In the interest of expanding charm access, and also just for future clarification, I approve the following charms; these charms still need approval from other GM's before they can be taken however.
Comments are welcome, and needed.
DotFA Charms I Approve:
Solar
General – Ultimate Mastery of (Specialty), Supreme Perfection of (Ability)
Dawn
Archery – Golden Artillerist Method, Boundless Arrow of the UC
Martial Arts – Solar Hero Supremacy, Swallowing the Lotus Root
Melee – All (Unassailable Aegis of Dual Armament may require a slight mod, either a 1m cost per defense/counter, or a limit of Essence defenses/counters per turn)
Thrown – Torrent of Inner Light, Acuity of the Far Flung Hand
War – Forging of the Sun’s Legion Practice (Immunity to Armies Approach is almost OK, but I feel it needs some extra limitation)
Zenith
Integrity – None
Performance – Infatuation Gathering Idol Methodology
Presence – All
Resistance – Endurance of 10,000 Cuts (Others could be viable, though at much higher essence)
Survival – All
Twilight
Craft – All (though Keen Understanding of the Core Imperfection should be higher essence, and negated by Glorious Halo of the Builder’s Grace)
Investigation – Oracular Magistrate Understanding
Lore – All
Medicine – All
Occult – All (though Rings of Spiritual Frailty should not have the Holy portion of its effect)
Night
Athletics – All (though Unconquered Might should be noted to not effect indestructible objects)
Awareness – All
Dodge – All (Refinement of Flowing Shadows should have a 1w cost in addition to its normal cost and should be +1 essence/ability score to purchase; Divine Witness of Utter Safety should not allow the user to use a perfect dodge against the incoming attack, or should not exist)
Larceny – All
Stealth – Hooding the Solar Lantern
Eclipse
Bureaucracy – All
Linguistics – All
Ride – Mounted Invincibility Companionship
Sail – All
Socialize – All
Lunar
Knacks – All
General – All
Strength – All (Iron Tyrant Reign should not be able to destroy those objects stated explicitly to be indestructible)
Dexterity- All (Flowing Body Ascension should also cost 1w, as should the initial activation of Becoming Water’s Envy; Unhesitant Scorpion Lash should also double willpower cost requirements)
Stamina – Relentless Lunar Horde, Purging the Tarnished Silver (others in the tree may be viable, but need more careful scrutiny)
Charisma – All
Manipulation – All
Appearance – Stance as Thought Stride, Devil Body Terror Face
This space reserved for my own critique of said charms. I will require some time to do point-by-point. For the moment, I hate most Solar charms and like most of the others. Will try to have this filled out before the next time we play.
works for me. Really, I feel that I was a bit biased in my first few read-throughs. Things like the integrity tree made me go "fuck this shit, wtf!?" without actually looking at the other charms. Most of which were not that bad.
The criteria I personally used in making my determination was that I wanted to avoid effects that were both perfect/powerful and recurring. Or those things that are too broad to really be functional w/in the scope of the other powers.
A few of the above were borderline, and I tried to err on the side of caution with them.
For Swallowing the Lotus Root, aren't we already doing it so terrestrial MAs only cost 4 exp? Another question is about the charms that require essence flow, since we already do free reflexives this charm does nothing. Would they still require it?
With the Going Elsewhere stance that one should be allowed, it is weaker than the Lunar Elsewhere hiding charms. The only advantage it has is that you can see out and move a small bit.
Out there somewhere there is a Tarrasque eating delicious epic corn waiting to start a journey...
One thing I was contemplating was, with the free reflexives rules at least, allowing (X) Essence Flow to be combined with Infinite Mastery. This gives it a use, and prevents people having to make 12 charm combos just to use one charm.
Not sure how people feel about this though.
The elsewhere charm is an issue, at least for me, b/c it is indefinite and lets you move. Basically it turns into a perfect escape, and there is very little anyone can do about it. Potentially very abusive. If people don't think it's too bad though, I'll change my opinion.
Well the Lunar one is also indefinite, but you can't bring your friends or army along. I don't think that moving a max of 10 yards is a real advantage, the best thing is that it lets you see out.
Out there somewhere there is a Tarrasque eating delicious epic corn waiting to start a journey...
This may end up taking up mutliple posts, or I may just edit this one and post again to bump it.
SOLAR CHARMS EXCELLENCIES
Ultimate Mastery of (Specialty) and Supreme Perfection of (Ability)
Both of these are so weak as to be completely useless. I would suggest replacing both of them entirely with a single Ability 6, Essence 6 charm that is considerably more powerful than both and probably outside of the framework of pre-reqs required by most other Solar charms in this book. As written these charms basically allow you to achieve a 0 threshold success on any action that a mortal could concievably perform. By the time you've reached Essence 5, this is laughably weak, especially for the extreme cost of 3m+1wp, the Obvious keyword, and the restriction to a Specialty. Frankly, that sucks. You'd be better off just rolling your base dicepool. This is actually MADE WORSE by the next charm, which expands out to an entire ability at the even more extreme cost of 8m+2wp and the further restruction of how many different abilities you can purchase the charm for based on your Essence. Obviously a suitable replacement is needed, but formulating one is outside of the scope of this critique.
