Fire Dragon Style Re-Write (Final Draft)

Thoughts?
Flash Fire Technique
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Leader 3
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Flames can go from embers to infernos in a matter of moment, there is no reliable way of predicting how swiftly this escalation can happen.  The only universal truth of the transformation is that it always happens too soon.  This charm enhances the Martial Artist's Join Battle roll adding (Martial Arts) dice to it and reducing his final position in the reaction count by -1.  If this final reduction in position in the reaction count would put him below tick 0 (ie: if the character is the first character to act before this reduction) refund 1m of this charm's cost. 

Roaring Bonfire Dance
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Action
Prerequisite Charms: Flash Fire Technique
The Martial Artist dances like a bonfire, surrounding and consuming his foe.  This charm enables the martial artist to extend the reach of his blows with fire essence and to strike foes up close without putting himself at risk for retribution.  The Martial Artist's unarmed attacks gain the R Tag for the duration.  Additionally, Melee or martial arts attacks which target him, and are made by characters against whom he has directed unarmed attacks during the duration of the charm's current activation, suffer a -3 external penalty (treated as a called shot penalty), unless they are made with a weapon with the R tag or which can strike at a range.  Even in with such a weapon, such attacks suffer a -1 point external penalty.

Searing Fist Attack
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Roaring Bonfire Dance
The Martial Artist strikes a blow that burns from within with terrible fire essence, when it strikes, she unleashes this essence to scorch the flesh of her foe.  This charm may supplement any unarmed martial arts attack causing it to scorch its target with fire. This attack does Lethal damage if it did not already, and converts one dice of lethal, post-soak, damage into an automatic success.  Furthermore, if the attack succeeds in doing one or more level of damage, reduce the target's Appearance by a value equal to half the most serious lethal or aggravated wound penalty caused by this attack's damage, round down.   This secondary effect is Crippling, manifesting as hideously scorched flesh which flakes and bubbles as it cooks from within.  Exalted recover from this Crippling effect when they heal the associated wounds, mortals require magical medical care to treat the effect.  The Crippling effect inflicted by this charm is not cumulative and subsequent uses of this charm replace the pre-existing one.  

Perfect Blazing Blow
Cost: 3m 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 4)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Leader
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Roaring Bonfire Dance
This Charm may benefit a rolled unarmed martial arts attack, converting all unsuccessful dice into automatic successes.   This charm is subject to the same restrictions placed upon the 3rd Excellency with regards to its compatibility with the First and Second Excellencies.   It also cannot cause the Martial Artist's final successes to exceed (Dexterity+Martial Arts+Relevant Specialty).  The Leader effect of this charm may only be used to aid an attack against a solo unit or a called shot against a special character.


Fire Dragon Form
Cost: 6m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 3)
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Form-type, Obvious, Enchanced
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Perfect Blazing Blow, Searing Fist Attack
The Martial Artist's anima bursts into its full, terrible, glory and sublimates itself into fire essence.  
The Martial Artist's movements quicken, fueled by the vigor of fire.  While this charm is active, the martial artist gains the following benefits:
● All unarmed Martial Arts attacks or attacks with the style's form weapon benefit from a -2 reduction in multiple action penalties.  Because of the natural harmony between Jade and the Elemental Essence of the Fire Dragon Style, this bonus is increased to -3 when it benefits attacks with Jade Artifact form weapons, and to -4 when it benefits attacks made with Red Jade Artifact form weapons.  Terrestrial Exalted who activate this form further may further reduce the multiple action penalties suffered by their unarmed Martial Arts attack by stunting.  In addition to the normal bonuses of the stunt, reduce all multiple action penalties effecting the stunted attack's dice pool by a value equal to the stunt's rating.  The maximum cumulative reduction to multiple action penalties the form can provide is -6. 

●  The Terrestrial reduces the DV penalty associated with all unarmed Martial Arts attacks by -1.

●  The Martial Artist does Lethal damage with his unarmed attacks, as they are wreathed in flame.  If an attack is supplemented by a Fire-Aspect charm which allows it to do lethal damage already, increase the attack's base damage by +2L.

● Terrestrial Exalted add (Essence/2) to the damage inflicted by anima flux, making this style dangerous for the unrestrained practioner.  Even Terrestrials of different Aspects gain this dubious benefit. Their anima flux takes on flame-like characteristics.   A Water Anima might become a roiling wave of boiling seawater, while an Earth Aspect's Anima might become chunks of molten rock. The Anima banners of non-terrestrial exalted are harmonized with fire essence to such an extent that behave as Terrestrial animas with regards to causing anima flux damage.  They also take on flame-like characteristics.




