Well, I suppose you could run a game without artifacts. I don't see why you would. It wouldn't be a very aesthetically Exalted game.

See, I say again, if you want your artifacts to be unique things, that will necessarily involve homebrew. And they're giving a guide to homebrewing Charms and doing so relatively early in the run, I don't see why that can't be applied to Artifacts.
 
See, I say again, if you want your artifacts to be unique things, that will necessarily involve homebrew. And they're giving a guide to homebrewing Charms and doing so relatively early in the run, I don't see why that can't be applied to Artifacts.

Because there are different types of unique.

For instance, there are... how many Solar Charms? Plus martial arts?

So any individual Solar may well be Unique in his selection of Charms, but they all draw on a common pool of already produced and tested powers. That series of already vetted and produced powers also serves as a guideline for future Charms if you have to homebrew. If you create a Ability 1, Essence 1 no pre-req Charm that is significantly better than other Charms in the system, you can tell you have a balance issue.

With Evocations, we aren't given that. Instead of having a pool of acceptable effects which have already been vetted we get a few unique examples that are not meant to be universal by their nature. I can't very well balance the effects of one Artifact against another because they are meant to be exclusive sets and Exalted does its balancing based on full sets not individual effects. An artifact weapon with all attack options and no defense options has an entirely different balance strategy than one with both options or one with neither. The fact you can't pick up a magical pen and use it to swordfight better is part of the point, after all.

So existing examples can only be used as examples in total. That is, if they give me an example artifact wepaon with ten evocations I can only create a balanced homebrew version if I used those exact evocations with maybe some cosmetic reskinning. Changing a single Evocation to be significantly different changes the entire balance of the weapon.
 
Well, I suppose you could run a game without artifacts. I don't see why you would.
I don't see where the game forces you to spend XP or Solar XP on Evocations for your artifacts, or where you are forced to buy artifact weapons rated higher than 3, or where you are forced to buy Artifacts that haven't exhausted all of their Evocative potential in some front-loaded effects (which would essentially make them just like artifact weapons in the last two editions).

The game is only giving us options we've never had before. It hasn't taken any of the old training wheels away in exchange.


Now, something I think that actually might be worth complaining about is that the corebook does not feature one single moonsilver artifact, whether weapon or armor.

We've got three different jade swords (in a Pokemon starter Red/Blue/Green trio), a suit of jade/orichalcum armor, a soulsteel boomerang, a suit of starmetal armor, and of course half a dozen orichalcum pieces.

Moonsilver is the only one of the Five Magical Materials not represented.
 
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I don't see where the game forces you to spend XP or Solar XP on Evocations for your artifacts, or where you are forced to buy artifact weapons rated higher than 3, or where you are forced to buy Artifacts that haven't exhausted all of their Evocative potential in some front-loaded effects (which essentially makes them just like artifact weapons in the last two editions).
You aren't. Homebrew is not mandatory for every player. However, it is essentially mandatory for any Evocation-focused game that does not revolve around one of the ten refluffed Artifacts given writeups or exact mechanical clones of them. Likewise, it is mandatory for anyone playing an Exigent, period.

This means that the writers have effectively devoted considerable wordcount to an entire subset of games where you're forced to either use extensive homebrew or restrict your play experience to the tiny pool of examples given in the corebook. "Mandatory" does not mean "universally required" in this instance, but that doesn't make it any less of a bad choice.
 
Quick Question?

For 3e, what would you see as the requirements for a charm that grants (essence) additional shaping rituals? I was originally thinking Terrestial Circle sorcery and 4-5 terrestrial level spells but thats admittedly because I could quickly give it to the character I want it on. Another thought was basing it off Ancient Tongue Understanding and possibly the Thaumaturgy charm.
 
Hey, can anyone link me that article that described a lot of the Third Circle Demons? I've got some wrtiting I'm doing and I need to know about Kimbery's moon.
 
Quick Question?

For 3e, what would you see as the requirements for a charm that grants (essence) additional shaping rituals? I was originally thinking Terrestial Circle sorcery and 4-5 terrestrial level spells but thats admittedly because I could quickly give it to the character I want it on. Another thought was basing it off Ancient Tongue Understanding and possibly the Thaumaturgy charm.
There's a Thaumaturgy charm?

