[Custom Celestial Martial Art] Lightning Dragon Style

[IcarusWings]

Hey, I posted this over on Gitp a few months ago, the general response was that it was too strong, but it received little feedback on how it could be improved. Then, I stumbled over this forum, and decided to see if I could get a bit more constructive criticism.


This is the first installment in my project of creating Celestial Dragon Styles for the Autochthonian, Stygian, and Vitriol elements (which I will later hopefully develop into full DB-Mirror aspects {Which definitely isn't original, and is one of the most common ideas people have it turns out. Meh}). This still needs a couple more charms, and is probably horribly borked (on either end of the scale), so it's definitely a WIP.


Note:This is my first ever homebrew for exalted (that I've shown to anyone anyway), so be gentle :smallwink:


Lightning Dragon Style


Lightning Dragon Style embodies the true form of Lightning. It emphasizes speed and precision above all else, not just in attacks but in methodology. A quick, clean, one-hit kill is much preferable to a flurry of blindingly fast attacks that are easily defended by the target. Lightning does not stay still, but instead flickers out of the void of the sky for an impossibly fast strike, and disappears again to prepare once more.


Because of these traits, Lightning Dragon Style is a favourite Martial Art for assassins in the Realm of Brass and Shadow, and they certainly are the most common practitioners. But Lightning does not discriminate, and any are open to learn its ways.


The signature weapon of Lightning Dragon Style is the Knife and any Artifact equivalents. Easily concealed and deadly when well-placed, any attack made with a Knife counts as unarmed for the purposes of charms of this style.


Lightning Dragon Style is not compatible with armour.

New Charm Concept - DV Break: Sometimes an individual can be caught offguard by an attack, or leave an opening in their defence, despite being aware of the attack itself. Rather than representing this through Unexpected attacks, this is represented through DV Break. When an attack Breaks DV, the target's DV is halved against it and all other attacks made against them on that tick.

Lonely Flash of Piercing Lightning


Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: (Essence) Actions


Prerequisites: None


A strike of lightning is enough to pierce any defense, it needs no accompaniment other than the thunder that heralds it.


For the duration of this Charm, all unarmed attacks made my the Martial Artist gain the piercing tag, but only if they are single attacks that are not part of a flurry.


Silence Before Thunder Technique


Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-Basic


Duration: One Action


Prerequisites: Lonely Flash of Piercing Lightning


When a lightning bolt falls, its strike is not heralded until the thunder roars seconds later, so too do practitioners of this style gain a brief moment of calm after their strike and before the penny drops. Whenever the Martial Artist makes an unarmed surprise attack supplemented by this charm, their presence is not made known to everyone (except the target, who knows instantly, and may alert others) until the Martial Artist’s DV refreshes. This means that they do not have to re-establish surprise to hit anyone before the end of this duration (except the original target). Any characters with a higher Essence score than the Martial Artist may make a (Perception + Awareness) roll against a difficulty of the Martial Artist's (Martial Arts) score to become aware.


Untrackable Lightning Strike


Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Silence Before the Thunder Technique


With the speed of flickering lightning, the Martial Artist may make an unarmed attack that has its Speed reduced by 1, to a minimum of 3, and deals 2 extra dice of lethal damage due to the intense speed. If this attack is made after an enemy’s action, but the Martial Artist’s next action still comes before the Enemy’s (essentially, if they overtake them in the reaction count), then that enemy loses track of the Martial Artist’s lightning speed, and treats any attack made by the Martial Artist before their action as having the DV Break effect. Foes with equal or higher Essence than the Martial Artist may make a (perception + Awareness) roll against a difficulty of the wielder's (Martial Arts) to still treat the attack as expected.


