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

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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You've obviously never played footbatball.
 
I thought much of the premise of Exalted was to hide your talents  because you were Anathema.  Now with how the charms work' date=' it makes it SO much harder.  What gives?  The purpose of peripheral and personal essence is so that you have a chance to actually hide your powers while being the great solar that you are.  But now, charms have "Obvious" displays when used, personal essence usage be damned.  ...!!"[/quote']
Go back and read the descriptions of some of the 1st ed Melee charms. Heavenly Guardian Defence or Edge of Morning Sunlight (as I recall it). If they weren't obvious, I don't know what is. As I read it nothing has changed in that department except more mechanics. The question is: do we need more mechanics? Well for some it's a great help, for others it maybe takes a little of the magic out of the game. Me, I miss a little of the vagueness and flavour text, but I must admit that the clarifications and precise wordings make dice rolling flow much easier.
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This could all be represented by the new 'intrinsic' martial arts rules - Lunas could have an MA style which is to them as Solar Hero style is to solars. All the freak ass shapeshifting stuff no-one else can learn could be charms which  are extentions of the main tree, like Thunderclap Rush Attack is for Solars.


As there's no Brawl ability anymore it's going to be much harder to keep MA away from lunas anyway.
 
Except Lunars never used Abilities for their powers, so they didn't have any Brawl charms anyway.
 
Jukashi said:
Except Lunars never used Abilities for their powers, so they didn't have any Brawl charms anyway.
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Yes, I know. That isn't what I meant to imply. I beg your forgiveness for not spelling everything out completely.


What I was refering to was the way the generic Luna brute was 'supposed' to use Brawl rather than MA for their attacks. Of course, this was largely from the horribly inconsistant and confusing templating conventions the charm writers used. Or, rather, from the complete lack of templating conventions the charm writers used.
 
I apologise for misreading you. However, I was always under the assumption that Lunars could use Brawl or MA, whichever they liked, for any of their unarmed charms.
 
Jukashi said:
I was always under the assumption that Lunars could use Brawl or MA, whichever they liked, for any of their unarmed charms.
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Most of them do. But there are weird exceptions. The biggest problem is that most of their charms have a laundry list of abilities that can be used with them, rather than saying something like 'any unarmed attack'. If you're writing attribute based charms, then write attribute based charms, damn it. What if you're wearing some crazy exo-skelleton that lets you make unarmed attacks with Occult?


Anyway. I have a huge problem with the templating used in the Lunars book. Which is completely different to any problems I might have with the mechanics. Or themes.
 
I thought much of the premise of Exalted was to hide your talents because you were Anathema.
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It was, but that angsty, teenage anxiety angle (as described to me by Zach Bush) was dropped for the "returning rulers of Creation" approach. Second edition is not just a revamp of the rules but also a refinement of the direction. The Solars in E2 should be seen more as reborn kings returning to their thrones rather than confused individuals unsure of what to do with their newfound powers. This is reflected in the expansion of the traditional rules to include social combat, warfare and command over nations. They can also have a lot more followers and personal cults. Can't gain worshipers without showing off your power.


Another way to look at it is as a refinement of their theme, something that many had thought was lacking. The Solars are meant to lead, inspire, and command. Their glory is as obvious as the sun blazing in the sky. Not only is it meant to be seen, but it cannot help but be seen. This is not to say they lack subtlety, only that it is not a key premise of what they do.


As for being Anathema, they are still Anathema and they are still hunted. But where there were once a few of them popping up one at a time, easily tracked down and slain due to their isolation and obvious power, now there are many of them rising up in groups. Hiding their power is not nearly as important as demonstrating that power and reclaiming the might that was once theirs.
 
Sounds reasonable.


That was part of what Ireally liked about 1st edition, was the uncertianty and need to hide until the time was right. Made it kinda cool, dramatic, and a bit more... what's the word... intense.


Course, 1st ed also had moreof a "you got your anime in my greek hero tragedy!" that I liked, while 2nd ed seems to be more of the "you got your greek heros in my anime".
 
operations said:
Sounds reasonable.
That was part of what Ireally liked about 1st edition, was the uncertianty and need to hide until the time was right. Made it kinda cool, dramatic, and a bit more... what's the word... intense.


Course, 1st ed also had moreof a "you got your anime in my greek hero tragedy!" that I liked, while 2nd ed seems to be more of the "you got your greek heros in my anime".
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 How did the first part change in 2nd Ed?
 
If you look at the comic, maybe.  If anything, they've increased the other Mythic elements.  Again, Ops, I think you need to take a few minutes with 2E rather than base your assumptions on some brief bits.
 
lol YES the anime flavor HAS increased.


personally ... I think thats good, I'll readily admit the games I do are usualy either anime or final fantasy Oriented.
 
Huh anime has increased? I didn't get that memo and I doubt it has been written. There are little comic strips in the book now, yes, but to be honest they are not all that anime, for example panther wrestling down a forest spirit cause he demands unjust worship looked pretty greek/roman legend style to me.
 
Ewww... greco-roman wrestling?!... Please tell me we're not talking muscles covered in oil and glistening in the sun...
 
Solfi said:
Ewww... greco-roman wrestling?!... Please tell me we're not talking muscles covered in oil and glistening in the sun...
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Those who shout "ewwww" first usually enjoy it the most... :P
 
... the only time I've enjoyed an oiled greco-roman romp (goddamn what a boring sport that is btw) was when it was performed by Will Ferrel and his closet homosexual pal in The Ladies Man. That was pretty fucking funny.
 
Actually, I kinda like that Solars are more obvious in 2nd Ed.  Why should the best and the brightest hide their talent?  Why would the scions of the Unconquered Sun pull their punches?  If you ask me, the Solar Exalted have no reason to abide by the Masquerade...
 
Indeed.


"People! Here me! A great injustice has been done! Follow me and we shall retake the-"


"Eh...pal?"


*Looks over to see an entire Wyld Hunt, the Deathlords, little gods and a Yozi Cult to boot*


"Well...this place isn't that cool anymore..."
 
One should hope that the US selects his Chosen for more than prowess potential--some intelligence and common sense wouldn't hurt.


 Then again, the stupidly brave ones die off sooner...
 
Yes, well most of the ones he's chosen so far are:


A) The right kind, and these are FEW and far between. I'm thinking Swan, Junian, Demetheus, Admiral Sand...


B) Those who act on blind faith and take word of mouth as absolute truth (Horakins from the Twilight book comes to mind)


C) Those under the thumb od demons (TWO of the damned Twilights)


D) Those working for the dead and probably won't get away (poor, poor Moray)


E) Then the good ol' fanatics and 'we're better than everyone' kind...(Lyta, The Bull of the North, Arianna, to name a few)


Hmm, the Sun's got some odd tastes in champions.
 
True, it just always seems to me a lot of the Solars are given into their curses before hand. At least Lyta and a few of the others. The Chosen of the Sun, while they have to be a set apart from normal people just seem like the people given into hubris, pompous attitudes and mightier/holy than thou attitudes already.
 
well i think that for the 2nd edition the idea of the hidding solar got outmoded by the idea of the great solar general who leads his massive army into war. that is why they added the mail and steel rules and the social combat.


because once you get beyond the blessed Isle and the coastlines people are more tolerant of solars.
 
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