Ranged
Combat Charms
Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
Cost: 1+ motes
Installation
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum
Perception: 2
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: None
This Charm fits into the side of the Exalt’s forehead as a slight metal bulge, with a taut wire
running flush across the skin and reentering just before reaching the eye
itself. When activated, the device systematically measures and provides
compensating trajectories for range, wind, the target’s cover (anything below 100
percent cover) or shield, low light or other suboptimal visual conditions and
other similar factors. For every mote spent, the Alchemical may remove one die
of environmental or situational penalties from a ranged attack roll. Every 2
motes cancel one point of difficulty increase or prevent an effect from
subtracting a single success after the roll. This Charm does not overcome wound
penalties or fear-based penalties, nor does it offset the penalty for taking
multiple actions or remove any other penalties based on nonenvironmental
factors. As always, the Storyteller remains the final arbiter on whether this
Charm can offset a particular penalty.
Paramagnetic
Tether Beam
Cost: 3 motes
Installation
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Strength:
3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
Coils of Essence-conducting wire entwine
the Exalt’s fingers on both hands, just beneath the
skin. When fueled with Essence, the Charm generates a shaped field of
semi-palpable force visible as a faint distortion in the air. This force
extends as a ray with a maximum range of (Strength x 10) yards, congealing over
any object it strikes as directed by the Alchemical’s
stylized gestures. By design, this device serves a broad range of functions. A
single activation provides a single beam that lingers as long as it is
consciously used to manipulate its target. Activating a new beam deactivates
any currently active.
The beam may be used to crudely
manipulate objects with its telekinesis, substituting the character’s Essence
for both Dexterity and Strength. The Exalt still applies the finesse of any
Abilities as appropriate. For example, feats of strength performed with the
beam use Essence + Athletics to determine their effective maximum force.
Grabbing a loose weapon or recalling a thrown projectile immediately to hand is
a roll of Essence + (appropriate combat Ability), while yanking a weapon out of
an opponent’s grasp requires a disarm attack using Essence + (Brawl or Martial
Arts) that cannot target attuned magical weapons carried by their owners.
Seizing an opponent’s disarmed weapon requires an immediate second roll of
Dexterity + (Brawl or Martial Arts), requiring a declaration of multiple
actions and appropriate penalties. Other possible feats include hanging
suspended by a tether beam and even “winching” up this intangible grapple line.
Essence Pulse
Cannon
Cost: 2 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Supplemental
Minimum
Strength: 4
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
The Exalt has a bank of Essence
capacitors and crystalline lenses installed in a bulge beneath his skin,
terminating in an actual cannon assembly of reinforced Magical Materials.
Depending on the Alchemical’s preference, the Charm’s
barrel may emerge from a forearm or pivot on a shoulder mount. Some Exalted
even install discrete emitter gems in their palms or eyes, as noted below. In
its dormant state, an Essence Pulse Cannon is useless. When armed with Essence
as an automatic action for 2 motes (much like readying or drawing any other
sheathed weapon), a low electric hum sizzles from the device, and its emitter
jewels glow with flickering power. This display interferes with stealth and
disguise like an anima banner at the 4-7 mote range.
An active Essence Pulse Cannon is a
magical weapon that uses Dexterity + Archery to fire. It has the following
statistics: range of (Essence x 50) yards, accuracy of +1, rate of (Essence x
the number of times this Charm is installed) and a damage of (2L for every mote
spent powering the blast). Alchemicals cannot spend
more motes on a single shot than their Strength + Essence. Each shot is
considered a supplemental Charm use (augmenting the attack roll by providing an
attack). The projectiles fired by this Charm are spheres of burning energy the
color of the Alchemical’s anima. They have no
physical component but may be dodged or parried normally (although Storytellers
may optionally require a stunt from mortals attempting to deflect these bolts
with mundane weapons).
