Taking the Secrecy out of being a Solar Exalt (lil'Rant)

Ooh, even better.


There's a little of the wack-ass Siderial flavour in them - My big WTF moment was reading that Wyld Shaping Technique can be used to make people now.


They're very nicely written charms.
 
They're very explicitly written Charms. They lack flavor, though.


-S
 
Indeed. Which presumably was a design goal for the charm set - Solars magical effects are kinda beige as the cost of them being such excellent generalists.


If I can jack this thread even further off topic, looking over the sample Lunar charms in the STC I realized that unlike the DB and Sid charms there which are almost all familiar charms from 1st ed, Lunars have got a complete makeover.


Hurrah!
 
Fruan said:
Indeed. Which presumably was a design goal for the charm set - Solars magical effects are kinda beige as the cost of them being such excellent generalists.
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No, what I mean is, they each have about one sentence of flavor text, and then a paragraph or two of crunchy mechanics. Not that I'm complaining, really. I'm just surprised at RSB's restraint.


-S
 
Well, that's what I was refering to as well - Solar charms are just all mechanical effect: Their magic just fucking does what ever they're trying to do.


AS for RSB's restraint, well, this means that either White Wolf had some very good editors (Ha!), or she only writes the bizzare confusing stuff when she wants bizzare confusing stuff.


This may shift your opinion of her writing up or down depending on what views you held originally.
 
Blame the editor.  For the Sidereals book, and for the new definition for RSB's work.  Writers will spin off stuff, and so long as an editor doesn't call them on it, they think they've done their job.  A good editor doesn't let bullshit slide.  And in some of her previouis work, blame the editor for not giving her a call...


"...yeah, hey Reb.  I got the pages you sent.  You know, there's some interesting stuff in here.  No, really, I think that you've got a good flow here, but I need you to be a little clearer...Yes, I know that you've got other deadlines, but so do I, and I really don't feel like ass raping your material, and you know that's exactly what I'll do if I have to.  Just clean it up a bit, and make the effects clear and concrete--it's that or let me do it, and wonder why the fuck we're paying you."
 
Stillborn said:
Give. Details. Now!


-S
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Basicly there are none; The charms in the STC aren't aranged into trees, and all the Lunar charms therein have very simple names like "Command Beast", "Change Gender" and "Lunar Armour". All the DB and Sid charms are old favourites, however.


So, rolling my intelligence + investigation, I'm lead to conclude that Lunars are getting a complete charm rebuild (that as of the printing of the STC was still in a very early stage) where as the other exalt types are largely getting ports, tweaks and cleanups. (War and Integrity being the major exceptions, of course).
 
I actually miss some of the flavour text. The mechanics are very precise, and that is neat, but sometimes I just can't see what's happening, when I read about the exalt getting so and so dice to use on this and that. I has got a little more boring reading charms now than usual.


I'll just have to crank up my imagination a notch and not be so mentally lazy.
 
Zaramis said:
<- Loves Borgstrom. How it would suck if charms were just mechanics, that would take a whole lot of fun away from it, for me at least :P
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 You need to take a look at 'Weapons of the Gods,' from Eos Press. She and Brad Elliott co-wrote a wuxia RPG based on the comic.


 The mechanics are reasonably clear, and the flavor text...mind-blowingly good, as vintage Bergie as you can get.
 
all I ask is that my mechanics be kept seperate from my flavor. I don't want to get frosting on my steak, or gravy on my cake. Both are tasty and delicious, but they need to be on their own plates.


Personally, I think having less description on the charms empowers the players by giving them more flexibility to describe what they're doing and pull of good stunts.
 
Dude, you totally need to stop hitting on lowguppy like that...


Meatwaffles just sounds dirty...
 
Fruan said:
Stillborn said:
Give. Details. Now!


-S
Click to expand...
Basicly there are none; The charms in the STC aren't aranged into trees, and all the Lunar charms therein have very simple names like "Command Beast", "Change Gender" and "Lunar Armour". All the DB and Sid charms are old favourites, however.


So, rolling my intelligence + investigation, I'm lead to conclude that Lunars are getting a complete charm rebuild (that as of the printing of the STC was still in a very early stage) where as the other exalt types are largely getting ports, tweaks and cleanups. (War and Integrity being the major exceptions, of course).
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 Assuming that the Lunar charm writers decide to look around the WW multiverse for inspiration...


 I wouldn't mind seeing a martial arts style based on kailindo.
 
That would actually be pretty frippin' sweet.... The fact that Kailindo was utterly munchkin in WoD is hardly a problem in this game. :)
 
Kailindo wasnt munchkin...Klaiviskar was.


Kailindo was just plain good. But Klaiviskar was still better, especially in the hands of a Silver Fang.


Well, if they did make one for the lunars, I could see that they would need a Sidereal to teach them i guess.  But I think the combat charms in 1st ed were Kailindo-esque.  So you can just make up your own just by description.
 
Eh? A Sidereal teaching Kailindo? A Sidereal wouldn't be able to actually learn Kailindo... not being able to shapeshift n' all.
 
Solfi said:
Eh? A Sidereal teaching Kailindo? A Sidereal wouldn't be able to actually learn Kailindo... not being able to shapeshift n' all.
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Well the shapeshifting, no.  But Kailindo wasnt all about shapeshifting.  There were alot of manuevers that didnt require you to shift at all.  And they would more so guide on how, not show them how.  Ive known some of teachers/coaches guide on how to do things, but not show because of lets say a bum leg or being too old.  So it is possible.
 
Can a man show a woman show a man how to write his name in the snow with his penis?  How about a man telling a woman how she ought to be breast feeding?


There's a difference between knowing the general theory, and actual experience.  I think if Lunars have their own shapechanging martial arts, then you can't learn them without knowing how to shape shift.  Give the Lunars some credit at least for having a few things that they're good at.  I think the idea of a Sidereal trying to teach a Lunar how form a shape shifting martial art makes about as much sense as a football bat...
 
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