Beast constantly amazes me, and is probably the worst thing that OPP has ever put out. Nobody really seems to like it, not the people it was supposedly satirizing nor the people it was ostensibly supporting. The only people who seemed even vaguely interested in Beast are completely detached from the supposed culture war that it seemed to be themeing itself around.
Also in the same rpg.net thread where it came out Morke was a harasser, Matt McFarland was revealed to be a child rapist as mentioned before, and C.A. Suleiman was apparently a serial groper. So, in comparison Morke probably got off easy by having his dirty laundry aired out in that thread
Beast constantly amazes me, and is probably the worst thing that OPP has ever put out. Nobody really seems to like it, not the people it was supposedly satirizing nor the people it was ostensibly supporting. The only people who seemed even vaguely interested in Beast are completely detached from the supposed culture war that it seemed to be themeing itself around.
It's actually depressing how many ways I can think of that Beast could have been done better that ultimately boil down to "do the opposite of what the game actually did."
Like just off the top of my head, if they hadn't put in the "all Beasts are all family and also all the other splats like them" bullshit, you could have conceivably hashed together an interesting, or at least entertaining, narrative of monsters fighting monsters; like even just along the lines of "No, Beast Player, you are the Godzilla. Now go forth and do battle with King Ghidorah."
I've been working or thinking about the idea of a charm to create
Ripple for solar exalts, a scenelength benefit for unarmed solar native charms that boxes spirits and subdues the enemies of the sun. Weakens but doesn't kill always adding options for payoff but not hyper lethal just weakening.
You can mitigate this with actions, unless mortal, but duck those guys
Sunstroke Pankration
Brawl 5
Essence 3
2 motes plus up to brawl+essence
Simple
Scenelength
The solar pugilist suffuses his body with the more aggressive light of the Sun. His punches deliver much more than Force which can affect the immaterial the mortal and the supernatural in certain ways.
The radiant searing energy will be equal to the number of Motes invested beyond the initial amount. For Mortal creatures if the number of Motes infused in their pool/body exceeds their stamina they for every turn that this is so must roll stamina at difficulty increased for each mote beyond their stamina in order to avoid succumbing to a heat stroke or similar complication. When fail they start to suffer sunstroke experiencing fainting, seizures, vomiting and so on.
This radiation has a more complicated effect with supernatural creatures. In their case the Motes are infused in the empty spaces of their pool, or overwritten if immaterial, in grapple, or enemy of creation.
They make a stamina check for
When the infused motes exceed the targets own motes in number
When they have committed motes that have been infused with this charm
When they are held within a grapple by the solar sunstroke pankrator at the start of the turn
If they lose the check they vomit their own motes by the amount failed. If they fail their check they instead Hemorrhage out their own and natural notes. In the case that this would exceed the ones that are free then the ones committed to charms or artifacts suffer and these effects are canceled and the whole amount committed to the effect is lost at once. Though they of course can start at what motes are free and available.
If a supernatural creature only has motes in their pool infused by this charm that's when they start hemmoraging an essence score every time they lose the check. While this will not affect blessings or spells that have been cast on them innate traits granted by Supernatural nature such as being a magical serpent or an elemental will be affected negatively. Such as losing traits enabled by their nature, zombies immobilized or similar issues.
Demigods are likely just to be as Mortal if reduced below Essence one. And then it will affect them as if they are mortal creature.
This is just a temporary condition. They will recover their Essence score much akin to moats although it will cost as if they're refilling their moat pool from their adjusted score. Once they exceeded they go up back to the next level they lost and so on until they're back at the strength they once had.
any victim can spend an infused mote but doing so increases the difficulty per point spent of any stamina based checks or actions until they rest for a scene.
When someone spends the Motes infused by this charm they become vulnerable to any and increase the difficulty for any stamina based checks or actions by 1 per mote spent in the scene. The motes inflicted by this charm takes up empty space unless a creature is immaterial or an enemy of creation. Or the motes are inflicted in the form of a grapple. Then they replace any motes free or committed.
Unless a creature escapes a grapple by way of their control in the form of skill when they do so they are afflicted with two times the solar Essence in Motes. A solar may always choose to sacrifice all their raw dadamagof their strike into the mote effect.
