Theo Anders and the Black Exaltation[Worm/Exalted][Hiatus]

[cyberswordsmen]

DSD isn't clearly better. Comparing costs, 3m for AoE is probably cheaper than 1wp for Self in the vast majority of situations, but it's not clear whether Theo had at least six seconds' warning to cast DSD in time. (A short tick is a second, right?) Kaiser's attack reads as a surprise AFAICT, and I don't think even Theo would anticipate his own father accidentally killing him. OTOH, USD is reflexive and lasts a full magnitude longer. If the cause of death had been bad touch instead, USD would've prevented it.

The BP was actually for Temperance, but okay. I'll edit that in if someone who supported evildice and I's plan seconds your change.

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Tics can be interpreted as one second but they don't actually have a literal timespan. Like a lot of things in exalted tics run on narrative logic they are an abstract unit of time used to keep track of what happens in what order. Depending on the skill level of the combatants and your preferred flavor of fluff it can be much faster but that isn't represented mechanically. Like how charms have scene and story as durations.

 

[Biigoh]

Here are the 3 Plan Bii for the voating... :3

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower

Spoiler

Willpower : 6
Compassion : 2
Conviction : 3
Tempermance : 2
Valor : 2

The point spread basically has Compassion, Tempermance and Valor at 2 dots each. ie they're actually normal. I have Conviction at 3 to represent that he does have a core of steel in him, even if his father wishes it WASN'T against him.

That said, I'm burning ANOTHER 2 bonus points here to boost his willpower to 6

[X] Plan Bii Charms
Melee (favored)

Spoiler

1st Melee Excellency : 1m/1dice, up to (attribute+ability) dice, for any melee action
Infinite Melee Mastery : 2m+1wp, for every 2 motes committed for the scene, lower excellency cost by 1 mote, at essence 3 only 6 motes can be spent.
Ravening Mouth of Melee : 3m, for the scene, any damage done by melee gives Theo 1 mote per health level, up to 20 motes max.
Blade-Summoning Gesture : 1m, summon his weapon(s) if within (essence x 10) yards
Resplendent Shadow Blade : 6m+1wp, summon a MASSIVE "Buster!" sword of solidified shadows (speed 5, Accuracy +2 Damage +6L Defense +2 Rate INFINITE)
- imposes Emotion effect of despair and horror it does damage, draining 1 Willpower unless the target spends motes equal to the Abyssal's Essence rating. Mortal extras who somehow survive being hit with this weapon drop prone and curl up in a fetal position for the rest of the scene, too spiritually broken even to defend themselves.

Basically, building up to having a SWORD OF HORROR and DESPAIR! DOOM COMES UPON THEE!
Also, the 1st melee excellency + infinite melee mastery means a bigger dice pool persistently over time.
Ravening Mouth of Melee, we hurt/kill someone, we get motes.

Presence (favored)

Spoiler

2nd Presence Excellency : 2m/1success, up to (attribute+ability) motes, for any presence action
Dread Lord's Demeanor : 7m, for the scene, physical or social attack made against the abyssal requires a successful willpower roll at difficulty 2
- may spend 3 temporary willpower to resist this power for the scene
Heart-Stopping Mien : +1wp when activating Dread Lord's Demeanor, anyone who attacks the abyssal suffers -2 penalty, and suffers (abyssal essence) dice in unsoakable lethal damage

You DARE to attack the Dark Prince? Suffer the consequences!

Athletics (favored)

Spoiler

Raiton's Nimble Perch : 3m, perfect balance, wuxia movie style for the scene

Perfect Balance is undersold until you realize we can balance and walk across a string floss in the middle of a typhoon as if we're walking down a corridor in absolute controlled environment without an issue.

Socialize (Caste)

Spoiler

Exquisite Etiquette Style : 1m, Social-Fu. Treats all enemy groups as 1 magnitude smaller to a minimum of 0. Increases his appearance by 1 for social combat (not actual increase) for a single social action.
- When in doubt, other characters will be more apt to do small favors and provide hospitality than not.
- character understands the basic motivations of everyone present in the scene as if 3 successes was rolled to estimate each person's motives.