Wound-Cauterizing Dragon Strike
Cost: 3m, Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Crippling
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
This charm supplements an unarmed Martial Arts attack which deals lethal damage against a target with a Permanent Essence Lower than the Martial Artist's Permanent Essence.  If the attack lands, any damage it inflicts is a Crippling effect and cannot be healed by except by charms which explicitly treat Crippling damage.  Furthermore, this damage in exceedingly painful, increasing the wound penalties the target suffers by the Martial Artist's (Essence/2). This effect also closes any wound it inflicts, preventing bleeding or infection.  This Crippling effect persists indefinitely for mortals, and for 25 hours for the Exalted and other Essence Users.

Essence Igniting Nerve Strike
Cost:2m 1wp Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
The Martial Artist forces harmony between her burning Essence and her opponent's Essence, transmuting their enemy's Essence into raw fire.  This charm may target any Essence User.  When used to supplement a successful unarmed Martial Arts attack, it adds a number of dice of post-soak damage to the Martial Artist's attack equal to the target's Permanent Essence.  It also causes the victem to instantly shed their (Permanent Essence x 3) motes in a blaze of fire essence.  This is a Shaping effect.  Motes shed in this manner come from the target's peripheral pool, if they have one, and may cause their anima to flare.  Immaculates often use this effect to reveal a hidden Anathema. 

Breath of the Fire Dragon: As Written (Per Errata)
Pre-requisite Charms: Wound Cauterizing Dragon Strike, Essence Igniting Nerve Strike.  

Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge
Cost: 2m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Emotion, Leader 4
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
The Martial Artist gathers his essence and burns in the eyes of his enemies, a terrible expression of wrathful flame.  As he blazes through the ranks of the enemy like a wildfire spreading across the open plains, he sows fear into his enemies hearts.  This charm may benefit a close-range attack against any character.  Compare the successes on the attack roll to the Defender's MDV.  If the target of the attack's MDV is lower than the rolled successes (before physical DV applications), even if the attack did not land, the target suffers a fear based emotion effect which inflicts an internal penalty of the Martial Artist's (Permanent essence) to any action the target takes  except; to flee the battle, surrender, or beg for mercy. This charm costs 1wp to resist for a single action, once a character has spend 3wp resisting this charm in a scene they are immune to all activations of this charm for the remainder of the scene.  This charm inflicts unnatural mental influence.

Flickering Fire Mode
Cost: 5m Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Leader
Duration: One Tick
Prerequisite Charms: Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge
The More furiously you swat a flame the more it dances merrily this charm eliminates all penalties to the Martial Artist's DVs against any close ranged Melee or Martial Arts Attack.  The Leader effect of this charm applies only to the Martial Artist's PDV.  

Fiery Hand Attack
Cost:2m Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms:  Flickering  Fire Mode
The Martial Artist may activate this charm whenever she makes an unarmed attack benefiting from any of the Following Charms:  Essence Igniting Nerve Strike, and Breath of the Fire Dragon and Searing Fist attack and any other magic which inflicts damage by direct exposure to fire and enhances an unarmed attack.  This charm causes the target, should they suffer one or more level of lethal damage from the attack, to burst into flame.  This flame has the properties of a Bonfire and is treated, for all purposes, as a magical environmental effect.   It cannot be extinguished by submersion in water or any non-magical means.  However, the flame is short lived, burning for a number of actions equal to the Martial Artist's (Permanent Essence/2), round up. At Essence 4+, while Fire Dragon Form is active, a martial artist can activate this charm whenever he deals damage on a target with magical fire created by his own magic. 

Consuming Might of the Fire Dragon
Cost: -- (+5m, +1wp); Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms: Fiery Hand Strike
The  Flames of the Fire Dragon are terrible indeed, but if not contained they consume even those who would command them.  This charm represents consumate mastery of this style.  This Charm is an optional enchancment to Fire Dragon Form, when it is active the fiery Essence display associated with the form changes from brilliant orange to purest blue flame. Use of this charm changes the activation speed of Fire Dragon form from Speed 3 to Speed 5.
  The Martial Artist enjoys the following benefit while it is in effect:
● The Exalt may use Fiery Hand Attack with relative impunity, should the attack fail to ignite its target, he is instantly refunded the motes expended on it in.
● The Martial Artist gains the Terrestrial Aspect Anima Power, if he did not have it already and it remains active for the duration of this charm.  Fire Aspected Terrestrials may stack the benefits of this with their natural anima creating an especially potent anima power and, should they pay the cost of this charm's activation entirely out of Peripheral Motes, may automatically activate their own Anima Power.
● Celestial Exalted's Anima Flux inflicts (Essence/2), round up, extra dice of damage, while Terrestrial Anima Flux now inflicts (Essence) additional dice of damage (this supplants original Anima Flux damage increase of Fire Dragon Form).  At Essence 5+ practitioners of this Style may exempt (Willpower) allies from the wrath of her anima flux while this charm is active, these allies are selected at the moment the charm is activate and may not be altered while the Form is active.