Blinding Flash Atemi


Cost: 2m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious


Duration: Three Actions


Prerequisites: Lonely Flash of Piercing Lightning


The Martial Artist soon learns to mimic the searing light of the Lightning Dragon, by a swift brutal jab to the eyes. If the Martial Artist deals at least a single level of post-soak damage on an unarmed attack supplemented by this charm, then the target takes an internal penalty equal to the Martial Artist’s (essence) to all visual awareness rolls until their DV refreshes a number of times equal to the Martial Artist's (Essence).


Thunderous Efficiency Paradigm


Cost 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK, Probably some others


Duration: (Essence) Actions


Prerequisites: Blinding Flash Atemi


As lightning makes its fast and blazing strike from the sky, it always takes the path of least resistance on its journey to the Earth. This principle is firmly embodied in the techniques of the disciples of the Lightning Dragon. For the duration of this Charm, the Martial Artist's strikes force their targets to use their lowest DV's to defend against the attacks, and nothing short of an applicability-trumping Perfect allowing them to defend with their higher DV (non-applicability trumping Perfects are only useable if they are for the lower DV type).


Lightning Dragon Form


Cost: 6m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Simple


Keywords: Form-type, Combo-Basic, Obvious


Duration: One Scene


Prerequisites: Silence Before Thunder Technique, Blinding Flash Atemi


While in this Form, the Stylist's body flickers with a pale blue aura of lightning that winks out in a flash as soon as the Stylist moves, re-appearing at the destination. Imbued with the speed of lightning, the Stylist no longer appreciates petty things like obstacles. When making a move or Dash action in this form, the Stylist need not worry about the route, and may move through any number of impassable obstacles, so long as the end destination is possible to stand on, this even allows things like running on air to get over a chasm. Additionally, due to the intense speed and momentum, any attack made at the end of such a Move gains the DV Break capability.


Additionally, the Martial Artist gains half his (Martial Arts + Essence) as a bonus to his Dexterity while in this form.


Arcing Bolt Aura


Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Obvious, Overdrive


Duration: One Scene


Prerequisites: Lightning Dragon Form


Lightning punishes any who dares attempt a retaliation. Upon assuming this form, lightning crackles around the Martial Artists body, defending him and wreaking vengeance upon his enemies. While in this form, the Martial Artist gains a temporary 10 mote Overdrive pool, which fills by 1 mote whenever he is attacked in close combat, or by 2 if the attack used a metallic weapon. The Martial Artist may reflexively spend 2 motes from this pool to arc electricity from his body and strike an enemy within (Martial Arts) yards for (Essence x 3) dice of bashing damage.


Grounded Current Stance


Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive


Duration: (Martial Arts) ticks


Prerequisites: Lightning Dragon Form


Lightning always seeks the quickest and easiest path to re-unite with the ground, dissipating across the solid earth. Practitioners of the Lightning Dragon Style learn to teach this lesson to the attacks of others. For the duration of this Charm, the Martial Artist gains a Hardness against for all damage equal to double their (essence), so long as they are touching the ground, this does not stack with any other hardness the Martial Artist may have. At the end of the duration the Martial Artist may renew this charm as an innate action and not as a charm activation, but they must repay the cost.


Pulsing Thunderbolt Technique


Cost: 3m per strike Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Extra Action


Keywords: Combo-basic


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Grounded Current Stance


Lightning does not strike once and wait, it flickers over and over again, boring its way into the target until it breaks through. This charm allows the Martial Artist to make a Magical Flurry of up to (half your Martial Arts) unarmed attacks, in which the totals of raw damage are all cumulative for each attack, rather than separate, for the purposes of overcoming hardness and soak.


Clouded Base of Operations Method


Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive


Keywords: none


Duration: Up to (Martial Arts) actions


Prerequisites: Lightning Dragon Form


When Lightning strikes, it does not move, it simply returns to the cloud and strikes again. Upon activating this charm, the Martial Artist leaves a crackling spark of energy at his current location. He may then carry on as he wishes, although he may not move further from the spark than (Essence x 10) yards. At any time before the duration runs out, the Martial Artist may reflexively end this charm and instantly return to the marker and have his DV refresh.