ARCHERY
Lambent Bolt of Annhilation
Damage probably need a better calculation than (Essencex5), though this is basically a seige attack charm, given the reduced damage vs mobile targets. Probably fine as-is for the most part.
Golden Artillerist Method
Considering its pre-reqs and the effect (a single shot) could probably be reduced to 10m+1wp rather than 15m. Perhaps even 10m+0wp with an added cost of 1wp if the weapon in question lacks the necissary hearthstone or whatever.
Boundless Arrows of the Unconquered Sun
Given the fact that it explcitly states that targets in Yu-Shan can't be hit if the UC isn't winning the Games, I would also say that this charm is incapable of hitting people in other realms of existance. To whit: there is no sun shining in any of the following locations: Malfeas, the Underworld, the Wyld (all of which are stated as valid by the charm). I'd say working on anything in creation is just peachy enough. Given the 7/7 requirements of the charm, I don't think we need to worry too much though.
MARTIAL ARTS
Solar Hero Supremacy
This charm is EXTREMELY powerful. I would bump the minimum Essence required up to 5 and bump the minimum essence/charm to 1m (not 0 as the charm states). Otherwise its probably fine and encourages some mixing up of charm use.
Swallowing the Lotus Root
Deprecated: See House Rules
Orichalcum Fists of Battle
Wasn't this already published in scroll of the monk? Anyway, given the cost, duration and pre-reqs, I'd say even just (Essence) additional damage is plenty, Essencex2 on the far outside. Essencex4 is overwhelmingly strong. The charm text that reads "Her effective Essence and Martial Arts rating increase by four for the purposes of calculations related to her Martial Arts charms" is almost meaningless by the system and in the few cases where it is not it is completely broken and opens up several recursive loops (Water Dragon form!), and should thus be removed.
MELEE
Golden Destruction Cut
This charm is fine except for the stupid part about being able to reflexively activate it after actually hitting, that part is out. It is supplemental and thus activation and mote expendature for it must occur in Step 1
Unassailable Aegis of Dual Armament
All counter attacks and blocks should have some minimal mote cost attached, I suggest 2-3 motes given that this is a charm with pre-reqs of 5/5. Probably 3m, needs comparison to counterattack charms to be for sure on the cost. Probably also need a limit of uses per action or something to remain sane. perhaps a maximum of Essence such non-charm blocks/attacks until your DV refreshes?
Sharp Light of Judgement Stance
Gerk, this is and is not alright. The mechanic for creating the dice pool is stupid-tarded and needs revision, but given that its 7/7, its probably not a big deal for the purposes of our game.
THROWN
Torrent of Inner Light
Much too strong for a 5/4 charm. This is thrown, so bump the range down to Essencex10 yards and cap damage at Essencex2 (see Crypt Bolt). Keep damage/motes the same, but one can only invest Essence motes into the charm (Essencex2 at the far outside, but only over consecutive activations of the charm, and even then, I think its too much given the pre-reqs). Charm should be Type: Simple (Speed 5, DV -1). Charm gains the following text and loses everyting after the words "The Solar may opt": The Solar may reflexively reactivate this charm on consecutive actions by taking Aim actions. These activations do not consume a charm usage and costs no motes to do, and the Torrent of Inner Light is not released until the Solar ceases to take Aim actions. As a special function of this Charm, the Solar may double the bonus each Aim action provides (to a maximum of 6 extra dice on Accuracy after 3 Aim actions).
Acuity of the Far-Flung Hand
This is probably fine, its mostly silly anyway.
Maelstrom of Celestial Dominance
This has similar problems to the 7/7 Melee charm, above. Fortunately since it is also 7/7, I don't feel compelled to try to resolve the problems and simply stamp it with "DECLINED".
WAR
Forging of the Sun's Legions Practice
Given the extreme utility of this charm, the cost should be increased by 1-2wp (given that the base charm requires 2wp). Maybe 1wp per week of training you want to invest them with? It should also build off of the Tiger Warrior expansion charm, not off of Fury Inciting Presence.
Immunity to Armies Approach
Rejected, replace with Glorious Carnage Typhoon with the following changes: The charm is scene long. The charm still costs 12m, 1wp to activate. The charm does not automatically kill everyone lost as Magnitude losses. Charm is Simple (Speed 3 [long ticks, DV-0) to activate in mass combat.