Hello, I have a variant of Tattletale's power for social interactions. All for the low low cost of 1 mote. But wait, there's more... we can affect large groups of people as if they're smaller in terms of socializing.

[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

Spoiler

Ally : 1 (up to the ST)
Backing : 1 (Empire Eighty Eight)
Liege : 2 (Lover Clad in Tears)
Mentor : 1 (Kaiser)
Resources : 3 (Allowance)

Background point spread is kind of obvious, backing in Empire Eighty Eight at 1 dot to represent just who Theo's daddy is. And Kaiser would be willing to be our mentor if we play ball, so 1 dot. Liege 2 is a must. I boosted Resources to 3 dots from 1... because fuck it, Theo is rich.

Edit out the tinker thing and it's just a plain UNSPECIFIED ally that is up to the ST
Now, given that we are a cape now... why not have an ally that wasn't in the setting.
How about a TINKER? They can make nice toys, we like nice toys. We don't have to pull her into the Empire, she can remain free... and have a positive relationship with us, we give her shiny stuff and money, she makes us shiny toys. Everyone is happy.

Bonus Point Spending 00/15
Willpower 1 for 2 pt, Background 1 for 1 pt (NOT going over 3)

 

[Anasurimbor]

but it's not clear whether Theo had at least six seconds' warning to cast DSD in time. (A short tick is a second, right?) Kaiser's attack reads as a surprise AFAICT, and I don't think even Theo would anticipate his own father accidentally killing him.

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Well, unexpected attacks are still an issue, so you'll need a surprise negator, but you'll need one anyway before Coil kills you with a sniper. DSD does take an action, but you're misunderstanding the timing rules. It happens instantaneously, You just don't get to do anything else for another 6 ticks.

I don't view the duration as a huge issue, because most battles aren't that long, and if they are we'll need a way to restore motes anyway.

 

[SwiftRosenthal]

Well, unexpected attacks are still an issue, so you'll need a surprise negator, but you'll need one anyway before Coil kills you with a sniper. DSD does take an action, but you're misunderstanding the timing rules. It happens instantaneously, You just don't get to do anything else for another 6 ticks.

I don't view the duration as a huge issue, because most battles aren't that long, and if they are we'll need a way to restore motes anyway.

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That works then. Editing. The new version of the sorta-committee plan is this:

[] Virtue Plan evildice/Anasurimbor
-[] Temperance 4 (primary)
-[] Conviction 3
-[] Valor 1
-[] Compassion 1
-[] BP expenditure: +1 WP (-2 BP, 1 BP remaining)

[] Background Plan Swift
-[] Resources 1 (Allowance)
-[] Liege 2 (Lover)
-[] Backing 2 (E88, Heir to the Throne)
-[] Familiar 1 (a crow of some kind?)
-[] Whispers 1

[] Charm Plan Swift
-[] BP expenditure: +1 Lore (-1 BP, 0 BP remaining)

 

[Xicree]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

 

[Anasurimbor]

Ravening Mouth of Melee, we hurt/kill someone, we get motes.

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Such a great charm. This actually makes long fights semi-viable. Totally ruined by the errata, not that anyone ever actually used attunement motes. So worthless.

Perfect Balance is undersold until you realize we can balance and walk across a string floss in the middle of a typhoon as if we're walking down a corridor in absolute controlled environment without an issue.

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In Conquest Quest, we were amused to realize that this would allow Firefly(Twilight!Taylor) to walk on her swarms.

 

[dasstan]

Such a great charm. This actually makes long fights semi-viable. Totally ruined by the errata, not that anyone ever actually used attunement motes. So worthless.


In Conquest Quest, we were amused to realize that this would allow Firefly(Twilight!Taylor) to walk on her swarms.

