[Emperors of the Fading Suns] [Emperors of the Fading Suns] OOC Thread

[JayTee]

Why do Abyssals have Dodge Charms at all then?

Because they are a Skill-basd Exalt. Unlike Lunars, who are attribute based, or Infernals, who are essence-based.

Have you noticed that their Dodge flurry breaker is actually a real counterattack?

Yes, because it's a major theme for them to inflict trauma, even defensively

So why does it make sense with there being less Dodge Charms for Abyssals?

Because avoiding harm isn't as in-theme for them as inflicting it.

Why should Melee be expanded rather than Dodge?

Because inflicting harm is more in-theme for them.

 

[xarvh]

Because avoiding harm isn't as in-theme for them as inflicting it.

So why Melee gets the defensive boost and not Dodge?

 

[Kacie]

Xarvh - I just said I don't mind taking some of the Melee charms and making custom Dodge charms out of them.


The Abyssal Dodge charms are great. Of course they should have them. I don't know why they didn't think of more Dodge Charms, except that Melee and MA are both offense and defense, whereas Archery & Thrown are only offense, and Dodge is only defense.


I have no problem with Abyssal Dodge.


Why are you so upset at us?


All this started when Cyl told me not to take my Melee focused character into melee combat, and I said no, it's okay, I have an edge, and then you felt compelled to say "no you don't."

 

[xarvh]

I do think you have an edge or two.


But don't count on a better DV than Legion.

 

[JayTee]

Because it's easier to defend yourself when you have a big stick of soul-sucking metal between you and your opponent.

 

[xarvh]

Because it's easier to defend yourself when you have a big stick of soul-sucking metal between you and your opponent.

If this is all your argument, I'm done.

 

[Kacie]

I do think you have an edge or two.
But don't count on a better DV than Legion.

I have the Dawn/Dusk anima banner. She doesn't.


Very possibly her DV is that much better than mine.


Fuck me though for getting caught up in a stupid pissing contest.

 

[xarvh]

I have the Dawn/Dusk anima banner. She doesn't.

True that.

 

[cyl]

@Kacie : I never intended to make it a pissing contest, and I don't think Xarvh did too.


It was more of a "know your enemy and prepare to face him" type of conversation.


The Legion is an assassin, so unless she is already engaged in a fight and is clearly visible, you can always consider that she may have the advantage due to her sneakiness.


Remember that DB we found split in half in the jungles even though he had a decent armor ?


The Legion can fight dirty like that too and she has that sort of advantage because of her caste.


It seems she has at least 3 big strengths: war + melee + stealth.


And that makes her equally, or possibly even more dangerous than Mirror.


On top of that she's a day caste so she may have made significant investment in Athletics, Dodge and Awareness too.


The lack of awareness (even though you have a pretty solid pool) or anti surprise defenses makes Mirror rather vulnerable to her and since she is the renown bad ass, if someone has to take the unexpected attack before a fight start, it may very well be her.


Same goes for the Void Heart... but multiplied exponentially since he can see and shoot from miles away.


Taking down both those targets is going to require significant investment, to seek information on them, find them, adapt ourselves to their fighting methods and finally fight them...


During the next chapters, I'd rather take the initiative this time.


I must admit I'm a bit frustrated to be always on the defensive.


We've been taken aback quite a few times now, and I do feel the urge to give some blows back... but just showing up is not good enough and does not quite cut it.


What I was trying to say is that - IMHO and regardless of whether we engage the enemy or have to defend against him - super specialization in one combat ability at this stage of the game may endanger Mirror.


If the enemies are built anything like us they have easily over 300 xp now, and they likely focused being the best at what they do... and what they do isn't very nice !

 

[xarvh]

Yes. Sorta.


Depending on the information that Legion has on Mirror, she will avoid a direct confrontation as best as she can, leveraging stealth and athletics.


She will attack only if she's sure to have the upper hand.


But the Legion won't be back for a while.


The Void Heart will be a more immediate challenge, and only if you guys decide to take on the Mask.


