General Exalted Discussion Thread IX: Errata is Combo-Ok!

**Mr.Bookworm** · 2012-03-04, 12:16 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by tonberrian

Yes. We've got Modern and Space Opera confirmed. Apparently, there's going to be 4 major alternate settings, then a whole bunch of smaller changes.

Hatewheel has also mentioned a shard called "the Clockwork City" (with alternative rules for Resonance), which could possibly be one of those two.

**DeadManSleeping** · 2012-03-04, 12:17 PM (ISO 8601)

Steampunk Exalted with Abyssals who mess up clockworks with their foul auras? Excuse me, I believe I need to change my pants.

**Hiro Protagonest** · 2012-03-04, 12:21 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Mr.Bookworm

Hatewheel has also mentioned a shard called "the Clockwork City" (with alternative rules for Resonance), which could possibly be one of those two.

Steampunk?

...I now have an image of the Scarlet Empress, wearing goggles on her forehead instead of the crown, and carrying an essence cannon.

**Arrghus** · 2012-03-04, 12:50 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

Steampunk?

...I now have an image of the Scarlet Empress, wearing goggles on her forehead instead of the crown, and carrying an essence cannon.

She's a politician, not a warrior.

Dress made of brass thread and glass baubles, on a throne of gold and iron, topped with five crystal statues of the Dragons. The Crown actually kind of works already, interestingly enough.

**Hiro Protagonest** · 2012-03-04, 12:57 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Arrghus

She's a politician, not a warrior.

This is Exalted. Nagezzer carries a sword. The Empress is much stronger than Nagezzer, she had to survive the time before the Scarlet Dynasty.

I wonder what the Imperial Manse would look like...

**Turalisj** · 2012-03-04, 01:06 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

I wonder what the Imperial Manse would look like...

Castle Heterodyne

**HerrTenko** · 2012-03-04, 01:17 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

This is Exalted. Nagezzer carries a sword. The Empress is much stronger than Nagezzer, she had to survive the time before the Scarlet Dynasty.

I wonder what the Imperial Manse would look like...

Also, she was an Officer during the Shogunate, wasn't she?

**vegetalss4** · 2012-03-04, 02:16 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

This is Exalted. Nagezzer carries a sword. The Empress is much stronger than Nagezzer, she had to survive the time before the Scarlet Dynasty.

I wonder what the Imperial Manse would look like...

Personally I like to imagine that after she became Empress she stopped carrying a conventional weapon - the message being that the only sword she needed was the Sword of Creation.

Any assassins that got past her extensive defenses would be dealt with through Kung Fu and elemental attacks.

**Kyeudo** · 2012-03-04, 02:16 PM (ISO 8601)

Her Redness has also participated in several Wyld Hunts on the Blessed Isle.

**Madwand** · 2012-03-04, 03:19 PM (ISO 8601)

meschlum, could I ask one question?

I started building Wyld Artifact, but I can't find mutation points cost for every charm. For example what is Awakened Dream Manufacture cost? Or heart-stealing kiss?

**TheCountAlucard** · 2012-03-04, 03:25 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Madwand

I started building Wyld Artifact, but I can't find mutation points cost for every charm. For example what is Awakened Dream Manufacture cost? Or heart-stealing kiss?

As of the errata, Charms no longer have a mutation point cost.

**Draken** · 2012-03-04, 03:42 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by TheCountAlucard

As of the errata, Charms no longer have a mutation point cost.

They do for the construction of wyld artifacts.

The cost can be found in the keywords of each charm, next to the Mutation and Glamour keywords.

Heart-Stealing Kiss is glamour (3), meaning three points of oneiromancies.

Awakened Dream Manufacture can't be part of oneiromancies.

**meschlum** · 2012-03-04, 10:02 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Madwand

meschlum, could I ask one question?

I started building Wyld Artifact, but I can't find mutation points cost for every charm. For example what is Awakened Dream Manufacture cost? Or heart-stealing kiss?

The ensuing replies are correct. And, if I may be so bold, in b4 me.

Heart Stealing Kiss is linked to Outward Facing Oneiromancies only, meaning you can create a soul (or, rather willpower) eating book (and name it FATAL), but cannot obtain a glove that lets you, personally, eat the Valor of those you touch.

Instead, you make a glove that eats the Valor of everyone it touches (on the outside, at least), and sporadically focus to refill your mote pool from its reserves.