The rule for additional shaping rituals appears to be "do another thing that would get you access to sorcery; you get one of the new archetype's rituals for free". Not sure where a charm that does that would fit in. Plus, what happens if you have all of your archetype's rituals and you want to buy the next circle of sorcery?
 
So, it turns out I was wrong about great swords and grand daiklaves having the Chopping keyword, which gives me a clearer idea of what to do with a Buster Sword Style.

The creator of the style believed that two-handed swords were the best weapon in the world, being well-balanced and versatile, lacking the specialization of axes and spears. To that end, and to reference Cloud's best weapon, this might be called the Ultimate Weapon Style.

The first four Charms would allow the swordsman to improvise the functions of other weapons. "Piercing Thrust" would be a Simple-type attack Charm that enjoys the benefits of the Piercing tag/attack. "Chopping Strike" and "Smashing Blow" would do likewise for Chopping and Smashing attacks.

Guarding Stance would mimic the functions of the Shielding keyword and Full Defense action; this would be Reflexive with a duration of "until next turn", but would also keep you from using any of the other three Charms.

Post-Form Charms would offer more extreme versions of those four Charms:

* the piercing thrust would involve rushing your target in a powerful charging attack that carries you forward on a miss, like Shining Point Style's "Void-Slicing Wind".

* the chopping strike might involve a leap like Thunderbolt Attack Prana, but with the potential of lodging your weapon deep into the ground if you miss.

* the smashing blow would mimic the Triceratop's gore-and-throw attack, for a quick catch-and-release grappling manuever.

* the guard stance would instead be reflected with a clash-enhancer Charm which CAN potentially be used with any of the three attack forms.


So far though, that's really spread out, with no clear strategy. Perhaps the Style would reward cycling through the various attacks, with the Form Charm stocking up the Initiative points you're spending for each special attack, which you can then channel towards a special attack?
 
So, it turns out I was wrong about great swords and grand daiklaves having the Chopping keyword, which gives me a clearer idea of what to do with a Buster Sword Style.

The creator of the style believed that two-handed swords were the best weapon in the world, being well-balanced and versatile, lacking the specialization of axes and spears. To that end, and to reference Cloud's best weapon, this might be called the Ultimate Weapon Style.

The first four Charms would allow the swordsman to improvise the functions of other weapons. "Piercing Thrust" would be a Simple-type attack Charm that enjoys the benefits of the Piercing tag/attack. "Chopping Strike" and "Smashing Blow" would do likewise for Chopping and Smashing attacks.
Why Simple and not Supplemental? (Possibly with an only-one-at-a-time clause.)

Guarding Stance would mimic the functions of the Shielding keyword and Full Defense action; this would be Reflexive with a duration of "until next turn", but would also keep you from using any of the other three Charms.
I think a Full Defense action that doesn't cost an action would be kinda OP. And preventing you from using the other three charms is a non-cost if they're Simple; you can't use those when it's not your turn anyway.
 
Why Simple and not Supplemental? (Possibly with an only-one-at-a-time clause.)
Hmm. Right, Simples can't be flurried.


I think a Full Defense action that doesn't cost an action would be kinda OP. And preventing you from using the other three charms is a non-cost if they're Simple; you can't use those when it's not your turn anyway.
No, the intent is that the Full Defense Charm IS your action. You can flurry in a non-attack action like a normal Full Defense + Shield-tagged weapon, but that action suffers the usual flurry penalties.

Hmm, Full Defense actions can't be declared until your turn. THIS "shielding stance" Charm should be Simple.
 
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No, the intent is that the Full Defense Charm IS your action. You can flurry in a non-attack action like a normal Full Defense + Shield-tagged weapon, but that action suffers the usual flurry penalties.

Hmm, Full Defense actions can't be declared until your turn. THIS "shielding stance" Charm should be Simple.
You said it mimicked the Shielding keyword and a full defense action; I assumed that meant it removed the need to take an actual full defense action. And it shouldn't be Simple; that would make it pointless, since Simple charms can't be flurried. It should be either Supplemental, enhancing a full defense action, or reflexive, giving your weapon the Shielding tag for an action and doing nothing else. Honestly, though, this seems like a really underwhelming charm. The Shielding tag just isn't that good; it might occasionally be useful if you're going to charge a ranged combatant who's slow enough that the -3 penalty on your rush isn't going to cause problems, or if you've got some miscellaneous action that needs doing, but even then it only gives you +1 defense for the price of 1 initiative. (Which, don't get me wrong, is definitely a bargain; it just doesn't come up much and isn't particularly amazing when it does.)

