Exalted: Arena

[Maseiken]

That’s the plan. There are more than a few charms in the Dragon styles that go off Essence values, so that swings things to the DB.

Also, ironically, making a fresh solar and giving them a whole Dragon style actually cuts them Off from something’s. Notably Solar Dodge, there’s just not a lot of room left after 12 charms and you’re still limited to Essence 1 charms.

[Dagurasu]

Battle really interesting the Lunar seemed to have a very clear initial advantage but the Dragon-Blooded managed to resist enough and when the poison arrived it was not enough and they ended up winning. Thank you very much for putting so much effort.
It was very even and it seems that the Lunar had bad luck in several key points, could have gone in any direction.
The combat in Exalted has so many variables that there are always surprises or if X had had Z everything could have been different.
Supernatural is always a very considerable advantage for a Solar.
What is the next showdown you plan to do? Are suggestions accepted or do you already have all the confrontations planned?

[The Wizard of Oz]

Yeah, it seemed like it could have gone the other way. Good fight!

You mentioned Essence-Venom Strike; I don't think it's much better than the much cheaper Adder Fang generally... but it's brutal against Crashed enemies, because they don't get any roll to reduce the poison's duration.

[limaxophobiac]

If running out of motes is the problem with martial artist lunars alone vs multiple opponents (which makes sense comboing all those charms), I think animal form combat might have a better chance with all the persistent bonuses you get for just 4m.

Since DBs dont have anything that lets them rise from prone faster unless I've missed something, Tiger Claw Swat (reflexively knock enemies back and prone them after you parry/clash their attack) should be an excellent charm for Lunars fighting DBs. Combine it with pestletail or hellboar form (both of which are very powerfull animal forms that get big bonuses attacking prone enemies) and it could be a world of hurt with Octopus-and-Spider Barrage getting +5 damage on each hit.

[DrLoveMonkey]

Battle really interesting the Lunar seemed to have a very clear initial advantage but the Dragon-Blooded managed to resist enough and when the poison arrived it was not enough and they ended up winning. Thank you very much for putting so much effort.
It was very even and it seems that the Lunar had bad luck in several key points, could have gone in any direction.
The combat in Exalted has so many variables that there are always surprises or if X had had Z everything could have been different.
Supernatural is always a very considerable advantage for a Solar.
What is the next showdown you plan to do? Are suggestions accepted or do you already have all the confrontations planned?

I'm always open to suggestions, I'm going to try and satisfy as many as possible with each fight. For example I'm thinking of a less combat optomized Lunar, lower essence, in a shapeshifted form. Probably a tiger form with tiger swatting as her main attack, but not 5s in every stat. I might also bring in some tall grass and let it try and stealth attack.

Yeah, it seemed like it could have gone the other way. Good fight!

You mentioned Essence-Venom Strike; I don't think it's much better than the much cheaper Adder Fang generally... but it's brutal against Crashed enemies, because they don't get any roll to reduce the poison's duration.

Yep, although it's also a simple charm so I can't combo it with OaSB. In retrospect I shouldn't have tried OaSB and just used that Essence Venom to take down one crashed DB for good, and then it would have been a 1v1 which the Lunar would almost certainly win.

Since DBs dont have anything that lets them rise from prone faster unless I've missed something, Tiger Claw Swat (reflexively knock enemies back and prone them after you parry/clash their attack) should be an excellent charm for Lunars fighting DBs. Combine it with pestletail or hellboar form (both of which are very powerfull animal forms that get big bonuses attacking prone enemies) and it could be a world of hurt with Octopus-and-Spider Barrage getting +5 damage on each hit.

Probably with the pestletail, but I'm not sure if you can claim the damage bonus with a hellboar

[Alpharius]

If running out of motes is the problem with martial artist lunars alone vs multiple opponents (which makes sense comboing all those charms), I think animal form combat might have a better chance with all the persistent bonuses you get for just 4m.

