General Exalted Discussion VI: Ascendancy Mantle of the Playground

[DeadManSleeping]

The sutras, supposedly, contain insights into existence which must be comprehended to fully practice a martial art. As far as the player is concerned, however, they are just silly/creepy little poems (seriously, March of Charcoal Spiders has "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as its Student's Sutra).

[Qaera]

For all my sexxxy emo goffic abbies~ we have a shirt for you that is as black as your sole.


Seriously, go clean your feet, man.

~ ♅

[Lord Raziere]

also, I got Glories of the Most High: Maidens

looked at the Greater Astrological Signs/Charms, the stuff the Maidens locked away so that the Sidereals supposedly don't tear reality apart.

.....I was underwhelmed..... these are the things that the Maidens deemed so dangerous? they don't look so bad.... I mean really the SMA's are worse than this stuff.....

[SurlySeraph]

They almost all cost Paradox and make it harder for everyone to use Craft (Fate). It's the side effects more than the intentional effects. (On a side note, Paradox would be a lot more interesting if it damaged the world around Sidereals that collect it instead of just being bad for them when it gets to 10).

So it's weird that Birthing the Maiden of Wisdom, definitely one of the most powerful astrological charms, is the only one that doesn't screw up Craft (Fate).

[Lord Raziere]

but still....they don't seem to be worth it. and why where these locked away when the SMA's weren't? the SMA's do stuff that make these greater astrological arts look tame, the SMA's pose a much greater threat to the Loom and Creation than any Astrology charm....I mean its like taking away someones ability to destroy a building, but leaving them the abilities to destroy the entire town, or just one person.

[Qaera]

Sidereals need lots of 2.5 love. We know this.

~ ♅

[DeadManSleeping]

The SMAs don't do a thing to the loom, I don't think.

I do agree that these greater astrological Charms need to be, well, greater. If they cost paradox, they should do things that make the pattern spiders blink and go "HOLY ****ing ****s!" I mean, look at destinies: giving a frequent-triggering destiny to a small nation for a century invites about as much paradox as an average one of these Charms. None of these Charms measure up to that.

[Lord Raziere]

but how? doesn't any use of charms strangle the Loom? SMA's are charms, they do even more damage than anything the Sidereals have without them, why are Sidereals penalized for everything except the hackiest most overpowered thing they have? it doesn't make any sense!

now I understand why they need errata...

[DeadManSleeping]

The whole "Charms snag the Loom" thing came about due to a single entry somewhere that said massive outbursts of Essence tangled the Loom, leading up to a story where some Twilight found that out and decided to make the biggest burst of Essence possible just to see what happened. I've never seen it mentioned anywhere else.

Honestly, I'm not sure how it got so widespread as 'canon'.

[Lord Raziere]

so only one entry says anything about this....and why don't Dragon-Blooded, and other Exalts get Paradox? because they are supposedly above fate or something?

yea I think a good place to start is just get rid of paradox.....cause why would Sidereals provoke it in the first place? if they are a part of Fate, their manipulation of it should be natural....

no idea what should be done with astrology in general though. system is still clunky....

[DeadManSleeping]

and why don't Dragon-Blooded, and other Exalts get Paradox? because they are supposedly above fate or something?

I dunno. Why didn't the guys at Google Labs chew you out the last time you used their search engine poorly?Hint: It's because you don't work there and you don't have NEARLY the same level of effect on their work as someone who does.
Astrology needs fixing. As it is, playing a Sidereal before a few hundred XP basically means you need to get every bonus the book lists just to work up a basic Resplendent Destiny. The paradox is enough disincentive to lay on the powerful destinies. They don't also need to make it essentially impossible for young Sidereals to use the system that makes them unique in the first place.

[Turalisj]

Dead, try to keep the personal insults to yourself.

[TheCountAlucard]

yea I think a good place to start is just get rid of paradox.....cause why would Sidereals provoke it in the first place?

Holdover from 1e Sidereals, in which it was a holdover from oWoD Mage. It was pretty much mandated that every little thing in 1e Exalted had to have a loving little "nudge, nudge, wink, wink," that pointed toward oWoD.

[Turalisj]

A lot of stuff needs to be redone for exalted... Forget 2.5e, we need a 3e

[Qaera]

A lot of stuff needs to be redone for exalted... Forget 2.5e, we need a 3e

That's not going to happen, though. Not likely, at least.

~ ♅

[Turalisj]

I know, which sucks.

Let's see, the things that need to be adjusted:

- Lunars
- Sidereals
- Lethality
- Mass Combat
- Social Combat
- Crafting
- Backgrounds
- Lunar-Solar Bonds

[Qaera]

I know, which sucks.

Let's see, the things that need to be adjusted:

- Lunars
- Sidereals
- Lethality
- Mass Combat
- Social Combat
- Crafting
- Backgrounds
- Lunar-Solar Bonds

I think you mean:
- Crunch

~ ♅

[DragonSinged]

So I don't really get what the problem is with the Solar-Lunar bonds. Granted, I haven't read MoEP: Lunars, but my understanding of what the "problem" is is that Solars get all the power and control, and Lunars don't get any.


