Pimp my Warstrider

[Moonstone Spider]

I'm in a game as a full-moon Lunar, focus on dexterity and using Snake Style martial arts, mostly the character's got such a high DV setup that hits are very rare. Essence 4 but otherwise fairly close to fresh from chargen. I have about 40 EXP to spend and I've decided I'm getting a warstrider and attendant goodies to go with it. So. . . I've never used one before. Can anybody give me some tips on what type would be advantageous, which gear to grab, and what accessories charms, and weapons fit best?


If you want the story it's here:


So, in the game I've been playing our group got separated and sent to the far corners of creation by a magitek device, forcing us to cross it to reach each other in an epic journey.


About two minutes into the next session everybody realized what a pain playing out five different stories at once would be and the GM changed plans, with a timeskip 'til everybody gets together again, about two years.


Yeah, it's like that. Anyway, we have two years of backstory to fill in and some exp to spend in the meantime. This is a very grim game, the world is overrun by the various baddies, there's abyssals, fair folk, and infernals everywhere, the blessed island is a death zone, Yu Shan is locked tight, and basically the world has a 0% chance of survival unless the PCs manage to unite every single non-pure-evil faction together into a well oiled machine and crush all creation's foes in an endless churn of epic battles. Fairly typical game, in other words. In the two years my character's been carving a bloody path to the rest of the group, I picked up a lot of gear "inherited" when my lunar packmates got picked off in battle after battle trying to hold back the fair folk.

 

[Kyeudo]

I think the best advice I can offer about Warstriders is don't use them. They are mote-intensive to use, hard to maintain, fatiguing as nothing else, and only increase your damage (and maybe soak). You're better off in a suit of Celestial Power Armor than in a Warstrider. They are slightly less crippling for a Lunar (all those Dex penalties go away) but they still will turn Exalted combat into rocket launcher tag.

 

[Heaven's Thunder Hammer]

If you're going to get one, get a Royal Warstrider with a Grand Daiklaive. With wings as a seperate artifact 4 for the win.


Is the best optimized purchase? Not exactly, but is FUN!

 

[Seraphina]

I have a very newbie question. Normal WarStriders have no health levels right?


I've read the books about them and I see that SiegeStrider have health levels and HellStriders have them but I see no mention of them for normal noble, royal and the like. I took that to mean they act like giant suits of magical armor just giving you extra strength and soak but they seem more like giant robots you would think they would have health levels too or at least I do.

 

[Plague of Hats]

Yes, warstriders are currently treated more like armor than like vehicles. They don't really share a "space" with siege striders and the like, so in context with those they generally aren't contrasted as "normal striders."

 

[Captain Hesperus]

I think the best advice I can offer about Warstriders is don't use them. They are mote-intensive to use, hard to maintain, fatiguing as nothing else, and only increase your damage (and maybe soak). You're better off in a suit of Celestial Power Armor than in a Warstrider. They are slightly less crippling for a Lunar (all those Dex penalties go away) but they still will turn Exalted combat into rocket launcher tag.

+1.


Unless you intend to go around Behemoth-tipping, or demolishing cities, Warstriders are not worth the Background dots. You're infinitely better off going with CBA, though that would still mean you can't use Snake Style. If you can live without the soak and your ST is allowing you to go for something as huge as a Warstrider, might I suggest instead Perfected Kata Bracers (OC, pg. 42)? They are Artifact •••• and cost a massive 8m for attunement, but adding your Essence to your Accuracy, Damage and Defence pools for unarmed or Form-weapon attacks and (for Moonsilver) ignoring cover and shields, it's worth it.


Captain Hesperus

 

[Kyeudo]

That reminds me of one question: Can you practice a martial arts style that doesn't allow armor in a warstrider? Since I'm inclined to believe that the answer to that one is no, should you be able to?

 

[Tadanori Oyama]

It's been awhile since I read the warstride sections but I believe with noble and royal warstriders you can. They aren't considered armor because charms that effect armor don't effect the warstrider.

 

[Kyeudo]

They aren't considered armor because charms that effect armor don't effect the warstrider.

Actually, it calls out that most Charms that do stuff with armor treat a warstrider as armor, like Whirlwind Armor-Donning Prana.

 

[Tadanori Oyama]

In that case I probably have it call completely backwards and warstriders do count as armor for most charm uses.


I do remember you can't use the armor to elsewhere trick on a warstrider, you have to use a seperate charm.

 

[Ledaal Kajiri]

In that case I probably have it call completely backwards and warstriders do count as armor for most charm uses.
I do remember you can't use the armor to elsewhere trick on a warstrider, you have to use a seperate charm.

Yes indeed. That you do have correct. It's easier to pull a Warstrider from your rear with Sorcery and Necromancy than it is to pull one from Elsewhere. Though there's advantages to having the real thing. If you're wanting to Pimp your Warstrider, it's often beneficial to install the various things you want permanently, since it's a decreased attunement cost, though if you want the versatility of switchable systems you might want to leave some not built in. Getting a Warstrider AI is rather beneficial, as it can add some charm use by your Warstrider itself, and help you avoid the perception penalties a Warstrider creates.


Of course, there's significant downsides to actually owning a real Warstrider. The biggest is maintenance. You'll want a base of operations whether mobile or stationary, repair crews, and either you or someone else is going to need some serious Craft skills. Personally, I'm fond of the Mobile Repair and Fabrication Platform...while it can't build Warstriders, it doesn't rule out being used to improve maintenance...and if you're fielding Warstriders, odds are you'll soon be fielding a lot more Magitech too...and it is quite useful indeed for building and maintaining the equipment for say a Gunzosha unit to back you up...

 

[Virjigorm]

You could always grab a Solar buddy and head for the Wyld. Then have your Solar Wyld-Shape you a Warstrider-like beast with ridiculous attributes and mutations. Slaughter said beast, eat it's heart, and there ya go. Then just be careful with your personal essence pool to keep from flaring and use Might Bolstering Blow with every attack.


oh, and also get Perfected Kata Bracers