Awakened Dream Manufacture has never had a gossamer cost, and so was never an option for using in Grace Magic. If you want to make sentient servants out of nearby chaff, use Subversion and Transformation Artifice (outward facing, works on animals) or Behemoth Forging Meditation (outward facing, works on mortals).

If you must create your hordes of servants out of nothingness, or turn a stray sunbeam into a comely musician, and require an artifact to do so, there is, of course, a solution. Namely Extinction of the Self - which turns a Diplomat with the appropriate Charms into a ring that can apply Veil of Glamour as you command.

The poor things you create thus are only temporary, but that's a detail.

Extinction of the Self is an excellent route to getting access to most non-Ring, non-Grace Magic charms, as it lets you (or the artifact) use them. Access to Ring-based, non-Grace Magic charms is somewhat more difficult, and typically done by binding an (un)fortunate Worker to your service - a Heart Grace only requires 1 committed mote, after all. If you must do it via artifacts, you end up in shenanigan land, and that realm seems somewhat inflammatory of late. Still, there are methods.

On the other hand, if you are more interested in a magical factory spitting out hordes of dedicated and weird servants, one can only recommend a Chancel inhabited by suitable Workers and Diplomats. Within its time fluid confines, they will ceaselessly work to create whatever you require, and you can open the Chancel and withdraw what you need as your whim strikes. If your Chancel manifests as a small sphere which opens when people nearby sing about having to catch them all, no one will find it amiss.

**Gensh** · 2012-03-04, 10:41 PM (ISO 8601)

So I've decided to rearrange how I spend my free time so I can get some writing done, as I've noticed I'm out of practice. More important for everyone here is that one of my writing projects was an Exalted rock opera. Since I'm going to get back into it, mind critiquing the first song (which I wrote several months back and then lost)?

Spoiler

Show

Vocals:
Lead - Ebon Dragon, as Southern Gentleman
Harmony - Scarlet Empress, mournful

[Directions]
(Whispered)
{Harmony}

The Ballad of the Ebon Dragon (My Darling)

[Intro]
As I open the book again,
I go back to where we began
On that dark, Fateful day.

Everythin' is fallin' apart.
You're lost, alone, and in the dark.
An' I made it all go away.

All I asked was your name in blood,
A pricked finger and a little love,
And then you'd have your way.

Since that time, you've had it all
Nations at your beck and call
You never thought I'd say...

(Come to me, my Darling)

[Start Melody]
This is the price you pay.
I'll not wait one single day.

(My Darling)

When I call your name
When you hear my voice
You know you have no choice {No choice}

(My Darling)

You'll burn the world for me.
Break it all,
And set me free,
My Darlin'

[Interlude]

Under skies of green
Under spires of brass,
We'll find our happiness.

(Queen of Hell, My Darling)

You'll rape the world for me.
Laugh as all your children flee.

The very sight of you terrifies them,
My Darling.

With tongue of flame {Tongue of flame}
And heart of stone, {Heart of stone}
Break these walls,
Bring me home. {Home}

[Solo]

You'll burn the world for me. {I'll burn the world for you}
Break it all,
And set me free, {Set you free}
My Darlin' {My Darling}

And when these walls {And when these walls}
Break like bloodstained glass {Bloodstained glass}

[Heavy beat]
I'll have you, {I'll have you}
I'll hold you, {I'll hold you}
In my claws at last.
[Lower]

My Darling
(Scarlet.)

[Music stop]
The Ultimate Darkness
Is free at last!
(Maniacal laughter)
[Scratch into melody]

Eat your hearts out!

[Mockingly]
King Malfeas~
Pretty Princess Cecelyne~
Adorjan!
She Who Lives!
Kimbery!
Isidoros and Szoreny!
Cytherea and Sacheverell and all the rest!

Without my criminal mastermind,
You'll be screaming when you find
You're all out of luck.
Now if you don't mind,
I have a world to corrupt~
[Flare up]
(Maniacal laughter)
[Abrupt cut]

**golentan** · 2012-03-05, 02:21 PM (ISO 8601)

I'm also posting this on white wolf, but I thought I'd get your opinions on my new alchemical charm. I realize the writing probably needs some clarification, but are the mechanics decent?

