Sidereals 3e fanwork Charmset

[Tikor]

Hey, glad to see the new forum up and running.

Here's a link to the Sidereal Jumpstart 3e fanwork Charmset and metamechanics and Charm cascades.  I've had a good experience with them at my table (but could always use constructive feedback!).  

Jumpstart
Cascades

It defines Sidereal astrology, and all 25 Abilities of Sidereal Charms.  No martial arts styles (but does include mechanics for Sidereals interacting with all the published styles, including wielding Immaculate martial arts well enough to blend in as Dragon-Blooded!)

Enjoy!

[andrix]

I really need to take the time to give this a look and compare it to the mechanics we've been using in 3e for our Sidereals game. Our charms and mechanics ended up being a bit of a hodge podge of what was needed for each character written by various people so I'm keen to see how a singular approach worked out. We've also lost a lot of the emphasis on astrology along the way.

While I start digging in, comparing and taking notes do you mind if I ask what your method for moving stuff over from 2e was, how did you approach things? Given how so many systems underpinning things were altered it's not just a case of going down the trees swapping out effects 1 by 1 so I'm curious what you aims and design philosophy were so I can keep them in mind as I go!

[Tikor]

Yes, please, ask away.

My driving motivation was to have playable 3e Sidereals. I did not explicitly define my design philosophy, though since any work bears its maker's mark, I'm sure one is implied by the end result.

In general, I wanted a 'when the stars align, we can rival the Sun' kind of feel. I made sure not to have the general excellence imbued in the Solar tree, while still making the Abilities capable of supernatural phenomena. In the Sidereal's case, restrictions apply.

Second, I wanted 'servant of Fate' to be baked into the whole enterprise. Consistent with the Samsara concept in Glories of the Most High: Maidens, when a Sidereal uses certain powers to learn about the future, they are bound (though not as tightly as the Maidens themselves) to see that future come about through the Paradox mechanic. Ignorance, in a Sidereal, has its upsides, namely freedom. I imagine Ronin Sidereals eschew certain prognosticating Charms to preserve their current lifestyle.

Third, I wanted Sidereal Astrology to be less of a side-sytem and more tightly integrated with the Charmset itself; more like Lunar shapeshifting. I feel like Ride, Sail, Medicine, and Brawl carry a lot of the weight there, with the Craft Charms being general enough to do double-duty.

I'd be curious to know if I succeeded at any of these goals!

[Tikor]

Regarding the methods of translation from 2e to 3e, I have not discovered a general one.

Most often, the name and cost can be preserved. Essence minimums drop, and trees are lengthened. Social Charms swap mentions of unnatural mental influence with references to the six social actions, usually lessening their restrictions or enhancing the result of their success. Combat Charms require careful attention to the Withering-only, Decisive-only, Uniform, and Dual keywords.

Some 2e trees I found barely salveagable. Others make the jump well.

[BogMod]

Just a theme question more then a mechanics question per se since you have tested them out at the table. Do you still have the 2e perspective that charm use by Exalted, aside from Sidereals, is damaging to Creation?

[Tikor]

I have kept the perspective that Charm use, even Sidereal Charm use, has the chance of tilting Destiny off of its planned course. To certain micro-managing gods, this could be alarmistly classified as 'damaging'.  It is likely the base concern behind the Convention on Essence Users.

The Sidereal Charmset, as I have instantiated it, points out which Charms are very likely to do this via the Destiny keyword.

[Flare]

as a question,

Your section on Ending's Caste says this;

While the above ability is active, the Sidereal may administer self-care (or self-sabotage) for
1wp, lasting 1 tick and affecting poison, disease, withering, and decisive damage.

in regards to altering target numbers. What can this actually effect? Can the Sidereal lower the TN on their Withering and Decisive Damage rolls by 1, or are they raising the opponent's TN by 1?