Edit: Maybe a charm that raises the weapon's Parry by 1 but reduces its damage by 2 for a turn, basically giving it the defense and damage of a medium artifact weapon?
 
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Please, all I know of him is a little about two of his third circles.
From one of the better bits of Ink Monkeys:
Ink Monkeys said:
SZORENY, THE SILVER FOREST

Szoreny loves you.

Szoreny hates you.

All that there is to know about you, he knows. He has studied your every thought and deed. He has shared your every feeling, your every memory. He has analyzed your every possible future path. He understands you better than you understand yourself.

And all this from one glimpse—one reckless glimpse—into the mirror that is Szoreny.

* * * *

The Silver Forest is always the first to consider and the last to act. According to First Age records of the Primordial War, he struck no blows against the Exalted, instead withdrawing behind veil after veil of illusion and folded space. Even now he has no taste for direct confrontation. But this is not to say that he is kind. Even his reflexive love for those he reflects is tainted by a loathing born out of five millennia of exile.

His best-known form is that of a vast tree whose countless branches, buried in the black earth of Malfeas, rise like the trunks of a silvery woodland. But he has countless other forms, or one form with countless shapes—who can say? It is Szoreny's nature to imitate his environs. He has been a silver sun hanging at zenith, shining with reflected emerald light. He has been a quicksilver sea, his burnished tides swamping hellships and drowning demons in metallic deeps. He has been ten long-haired men and women with mirror-bright eyes; a figure formed from snarls of fine silver thread, each thread tipped with a faceted hematite gem; a magnificent palace of silver and black stone rising at the heart of the Demon City; a congeries of thousands of perfectly mirrored spheres.

It is said that the endless rings of recursive reflections that form Szoreny's noetic heartwood contain perfect replicas of everything and everyone whose images he has ever encompassed. If this is so, then all that he has ever witnessed persists beyond destruction or death in the infinite vistas of his hidden mirrorworlds. Indeed, by the lights of certain scholars—both infernal and Exalted—these facsimiles are superior to the originals, for they are the results of a Primordial's ratiocinations, reified and refined by his superior sapience. Whether this consoled the millions slain by his silver simulacrum of the River of All Torments in the Time of Glory is a matter now lost to history.
 
Does anyone know what happens to ghosts when they're killed? Are their hun souls destroyed or merely sent to Lethe/Oblivion?
Depends on the method of their death. If it's something that can kill spirits, their hun is destroyed. Otherwise, they would go to the Lethe. Of course, this assumes you manage to kill them: simply filling their health levels with damage will only make them disperse before testing to see if they reform(I think it's based on their fetters, or something).
 
Does anyone know what happens to ghosts when they're killed? Are their hun souls destroyed or merely sent to Lethe/Oblivion?

That depends. If they just get smacked down (that is, get their health tracks filled with Lethal or Aggravated) they risk losing a lot of their fetters, which bind them to the Underworld and prevent them from passing through Lethe. If they get hit with Ghost Eating Technique or something similar they cease existing at all, as they've been torn apart on the motonic level.
 
So I'm looking at trying my hand at homebrewing a Martial Arts style for 3e. Any advice?

More Info:
  • Tentative name of Pursuing Magistrate Style
  • Mainly focused on catching someone and Clinching them into submission.
  • For Form Weapons, I'm thinking of going with Batons and Fighting Chains.
  • Armor: Usable with Light Armor.
I have a couple ideas for specific Charms, but I don't know how to implement them.
  • A short-range clinch/knockdown/movement-inhibitor based in throwing something to trip/entangle the person.
  • Something to enhance a pursuit or range-closing roll.
I'm thinking that I might require Athletics 2/3 to learn the style.

My main problem is that I have no idea how to balance Charms.
Anyone? Any ideas?
 
I've been working on another artifact. Any comments? I'm particularly concerned about Thunder Serpent Constriction; I'm not sure if it's too powerful, or so easily broken as to be useless, or what. (It's probably also too complicated, but I can't figure out how to make it much simpler, and it's such a cool effect I don't want to drop it.)