Vanishing Lightning Kata


Cost: 4m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 4 Type: Reflexive (step 9)


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: Two Actions


Prerequisites: Clouded Base of Operations Method


After lightning strikes, it fades away, only to flicker to life once more in a burst of precise brutality. With this charm, Martial Artists may do the same. This charm may only be activated after an unarmed attack, and it allows you to instantly dematerialise after an attack for up to two actions. This charm instantly ends once you attack someone, the attack breaks DV unless the target can perceive dematerialised beings or succeeds on a (Perception + Awareness) roll against a difficulty of the wielder's (Martial Arts).


Never-Strike-Twice Method


Cost: 3m per attack Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4 Type: Extra Action


Keywords: Combo-Basic


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Pulsing Thunderbolt Technique, Vanishing Lightning Kata


They say that no matter how many times it flickers, lightning never strikes the same place twice; this is especially true for master followers of the Lightning Dragon. By using this pinnacle of their style, Martial Artists may make a magical flurry of up to (essence) unarmed attacks with no penalties. After each attack you may instantly move as far as a Dash Action would allow, in order to make another attack against a target, this need not be a different target. This Dash is so fast that it is impossible to track, and onlookers merely see the Martial Artist flicker from place to place. Because of this, after each Dash made as part of this charm, the Martial Artist may make a roll to re-establish surprise against the target of their next attack with a -1 external penalty for each time the target has been hit before as part of this flurry, if they succeed then it becomes a DV Breaker attack.

 

[Ker'ion]

So, are you done with those revisions?


The style needs to be revised before I can issue a judgement.

 

[IcarusWings]

So, are you done with those revisions?
The style needs to be revised before I can issue a judgement.

Oh, I see. By posting it, I kinda' meant to get feedback on how to revise some stuff, and indeed if I should on others (the stuff with an 'Under Possible Revision' tag is stuff that I've heard from one or two people that it needs fine tuning, but not entirely sure if it does or how large to do), as I'm not entirely sure myself.


Apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

[Ker'ion]

Not a problem.

 

[Ker'ion]

[Adding a reply instead of altering the previous post so it will be recognized as updated]

Lightning Dragon Style


Lightning Dragon Style embodies the true form of Lightning. It emphasizes speed and precision above all else, not just in attacks but in methodology. A quick, clean, one-hit kill is much preferable to a flurry of blindingly fast attacks that are easily defended by the target. Lightning does not stay still, but instead flickers out of the void of the sky for an impossibly fast strike, and disappears again to prepare once more.


Because of these traits, Lightning Dragon Style is a favourite Martial Art for assassins in the Realm of Brass and Shadow, and they certainly are the most common practitioners. But Lightning does not discriminate, and any are open to learn its ways.


The signature weapon of Lightning Dragon Style is the Knife and any Artifact equivalents. Easily concealed and deadly when well-placed, any attack made with a Knife counts as unarmed for the purposes of charms of this style.


Lightning Dragon Stylists gain unparalleled proficiency with this weapon, and any attack with a Knife that is not part of a flurry, automatically pierces half of the target’s natural soak. Under Possible Revision


Lightning Dragon Style is not compatible with armour.

I'd make the automatically piercing half their natural soak portion into a starting Charm for the Style that just adds the piercing tag to any knife attack they do that is not part of a flurry.

Untrackable Lightning Strike
Cost: 2m Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 2 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: None


With the speed of flickering lightning, the Martial Artist may make an unarmed attack that has its Speed reduced by 1, to a minimum of 3, and deals 2 extra unsoakable bashing levels of damage due to the intense speed. If this attack is made after an enemy’s action, but the Martial Artist’s next action still comes before the Enemy’s (essentially, if they overtake them in the reaction count), then that enemy loses track of the Martial Artist’s lightning speed, and treats any attack made by the Martial Artist before their action as unexpected. Under complete revision

I'd reduce this to +2 dice instead of automatic levels and up it's MA requirement by 1.