In addition to the base function of an
Essence Pulse Cannon described above, Alchemicals may
upgrade the weapon with submodules (some of which
have minimum Essence requirements as noted). Each of the following costs 2
bonus points or 6 experience points. Characters may use as many or few of these
submodules in conjunction with every shot as desired,
provided the upgrades are not expressly barred from combination with one
another.
Discreet: With this submodule,
the Essence Pulse Cannon is mounted in the eyes or palm, completely hidden from
view. Any magical attempts to detect the Charm while it is not active are at +1
difficulty. Even when active, the weapon only betrays its presence like an
anima at the 1-3 mote range.
Guidance Ray: This modification takes the form of a
crystal nodule on the side of the cannon, and the character may reflexively
activate or deactivate the device at any time for no cost. While active, the
crystal constantly projects a thin ray of light aimed exactly where the Essence
Pulse Cannon will fire. In addition to being fairly intimidating, this beam
helps with aiming, increasing the cannon’s accuracy by 3. Unfortunately, the
ray also alerts targets to the exact path of incoming blasts (provided they can
see the tracer), granting one bonus die to dodge or parry all attacks from the
Charm.
Internal
Precision Beam: In place of the usual bolt, the Exalt
may discharge the energy in a coruscating ray of light. This decreases the raw
damage of the attack by two dice, but the ray is considered piercing. This
upgrade may not be used in conjunction with the detonation or shockwave modifications.
Shockwave: By spreading the energy of a bolt
across a wider area, the resulting pulse can hurl targets who
are roughly human-sized or smaller backward. Determine damage normally, and
apply the target’s usual soak, but the projectile never inflicts more than one
level of damage.
Instead, the target is hurled back one
yard for every die of the bolt’s raw damage before soak. If she strikes a solid
object before skidding to a halt across the ground, she suffers one die of
damage for every yard further she would have traveled. This damage may be
lethal if she strikes a wall of spikes or something similarly lethal.
Regardless of how far they are driven back, victims suffer knockdown upon
landing unless their players make a successful Dexterity + Athletics or Stamina
+ Resistance roll at difficulty 2.
Stunning Bolt: In place of lethal damage, the
Alchemical may choose to fire an incapacitating pulse that inflicts no serious
injury. This shot inflicts 3B for every mote spent. Furthermore, if the target
is reduced to Incapacitated, all further damage is ignored without “spilling
over” as lethal.
Detonation: When using this modification, the
pulse only inflicts 1L per mote (or 2B per mote if used in conjunction with
Stunning Bolt, above) to any target directly struck by its energy. However, the
bolt also releases a spherical blast on impact. All other beings and objects
within a one-yard radius of the explosion suffer the base damage of the attack
(attack successes are not added). For each full yard that the torrent of
plasma travels, it loses one die of damage until it fades entirely. If this
modification is used in conjunction with shockwave, the explosion hurls those
caught in the area of effect away from the center. This submodule
requires Essence 3.
Essence Dampening Bolt: Blasts enhanced by this modification
inflict no physical injuries, but instead cause magical beings to hemorrhage
Essence. Apply the usual lethal damage roll for the attack plus a bonus equal
to the Exalt’s Essence, save that the target only receives
a soak equal to her permanent Essence. For every level of “damage” inflicted,
the target loses 1 mote of Essence. If the victim is Exalted
or otherwise has an anima, every mote drained by this attack adds to her anima
banner as if spent from her Peripheral Essence pool (and always drains from
Peripheral Essence before tapping Personal Essence). This upgrade may not be
used in conjunction with any of the following modifications: shockwave,
stunning bolt, precision beam or pattern disruptor. This submodule
requires Essence 3.
An alternate variant of this
modification called energy drain is available to characters with a
minimum Essence of 4. This upgrade follows the same rules except that the motes
bled by the target fly in a visible arc of power to the Exalt’s
cannon (where they are added to his own Essence pool). Energy Drain operates
according to the same rules of interaction and mutual upgrade applicability as
Essence dampening bolt.
