General Exalted Discussion Thread X: Playground Cosmic Principle

[Feriority]

I would be interested in playing a Sidereal game, but... my system mastery is pretty limited to begin with (I've been in two Exalted games, neither of which got far enough to really do much or learn much, so reading this thread makes up most of my knowledge of things) and from this thread I gather that Sidereals are particularly complicated. I've gone through their book and am interested, though, if you wouldn't mind helping a newbie along.

[Holden]

I'll just leave this here...

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[TheCountAlucard]

I'll just leave this here...

-snip-

...I take it the Shrieking Hordes are akin to the Fair Folk of our more-familiar setting?

[Lord Raziere]

Huh, my predictions for what a space opera Exalted would look like were actually accurate. cool.

[Exthalion]

Well, I must say I feel good. I trusted the developers to produce interesting work for shards while still maintaining the feel of Exalted and they have delivered. Thank you guys.

Does this mean that wyld shaping charms can now work in a huge chunk of the setting? Turn on your anima drive, fly halfway down a canal and let lose to get a new star system of your very own?

And a more interesting question: Are there are other galaxies? Possibly they would be as distant and incomprehensible as the Faraways are in standard Exalted but the idea of an intergalactic war or Stargate style battles in the void between galaxies is a fun thought. I hope there are improved mass combat rules for huge space battles.

Edit: That could be the other giant mechanics fix the Demented One let drop!

[Rockphed]

I'll just leave this here...

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Can you spoiler that please? It is stretching my wider than average screen.

[horngeek]

*starts childish giggling*

But yeah, Holden. While it's awesome, please spoiler it, less because it actually is a spoiler and more because the screen stretches.

[Andreaz]

Can you spoiler that please? It is stretching my wider than average screen.

What's the average? It doesn't stretch one 1920 pixels wide.

[horngeek]

Okay, I'm curious. People talked about the Sidereal 'kill everyone' combo, but what Charms actually made it up?

Assuming errata's wiped it into Oblivion now, of course. :P

[Kyeudo]

What's the average? It doesn't stretch one 1920 pixels wide.

My display is only 1280 wide.

Okay, I'm curious. People talked about the Sidereal 'kill everyone' combo, but what Charms actually made it up?

Assuming errata's wiped it into Oblivion now, of course. :P

The major Charms for it are in Charcoal March of Spiders Style, particularly a Charm that allows you to make an attack against every opponent you can currently see, with the rest just making it so you can see everything. Scroll of the Monk is so far untouched by Errata, so it remains in the arsenal of certain of the Deathlords.

[TheCountAlucard]

The major Charms for it are in Charcoal March of Spiders Style, particularly a Charm that allows you to make an attack against every opponent you can currently see...

...twice, specifically.

[Madwand]

The major Charms for it are in Charcoal March of Spiders Style, particularly a Charm that allows you to make an attack against every opponent you can currently see, with the rest just making it so you can see everything. Scroll of the Monk is so far untouched by Errata, so it remains in the arsenal of certain of the Deathlords.

Scroll of the Monk is too big problem to deal without rewriting whole book. Therefore there will be SotM II.

Telling that Charcoal March of Spiders Style stay within 2.5 rules is just stupid idea. It's technically true, but still stupid idea.

[Weimann]

Since where're linking pictures.

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Oh hey, what's this.



Why hello there, Lionel Kes.

[Andreaz]

Lionel Kes reminds me of Baccano! for some reason.
I like it.

[Drascin]

Hm. Shards looks better than I, in all honesty, expected it to.

Probably not yet enthused enough for a buy, but I'm at least looking at it, while before it was just not even in my radar.

[Weimann]

Not even interested in Burn Legend, Drascin? That stuff sounds pretty cool to me.

[Tavar]

What do people think of these Clinching rules:

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When Clinching, both parties take a -1 penalty to their DV's in addition to the normal action penalties, which stacks with all other penalties, and their is no reflexive movement allowed by either party. Characters in a clinch cannot take action effecting anyone outside of the clinch without stunts or charms. All Attack rolls targeting those outside of the clinch are at a -1 external penalty. Attacks using a weapon with the 2 tag take a -2 internal penalty, and those without the C tag take a -1 internal penalty.

