The Unstealable Jewel (Exalted)

[Exthalion]

Jokes apart, I choose a Motivation that keeps me away from scamming the other PCs.
@hellrazoromega our characters seem to have a lot of overlap BUT I was thinking that this is actually a good thing, it means that we can actually act together a lot rather than having to go solo like most of these character have to do.


We are Ocean's 2.


Or something.


Anyway, this is what my charmset may look like:


Shadow Over Water


Larceny II


> Flawlessly Impenetrable Disguise


Flawless Pickpocketing Tech


Easily Overlooked Presence


> Inv Statue Spirit


Insightful Buyer Technique


Flawless Brush Discipline


Sagacious Reading of Intent


Mastery of Small Manners


@ST: I'd need an Artifact that can host a heartstone but doesn't give me away as an Exalt. What could it be?

Any artifact in the book with a hearthstone slot. Just make it out of something that isn't a MM. (or jade, since I think Godblooded attune to that naturally)

 

[Esbilon]

Hearthstone amulets are 1) as subtle as artifacts get, and 2) sufficiently common that it's not unthinkable that an Enlightened Mortal would have one.

 

[Esbilon]

Any artifact in the book with a hearthstone slot. Just make it out of something that isn't a MM. (or jade, since I think Godblooded attune to that naturally)

Only (OK, primarily) the Exalted have any particular MM they resonate with, god blooded and enlightened Mortals get no MM bonuses, and just use the bases stats.

 

[Esbilon]

@Unbridled Originality Really sorry about tripple posting, but how do you feel about these custom charms?


Speeding Falcon Action


Cost: 2m (3m)


Mins: Awareness 2, Essence 2


Type: Supplemental


Keywords: Combo-OK


Duration: Instant


Prerequisite Charms: Any Awareness Excellency


The Lawgiver need not think to act. After invoking this Charm, the Solar adds (Essence) automatic successes to his next Join Battle roll.


The Solar Exalted show their prowess in all arenas. A Lawgiver with Essence 3 or more may reflexively spend one additional mote to apply the benefit of this Charm to a Join War or Join Debate roll.


Glorious Totemic Leadership


Cost: 10m, 1w


Mins: War 5, Essence 4


Type: Simple


Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious, War


Duration: One Scene


Prerequisite Charms: Any War Excellency, Heroism-Encouraging Presence


The solar's anima banner flares to its full totemic glory and spreads to encompass the unit she is leading. The totem lends its strength to the unit and the members of the unit emulate the unity it symbolizes.


For the duration of the charm, the unit counts as having (Essence x 2) additional Relays gains a bonus to its Might rating of (Essence/2) round up.


EDIT: Also, how do you feel about Surprise Anticipation Method as a surprise negator? There are charms that allow an unexpected attack without giving the defender (me) a chance to perceive it, and there are Unexpected attacks that can't kill me, but still effectively take me out (poisons, knocking me unconcious, non-lethal bad touches, etc.), will you agree to let its scope be extended slightly to cover those situations?

 

[xarvh]

AFAIK the whole point of Surprise Anticipation Method is to negate surprise.


Thanks for the tips, an amulet may be good, but I'll wait for the ST's official ruling.

 

[xarvh]

@ST: What would be the rating/attunement for this custom Artifact?


Pendant of the humble diplomat


* By reflexively spending 1 mote, the bearer can gain knowledge of a single non-trivial intimacy held by someone she is interacting with.


This power can't be used more than once per character per story.


* Same effect as Collar of Dawn's Cleansing Light


* The benefits of the Solar Charm Easily Overlooked Presence apply permanently to both the Pendant and whatever Heartstone it hosts, but not to the bearer who is is noticeable as normal.

 

[Silent Wayfarer]

AFAIK the whole point of Surprise Anticipation Method is to negate surprise.
Thanks for the tips, an amulet may be good, but I'll wait for the ST's official ruling.

Yeah, the main problem is that SAM is kinda badly worded and Reflexive Sidestep Technique... actually does what it says (and more, since it negates all ambushes, the condition of being ganged up on, and some Charms that grant the ability to bypass defenses which do so by making the attacks they enhance unexpected...)

 

[Unbridled Originality]

I'm kind of frazzled, so I'm going to lie down for the night. I'll answer these questions tomorrow.

 

[xarvh]

Also, why why oh why is that the most holy and righteous among the Solars are also those who can make bodies disappear without a trace?


@Arynne we may need to drag you along for our next assassination...

 

[hellrazoromega]

Jokes apart, I choose a Motivation that keeps me away from scamming the other PCs.
@hellrazoromega our characters seem to have a lot of overlap BUT I was thinking that this is actually a good thing, it means that we can actually act together a lot rather than having to go solo like most of these character have to do.


We are Ocean's 2.


Or something.


Anyway, this is what my charmset may look like:


Shadow Over Water


Larceny II


> Flawlessly Impenetrable Disguise


Flawless Pickpocketing Tech


Easily Overlooked Presence


> Inv Statue Spirit


Insightful Buyer Technique


Flawless Brush Discipline


Sagacious Reading of Intent


Mastery of Small Manners


@ST: I'd need an Artifact that can host a heartstone but doesn't give me away as an Exalt. What could it be?

Yeah mine leans more dodge and social.


The First Excellency for Dodge, Archery, Presence, Larceny, and Stealth


1m/die Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker , 2 for defender)


Fateful Excellency for Archerey, Larceny, Presence and Stealth


1m+ Reflexive (Step 1 for attacker , 2 for defender)


Absence


10m Reflexive (Step 2)


Duck Fate


10m Reflexive (Step 2)


Avoidance Kata


2m Reflexive


Force Decision


4m Simple


Presence in Absence Technique


5m Simple


Avoiding the Truth Technique


3m Supplemental

 

[xarvh]

Yeah, I wonder if I should forgo a few charms and spam excellencies, given the bonus, but I find dice adders not as fun.