In a grapple damage and mote effect are shared. That is to say the mote effect is increased by damage without sacrificing the damage the grapple could do though can sacrifice damage for mote plus 2x damage sacrificed infusion.
A solar cannot increase the commitment to this charm after it's been made it has to be canceled in full then recommitted with the full amount.
It said that this charm was used for punishing recalcitrant gods as well as beating down the trash mobs of the enemies of creation and the Lawgiver
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Although it's been revised a few times this is obviously not the final draft. I want to make sure that I can cut down on the complexity and difficulty to make this as succinct and communicate all the effects and meanings to be used as possible. I realize this is a complicated charm. And the effect is powerful but it's not actually meant to be lethal so much as complicated. This is why in fact it takes longer to affect any Supernatural creature than any mortal.
The basic idea is that much like we have Corona of Radiance and then we have those charms that let you replace ammunition with some light this is sort of the equivalent for Brawlers.
Ultimately this helps you weaken in enemy. I wasn't able to think of a way that you could easily weekend a supernatural opponent and make it stick without it violating a bunch of assumptions with the setting in the characters. But before you freak out at what this does just a reminder unless this person grapples you or you were an enemy of creation or you are immaterial the simplest defense against this thing being a problem is to spend the most as quickly as possible and defeat them. This is in fact a very terrible charm to use against the sidereals who tend to commit all of their motes.
Please read and consider it and share any criticism that you want to give. This is primarily written with the idea of fitting into something like a first edition system. I do not know what the Third Edition is like or what it comprises aside from apparently a lot of investment in artifacts getting powers like this is Dawn something
OK. After some thought and time, I've decided to try again.
BECOMING THE CITY'S COMPANION
Cost: 20sm, Circle: Emerald
The sorcerer's hair becomes the colour of glass, his skin obtaining a silvery sheen. Upon casting this spell within a city, the sorcerer obtains a scrying effect upon this city alone. His hand is on the city's pulse. His heart, connected with their soul. Using a pool of Intelligence + Occult + Essence, he can find out certain properties of the city, with difficulty scaling on how obscure or how specific the information is.
A/n: I need to make a scaling difficulty, depending on how rare the info is.
OK. After some thought and time, I've decided to try again.
BECOMING THE CITY'S COMPANION
Cost: 20sm, Circle: Emerald
The sorcerer's hair becomes the colour of glass, his skin obtaining a silvery sheen. Upon casting this spell within a city, the sorcerer obtains a scrying effect upon this city alone. His hand is on the city's pulse. His heart, connected with their soul. Using a pool of Intelligence + Occult + Essence, he can find out certain properties of the city, with difficulty scaling on how obscure or how specific the information is.
A/n: I need to make a scaling difficulty, depending on how rare the info is.
Seems fun though. Maybe isn't there some sort of basic information gathering chart? You could have it based off of that. But you think that the supernatural transformation with lower the difficulty or Grant certain automatic successes. That or you'll have to make an entirely new scale instead of charts entirely on your own. I personally think one of the mistakes that keeps happening and exalted is that they have terrible systems because they know everyone's going to use the charms instead. So everything depends on the meta so when someone adds in a new charm effect that even makes Perfectly Natural sense such as disarming or limb destruction it completely destroys the game because the base level system has no way to combat it and you absolutely need a charm to handle it or you have to pay for it over with perfect defenses. But I only know the game from late 1st edition through 2nd edition.
Seems fun though. Maybe isn't there some sort of basic information gathering chart? You could have it based off of that. But you think that the supernatural transformation with lower the difficulty or Grant certain automatic successes. That or you'll have to make an entirely new scale instead of charts entirely on your own. I personally think one of the mistakes that keeps happening and exalted is that they have terrible systems because they know everyone's going to use the charms instead. So everything depends on the meta so when someone adds in a new charm effect that even makes Perfectly Natural sense such as disarming or limb destruction it completely destroys the game because the base level system has no way to combat it and you absolutely need a charm to handle it or you have to pay for it over with perfect defenses. But I only know the game from late 1st edition through 2nd edition.
Ergh trying to edit it for better flow but still can't seem to shave it down in length.