JiveX:

Flash Fire Technique
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 1; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-OK, Leader
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: None
Flames can go from embers to infernos in a matter of moment, there is no reliable way of predicting how swiftly this escalation can happen.  The only universal truth of the transformation is that it always happens too soon.  This charm enchances the Martial Artist's Join Battle roll adding (Martial Arts) dice to it and reducing his final position in the reaction count by -1.  If he already acts on tick 0, this effect instead refunds him 2m of this charm's cost.  This charm may be used in mass combat when the Martial Artist fights as a Solo unit

Why the Leader effect if you can only use it in Mass Combat as a Solo unit? The refund and the adjusted tick count ontop of it seems needlessly complicated. Why not just have it automatically adjust their tick count by (MA/2, rounded up or down) and be done with it? It'd be more interesting than 'bog standard JB adder with frills'.

JiveX:

Roaring Bonfire Dance
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 2; Type: Reflexive (Step 1)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Action
Prerequisite Charms: Flash Fire Technique
The Martial Artist dances like a bonfire, surrounding and consuming his foe.  This charm enables the martial artist to extend the reach of his blows with fire essence and to strike foes up close without putting himself at risk for retribution.  The Martial Artist's unarmed attacks gain the R Tag for the duration, and he becomes an invalid target for melee or martial arts counterattacks unless they are made with a weapon with the R tag or which can strike at a range.   Even against such attacks, all counterattacks against the martial artist suffer a -1 external penalty as she, like fire, burns her foes without ever giving them the chance to strike her.   

This locks down a lot of counterattack charms.. I guess that is the point. I would've just made it a flat scaling (by Essence, cap at something reasonable like 3-5) external for anyone not attacking you with a R tag weapon ontop of R for yours. Works as intended I guess.

JiveX:

Searing Fist Attack
Cost: 3m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 2; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Crippling, Obvious
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Roaring Bonfire Dance
The Martial Artist strikes a blow that burns from within with terrible fire essence, when it strikes, she unleashes this essence to scorch the flesh of her foe.  This charm may supplement any attack that does lethal damage, should it land, convert one dice of lethal, post-soak, damage into an automatic success and reduce the target's Appearance by a value equal to half the most serious lethal or aggravated wound penalty caused by this attack's damage, round down.   This secondary effect is Crippling, manifesting as hideously scorched flesh which flakes and bubles as it cooks from within.  Exalted recover from this Crippling effect when they heal the associated wounds, mortals require medical care to treat the effect.  The Crippling effect inflicted by this charm is not cumulative and subsequent uses of this charm replace the pre-existing one.  

'should it land' should be 'on a successful hit' just for clarity. The crippling effect on this is kind of meh. I'd have it boost post-soak damage dice by (Ess, MA, whatever), or half as many as automatic successes to the damage roll. Or replace it with a crippling effect that doubles or triples wound penalties incurred, or adds your Essence to them, or something equally horrifying.

JiveX:

Perfect Blazing Blow
Cost: 2m 1wp; Mins: Martial Arts 3, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 4)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Leader
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Roaring Bonfire Dance
This Charm may benefit a rolled unarmed martial arts attack, converting all unsuccessful dice into automatic successes.   This charm is subject to the same restrictions placed upon the 3rd Excellency with regards to its compatiblility with the First and Second Excelencies.   It also cannot cause the Martial Artist's final successes to exceed (Dexterity+Martial Arts+Relevant Specialty).  If an attack succeeds because of the application of this charm then it is considered to have succeeded by a threshold of 0 for the purposes of determining Raw damage.  The Leader effect of this charm may only be used when the Exalt fights as a solo unit, or to aid an attack against a solo unit or a called shot against a special character.

'This Charm may benefit a rolled' should be 'This charm supplements an unarmed martial arts attack'. The effect of this charm feels clumsy, especially with the limited number of successes despite always having a set Threshold of 0 (which is mechanically impossible as you need at least 1 success past DVs.) The mass combat part runs into the same problem with being Solo.

JiveX:

Fire Dragon Form
Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 5)
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Form-type, Obvious
Duration: One Scene
Prerequisite Charms: Perfect Blazing Blow, Searing Fist Attack
The Martial Artist's anima bursts into its full, terrible, glory and subliminates itself into fire essence.  
The Martial Artist's movements quicken, fueled by the vigour of fire.  While this charm is active, the martial artist gains the following benefits:
--While wielding this style's form weapons, she adds +2 to their Defense and Damage traits, and the cumulative DV penalty the martial artist suffers as a result of flurries of martial arts attacks, is reduced by (Essence) to a minimum of 0.  This penalty reduction is cumulative, and applies to the total value of such penalties not on a case-by-case basis.
--Exclusively for the purpose of augmenting Dodge and Martial Arts stunts the Martial Artist gains the temporary Motivation "Fight with the grace, fury and terrible speed of wildfire; immolating your enemies." Instead of providing experience, 3-dice stunts which resonate with this motivation and are successful instead allow the Martial Artist to regain a spent Valor or Conviction Channel.  
--Terrestrial Exalted add (Essence/2) to the damage inflicted by anima flux, making this style dangerous for the unrestrained practioner.  The anima banners of non-terrestrial exalted are harmonized with fire essence to such an extent that behave as fire-aspected animas with regards to causing anima flux damage.