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Hmm... Miiight switch the charms over to Bii's.

 

[SwiftRosenthal]

In Conquest Quest, we were amused to realize that this would allow Firefly(Twilight!Taylor) to walk on her swarms.

Click to shrink...

Was that before or after Wake!Siberian ran on Wake!Taylor's swarm? It's the same functionality, though the methods are entirely different.

Hmm... Miiight switch the charms over to Bii's.

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We aren't doing any serious fighting immediately though. IMO we can afford to gather and train the useful combat charms over the first month or so post-Exaltation while our starting social charms carry us through the opening challenges, the important ones of which are all social.

Ravening Mouth of Melee is now on my "Learn ASAP post-Exaltation" list, along with First Melee Excellency, Ominous Portent Method, and others.

 

[Anasurimbor]

Hmm... Miiight switch the charms over to Bii's.

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We can relatively trivially train them. They're not really necessary right away. Favored charms take only a few days to learn. It's abilities and attributes that are slow, though we will have excellent trainers for those. We're also not really on the kind of crazy schedule that canon followed. Even if we were, we just need to learn the taint version of Restless as the Dead and never sleep again.

Bii's charm plan isn't bad, but it's like 80% combat charms. It also doesn't let us hypnotize people like a proper vampire.

[X] Virtue Plan evildice/Anasurimbor
[X] Background Plan Swift
[X] Charm Plan Swift

 

[kinglugia]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

ALL HAIL TANUKI! MAY TANUKI BE ETERNALLY DELICIOUS FOR EATS!

 

[Biigoh]

Hmm... Miiight switch the charms over to Bii's.

Click to shrink...

We aren't doing any serious fighting immediately though. IMO we can afford to gather and train the useful combat charms over the first month or so post-Exaltation while our starting social charms carry us through the opening challenges, the important ones of which are all social.

Ravening Mouth of Melee is now on my "Learn ASAP post-Exaltation" list, along with First Melee Excellency, Ominous Portent Method, and others.

Click to shrink...

We can relatively trivially train them. They're not really necessary right away. Favored charms take only a few days to learn. It's abilities and attributes that are slow, though we will have excellent trainers for those. We're also not really on the kind of crazy schedule that canon followed. Even if we were, we just need to learn the taint version of Restless as the Dead and never sleep again.

Bii's charm plan isn't bad, but it's like 80% combat charms. It also doesn't let us hypnotize people like a proper vampire.

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Here's the thing... plan Bii charms allow for space and time, and NOT be known as a master. Which gives us time to learn social effects and abuse them the best way... by stealth. After all, no one expects that Parahuman who goes SWORDING to be able to use social effects and be a horrific master.

Because social charms (presence, socialize and so on) are caste or favored, we can learn them cheaper and faster.

Basically, I do not anticipate NEEDING to improve the combat abilities beyond what is here... which then allows Theo or the Dark Prince to learn Master and Thinker powers (charms) on the sly.

 

[SwiftRosenthal]

Here's the thing... plan Bii charms allow for space and time, and NOT be known as a master. Which gives us time to learn social effects and abuse them the best way... by stealth. After all, no one expects that Parahuman who goes SWORDING to be able to use social effects and be a horrific master.

Because social charms (presence, socialize and so on) are caste or favored, we can learn them cheaper and faster.

Basically, I do not anticipate NEEDING to improve the combat abilities beyond what is here... which then allows Theo or the Dark Prince to learn Master and Thinker powers (charms) on the sly.

Click to shrink...

But Melee and Athletics are also favored. There's no mechanical difference there.

The real hurdles I see, that we're probably interested in jumping, are Awareness (OPM), Dodge, Resistance, Investigation (SISW, DPS, UUP, SIG), and War (HKTS/SNP). None are favored, none have enough dots for what we want. If nothing else, those abilities would make decent time-sinks for when we're XP-bottlenecked on caste/favored material.

