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How to Beat a Perfect Defense?

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Aquillion:
Essence Disruption Attack is broken as printed; it inflicts what is, if used intelligently, a game-ending restriction in any fight that would have been even without it, and provides no way to defend or negate it.


I had house ruled that it's a Shaping effect, but the character in question had not yet picked up IPP. He did pick it up halfway through the fight using the houserule I have that if you pull off a 3 die stunt, you can make any single purchase that fits the situation you're in, that's isn't Essence. As for the "game ending restriction", the fact that my player won the fight seems to disagree with that assertion. Powerful? Very. Overpowered? Maybe. The end of the world? No.

That aside, it is a single example of what I used, amidst thousands throughout the books in the Exalted line. The point of my post was not "Use EDA". It was to stack the odds against the Solars. Make their charms harder to use, hit them where they don't have protection, etc, etc. You can't "beat" a perfect defense with brute force. You can if you use some finesse in planning and strategy.
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Iry:
I want to do it because I, as the storyteller, feel that my creative talents are being trivialized by perfect defenses.

When my players walk through a corridor full of a dozen rolling boulders madly smashing against each other and the wall I want them to come out the other side thinking to themselves, "Wow! That was a cool set piece!" not "Whatever. We're down 12 motes." I have this sincere sense that I can't get their adrenaline pumping because they never feel threatened.

No offense, but you're trying to threaten overpowered demigods with boulders?
All posts present my personal opinions, even if their tone suggests otherwise. Basically, presume I'm starting any post with "IMO".
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Obviously you have to stage a fight in these dangerous locations. Randomly roll a die, nod to yourself and have something horrible happen. Like exploding corpses carrying an airborne plague, or a swarm of horrible poisonous bees.

Swarm of bees is always the answer.

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Beowulf90:
Swarm of bees is always the answer.


This. But make them zom-bees(see what I did there) necrotech made by E&7 to spread a zombie plague in, we'll say, Chiaroscuro.
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 Abyssals aren't the Exalted of death. They are the Exalted of murder.-Nephilpal
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Don't try to make your players feel frightened, try to make them feel awesome. "The mountain fell down on me and I'm still standing, RAWRGHT!"
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+1! dont forget exalted (for those wich enjoy more the cool-way than the mechanics) is a way to put an awesome cool whit demi-gods. Making them feel in danger and weaklings every second of their life isnt the answer. They are playing solars? let them save the world, abyssals? let them make the world cry, infernals? er... let them take a cooking (craft water) mentor P
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Black Paper Moon:
Demon of the First Circle is possibly the most useful spell in the setting, and even enlightened mortals can learn Terrestrial Circle Sorcery.

It's worth noting that although they can summon the demons they can't control them.  Your suggestion would require more... non-violence than the blood apes are noted for displaying.  That having been said, hey a single rogue dragon blood and the issue is solved.
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TheDude:
Beowulf90:
Swarm of bees is always the answer.


This. But make them zom-bees(see what I did there) necrotech made by E&7 to spread a zombie plague in, we'll say, Chiaroscuro.

Okay, just for that the next time I need an enemy crafter I'll make them necrotech masters and make frickin' zom-bees.
Odd_Canuck is not a topical medication or food product and is not to be taken internally or seriously.  Do not taunt the Happy Fun Ball.  No Warranty is expressed or implied.
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Odd_Canuck:
It's worth noting that although they can summon the demons they can't control them.  Your suggestion would require more... non-violence than the blood apes are noted for displaying.  That having been said, hey a single rogue dragon blood and the issue is solved.
I take issue with this! Blood Apes may be violent and proud, but that doesn't make them any less intelligent. In fact, once you recognize that each has its own distinct personality and that they form societies in Malfeas, you can conceive of educated and intelligent Erymanthoi. Picture a monocle-wearing Blood Ape in bloody evening wear chewing on the thigh-bone of a Dragon-Blooded: "Ahh, vintage 820. And vegetarian, I do believe."

And sure, the mortal can't control them. Being a demon cultist, he shouldn't need to. I would be surprised if he's anything other than a useful tool for the Yozi / demon / akuma / whatever pulling the strings behind the scenes. :P
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Odd_Canuck:
It's worth noting that although they can summon the demons they can't control them.  Your suggestion would require more... non-violence than the blood apes are noted for displaying.  That having been said, hey a single rogue dragon blood and the issue is solved.


Wait, back up.

Why can't a Mortal Sorcerer bind and control demons?
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Black Paper Moon:
you can conceive of educated and intelligent Erymanthoi. Picture a monocle-wearing Blood Ape in bloody evening wear chewing on the thigh-bone of a Dragon-Blooded: "Ahh, vintage 820. And vegetarian, I do believe."


You understand that now that you've written that, it's going to happen in our game, right? :P
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Nemal:
Why can't a Mortal Sorcerer bind and control demons?


Someone somewhere (I know that's not real helpful) clarified First Circle Demon for users: the binding and controlling aspects are reserved for the victors of the Primordial War, a.k.a. the Exalted.  No one else can bind demons, though they can summon them (at their own risk).
"In Exalted, there's no such thing as impossible; merely varying degrees of awesome." - Waltermandias 
"What Octopoid said, but with an official Mod voice added for effect." - Demetrius7997 (totally not to apply to everything I say ever.  Totally.)
Thanks to Bodhisattva for the chibi avatar!
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Octopoid:
Someone somewhere (I know that's not real helpful) clarified First Circle Demon for users: the binding and controlling aspects are reserved for the victors of the Primordial War, a.k.a. the Exalted.  No one else can bind demons, though they can summon them (at their own risk).


So, say, the Deathlords can't bind demons?

Can the Alchemicals, since they weren't around for the Primordial war?

... this exception seems silly to me, could someone reference where this is from please? :/
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Nemal:
So, say, the Deathlords can't bind demons?


They're technically veterans of the war, so... maybe?  I don't know if the "right" travels with the Exaltation, the po, the hun, all of the above...

...then again, for a Deathlord, it's kind of a moot point.  Can't bind it via the spell?  Bind it one of any number of other ways, including by brute force.

Nemal:
Can the Alchemicals, since they weren't around for the Primordial war?


I imagine this will be definitively answered in the MoEP:A.
"In Exalted, there's no such thing as impossible; merely varying degrees of awesome." - Waltermandias 
"What Octopoid said, but with an official Mod voice added for effect." - Demetrius7997 (totally not to apply to everything I say ever.  Totally.)
Thanks to Bodhisattva for the chibi avatar!
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1e Alchemicals A) couldn't use Sorcery, they used Protocols. and B) Didn't have a demon summoning Protocol.

So at least in 1e, no, they couldn't.
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