This Form charm is way too bloated. The Motivation change is weird, unnecessary and feels beyond the scope of the style. The Terrestrial specific bonus is fairly weak given how bad anima flux is to begin with and too limited to Fire-Aspects when any other kind of  Terrestrials can progress into and learn the style. Also, Celestials getting basic anima flux from it is both unnecessary and fairly useless for them. Instead, why not have the Terrestrial bonus be 'you add one dice to your pre-soak damage for every additional successful attack in a flurry beyond the first'? Or they add Essence to the bonus accuracy and damage to their Form weapons instead of the flat +2?

JiveX:

Wound-Cauterizing Dragon Strike
Cost: 4m, Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Holy, Crippling
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
This charm supplements an unarmed Martial Arts attack which deals lethal damage against a target with a Permanent Essence Lower than the Martial Artist's Permanent Essence.  If the attack lands, any damage it inflicts is a Crippling effect and cannot be healed by except by charms which heal crippling damage.  This effect also closes any wound it inflicts, preventing bleeding or infection.  Against creatures of darkness the Flames of Hesiesh burn hot, adding +2 to the Martial Artist's Permanent Essence for the sole purpose of determining whether this charm can effect a target. 

See above charms, this one has the same wording issues. The Crippling effect is kind of meh given 'any Charms or magic' counter it (ontop of charms that ignore crippling outright), and with that in mind the Essence cap is fairly lame as this is not an expression of Terrestrial power or limitations. If you wanted an anti-CoD effect make it do Aggravated damage as per usual.

JiveX:

Essence Igniting Nerve Strike
Cost:3m 1wp Mins: Martial Arts 4, Essence 3; Type: Supplemental
Keywords: Obvious, Combo-OK, Shaping
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
The Martial Artist forces harmony between her essence and her opponent's essence, causing them to scorch her body.  This charm adds a number of dice of post-soak damage to the Martial Artist's attack against any Essence User equal to their Permanent Essence.  It also causes them to instantly shed (Essence x 2) motes in a blaze of fire essence, as a shaping effect.  

3m 1wp for +ess post soak and (6 bare minimum) motes lost? With the Shaping keyword to counter it? And the same Essence cap? Needs serious work to make it a worthwhile investment.

JiveX:

Breath of the Fire Dragon: As Written (Per Errata)
Pre-requisite Charms: Wound Cauterizing Dragon Strike, Essence Igniting Nerve Strike.  

Same as before? Really? Breath of the Fire Dragon was kind of eeh.

JiveX:

Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge
Cost: 5m; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive
Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious, Emotion, Leader 4, Action Only
Duration: Two Actions
Prerequisite Charms: Fire Dragon Form
The Martial Artist gathers his essence and burns in the eyes of his enemies, a terrible expression of wrathful flame.  As he blazes through the ranks of the enemy like a wildfire spreading across the open plains, he sows fear into his enemies hearts.  While this charm is active, any character the Martial Artist attacks with an unarmed Martial Arts attack, and who has a MDV lower than the Martial Artist's attack successes (before DV applications) suffers a fear based emotion effect which inflicts an internal penalty of the martial artist's (permanent essence) on any action the target takes except to flee the battle, surrender, or beg for mercy. This charm costs 1wp to resist for a single action, once a character has spend 3wp resisting this charm in a scene they are immune to all activations of this charm for the remainder of the scene.  This charm provides unnatural mental influence.

Wording needs to be cleaned up on this one as well. Leader effect is unspecified. (Action Only keyword?) Otherwise it looks fine.

JiveX:

Flickering Fire Mode
Cost: 5m-1m Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 2)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One Tick
Prerequisite Charms: Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge
The More furiously you swat a flame the more it dances merrily this charm eliminates all onslaught penalties to the Martial Artist's DV's and adds a bonus to the Martial Artist's PDV equal to half the canceled penalties, round up.   This charm's cost varies based upon the number of motes spent on Fire Aspected charms since the last time his DV refreshed.   For every 2m spent on any charm associated with the Element of Fire reduce the cost of this charm by 1m to a minimum of 1m.  

Same problem as above, especially in the first sentence. I would change it to 'This charm eliminates any onslaught penalties the martial artist is suffering and instead adds them as a bonus to his DVs, up to a maximum of his (Essence, MA, whatever).' The mote price gauge is very cumbersome; toss it and make it a flat amount, like 3-5. Increase the duration to One Action or Essence\Martial Arts Actions, and adjust the mote cost accordingly.