For the others: Drive and Sail are effectively useless in Worm; Survival, Larceny and Stealth are nice but situational; Craft, Occult, and MA each require too much investment to do on the side; Archery, MA, and Thrown don't mesh with our intended combat style. (Yes, I forgot Performance.)

 

[mishie]

To be honest, I prefer most of Bii's shit over the other plan simply because of the fact that well, it gives a far better first impression of shit to Kaiser and the rest of the Empire. And by better impression, I mean a far better one for us since well, they'll know all about our new swording skills and will assume that's it, and then when we do start to get the mindfuckery they wont know to expect it.

My only problem with the plan is the fact that it has the lolrandom OC Tinker girl in it, although if the GM were to have that as say, Sabah, I think we could all agree that it would be the most hilarious thing ever.

 

[Jack of Olives]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

Although Biigoh an Allowance of Resources 3 is more than a bit ridiculous, as that means he makes enough to earn middle-class living.

Edit: It'd be more likely that Max decided to give his son some money/property as a gift or something.

 

[Biigoh]

To be honest, I prefer most of Bii's shit over the other plan simply because of the fact that well, it gives a far better first impression of shit to Kaiser and the rest of the Empire. And by better impression, I mean a far better one for us since well, they'll know all about our new swording skills and will assume that's it, and then when we do start to get the mindfuckery they wont know to expect it.

My only problem with the plan is the fact that it has the lolrandom OC Tinker girl in it, although if the GM were to have that as say, Sabah, I think we could all agree that it would be the most hilarious thing ever.

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I have edited out the OC part... it's up to our ST/GM to determine who the ally is.

 

[Biigoh]

Although Biigoh an Allowance of Resources 3 is more than a bit ridiculous, as that means he makes enough to earn middle-class living.

Edit: It'd be more likely that Max decided to give his son some money/property as a gift or something.

Click to shrink...

Resource isn't a flat amount of money. It's effectively an on-going amount that over the year is equal to a middle class salary man. Also, it allows for us to own stuff... ie we have a house or apartment? That counts towards the resource rating...

 

[mishie]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

 

[Jack of Olives]

Resource isn't a flat amount of money. It's effectively an on-going amount that over the year is equal to a middle class salary man. Also, it allows for us to own stuff... ie we have a house or apartment? That counts towards the resource rating...

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Huh, I did not make that clear at all, did I?

I was actually commenting on the fact that you're calling it 'Allowance', which I thought was silly. Although, for the life of me, I can't seem to think of a better word for it. ^_^;

 

[Biigoh]

Huh, I did not make that clear at all, did I?

I was actually commenting on the fact that you're calling it 'Allowance', which I thought was silly. Although, for the life of me, I can't seem to think of a better word for it. ^_^;

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Well... Max might have given Theo stock in Med Hall.... as his "allowance", and Med Hall is doing VERY well...

 

[Tsotate]

Huh, I did not make that clear at all, did I?

I was actually commenting on the fact that you're calling it 'Allowance', which I thought was silly. Although, for the life of me, I can't seem to think of a better word for it. ^_^;

Click to shrink...

Trust fund disbursements.

 

[1986ctcel]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

 

[mishie]

Eh, the way I see it, Max went "Oh fuck, I almost killed Theo AND he's a cape now. So uh, here's some money, here's a regular supply of it and we'll never speak of any of this to anybody (especially Kayden) ever mkay?"

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

Early morning Current Vote Tally!

Virtue Plans:
[X]Virtue Plan evildice/Anasurimbor
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, Anasurimbor (2)

[X] Virtue Plan evildice
votes: dasstan, evildice, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen (4)

[X] Virtue Plan Anasurimbor
Votes: Anasurimbor

[X] Virtue Plan Bii
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel (6)

Background Plans:
[X]Background Plan Swift
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, dasstan, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen, Anasurimbor (5)

[X] Background Plan Biigoh
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel (6)

Charmset Plans:
[X} Charm Plan Swift
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, theonebutcher, dasstan, evildice, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen, Anasurimbor (7)

[X] Charm Plan Biigoh
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel (6)

=====

For those of you who voted for evildice's virtue plan, Swift updated Plan Swift into plan evildice/Anasurimbor, if you didn't catch it.