Sunstroke Pankration Brawl 5 Essence 3
Cost: 2 motes plus up to brawl+essence
Type: Simple Duration: Scenelength
The solar pugilist suffuses his body with the more intense light of the Sun. The Lawgiver's punches deliver an infusion of radiant energy when the Lawgiver's attack is blocked unarmed or soaked. This radiant infusion effects the immaterial, the mortal, and the supernatural in distinct ways.
Track the radiant searing energy infused into a target as motes. The motes infused will be equal to the number invested beyond two put into a target's pool, unless the pugilist foregoes all damage (but not secondary effects) of the blow this adds the sacrificed raw damage to the infusion.
When someone spends the Motes infused by this charm they become vulnerable to and increase the difficulty for any stamina based checks or actions by 1 per such motes spent in the scene. This persists until a scene of rest (as deemed appropriate for respiration) is had. The motes inflicted by this charm only take up empty space in the pool unless the supernatural target is immaterial or an enemy of creation, or the attack is from a grapple. Then they replace any motes in the pool.
Only skilled escapes of grapple by way of control and skill avoid sudden spike of infusion. Escape by some way other than by their control of the grapple inflicts the target with twice the Solar's Essence in Motes.
A Sunstroke Pankrator may always choose to sacrifice all their raw damage, not secondary effects, of their strike into the mote effect.
In a grapple damage and mote effect are shared. That is to say the infusion is increased by damage without sacrificing the damage the grapple could do though the Pankrator can sacrifice grapple damage for committed mote plus 2x raw damage infusion.
A solar cannot increase the commitment to this charm after it's been made. It has to be canceled in full then recommitted with the full amount.
It said that this charm was used for punishing recalcitrant gods as well as beating down the trash mobs of the enemies of creation and the Lawgiver
For Mortal creatures if the number of Motes infused in their pool/body exceeds their Stamina. roll to avoid succumbing to a heat stroke or similar complication. When fail they start to suffersunstroke experiencing fainting, seizures, blindness, vomiting and so on.
This radiation has a more complicated effect with supernatural creatures. In their case the Motes are infused in the empty spaces of their pool. Existing motes are not replaced/effected unless the target is immaterial, in grapple, or an enemy of creation/Creature of Darkness.
The supernatural target makes a stamina check for supernatural sunstroke when;
The infused motes exceed the targets own motes in number
The motes that have been infused with this charm are committed to an effect
They are held within a grapple by the Sunstroke Pankrator at the start of the turn
If they lose the sunstroke check they vomit their own motes by the amount failed. Supernatural creatures spew their own Essence as to their lunch. In the case that this exceeds their free essence mote then the ones committed to charms or artifacts are expelled and so those effects are canceled with the whole amount of motes committed to the individual effect/charm/whatever lost at once.
If a supernatural creature only has motes in their pool from the Solar that's when the target starts hemorrhaging a single point of their Essence score every time they lose the check. While this will not affect blessings or spells that have been cast on them, innate traits granted by Supernatural nature as well as charms or such things as being a magical serpent or an elemental will be affected, zombies become immobilized or similar issues. Demigods are likely to just become as Mortal if reduced below Essence one, and then the infusion will affect them as if they are mortal creature.
This is just a temporary condition. They will recover their Essence much akin to mote respiration although it will be as if they're refilling their mote pool from their adjusted score. Once they exceeded the adjusted score they go up back to the next level they lost and so on until they're back at the strength they once had.
So, I'm trying to get used to Ex3 Dragonblooded. Making some characters, playing with Charm combos and strategies. I'm digging through Part 5, with the MA and the Artifacts and such. And I found something that made me laugh.
Centuries past, a lone thief drove the Great Houses to wrath. Concealed behind her signature mask, the Artful Tanuki uncovered the Realm's rarest treasures and most forbidden secrets. She sold both to eager buyers, sowing chaos among the Scarlet Dynasty.
Peasants and Dynasts alike speculated about the Artful Tanuki's prowess and motivations. Magistrates and assassins sought the thief's head and the mysteries kept therein. After years of infamy, the Artful Tanuki vanished. Then her true work began. Without her mask, no one recognized the daughter of House Cynis as the infamous thief, and her stolen secrets fed a budding political career.
