he would regularly produce.

[Accelerator]

Because that sort of ability (the giant wasp stings you to give you skills you do not naturally possess) is the sort of madness he would regularly produce.

Oh. Ok.

Um... what do you think of it?

[Lord Raziere]

Oh. Ok.

Um... what do you think of it?

....well what is its purpose really? it grants you great skill in something in return for making you really bad at something else.....then it ends and the skill and such goes away. so what are you supposed to use it for? speaking as one who has played a sorcerer and wants to do so in the future. while 1st circle demons are weird, they generally have some use to them.

[Accelerator]

....well what is its purpose really? it grants you great skill in something in return for making you really bad at something else.....then it ends and the skill and such goes away. so what are you supposed to use it for? speaking as one who has played a sorcerer and wants to do so in the future. while 1st circle demons are weird, they generally have some use to them.

Shoot it up into you ally, so that he is slightly more competent? Stab them into NPCs, and then send them on missions, cause you just boosted their competence? Shoot yourself up with the toxin, so that you, I dunno, get slightly weaker physically, but you just got bonuses to your occult skill? Grab several mediocre swordsman, sting them, have them get worse at social but better at sword-swinging, so that you get good bodyguards?

Lots of things.

[Andreaz]

Outside some more obvious realms (violence, sex, art) demons are purpose-made in a bit...different manner.

Noresores feed on passion, and that happens to make for an useful demon to eat memories. Firmin are half-intelligent birdminded creatures that extrude needles to build nests, and those needles happen to be useful as weapons. Teodozja are a hive-mind of profanity that exist to spy and proselytize on yozi crack, and that happens to be useful to turn them into immense libraries of knowledge.

Others are more naturally just alien and "there". So you probably want to give off that vibe when constructing a demon.

[Accelerator]

... Its a wasp made of words. That literally injects knowledge as poison.

What else is there?

[Doran]

In related Comic news, the Exalted Abyssals - Neverborn webcomic has just finished its run!

This might be the first Exalted webcomic EVER to fully wrap up, so it's worth a look! (http://www.neverborncomic.com/?comic=chorus-page1)

[Morty]

The Lunar dominion manuscript was certainly informative. They run the gamut from a Lunar openly ruling a nation, to serving as a spiritual advisor without any technical authority, being a recognized and famed hero who doesn't hold any official position or being a folklore figure everyone thinks is a demon or spirit.

[Lord Raziere]

The Lunar dominion manuscript was certainly informative. They run the gamut from a Lunar openly ruling a nation, to serving as a spiritual advisor without any technical authority, being a recognized and famed hero who doesn't hold any official position or being a folklore figure everyone thinks is a demon or spirit.

And then there is a Dominion known as Iscomay that doesn't listen to them at all! which is also the Dominion that has become most like the Realm. and the famed hero has allowed the Touman to become a little like the Realm as well. the whole Lunar book has just given me a constant theme of how much the Lunars and the people under them are becoming the very people/monsters they're fighting. they're people who have stared into the abyss for far too long and are in most cases, just another powerful person taking things for their own gain by force from others while hating the enemy with a prejudiced eye.

like the smaller dominions are basically just organized raiders, the more established ones are conquerors or empires in their own right that do the same thing as the Realm in expecting tribute, with the one exception to either arguably being Skandhar Bhal and it has problems of being this isolationist valley that thinks everyone outside of it is unenlightened. complete with an Immaculate syncretism so that its copying something from the Realm even there.

[Accelerator]

I'm not willing to search through the last 40 threads.

Are there any homebrewed spells made here? Preferably terrestrial sorcery. There's so little homebrew.

[Lord Raziere]

I'm not willing to search through the last 40 threads.

Are there any homebrewed spells made here? Preferably terrestrial sorcery. There's so little homebrew.

You mean last 17. 40 is a bit of an exaggeration.

as for spells, probably not. the previous threads were almost all 2e related and mostly complaining about 2e or meschlum chiming in with his fae creations from time to time most of those threads are pre-3e. I cannot recall a single spell terrestrial or non being made here or on the homebrew forum- this is a pretty DnD-centric place. any Exalted homebrew would be quickly lost amid the DnD homebrew tide over there, and this thread here is more for discussion.

that and how flexible sorcery is already, its hard to come up with new spells or uses, many spells can probably be refluffed for this or that concept and charms often do other things like social skills and combat far more efficiently and faster. so there is little motivation to do that sort of thing. honestly onyx path- which I know your FROM, I keep up to date on these things- is probably the place to go for Exalted homebrew, not here.

I myself am more concerned with charms, Exigents can't come soon enough for my liking, and I've been trying to make my own Fanxigents homebrew, haven't post it up anywhere yet because all I got made are a bunch of weird excellencies. I'm pretty sure I know how the Umbral, Heart-Eater and Dream-Souled Excellencies will work though, based upon developer comments.

[Drascin]

I did write a few sorcery spells, but as Raziere says, they're very much for 2E, since I've never played 3E and honestly after trying (and failing) to get through the core it's not looking like I will.

[Accelerator]

I did write a few sorcery spells, but as Raziere says, they're very much for 2E, since I've never played 3E and honestly after trying (and failing) to get through the core it's not looking like I will.

Oh hey. Can I see them?

Why didn't you get through the core?

[Milo v3]

I rather look forward to running Exalted 3e, there is a tonne of homebrew for it on the Onyx Path forums though I don't know if there is many spells among that.

[Accelerator]

I rather look forward to running Exalted 3e, there is a tonne of homebrew for it on the Onyx Path forums though I don't know if there is many spells among that.

I've searched.

No spells. Or at least, only one or two.

[Lord Raziere]

Me, I'd love to play Exalted 3e, but the last game I was online and only lasted a few months so....not much happened. running a game is out for me, since its the whole mechanics thing and doing all that prepwork. I've settled for just writing Exalted fan fic in little snippets at a time to try and build a story out of it.

[Andreaz]

I've searched.

No spells. Or at least, only one or two.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L_EJYWDjRAocrOa79yIYOrRL7vp-KVxml_fR2bOYaLI/edit

Most spells ported here are still not officially ported.

[Morty]

And now we've got a full set of Lunar Charms. I'm tempted to actually create one or two now. Like a Full Moon who focuses on Strength and Stamina, leaving Dexterity off to the side and using the right Charms to make up for it. They're pretty obvious patches for Dexterity's status as a god-stat, but what can you do.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Me, I'd love to play Exalted 3e, but the last game I was online and only lasted a few months so....not much happened. running a game is out for me, since its the whole mechanics thing and doing all that prepwork. I've settled for just writing Exalted fan fic in little snippets at a time to try and build a story out of it.
Well hey, I've got good news. To celebrate the official release of STaRS (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/268061/STaRS-The-Simple-Tabletop-Roleplaying-System) (and my getting sucked back into thinking about Exalted), I've written up some rules for emulating Exalted (https://www.dropbox.com/s/uam8a7yz62l2xoe/Exalted%20in%20STaRs.pdf?dl=0) using it. If you're looking for an easier-to-run version... :smallwink:

(If they work well, I might fiddle with them a bit and match them up to an original setting and publish as a stand-alone expansion)

[Lord Raziere]

Well hey, I've got good news. To celebrate the official release of STaRS (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/268061/STaRS-The-Simple-Tabletop-Roleplaying-System) (and my getting sucked back into thinking about Exalted), I've written up some rules for emulating Exalted (https://www.dropbox.com/s/uam8a7yz62l2xoe/Exalted%20in%20STaRs.pdf?dl=0) using it. If you're looking for an easier-to-run version... :smallwink:

(If they work well, I might fiddle with them a bit and match them up to an original setting and publish as a stand-alone expansion)

thats not the problem.