[Tikor]

In the case of Endings, she can only alter the target number of the one dealing the damage to her (at +1wp), or her Defend Other ward (normal cost).

Battles Caste has the exclusive Caste-bonus to damage she herself performs.

Thanks for asking!

[andrix]

We're actually eyeballing maybe trying some of this stuff out for our Sid game so expect a bunch of over eager questions if we do

[Tikor]

I'll be ready for them!

[Tikor]

questions

I’ll be out of town June 7th through the 14th. If any questions are posed during that time, I’ll answer them when I return.

[Flare]

Why is Star Baby Tar the pre-requisite to Star Baby Katas instead of something like Crippled Crow Mastery or Blade of the Battle Maiden?

Star Baby Katas giving you Bridge to various martial arts is a neat idea, but most martial arts in 3E are strikes, not grapples, so it's a weird choice to me.

I could see it requiring both Blade and Katas, but if you require Katas, I feel like it should require both, since I think grappling is more of a specialty thing then strikes, and also all the other charms in that sort of basis are on the other tree.

Also is the implication supposed to be that blade and Star Baby Katas work on your Martial Arts abilities? Since that's the only set of 'unarmed strikes' you could realistically get?

[Tikor]

Why is Star Baby Tar the pre-requisite to Star Baby Katas instead of something like Crippled Crow Mastery or Blade of the Battle Maiden?

This is a case of the author liking the name progression, and filling in the mechanical details later. Yes, it is perfectly reasonable to move the bridge Charm to have a pre-req of Crippled Crow Mastery instead.

Also is the implication supposed to be that blade and Star Baby Katas work on your Martial Arts abilities? Since that's the only set of 'unarmed strikes' you could realistically get?

Blade of the Battle Maiden may enhance unarmed strikes from other Abilities; yes, this is intended to be various Martial Arts Abilities.

Beyond Baby Katas, being a bridge Charm, doesn't really interact with Abilities. If you mean Star Baby Tar, yes, it may enhance grapples from other Abilities.

[Flare]

Why is Star Baby Tar the pre-requisite to Star Baby Katas instead of something like Crippled Crow Mastery or Blade of the Battle Maiden?

This is a case of the author liking the name progression, and filling in the mechanical details later. Yes, it is perfectly reasonable to move the bridge Charm to have a pre-req of Crippled Crow Mastery instead.

Also is the implication supposed to be that blade and Star Baby Katas work on your Martial Arts abilities? Since that's the only set of 'unarmed strikes' you could realistically get?

Blade of the Battle Maiden may enhance unarmed strikes from other Abilities; yes, this is intended to be various Martial Arts Abilities.

Beyond Baby Katas, being a bridge Charm, doesn't really interact with Abilities. If you mean Star Baby Tar, yes, it may enhance grapples from other Abilities.

it's understandable to like the name progression, I've done it myself.

Just to confirm a couple of other things based on my reading:

Blade of the Battle Maiden can't be used to lower the TN of a Martial Arts attack (or a Brawl attack) if you're using a Weapon, and Horrific Wreath can't be used to buff the Parry of a Martial Arts derived Parry?

Presumably under the basis of boosting a Sidereal who literally is just fighting barehanded, since the Horrific Wreath bonus would effectively give them a point of Defense, while Blade of the Battle Maiden is an attempt to make up for the reduction in Accuracy dice from not having an Artifact Weapon?

[Tikor]

Just to confirm...
Blade of the Battle Maiden can't be used to lower the TN of a Martial Arts attack (or a Brawl attack) if you're using a Weapon

Correct. Unarmed only.

Horrific Wreath can't be used to buff the Parry of a Martial Arts derived Parry?

Correct. Brawl-derived only.

just fighting barehanded

Yes. I wanted the no-armor, no-weapon, multi-MA-with-Brawl style Sidereal to be not only viable, but a subtle suggestion. In my experience they still struggle with soak monsters, what with the overwhelming of 1, but that's probably a feature.