My brain had been disabled for a few days, if I recover I hope to advance the ic later today.

 

[cyl]

My point was: let's not give the Legion the opportunity to come back or do more harm to the Scavenger Lands in the background while we're doing our stuff.


Let's not take on the Mask without getting rid of the Void Heart first.


Also, good recovery matey

 

[Kacie]

@Kacie
The lack of awareness (even though you have a pretty solid pool) or anti surprise defenses makes Mirror rather vulnerable

Cyl, you're wrong. Mirror has Surprise Anticipation. I look forward to Legion attempting a sneak attack. It will fail.

We've been taken aback quite a few times now, and I do feel the urge to give some blows back... but just showing up is not good enough and does not quite cut it.

Which is why I suggested using the Void Heart's psychological pathologies against him, instead of trusting in a straight-up fight.

 

[xarvh]

Which is why I suggested using the Void Heart's psychological pathologies against him, instead of trusting in a straight-up fight.

I want to see you trying that.


Especially because it's his weak point.

 

[xarvh]

Guys, where do I find the canon info about Gaia? The damn WW wiki is down. T_T

 

[JayTee]

There's really not a lot of info about here, although one thing I will tell you in no uncertain terms is that the Elemental Dragons are not Gaia's souls, nor does she have any power over them.


One of the Devs was quite emphatic about this, when the topic came up on the old White Wolf Forums.


EDIT: Xarvh, as much as I can appreciate the efforts to expedite things, please let me roll my own dice. I might want to adda willpower or a virtue to the roll.

 

[xarvh]

Thanks Jay.


-sigh-


Other sources specified that indeed the EDs ARE Gaia's fetich souls. T_T


@CI: Sorry, I may need some time to come with a decent response from Big K.


That is, unless I ditch canon entirely, which will cause problems to your understanding of Primordials.

 

[JayTee]

Yeah, Exalted's canon has always been a little shaky, but that's one thing I can tell you for a fact.

 

[cyl]

Hey we play young exalts... we are not supposed to know or understand much about them.

 

[JayTee]

I utterly and emphatically disagree. Int/Lore/Occult 5 with an excellency mean I can average 10 successes on a knowledge roll, meaning I know or can figure out literally everything that is not impossible for my character to know, and even then I can extrapolate or deduce what I don't know using what I do know.

 

[Arynne]

Glories of the Most High: Luna has a fair bit about Gaia.


And whatever a developer may have said in the past, Return of the Scarlet Empress states that the Elemental Dragons are souls of Gaia, and the loss of one would wound her greatly.

 

[JayTee]

True, but this was well after Return was released, and was said by the people who are currently in charge of the game line.

 

[xarvh]

Ok, it's hard enough to keep track of Exalted, so to keep it practical i'd rule that the canon is whatever the last manual said.


This so that we have "only" to hunt through the manuals rather than the manuals and the whole fucking internet.


Either way, I doubt the distinction is going to be any relevant for our story.


Thanks Arynne, i'll check GotMH.


Also, @Arynne and @cyl, your Scene in Ankss is up.

 

[JayTee]

Oaksteel approaches the strength of MMs, but does not have their magical properties.


You can use it to replace most metals, most woods and even concrete.


It will definitely be useful if you plan to build vehicles, armor or a wood-aspected Manse (such as the University).


Your call.

Thought I'd continue this here, instead of gumming up the IC thread.


There are references in several of the books of normal substances being strengthened and used in place of the Magical Materials. Mechanically and aesthetically, all this would really mean is that I don't have to go to the Wyld Portal every single time I need some quality stuff (and making less One True Path-y) and I exchange "Clockwork" for "Woodwork".

 

[xarvh]

Good to bring the argument here. =)


Ok for using Oaksteel in place of MMs, but not in place of a specific MM requirement (ie "orichalcum") or for attunable artifacts.


Fair?

 

[JayTee]

I'd like to argue for attunable artifacts, if only because I love the irony of "crappy looking artifact actually houses phenomenal cosmic power"


But yeah, that sounds perfectly fair.