I've got Godbound deluxe, Blood and Fire and I can probably do a fate hack easily of Exalted. I got three different systems to pull it off

the problem is I don't know if players will even go for less crunch. or if they'll even stick around. no point in trying if it dies before it really begins.

[Recaiden]

Well hey, I've got good news. To celebrate the official release of STaRS (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/268061/STaRS-The-Simple-Tabletop-Roleplaying-System) (and my getting sucked back into thinking about Exalted), I've written up some rules for emulating Exalted (https://www.dropbox.com/s/uam8a7yz62l2xoe/Exalted%20in%20STaRs.pdf?dl=0) using it. If you're looking for an easier-to-run version... :smallwink:

(If they work well, I might fiddle with them a bit and match them up to an original setting and publish as a stand-alone expansion)

Those look pretty fun.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Those look pretty fun.
Thanks :smallredface:

I took a stab at Lunars and Sidereals, but I don't know what the different schticks of their castes are so couldn't include that. Really don't know about Infernals and Abyssals; if someone could give me a quick overview of their mechanically unique schticks, I could take a stab at them too. (Alchemicals... I guess would get a bunch of Variable Traits?)

[Lord Raziere]

Thanks :smallredface:

I took a stab at Lunars and Sidereals, but I don't know what the different schticks of their castes are so couldn't include that. Really don't know about Infernals and Abyssals; if someone could give me a quick overview of their mechanically unique schticks, I could take a stab at them too. (Alchemicals... I guess would get a bunch of Variable Traits?)

you asking something a bit complicated.

Lunars is as easy saying that they have Warrior, Trickster and Witch castes and a fourth casteless state focused on shapeshifting and self-discovery. and that Luanrs are generalists to the Solar specialists, and the Lunar equivalent to Supernals is shapeshifting, but only into humans and animals.

but Sidereals has always been the hardest Exalt to figure out, while Abyssals and Infernals are undergoing overhauls when the devs get around to them. we don't know what they will mechanically look like when we get to them. the devs comments I've read say that the Sidereal equivalent to Supernals is Sidereal Martial Arts.

you can draw upon 2e versions, but 2e Abyssals are basically dark Solars to the point of literally telling you to look up the mechanics of an Abyssal charm by reading a Solar charm.

while Infernal charms are very thematic and focused on a specific yozi in question. and single Yozi can encompass a lot of things despite their narrow purviews. but generally, Yozis seem to be spiritual primordial cthulhu interpretations of real world physical laws: Malfeas is nuclear radiation and stars, Cecylene is the vastness and void of space, She Who Lives in Her Name is gravity, orbits and general order of physics, Adorjan is....I think Solar Winds? but also unexpected cataclysms or something? while Ebon Dragon (the real one not 2e snidely whiplash) is a dragon who is in love with peoples doom, so, entropy and murphy's law. and thats just a few of the Yozis that got charm sets at all, the others who didn't like Isidiros who is a black hole, Oramus who is quantum uncertainty, Metagaos who are those weird quarks that make everything into them when you touch them, and Cytherea who is the big bang, and so on just got plain screwed out of it when 3e is promising to include all the Yozis, go figure. but yeah, Infernal charmset is basically all about drawing upon the underlying physical laws of the world filtered through a weird demonic cthulhu lens. and even these summaries are vast over simplifications of the Yozi in question.

[Recaiden]

Thanks :smallredface:

I took a stab at Lunars and Sidereals, but I don't know what the different schticks of their castes are so couldn't include that. Really don't know about Infernals and Abyssals; if someone could give me a quick overview of their mechanically unique schticks, I could take a stab at them too. (Alchemicals... I guess would get a bunch of Variable Traits?)

Lunars:
Full Moon: Agility, Physique, Dexterity. Their thing is just being fast and strong and tough.
Changing Moon: Manipulation, Presence, Awareness. Social, they got better disguises
New Moon: Intellect, Will, Wits. Mental Caste, they had darkness and sorcery anima effects.

Sidereals:
I would say give them just 2 favored abilities.
Their anima effects all have to do with helping a whole group. Maybe Sidereals as a whole can multiple-Aid without penalty.
Fake identities was a big Sidereal thing, and mechanically, Weird Dice Tricks (compared to the straightfoward more dice/more successes that other types got)
Mercury (Journeys): Speed, Physique. Their thing is going fast.
Venus (Serenity): Presence, Manipulation. Their thing is showing off.
Mars (Battle): Agility, Dexterity. Their thing is physical defense.
Jupiter (Secrets): Awareness, Intellect. Their thing is mental defense.
Saturn (Endings): Will, Wits. Their thing is death/offense.

Alchemicals wouldn't necessarily need Variable Traits. I would say let them reassign more during Milestones, and maybe 1xp of mid-session reassign?

Abyssals don't really have any unique mechanics that Solars don't have.

Infernals have the thing where their Excellencies weren't tied to abilities but to themes like 'taking people by surprise', 'obeying the letter of the law'.
And of course transforming into a weird demonic super-mode.

[Accelerator]

Huh. Idea. A spell that lets you beat on a drum, slowly synchronising everyone's heartbeat to it. After the casting, everyone moves in sync, with perfect timing. Cooperation bonuses, and increased stats whenever they are working together.

Casting using long ticks lets you cast it over the armies, granting the army elite drill, an extra point of might, and an extra size.

[Milo v3]

Caste Attributes for lunars are:
Full Moon: Dexterity, Stamina, Strength
Changing Moon: Appearance, Charisma, Manipulation
No Moon: Intelligence, Perception, Wits


Full Moons unique powers are getting bonuses to things like feats of strength, movement, and soaking damage, is harder to intimidate or incite fear in, and 1/day being able to go "instead of losing all of that edge I gained in combat with this attack, I'll keep a small amount".

Changing Moons unique powers are making it so people let them talk and don't interrupt/ignore them, gaining a bonus on disguise/stealth rolls while at dim-anima, and 1/day can make it so when they're influencing someone they can't use the fact they distrust/hate/fear/etc. the lunar to make that influence harder.

No Moons unique powers can make them harder to see, can sense nearby places of power, and 1/day they can convert their bonfire level anima into sorcery motes/willpower/excellency on a mental attribute roll.

