General Exalted Discussion Thread X: Playground Cosmic Principle

[The Demented One]

Quoting spoilers from the WW forum.

The playtest was structured as a mirror match featuring this terrible combatant:

Demon President Richard Nixon

Attributes: Strength •••, Dexterity •••••, Stamina ••••

Backgrounds: Backing •••••, Contacts •••, Fame •••••, Lore ••, Magic ••, Minions •••••, Resources •••••

Basic Techniques
Basic Strike ••••
Aerial Strike ••••
Rush ••••
Grapple ••
Block •••

Infernal Techniques
Searing Claw of the Devil-Tiger (Heart-Rending Claw) ••••
Hell Echo Kiai ••
Emerald Angel Unfurling ••••
Earth-Scourging Blast (Devil Rebuke) ••••
Agony-Savoring Posture ••
Demon Emperor Shintai •••••

Shequan Techniques
Serpent Blinds the Wolf ••
Striking Serpent Speed ••••
Snake Strikes the Heel ••



Highlights:

TDO: "BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND DESPAIR"
TDO: Nixon grows taller and taller as plates of brass rip through his skin, tearing his exquisitely tailored suit
TDO: His eyes burn like twin suns dawning, his teeth grow into brazen fangs
TDO: the parasitic growth that is Vice President Spiro Agnew emerges partially from the Demon Emperor's distended abdomen, sending his face and one arm pressing through Nixon's belly-flesh

--

TDO: Demon Emperor Nixon seizes Evil Evil Nixon in his hands after paralyzing him with a deadly nerve strike to the solar plexus chakra. Hoisting him high over his three-eyed head, he shatters the earth beneath him with a stamp of a brazen-hoofed foot, opening a rift into nega-Washington D.C. With one last mighty "HAROOOO!," he casts his foe back into that accursed mirror-capital, sealing him away for the next thousand years to come.

[Tavar]

Lord Raziere, once again you affirm my suspicion.

[Lord Raziere]

That I am the awesomest thing in the universe and that you should all worship me?

[Mr.Bookworm]

Quoting spoilers from the WW forum.

At first I was genuinely disappointed, because I thought this was some sort of Exalted: Modern spoiler.

Then I laughed my ass off.

So it looks like in the Burn Life shard, Techniques completely replace Charms. It also looks like non-Physical attributes and skills might be completely gone, completely replaced with Backgrounds.

Nnnnnnnnnneat.

[Holden]

While I understand that mechanics in core are not much appreciated, can we all perhaps be a bit less vitriolic? We are here because we like the game. The recent round of errata has fixed the big problems. Most STs know the houserules to fix the small ones.

So to our new player: Enjoy it. Request a newbie friendly game on this forum and you should find a fairly good introduction.

Madness, sir. What you suggest is madness.

[Kyeudo]

Madness, sir. What you suggest is madness.

No, what I am about to say is madness: I have run a game of Exalted using the original, book printed rules for over 2 years. With no problems.

[Turalisj]

No, what I am about to say is madness: I have run a game of Exalted using the original, book printed rules for over 2 years. With no problems.

You sir, are spouting bull****. No one can run a game of exalted using the original rules for more than ten minutes, it will suck out your soul!


(this is obvious sarcasm pointing fun at the vitriolic hatred certain unnamed members of the forum seem to spew at the exalted mechanics)

[Lord Raziere]

Hmph, then my friends must be completely insane because they run Scion without problems! at least none that they tell to me.

Hang on, I'll check.

Future Edit:

[Tavar]

Hmph, then my friends must be completely insane because they run Scion without problems! at least none that they tell to me.

Hang on, I'll check.

And there are people who run games of Exalted no problem. One outlier does not the standard make.

Also, is that Holden, ie, the Lead Developer?

[Lord Raziere]

Seems like it. He is on both WW and RPG.net after all why not here?, wonder if TDO persuaded him to come over here or something? We do have an Exalted community of our own, even if its somewhat smaller than the other two.

