Ask the Devs

[Alistair]

Given a recent discussion that sparked in the Discord, I wanted to ask about SAM's text. Surprise Anticipation Method says that it allows the Solar to use Awareness Charms while asleep to detect a hidden danger, therefore we know you can't normally use Charms while asleep unless a specific Charm says otherwise. That does end up making ambushes while asleep a very dangerous possibility, so I wondered how it would play out without SAM?

Does the assassin roll Dex + Stealth opposed to a PC's Per + Awareness, both being penalized if applicable (I would assume -3 for the PC being asleep, and maybe -1 or -2 for the assassin if, say, the floor was made out of creaky wooden boards or carried something bright like a torch, etc), and if the assassin wins the roll-off and Joins Battle, is that intended to be as lethal as it sounds while giving the PC little in the way of defense? Would things like Heavenly Guardian Defense, All-Encompassing Earth Sense, etc apply to either defend against or preemptively detect the assassination attempt?

[Robert Vance]

I find it interesting that when it comes to things outside of their native charms Getimains are usually equal to Sidereals: Martial Arts, Sorcery, and magical material. These two types of exalt seem so very closely tied together. It makes me wounder about who made them and how they relate to the 5 Maidens.

Despite the resemblances in some of their mechanics, the Getimians aren't secretly related to the Sidereals. Of their creators, all I can say right now is that even the Maidens fear them.

So how powerful are their native charms, equal to, more powerful than, or weaker than Sidereals?

Roughly on par. A lot of their design is with the goal of making them fun antagonists for Sidereals to clash with (or vice versa).

Also can you tell us anything about their relative numbers?

There's fewer of them than there are Sidereals.

Or perhaps if they have a similar reincarnation method as other celestial exalts or if they have a different system?

Their Exaltation is unlike any other.

[Equitable Remedy]

Two wholly unrelated questions (one technical, one semi-related to a current discussion in the thread):

• Talisman of Ten-Thousand Eyes: are you meant to purchase Artifact in coordination with the initiation? What if you want one with evocations?
• Any thoughts about a Lunar charm to turn into an artifact? I could imagine a few ways to do this that aren't too fiddly, and it seems like it could be really fun (if niche).

[Robert Vance]

Given a recent discussion that sparked in the Discord, I wanted to ask about SAM's text. Surprise Anticipation Method says that it allows the Solar to use Awareness Charms while asleep to detect a hidden danger, therefore we know you can't normally use Charms while asleep unless a specific Charm says otherwise. That does end up making ambushes while asleep a very dangerous possibility, so I wondered how it would play out without SAM?

Does the assassin roll Dex + Stealth opposed to a PC's Per + Awareness, both being penalized if applicable (I would assume -3 for the PC being asleep, and maybe -1 or -2 for the assassin if, say, the floor was made out of creaky wooden boards or carried something bright like a torch, etc), and if the assassin wins the roll-off and Joins Battle, is that intended to be as lethal as it sounds while giving the PC little in the way of defense?

Sounds about right to me.

Would things like Heavenly Guardian Defense, All-Encompassing Earth Sense, etc apply to either defend against or preemptively detect the assassination attempt?

Heavenly Guardian Defense or Seven Shadow Evasion would let you defend against an ambush (I think it's fair for the victim to stunt waking up after the initial Awareness roll is made and Join Battle is rolled). All-Encompassing Earth Sense is no good.

[Robert Vance]

[*]Talisman of Ten-Thousand Eyes: are you meant to purchase Artifact in coordination with the initiation? What if you want one with evocations?

You get the artifact for free along with the initiation, and can then buy Evocations for it like normal.

[*]Any thoughts about a Lunar charm to turn into an artifact? I could imagine a few ways to do this that aren't too fiddly, and it seems like it could be really fun (if niche).

Nah. Turning into a sword for someone else to wield isn't what Lunars are about.

[Robert Vance]

Can you share with us ahead of time how the nature of Lunar Charms will be described?

The source of Solar Charm's seems to be a Solar's whole existence, channeled through a superhuman mastery of an Ability. Obviously, there's more of their own human strengths involved, rather than the inherited power of five elemental forces.

I naturally assume the channel for the Lunar Charms are their Attributes, but does the narrative description of their power source differ from that of the Solar Exalted, and how?

Lunar Charms are manifestations of superhuman power of the Attributes, often expressed through their shapeshifting. As their power progresses, it diverges from pure applications of Attributes to emulate the miracles of the witch-goddess Luna, much as Solars move towards emulating the Unconquered Sun.

[Sunder the Gold]

Lunar Charms are manifestations of superhuman power of the Attributes, often expressed through their shapeshifting.

Are you saying we can expect the return of Bull Head Technique and Startling Tentacle Attack?

[Robert Vance]

Are you saying we can expect the return of Bull Head Technique and Startling Tentacle Attack?

Don't expect Lunar Charms to look dumb or doofy.

[TheCountAlucard]

What's Chompy's actual name going to be?

[Eric Minton]

What's Chompy's actual name going to be?

Whatever you want it to be at your table.

[Sunder the Gold]

Don't expect Lunar Charms to look dumb or doofy.

It’s probably a matter of taste as to whether a player thinks his lion-man’s arms turning into tentacles is goofy, or her fox-woman head butting people with transient bull-horns is dumb.

I want to leave matters of taste out of the question: Will Lunar Charms include tricks to reshape appendages (Panther Stride Method) or grow new ones (Snake Head Defense)? And if so, how often do their Charms express themselves in such ways?

Chimerism is supposed to be just fine for the new Lunars, but I wonder about how a bull-totem Lunar using Bull Head Technique in his hybrid or spirit shape would work.

[ReshyShira]

Can you boost a static value with an excellency after the results of the opposing roll are known? IE your parry is 4, the foe rolled 6, can you reflexively boost your defense to 7 after seeing the 6 successes?

[Robert Vance]

Can you boost a static value with an excellency after the results of the opposing roll are known? IE your parry is 4, the foe rolled 6, can you reflexively boost your defense to 7 after seeing the 6 successes?

No, not unless you're using an effect that specifies you can do so.

[RustedAir]

When an excellency adds successes to a roll you can only add one per every two full dice in your cap, correct? IE if your cap is 5 you can only add 2 successes
I started second-guessing this when I read that the amount DBs can add to static values rounds up.

[rj.au]

Is Unbroken Image Focus's cost 3m+(1cxp per success) or (3m+1cxp) per success?

Do successes from Flawless Handiwork Method rerolls count as "on the initial roll" for Unbroken Image Focus?