Casteless unique powers reduce the cost of shapeshifting into human forms while at dim-anima, reduce the cost of shapeshifting into animals while at bonfire-anima, and 1/day can use one of the castes's 1/day abilities. Can't use a caste's ability more than once until they've used all three and then they refresh.

[Andreaz]

Huh. Idea. A spell that lets you beat on a drum, slowly synchronising everyone's heartbeat to it. After the casting, everyone moves in sync, with perfect timing. Cooperation bonuses, and increased stats whenever they are working together.

Casting using long ticks lets you cast it over the armies, granting the army elite drill, an extra point of might, and an extra size.

Long Ticks are not a thing anymore. This seems just like a normal spell. I'd give it drill and size, but not might, at terrestrial level. Maybe at the cost of needing to be sustained? Size is a big deal after all. Though this is more or less what a starter solar War charm gives... hmm..

Strong Rout protection would fit too.

[Accelerator]

Long Ticks are not a thing anymore. This seems just like a normal spell. I'd give it drill and size, but not might, at terrestrial level. Maybe at the cost of needing to be sustained? Size is a big deal after all. Though this is more or less what a starter solar War charm gives... hmm..

Strong Rout protection would fit too.

Aw come on. Maybe might 1? They are touched by sorcery...

[Morty]

The new Lunar preview has examples of what was talked about way back before the corebook was released, namely Essence 6 powers. As was promised, they're not new and powerful Charms, but rather personal spins on existing ones.

[Rater202]

So, for the preview people, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being 2e Lunars and 10 being Devil-Tigers, how cool and useful are Lunar powers in this addition?

I'm particularly interested in the Chimera stuff and the stuff about "enhancing the spirit shape" that'd been previously alluded to. If that stuff's in, is it... viable. when I first learned about 3E chimera, I dreamed of starting with a smole carp totem and becoming a dragon by taking the heartsblood of horse, a snake, a stag, a camel, a crocodile, a camel, a clam, an eagle, a tiger, a cow, a tortoise(all various creatures that chinese dragons are said to have the parts of) and then climb to the top of a waterfall to meditate with it's God to merge those creatures with my Totem.

[Lord Raziere]

So, for the preview people, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being 2e Lunars and 10 being Devil-Tigers, how cool and useful are Lunar powers in this addition?

I'm particularly interested in the Chimera stuff and the stuff about "enhancing the spirit shape" that'd been previously alluded to. If that stuff's in, is it... viable. when I first learned about 3E chimera, I dreamed of starting with a smole carp totem and becoming a dragon by taking the heartsblood of horse, a snake, a stag, a camel, a crocodile, a camel, a clam, an eagle, a tiger, a cow, a tortoise(all various creatures that chinese dragons are said to have the parts of) and then climb to the top of a waterfall to meditate with it's God to merge those creatures with my Totem.

You get only two spirit shapes to combine and hybridize up to 12 mutation dots. so that specific dream will have to be very limited or slightly homebrewed.

but other than that, its awesome. But I wouldn't really rate it on that linear scale though. Full Moons get a bunch of stuff to be great warriors, berserkers and to survive in harsh environments. Changing Moons have their Pretty Kitty build supercharged with ways to exploit their love and fear intimacies in Appearance like a noir femme fatale, with Manipulation being trickster and culture defying stuff central, and no moons are witchy ritualistic stuff and things like eating gods to get their powers kirby style or transform other people into animal hybrids- or even turn gods into animals as a punishment. you can even with a wits charm create a hearthstone from your own soul and insert it into yourself like a SU Gem.

so I'd say 9, myself? you still get to express your individuality a lot and defy culture and be awesome monster thing, but your probably never getting Devil Tiger level stuff.

[Rater202]

...Do Lunars get familiar support charms?

[Lord Raziere]

...Do Lunars get familiar support charms?

Yes

like a charisma charm that can summon beasts you possess hearts blood of, a charisma charm to get a familiar by forming a bond with a nearby animal, oh and Wits charms for a lot of things including teaching your pet sorcery.

yes your pet dog can fire death of obsidian butterflies.

[Rater202]

Yes

like a charisma charm that can summon beasts you possess hearts blood of, a charisma charm to get a familiar by forming a bond with a nearby animal, oh and Wits charms for a lot of things including teaching your pet sorcery.

yes your pet dog can fire death of obsidian butterflies.

That is infinitely better than the Solar and Dragonblooded versions.

[Lord Raziere]

That is infinitely better than the Solar and Dragonblooded versions.

Ok but be warned: the sorcery one is at Essence 5. and you don't get supernals. but charms for summoning heartsblood animals to you and forming a bond is E1.

[Grod_The_Giant]

yes your pet dog can fire death of obsidian butterflies.
...
https://sayingimages.com/wp-content/uploads/oh-god-i-need-it-i-need-it-meme.jpg

[Accelerator]

Long Ticks are not a thing anymore. This seems just like a normal spell. I'd give it drill and size, but not might, at terrestrial level. Maybe at the cost of needing to be sustained? Size is a big deal after all. Though this is more or less what a starter solar War charm gives... hmm..

Strong Rout protection would fit too.

Ok then. How about this:

Adds to size (adds equivalent to the sorcerer's Occult score)
Adds to drill (transforms into elite)

I'm kinda stuck on what else. I think I should have an effect that allows you to choose to boost either attack or defense.

Alternatively, there's the 2e wood dragon claw. Get a pool of points. You can devote those points to whatever you want. And now its set for the battle.

[Andreaz]

Ok then. How about this:

Adds to size (adds equivalent to the sorcerer's Occult score)
Adds to drill (transforms into elite)

I'm kinda stuck on what else. I think I should have an effect that allows you to choose to boost either attack or defense.

Alternatively, there's the 2e wood dragon claw. Get a pool of points. You can devote those points to whatever you want. And now its set for the battle.

Size caps at 5. Adding ONE size is more than enough.

I'd keep things simple in execution. +1 size, +1 drill, automatic success at any rout check. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe add occult/2 dice to the commander's command action. Demands sustained Shaping actions.

[Andreaz]

Another alternative to the command buff is a slow "heal", like [essence] magnitude per round.

[Accelerator]

Another alternative to the command buff is a slow "heal", like [essence] magnitude per round.
Magnitude? Isn't that number of men? How would that work?

[Andreaz]

Magnitude loss isn't strictly loss of soldiers' lives. Most of it relates to broken ranks, and can be recovered with a rally for numbers action.

[Accelerator]

Magnitude loss isn't strictly loss of soldiers' lives. Most of it relates to broken ranks, and can be recovered with a rally for numbers action.

Huh. But that's not exactly what I'm thinking of...

Is perfect morale too overpowered, in the context of 3e?