Silence Before Thunder Technique
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-Basic


Duration: One Action


Prerequisites: Untrackable Lightning Strike


When a lightning bolt falls, its strike is not heralded until the thunder roars seconds later, so too do practitioners of this style gain a brief moment of calm after their strike and before the penny drops. Whenever the Martial Artist makes an unarmed surprise attack supplemented by this charm, their presence is not made known to everyone (except the target who knows instantly, and may alert others) until the Martial Artist’s DV refreshes. This means that they do not have to re-establish surprise to hit anyone before the end of this duration (except the original target).

I like this one, but I'd put in a modifier where anyone with higher Essence than the attacker can roll their Perception + Awareness versus a difficulty equal to the attacker's Essence to notice him.

Blinding Flash Atemi
Cost: 2m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious


Duration: Three Actions


Prerequisites: Untrackable Lightning Strike


The Martial Artist soon learns to mimic the searing light of the Lightning Dragon, by a swift brutal jab to the eyes. If the Martial Artist deals at least a single level of post-soak damage on an unarmed attack supplemented by this charm, then the target takes an internal penalty equal to the Martial Artist’s (essence) to all visual awareness rolls until their DV refreshes three times, or they take a miscellaneous action to re-orientate themselves.

I'd remove the miscelaneous action at the end of this and make the DV refresh be a number of times equal to the weilder's permanent Essence. Also, up this Charm's Essence requirement by 1.

Lightning Dragon Form
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2 Type: Simple


Keywords: Form-type, Combo-Basic, Obvious


Duration: One Scene


Prerequisites: Silence Before Thunder Technique, Blinding Flash Atemi


Lightning punishes any who dares attempt a retaliation. Upon assuming this form, lightning crackles around the Martial Artists body, defending him and wreaking vengeance upon his enemies. While in this form, the Martial Artist gains a temporary 10 mote Overdrive pool, which fills by 2 motes whenever he is attacked, and by 1 mote whenever an enemy moves within (Martial Arts) yards of the Martial Artist. The Martial Artist may reflexively spend 2 motes from this pool to arc electricity from his body and strike an enemy within (Martial Arts) yards for (Essence x 3) dice of bashing damage. Under minor revision

Again, this needs a higher Essence requirement. Also, you should probably add 2 motes to it's cost and add the weilder's MA score or his Essence to his Dexterity or somesuch. It doesn't seem very much like a form Charm as it stands.

Grounded Current Stance
Cost: 3m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive


Duration: One Action


Prerequisites: Lightning Dragon Form


Lightning always seeks the quickest and easiest path to re-unite with the ground, dissipating across the solid earth. Practitioners of the Lightning Dragon Style learn to teach this lesson to the attacks of others. For the duration of this Charm, the Martial Artist gains a Hardness against for all damage equal to double their (essence), so long as they are touching the ground, this does not stack with any other hardness the Martial Artist may have. At the end of the duration the Martial Artist may renew this charm as an innate action and not as a charm activation, but they must repay the cost.

I'd make this a number of ticks, possibly equal to their Martial Arts.

Pulsing Thunderbolt Technique
Cost: 3m per strike Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Extra Action


Keywords: Combo-basic


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Grounded Current Stance


Lightning does not strike once and wait, it flickers over and over again, boring its way into the target until it breaks through. This charm allows the Martial Artist to make a Magical Flurry of up to (half your essence) unarmed attacks, in which the totals of raw damage are all cumulative for each attack, rather than separate, for the purposes of overcoming hardness and then soak. Under Possible Revision

Interesting Charm. I like it the way it stands.

