Unity of the Fist- TMA Exalted 2nd ed

[Tavar]

Unity of the Fist

All armies have myths, stories, and superstitions. These help bind the army together. Lookshy is no exception to this rule, but it takes things a step farther. The myth alone doesn't bind the army together. The myth is that the army is one. A squad may be a collection of individuals at the start, like one's figures. But through training and diligence, they become one, and are stronger for it.

And while Lookshy may never be as well known as the Realm for it's martial artists, it has boasted many over the years. One of them created this style, though no one is actually sure about who the creator is. What is known is that the style has some very intersting twists in it's essence flows. By practicing the style, the martial artist reinforces the myth that spawned it.

This style is Earth Aspected, so Earth aspect Terrestrials do not pay a surcharge when using the style. Charms of this style often include others in their effects. If a charm does so, the martial artist must have a positive intimacy towards them. Additionally, any scene in which the Martial artist activates a charm from this style counts as a scene for building a positive intimacy with others that he acknowledges as part of his squad.
Weapons and Armor
This style's inspiration is from war, and no prospective student may learn it without sharing a similar insight. Students need at least 2 dots in War to learn charms from this style.

It is not the weapon that makes an army dangerous, but the army that yields is. For every three dots in a martial ability(Martial arts, Archery, Thrown, Melee), the practitioner may choose one weapon from that style and treat it as a form weapon (including artifact equivalents).

Armor does not restrict this style.

Repeated Fist Strike
Cost 2 motes Mins:Martial arts 2, Essence 1 Type:Supplemental
Keyword:Combo Ok
Duration: Instant
Perquisite Charms:None

A constant barrage of blows can get past even the toughest defenses. This charm enhances a regular attack. If the attack misses, it imposes a -1 penalty to the defender's DV for (essence) ticks, as long as the reason it misses is not due to a charm carrying a Flaw of Invulnerability.


The Fist Guards Its Own
Cost 3 motes Mins:Martial arts 3, Essence 1 Type:Supplemental
Keyword:Combo Ok
Duration: Instant
Perquisite Charms:None

By joining together, the figures can whether blows that would break any one of them alone. This charm allows the practitioner to make a Defend Other action without the normal DV penalty. Additionally, the bonus received for extra defenders increases to +2. The recipient must be the target of a Positive Intimacy.

Name Pending
Cost 4 motes Mins:Martial arts 3, Essence 2 Type:Reflexive
Keyword:Combo Ok
Duration: 1 Tick
Perquisite Charms:None

Activating this charm, you may make a Defend other action immediately, targeting a positive intimacy. This defend other action lasts 1 tick, and ads one more tick to the time until your DV refreshes.

Forming the Fist Kata
Cost 4 motes Mins:Martial arts 3, Essence 2 Type:Simple
Keyword:Form Type, Combo Basic, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Perquisite Charms: Repeated Fist Strike, Name Pending

One figure alone cannot accomplish much. But together, the fist has strength. While this charm is active, Defend other actions gain a +1 bonus to DV, and the penalty induced by coordinated attacks increases by 1. Additionally, for each person that the practitioner has a positive intimacy towards beyond the first involved in the fight, add one dice of damage to the pre soak total.

In addition, when activating this charm, the Martial Artist further strengthens his commitment to his unit, as well as expanding its size. All intimacies to members of his unit that already existed cannot be eroded for the duration of the charm. In addition, the Martial Artist gains (Essence x2) additional positive intimacies that last the duration of the charm. These intimacies can be assigned as a reflexive action at any time.


The Fist Strikes As One
Cost: (2 motes per participant), +1 wp Mins:Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type:Supplemental
Keyword:Combo-Ok
Duration:Instant
Perquisite Charms:Forming the Fist Kata

This charm supplements and action to set up a coordinated attack. Instead of making a roll, you must pay 2 motes per participant in the coordinated attack, up to (War) participants. The initiator of the charm must be included in the attack. When the coordinated attack finally lands(5 ticks after initiating the charm), it levies a penalty equal to the number of participants. While the character must be wielding a form weapon, other participants do not.

Sacrificing the Little Finger
Cost: 5 motes, 1wpMins:Martial Arts 5, Essence 3 Type:Reflexive
Keyword:Combo-Ok, Counterattack
Duration:Instant
Perquisite Charms:Forming the Fist Kata

Sometimes, despite one's best efforts, something must give. Better to therefore give up as little as possible, in the hopes of striking unawares. To activate this charm, you or someone you are using a defend other action on must be attacked, and the attack must exceed your DV. If you're defending someone else, you may throw yourself in front of the attack, taking the blow. You may then make an unexpected attack against the attacker at your full dice pool. Even if they negate the surprise, their DV's suffer a -1 penalty, as you're able to entrap their weapon.

[Primal Fury]

Repeated Fist Strike jumps out at me as needing some tweaking. A clause that states something to the effect of "The DV penalty is not imposed if a perfect defense is used to negate it."

I... don't know how I feel about Sacrificing the Little Finger. Given how incredibly easy it is to die in this game, this probably isn't good design space.

[Tavar]

Oh, good point about the first charm.

What's the problem with Sacrificing the little finger, though? Not sure I understand your complaint.

[Primal Fury]

I mean... If you take the hit, and someones got a Grand Killstick of some kind, or uses... pretty much any damage-dealing charm, you'll likely die.

[Tavar]

Right. Well, this is essentially a martyr charm. In exchange to taking a hit(and remember, it's a TMA, so no perfect effects available to either Mortals or DB, the primary users). Plus, it lets you save someone in exchange for your possible life.

[Primal Fury]

Hm. Okay. It is a perfect defense, but it's cost is so ridiculously high, it's only practical for NPCs to take.

[Tavar]

Unless you have something like Adamant Skin Technique, or massive amounts of soak/hardness. But, yeah. It's nice because it gives a very useful ability to people who it's normally unavailable. To counteract that, it has some serious downsides.

Note: Probably should make it clear; you don't have to announce use of this charm till after the attack pool is rolled, so you know if it's going to hit or not.