Resources for Exalted Second Edition
Please note: You must create separate user accounts for Lore 5 and the ECR forums.Establishing Artistic License
By Wordman
Submitted on 27 Nov 2006 at 01:26:51 PM EST
Last updated on 28 Nov 2006 at 12:27:54 AM EST
Sable Disposition of Being Style
Cost: 12m, 1wp
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5
Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Stackable
Prerequisites: Sable Disposition of Being Form
Follow-ups: Kiss of Pigment
Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 5
Type: Supplemental
Duration: Instant
Keywords: Combo-OK, Shaping, Stackable
Prerequisites: Sable Disposition of Being Form
Follow-ups: Kiss of Pigment
Elder Sutra of Creativity: With chromatic pigment and dark bristle, the artist painted a scullery maid as a goddess,
The exalt paints a target how he should be instead of how he is, then lashes out with this image, convincing reality of its truth.
As part of an unarmed Dexterity + Martial Arts attack against an imaged target, the artist may deal standard damage if he wishes, but does not have to. In either case, for each success that remains after defense is applied (just as step 7 begins), the artist may rearrange traits of the target, exchanging any of the following items for another for the rest of the scene:
- 1 Attribute point. Attributes may not be lowered below one or raised above natural maximums.
- 1 Virtue point. Virtues tied to the Great Curse may not be lowered below three. Other Virtues may not be lowered below one or raised above five.
- 1 point from each of two different Abilities. Abilities may not be lowered below one or raised above natural maximums.
- 4 points of lethal and bashing armor soak. Armor soak may not be reduced below zero and may not be altered by more than 16 points.
This may lower some traits below the minimums required for some charms. Such charms can no longer be cast, but established charms are not affected. These changes are made before damage is soaked. The artist may use this charm on himself, essentially attacking himself through art. Because this charm is actually shaping reality, and not form, it explicitly works on tattooed lunar exalted with Essence lower than the artist’s.
Example: Hammer in the Woods, with sutra blazing, flows paint from her fingers, painting a naked version of her target as she strikes. The attack is a good one, leaving four successes remaining after the target’s DV and other modifiers are applied. The target is heavily armored, with 15L soak from armor. Hammer decides to use 3 successes to reduce this. The first subtracts 4 points of soak, adding 1 to the target’s Compassion. The second subtracts 4 more soak, adding 1 to Sail and 1 to Ride. The third reduces 4 more points, increasing the target’s Appearance by 1. The last success is used to reduce the target’s Stamina by 1, adding a point to his Manipulation. Hammer also elects to do damage with the attack, now soaked with only 3L from armor. Later, Hammer decides to reconfigure one of her allies, making an “attack” against him. The ally decides not to dodge or parry at all, but Hammer rolls badly, only getting four successes remaining as step 7 starts. She reduces her ally’s Appearance of 5 to 1 with four of these successes, trying to adding 3 points each to both Melee and Dodge abilities of the ally and increasing his armor soak by 4.
This charm may also enchant an image to deliver a similar attack in writing. When the intended target touches the image, it explodes into an array of color, that seeks to enter and rewrite him. An attack equal to the artist’s Dexterity + Martial Arts at the time the painting was made is rolled, using 1L base damage. This attack may be dodged, but can only be blocked with a parry capable of blocking insubstantial attacks. Written attacks cannot be made with combos and, for the purposes of arranging traits, may only benefit from two successes. The artist must specify the traits to be rearranged at the time the charm is cast.