Pattern Disruptor: Augmented with this modification, an
Essence Pulse Cannon may fire a devastating sliver of blinding light that tears
patterns of energy and matter into glittering motes of Essence. These blasts
shriek as they consume the very air they traverse. In place of its usual
damage, the attack inflicts 1A per mote spent. Any other bonuses to base damage
(such as from the Orichalcum Caste anima power) are
halved, rounded down. Anything killed or destroyed by this attack disintegrates
as noted above.
Spirits slain with a pattern disruptor
are annihilated and do not reform. The upgrade also obliterates the souls of
slain mortals and prevents them from rising as ghosts unless the victims are
implanted with soulgems, in which case their souls
transfer into the artifacts as normal while their bodies burn away. This upgrade
cannot be used in conjunction with the detonation, shockwave or stunning bolt
modifications. This submodule requires Essence 4.
Siege Devastator: This modification may be activated or
deactivated reflexively, but requires a full turn to ready itself for operation
or to fold away after the Exalt is done with it. During this time, the Essence
Pulse Cannon unfolds and grows until it completely replaces one of the
character’s forearms and hands with an oversized version of the weapon. In
addition to making one hand unusable for as long as the upgrade is deployed,
the augmented cannon’s rate drops to 1 and the bulky mechanism imposes a -2
mobility penalty cumulative with any armor. Furthermore, the constant hum,
glowing crystals and sparking components make all forms of stealth impossible
like an anima banner at the 8-10 mote range of display. In exchange for these
drawbacks, the cannon increases its destructive power
(adding one die to the base damage provided by each mote, regardless of applied
modifications). Thus, without using other upgrades, the damage is 3L per mote.
This submodule requires Essence 5.
Interceptor
Spark Emitter
Cost: 2 motes or 3 motes
Installation
Cost: None
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Wits: 3
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Essence Pulse
Cannon
By upgrading an Essence Pulse Cannon
with superior targeting protocols and faster strobe lenses, this Charm enables
an Alchemical to shoot down other projectiles in flight. He need not have
Essence Pulse Cannon active to use this Charm. In the Charm’s first mode of
operation, the character reflexively spends 2 at a single missile that
approaches within (Essence x 50) yards. He must be aware of the attack in order
to target it. Roll the Alchemical’s Dexterity +
Archery + Essence as a parry attempt, adding an extra die if the character has
the guidance ray upgrade for his Essence Pulse Cannon and wishes to use it. If
the projectile targets someone other than the Exalt, he may still attempt to
shoot it down, but the difficulty of the parry increases by 3. On a completely
successful parry, this Charm destroys physical missiles or dissipates
energy-based attacks. The energy only deflects artifact projectiles, sending
them clattering harmlessly to the ground. Other objects of extreme durability
may also receive this protection at Storyteller discretion, but mortal weapons
are generally heat-warped into uselessness. Interceptor Spark Emitter cannot
shoot down objects notably larger than a javelin unless the Alchemical is
Essence 6+, in which case the Charm suffers no size limitations on targets.
The secondary mode for this Charm costs
3 motes, as the Exalt stands and locks all senses on defense. This counts as a special type of full parry applied against
all ranged attacks he perceives and wishes to block, so characters may only use
this mode if they have not already acted in the turn. The Exalt parries every
missile at his full pool of Dexterity + Archery + Essence, exactly as if using
the first mode of this Charm (including the ability to defend others at +3 difficulty). However, the Alchemical cannot abort the
defensive trance to protect against hand-to-hand attacks or do anything else.