Since DBs dont have anything that lets them rise from prone faster unless I've missed something, Tiger Claw Swat (reflexively knock enemies back and prone them after you parry/clash their attack) should be an excellent charm for Lunars fighting DBs. Combine it with pestletail or hellboar form (both of which are very powerfull animal forms that get big bonuses attacking prone enemies) and it could be a world of hurt with Octopus-and-Spider Barrage getting +5 damage on each hit.

Do you mean Boar Tusk Crocodile? Or tooth? I forget the T word but I recall that one can savage people knocked down

[Dagurasu]

I'm interested in seeing a Melee Solar based on full defense and attacking with counterattacks against both Lunars and Dragon-Bloodeds with Ready in Eight Directions Stance and Victorious Wreath. It is a build in which I am very curious.
On the Lunar side one based on Defense of Stamina and / or Berserker.

[DrLoveMonkey]

I'm interested in seeing a Melee Solar based on full defense and attacking with counterattacks against both Lunars and Dragon-Bloodeds with Ready in Eight Directions Stance and Victorious Wreath. It is a build in which I am very curious.
On the Lunar side one based on Defense of Stamina and / or Berserker.

Do you mean against multiple opponents or just one?

EDIT: Also, to be clear, you're not talking about flurrying a Full Defense action with Ready in Eight Directions, right? I don't actually think that's possible as RIED is a simple charm.

[Dagurasu]

Multiple opponents against Dragon-Blooded, a unique opponent against the Lunar; although in this last case, against a single opponent it is probably more efficient to limit to using Solar counterattck.
Now that I look at the charms more closely you make me think. REID refers to Solar counterattack which does not count as using action, but REID is Simple. I imagine that Simple has preference and prevents using it with Full Defense. Even without Full Defense I would still like to see it.

[DrLoveMonkey]

Multiple opponents against Dragon-Blooded, a unique opponent against the Lunar; although in this last case, against a single opponent it is probably more efficient to limit to using Solar counterattck.
Now that I look at the charms more closely you make me think. REID refers to Solar counterattack which does not count as using action, but REID is Simple. I imagine that Simple has preference and prevents using it with Full Defense. Even without Full Defense I would still like to see it.

Correct, the Simple type of REID means that it can only be used on your turn and can't be placed in a flurry, it's a very important thing in keeping some semblance of balance. Without the Full Defense it will still probably dominate.

[Dagurasu]

Certainly, but at least Solar Counterattack can still be combined with Full Defense, more expensive to respond to multiple counterattacks and nothing prevents a reset to Base Initiative, but it is a good option, especially against a single opponent.
I imagine that the motes gained with Victorious Wreath will still be very valuable. At the very least it makes the +1 of Parry with Dipping Swallow Defense when Fivefold Bulwark is active pay for itself in a successful defense.

[Beans]

This is neat, although I have a tiny quibble---why was the initial 16i tie between Lunar and Fire broken with a coin flip when a) Clashes are neat and b) Fire Melee loves Clashes?
Again, a tiny quibble.

[DrLoveMonkey]

This is neat, although I have a tiny quibble---why was the initial 16i tie between Lunar and Fire broken with a coin flip when a) Clashes are neat and b) Fire Melee loves Clashes?
Again, a tiny quibble.

I think my reasoning there was because the Lunar didn't want to clash the DB, for obvious reasons, and wanted an opportunity to activate snake style reflexively.

[limaxophobiac]

Do you mean Boar Tusk Crocodile? Or tooth? I forget the T word but I recall that one can savage people knocked down

I meant Hellboar with "Death Stomp: The hellboar’s decisive stomp attacks deal +5 damage against prone enemies", which does the same as the Boar Tusks Killing Strike but Hellboars have better stats and merits. Prone them with Tiger Claw Swat when they attack you on their turn, then move in and flurry 4-5 of those with Octopus-and-Spider Barrage and it adds up to an extra 20-25 damage over a flurry.

[Maseiken]

I think a poison lunar is better served by mutations than snake style. Being able to have Potent and Paralytic venom would make all the difference, though it’d be harder to apply.