Melee Charms

 Perfected Battle Array 

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: Mirror (Blades Well-Blooded), Native Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: None

Capable of mastering all forms of combat, a Solar need not limit herself to a single weapon. This Charm represents the Lawgiver’s mastery of and kinship with all forms of tactile artifact weaponry. When attuning multiple artifact weapons, the Solar commits Essence to the weapon with the highest attunement cost. All additional artifact weapons cost only a single mote to attune. The Solar may attune artifacts up to double the mote cost of the initial attunement. For example, she pays an attunement cost of five motes to attune a daiklave, and may now attune five additional weapons, each for a single mote, provided each weapon has a commitment cost equal to or less than five motes. If she attempts to add a weapon to her array which has a higher commitment cost than the most expensive of her current weapons, the original highest-cost weapon in her current panoply of attuned weapons transfers all but one mote to the new highest-cost weapon and the Solar attunes the new weapon by paying the difference.

The Lawgiver may expressly use this Charm to reduce the attunement cost of artifact weapons for use with combat abilities other than Melee, however it does not reduce the cost to attune armor, N/A-rated artifacts or non-weapon artifacts.

At Essence 4+, once the Solar has attuned enough weapons to double the commitment cost of the highest-cost weapon in her array, all additional artifact weapons have an attunement cost of zero motes. At Essence 5+, the power of her attunement expands further: the Lawgiver may reach the threshold of zero mote attunement after increasing her total commitment by only 50%, rounded up. For example, at Essence 5+ the Solar attunes a daiklave for five motes. The next three weapons she attunes will each cost a single mote, and all weapons beyond that will cost zero motes.

Perfect Blade Aegis

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: Martial-ready, Mirror (Death Well-Remembered), Native Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Bulwark Stance

Like a diamond that knows its edges, the Solar is aware of all angles which affect the symmetry of perfect form. A Lawgiver with this Charm has honed his defensive skills to a superhuman degree; he knows the limits and reach of his weapons as if they were but extensions of his will. The character's Melee-derived Parry DV is permanently raised by 2; this bonus counts as dice added by a Charm.

Martial-ready: Martial Arts

Blade Lair Discipline

Cost: 3m; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive Keywords: Combo-OK, Mirror (Coiled Shadow Attitude), Native Duration: One scene Prerequisite Charms: Perfect Blade Aegis

The Solar Exalted are living weapons; as they evolve into this role, they begin to manifest the very threat they pose to their enemies, until no angle of attack seems safe. Attacking a Lawgiver with this Charm is dangerous at best, for her very gestures, mannerisms, and glances carry all the import and possibility of a daiklave’s edge. This Charm imposes a -1 external penalty on all attacks made against the Solar.

Inexorable Swordsman Spirit

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent Keywords: Martial-ready, Mirror (Entropic Blade Nature), Native Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Blade Lair Discipline

The terrifying battle prowess of the Solar Exalted leads their foes to contemplate extinction. A Solar with this Charm bleeds her unmitigated talent for killing into the air, making her killer’s nature known. The Lawgiver’s attacks render her targets hopeless to defend against them, reducing targeted DVs by two on all attacks the Solar makes with her Melee dice pool.

Martial-Ready: Archery, Martial Arts, Thrown

Sun-Sword Concentration

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: Mirror (All Blades Cry for Blood) Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Glorious Solar Saber

An exhausting regimen of training and meditation allows the Solar to distill that part of her spirit which responds to the sun-metal orichalcum, radiating its power into every weapon she ever wields. Any weapon wielded by the Solar using her Melee Ability enjoys a +1 bonus to its Accuracy, Defense and Rate. This bonus stacks with standard magical material bonuses.

Molten Sun-Blade

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent Keywords: None Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Glorious Solar Saber, Hungry Tiger Technique

This Charm permanently enhances all of the weapons the character is capable of creating with Glorious Solar Saber. When striking with such a weapon, the Solar may use Hungry Tiger Technique without it being considered a Charm activation.

Blind Impulse Strike

Cost: 5m; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Reflexive (Step 9) Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Martial-ready Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Iron Raptor Technique, Solar Counterattack

Sensing the pulse of Essence along which an attack was fired, a Lawgiver may send a strike back at his opponent with perfect form and blazing speed. This Charm allows the Solar to respond to an attack with a Melee attack of his own. This attack has infinite range, ignores cover, and may be made even if the Solar is unable to see his target. If assailed by a ranged weapon, the source of the attack is rent by a razor-edged heat shimmer of Essence at his location. At Essence 6+ the Solar may use Blind Impulse Strike in response to social attacks he is aware of, so long as they occur within the same realm of existence. At Essence 7+ the Solar may use this Charm to respond to all social attacks, regardless of where the perpetrator is. Blind Impulse Strike may only be activated once in response to a written social attack, no matter how many times the Solar re-reads it.

