General Exalted Discussion Thread X: Playground Cosmic Principle

[Hiro Protagonest]

That's no secretary, that's President Scarlett on her way to deliver the annual State of the Realm address.

That makes more sense.

I just hope they learn her name in even ONE reality. In vanilla, you can draw the conclusion that her name is secret to make her seem more mysterious. The Crimson Warlord uses it for similar reasons. The Chief and Commander might be keeping themselves unnamed to strike fear in their enemies. But the President? Eh, even if it isn't really a democratic republic, she needs to seem a little more human (or at least Dragon-Blooded).

[tonberrian]

Hahaha god.

I guess there's nothing stopping you from applying the template, other than your Storyteller smacking you.

Now I will make a chainbeammistklavechucks.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Now I will make a chainbeammistklavechucks.

I prefer Smashfists.

And if I can get a hearthstone slot in them, then get a Sword-and-Fist Unity Stone with the ruling that since Smashfists always come as a pair, they count as one weapon, I can become Mantra Asura!

...Now I gotta figure out the right mutations to get the Destructor form at Essence 10. How many times should I take Large?

And new Artifact!

Asura's Gauntlets (artifact 2)
These Tainted Orichalcum Smashfists act in all ways as normal Smashfists, unless you commit an extra four motes of essence, which you may choose to commit or uncommit reflexively at any point after attuning.

If you commit the extra four motes, the metal quickly fuses to you and spreads across your arms, coating them in metal. When like this, you gain a +2 to your Parry DV. The metal also automatically replicates if you use Charms or Knacks to give yourself extra arms, granting the punches of those arms Smashfist statistics.


I might work the wording later.

On another note, I would be interested in seeing all the different versions of The Bull. And the iconics (or at least Cearr). And maybe The Roseblack.

[Xefas]

And the iconics (or at least Cearr).

It's:
Kilt
Kilt
Utilikilt
Nanomachine Kilt
Kilt
and, Kilt

No shoes. Always commando. He is my people.

[horngeek]

So, we've got the 'Space Opera' game ready to go...

So, who wants to ST an Exalted: Modern game?

[HerrTenko]

oh hey what's this

...O.O
Okay. Okay. Calm down.
This... This is just... Thank you, really.

[Tavar]

So, we've got the 'Space Opera' game ready to go...

So, who wants to ST an Exalted: Modern game?

We do?

Exalted Modern does sound interesting...

[Hiro Protagonest]

It's:
Kilt
Kilt
Utilikilt
Nanomachine Kilt
Kilt
and, Kilt

No shoes. Always commando. He is my people.

Yes. He is always a badass highlander.

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I think the Burn Legend version would be the same. Who cares about Chainsawklaves when you've got a grimcleaver?

We do?

Exalted Modern does sound interesting...

Sanguine's got a CRM Space Opera war idea. And I think I will be playing a Slayer in that.

[Ronnoc]

O.k. I've got a system question here. Why is occult an ability? Looking at the core rulebook occult charms essentially do one of three things: they give you sorcery, they supplement awareness, and they supplement your choice of combat ability.

As far as I can tell prior to Brigid the only thing occult did was give you Ghost-Eating Technique and All-Encompassing Sorcerer's sight. After Brigid it gives you access to sorcery which is completely independent of charm design.

Every other ability has something that it does: melee let's you hit stuff, resistance lets you be hit, presence lets you persuade people, integrity lets you ignore persuasion. What does occult do?

[Turalisj]

Occult is knowing about the supernatural and spiritual. Compare Lore, which is knowing about "mundane" things.

[Hiro Protagonest]

O.k. I've got a system question here. Why is occult an ability? Looking at the core rulebook occult charms essentially due one of three things: they give you sorcery, they supplement awareness, and they supplement your choice of combat ability.

As far as I can tell prior to Brigid the only thing occult did was give you Ghost-Eating Technique and All-Encompassing Sorcerer's sight. After Brigid it gives you access to sorcery which is completely independent of charm design.

Every other ability has something that it does: melee let's you hit stuff, resistance lets you be hit, presence lets you persuade people, integrity lets you ignore persuasion. What does occult do?

Uh... Ghost-Eating Technique was the most valuable Charm in the War. Ramifications of its use weren't well thought out, but that goes into the "Sol is the most short-sighted guy ever" thing.

