sol invictus.indd

CHAPTER 2 • EXTENDED CHARM TREESsuffers no penalties for attacks made anywherewithin this range.THOUSAND CYCLONE ATTACKCost: 8 motes, 1 WillpowerDuration: InstantType: Extra ActionMinimum Melee: 6Minimum Essence: 6Prerequisite Charms: Blazing Solar Bolt,Flaring Halo TechniqueThe Exalt swings his weapon in one brilliantarc, throwing off an arc of Essence which spreadsout to strike his foes. The character rolls his Dexterity+ Melee; this is applied as a ranged attack againstevery opponent within (Permanent Essence x 10)yards. Each target must defend against this attackseparately.SWORD-DANCER STYLECost: 8 motes, 1 WillpowerDuration: One sceneType: SimpleMinimum Melee: 5Minimum Essence: 4Prerequisite Charms: Two SwordsTechniqueThe Exalt spins and moves with an uncannyfluidity, her two weapons arcing and cutting swiftlythrough the air. She becomes a deadly force whichno foe can withstand. For the remainder of the scene,whenever the Exalt takes a Melee attack or parryaction as a standard dice action, she receives a freeMelee action. At any time during the same turn, shemay make a reflexive attack or parry action with adicepool equal to the base, unmodified dicepool ofthe original attack or parry.The Exalt only receives this Charm’s effects whilearmed with two Melee weapons; the charactercannot make use of already earned free actionsand cannot gain new ones while holding fewerweapons, though the effects return immediately ifshe rearms herself. In addition, the character mustmaintain the swift, fluid motions of the style; if thecharacter takes no Melee action during any giventurn, the Charm’s effects end immediately. Finally,the character cannot make use of any other combatabilities to attack or block while the Charm is ineffect.THROWNPHILOSOPHYThrown is the least direct combat ability. Becauseits weapons are generally small and weak, Thrownis not the first choice of Exalts who are interestedin dealing obscene damage. Instead, Thrown tendsto downplay the straightforward approach andfocus more on its own unique strengths: stealthand precision. Thrown Charms often grant effectslike superior attacks from cover or precise attacksthat cripple rather than wound. Solar Thrown alsohas a subtheme of affecting weapons in the air —riccocheting off of obstacles or staying in the air toattack again and again.It is still important to deal damage in combat,however, so Thrown also has some Charms to boostits damage potential. The best example is Cascadeof Cutting Terror, which is purposely designed tostrengthen Thrown attacks in compensation forthe weakness of Thrown weapons. This effect isundercosted compared to similar effects in othercombat abilities because of Thrown’s weakness. NewCharms in Thrown can be similarly undercosted ifthey fit a similar bill.ABYSSAL EQUIVALENTSThe Abyssal Thrown Charm which stands out isLightning Clutch of the Raptor, which representsa ranged attack parry. There is currently no Solarequivalent, though one would be reasonable.Beyond that, the remaining Abyssal Charms parallelSolar Charms, have explicitly necrotic effects, or59