Though many spoke of her insolent mask, few recalled the Artful Tanuki's unassuming staff. Calumny is a length of bamboo cut from the slopes of the Imperial Mountain and banded with green-and-brown speckled jade. It has been passed down through generations of Cynis blackmailers, offering its secrets to those who feed its hunger.
Ergh trying to edit it for better flow but still can't seem to shave it down in length.
Sunstroke Pankration Brawl 5 Essence 3
Cost: 2 motes plus up to brawl+essence
Type: Simple Duration: Scenelength
The solar pugilist suffuses his body with the more intense light of the Sun. The Lawgiver's punches deliver an infusion of radiant energy when the Lawgiver's attack is blocked unarmed or soaked. This radiant infusion effects the immaterial, the mortal, and the supernatural in distinct ways.
Track the radiant searing energy infused into a target as motes. The motes infused will be equal to the number invested beyond two put into a target's pool, unless the pugilist foregoes all damage (but not secondary effects) of the blow this adds the sacrificed raw damage to the infusion.
When someone spends the Motes infused by this charm they become vulnerable to and increase the difficulty for any stamina based checks or actions by 1 per such motes spent in the scene. This persists until a scene of rest (as deemed appropriate for respiration) is had. The motes inflicted by this charm only take up empty space in the pool unless the supernatural target is immaterial or an enemy of creation, or the attack is from a grapple. Then they replace any motes in the pool.
Only skilled escapes of grapple by way of control and skill avoid sudden spike of infusion. Escape by some way other than by their control of the grapple inflicts the target with twice the Solar's Essence in Motes.
A Sunstroke Pankrator may always choose to sacrifice all their raw damage, not secondary effects, of their strike into the mote effect.
In a grapple damage and mote effect are shared. That is to say the infusion is increased by damage without sacrificing the damage the grapple could do though the Pankrator can sacrifice grapple damage for committed mote plus 2x raw damage infusion.
A solar cannot increase the commitment to this charm after it's been made. It has to be canceled in full then recommitted with the full amount.
It said that this charm was used for punishing recalcitrant gods as well as beating down the trash mobs of the enemies of creation and the Lawgiver
For Mortal creatures if the number of Motes infused in their pool/body exceeds their Stamina. roll to avoid succumbing to a heat stroke or similar complication. When fail they start to suffersunstroke experiencing fainting, seizures, blindness, vomiting and so on.
This radiation has a more complicated effect with supernatural creatures. In their case the Motes are infused in the empty spaces of their pool. Existing motes are not replaced/effected unless the target is immaterial, in grapple, or an enemy of creation/Creature of Darkness.
The supernatural target makes a stamina check for supernatural sunstroke when;
The infused motes exceed the targets own motes in number
The motes that have been infused with this charm are committed to an effect
They are held within a grapple by the Sunstroke Pankrator at the start of the turn
If they lose the sunstroke check they vomit their own motes by the amount failed. Supernatural creatures spew their own Essence as to their lunch. In the case that this exceeds their free essence mote then the ones committed to charms or artifacts are expelled and so those effects are canceled with the whole amount of motes committed to the individual effect/charm/whatever lost at once.
If a supernatural creature only has motes in their pool from the Solar that's when the target starts hemorrhaging a single point of their Essence score every time they lose the check. While this will not affect blessings or spells that have been cast on them, innate traits granted by Supernatural nature as well as charms or such things as being a magical serpent or an elemental will be affected, zombies become immobilized or similar issues. Demigods are likely to just become as Mortal if reduced below Essence one, and then the infusion will affect them as if they are mortal creature.
This is just a temporary condition. They will recover their Essence much akin to mote respiration although it will be as if they're refilling their mote pool from their adjusted score. Once they exceeded the adjusted score they go up back to the next level they lost and so on until they're back at the strength they once had.
I've got some thoughts on this, but before I get into the weeks I'd like to know whether this is supposed to be for 2e or Ex3, because that changes a lot of the context for those specifics. In general, I can say that this looks like quite a lot of work for questionable payoff in an Ex3 context. Why would I bother spending 12m and go through the hassle of giving them to the victim for a potential debuff, as opposed to just killing the shit out of them with all the myriad ways brawl has of doing that?