Pulseweb Entanglement
Burst
Cost: 6 motes, 1 Willpower
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum
Strength: 5
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Essence Pulse
Cannon
With this Charm installed, an Alchemical’s Essence Pulse Cannon gains the option to fire
compressed nets of Essence in place of its usual energy blasts. Nets are
launched using the character’s Dexterity + Archery and, by default, lack an
accuracy bonus. An Exalt with the guidance ray submodule
installed for his Essence Pulse Cannon may use that device to increase accuracy
as described. An Alchemical may also use his Essence Pulse Cannon’s internal
battery to power this Charm if he has that upgrade installed and wishes to do
so. No other modification for the cannon may be used. Nets have a range
increment of (Essence x 20) yards. If a Pulseweb
Entanglement Burst strikes an animate target, make an opposed roll of Strength
+ Essence for the Alchemical and the victim. If the Alchemical wins, the target
is paralyzed for the rest of the turn inside a glowing crystalline aura (treat
as if held immobile in a clinch), and the motes spent on this Charm remain
committed until the aura breaks. If the victim wins, the field shatters with no
effect.
At the beginning of each new turn, make
a new contested roll of Strength + Essence for both Alchemical and victim. This
roll is reflexive and does not use the action of either character but continues
regardless of whether either party is conscious. If the Alchemical wins, the
victim remains held fast in the clinch and suffers one level of unsoakable bashing damage. Victims reduced to Incapacitated stop taking damage but remain held in place by
the aura. If the target wins, the aura shatters, and she is free to act
normally that turn (provided she is conscious). Alchemicals
may voluntarily dissipate an active web at any time.
Nets created with Pulseweb
Entanglement Burst do provide two small benefits to victims trapped within. The
crystalline auras dampen any external force applied to them,
reducing the raw damage of any attack against the victim by the Alchemical’s Essence rating (this can reduce an attack to
zero damage). In addition, the electrified field inflicts the Exalt’s Essence in dice of piercing bashing damage to
anyone making a hand-to-hand strike against the entrapped victim.
Protosynthetic Ammunition
Replicator
Cost: 1 mote
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum
Dexterity: 2
Minimum
Essence: 2
Prerequisite
Charms: Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
This Charm takes the form of a slight
bulbous plate on the Exalt’s inner forearm. When
charged with Essence, a compartment near the wrist opens, extending a missile
manufactured out of raw Essence. The matter composing these missiles is highly
unstable, dissipating back into wisps of light after a number of turns equal to
their creator’s Essence. Until then, however, the missiles are quite solid and
real and may be thrown or fired with typically deadly effect. With each activation of this Charm, an Exalt may choose
whether to create any one of the following projectiles: arrow (may be target,
frog crotch, fowling or broadhead), throwing dagger,
throwing baton or chakram (interlocking blades unfold
into a blade that loosely resembles a buzz saw). In the case of arrows, a
slender tendril slides the projectile out of its factory quiver and
automatically feeds or notches the shaft into a carried bow as appropriate
(enabling instant firing). Alchemicals produce
ammunition sized appropriately to their build, so Chosen of Essence 6+ generate
missiles scaled for warstrider use.
Repeating
Pneumatic Bow
Cost: 2 motes
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Indefinite
Type: Reflexive
Minimum
Strength: 3
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Protosynthetic Ammunition Replicator
When powered down, this Charm simply
adds additional mass and girth to one of the Alchemical’s
forearms.
Upon activation, panels split aside, and
a heavy, tube-shaped mechanism folds out and extends its telescoping barrel
just over his wrist. Tubes and wires connect this machine to the underlying
supports and bulbous Essence capacitors housed inside the arm itself, carrying
power and high-pressure steam.
An activated Repeating Pneumatic Bow
hisses from venting pressure valves and thrums ominously as it charges, making
it extremely obvious to all onlookers that it is a highly dangerous magical
weapon. This Charm has a base damage of Strength (as modified by its
ammunition), accuracy equal to Essence, a range increment of (100 x Essence)
yards and an unlimited rate. However, the character must generate all arrows
using the internal clip of his Protosynthetic Ammunition
Replicator. Firing a Repeating Pneumatic Bow does not count as a Charm
activation.