Clouded Base of Operations Method
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive


Keywords: none


Duration: Up to Two Actions


Prerequisites: Lightning Dragon Form


When Lightning strikes, it does not move, it simply returns to the cloud and strikes again. Upon activating this charm, the Martial Artist leaves a crackling spark of energy at his current location. He may then carry on as he wishes. At any time before the duration runs out, the Martial Artist may reflexively (this may be during an attack, but no earlier than Step 9) end this charm and instantly return to the marker and have his DV refresh.

My opinion is that you need to drop either the 'during an attack' portion or the DV refresh. Also, I'd extend the duration to MA in actions and put a maximum distance on this Charm, say your Essence x10 yards.

Vanishing Lightning Kata
Cost: 4m Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive (step 9)


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: Two Actions


Prerequisites: Clouded Base of Operations Method


After lightning strikes, it fades away, only to flicker to life once more in a burst of precise brutality. With this charm, Martial Artists may do the same. This charm may only be activated after an unarmed attack, and it allows you to instantly dematerialise after an attack for up to two actions. For the duration, you are invisible and untouchable except to other dematerialised beings and anyone who can observe and interact with dematerialised beings. You may see but not interact with others who are dematerialised. This charm instantly ends once you attack a materialised being, the attack counts as unexpected if the target cannot perceive dematerialised targets. Under Possible Revision

I'd drop the no interacting with dematerialzed beings while dematerialized part. Also, personally, I'd add extra damage dice equal to your Essence on a surprise attack and up it's Essence requirement to 4.

Never-Strike-Twice Method
Cost: 3m per attack Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3 Type: Extra Action


Keywords: Combo-Basic


Duration: Instant


Prerequisites: Pulsing Thunderbolt Technique, Vanishing Lightning Kata


They say that no matter how many times it flickers, lightning never strikes the same place twice; this is especially true for master followers of the Lightning Dragon. By using this pinnacle of their style, Martial Artists may make a magical flurry of up to (essence) unarmed attacks with no penalties. After each attack you may instantly move as far as a Dash Action would allow, in order to make another attack against a target, this need not be a different target. This Dash is so fast that it is impossible to track, and onlookers merely see the Martial Artist flicker from place to place. Because of this, after each Dash made as part of this charm, the Martial Artist may make a roll to re-establish surprise against the target of their next attack with a -1 external penalty for each time the target has been hit before as part of this flurry, if they succeed then it becomes unexpected.

Sweet, now just make it Essence 4 and it seems fine.
Also, Celestial Martial Arts Styles stop at Essence 5, not 3 and as a Dragon Style it needs to have 11 to 12 Charms. It seems incomplete with as few Charms as it has.


[EDIT:] Most CMA Styles also have two Scene-long Charms and one of the extra Charms could be another Scene-long. I'd like to see what you do with this Style.

 

[IcarusWings]

[Adding a reply instead of altering the previous post so it will be recognized as updated]
I'd make the automatically piercing half their natural soak portion into a starting Charm for the Style that just adds the piercing tag to any knife attack they do that is not part of a flurry.

I can't believe I hadn't thought of that! That's a really good idea, as I needed a new starting Charm. Thanks!

I'd reduce this to +2 dice instead of automatic levels and up it's MA requirement by 1.

Fair enough, I'm gonna' move it back in the tree as well as I had comments on the post on the other forum that it was a tad powerful.

I like this one, but I'd put in a modifier where anyone with higher Essence than the attacker can roll their Perception + Awareness versus a difficulty equal to the attacker's Essence to notice him.

That makes sense, will do. And thanks too

I'd remove the miscelaneous action at the end of this and make the DV refresh be a number of times equal to the weilder's permanent Essence. Also, up this Charm's Essence requirement by 1.

Ok

Again, this needs a higher Essence requirement. Also, you should probably add 2 motes to it's cost and add the weilder's MA score or his Essence to his Dexterity or somesuch. It doesn't seem very much like a form Charm as it stands.

I'll do that, the Form was the hardest Charm to come up with ideas for for me, so I kinda' jumped at the first idea that came that was kinda' Form-ish.