JiveX:

Fiery Hand Attack
Cost:-- (+2m) Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: Permanent
Prerequisite Charms:  Flickering  Fire Mode
This charm is an optional enchancment to the Charms Essence Igniting Nerve Strike, and Breath of the Fire Dragon and Searing Fist attack and any other charm which inflicts damage by direct exposure to Fire and can enchances a Martial Arts attack.  By paying an additional 2m in step 1 the Martial Artist causes the target, shoudl they suffer one or more level of damage from the attack, to burst into flame.  (See the text of the Charm Fiery Hand Attack).At Essence 4+ any character with a Fire Aspected Anima active may use this charm to benefit damage inflcted by their anima (either by anima flux or by the Fire Aspec Anima Power).

This is a permanent upgrade to Flickering Fire Mode but modifies three other Charms. The wording suffers like other charms in this rewrite, the Step timing is off, the effect being identical to Fiery Hand Attack makes me wonder why this isn't a permanent upgrade for That making it multi-applicable, and finally the Anima Flux (even with the bonus from the Form) is too lowballed to actually inflict damage on a vast majority of enemies the stylist would face.

JiveX:

Consuming Might of the Fire Dragon
Cost: --; Mins: Martial Arts 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent
Keywords: Form-Enchancing, Reactor
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Fiery Hand Strike
The Martial Artist is the ultimate avatar of Hesiesh's Martial Prowess.   This charm is a permanent enchancment both to the Martial Artist's capabilities and to his facility with the use of the Form-Charm.   While the form charm is active, the Martial Artist gains the Fire Aspect Anima power, if the character already possessed such, it is activated and the damage it inflicts is doubled and its benefits applied even to attacks with the style's form weapons.  The defiance of his enemies fuels the Fire Dragon.  Whenever a character spends willpower a Fire-Aspected emotion effect inflicted upon them by the martial artist while the Martial Artist is within (Essence x 100) yards the Martial Artist regains 1m per point of willpower spent and also regains 1m at the end of any action on which his actions inflict fire damage upon a being with Permanent Essence 1+ who attacked him earlier in the scene. This charm cannot yield more than a 5m return in a given action, all refunded motes are peripheral.

This is a Permanent charm, its duration should be Permanent, as it runs off of the duration of Flickering Fire Mode (unless you intend on increasing its duration to One Scene with this charm?) How does the Anima damage doubling work with the bonus from the Form for Terrestrials? Is it multiplied before or after modifiers? How does the Anima bonus damage being applied to style weapons work? The second half of the charm detailing the mote regeneration needs work. Essence x 100 yards is also gigantic.

The first form of mote regeneration only occurs when making ANY kind of Emotion effects or the one provided by Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge? The second form of mote regeneration only occurs when inflicting damage on an Essence 1 or higher being, or is that suppose to be Essence 2+? If the former, what is to stop the practitioner in question from running headlong into a mass of extras and damaging them with his Anima for consistent mote regeneration? And how does that effect it when used in Mass Combat?

Finally, does the capstone of this style honestly need mote regeneration? Why not something properly exemplifying the Fire Dragon by modifying all Elemental keyword charms with a Fire effect, such as Dragon Graced Weapon\Arrow? If its not focused on offensive purposes, then why not the purifying aspects of Hesiesh? Something like removing any Poison, Sickness, Crippling, etc effects from the martial artist, maybe a self-healing effect, or making the martial art's Anima Flux inflict Aggravated damage on Creatures of Darkness or making Anima Flux damage unsoakble lethal damage against Creatures of Darkness (could tone this down to 'ignores soak from armor and charms'.)


There are a few interesting ideas here but it needs work work work.

Drainomancer:

The Motivation change is weird, unnecessary and feels beyond the scope of the style. The Terrestrial specific bonus is fairly weak given how bad anima flux is to begin with and too limited to Fire-Aspects when any other kind of  Terrestrials can progress into and learn the style. Also, Celestials getting basic anima flux from it is both unnecessary and fairly useless for them. Instead, why not have the Terrestrial bonus be 'you add one dice to your pre-soak damage for every additional successful attack in a flurry beyond the first'? Or they add Essence to the bonus accuracy and damage to their Form weapons instead of the flat +2?

The Motivation is additional, its actually a limited version of Lions Roar recovery see dreams of the first age.  Anima flux bonus is blanket for terrestrials.   Its not actually useless as it keeps opponents from wanting to close range with you. 

Drainomancer:

Finally, does the capstone of this style honestly need mote regeneration? Why not something properly exemplifying the Fire Dragon by modifying all Elemental keyword charms with a Fire effect, such as Dragon Graced Weapon\Arrow? If its not focused on offensive purposes, then why not the purifying aspects of Hesiesh? Something like removing any Poison, Sickness, Crippling, etc effects from the martial artist, maybe a self-healing effect, or making the martial art's Anima Flux inflict Aggravated damage on Creatures of Darkness or making Anima Flux damage unsoakble lethal damage against Creatures of Darkness (could tone this down to 'ignores soak from armor and charms'.)