New idea:

Sickness as weapons

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TZAc5xuCsj4/VqnXjd0JoDI/AAAAAAAAKKo/VNnUyhVdPCY/s1600-Ic42/RCO009.jpg

The sorcerer finds an example of a sickness. Maybe its herbs that cure it. Maybe an ill patient. Maybe a culture of the bacteria. He casts the spell (Ritual). From that point onwards, he has control over it, manifesting as a black mist that moves around like a snake. The mist can spread outwards, and contact with it infects anyone it touches with the disease itself. Skip the minor symptoms, and go straight to major symptoms, along with a penalty due to the illness. The illness should also be mystically empowered, cutting down the Interval, but with reduced virulence. Alternatively, the sorcerer can draw out more and more examples of this disease from other patients, allowing him to add extra power to the black mist or cure people.

[Andreaz]

Huh. But that's not exactly what I'm thinking of... It's how the game models it though.

The only standard scenario where every magnitude lost means lost soldiers (and thus can't be recovered with Rally for Numbers) is when the troops have perfect morale. You'd think that gives them a defensive buff to compensate, but it doesn't.

Perfect Morale is great to avoid Routs without having to spend actions to rally them into not routing. This usually happens against bigass scary things and when the BG's magnitude is zeroed (a successful rout or rally means it reforms with 1 less size but otherwise full magnitude)

[Morty]

Perfect Morale is the domain of War Charms, at Essence 2 for Solars and Essence 3 for Dragon-Blooded and Lunars (though they're Charisma Charms for the latter). I'd be wary of letting a spell give it to a battle group.

[Accelerator]

Perfect Morale is the domain of War Charms, at Essence 2 for Solars and Essence 3 for Dragon-Blooded and Lunars (though they're Charisma Charms for the latter). I'd be wary of letting a spell give it to a battle group.
Fine then.

I'll take the other one.

Now, on the other thing... what if I casted it for small groups? Because I just searched 3e, and there doesn't seem to be any systems for teamwork or cooperation. Maybe extra bonus dice the more people are gathered? No surprise, as long as one person can see the attack?

[Arbane]

On the offchance this hasn't already been posted:

Exalted Vs. The World of Darkness (https://www.patreon.com/posts/23661124) - a fangame by Holden Shearer.


An excellent resource for anybody who ever wanted to tapdance on Talley/Vykos/Hardestat/Voormas' stupid face.


Elysium. All the best-dressed monsters in the city have gathered to see and be seen. There’s a commotion outside the doors, and conversations stall as immortals tilt their heads and listen. The door opens and an unconscious ghoul falls through it. A wave of alarm ripples through the room, followed by anger and hunger.

The figure in the doorway is human, you see. Mortal. Some of them can smell the sweat on his skin, hear his heart pounding in his chest. It’s just a kid, 18, 20 tops, skinny, with a wild mop of carroty hair, standing there backlit by a street light. He’s got a gym bag. The room’s silent enough to hear a pin drop, certainly quiet enough that everyone hears him swallow and unzip the bag. Half of them could be across the room in a heartbeat to end this, but eternity’s a long time and there are, eventually, so few surprises.

He pulls off his shirt, revealing nothing very impressive, and then brings two objects out of the gym bag. The first is the saddest, ****tiest mall katana you could ever imagine. The second is a rubber horse-head mask, which he pulls on before stepping out into the gallery light.

The first vampire is just starting to laugh when the icon of a blazing sun erupts, shining gold through the rubber mask, and then the killing starts.

(Should I crosspost this to the WoD thread?)

[Lord Raziere]

I like that the Exalted Vs. WoD is there but I don't see playing it myself, to be honest. cuts out too much of what I like about Exalted- such as daiklaves and the cool esoteric martial arts- sure its silly and awesome but it comes at the cost of the things that would really make it worth it. its a solid "okay" in my book.

[Morty]

This whole thing just rubs me in the wrong way, so I haven't paid any real attention to it.

[Doran]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.

[Rater202]

I like that the Exalted Vs. WoD is there but I don't see playing it myself, to be honest. cuts out too much of what I like about Exalted- such as daiklaves and the cool esoteric martial arts- sure its silly and awesome but it comes at the cost of the things that would really make it worth it. its a solid "okay" in my book.

I mean, it points out that Exalts can use the "magic item" backgrounds of various supernaturals and Werewolves have daiklaves.

My opinion, having read the entire document: I want to play a game of this as a little-girl Abyssal hanging out with vampires that everyone things is an Elder/Low Gen Malkavian becuase her effective generation is too low for most people to use Dominate on and she's got the knowledge from the Whispers(Not sure if want Creepy-Cute or just Creepy.)

Beyond that, it works as a decent enough chassis if nothing else.

[Andreaz]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.

You could describe it as, say, a cinematic action game about grandiose heroes and their legendary shenanigans in a world that's been taught to hate them for millenia. And "action" extends far beyond kung fu and parkour. It includes things like heated debates, talking the king into betraying his own family and kingdom, managing a caravan, planning an ocean's 11 style heist, investigating/preventing such heist, exploring the world, turning an entire city into a raging, zealous mob with your music, teaching a tiny village to defend itself against mutated barbarians in mere days...

[lightningcat]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.

Make sure that they understand that that while the world is stacked against them, they get to break the status quo. That is the primary part of the game. You get phenomenal cosmic power, and you get to use it. Exalted is not about saving the world, it is about rebuilding it.

While the character do not need to be "evil," standard Exalted has more in common with playing a super villain game than a super hero game. The characters should be proactive instead of reactive.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.
"You were awesome. Then you Exalted and became a demigod, making you stupid awesome. The world is big and scary with a lot of pulp fantasy and Chinese mythological influence, but you and your buddies have the power to remake it while kicking the crap out anyone in your way."

(I wouldn't pitch it to new players, though, not unless you're going to start really slow with pure mortals and gradually build complexity. Even 3e is a monster to get your head around)

[Doran]

Interesting, I could try running a few more oneshots and garner interest that way.

It's a good point how new players maybe intimidated by the complex rules of 3e.

Any ideas on how to convert DND 5E players specifically - there are a LOT of them in my local area.

[Milo v3]

3e does have a sample adventure to help with new players. The Tomb of Dreams Jumpstart.

[Izzyboshi]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.



Might I recommend for inspiration :


https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Exalted

Honestly Exalted is a bit of a beast to explain. I've gone with : "You play as an avatar of the Gods. People generally want to kill you because of the fantastic power you wield and the fact that your character by design is just a little bit crazy. Do you like ghost stories, Kung Fu movies, Studio Ghibli movies, folktales or giant ass robots? Man do I have the BEST system for you...

[Kobold-Bard]

Do they like WoD?

Exalted can be their epic pre-history where stuff was just plain crazy before the world learned what moderation was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdWKXvlt0do

[Lord Raziere]

hey good news.

final Dragon-Blooded download is out for those who backed, and the actual Dragon-blooded pdf is on sale on drivethrurpg.

we can now officially say we have two fully released third edition Exalts!

which means I no longer consider not having the DB book an excuse STs. I wants me to play some Dragon-Blooded at some point. :smalltongue:

[Morty]

Building Ornn from League of Legends turned out to be surprisingly fun and doable with Lunars. With Strength, Stamina, Wits and Intelligence, he could be either a Full Moon or a No Moon. It also does feel good to build a character with high strength and stamina but low dexterity who's actually effective.

