Some of the next levels of our arts are amazing.
First use both:
Echoes of Absolute Winter: B
Duration: Special
A technique used in tandem with Aria of Springs End, if activated at the same time, the Aria carries an echo of true winter, stilling the very air around the singer with its freezing chill. Attacks targeting the user, or which have an area of effect overlapping with Aria's have their penetration reduced by one rank as the cold devours the energy of the technique or attack. Similarly, Cold or Dark techniques used by the singer against those in range of Aria have their Hit or Penetration enhanced by one rank, as chosen by the user.
Joyous Toast: C
Duration: Immediate
Usable only while Illustrious Phantasmal Festival is active. The guests of the festival raise their voices and cups and stamp their feet in joy, roaring encouragement for the user and their allies and jeering at their foes. The next music, dance or art based technique used by those affected is treated as if it is one rank higher for determining effects.
Then activate:
Sable Crescent Step: B rank
A master of this art may bring its lessons together in a single movement, an impeccable step of matchless grace. The cunning master may find several uses for this movement. A single attack of equal or lower may be avoided, no matter how unerring the aim, as the user simply ceases to exist in the material world for a moment, rematerializing with Far range of their current position. If more offensively inclined, the user may instead make a single physical attack utterly bypassing up to C rank physical armor and damage reduction, and rematerialize within Close range of their target. Targets with higher damage or armor reduction instead have it reduced by two ranks for the purposes of determining damage.
At the exact same time as doing:
Travelers End: B
Duration: Scene
Damage: B
The user may choose to end the melody at any time after Travelers End has been used. If they do so, the song reaches its finale, and all other techniques of the Forgotten Vale are ended as well. All who were still lost within the mist suffer an immediate spiritual attack of great magnitude, an echo of the travelers death in that far away vale. Those damaged by this attack may be paralyzed utterly by the assault, if their composure is too weak.
That is one moment of ouch.
Gotta be super intimidating too, imagine just Ling Qi's stuff being a rave then suddenly going silent, and she's just standing where your suddenly nearly dead friend is.
I'm sure this isn't optimal but wow.
There's also this:
Floodswell: C
Usable only with Pressure crack active, the user channels the swirling qi of battle generated by their subordinates into their own body, until the rage of the current beats within their own hearts. When they next strike, the force of their blow explodes outward, like a river breaking through a levee. The users next melee attack hits as a one directional area of effect striking at Very Close Range. This attack retains the bonuses granted by Pressure Crack.
Now ew water art and all that but if it stacks on Stable Crescent Step suddenly it's 'I'm just going to negate this area' as SCS penetration effect is not on a target but attack.
. OTOH, Shouldn't SCS be locked by physical (bronze 2 needed), and as such we can't get successes there?