I'd make this a number of ticks, possibly equal to their Martial Arts.

Sure, that works.

Interesting Charm. I like it the way it stands.

Fair enough, I'll keep it as it is then. And thank you.

My opinion is that you need to drop either the 'during an attack' portion or the DV refresh. Also, I'd extend the duration to MA in actions and put a maximum distance on this Charm, say your Essence x10 yards.

Ok, that sounds fair.

I'd drop the no interacting with dematerialzed beings while dematerialized part. Also, personally, I'd add extra damage dice equal to your Essence on a surprise attack and up it's Essence requirement to 4.

Ok, I'll buff it a bit with that.

Sweet, now just make it Essence 4 and it seems fine.

Ok

Also, Celestial Martial Arts Styles stop at Essence 5, not 3

Whoops, forgot about that. While I was writing this, I for some reason had the idea in my head that TMA were E1, CMA were E2-3, and SMA were E4-5. No idea where I got that from.

and as a Dragon Style it needs to have 11 to 12 Charms. It seems incomplete with as few Charms as it has.

Yeah, I thought that, I just ran out of ideas, so I'll work on some more hopefully.

[EDIT:] Most CMA Styles also have two Scene-long Charms and one of the extra Charms could be another Scene-long. I'd like to see what you do with this Style.

Huh, never noticed that before, will try to work that in.


Thanks for the critique

 

[Ker'ion]

No problem.


I've got to act like I know what I'm doing (which I do) or I'll get no respect at all (which I usually don't anyway).

 

[Revoke]

[Adding a reply instead of altering the previous post so it will be recognized as updated]
I'd make the automatically piercing half their natural soak portion into a starting Charm for the Style that just adds the piercing tag to any knife attack they do that is not part of a flurry.

I can't believe I hadn't thought of that! That's a really good idea, as I needed a new starting Charm. Thanks!

Conversely, all the existing Elemental Dragon styles have a (passive) form weapon bonus, so leaving that bonus where it is would match up better with them. I agree with simplifying the effect to 'add the piercing tag', though. In fact, leaving out the 'not in a flurry' limitation seems fine too, given the power of some of the other style weapon bonuses. Also keep in mind that only Terrestrial practitioners of the elemental dragon styles get the style weapon bonuses (as per Scroll of Errata).

Again' date=' this needs a higher Essence requirement. Also, you should probably add 2 motes to it's cost and add the weilder's MA score [u']or[/u] his Essence to his Dexterity or somesuch. It doesn't seem very much like a form Charm as it stands.

I'll do that, the Form was the hardest Charm to come up with ideas for for me, so I kinda' jumped at the first idea that came that was kinda' Form-ish.

For comparison, Air Dragon style (my personal favourite!) adds +MA dice to attacks and +MA/2 to DDV. If you want to leave in the overdrive effect, something like +ESS or +MA/2 to dexterity may be alright.

 

[IcarusWings]

[Adding a reply instead of altering the previous post so it will be recognized as updated]
I'd make the automatically piercing half their natural soak portion into a starting Charm for the Style that just adds the piercing tag to any knife attack they do that is not part of a flurry.

I can't believe I hadn't thought of that! That's a really good idea, as I needed a new starting Charm. Thanks!

Conversely, all the existing Elemental Dragon styles have a (passive) form weapon bonus, so leaving that bonus where it is would match up better with them. I agree with simplifying the effect to 'add the piercing tag', though. In fact, leaving out the 'not in a flurry' limitation seems fine too, given the power of some of the other style weapon bonuses. Also keep in mind that only Terrestrial practitioners of the elemental dragon styles get the style weapon bonuses (as per Scroll of Errata).

That was why I originally had it there, but I've moved it for two reasons. A) Despite being a celestial dragon style for Autochthonian elements, there's no organisation like the Immaculate Order in Autochthonia to give the specialist training with the style, and B) It needs more Charms, and I'm to lazy/uncreative to come up with more ideas.