[Vhaidara]

Does anyone have any advice for recruiting players to Exalted for a real-life game?

How to sell the setting and get people hooked - from experienced RPGers to people brand-new to role-playing?

I've run the introductory campaign before as a one shot, but didn't get much interest in a followup.

I actually got a bunch of my 4e group interested recently by running an Epic level 4e module style game where you did a smash and grab jailbreak freeing a liminal from Thorns. They got to fight a Nephwrack, a nearly complete Abyssal circle, and came face to face with The Mask of Winters. Since their employer was also an Abyssal (the missing member of the aforementioned circle) they were paid not in gold, but in items, several of which were made of Soulsteel, which the liminal they rescued was able to explain (resulting in some of them deciding "I cannot use this, this is evil").

Basically, I got them interested in the world by bringing the world into another system. And now I've also got an intro to Exalted game going on (and get to play my 4e adaptation of a liminal)

As a note, if your players have a system they like, this can be really effective in general. I've also done it for Sentinels of the Multiverse and a digital card game called Eternal.

[Doran]

Running a oneshot as a DND5E epic game is a great idea - rather than introducing them to the mechanics and story all at once.

[Andreaz]

You do what works, bro. I advise against it because the system itself has an appeal d&d never will, just like d&d has an appeal exalted will never have.

Exalted's system rewards style on top of decent optimization, and has a far greater native potential to become truly cinematographic. It feels very different.

It's also an easier system than d&d.

[Doran]

I was thinking running the oneshot as 5E, then moving onto Exalted 3E for a full campaign, might be an easier two-step process.

[Vhaidara]

Exalted's system rewards style on top of decent optimization, and has a far greater native potential to become truly cinematographic. It feels very different.

Given that I've implemented stunting rules in my 4e games, and often include cinematic combats combining aspects of fighting and skill challenges, it doesn't have to be a huge leap


It's also an easier system than d&d.

Besides being 100% subjective, it's also irrelevant when the group in question is already familiar with the system being used in place of exalted for the introduction.

[Grod_The_Giant]

It's also an easier system than d&d.
Hahahahahahahahaha <gasp> hahahaha. That's funny.

I enjoyed the hell out of Exalted 3e and would love to play it more, but it's way worse than D&D, especially 5e. The basic mechanics are certainly no simpler, Decisive-vs-Withering attacks is a step or two beyond "roll to hit, roll damage," and ranges are way less intuitive than a grid. Then you add the fact that each Exalt knows-- at a minimum-- fifteen "spells." Only Charms are worse than spells, because they often get used alongside normal actions as opposed to being an action in and of themselves, and can be combined, and (in your specialty) have similar-but-not-quite-overlapping effects...

My Essence 1 Dawn Caste character was complicated enough I had to make a flowchart to keep track of what I could do when during a fight, and I'm the kind of rules nerd who spends his time arguing on gaming forums and writing homebrew systems. I've built more complicated characters in D&D 3.5, but I had to try*-- you always had the option of just rolling a Barbarian or Rogue and getting on with your day.



(*I got this close to playing a Changeling Totemist/Incarnate/Chameleon who could essentially be a completely different character every morning before the DM hit the brakes)

[Andreaz]

Hahahahahahahahaha <gasp> hahahaha. That's funny. I have taught and narrated RPGs monthly for third parties, largely newbies, for nearly 20 years now. They grasped 3e's core functionality far, far easier than d&ds, even 4 and 5, the simpler ones.


Laugh as you will, I have half a decade of evidence teaching 3e alone, back with the manuscripts in 2015.

[Rater202]

I noticed that this was left out before: Holden Shearer also did a companion to exalted versus Wod (https://www.patreon.com/posts/exalted-vs-world-24706220)

It's just under 100 pages: It's half optional rules, charms, and errata(miss exalted magic items? Well, they're still gone but now there are rules for making WoD magic items yourself) and Half Holden figuring out how to do Alchemicals and Infernals in ways that felt appropriate to the WoD setting.

Notably, Infernals were buried Deep under the thousand Hells and tens of thousands of years of exposure to the Yomi Kings and various Sinners has made each one a Caste of One with the influences of those Hells combining with rthat of a specific Yozi making something that's recognizable as a Green Sun Prince but has a flavor keyed into the Kindred of the East.

Alchemicals are "in this AU The Computer in Autocthonia is just Autochthon screwing with the people who woke him up, he was playig a Long Con but then sensed the Exalted returning, panicked, and cannibalized both his own resources--including souls that once bore Exaltations--and Technocracy Reosources to craft a Dozen or So Exaltations." They're based on Alchemicals from the "Modern" Shard in Exalted 2e and the default assuption is that you just kind of found one's physical vessel and now you're a cyborg on the run from the Men in Black(Technocracy)

[Gensh]

So! I'm not dead, apparently!

I've been requested to write a revision of Creation for people who wanted to keep the high-octane insanity of the setting in 2E. Exalted Pathfinder, if you will. No mechanics, though; just the setting and metaphysics.

What sort of things would be on you folks' wishlists for a return to 2E's ultra-magitech, reality-bending Creation? What sorts of things have you seen in 3E that you feel would transfer back well? I couldn't make it through the corebook, so I'm not familiar with how everything's ended up.

Mind, I'm starting with really basic things, like how the Usurpation is impossible in 2E.

[Lord Raziere]

So! I'm not dead, apparently!

I've been requested to write a revision of Creation for people who wanted to keep the high-octane insanity of the setting in 2E. Exalted Pathfinder, if you will. No mechanics, though; just the setting and metaphysics.

What sort of things would be on you folks' wishlists for a return to 2E's ultra-magitech, reality-bending Creation? What sorts of things have you seen in 3E that you feel would transfer back well? I couldn't make it through the corebook, so I'm not familiar with how everything's ended up.

Mind, I'm starting with really basic things, like how the Usurpation is impossible in 2E.

Hm.

the magitech, I'm all for. Usurpation being impossible I'm not so sure I want. Usurpation happening is kind of the pivot around most of the setting turns. your going to have to explain to me how you have a good playable setting without it.

as for wishlist of things I'd want....
-the essence cannon/handguns/fiery solar cannon
-the airships and other cool vehicles being there would be great
-the fivefold harmonic adapter could be helpful with Evocations, having Evocations fomr 3e would be great.
-power armor definitely
-warstriders are still a thing but I'm listing them anyways? perhaps more varied warstriders than singular super robots, which is how 3e is doing them?
-oh tiny gods! 3e threw those out, but tiny gods is so 2e, and if there is anywhere tiny gods should be embraced its something like this.
-I know some people had fun with the fair folk oneiromancy stuff, so perhaps that in some manner, maybe in some way more understandable?

I'm going to re-download the first age stuff, I'll have to recheck if I really want stuff from there, my memory of whats in there is not much aside from kilomote and that.....protoshinmaic vortex. which I might want or not depending on how well executed they are? do we want those? hm.

looked at it some: definitely NOT the hand of the great maker. Protoshinmaic Vortices yes, Hands of the Great Maker no. Solars can already alter reality enough with their own charms in 3e Lore trees and Sorcery.