Isn't that the way it's sort of supposed to be, according to the fluff? Because if that's what the problem is, um, it doesn't really seem like a problem to me.

Or is there some other issue with the bond?

[Lix Lorn]

I think you mean:
- Crunch
- Fluff (Although only bits of it)

~ ♅

FTFY.

[Guancyto]

Or is there some other issue with the bond?

Well mechanically, the background itself doesn't do enough for the penalties it sticks you with (although there are some pretty nice Charms that make use of it). Past Lives (Infernals) is a vaguely comparable background; gives a nice dice boost in exchange for a nasty drawback.

Past Lives:
+can be used more or less whenever you want
+doesn't count toward dice caps
+grants (rating) dice, usable (essence) times per story
-falling to drawback gets you possessed by a First Age Solar for a few hours, happens if you get careless or unlucky with its use

Solar Bond:
-can only be used to support your Mate
-counts toward dice caps
-gives (rating)*2 dice per story, divided however you want, so it falls behind past Essence 2
-falling to drawback lets a Solar social-fu you ten ways to Sunday, happens if your mate has different goals and ideas than you and few qualms about social-fu (not as much of an edge case as you'd think, if it's not a PC)
+gets Charms to enhance its use, which is a big plus

Also there are some fluff elements about it that can die in a fire, but a lot of splats have those.

[DeadManSleeping]

Dead, try to keep the personal insults to yourself.

Not only shall I try, I shall succeed. Retroactively, even.Seriously, what are you talking about?

Man, this thread really needs positivity. Are there any bits of mechanics that people enjoy?First person that mentions anything in Infernals gets shot in the face.

[golentan]

Shintai charms. (totally serious though).

Pretty much all of alchemicals. For whatever reason I'm especially fond of their "one shot" perfects: the stamina charms like the forcefield that absorbs the first thing that would overcome it.

Magitech as a whole I find awesome, though I do sometimes wish it was easier to meet the requirements to build and maintain. :small sigh:

Stunts are always fun for me as well. Really, they more than save the system in my mind, because they reward people mechanically for relying on the awesome fluff and for going beyond the impossible in a way that other systems I use usually don't.

[Lix Lorn]

Mechanics?
Lightning Strikes Twice, and the expansions on that, and to a lesser extend Heaven Thunder Hammer. It is the most Awesome thing I can think of.

[Turalisj]

I would totally love to see Shintai style charms for other exalts. Like Virtue based Shintai charms for Solars and elemental ones for dragons.

[golentan]

I would totally love to see Shintai style charms for other exalts. Like Virtue based Shintai charms for Solars and elemental ones for dragons.

Goodness me yes. And shapeshifting shintai (more than Deadly Beastman) for lunars.

[Qaera]

Yeah, and Terrestrials should be able to shapeshift into dragons, and Lunars can do Fate stuff as long as they are astrologizing in the Wyld.

No.

I am against muddying the splats like that.

~ ♅

[Recaiden]

I would totally love to see Shintai style charms for other exalts. Like Virtue based Shintai charms for Solars and elemental ones for dragons.

I don't know. There is the Unconquered Sun thing, but Virtues are more Raksha territory. Clearly, there should be 25 Solar Shintai. One per ability. Maybe Caste-based?
Can't comment on Elemental ones, but I like the idea. No need to be dragons though.

Goodness me yes. And shapeshifting shintai (more than Deadly Beastman) for lunars.

Yes. I had that idea for infernal-corrupted Lunars, but more Lunar ones might...hm...

[Turalisj]

Yeah, and Terrestrials should be able to shapeshift into dragons, and Lunars can do Fate stuff as long as they are astrologizing in the Wyld.

No.

I am against muddying the splats like that.

~ ♅

That's not what I'm suggesting. I'm suggesting other people besides lunars and infernals getting those nice charms that can beef up your character in combat without having to spend a thousand xp into a dozen different charms and combos and spend most of your motes.

Caste based ones might work too, even going off of the charm from Glories that boosts a caste's anima banner.

Effectively, trying to shift combat away from martial arts only to something that others can enjoy.

[golentan]

Yeah, the thing that makes them awesome is they're form charms with a more magicky and intrinsic feel, not the shapeshifting per se (though I admit that is a large part of what I like).

[Lord Raziere]

somewhat unrelated:

my rebellious dragon-blooded- called Wiletro- started out as an Air Aspect, but since he couldn't take on Celestials, I changed him to a Slayer Infernal, then I changed him to a Scourge Infernal who knows Air Dragon style cause he is supposed to have strong storm, wind, lightning and speed themes.

but now I realize that he can easily fit into being a Lunar, Abyssal, Solar or even a Sidereal! all that has to change are the circumstances of his Exaltation! The Five Wiletros! He could pretty much fit into almost any part of Exalted except Alchemicals and Raksha! The only difference is what he would be rebelling against....and I don't know whether to make five character sheets or make up my mind.

just a weird thing I've observed. Can't decide if its a problem or not.