More properly exemplify fire than being empowered by burning stuff? I don't get it.

Drainomancer:

This is a permanent upgrade to Flickering Fire Mode but modifies three other Charms. The wording suffers like other charms in this rewrite, the Step timing is off, the effect being identical to Fiery Hand Attack makes me wonder why this isn't a permanent upgrade for That making it multi-applicable, and finally the Anima Flux (even with the bonus from the Form) is too lowballed to actually inflict damage on a vast majority of enemies the stylist would face.

No its not an upgrade of Flickering Fire, in no part of the text does it state that. It requires it as a prerequisite thats all.

Drainomancer:

Same problem as above, especially in the first sentence. I would change it to 'This charm eliminates any onslaught penalties the martial artist is suffering and instead adds them as a bonus to his DVs, up to a maximum of his (Essence, MA, whatever).' The mote price gauge is very cumbersome; toss it and make it a flat amount, like 3-5. Increase the duration to One Action or Essence\Martial Arts Actions, and adjust the mote cost accordingly.

you have to count mote expenditure anyway. Its no extra book keeping.   Its balanced off of the charm in Eye of Heavan.

Drainomancer:

3m 1wp for +ess post soak and (6 bare minimum) motes lost? With the Shaping keyword to counter it? And the same Essence cap? Needs serious work to make it a worthwhile investment.

see Eye of Heavan charm, also 3m 1wp is about 7m for 3-10 post soak.  Thats pretty favorable in fact comperable to solar charms.

Drainomancer:

. The effect of this charm feels clumsy, especially with the limited number of successes despite always having a set Threshold of 0 (which is mechanically impossible as you need at least 1 success past DVs.) The mass combat part runs into the same problem with being Solo.

  To the final point, its not impossible, see accuracy without distance.  

Drainomancer:

This locks down a lot of counterattack charms.. I guess that is the point. I would've just made it a flat scaling (by Essence, cap at something reasonable like 3-5) external for anyone not attacking you with a R tag weapon ontop of R for yours. Works as intended I guess.

External penalties are pretty powerful being as they ignore dv cap, I am disinclined to improve it further.

Thanks for the reply though.  Some good comments in there.

JiveX:

Flash Fire Technique

It seems mechanically fine, though a bit cumbersome personally. I think it might be serve better to grant some kind of benefit to the first flurry of attacks the character makes, such as add a damage bonus for the entire flurry, or reducing penalties. Perhaps having it key off the difference in the Fire Dragon users join battle position and the person they targets.

JiveX:

Roaring Bonfire Dance

This is cool. Seems fine to me.

JiveX:

Searing Fist Attack

Nasty, but seems cool. I think the user should have the option not to inflict the crippling injury, for more compassionate users. Personal preference.

JiveX:

Perfect Blazing Blow

I'll second that this charm is worded in an inelegant way, it appears identical in effect to Accuracy Without Distance.. except if you use it with other charms that calculate their effects based on the number of success garnered on the roll. In which case this charm is better than AWD. But, it seems as though there would be a better way of wording it. Such as.. 'this charm guarantees a hit with a threshold of 0 successes for determining raw damage, and (x) number of success for determining other effects'. But dun know, I could be parsing it incorrectly.

JiveX:

Fire Dragon Form

I'd allow the Acc/Def bonus to also apply to unarmed attacks. Not everyone will want to use the form weapons. Thematically, I think it should have a faster activation, but that's personal preference. It being fire and all.

JiveX:

Wound-Cauterizing Dragon Strike

This charm seems thematic and appropriate, but i'm not sure it's usefulness. I suppose it would be useful fighting a Lunar with combat regen, or that Solar charm that refreshes all their health levels. But against such magic it seems too easy to shut down for 4 motes. Perhaps it's fine due to it's niche effect.

JiveX:

Essence Igniting Nerve Strike

Looks fine, personally I think the fluff should talk about hitting key areas on the targets body to cause fire infused essence to rage out of control like a wildfire, but.. that's just preference.

JiveX:

Breath of the Fire Dragon: As Written (Per Errata)

You didn't rewrite this, but I think it should be. As written it's just a more mote economical version of Elemental Bolt Attack, that's unblockable. Moment of Danaa'd already arguably allows a user to use this attack on spirits, if they have that charm activated. Personally, I think this charm should be re-written as a Scene-long charm that grants a new natural attack that costs x motes per use and counts as a form weapon for the style. Mechanically it'd be comparable to a fire discharge weapon. I'd also expand it so it doesn't have to be a breath attack, but could be flame gouts cast from the fists or feet, or swords. Basically granting a stylist limited ranged attacks.

JiveX:

Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge

I don't like how this charm can force any number of targets to spend 3 wp, for a 5 mote activation.