I'd definitely keep the 3e sorcery initiation system so as to make sorcery more interesting. because even with magitech, one source of sorcery is boring.

I know some people like the enlightened mortal thing, and 3e threw that out, so some ability to teach mortals how to supernatural kung fu would probably be cool. oh! perhaps more spotlight given to those servant races the Solars designed like the Minikin or other altered race stuff?

stuff from Gunstar Autochthonia and other Shard s f the Exalted dream stuff is all good.

would I want more Dragon Kings and Mountain Folk having some more relevance? they seem cool with their own tech and stuff that are often overlooked.

2e thaumaturgy would be good to return, because I'm honestly disappointed with 3e thaumaturgy. its just bad, and I've never once used it nor do I see me ever using it, but 2e thaumaturgy looks like a logical magical art you can see someone using before they learned sorcery, and even an Exalt using when they need to after they are a sorcerer to keep a low profile or to use minimal amount of energy to solve a problem rather than just fixing it with the sorcery hammer. like bring 2e thaumaturgy back so that it feels logical for an occultist to make the transition from being a normal guy, to being a thaumaturge to get their feet wet, then becoming a sorcerer. because 2e thaumaturgy just gives that a so much better natural progression.

I'm not sure how much of the necrotech and weird yozi artifacts are going to return, but I'm going to add them in as things I'd like to have in my Exalted 2e heartbreaker anyways on the assumption that they won't. also the biotech, biotech stuff is cool.

I would not mind the new Exalts from 3e or ones much like them appearing. I would in fact love to see what magitech spin would make of them, and I personally would not see how they'd conflict with such a setting.

can't think of anything else right now.

[Gensh]

the magitech, I'm all for. Usurpation being impossible I'm not so sure I want. Usurpation happening is kind of the pivot around most of the setting turns. your going to have to explain to me how you have a good playable setting without it.

Ah, sorry! I meant how the Usurpation doesn't make sense with the way the Exalt types worked in 2E's power levels. Setting aside the mechanics, the Solars were just too _conceptually_ powerful. But that was part of the fun, so I can't just tone them down. I have to figure out a way to rewrite the Usurpation.


-the essence cannon/handguns/fiery solar cannon
-the airships and other cool vehicles being there would be great
-the fivefold harmonic adapter could be helpful with Evocations, having Evocations fomr 3e would be great.
-power armor definitely
-warstriders are still a thing but I'm listing them anyways? perhaps more varied warstriders than singular super robots, which is how 3e is doing them?
-oh tiny gods! 3e threw those out, but tiny gods is so 2e, and if there is anywhere tiny gods should be embraced its something like this.
-I know some people had fun with the fair folk oneiromancy stuff, so perhaps that in some manner, maybe in some way more understandable?

I'm definitely going to be handling the tech better in general. Since 2E grew unrestrained over such a long period, the tech levels aren't internally or even thematically consistent. I'm definitely going to expand on the uses of small gods in tech as well. I intend to go with a sort of 40k machine spirit vibe, based on that Solar revolver whose bullets have individual gods.


Protoshinmaic Vortices

They'll exist, but not in the same context. The worlding of the words is AMARANTH.


I'd definitely keep the 3e sorcery initiation system so as to make sorcery more interesting.

Mm. I'll look into it.


I know some people like the enlightened mortal thing, and 3e threw that out, so some ability to teach mortals how to supernatural kung fu would probably be cool. oh! perhaps more spotlight given to those servant races the Solars designed like the Minikin or other altered race stuff?

would I want more Dragon Kings and Mountain Folk having some more relevance? they seem cool with their own tech and stuff that are often overlooked.

Variant humans and servant races don't really do anything for the setting. I'm not going to explicitly remove them, but I'll probably ignore them unless I have a really great idea. They'll at least get mentioned in the First Age content because I really like writing Bright Shattered Ice.

Enlightened mortals will still exist, but it'll be less of a defining line for a mortal's worth. Tiger Warriors are going to exist and be somewhat prominent, but they'll be much more restricted.

I haven't decided what I want to do with the Dragon Kings because they've got a really awkward part in the story.

The Jadeborn are actually going to be an early focal point for the campaign I intend to run to test the setting changes. They'll be going back in time a little bit, so to speak. I'm intending a very Noldor feel for them.

The Lintha provide a very interesting opportunity, but I'm going to explore that later, when I get to more general Infernals content. The "sample" Yozi interactions are going to be with Cecelyne since she's the literal barrier to entry.


2e thaumaturgy would be good to return, because I'm honestly disappointed with 3e thaumaturgy. its just bad, and I've never once used it nor do I see me ever using it, but 2e thaumaturgy looks like a logical magical art you can see someone using before they learned sorcery, and even an Exalt using when they need to after they are a sorcerer to keep a low profile or to use minimal amount of energy to solve a problem rather than just fixing it with the sorcery hammer. like bring 2e thaumaturgy back so that it feels logical for an occultist to make the transition from being a normal guy, to being a thaumaturge to get their feet wet, then becoming a sorcerer. because 2e thaumaturgy just gives that a so much better natural progression.

I'm not sure how much of the necrotech and weird yozi artifacts are going to return, but I'm going to add them in as things I'd like to have in my Exalted 2e heartbreaker anyways on the assumption that they won't. also the biotech, biotech stuff is cool.

I'm going to spin up everything with a pretty subtle progression, yeah. Especially for necro- and hellish variants of tech and magic. A slow and subtle corruption is always more tragic.


I would not mind the new Exalts from 3e or ones much like them appearing. I would in fact love to see what magitech spin would make of them, and I personally would not see how they'd conflict with such a setting.

I complained about the newer Exalt types originally, from a developmental/clutter perspective. How many years is it going to be? Since I'm being pretty loose here, I don't see any reason why I couldn't include even more. Nocturnals? Sure. I couldn't get through the Manual, but if a player can explain it, why not? Astral Exalted? I don't know if we need even more stars, but fine, you can be the sole survivor. Even contradicting the established setting is not necessarily a bad thing since it allows for more metaphysical play in Creation. And I can blame it all on the Well of Udr anyway.

[Recaiden]

So! I'm not dead, apparently!

I've been requested to write a revision of Creation for people who wanted to keep the high-octane insanity of the setting in 2E. Exalted Pathfinder, if you will. No mechanics, though; just the setting and metaphysics.

What sort of things would be on you folks' wishlists for a return to 2E's ultra-magitech, reality-bending Creation? What sorts of things have you seen in 3E that you feel would transfer back well? I couldn't make it through the corebook, so I'm not familiar with how everything's ended up.

Mind, I'm starting with really basic things, like how the Usurpation is impossible in 2E.

Good 3E things:
Multiple sources of sorcery with their own little differences.
Each martial art being learnable by everyone, just even stronger in the hands of stronger exalted.
Artifacts with their own charm trees unique powers and forging a bond between Artifact and wielder.
Exigent Exalted.