I also agree that removing the 'if not in a flurry' clause would boost the power and bring it in line with the other Dragon styles. However, the emphasis of the style is on fast, clean, single strikes and then GTFO, it's a style for Assassins. The clause is there to encourage them not to flurry, which also helps to move away from the 'flurry loads of attacks and just kill with ping' paradigm that seems to come up a lot.

Again' date=' this needs a higher Essence requirement. Also, you should probably add 2 motes to it's cost and add the weilder's MA score [u']or[/u] his Essence to his Dexterity or somesuch. It doesn't seem very much like a form Charm as it stands.

I'll do that, the Form was the hardest Charm to come up with ideas for for me, so I kinda' jumped at the first idea that came that was kinda' Form-ish.

For comparison, Air Dragon style (my personal favourite!) adds +MA dice to attacks and +MA/2 to DDV. If you want to leave in the overdrive effect, something like +ESS or +MA/2 to dexterity may be alright.

I might just do the+Ess to Dexterity, and then just move the Overdrive effect into a seperate Charm, to boost the length of the style. Thoughts?


Also, a new Charm I thought of, but I'm not sure how to gauge its power (as in, where to put it in the style). I'm thinking that itt's useful for lower power characters, but farely weak once Perfects come into play, but I'm not sure. advice would be appreciated.


Thunderous Efficiency Paradigm


Cost 3m Mins: Martial Arts ?, Essence ? Type: Reflexive


Keywords: Combo-OK, Probably some others


Duration: (Essence) Actions


Prerequisites: ?


As lightning makes its fast and blazing strike from the sky, it always takes the path of least resistance on its journey to the Earth. This principle is firmly embodied in the techniques of the disciples of the Lightning Dragon. For the duration of this Charm, the Martial Artist's strikes become undefendable by he target's highest DV type, essentially forcing the target to use the lower of their Parry or Dodge DVs against the Martial Artist's attacks.


I'm also contemplating adding some in-style synergy, by putting a clause in, that whenever the Form is active, the target must use the lower of their PDV, DDV, P MDV, and D MDV. Would this be too unbalanced?

 

[IcarusWings]

EDIT: Accidentally double posted, whoops

 

[Ker'ion]

I'd just make it either unblockable or undodgeable, for simplicity's sake.


Personally, I'd go with unblockable, but I think lightning should be harder to block than to dodge.


<making this portion it's own thread>


And that errata thing needs to be altered or something, as it gives you the bonus if you know the style, but only if you're a DB on normal elements, an Alchie on Autobot elements, an Infernal on Malfean elements, or an Abyssal on Underworld elements. What elements do the normal celestials get?


I'd say if you master a style, you get the mastery of that form weapon enhancements.


<making this portion it's own thread>

 

[IcarusWings]

I'd just make it either unblockable or undodgeable, for simplicity's sake.
Personally, I'd go with unblockable, but I think lightning should be harder to block than to dodge.

That's simpler, but it doesn't really suit the theme of the Charm, which is taking the path of least resistance (by forcing them to use their lowest DV), rather than bludgeoning your own path so that it becomes easy.


Also, I've never been a fan of just having simple effects for Martial Arts Charms, that effect lies in your native Melee or Brawl (I can dream!) tree. Martial Arts should be about having unorthodox effects that you step out of your native tree for (hence my previously professed dislike for most Form Charms, most of them are just 'add MA dice to X for the duration'). But that's a rant for another day.

 

[IcarusWings]

Did a revision of the Style, mostly due to the fact that I realised that the amount of things that could give Unexpected Attacks was overpowered. Revisions include a revamped Form Charm (the Overdrive effect is now a stand-alone Charm), adding in the Thunderous Efficiency Paradigm just before the Form,and replacing any references to Unexpected Attacks to with a new 'DV Break' Charm Concept.


Any new thoughts provoked by this?