In addition to the base function of a
Repeating Pneumatic Bow described above, Alchemicals
may upgrade the weapon with submodules costing 2
bonus points or 6 experience points. Characters may simultaneously use as many
of these augmentations as desired, provided they are not barred from
interactions. Players may design additional upgrades of comparable power with
Storyteller permission.
Guidance Ray: This integrated targeting beam
duplicates the submodule of the same name for Essence
Pulse Cannon.
Internal Magazine: With this upgrade installed, the
Repeating Pneumatic Bow has its own helical magazine, receiving and storing up
to 6 arrows through successive activation of the Protosynthetic
Ammunition Replicator. As an added bonus, the magazine preserves its arrows in
a stasis field so they won’t disintegrate until the end of the turn in which
they are fired. When firing the weapon, characters may choose to feed it
directly from the replicator or the magazine.
Subluminous Onslaught
Missile
Cost: 10 motes, 1 Willpower
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum
Strength: 5
Minimum
Essence: 4
Prerequisite
Charms: Repeating Pneumatic
Bow
This Charm upgrades an Alchemical’s Repeating Pneumatic Bow, allowing the weapon
to fire a needle-thin spike of crystallized Essence at incredible speeds. As
usual, the accuracy equals Essence (and uses the Exalt’s
full Dexterity + Archery to hit). However, the range increment of the spike is
one mile (whether the Exalt can even spot possible targets that far away is
another matter altogether).
Furthermore, the crystal’s base damage
is [Strength + (Essence x 2)]L, and it cannot be
parried without a stunt or Charm. Not only does the attack inflict piercing
damage, but if the missile successfully damages anything it hits, it loses one
die of raw damage and continues flying in a straight line until it fails to
inflict damage. Finally, a wave of displaced air and thunderous, concussive
force follows the projectile, knocking victims of human size or smaller back by
one foot for every die of damage the projectile inflicts after soak. If any
such victims strike a solid surface rather than skidding to a halt across the
ground, they suffer 1B damage for each yard further they would have otherwise
traveled. This damage may be lethal if the shockwave blasts the victim into a
sharp or otherwise deadly surface.
Hundredfold
Strafing Methodology
Cost: 8 motes, 1 Willpower
Installation
Cost: 1 mote
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Minimum
Dexterity: 5
Minimum
Essence: 4
Prerequisite
Charms: Repeating Pneumatic
Bow
This Charm upgrades an Alchemical’s Repeating Pneumatic Bow, allowing the weapon
to fire a spray of heavy darts across an arc instead of a single, larger
projectile. Hundredfold Strafing Methodology generates its own projectiles and
does not depend upon prior activation of Protosynthetic
Ammunition Replicator, but this Charm cannot be activated unless the Alchemical
has already deployed his Repeating Pneumatic Bow.
When firing, the Exalt
specifies the width of the arc to be covered by the strafe in terms of degrees
(up to a maximum of 90°). The Alchemical begins firing in the starting direction, rapidly
sweeping his arm to cover the arc. For the full length and duration of this
swath, his Repeating Pneumatic Bow fires a constant stream of Essence darts
that remain in existence until the end of the turn. Hundreds or even thousands
of the barbed metal bolts cut through every possible target in the firing path,
friend or foe. The Alchemical’s player rolls
Dexterity + Archery once and applies the results of this roll to all targets
once. The darts have a range increment of 100 yards and inflict a base lethal
damage of Essence. Out of combat, this Charm can generally cut down an entire
patch of jungle, sawing through a copse of ancient trees in the blink of eye.
Transmodal Rapid
Targeting System
Cost: 3 motes per target
Installation
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Minimum
Dexterity: 5
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Aim-Calibrating
Sensors
This Charm takes the form of an advanced
lattice of synthetic neural clusters and psychokinetic vector modulators
painstakingly wired into an Alchemical’s arms, spine
and brain. Externally, this nerve-lattice appears as a set of geometric tattoos
and filigree that glows when powered with Peripheral Essence. When activating
this Charm, the Exalt may direct a single projectile to strike multiple targets
in succession, or he may fire/throw a near-simultaneous volley of separate
missiles.