Things to bring back from 2E:
Yozis being big and horrible and containing people without being people.
The outrageous nonsense of everything in the wyld being imaginary or made of Raksha.
Resonance making Abyssals have a very hard time.
Ancient ruins in exotic locales.
"mysterious geodesic aerial fortresses that spill forth a surprise invasion of impossibly fast pyramid-shaped skyships"

Things to avoid:
Big setting-warping characters whose shadow falls across any campaign. Looking at you, Deathlords, Bull of the North.

[emeraldstreak]

Mind, I'm starting with really basic things, like how the Usurpation is impossible in 2E.

The Usurpation is not entirely impossible in 2E (http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted/1137343-how-was-the-usurpation-successful?p=1139497#post1139497)

[Gensh]

Artifacts with their own charm trees unique powers and forging a bond between Artifact and wielder.

I've never had a good experience with spellcasting weapons. Do you have a particular example you like?


Yozis being big and horrible and containing people without being people.

In a sense, they were always people, but they were much more vaguely described. I intend on building off my Mystery Cults (http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted/914-remember-you-are-man-the-project-formerly-known-as-pr-i-mean-books-of-the-damned?p=921#post921) content. For a simple example, Elder Scrolls 4 ended with Akatosh saving the day. Elder Scrolls 5 features Alduin trying to destroy the world. Alduin is Akatosh -- a different interpretation of the same spirit and so manifesting as an entirely contradictory material person.


Big setting-warping characters whose shadow falls across any campaign. Looking at you, Deathlords, Bull of the North.

I've actually never had the Elminster/elders problem. I've had far more of a problem with players changing their minds or not being able to decide on an action. I'm looking into ways to provide structure without adding rails. As far as powerful NPCs, it's more likely that my players will try to recruit a Deathlord. And it technically worked once, but no one cares about Princess Magnificent. Which is another problem. It doesn't matter what kind of drama you build or impressive speech you write for the Mask of Winters when he's interrupted with a "Shut up, Larquen!"


The Usurpation is not entirely impossible in 2E (http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted/1137343-how-was-the-usurpation-successful?p=1139497#post1139497)

Fair, and that's even a very Sidereal narrative. The problem is that the Solars have so much more narrative mass that players don't really care. Of course, rather than nerfing Solars, I just have to make Sids and DBs cool enough that players believe they could win. So far, I've been informed that involves a lot of power armor, but I'm going to consider other options.

[Morty]

Just so everyone knows, the Realm book is out for backers and should be available for purchase before too long.

[Lord Raziere]

Heheheheh....



Empress be trolling:
Ragara: heheh, I'm just going to kill off all my siblings to become emperor
Empress: Ragara! my surviving son, how great of you to still exist, here have a brother, his name is Sesus, I have this problem where my progeny keeps dying for some reason! I cannot possibly figure out who it might be, but clearly future heirs must be protected at all costs and taught to protect themselves better, given your knack for surviving while all others have died, your clearly the perfect person to protect and teach your newest member of the family. I'm sure you will do your best to keep him secure from whatever threat is menacing us, But I will hold you personally responsible if anything happens to him, what empress would I be if I didn't hold people responsible for things?
Ragara:....understood mother.

Empress: I'm going to named a heir after my first millennium of reign!
DBs: then your going to step down right?
*Empress just smiles*
DBs: Right?
*Empress Smiles wider*
DBs: Right!?
*Empress cackles evilly*
DBs: Dragons dammit!

They agreed that the Empress truly abdicated after seven years pass. This was 764. present day is 768. Only three years left before the Realm erupts like a volcano.

A Conversation that Realm people probably seriously had at one point:
Dynast: "Alright, lets make these dispossessed useful and enslave them, might as well get some money out of them."
Immaculate monks: "You can't enslave the dispossessed, that is uplifting them beyond their station!"
Dispossessed: "We just want to be useful and get some food and shelter!"
Monks: "shut up, you don't have rights!"
Disposessed: "rights? what are that? can you eat it? cause it don't matter, cause we want food."
Dynast: "join and work for me, and I'll pay you in food! I can't say you'll be uplifted to the prestigious status of slavery and thus get protection as being one of my property, but you'll get food!"
Dispossessed: ballin'.
Monks:.....you win this round, tyrannical dynast.

*snicker* I'm sorry, TFS ruined "Thunderhead" for me. I see it in the text and all I can think of, is a patrician or dragon-blooded version of abridged Cloud crossdressing to be accepted in female dominated realm referring to himself as that in disguise.

19 year old patrician: oh god I only have one year to prove I can Exalt then I'm a failure forever. whelp. time to pull off something stupid or die trying!
*Succeeds, Exalts as Solar*
New Anathema: DAMMIT! I wish I had died!

...now I can imagine a Dynast speaking to their friends and they ask:
"what do you do these days?"
and they answer "general meddling."
and they're all like "ah yes, I do a spot of general meddling as well, but I'm more of a war tourism person myself."
"ah yes indeed, but I'm partial to scheming and adventuring."
just job description: general meddling.

On Art:
Monk: ok here is how we detect art heresy. if its not approved dragon, burn it. if it is dragon, worship it, got it?
Other Monk: but most art is abstract or incredibly stylized and people keep saying their art is a metaphor for the dragons
Monk: just burn it anyways
Other monk: but we can't possibly enforce against the heresy of all the people with nude Empress artwork
Monk:.....damn, your right. just say that they're metaphorically depicting Hesieh and move on.

Geomancer con man Dynast succeeds by not knowing what he is doing:
Peasant: so your SURE that this will harmonize our geomancy
con man: yeah, fives, and pentagrams all the way down. entire town, pentagram, your house, pentagram, just always build in fives and your fine. when in doubt, use the five.
Peasant: sounds mystically plausible to me, take my money
Con man: works every time.
*later, real geomancer comes by*
Geomancer: wow, he built in fives all the way down, this man must be a genius

pancakes? wow, I guess this means pancakes are older than I thought, but the thought of people in the Realm eating pancakes is just funny to me and now I'm imagining a Twilight opening Creation's version of IHOP.

Peasant and Patrician Dinners: Happiness
Dynast Dinners: Oh no My parents are back

every city on the blessed isle has one or more temples to the immaculate dragons. because one, apparently isn't enough, they need to praise them twice as much to show that they care more than those other cities that only have one, they're only doing the minimal amount of praising.

aw yeah, folklore and superstition when magic actually exists, lets go. HAHAHAHAHA! MY EARLIER ABOUT FIVES WAS RIGHT ON THE NOSE! FIIIIIIVES! even more reason why just building things in five just works! AND YES! CHANGELING TALES OF MOUNTAIN FOLK! SICKNESSES ATTRIBUTED TO INVISIBLE THINGS! THEY THINK EPILEPSY IS A CURSE BY GODS! this makes me so happy.