The 'impress daddy with swording' idea is... just being able to sprout a shadowy blade of death and terror is going to make Kaiser-tou-san cry manly tears of pride. The fact that Theo has Melee 5 means he's going to be really good at swording. Daddy is suitably impressed. So, since both plans have the dark lightsaber, Kaiser is going to be psyched either way. And mock the fuck out of New Wave.( 'Oh, Brandish, I didn't know you had given a son up for adoption! He's a nazi now bee tee dubs.' *Brandish falls to her knees* 'No!' 'Search your feelings you know it to be true.' 'NOOOOoooooo!''Wait, wait, I have a brother? Yay! But he's a Nazi... Boo!') Consider the rest of the 2 charmsets to decide whats the what.

(Thats crackish omake material *hint hint* *cough* extra XP *cough* )

Votes are going to close in the early afternoon, so we can start in on intimacies and I can write the next snip.

 

[Biofan09]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Background Plan Swift

Reasons: I really don't want to see how a compassion 1 Abyssal plays. I like the idea of us being mistaken a "just" a swordsman at first. I want a raven.

Oh, crap. Now we have 2 ties. Sorry.

 

[AZATHOTHoth]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

 

[dasstan]

Reasons: I really don't want to see how a compassion 1 Abyssal plays. I like the idea of us being mistaken a "just" a swordsman at first. I want a raven.

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At a lower compassion, I think it sidesteps the whole issue of having to want to kill people when they're suffering, because if they're dead, they cannot suffer. Either way, my main stake in the game is that I want plan evildice's virtues to win.

 

[Tsotate]

[X] Virtue Plan evildice/Anasurimbor
[X] Background Plan Swift
[X] Plan Bii Charms

 

[unsafejakal]

[X] Plan Bii Virtues and Willpower
[X] Plan Bii Charms
[X] Plan Bii Backgrounds

 

[Anasurimbor]

I was actually commenting on the fact that you're calling it 'Allowance', which I thought was silly. Although, for the life of me, I can't seem to think of a better word for it. ^_^;

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If you think that's bad, 3E specifies that Resources 1 is four times as much as a pair of skilled laborers would earn. Easily a high upper middle class income. Resources 3 is 50 times that. So Theo's allowance is literally millions of dollars a year...

 

[Skitzyfrenic]

Vote Closed!

Virtue Plans:
[X]Virtue Plan evildice/Anasurimbor
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, Anasurimbor, Tsotate (3)

[X] Virtue Plan evildice
votes: dasstan, evildice, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen (4)

[X] Virtue Plan Anasurimbor
Votes: Anasurimbor

[X] Virtue Plan Bii
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel, Biofan09, AZATHOTHoth, unsafejakal (9)


Background Plans:
[X]Background Plan Swift
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, dasstan, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen, Anasurimbor, Biofan09, Tsotate (7)

[X] Background Plan Biigoh
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel, AZATHOTHoth, unsafejakal (8)


Charmset Plans:
[X} Charm Plan Swift
Votes: SwiftRosenthal, theonebutcher, dasstan, evildice, Least Devotee, cyberswordsmen, Anasurimbor (7)

[X] Charm Plan Biigoh
Votes: Biigoh, Xicree, kinglugia, Jack of Olives, mishie, 1986ctcel, Biofan09, AZATHOTHoth, Tsotate, unsafejakal (9)

=====

Bii goes three for three, but the votes were much closer this round. All BP are spent and all we have left to do is intimacies(and updating the character sheet, weeee). I have to some reading right quick. And after I post that up, I'll start working on actual story stuff.

We also managed to do chargen in 7-8 pages. Yay us!