Glories: the Unconquered Sun

AnubisXy:

Well, the first purchase of the charm is... worthless. "You can make people glow when they're working for you." Wow.

Actually I've had at least 3 characters that would  buy the charm JUST for that effect.  The infiltration-paranoid general would would want to mark his troops for security, the artist who ran into issues with people delivering counterfit versions of his works, and the zenith who converted people to the worship of the sun by holding raves at night.  Oh wait, there was also the scrooge-like character who would probably do it to save on the cost of candles. 

It's a little less uber then some charms, but it's still damned cool. ;)

Jericus Rex:

Crane Style's Humbling Enlightenment Commentary, which grants you stunt dice for talking about your opponent's style, mid-combat. Awesome, right?... But it implies that anyone without that charm doesn't get stunt dice for commenting on their opponent's style.

Not quite. When you perform a stunt, it is the description of your action itself that imparts the benefit to the action, so you can't just comment on how nicely you fixed your hair as a means of increasing the likelihood that you'll land a punch or block one. There's no connection. You could certainly incorporate witty banter into a physical action stunt, perhaps describing the deadly insults that punctuate each contemptuous parry. Ultimately, however, a martial arts stunt should be about martial arts. The rule of cool allows you to be somewhat flexible in this regard, but ultimately some relevance really ought to come into play.

What the Crane Charm does is offer alternate criteria for stunting unarmed blocks and attacks. You don't have to say word one about what your character is doing. You just get to give the director's commentary on what your opponent is doing and that's enough to make YOU more competent.

Does that make sense?

As for the Ride Charm and Dragon-Blooded, much of their Charm set needs work.

AnubisXy:

Odd_Canuck:

I'll disagree because of where the charm starts. 

Well, the first purchase of the charm is... worthless. "You can make people glow when they're working for you." Wow.

"This is my underling. There are many like him, but this one is mine."

AnubisXy:

Well, the first purchase of the charm is... worthless. "You can make people glow when they're working for you." Wow.

Yeah, and that's actually very useful. It's a very powerful delegation charm, and delegation is maybe the most important part of making a bureacracy that works. That's an extremely useful charm either to rule in abstentia or to manage a large dominion.

AnubisXy:

Well, the first purchase of the charm is... worthless. "You can make people glow when they're working for you." Wow.

"I bring a message from the Fivefold Blossom of Righteous Assurance."
"Prove it."
BWAOMM!!!!!
"Ow.  Okay."

The base charm reminds me of Phantom Conjuring Performance in the Performance tree. It's a cool "special effects" charm. That doesn't mean that it's worthless... just that it doesn't really do much beyond a neat visual effect. I guess you can use it to throw of the Wyld Hunt.

But, like Phantom Conjuring Performance, the charm doesn't really come into its own until you get the upgrades. Honestly, the base charm (marking people so they shine when they're carrying out your will) should have just been a Terrestrial Circle spell rather than an actual Solar charm.

AnubisXy

AnubisXy:

The base charm reminds me of Phantom Conjuring Performance in the Performance tree. It's a cool "special effects" charm. That doesn't mean that it's worthless... just that it doesn't really do much beyond a neat visual effect. I guess you can use it to throw of the Wyld Hunt.

And attaching your signature to a legal document is just a neat visual effect. No wait...

AnubisXy:

The base charm reminds me of Phantom Conjuring Performance in the Performance tree. It's a cool "special effects" charm. That doesn't mean that it's worthless... just that it doesn't really do much beyond a neat visual effect. I guess you can use it to throw of the Wyld Hunt.

I'd say you couldn't do that very well or for very long.

"Hey, this guy glowed for a second, then screamed and bled when we cut him... Anathema are way tougher than this, so obviously he's able to throw his glowing demonic essence off on those who he has deceived to follow him."

You could make rumors of Anathema everywhere though, and make them hunt down all your allies one by one before coming after you.

Jericus Rex:

"Hey, this guy glowed for a second, then screamed and bled when we cut him... Anathema are way tougher than this, so obviously he's able to throw his glowing demonic essence off on those who he has deceived to follow him."

No, it'd go more like,

"Hey, this guy glowed for a second, then screamed and bled when we cut him.  As is right and proper!  Another one down, let's get back to the booze and hookers!"

Octopoid:

No, it'd go more like,

"Hey, this guy glowed for a second, then screamed and bled when we cut him.  As is right and proper!  Another one down, let's get back to the booze and hookers!"

If they'd never even heard of the legends of Anathema trickery, didn't want to be there in the first place, or were extraordinarily stupid, maybe.

I think in general the Wyld hunt is at least a little thorough.

Rafilar:

Bullshit. This is exactly the sort of thing Solar Bureau should be doing. "This mortals works for me. Obey him, else I must come in person."

Giving people a magical mark that shows they owe allegiance to you, however, shouldn't be a "Solar only" tool. It should be something that not just Exalts can do, but that anyone can do - even spirits, demons, etc. That's why I think it would work better as a Sorcery spell than a Solar charm.

Now, if the charm actually gave someone with the mark an ability (like increasing their bureaucracy) or actually empowered them in some way, I could see it being a Solar charm. As is though, the base charm is just a visual effect and I see no reason why it shouldn't simply be a spell. Well, except for the upgrades - but then the upgrades don't really fit with Bureaucracy.

The charm is basically what should be a sorcery spell with an Awareness charm stapled to it.

AnubisXy

There is already a spirit Charm that does that though, so they are covered. Making it a spell just for Exalted seems....silly.

Boogaleeboo:

There is already a spirit Charm that does that though, so they are covered. Making it a spell just for Exalted seems....silly.

Why is it silly? I think other Exalts would be able to use such an ability just as much as Solars can. Lunars need to let their mortal followers who it is that speaks with their authority. I imagine such an ability would be just as useful for Dragon Blooded on the Blessed Isle. Even Infernals, Sidereal and Abyssals would benefit from having people able to speak on their behalf.

Unless you think the base idea of a charm that lets someone clearly speak with your authority is silly? Personally, I think it's a good idea - just one that should be universal and avaliable to anyone.

AnubisXy

Odd_Canuck:

Actually I've had at least 3 characters that would  buy the charm JUST for that effect.  The infiltration-paranoid general would would want to mark his troops for security, the artist who ran into issues with people delivering counterfit versions of his works, and the zenith who converted people to the worship of the sun by holding raves at night.  Oh wait, there was also the scrooge-like character who would probably do it to save on the cost of candles. 

It's a little less uber then some charms, but it's still damned cool. ;)

I'd have to agree. I've had a plot twist planned for a while now that could be completely averted if the circle's Eclipse picked this up. Bureaucratic superpowers may not always be sexy, but this one is damned practical.

AnubisXy:

Giving people a magical mark that shows they owe allegiance to you, however, shouldn't be a "Solar only" tool. It should be something that not just Exalts can do, but that anyone can do - even spirits, demons, etc. That's why I think it would work better as a Sorcery spell than a Solar charm.

I can see a Sorcery version of this effect, sure.