YES! I was right! sorcerers do enter the immaculate order to wield sorcerous power!

wait there are just charlatans claiming to have magical powers everywhere? huh, guess that makes sense and makes Anathema a little harder to find. I can just imagine a charlatan claiming to have magical powers to curse a hated foe, the black helms coming to drag them away while the real Twilight Caste is right over there struggling not to burst out and correct people on their ignorance in fury.

The Imperial Force: only force in the Realm specifically empowered to detain and bring in Exalted, still has to grovel and give extravagant apologies. "Sincerest apologies my most esteemed prisoner..."

Trained beggars? excuse me? now I imagine criminal beggar lessons: "appearance is everything for begging, first you have to look as sad and pitiable as possible, really tug on the heartstrings..."

....an exigent of a hot springs god is a killer? don't go to the hot springs on the Blessed Isle, got it.

yes there is a canonical Realm Tarot!

I like how there are museums both religious and non in the Realm, this is the perfect kind of anitquarian nonsense for the Realm to have, and provides so much opportunity! a single thing displayed at one of these museums could be a plot hook all in itself. these things are plot hook central.

wow, couriers are badass in the Realm. don't mess with the mail I guess. now I imagining a courier coming up against some ridiculous opposition and just doing everything they can to deliver the message regardless, like some Exalts just being frustrated a freaking mailman is harder to catch than they think.

huh, tax collectors sometimes have to keep themselves from collecting too much tax even if honestly collected. hm. how odd, but I like how this gives a good legal/moral dilemma that you don't normally see in fiction.

speaking of money, almost every House is in debt. fantastic. oh earlier, the Imperial treasury is becoming a mess. so......yeah. and Ragara is playing the debt game, and it ends when someone cancels the debt.

I SO want to play a Magistrate now. this book makes them sound much more awesome than previous editions.

"oh yes, sure you own that jade, I put the numbers here instead of here, nevermind that the vault is inaccessible..."

I just realized that The Imperial Treasury can be abbreviated as TIT. and now I'm imagining the Realm games of thrones style nicknaming it the Realm's Tit and making jokes about how the Houses are suckling it dry, agh.

ok, the Assessors are apparently badass to, don't mess with mailmen or tax collectors in the Realm then.


"-one cannot forge a daiklave out of paper money!-"
Origami Craft Twilight: Challenge. Accepted.

oh the All-seeing eye. this too is something I think is interesting, because man did 2e not do this good at all, so I'm seeing how this book does this better. its not a Sidereal puppet, and is in fact quite decentralized, to the point where its falling apart like the magistrates and some of it going rogue to do their own things, having little idea of who else is also apart of the Eye- oh wait nevermind, its the ISELSI's puppet now, and well a COUPLE Bronze Sidereals.

and the Deliberative is as squabbling and useless as ever, in both subtle corruption and shouting match versions. some things never change.

wait, the Empresses funeral will cost enough to bankrupt nations? WHY?

The Legions:
okay, seven full legions have deserted. great. great. this isn't a problem or anything.

a legion typically has 40 to 60 Dragon Blooded. wow okay then. good luck to a Lunar or Solar trying to assassinate all of them in a single night then. suddenly a Dawn caste spending all their essence to kill five doesn't seem all that invincible anymore.

the Immaculate Order. I'm interested in this primarily.
ah so the religion is very Buddhist/Hinduist. and look Heresy everywhere! just like wh40k. I like Immaculate Monks just KNOW that Anathema are other Exalted but just don't bother to explain it to people, they don't even pretend or delude themselves,t hey just think its tragic.

the weirdest thing about this is apparently, the Immaculate Texts include erotica. like its apparently the educational text for all of the Realm and their society. so its both education and religion at the same time.

and yeeeep, the Dynasts see everyone else as ignorant barbarians and wastes resources while getting rid of all doubt in their minds. thats bad. we doubt for a reason.

The Jmperial spelling returns in the Bless Jsle map! heheheh

....yeah I'm gonna have to stop there, its late and I still have three more chapters to get through. this book is great. really fleshes out a lot of this.

[Morty]

The Dynastic way of raising kids seems very depressing, but then it's pretty standard for powerful aristocracies. Doubly so here because the kids are prepared for the possibility of Exalting and will be implicitly considered failures if they don't.

[Lord Raziere]

The Dynastic way of raising kids seems very depressing, but then it's pretty standard for powerful aristocracies. Doubly so here because the kids are prepared for the possibility of Exalting and will be implicitly considered failures if they don't.

and makes it clear that the Dynastic view of "family" is very political and impersonal. how a Dynast defines closeness and warmth probably has more to do with their sworn kinship or their nannies and well-treated servants than their blood relations, and probably have find fulfilling relationships where they can.

I imagine many Dragon-Blooded despite their immense power and privilege don't feel like they have much control over their situation at all, knowing that they have 10,000 peers and betters shifting the tides of history and politics in whatever direction they choose around them, binding them with expectations, duties, oaths, threats from within and without, and knowing that their education was given to them by their matriarch and owe something to them for that opportunity. I can just imagine all the introverted and socially averse ones just not doing well in that environment at all, and thus either end up going to the Heptagram or the Cloister of Wisdom depending on whether they want to avoid socialization entirely or desire an alternate social group that isn't a pit of vipers competing to bite you first.

assuming they don't just say "peace out" and become outcastes in the threshold.

also from the Realm book, I can just imagine a patrician artist in the Realm being sick of painting dragons and wishing they could make pictures of anything else but the one time they paint even a photo-realistic painting of something, they hide it out of fear of heresy and coveting material things.

Edit: also you know what the Realm book makes me want to do? make a Realm Friendsim in the style of Hiveswaps. just explore various people within one place or another in Realm society, what they do and think of the system around them, one person at a time, both the good and the horrible.

[Rater202]

Some people on Google Docs are converting the mechanics of Holden Shearer's Exalted vs The World of darkness to work by Chronicles rules instead of Old World 4th edition rules. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JOSCN7cLNb6StceRX1yyG1oBR9ueAgYGGD3L5GaYI_I/edit)

It's crunch only and a WiP, but if people are in any way interested it's an option.

[Morty]

I got to thinking about actually running an Exalted campaign one of these days. As I said in another thread, I'd start off with a mortal campaign to get everyone familiar with the mechanics. So far, the best idea I've had is the PCs leading a caravan of refugees from some disaster or other. Trying to get them to safety should allow me to use a variety of mortal and supernatural challenges that can require combat, stealth, diplomacy or something else to tackle.

[Lord Raziere]

The more I refine a certain character of mine, the more confident I am in playing a mortal/normal person, so I'll probably be ready whenever you make that happen.

[Grod_The_Giant]

That sounds pretty cool. It'd be interesting to see how stuff like social combat work when characters can't just explode it by throwing essence at the problem.

[Morty]

That's more or less the idea. Let the players juggle the subsystems before they throw a pile of Charms on top of that. It's definitely an idea for a whole campaign, but it'll do as a warm-up exercise too. My idea for a proper Exalted game is Lunars against the Guild. With the PCs being Lunars who oppose the Guild's influence in a territory they have a claim to.