Anyway, I think we should be able to work nicely together.

 

[hellrazoromega]

I love excellencies, and while I agree specific charms can be more fun--excellencies are how the Chosen do such amazing things--especially Solars with the potential to double a dice pool.

 

[Silent Wayfarer]

I love excellencies, and while I agree specific charms can be more fun--excellencies are how the Chosen do such amazing things--especially Solars with the potential to double a dice pool.

I've always felt that Excellencies represent basic competence while the specific Charms show mastery. For instance, any Exalt can throw stacks of dice at problems, and that in itself is exceptional. But the truly magical thing is when a Solar can parry attacks from fifteen different people at once (Bulwark Stance) or a Dragon-Blooded runs up the smoke of a bonfire (Dancing Ember Stride) or a Lunar exuding poison from their skin like it were nothing more than sweat.


In short, Excellencies let you do anything you want with sufficient dice. Charms let you do everything else.

 

[Arynne]

Better not bring Ash along on any missions until she can level up a bit. She's a bit scrawny.

 

[Arynne]

Still jiggling her stats, trying to make her less of a complete sitting duck outside of the armor. Zeniths are supposed to be tough...

 

[Silent Wayfarer]

Well, you just need Iron Kettle Body and Armored in Righteousness Stance. That gives Essence + Essence + Resistance + Stamina soak that stacks with armor. And your own natural stamina.


It's scary how tough Solars can be.

 

[xarvh]

Then add a Twice Lightning Prism to add a nice 4 to that. =D


But don't worry, Ash will be fiiiiiiine.


On another matter, Eel does not have maxed Dex and no toys to increase his DV. I'll have to work hard to keep him safe.


Do we have an ideas already of what will be the major forces in the area?

 

[Unbridled Originality]

Paragon, Falafal, probably Harborhead.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

@ST: What would be the rating/attunement for this custom Artifact?

Hmm, one dot effect, plus a nontrivial social effect, and a hearthstone setting. I'm gonna say three dot.

 

[xarvh]

*Changes motivation to "Scam the Perfect of Paragon".

 

[Arynne]

[QUOTE="Silent Wayfarer]Well, you just need Iron Kettle Body and Armored in Righteousness Stance. That gives Essence + Essence + Resistance + Stamina soak that stacks with armor. And your own natural stamina.
It's scary how tough Solars can be.

[/QUOTE]
Nope. Because she needs Craft 4, Lore 5 and Occult 4 to repair a warstrider, which leaves her with 1 or 2 in most of her other Abilities, thus ruling out any of the really good Resistance Charms. She also needs two Lore Excellencies, Chaos-Repelling Pattern and Wyld-Shaping Technique to justify having the materials, Integrity-Protecting Prana to keep from being fried by the Wyld when using Wyld-Shaping, 1st Presence Excellency and Enemy Castigating Solar Judgment to make her attacks Holy, at least one level of Ox-Body Technique, at least one Craft Excellency...


*takes a drink*

 

[Exthalion]

Then add a Twice Lightning Prism to add a nice 4 to that. =D

I'm sorry, I am too busy laughing to come up with a coherent response.


(Kidding aside, that hearthstone is broken in hard to fully enumerate ways.)

Nope. Because she needs Craft 4, Lore 5 and Occult 4 to repair a warstrider, which leaves her with 1 or 2 in most of her other Abilities, thus ruling out any of the really good Resistance Charms. She also needs two Lore Excellencies, Chaos-Repelling Pattern and Wyld-Shaping Technique to justify having the materials, Integrity-Protecting Prana to keep from being fried by the Wyld when using Wyld-Shaping, 1st Presence Excellency and Enemy Castigating Solar Judgment to make her attacks Holy, at least one level of Ox-Body Technique, at least one Craft Excellency...
*takes a drink*

You could take a single dot of allies to represent a technician to do the repairs.

 

[Exthalion]

Double Post

 

[hellrazoromega]

[QUOTE="Silent Wayfarer]I've always felt that Excellencies represent basic competence while the specific Charms show mastery. For instance, any Exalt can throw stacks of dice at problems, and that in itself is exceptional. But the truly magical thing is when a Solar can parry attacks from fifteen different people at once (Bulwark Stance) or a Dragon-Blooded runs up the smoke of a bonfire (Dancing Ember Stride) or a Lunar exuding poison from their skin like it were nothing more than sweat.
In short, Excellencies let you do anything you want with sufficient dice. Charms let you do everything else.

[/QUOTE]
They surely are the basics, but to explain my point further, the real nastiness of Excellencies comes when they are in combos with those specific charms. Sure multiple parries are cool but add that WITH a bunch of extra dice and the Chosen's true powers comes out. I tend not to start with Combos but I train the heck out of them once games begin because that is where things get nasty. The other thing I like about excellencies is their generality, sure secreting poison sweat is cool--until you show up at a very social dinner party, then it's a bit useless (unless you are there to poison someone). There are tons of awesome specific charms--but circumstances can make them loose their luster. Excellencies are general enough that they can be used in far more situations. Sure you may have a Charisma based Excellency when you really need a Dex based one, but chances are you can use that Dex based Excellency in far more situations than almost any specific charm. It may make you more of a jack of all trades and master of none--but you'll be a pretty badass jack. Anyway that is why my twisted mind loves em so much.

 

[xarvh]

(Kidding aside, that hearthstone is broken in hard to fully enumerate ways.)

That's why it's fun.


The Ally option is actually a very good one. Would allow Ash to actually buy Zenith stuff.