JiveX:

Flickering Fire Mode

It's interesting, seems fine. Aesthetically i'd just have it say it costs 5m in the first line listing the cost. Since you already tell how it's discounted.

JiveX:

Fiery Hand Attack

Uh. So 2m, to inflict 4 lhl over five actions? That seems a bit much. In anycase, I think what it does should be written directly in your rewrite text, instead of referencing back to the DB book.. for easy of access.

JiveX:

Consuming Might of the Fire Dragon

Power wise it seems fine, but the wording is difficult. I'd edit it, as such.

Modified Charm text:

The Martial Artist is the ultimate avatar of Hesiesh.  This charm permanent enhances both the Martial Artist's capabilities and his facility with Fire Dragon Form.  While that charm is active, the Martial Artist gains the Fire Aspect Anima power, if he did not already. If he does, then it's damage is doubled and benefits attacks with the style's form weapons.  In addition, the defiance of his enemies fuels the Fire Dragon.  Whenever a character, who must be within (Essence x 100) yards, spends willpower resisting a fire aspected emotion effect generated by the user, the martial artist regains 1 mote per willpower spent.  Also, he regains 1 mote at the end of any action on which he inflicts fire damage upon a being with Essence 1+ who must have attacked him earlier in the scene. This charm cannot yield more than a 5m in a given action, all gained motes are peripheral.

Ncolic:

That basicly allow him to make 0 penalty 6 attacks each action with a flurry for 0m. Unless i understood the charm effect completely wrong 

only if he has essence 6.

Changes Have been made

Does it still have that weird style-weapon bonus?

Kukla:

Does it still have that weird style-weapon bonus?

Honestly, I hate those things, so I'd personally say no, but I'm not comfortable just saying NO to something that has been part of it from 1e.  The principle behind this, however, was to eliminate the nessecity for such by making it more properly synergize with the Terrestrial Exalted.

For those who weren't a fan of the first pinnacle, there is a new one for use if you strip out form benefits.

Granted these are supposed to be the strongest Celestial Martial Arts, but I feel my balance sense might be somewhat off.  Dunno why, normally I'm pretty good about it.

Heavy updates have been made, the style no longer supports the stupid form weapons bonus.

I think that if you do one of the Immaculate Dragon Styles, you have to do them all.

Get cracking on the other four to bring them up to standard!

I like most of it, my one dislike is that the form feels a bit too strong/stretched in too many directions at the moment.

I have an issue with the form-enhancing charm. I simply don't believe it belongs as such. I liked it better when it was a power rather then something that relied on the form.

Oddman: why? All it does is provide a slightly better if. Erratic and more interesting version of the form benefit (better fluries) which I cut as a passive effect and anima flux... It's not strong especially compared to aotucs or other styles. Remember also these styles are the top teir of cma power.

Let me preface any comment in the thread with this:

JiveX:

Flash Fire Technique

Interesting. You get (MA) dice for 1m, and if it's not enough to act first you have to pay an additional mote for an additional success.
Overall that's equivalent to 7 dice for 2m, compared to Snake Style's Striking Cobra Technique 10 dice for 3m. Add to that the fact that whenever the last 2 dice aren't needed, the cost drop to just 1m (so SCT additional omph isn't needed either), and the leader function.

If you consider that SCT is an example of a very good CMA JB enhancer Charm, it might be a tiny little bit too good. I would consider making the base cost 3m (and keep the reduced cost at 1m), but that should probably go with making the dice ignore the cap. I'm not saying that I would do it, just that I'd consider both versions carefully.

JiveX:

Roaring Bonfire Dance

2m for a small penalty only on counterattacks? That's too weak and limited. I'd make it give the R tag on unarmed attacks, and give a general 1 DV position bonus (ie: canceled by reach, that's equivalent to being mounted) due to assailants having trouble to close in on the flaming martialist. Against counterattacks this bonus would be enhanced to 3 and immune to the R tag.

JiveX:

Searing Fist Attack

So the benefit is "does lethal damage" (haha!) and "+1.5 dice of post soak damage". That's too weak. F&SS does the same thing at twice the efficiency, is modular, and cap at (Strength) dice instead of 1.5, which is almost always much better ; and despite all that it's a pathetic Charm that no one uses.
Ho! And a useless crippling effect on top, I almost forgot about that. Is that supposed to matter?

JiveX:

This charm may supplement any successful, unarmed martial arts attack.

Supplemental Charms just supplements actions, regardless of their success, because you must declare them before attempting said action.

JiveX:

Perfect Blazing Blow

0_o
Well, that's powerful. On the other hand Short Daiklaves are exceptionally accurate weapons and that Charm ignore that, but that might be deliberate.
I am ... unsure about this Charm. It seems too powerful for a pre-Form effect. But probably not overpowered, given the cap.

