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Dragnar
2010-12-28, 12:01 AM
Sorcerers in Exalted are pretty much useless in combat. The amount of time required to cast even terrestrial circle spells is probably enough to get you killed against a halfway competent enemy. So, I got the idea of a martial art based on the principles of sorcery. The early charms are only connected to sorcery through fluff, but the later ones work together to create openings in the battle, just long enough to cast a spell with good planning. I've only got up to the form charm done at the moment, but though I might as well post what I have before going any further.

Terrestrial Warlock Style
• Requires mastery of the first circle of sorcery to learn
• Light armor only
• Form weapons are staves.

Arcane Strike Method
Cost: 4m
Keywords: Combo-Ok Mins: Martial Arts 2, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None. (Terrestrial circle sorcery)
The terrestrial warlock’s blows resonate with the very power that built Creation from the raw wyld, and will not be denied by mere armor. The charm enhances a single attack, subtracting (occult)L/B from the target’s soak against the attack.

Position is One Understanding
Cost: 5m
Keywords: Combo-Basic Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Arcane Strike Method
Distance is no barrier to one who studies the secrets of sorcery. This charm allows the warlock to make an unarmed attack with a range of (essence) yards. The invisible force of the attack is difficult to anticipate, reducing the target’s DVs by one. While in Terrestrial Warlock Form this range is doubled to (essence*2).

Essence Holds the Blow
Cost: Variable
Keywords: None Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3 Type: Reflexive
Duration: One action
Prerequisite Charms: None (Terrestrial circle sorcery)
The terrestrial warlock understands that all is essence, even his own body. While he has essence to spare, nothing may truly harm him. While this charm is in effect, the martial artist does not take damage, instead losing 2 motes for every bashing HL that would be inflicted upon him, 4 motes per lethal HL, and 8 per aggravated HL. If his mote pool is reduced to 0 while under this charm’s effects, the martial artist is instantly rendered unconscious until he regains any number of motes. While in Terrestrial Warlock Form, the costs of receiving each sort of damage are decreased by 1 mote. This charm may be reflexively activated on any tick, but cannot be deactivated until the martial artist next acts.

Essence Strengthens the Arm
Cost: 5m
Keywords: None Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Simple
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Essence Holds the Blow
Having further advanced his control over his body’s essence, the terrestrial warlock can begin to supplement his own abilities beyond their normal limits. By committing 5 motes to this charm the martial artist can increase any of his physical attributes by one dot. No more than (essence/2) iterations of this charm may be active at once.

Terrestrial Warlock Form
Cost: 4m, 1wp
Keywords: Sorcerous, Combo-Basic, Form-Type Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3 Type: Simple
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Position is One Understanding , Essence Strengthens the Arm, at least 4 sorcery spells
The Terrestrial Warlock perfectly combines the principles of martial arts and sorcery, and both benefit from the fusion. When this form is activated the martial artist chooses a single terrestrial circle spell he knows. For the duration of the form the speed of the shape sorcery action required to cast the chosen spell is speed 3. Additionally, he may use occult in place of martial arts for any roll while he maintains this form.

Primal Fury
2010-12-28, 12:46 AM
I feel I should point out a few things. One: The title is a little misleading, considering "warlock" is another name for Infernals, not sorcerers. But that's probably a stylistic choice.

Two: Hatewheel is doing a major overhaul of how sorcery works. Every exalt type will get their own set of "metasorcerous", plus those available to everyone (though their functions are still unknown). I'm not exactly sure what this will mean for the game, but the feel I got from it is that casting will (at the very least) happen a lot faster, like "a D&D wizard's fireball" fast (at least for Terrestrial spells)... I think.

And three: I'm not sure this is the best way to go about this. This style is something that only sorcerers can get, rather than something that is a fighting style in its own right that sorcerers might find useful. It just feels a bit too specific.