Perfect Solar Circle and Synergy

[psychoph]

I wasn't sure where to put this but Mike Q got me thinking about a perfect circle of Solars and made me realize that I don't know what exactly in game terms makes a perfect cirlce better than say 5 dawn caste solars or 3 of one caste and 2 of another to make 5 members.


From a game mechanics stand point I don't remember reading anyhting in the main book that gave a perfect circle special powers alll I remember is the book saying that each person can cover one of the other castes drawbacks or limitations.


Solars I remember aren't liek dragon blooded who have the ability to enhance each other with certain charms like the Cadaince the Dragon blooded of Lookshy developed to allow them to march faster and farther with more dragon blooded.


so are there any defined benefits to a perfectg circle other than having a character with an aptitude in each one of the skill areas?

 

[Flagg]

so are there any defined benefits to a perfectg circle other than having a character with an aptitude in each one of the skill areas?

Not really, other than having that warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing you're a perfect circle.


-S

 

[Flagg]

If everyone sticks rigidly to the Caste stereotypes, then a perfect circle will have little overlap and compliment eachother well. Otherwise, it's not really any better than 5 Dawn Caste who all specialize in different areas.


-S

 

[MikeOQuinn]

Yeah. The reason that a Perfect Circle is improved over a standard circle is that, in effect, you have all bases covered. Not so much a mechanics thing as a function of the fact that you have the ability to do damned near anything, and do it well.


In fact, I was just going through thinking to myself, "Now that I've said that... is there, in fact, any mechanical incentive to play a Perfect Circle? I can't remember..."

 

[Flagg]

In fact, I was just going through thinking to myself, "Now that I've said that... is there, in fact, any mechanical incentive to play a Perfect Circle? I can't remember..."

No.


-S

 

[MikeOQuinn]

In fact, I was just going through thinking to myself, "Now that I've said that... is there, in fact, any mechanical incentive to play a Perfect Circle? I can't remember..."

No.


-S

Yeah. Got that. Just didn't remember before. Got it now. No enhancements due to Perfect Circle. Right. Got it.

 

[psychoph]

Well now I am wondering, before I was thinking I wanted my players to form a perfect cirlce and was making it a pseudo requirement for the story but maybe that doesn't matter all that much really.

 

[Forn Clakes]

I've never really thought much about the whole "perfect circle" lark, its never entered any of my stories.  Saying that though, my players have naturally gone for different Castes, anyway, but I wouldn't have a problem with them wanting to play the same caste, so long as the characters were varied.


~FC.

 

[Andrew02]

Well, the Perfect Circle has the marginal advantage of having the Zenith anima power, and the Eclipse diplomatic immunity over the 5 Dawns who specialize in different areas. It's a very small advantage, but Presence charms seem to beat out the Dawn anima power pretty quickly.

 

[Flagg]

Well, the Perfect Circle has the marginal advantage of having the Zenith anima power, and the Eclipse diplomatic immunity over the 5 Dawns who specialize in different areas. It's a very small advantage, but Presence charms seem to beat out the Dawn anima power pretty quickly.

That advantage could also be enjoyed by any non-perfect circle with a Zenith and an Eclipse.


-S

 

[Andrew02]

Of course. But it is the only advantage I could think of for a Full Circle. I was too lazy to go and check to see if Savant and Sorcerer gives Twilights some edge in learning Sorcery, and 5 Dawns could potentially all end up favoring every non-Dawn ability . . . so yeah.

 

[psychoph]

Savant and Sorcer doesn't give any benefits to learning sorcery to the Twilight caste.  My understanding is that all castes are supposed to be able to  learn sorcery, and that the First Age worked similar to Lookshy army only on a much grander scale as all Solar exalted knew at least a little magic if not a lot.


I would imagine 3k years would make you a master of anything you put your mind to so the only real difference between a perfect circle and a non perfect circle is the anima power you are missing from the group and whether you can make up for that in some sort of charm.

 

[Andrew02]

All Solars can learn sorcery. It's just that Twilights can always self-initiate themselves into Sorcery since they always have Occult as a Caste ability. Anyone who doesn't favor Occult seems like they flat out need a teacher and cannot learn the Sorcery on their own.


If you're using that aspect of Sorcery, anyway.

 

[Joseph]

I wasn't sure where to put this but Mike Q got me thinking about a perfect circle of Solars and made me realize that I don't know what exactly in game terms makes a perfect cirlce better than say 5 dawn caste solars or 3 of one caste and 2 of another to make 5 members.
From a game mechanics stand point I don't remember reading anyhting in the main book that gave a perfect circle special powers alll I remember is the book saying that each person can cover one of the other castes drawbacks or limitations.


Solars I remember aren't liek dragon blooded who have the ability to enhance each other with certain charms like the Cadaince the Dragon blooded of Lookshy developed to allow them to march faster and farther with more dragon blooded.


so are there any defined benefits to a perfectg circle other than having a character with an aptitude in each one of the skill areas?

The benefits of having a Perfect Circle is that you with all certainty have someone who either DOES specialize in a given Ability, or CAN with zero training time.  Literally everything is covered fairly easily.


That's about it.

 

[StarHawk]

Well now I am wondering, before I was thinking I wanted my players to form a perfect cirlce and was making it a pseudo requirement for the story but maybe that doesn't matter all that much really.

making it a perfect circle isn't all that grand. But if you want the unity, and or the bonus of being a group have them take the Sworn Brotherhood merit. It's a fairly simple emerald circle spell, and if binds the group as well as giving them a group pool to pull dice from. Not a horrible idea.


Or Brotherhood of Lake and River also works, but it's a slightly harder thing to come by since it's a Lunar charm, but I'm sure it could work I just haven't read it through yet.

 

[Athrun the Bear]

Brotherhood of Lake and River won't work since it's a Lunar charm and only Eclipse caste Solars can learn charms from other types of Exalted.  Brotherhood of Lake and River must be known to every member of the Brotherhood, not just one of them.  BoLR is all about people working together to fight more effectively...you CAN get a bonus to initiative based on the number of people present who know BoLR, you can read surface thoughts of the members, speak telepathically, and do other nifty stuff that can be useful at times.


Actually, I suppose if your entire circle was Eclipse caste, then they could all learn it...but that's just silly.