[Turalisj]

There's a few exalted players who never post in the GED, mostly out of fear.

Someone needs to run a Street Fighter style game.

[Tavar]

Someone needs to run a Street Fighter style game.

You mean some kind of martial arts tournament?

I'd wait for the Martial arts system to not be a horrible mess, first.

[Turalisj]

I mean using the Techniques that will be in Shards.

[Holden]

And there are people who run games of Exalted no problem. One outlier does not the standard make.

Also, is that Holden, ie, the Lead Developer?

We co-develop these days, but aye. Hello!

[golentan]

Holden as a Drizzt clone. There's a joke in there somewhere if I can tease it out.

[Lochar]

We co-develop these days, but aye. Hello!

Hi Holden! I have a question. I've been throwing my wallet at the laptop screen, but it refuses to give me Exalted: Shards.

Perhaps you know the problem?

[Turalisj]

Holden as a Drizzt clone. There's a joke in there somewhere if I can tease it out.

Holden is growing in fame and will soon match R.A Salvatore, thus becoming a Salvatore clone?

[Lord Raziere]

And there are people who run games of Exalted no problem. One outlier does not the standard make.

Well I checked, my friend does run into problems, but he mostly refers to them as "hiccups", and either carries on with a quick fix or ignores it and keeps playing as if it never happened, so it really it seems to be an attitude thing about this, he likes a system that makes you think in combat and Scion apparently allows him to do that while D20 apparently doesn't to his point of view so…..I dunno, looks like its just an attitude thing really.

[Kyeudo]

Holden is growing in fame and will soon match R.A Salvatore, thus becoming a Salvatore clone?

Holden can write better than Salvatore by a landslide.

[Holden]

Hi Holden! I have a question. I've been throwing my wallet at the laptop screen, but it refuses to give me Exalted: Shards.

Perhaps you know the problem?

Brian Glass is not working fast enough, clearly!

[Madwand]

Holden can write better than Salvatore by a landslide.

Which directly lead us to question: why there is no good Exalted novel?

[Drascin]

Hey, anyone have a link to some well done homebrew Sidereal Martial Art? I'm trying to think up the beginnings of one and stuff, and I'm having trouble because I just don't have proper examples to extrapolate from. The ones in the Scroll of the Monk (except Prismatic Arrangement) are sideways and cool, but all of them are horrendously broken. And Sapphire Veil is supposedly balanced, but I'm reading it now and it's mostly leaving me cold.

[Sallera]

There's a few exalted players who never post in the GED, mostly out of fear.

That's certainly one way of putting it. This thread's usually a pretty interesting read, but every time it explodes into two pages of Raziere vs. Everyone Else, I have to wonder if he's actually that... 'stubborn' {Scrubbed}

I've played in a game or two under 2.0, and while the combat felt surprising balanced at times (less so at others, granted), I did get the definite feeling that it had something to do with the PbP format, and the freedoms the more considered pace offers; it does seem very suited to the game. Having never played it around a table, I am rather curious. Has anyone noticed significant differences in the way the system plays out face to face?

[Lord Raziere]

{Scrubbed}

[Qaera]

{Scrub the post, scrub the quote}

No, you could not. That is not what a troll is.

~ ♅

[Lord Raziere]

{Scrubbed}

Edit:

Madness, sir. What you suggest is madness.

Madness?

THIS! IS! EXALTED!

sorry, just remembered the joke, couldn't resist.

[meschlum]

*ahem* Back to civilized discussion.

You can make the same argument for Exalted. It isn't the system's fault, it's the fault of everyone who exploits it by looking at it as a system to exploit.

Exhibit A: Pretty much everything Meschlum has posted in this thread.

Blackboard of Congenial Discourse

When the Creation-born wander too far into the Wyld, or the Raksha travel into the heart of Creation, the presence of these intruding entities creates disruptions that trouble many. Not only are the common folk caught in stories they do not recognize, but even the greater powers who define the Rules, the fundamental Shinma resonating with What Is and What Is Not, can be caught unawares.