However, Occult is very valuable for mortals.

I'm pretty sure it also deals with thing like knowing salt repels undead...

[Ronnoc]

Occult is knowing about the supernatural and spiritual. Compare Lore, which is knowing about "mundane" things.

Thank you for the response. While this is supported by the Traits chapter of the core book it isn't really reflected in the charm trees. Most of the effects I would label as arcane knowledge, Essence-Lending Method, and particularly Wyld-Shaping technique are in lore.
As things stand the occult tree has sorcery, Ghost-Eating technique (which could fairly be applied as an effect to your choice of combat ability) and All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (which could fairly be folded into Awareness).

[Turalisj]

Thank you for the response. While this is supported by the Traits chapter of the core book it isn't really reflected in the charm trees. Most of the effects I would label as arcane knowledge.

Which would be knowledge about the supernatural and spiritual.

[Ronnoc]

Which would be knowledge about the supernatural and spiritual.

No offense intended, but if you'll read the rest of my post I was noting that charms dealing with arcane knowledge are all in lore not occult.

[horngeek]

We do?

Exalted Modern does sound interesting...

Yeah, Sanguine's going to ST a game of Space Opera.

But I'd also love to play in a game of Exalted: Modern. I've got a character already in mind. Actually a version of a character I submitted to another Exalted game, but updated for Modern.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Yeah, Sanguine's going to ST a game of Space Opera.

But I'd also love to play in a game of Exalted: Modern. I've got a character already in mind. Actually a version of a character I submitted to another Exalted game, but updated for Modern.

My Exalted Modern character is going to be a Slayer. As is my Burn Legend character. And my Space Opera character. And any other Shard's character. If I ever get good at drawing people, I'm going to make one of those shattered mirror pictures...

[horngeek]

If Reynard was still doing KoC characters, I'd get him to do something like that. Since he did the drawing for Karen in 'vanilla' Exalted.

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In most cases, it's clothing differences. Modern Karen swaps the sarashi out for a tank top (still leaving midriff exposed), and picks up a gun. Space Opera Karen probably wears something similar to Miranda's DLC outfit from Mass Effect 2 (this).

I'm not sure what, exactly, Burn Legend is all about, except chainsaws are included.

And have we even gotten any info on Shard 4?

[tonberrian]

Burn Legend is basically ALL RIDICULOUS MARTIAL ARTS, ALL THE TIME.

[horngeek]

Ah. Burn Legend Karen is quite similar to Vanilla Karen, then, since Vanilla Karen is a Solar Hero Stylist. Maybe less MAGIC SCIENCE!!!

"People hear 'Craftswoman' and think I'm a pushover physically. Leaving aside the whole 'Twilight Caste Solar Exalted' bit, working in a forge is great for building up muscles."

[Turalisj]

Ah. Burn Legend Karen is quite similar to Vanilla Karen, then, since Vanilla Karen is a Solar Hero Stylist. Maybe less MAGIC SCIENCE!!!

"People hear 'Craftswoman' and think I'm a pushover physically. Leaving aside the whole 'Twilight Caste Solar Exalted' bit, working in a forge is great for building up muscles."

Burn Legend is Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Tekken smashed together with the force of a thousand suns.

[Hiro Protagonest]

I'm not sure what, exactly, Burn Legend is all about, except chainsaws are included.

Well, the Red Warlord (I originally called her Crimson, but I kinda like Red) looks like basically a tougher version of the Empress. So my guess is it's like if vanilla Exalted went over the top, took out all the mind-control Charms, and replaced them with straight-up combat. And I will love it with all my heart.

And have we even gotten any info on Shard 4?

Don't think so, but given that the policewoman looks like Modern's version of the Empress, that leaves me worried who the clipboard woman in what looks to be a futuristic white lab is...

[Mr.Bookworm]

We also don't actually know what exactly those Shards on the cover are supposed to be. Burn Legend could take place in the modern day and Alt History could have chainsaws as the equivalent of crowns. Who knows.

And have we even gotten any info on Shard 4?

TDO posted some stuff.

It's been a couple days. Good job, forums. Spoilers!

Some section and sidebar headers from the alternate history chapter.