@Darmani - Honestly I'd recommend just scrapping the entire 'give your enemy poisoned motes to spend' thing, it's way too much wordcount and book-keeping for virtually any kind of effect, especially a single charm. Likewise, the massive amount of motes required to trigger this effect in most cases is not worth the actual effects - paying 5m to inflict a mortal target with heatstroke is just not worth it.
Instead, I'd recommend just going straight to the end result. Make it a supplemental charm that forces targets successfully struck to roll against some kind of disease-type effect that models the sunstroke.
@Darmani - Honestly I'd recommend just scrapping the entire 'give your enemy poisoned motes to spend' thing, it's way too much wordcount and book-keeping for virtually any kind of effect, especially a single charm. Likewise, the massive amount of motes required to trigger this effect in most cases is not worth the actual effects - paying 5m to inflict a mortal target with heatstroke is just not worth it.
Instead, I'd recommend just going straight to the end result. Make it a supplemental charm that forces targets successfully struck to roll against some kind of disease-type effect that models the sunstroke.
I've got some thoughts on this, but before I get into the weeks I'd like to know whether this is supposed to be for 2e or Ex3, because that changes a lot of the context for those specifics. In general, I can say that this looks like quite a lot of work for questionable payoff in an Ex3 context. Why would I bother spending 12m and go through the hassle of giving them to the victim for a potential debuff, as opposed to just killing the shit out of them with all the myriad ways brawl has of doing that?
Well you choose how many to invest and the affliction is with every strike. It allows for slow and steady takedowns especially and 1st and 2nd edition solar brawl is so so with groups.
Its fun to me to think how to invest and target and the effect of the maneuvers it opens up but avoids "instant kill scenelength perfect defend against this forever"
@Darmani - Honestly I'd recommend just scrapping the entire 'give your enemy poisoned motes to spend' thing, it's way too much wordcount and book-keeping for virtually any kind of effect, especially a single charm. Likewise, the massive amount of motes required to trigger this effect in most cases is not worth the actual effects - paying 5m to inflict a mortal target with heatstroke is just not worth it.
Instead, I'd recommend just going straight to the end result. Make it a supplemental charm that forces targets successfully struck to roll against some kind of disease-type effect that models the sunstroke.
It also allows for a lingering debuff that you or another could take advantage of Its piggybacking things you would already be bookkeeping, mote gain and spending
If it affected all spending it feel too powerful. That its beneficial but a trap feels right. If every blow said roll stamina to lose motes would you say this would be appropriately powered? Especiallyscenelength?
Buildup is another part to allow the wearing down and strategy of boxing. Tiring or overwhelming what matters, essence.
Also brawl is very combo dependent/heavy. Its a simple superlative increase that is potent but not instantly llethal. Costly but at a choice. Frightening for enemies of creation and mortals but a minor puzzle for supernatural where the answer isn't meant perfect this always or i die in an instant
Opening the Hellgate Price: 25m; Circle: Sapphire; Anchor: (Any) 3+ Target: Ritual Site Spell Duration: Until Sunrise; Casting Duration: Ritual Essence Aspect: Necrotic-Banned; Favoured Aspect: Hellish
There are wicked rituals not known to the Chosen of the Dragons - fell rites that tear open a rift to Hell itself. It is said that this is how the Anathema ventured to the Demon Realm to commune and indulge with their dark masters.
Ritual: This spell requires an extended ritual, starting at sunset and lasting until midnight. The sorcerer must evoke the Anchor to rend the prison-wall of the Yozis. Additionally, she must cast the spell when the walls between the world are thin. This may be during the new moon, Calibration, or when certain astrological signs and portents significant to the Yozis (such as comets) are present. Alternatively, it may be cast in locations such as a Hellish demesne, a significant cult-temple to a demon, or sites which resonance with one of the Yozis. Individual versions of the spell may determine which places or locations are acceptable factors. Sufficiently rigorous limitations may drop this spell down to Emerald Circle.
If cast by an Adamant Circle sorcerer, she may choose to cast it with a Casting Duration of Sapphire at a cost of +1 Anchor. A spell cast this way becomes a Blasphemy (7) effect.