Essence Refining Core
Cost: 5m [1m]; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple
Keywords: Overdrive, Native, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Auxiliary Essence Storage Unit

Sometimes raw essence is unsuited to the needs of the exalted. This charm takes the form of an adamant and jade turbine arrangement installed in the Alchemical's torso and carefully hooked up to her essence reservoir. This charm grants an overdrive pool with a capacity of 5 motes, which is initially empty. When activated, the refining core turbines light up and spin with a distinctive hiss of steam as essence is reduced to a pure form more suited for charm use, granting 3 offensive motes.

Submodules:
Infinite Induction Coil: Giving up some measure of efficiency for convenience, the Infinite Induction coil was designed for situations where an exalt does not have the time to spend several seconds generating energy before acting. As an alternative to normal activation, the exalt may reflexively spend 2m per action as a non-charm activation in order to gain 1 offensive motes.

**vegetalss4** · 2012-03-05, 03:04 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by golentan

I'm also posting this on white wolf, but I thought I'd get your opinions on my new alchemical charm. I realize the writing probably needs some clarification, but are the mechanics decent?

Essence Refining Core

Spoiler

Show

Cost: 5m [1m]; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple
Keywords: Overdrive, Native, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Auxiliary Essence Storage Unit

Sometimes raw essence is unsuited to the needs of the exalted. This charm takes the form of an adamant and jade turbine arrangement installed in the Alchemical's torso and carefully hooked up to her essence reservoir. This charm grants an overdrive pool with a capacity of 5 motes, which is initially empty. When activated, the refining core turbines light up and spin with a distinctive hiss of steam as essence is reduced to a pure form more suited for charm use, granting 3 offensive motes.

Submodules:
Infinite Induction Coil: Giving up some measure of efficiency for convenience, the Infinite Induction coil was designed for situations where an exalt does not have the time to spend several seconds generating energy before acting. As an alternative to normal activation, the exalt may reflexively spend 2m per action as a non-charm activation in order to gain 1 offensive motes.

As currently written the above charm isn't useful at all.
Paying 5 motes that can be used for anything to get 3 motes that only can be used for attacking isn't worth it, the sub module have essentially the same problem.
The fact that it is a simple charm just makes it a worse bargain.
I would suggest lowering the cost and/or increasing the gain.
For the submodule perhaps simply switching the cost/gain would be fine?

**golentan** · 2012-03-05, 03:11 PM (ISO 8601)

Okay, here's the tweaks I gave it as per feedback from the white wolf forums. I'm worried it clutters the charm somewhat...

Spoiler

Show

Cost: 3m [1m]; Mins: Stamina 3, Essence 2;
Type: Simple
Keywords: Overdrive, Native, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Auxiliary Essence Storage Unit

Sometimes raw essence is unsuited to the needs of the exalted. This charm takes the form of an adamant and jade turbine arrangement installed in the Alchemical's torso and carefully hooked up to her essence reservoir. This charm grants an overdrive pool with a capacity of 10 motes, which is initially empty. When activated, the refining core turbines light up and spin with a distinctive hiss of steam as essence is reduced to a pure form more suited for charm use, granting 5 offensive motes.

Unfortunately, the alchemical's reservoir was never intended for the stresses of the sort of raw energy generated by this charm. At the end of any action where the exalt has offensive motes generated by this charm in his pool, he must roll a number of dice equal to the number of motes. Each success inflicts one level of unsoakable bashing damage, which may be avoided by venting the essence harmlessly but uselessly into the air. Motes generated by the activation of this charm do not count towards this drawback until the action following their creation.

Submodules:
Infinite Induction Coil: Giving up some measure of efficiency for convenience, the Infinite Induction coil was designed for situations where an exalt does not have the time to spend several seconds generating energy before acting. As an alternative to normal activation, the exalt may reflexively spend 3m per action as a non-charm activation in order to gain 3 offensive motes.

Edit: Added a drawback, changed the initial size of the pool, tweaked the conversion rates. Worried the drawback causes too much bookkeeping.[/quote]

**Xefas** · 2012-03-05, 11:13 PM (ISO 8601)

Looking at the Sidereal Manual, I have a few questions for the forum.

If a Sidereal uses Name-Pilfering Technique on Swillin, does she become homeless? Would she be the Hobo Who Formerly Lived In Her Name? Considering the charm is Indefinite, how long do you think it would take her to move into a new place? Would this new place be a cardboard box with the word "Samantha" written on the side? How sad would she be about this?

**The Demented One** · 2012-03-05, 11:20 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by Mr.Bookworm

Hatewheel has also mentioned a shard called "the Clockwork City" (with alternative rules for Resonance), which could possibly be one of those two.