Coiled Lightning (Blue Jade Direlash, Artifact •••)

Coiled Lightning is a direlash of braided blue jadesteel wires, with a handful of tiny orichalcum beads woven into its length. Its handle is wrapped with leather of a snake-like air elemental from the far North, and the artfully-crafted braid seems to continue the scaled pattern of the hilt. It was forged in the early years of the Shogunate for Ivory Mountain, a dedicated prefect who used it to retstrain and subdue criminals. In the centuries since, it has passed through many hands, including at least one Raksha during the Balorian Crusade.

Coiled Lightning's evocations reflect its ophidian nature. Its coils grasp and bind like a living thing, even as the lightning it was named for flows down its length.

Coiled Lightning has a single hearthstone socket at the base of the handle.

Emerald Evocations

Biting Lightning Lash (damage booster)
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Electricity crackles along Coiled Lightning's length, ravaging those it strikes. This Evocation supplements an attack made with Coiled Lightning, or a savaging attack against a foe grappled with it. A withering attack deals an additional three damage, and a decisive attack may re-roll up to (Essence) 10s on its damage roll. Additionally, savaging attacks enhanced with this charm do lethal damage rather than bashing.

Grasping Coil Technique (enhance disarm or grab something)
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Like many direlashes, Coiled Lightning has been known to tangle and bind at its wielder's whim. This charm supplements a Disarm gambit, adding an automatic success to the attack roll and the initiative roll, and if it is successful, the wielder may choose to pull the disarmed weapon into her hand rather than throw it away.

Tangled Thunder Constriction (grapple with whip; take no defensive penalties)
Cost: 6m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grasping Coil Technique
Coiled Lightning seems most alive when it is binding a foe, tangling and constricting with a will of its own while its wielder stands untroubled. This charm enhances a Grapple gambit. The wielder may use (Dexterity+Melee) on both the attack roll and the control roll, and if it is successful, the wielder needs only to hold Coiled Lightning with a single hand to maintain the grapple, allowing her to ignore the normal penalties for being in a grapple. She cannot, however, use Coiled Lightning to parry while using it to grapple in this way.

Merciful Stunning Strike (deal bashing damage, including with evocations)
Cost: 1m; Mins: Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: None
Duration: Indefinite
Prerequisite Charms: None
The first exalt to wield Coiled Lightning did so for over a century, and regularly used it to subdue rather than slay enemies. This instilled a capacity for nonlethal combat that remains to this day. While this charm is active, Coiled Lightning and all its Evocations deal bashing rather than lethal damage.

Sapphire Evocations
In order to unlock Coiled Lightning's Sapphire Evocations, the Exalt must first awaken at least two of its Emerald Evocations. Unlocking Coiled Lightning's Emerald Evocations adds the Innate keyword to Grasping Coil Technique and Tangled Thunder Constriction.

Searing Arc Extension (attack or disarm at range)
Cost: 4m, 1i; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grasping Coil Technique
A line of lightning extends from Coiled Lightning's tip, then solidifies, extending the direlash's reach. This charm allows the wielder to make an attack or a disarm gambit against an enemy within short range. Alternatively, she may simply grab an object within this range with Coiled Lightning, either to retrieve it, which she may do reflexively, or to anchor herself to a solid object.

Electric Binding Blast (enhance savaging attack)
Cost: 2m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Dual
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Biting Lighting Lash, Grasping Coil Technique
When a foe is bound by Coiled Lightning, it may erupt in a searing blast of electricity that burns through flesh and armor alike. This charm enhances a savaging attack, allowing it to be made with Coiled Lightning rather than an unarmed attack. Furthermore, withering attacks increase their minimum damage by Essence, and decisive attacks ignore up to Essence hardness.

Chain Lightning Continuation (after hitting, reflexively attack a second enemy)
Cost: 4m; Mins: Essence 2; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Uniform
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Biting Lightning Lash, Searing Arc Extension
After striking one foe, the electricity that crackles around Coiled Lighting gathers itself and jumps to a second. After making an attack (or a savaging attack) that either crashes the target or increases his wound penalty, the exalt may use this charm to make a second attack against a second enemy within close range of the first. This second attack may be withering or decisive.

Adamant Evocations
In order to unlock Coiled Lightning's Adamant Evocations, the Exalt must first awaken at least two of its Sapphire Evocations. Unlocking Coiled Lightning's Adamant Evocations adds the Innate keyword to Biting Lightning Lash and Electric Binding Blast.