In its first mode, this Charm surrounds
a single projectile with a distinctive aura for a cost of 3 motes. The
character fires or hurls the missile as normal at the first target. Depending
on the nature of the projectile and the damage inflicted, it may slash the
victim as it grazes past or punch entirely through her. Whether the attack hits
or misses, the player then selects a new target and rolls again with the
character’s full pool. After resolving this attack, the Exalt may pay another 3
motes to choose a new target, repeating this process as desired until the
projectile has made a number of total attacks equal to (the Exalt’s
Essence + 1). No target may be struck more than once. At this point (or
following any attack in the sequence), the Alchemical may opt to spend 1 mote
to have the projectile return to his hand.
Otherwise, the missile remains lodged in
the final target. All targets in a cascade must be in range of the attack as
traced from the Exalt, and range penalties accrue or remove at usual intervals
if a projectile moves between range categories. For weapons such as firewands, which have a maximum range and no increments,
every target must be within a radius of that distance from the Exalt.
Obviously, instant effects such as the blast of a firewand
cannot return to the character’s hand.
If the retargeting mode of this Charm is
used in a Combo with Essence Pulse Cannon, any upgrades aiding the shot stay
consistent as the energy arcs from target to target. The Exalt need only pay
the Essence to form the bolt once. If the detonation modification is used, the
effect is ignored until the bolt attacks the final target, whereupon it
explodes as described for the upgrade.
Firing a Repeating Pneumatic Bow with
this mode of the Transmodal Rapid Targeting System
requires a Combo with Protosynthetic Ammunition
Replicator as expected, but the cost of the latter need only be paid once. The
retargeting function of this Charm cannot be placed in a Combo with
Paramagnetic Tether Beam, Pulseweb Entanglement
Burst, Subluminous Onslaught Missile or any other
Charm that the Storyteller determines would not make logical sense.
The second mode of this Charm allows the
character to release a number of different missiles with superhuman speed. This
follows all the same rules and costs as for the first mode, save that the Exalt
must have separate ammunition for each attack, cannot recall projectiles back
to his hand and may attack the same target multiple times.
If an Alchemical places the volley mode
of this Charm in a Combo with Essence Pulse Cannon, he must pay Essence to form
each bolt separately but can change the selection of modifications used with
each shot.
Protosynthetic Ammunition Replicator must likewise be
activated for each shot in a Combo, whether feeding arrows to a Repeating
Pneumatic Bow or used for any other reason. The volley mode of this Charm may
be used in a Combo with any of the Charms explicitly banned from interacting
with the retargeting mode.
Dedicated
Harmonic Targeting
Cost: 3 motes
Installation
Cost: None
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum
Perception: 3
Minimum
Essence: 3
Prerequisite
Charms: Transmodal Rapid Targeting System
The Alchemical locks sensors onto a
single target that he can currently perceive, noting the unique Essence
signature of the pattern she wishes to destroy. Through the internal nodes of
this Charm, she imprints an echo of that signature on a single projectile as
she fires/throws it. The projectile shimmers and becomes translucent as it
dematerializes, but the unique nature of this dematerialization prevents it
from being able to touch anything at all (even incorporeal spirits). The
projectile physically ignores all intervening cover (including shields) and other
obstacles, removing such penalties. As part of this effect, the missile cannot
hit an unintended bystander even on the worst botch. The projectile
rematerializes as it is about to strike its intended target, so worn armor
still applies its usual protection against the missile. If at the end of the
turn the projectile has not struck its intended target, it either disintegrates
(for most objects) or teleports back to its master’s hand (if an artifact
attuned to its owner’s Essence). Missiles that strike their intended target
remain lodged accordingly and must be retrieved by other means. The Alchemical
may use this Charm to launch a surprise attack through a wall at a target on
the other side but must have some way of penetrating the barrier with her
senses in order to perceive the victim.