General Exalted Discussion II: No Longer Mortal

[Tavar]

What does it cost to raise an ability from 0 to one rank? Seems like it'd cost nothing, but I don't think that's right.

[a_humble_lich]

Unfortunately that's not right.

It costs 3xp.

[Tavar]

Source? That sounds better, but I can't find any such ruling in the book.

[Reynard]

It costs 3 xp and a week's training time to get a dot in an ability you don't have a dot in. XP tables in the Core Book.

[Tavar]

The one on page 274? Cause that one doesn't say anything about that.

[a_humble_lich]

Yeah, that one. It is about the 9th line down from the top, right after "New Trait". I think there was a printing error in the book and the "New trait" line should have been boldfaced, so it is a little confusing. But a new ability (i.e. one at rank 0) costs 3xp.

[WalkingTarget]

Originally Posted by Tavar

The one on page 274? Cause that one doesn't say anything about that.

I think it's covered as simply "Ability" about halfway down the list (which has a flat rate of 3 XP). There should probably be a gap two lines up from that since it's actually two tables that have been scrunched together: Trait Increase vs. New Trait.

Edit - Yeah, what that Night Caste above me said.

[Xefas]

Originally Posted by Tavar

The one on page 274? Cause that one doesn't say anything about that.

[golentan]

Okay, so which other immaculate style would you guys say has the best synergy with Fire Dragon? I ask because the character I wrote is going to be making a line drive for grandmaster status, and if I'm going to be paying a one mote surcharge on everything I do by gum I'm going to make up for it in other ways.

Also, is there any downside to using Essence Igniting Nerve Strike on someone you know not to be a terrestrial as an immaculate monk? Because it seems to me that if they're not a terrestrial they're fine unless they're anathema, in which case you've just blasted an anathema pretty damn nastily.

[Xefas]

Originally Posted by golentan

Also, is there any downside to using Essence Igniting Nerve Strike on someone you know not to be a terrestrial as an immaculate monk? Because it seems to me that if they're not a terrestrial they're fine unless they're anathema, in which case you've just blasted an anathema pretty damn nastily.

Other than the 5m, 1wp cost (which is nothing to sneeze at as a Terrestrial)?

Well, I think you'll end up blasting mortals who have had their essence enlightened somehow. Unlike Godbloods which only have Peripheral pools, I think mortals only have a Personal pool. The Immaculate Order employs mortal monks with enlightened essence, so it might not be a good idea to run around your cloister "flame checking" everyone ala the Pyro/Spy dynamic.

[golentan]

Originally Posted by Xefas

Other than the 5m, 1wp cost (which is nothing to sneeze at as a Terrestrial)?

Well, I think you'll end up blasting mortals who have had their essence enlightened somehow. Unlike Godbloods which only have Peripheral pools, I think mortals only have a Personal pool. The Immaculate Order employs mortal monks with enlightened essence, so it might not be a good idea to run around your cloister "flame checking" everyone ala the Pyro/Spy dynamic.

Not quite what I had in mind, but I like the image.

Spoiler

I had remembered mortals as having an undifferentiated pool a la spirits (who are explicitly immune), but it seems you're right. Oh well. It might have been fun if it might have worked.

[Xefas]

Some sort of Essence Sight might help you. I'm not certain, as it's amazingly ambiguous from source to source as to whether Solar/Primordial/Fire/Water/Death/etc Essence "looks" different when you can see motes and everything. I'd really like to know, definitively, myself.

EDIT: Also, the image is exactly what I had in mind, and it made me lol.

EDIT2: As for your other question, I wholeheartedly vote for Water Dragon after Fire Dragon. Not only because it has a Perfect Defense, but also because I think the Steam motif is cool.

[golentan]

I was kind of leaning towards water dragon. That or earth dragon, because everything's better with lava.

[Xefas]

If you go Water Dragon, you can stick in an intimacy of "Saunas and Hot Springs (Love)", and play that up as much as possible.

Could be a very memorable character trait.

[Teln]

Golentan, do you mind if I repost that pyro motivator?

[golentan]

Originally Posted by Teln

Golentan, do you mind if I repost that pyro motivator?

Have at.

The use of any intellectual property I am not actively selling is free, so far as I'm concerned.

[Tavar]

Well, unless they have a shaping defense, in which case you just attacked someone for no effect.

[golentan]

Originally Posted by Tavar

Well, unless they have a shaping defense, in which case you just attacked someone for no effect.

Well, you proved they have a shaping defense. That's worth something, no?

[Tavar]

Originally Posted by golentan

Well, you proved they have a shaping defense. That's worth something, no?

Only if it's obvious. Otherwise, it's like you attacked any other mortal.

[tonberrian]

What do you think would happen if someone botched a roll to summon a demon via thaumaturgy?

[Tavar]

Hmm...depends. How about they summon the demon, but it's both angry and, more importantly, some distance away?

Or, you end up summoning more than one angry demon.

[Xefas]

Originally Posted by tonberrian

What do you think would happen if someone botched a roll to summon a demon via thaumaturgy?

Do it D&D style! Have them roll on a table!

1d6
1 = Nothing Bad Happens; Yay!
2 = The Demon Is Summoned And Immediately Attacks You At All Costs Without Opportunity to Bargain
3 = Explosion! You take 15 dice of lethal damage
4 = You Accidentally Summon a Different Demon Than You Wanted
5 = You Are Inflicted With A Set of Random Mutations! Roll three times on table 1-B
6 = You Accidentally Summon Malfeas To The Mortal Plane Stripped Of All Of His Surrender Oaths

[The Glyphstone]

Originally Posted by Xefas

Do it D&D style! Have them roll on a table!