To start a clinch, a character uses the Clinch attack action. This is a [Dex+Martial Arts] attack, against the opponents DV. If it misses, nothing happens. If it hits, all of the above penalties and restrictions are applied. In addition, the successful attack grants one of the following options:

Hold: This attack does nothing besides inflict the penalties mentioned.

Drag: This attack does nothing besides inflict the penalties mentioned. The attacker may move this action as normal.

Crush: This attack does damage. Clinches have a base rating of +0 damage, and gain extra dice due to successes on the roll to initiate or maintain the clinch.

Throw: Throw the opponent [Strength] yards, provoking an automatic knockdown check, and possibly a knockback check. It can also be used to throw them straight down, leaving them prone and dealing [Strength +successes]/2 dice of bashing damage, which can be soaked.

Shield: The Attacker uses the other as a shield. Any attack against him is treated as though he had at least 50% cover: opponents who are significantly larger than the person using the Shield maneuver may grant more at the ST's discretion. Add this cover bonus last, and if the attack would have hit if this bonus was not present, then it is assumed to have hit the person being used as a shield. Apply soak and such effects as normal. Attackers know someone is being used as a shield. Charms that negate cover bonuses negate all benefits of this maneuver.

At either participants action, the clinch may be contested. If someone does not want to contest it, then they are considered to agree to ending the clinch. When contested, each person has a choice: they may seek control, or they may seek to end. If they seek control, they must use Martial Arts+Dex, and if both chose this option it is solved with a contested roll. If one chooses to end it, they may use their DV's, without the -1 penalty due to clinching. If they chose this option and win, the Clinch ends. In this case, all charms that apply to DV's work: it is an attack as normal. If the person who doesn't have an action seeks control, and wins, they can only use the Hold action.

Starting or contesting a Clinch is a speed 6, rate 1 action that should be treated as an attack action.

If both parties wish, they may reflexively end the clinch on any tick. This does not change when they take their next action, but it does negate any penalties or restrictions inflicted by clinching.

If multiple people clinch are involved in a clinch, use the Limited Teamwork rules: designate one character the primary, usually the one with the highest pool, though that character can pass the title to someone else. Each other participant adds one die, up to [Ability].

[Hiro Protagonest]

What happened to Mardukth after he was dethroned?

[Weimann]

You mean dethroned by Malfeas? Good question. He probably just hung around the Primordials a bit. It's for individual STs to decide.

[Yuki Akuma]

He's probably the Neverborn He Who Holds In Thrall. Probably.

[Gensh]

Yeah. The essay on the subject just says "Mardukth was king no more" and that the Primordials don't like to talk about it, though whether it's because it was a huge embarrassment for them or because the Empyreal Chaos commanded them not to, magically or otherwise, it doesn't say.

[Arrghus]

Yeah. The essay on the subject just says "Mardukth was king no more" and that the Primordials don't like to talk about it, though whether it's because it was a huge embarrassment for them or because the Empyreal Chaos commanded them not to, magically or otherwise, it doesn't say.

The implication, as clarified by Hatewheel in a quote I really don't feel like digging up, was that they don't like to think about his rule because of how scary he was.

Or at least that was part of it.

[Weimann]

It says something when Malfeas comes out as pretty reasonable compared to you.

But from what we know so far, it's hard to say exactly why he was so scary. Yes, he was big all all get-out, so that's something, but all Primordials do have world-bodies. He doesn't really come across as particularly cruel either. My impression of him is essentially that everyone thought "Damn, that guy is huge. We better make him the king or he'll crush us all." And he really wasn't very good at being king. I mean, he forgot everything. That's not good for ruling.

I envision him as an old viking chieftain; he's in charge because no one dares tell him he's not. There's no other merit. As soon as someone stands up against him, it's one on one, and the winner takes it.

Reminiscent Oasis made Mardukth Charms at one point, I think they capture a fair bit of my idea of him.

[aetherialDawn]

It says something when Malfeas comes out as pretty reasonable compared to you.