JiveX:

Fire Dragon Form

Ho, DB specific benefits based on anima flux. That's nice, since anima flux ties very well with the thematic of the Fire Dragon style. The FFBS-like DV penalty negation is powerful and especially for this style. For a long time I've thought "Solars use FDS better than DBs because they have FFBS", so giving it to the style was good, and it's exceptionally appropriate on the Form. Having a powerful synergistic effect that magnify the core tactic of the style is exactly what Forms should do.
On that note reducing multiple actions penalties yet again might not be a good idea. I'll add that some groups stunt flurries rather than individual attacks (they are actions too, so that's perfectly valid), and stunting separately each part of a 6 attack flurry will take time. By the way, is there a benefit for 0 die stunts (aka: no stunt)?

JiveX:

Wound-Cauterizing Dragon Strike

3m on Step 1 to prevent healing? But the huge majority of opponents don't even try to heal during the fight in the first place! And delaying post-fight recovery by a day unless they can treat Crippling effects is very close to worthless (like denying healing on mortals, seriously if you can't even kill a mortal while activating CMA offensive Charms, you don't even deserve pity). What is that Charm supposed to do?

JiveX:

Essence Igniting Nerve Strike

Hmmm I liked how it used to clearly be a tool design to kill exalts before. You should insert back an effect that works better on peripheral pools. Other than that it's "hay guyz, it's me again and I'm adding post soak damage again", not very exciting. The balance look fine.

JiveX:

Breath of the Fire Dragon: As Written (Per Errata)

It's clearly one of the best Charm in the original style, and the only I never felt the need to modify when I used the style. So yeah, I agree with you here, let's not waste time fixing Charms which aren't broken.

JiveX:

Overwhelming Fire Majesty Surge

Cool, I like the Presence part of the fire theme in here (same as we have Larceny in Water's "escape restraints", Survival in Wood's tracking, etc...).
As written it can enhance melee attacks and point blank flame piece discharge, is that on purpose?
The duration of the Charm is Instant, so as written the penalty only apply for the attack resolution. Also the Type should be "Reflexive (Step 1)" in order to allow the Charm to be activated during attack resolution. Personally I'd solve that by making the Duration "One scene" and say "This charm may be activated when declaring a close-range attack against any character." instead of "This charm may benefit a close-range attack against any character." so that it's activated before Step 1 (and therefore do not need its Type changed) and can have a Duration (and commitment) commensurate with the effect while still clearly requiring to be activated once per attack (of course some other modifications would be required in the text, but since it already has a couple of issues it needs to be cleaned up anyway so that's not a problem).
Ho! And the Onslaught penalty is a large part of the FDS's offensive strategy when it comes to overcoming DVs, so maybe this Charm should reflect that instead of working in the opposite direction ("Onslaught penalties to the physical DV also apply on the MDV when it comes to resisting this effect" for example).

JiveX:

Flickering Fire Mode

Meh. Why? Unimpressive, uninteresting, does not really work with the style, and the thematic does not strike me as appropriate.

JiveX:

Fiery Hand Attack

Hmmm, this is neither very clear nor very elegant. For more on that, see my next post (provided you're interested), but at least stating the Type as "Permanent (Step 1)" would be a good start (just to clarify). But I'd change the way it work a little and have it as Reflexive (Step 1): this wouldn't affect DBs who can still use it just as freely because they ought to be good at setting shit on fire, while being just a bit harder on the non-native users. If you want to keep the "it's very easy to add to everything" make the minimum Martial Arts 1 or 2: it'll stay 5 in practice thanks to the prerequisite, but will reduce considerably the cost to include it in combos.

Pointless nitpick time! The cost should be "— (+2m)"

JiveX:

Consuming Might of the Fire Dragon

Wait, what? No. If it's optional, it isn't Form-enhancing. Don't use a specific keyword with a specific sense if you are just going to make this into a regular "capstone Charm is a permanent upgrade to the Form that allows an optional surcharge". If this is just going to be a Permanent Charm providing an upgrade to a prerequisite, no need to be fancy.
Reducing the relatively good prerequisite's cost to 0 is too much, a more balanced upgrade would be to switch it to Step 10, that way the cost stays but is never ever wasted. Very good, but doesn't turn absolutely all your attack into fire starters. Variety is the spice of life, banality brings contempt and all that jazz.
"Fine control" isn't exactly within Fire Dragon's thematic, it's more like "holocaust of fiery destruction". If you are going to spare your friend, do it with Enfolded in the Dragon's Wing, or a similar effect within the style. Because "I give my allies an inner fire that burn so hot they don't mind my flames" is OK, while "by becoming a living maelstrom of elemental destruction I can now make surgical strikes that will cause less collateral damage" isn't.



And to finish: this style has a DIRE lack of Leader Charms. The TCA errata made the Immaculate  style 90% Leader for a reason. Forgetting to make these Charms heavily geared toward mass combat is forgetting what the style really is.