To the end of resolving such disputes in a civilized manner, the Blackboard was formed. The precise elements that went into its making are not known, for the Unshaped had a hand in its forging, but the wailing and gnashing of teeth of a million disappointed fangirls are said to be one component. Another might have been a means by which precisely 2.5 hamster gods could be captured in an Exalted shard, but that's surely nonsense.

In any case, the Blackboard works in a reliable manner. When facing abominable reality and balance destroying horrors (Solars, Fair Folk, errata, or other such), it can be planted and its master will begin instructing those nearby into the proper way and balance they must follow. Such teaching is exceptionally persuasive, and the terrible shrieking sound created when the instructor scratches his nails, or chalk sticks, on the Blackboard is liable to encourage attention and cooperation.

3-dot Oneiromancy
Assumption of Dreams and Passion the Blackboard is a thing of education and learning.
Ordinary Object Conjuration - the Blackboard never runs out of chalk or erasers.
Unwanted Obsession Provocation Technique - if a piece of chalk is scraped against the Blackboard, all those hearing it will have a significant penalty at efforts to remain unruly and inattentive.
Waypoint Knife - while a lesson is in progress, no one can leave the classroom. At least, not without first asking for and being given permission to go to the bathroom.
Untouchable Performer Technique - however horrible the teacher may be, it's not a reason to deface the Blackboard, which is simply an educational tool.


Pan of Darkness

Sometimes, it is difficult to convince other beings to side with those who already reside in darkness. Forceful arguments and blows tend to be counter-productive, creating drama and corpses where potential converts once stood.

Instead, the Pan was created, with which to bake the most delicious treats and inducements. So successful was this device, it was stolen by the agents of Light and used for their own recruiting purposes. Still, the Pan remembers its original purpose and resists as best it may, burning the dishes that pure goody-goodies try to make on it. That this just makes them more appealing has not registered on it, as it is, after all, only a device.

In order to properly employ the Pan, it is enough to hold it before oneself and invite others to join your faction. The favored invocation is, of course, "Come over to the Dark Side. We have cookies," though there are Light side variants which will not be discussed here. Having pronounced these words, the user of the Pan will, indeed, have cookies, and be granted superlative culinary skills. The acquisition of wings, tails, oddly shaped ears, or a halo are coincidental side effects and should not be paid any notice.

1-dot Oneiromancy
Assumption of Dreams and Passion - the Pan and its products are delicious.
Ordinary Object Conjuration - due to the limited ingredients avaialble following the coming of Errata, the Pan's cookies are merely Exceptional, where they once were Perfect. Still, it never runs out, which is a plus.
Imposition of Law - the owner of the Pan cannot fail to cook a delicious meal, whatever the ingredients. The use of Love or non-toxic foodstuffs is optional, but recommended.
Elemental? Transformation - while cooking, the Pan's owner takes on a more real aspect, which can include a number of exotic features. The specifics appear to depend on the specific Pan, the user, and which arcane entities known as 'anime' have been resonating within Samsara recently.
Untouchable Performer Technique - the person so kindly offering you cookies and inviting you to their side cannot be mean.
Gladdening Visage - nor is that person anything else than a perfectly ordinary human being.
Mad God Mien - the Pan's creations and working resonate with the core precepts of reality, and will not be disrupted by counter-magic.

[Turalisj]

Blackboard of Congenial Discourse

[Rikandur Azebol]

Meschlum, I envy You greatly. You are an artist.

...

But where is my cookie ?

[masterjoda99]

On the topic of fair folk tomfoolery...is there a certain way for raksha noble or unshaped to take a mortal and turn that same mortal into a fae-blooded capable of learning fae charms? I don't mean just making little baby fae-blooded with said mortal, but actually making that mortal become a fae-blooded.