<1>Guns of the Lawgivers

<1>Hell Follows After

<2>The Magnus

<2>Admiral Leviathan

<2>Righteous Sage Bride

<3>A Question of Caste

<3>Whom The Sun Despises

<3>Hellstars

And of course, what everyone wants: Charm teasers. I've given you the statblocks and the descriptive text for these; you'll have to speculate about the mechanics for now. :D

<3>Murder On Wheels
Cost: —(5m); Mins: Drive 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Mirror (Crashing Star Charge)
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Ghost Drift Moves

Abandoning caution and self-preservation, the Abyssal sets out on a deliberate crash course, turning every ton of metal in his car into a high-speed murder weapon.

<3>Steel and Smoke Mandala
Cost: 8m; Mins: Firearms 3, Essence 2; Type: Extra Action
Keywords: Combo-OK
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None

Closing her eyes to the clinging falsehoods of the spatial and physical, the Sidereal sights a straight line through the warp and weft of destiny. She fires only a single shot down this line, but that is all she needs.

<3>Metaneural Uplink Node
Cost: — [1m]; Mins: Intelligence 2, Essence 2; Type: Permanent

Keywords: Internal

Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Any Mental Attribute Augmentation

A series of starmetal discs implanted in the Alchemical’s visual cortex house microscopic mechanical gods, the least divinities of digital signals.

Submodules

Machine Override Authorization (Intelligence 3, 4xp)

And an enigmatic phrase

…the Scurrying Nation…

I think the phrase "The Tyrant Sun" also popped up in relation to the fourth Shard, but I can't find a link at the moment.

[Tavar]

Uh... Ghost-Eating Technique was the most valuable Charm in the War. Ramifications of its use weren't well thought out, but that goes into the "Sol is the most short-sighted guy ever" thing.

You mean Autochthon.

[Hiro Protagonest]

You mean Autochthon.

I thought Sol applied the specific powers to the Solars. But I don't know much about Exalted lore (when core, two MoEPs, and Masters of Jade isn't much, you know this is a detailed setting).

[horngeek]

Huh. Cool.

Anyway, yeah. If Reynard still drew KoC stuff, I might request he did them (since he made the original Karen pic).

[Tavar]

I thought Sol applied the specific powers to the Solars. But I don't know much about Exalted lore (when core, two MoEPs, and Masters of Jade isn't much, you know this is a detailed setting).

The Unconquered Sun applied his essence to the Exaltations, but at it's core each Exaltation is a weapon meant to be dangerous to the Primordials. This means that having a Spirit Killing attack is necessary for all of the Primoridal War Exalts.

[Teln]

But I'd also love to play in a game of Exalted: Modern. I've got a character already in mind. Actually a version of a character I submitted to another Exalted game, but updated for Modern.

I've got an Exalted Modern character lying around from a game I had to pull out of at the last moment due to RL issues, so please consider this my expression of interest in this hypothetical game. He shouldn't need too much tweaking to fit into the Shards Modern as opposed to the homebrew Modern I built him with (assuming I don't yield to temptation and change his caste from Dawn to Fiend).

[vegetalss4]

Thank you for the response. While this is supported by the Traits chapter of the core book it isn't really reflected in the charm trees. Most of the effects I would label as arcane knowledge, Essence-Lending Method, and particularly Wyld-Shaping technique are in lore.
As things stand the occult tree has sorcery, Ghost-Eating technique (which could fairly be applied as an effect to your choice of combat ability) and All-Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight (which could fairly be folded into Awareness).

Some Arcane Knowledge are in lore, mainly the bits about essence flows and stuff (because that is the equivalents to physics in Creation.)

Occult has stuff about spirits and (most of) the principles behind thaumaturgy or sorcery

[The Demented One]

I think the phrase "The Tyrant Sun" also popped up in relation to the fourth Shard, but I can't find a link at the moment.

I'll save you the time; the Tyrant Sun is indeed from the "Alternate History" shard.

The illustration of him vs. [REDACTED] is particularly badass.

[tonberrian]

I'll save you the time; the Tyrant Sun is indeed from the "Alternate History" shard.

The illustration of him vs. [REDACTED] is particularly badass.

TDO.

I am going to hunt you down and take your heart's blood so I can read Shards and Sekrit Books early. Sorry.