1d6
1 = Nothing Bad Happens; Yay!
2 = The Demon Is Summoned And Immediately Attacks You At All Costs Without Opportunity to Bargain
3 = Explosion! You take 15 dice of lethal damage
4 = You Accidentally Summon a Different Demon Than You Wanted
5 = You Are Inflicted With A Set of Random Mutations! Roll three times on table 1-B
6 = You Accidentally Summon Malfeas To The Mortal Plane Stripped Of All Of His Surrender Oaths

This is Exalted, though - on a 1d6 table, you need both a 0 result and a 7 result, depending on how well you Stunt your d6 roll.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Originally Posted by Xefas

Not sure what you mean by "deva" being an obsolete term. It's the catch-all for subsidiary souls in the soul hierarchies of Primordials that have not been deemed Creatures of Darkness yet.

In addition, the First Age Solars categorized every Primordial soul hierarchy with its own set of names.

Malfeas: Nihilem
Adorjan: Sheridan
Ebon Dragon: Aphotes
Cecelyne: Lament
She Who Lives In Her Name: Trace
Kimbery: Barzinoi
Gaia: Kami
Autochthon: Exmachina

These are the ones that have been divulged so far.

You learn something new every day. Is this from the Rolls of Glorious Divinity?

Though addressing Kami and Examachina is kind of obsolete, since Gaia is off running around in the Wyld with all of her souls, and Autochthon broke his soul hierarchy into a million pieces around the time he left.

Originally Posted by The Glyphstone

This is Exalted, though - on a 1d6 table, you need both a 0 result and a 7 result, depending on how well you Stunt your d6 roll.

Well, stunts can't give negative dice, and they go from 1 to 3 dice, so presumably it would be a 1-9 table.

1 being "nothing happens and you throw yourself a party" and 9 being "Adorjan falls in love with you".

[Kris Strife]

Shouldn't the higher number be the better result, if we're adding stunt die?

[Tavar]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bookworm

You learn something new every day. Is this from the Rolls of Glorious Divinity?

Though addressing Kami and Examachina is kind of obsolete, since Gaia is off running around in the Wyld with all of her souls, and Autochthon broke his soul hierarchy into a million pieces around the time he left.

Well, some of Gaia's souls(greater elemental dragons), plus her Joten are still in creation. Plus, even if she's not in creation, why would it matter? Just because Malfeas is off in elsewhere doesn't mean the term Yozi is obsolete.

Not sure about Autochthon, but he still has his divine ministers, yes?

[Mr.Bookworm]

Originally Posted by Kris Strife

Shouldn't the higher number be the better result, if we're adding stunt die?

True enough. Trying to fit D&D-style dice rolls into Exalted would be a horrible, horrible chore in any case.

Originally Posted by Tavar

Well, some of Gaia's souls(greater elemental dragons), plus her Joten are still in creation. Plus, even if she's not in creation, why would it matter? Just because Malfeas is off in elsewhere doesn't mean the term Yozi is obsolete.

Not sure about Autochthon, but he still has his divine ministers, yes?

Elementals are not spirits of Gaia. Greater elemental dragons were either made by the Primordials collectively, or are normal elementals who have reached Essence 10. Gaia has power over them, but they are completely unrelated to her soul hierarchy. Also, one of her joutens (the humaniform one) is in Yu-Shan, yes, but she never leaves, so that would be kind of oddly specific.

It's not made exactly clear what's up with Autochthon's souls, but the Ministers used to be his Third Circle souls, at the very least (with the Core as his fetich). It'll probably get explained some more in CoCD: Autochthon.

Also, are there any MA styles based around archery (with a little a)? There's Golden Exhalation and Righteous Devil for flamepieces, Thousand Wounds Gear and at least one other I can't remember for throwing weapons, but I don't think there are any MAs based around what seems like a fairly obvious style to showcase.

[golentan]

Wood Dragon has the Bow as it's form weapon, but doesn't give too many charms that synergize with it well.

And most elementals aren't part of her soul hierarchy, but I'm pretty sure she has souls which are part of the whole arrangement.

[Tavar]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bookworm

Elementals are not spirits of Gaia. Greater elemental dragons were either made by the Primordials collectively, or are normal elementals who have reached Essence 10. Gaia has power over them, but they are completely unrelated to her soul hierarchy. Also, one of her joutens (the humaniform one) is in Yu-Shan, yes, but she never leaves, so that would be kind of oddly specific.

Here's the wiki on her:Gaia.

Her deva's are called Elemental Dragons there.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Originally Posted by golentan

Wood Dragon has the Bow as it's form weapon, but doesn't give too many charms that synergize with it well.

I forgot about Wood Dragon, but yeah, it doesn't do it very well.

And most elementals aren't part of her soul hierarchy, but I'm pretty sure she has souls which are part of the whole arrangement.

You are mistaken. I think.

From my reading of it, Gaia was the one who created the dragon lines and was thus the primary creator of the elementals. So she regards them as her children and has a lot of power over them, but they are not actually a part of her souls.

I can't really see another reading that makes sense or doesn't blatantly contradict something we know to be true.

Originally Posted by Tavar

Here's the wiki on her:Gaia.

Her deva's are called Elemental Dragons there.

No offense, but I'm not going to take the Wiki's word for it when I have the books and stuff right here.

The problem is, I'm looking at several different ambiguous sources, at least one of which is simply in-universe knowledge (whoever the man that decided that it would be a great idea to have the writers never communicate needs to have Crack the Sky used on him). And some of this, and some of the readings, contradict canon, like the fact that Creation is not a jouten of Gaia.

Exalted is that girl who cheats on you all the time and may or may not have served time for manslaughter, only she's a chronic lier so you never find out the truth. But she has the Essence pool of a Yozi and the First Ebon Dragon Excellency, so goddamn it you still love her.