Thunder Serpent Constriction (create an electric serpent to continue a grapple for you)
Cost: 8m, 4i, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: Perilous
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grasping Coil Technique, Chain Lighting Continuation
Cracking with both speed and thunder, Coiled Lightning births a serpent of living lightning that springs at a foe, seeking to trap him in its coils. The exalt attempts a grapple gambit against a foe within medium range (at no additional initiative cost). If the gambit is unsuccessful, the serpent dissipates immediately, but if it succeeds, the grapple is continued by the serpent rather than by the exalt. The serpent has as many rounds of control as the exalt's control roll indicated, and rolls Join Battle with (Exalt's Melee) dice. Each turn, the serpent will make a savaging attack with the wielder's (Dexterity+Melee) pool and Coiled Lighting's weapon traits, which may be withering or decisive at the discretion of the wielder's player. These attacks may be enhanced by Coiled Lightning's Evocations (drawing motes from the wielder's pool), but not by other charms (including excellencies). When the grapple ends, the serpent vanishes, its energy spent.
The serpent may be attacked directly to free its target; it has an Evasion equal to the wielder's Melee score (before the -2 penalty for being in a grapple), no soak or hardness, and (wielder's Essence) -0 health levels. If it is crashed or slain, it dissipates, ending the grapple. Attacks made against it also remove rounds of control as normal.

Lucent Body Blaze (environmental hazard hits anyone you're grappling)
Cost: 8m, 1wp; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Simple
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grasping Coil Technique, Electric Binding Blast
The wielder cloaks herself it Coiled Lightning's power, searing anyone unfortunate enough to grapple with her. This charm may only be used while grappling, regardless of who controls the grapple. The exalt's foe is exposed to an environmental hazard with the traits of a bonfire (4L/round, Difficulty 5) save that the damage is caused by waves of electricity rather than by fire. This hazard persists until the grapple ends.
This charm cannot be used to damage a foe grappled by Thunder Serpent Constriction.

Crashing Thunder Impact (Enhance a throw; throw to short range and everyone within close range of the impact point risks knockdown)
Cost: 4m, 3i; Mins: Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Grasping Coil Technique, Electric Binding Blast
The Exalt hurls her foe with Coiled Lightning, and where he strikes the ground, thunder and lightning buffet all nearby. This charm enhances an effort to throw a grappled foe. The enemy can be thrown out to short range, and is left prone. Furthermore, all characters within close range of the impact point must make a Dexterity+Dodge roll with a difficulty of the wielder's Melee or lose 2 initiative and be knocked prone.
 
Decisive attacks, even savaging versions, basically ignore weapon traits aside from damage type.

Just something to consider.
 
Decisive attacks, even savaging versions, basically ignore weapon traits aside from damage type.

Just something to consider.
Um, yes? I'm not sure which charm you're referring to with this. I mean, Electric Binding Blast and Coiled Serpent Constriction do allow you to make decisive savaging attacks with the whip instead of unarmed, but that's because they do the same thing with withering decisive attacks, which do pay attention to weapon traits.
 
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Hmm, I don't know if this is what Salty meant, but I did have a moment when reading "with the wielder's (Dexterity+Melee) pool and Coiled Lighting's weapon traits" where I wasn't clear if the weapon traits were explicitly being added to all savaging attacks. I'm trying to think of a clearer way to state your intention that's more elegant than just "Can make decisive savaging attacks using (wielder's Dexterity + Melee) and withering savaging attacks using (wielder's Dexterity + Melee + Coiled Lightning's accuracy)." Maybe "Treat the dragon's target as being in a grapple created by Tangled Thunder Constriction" would work?

Overall though I like it. I think Coiled Serpent Constriction would probably avoid any overpower worries if it could only be used once per scene with a reset condition.

In regards to grappling with the weapon, I think Electric Binding Blast might have some redundancy, specifically "allowing it to be made with Coiled Lightning rather than an unarmed attack" after the start of the Evocation states that it applies to foes grappled by Coiled Lightning.

I get the fluff/flavor behind Merciful Stunning Strike, but as is it doesn't really seem like it's worth a Charm purchase. Once I saw it I scanned ahead to see if there was anything that keyed of bashed/incapacitated opponents but it seems to be an outlier.
 
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