Mechanics: At the culmination of the ritual, the sorcerer rolls (Pool). The base difficulty is 6 (4 at Calibration), but the ST may reduce this for additional effort to find weak places in the world, such as locations of great power or where multiple other hellgates have been created. Additionally, a successful prayer to the Yozis or demons conducted before the ritual reduces the Difficulty by a further 1, and if the spell is cast with Hellish essence it is reduced by 2. On a failure, a stable hellgate is not created, but the sorcerer might let some demon or hazard of Cecelyne out into Creation.
Effects: This spell creates a hellgate; a crack in the walls of the prison of the Yozis through which things may enter or leave. Omen weather crackles around the ritual site as the hellgate opens. It may have maximum dimensions no larger than a ten metre cube.
Usually it opens onto Cecelyne, but some variants are known to lead to tributaries of Kimbery or into strange outgrowths of Metagaos. Either way, it is a five day journey to the Demon City.
The spell wounds the wall of the prison of the Yozis, where the things of Creation have spilled into Hell. If the sorcerer (or anyone else) can find the point where the gate opened, casting this spell reopens it, allowing them egress from Hell. For that reason, wise sorcerers surround their ritual sites with prodigious wards against demons. Wiser sorcerers do not open rifts to the Demon Realm.
Example Spells:
Hellcutter Key (Anchor - Artefact Weapon, Essence Aspect - Incarnate or Divine) - Meditating to infusing his weapon with the force that vanquished the titans, the sorcerer cuts the air and slices his way into the prison of the Yozis. This spell may not benefit from the difficulty reduction of prayers to the Yozis, but may reduce the difficulty by 1 if a successful prayer to the Incarna is made before the ritual.
Pool: Strength + Melee
Peer's Rights (Anchor - Backing (Althing) or Infamy, Essence Aspect - Hellish) - Under the laws of Cecelyne, certain rights and privileges are extended to the green sun princes - and one of them is that none shall obstruct them when they return to their masters. The sorcerer is treated as if they were an Adamant caster for the purposes of this spell, and may sum their Backing and Infamy for the sake of meeting the Anchor requirements.
Pool: Charisma + Anchor
Unsealing the Cursed Gate (Anchor - Hellish Demesne, Circle - Emerald) - Certain unique spells have been invented to take advantage of the peculiarity of Yozi-tainted land. This spell is an Emerald Circle spell, but is uniquely linked to a single Hellish demesne and may not be used in any other location. The rare Dragonblooded of the Lintha use spells like this one to welcome their masters into Creation. The Immaculates destroy any such spells they find.
Pool: Intelligence + Lore
The Third Act of Love Among The Peaches (Anchor - Followers) - Love Among the Peaches was a minor Nexan blue play - a mix of crude political satire and pornography. In the third act, the inept and slovenly Guild funtionary Li Yen so mishandles his wedding ceremony that he accidentally opens a rift to Hell, from which emerges a handsome demon who eats his mother-in-law and elopes with him, leaving his wife at the altar (who incidentally marries the priestess). Unfortunately, the Salinian Working encoded a ritual of no small power in this sex comedy. If this Third Act is conducted at the new moon or Calibration with a sizable audience, a sorcerer can shape the energies to tear open a rift to Hell. This same ritual can incidentally be used to learn Demon of the Second Circle, with the same Anchor.
Pool: Manipulation + Performance
The Third Act of Love Among The Peaches (Anchor - Followers) - Love Among the Peaches was a minor Nexan blue play - a mix of crude political satire and pornography. In the third act, the inept and slovenly Guild funtionary Li Yen so mishandles his wedding ceremony that he accidentally opens a rift to Hell, from which emerges a handsome demon who eats his mother-in-law and elopes with him, leaving his wife at the altar (who incidentally marries the priestess). Unfortunately, the Salinian Working encoded a ritual of no small power in this sex comedy. If this Third Act is conducted at the new moon or Calibration with a sizable audience, a sorcerer can shape the energies to tear open a rift to Hell. This same ritual can incidentally be used to learn Demon of the Second Circle, with the same Anchor.
Pool: Manipulation + Performance
Uh, how would you make money off selling homebrew illegitimately? There's not really much of a market for it that I can see. Well, maybe via commission but even then...
Uh, how would you make money off selling homebrew illegitimately? There's not really much of a market for it that I can see. Well, maybe via commission but even then...