But from what we know so far, it's hard to say exactly why he was so scary. Yes, he was big all all get-out, so that's something, but all Primordials do have world-bodies. He doesn't really come across as particularly cruel either. My impression of him is essentially that everyone thought "Damn, that guy is huge. We better make him the king or he'll crush us all." And he really wasn't very good at being king. I mean, he forgot everything. That's not good for ruling.

I envision him as an old viking chieftain; he's in charge because no one dares tell him he's not. There's no other merit. As soon as someone stands up against him, it's one on one, and the winner takes it.

Reminiscent Oasis made Mardukth Charms at one point, I think they capture a fair bit of my idea of him.

When he asks the world who he is, it answers by showing him.
The other Primordials all have WORLD-bodies.

That's not native to Primordials.
Mardukth forced them all to have world-bodies to reflect his principle of "World"

Oramus doesn't have a known world-body, because he came beforehand and is kind of Outside.
The Empyreal Chaos didn't have a world-body before, because he was bodiless and freed the other Primordials from being trapped as mere reflections of Mardukth, the places where he put HIS memories and thoughts and overwrote their own.

Sound scary enough?

[golentan]

Divinity requisition badges: Can they be applied to the prayer roll for sidereal astrology? Because if so...

[Arrghus]

When he asks the world who he is, it answers by showing him.
The other Primordials all have WORLD-bodies.

That's not native to Primordials.
Mardukth forced them all to have world-bodies to reflect his principle of "World"

Oramus doesn't have a known world-body, because he came beforehand and is kind of Outside.
The Empyreal Chaos didn't have a world-body before, because he was bodiless and freed the other Primordials from being trapped as mere reflections of Mardukth, the places where he put HIS memories and thoughts and overwrote their own.

Sound scary enough?

Fun theory. Not one I subscribe to (supersapient geography is the basic idea of how Primordials work to me, and that being imposed by something else fits badly with that level of basic-ness) but nevertheless something that could be nice for certain sorts of games, at least.

Also problematic for my primary headcanon because my Oramus actually does have a world-body (he turns into volume). The Exalted did some tricksy things to it, though, (inside out etc) so he can't use it properly atm.

[aetherialDawn]

Fun theory. Not one I subscribe to (supersapient geography is the basic idea of how Primordials work to me, and that being imposed by something else fits badly with that level of basic-ness) but nevertheless something that could be nice for certain sorts of games, at least.

From the infinity of the Wyld, Geography doesn't seem so basic.
Remember, the Way Grace is an optional one!

[Tavar]

I've seen a couple things reference Such And Such, God of the X rank, usually with regards to Celestial gods. What does that mean?

[Mr.Bookworm]

I've seen a couple things reference Such And Such, God of the X rank, usually with regards to Celestial gods. What does that mean?

Compass: Yu-Shan divides the gods into five rough rankings of power and importance, not as an in-universe thing, but so they can give generic stats for beings of varying power and give a baseline for others. Rank 1 is the lowest, rank 5 is the highest. So a random pattern spider is a 1st rank god, Susudo (God of Filially Impious Children) is 2nd rank, Vermillion Ink Silencer (God of Mergers and Acquisitions) is 3rd rank, Lytek (God of Exaltation) is 4th rank, and Ryzala (God of Bureaucracy and Paperwork) is of the 5th rank.

[Draxar]

Hey, I was trying to use these comments, but apparently my PDF doesn't allow commenting (who knew). Is there a way to change that so I can use the errata comments?

If you're willing to change what PDF reader you use, I made all the comments files (I'm FearMeForIAmPink) in Foxit Reader, and they'll probably work best in that. There's some other discussion and advice on getting it to work in other readers in that thread.

Greetings, playgrounders! Here's a question for you : how much boost (be it XP or otherwise) do you give a dragonblood in a group of chargen solars, given these solars had access to 5 free excellencies and a free level of Ox Body for each dot in resistance they took, if you want said dragonblood to actually not feel like she's completely useless?

I'm playing a Dragonblooded on double BP and XP in a high powered game with Solars and other Celestials being the rest of the party. 'cause of the level of stuff we've got, it's less that I've got to the end of all my trees and they haven't, it's more that I'm at the end of, or part of the way through, rather more charm trees than the rest of them