Martial-ready: Martial Arts

 Flawless Mirror Trance 

Cost: 5m; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Simple (Speed 7, DV -0) Keywords: Combo-OK, Counterattack, Martial-ready Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Ready in Eight Directions Stance

In every battle there is a perfect moment to strike; in the stillness of inaction-becoming-action, a fight may be decided by a mere speck in time: a choice to move or not move. The Solar knows these moments like brothers and summons them to hand like hawks, making all her choices perfect. Until her next action, a character under the effects of Flawless Mirror Trance gains the following benefits: she adds her Essence to her Melee-derived Parry DV; whenever she uses her Melee-derived Parry DV against an attack, she may make a Melee-based counterattack with (Essence) dice added to her regular attack pool in step 9; and she may use her Melee-based parry DV to parry unblockable attacks.

Martial-ready: Martial Arts

Guardian Sunfire Catechism

Cost: — (+3m or +3m, 1wp); Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: Mirror (Death’s Knight Stance) Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Heavenly Guardian Defense

A Lawgiver’s skill in combat evolves into an unshakeable truth with all the conviction of a religion. When her resolve is challenged, her holy blade becomes the answer to all her enemy’s questions. This Charm enhances its prerequisite. The Solar may opt to pay a three mote surcharge when activating Heavenly Guardian Defense, extending its duration to One tick. Solars with Essence 5+ may extend the duration of Heavenly Guardian Defense to One action by paying a three mote, one Willpower surcharge. The Exalt’s weapon is seen to leave burning golden-orange streaks in the air as it flashes out to meet all attacks. When using this Charm in conjunction with Defend Other, the Solar must activate this Charm multiple times to cover multiple allies, paying the Charm’s activation cost and surcharge separately for each target she wishes to defend for One tick or One action. This Charm may not enhance activations of Heavenly Guardian Defense pre-loaded through Protection of Celestial Bliss.

Edge of Morning Sunlight

Cost: 1m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 3; Type: Simple (Speed 3, DV -0) Keywords: Combo-Basic, Crippling, Holy, Obvious Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: Iron Raptor Technique

With a flash from his blade, the Solar sears a burning image into the mind of his enemy. A character who activates this Charm unleashes a glint of perfect light, caught in the motion of his weapon.

This Charm creates a ranged Melee attack against a single target up to (Essence x 10) yards away. A flash of light, accompanied by a hollow, glassy pop, stuns the victim. This attack is guaranteed to land; it will strike the target with a threshold of at least zero successes. However, Edge of Morning Sunlight does not inflict health level damage. Instead it blinds and dazes the target, inflicting a -1 internal penalty to the target’s combat actions for every health level of damage it would have inflicted. This debilitating condition lasts for (Essence x 2) ticks. When placed in a Combo, any attack which includes Edge of Morning Sunlight inflicts no damage. Finally, Edge of Morning Sunlight is not Stackable, and may only be used against the same target once every five actions.

If used to target a creature of darkness, the Solar adds his Essence to the attack’s accuracy.

Corona of Radiance

Cost: — (5m, 1wp); Mins: Melee 5, Essence 5; Type: Permanent (Reflexive [Step 1]) Keywords: Holy, Obvious Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Blazing Solar Bolt, Edge of Morning Sunlight

The holy wrath of an enraged Lawgiver is a thing to behold. Channeling his martial skill into a burning aura of killing force that blazes bright red in his anima, the Solar increases the power of this Charm’s prerequisites. The Solar may pay an additional five motes, one Willpower when using either of those Charms to activate Corona of Radiance. Doing so repeats the damage application (Step 10) of those Charms (Essence +3) times against a single target. Alternately, the Solar may use this Charm to launch Blazing Solar Bolt or Edge of Morning Sunlight against (Essence + 3) opponents simultaneously (making a different roll against each target). A repurchase of this Charm at Essence 7+ allows the Solar to pay a seven mote, one Willpower surcharge to split this attack against (Essence + 3) opponents and resolve damage against each of them (Essence + 3) times.

When enhanced by Corona of Radiance, Edge of Morning Sunlight gains the Stackable Keyword.

Peony Blossom Attack

Cost: 3m; Mins: Melee 3, Essence 2; Type: Simple (Speed 5, DV -1) Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious Duration: Instant Prerequisite Charms: One Weapon, Two Blows

The Lawgiver moves as smoothly and rapidly as ice on hot metal, his weapon flashing in a dazzling golden arc to strike all those around him. The Solar makes a standard Melee attack at his full dice pool, and applies it to all enemies within three yards; each target resolves defense and damage separately.

Grass-Cutting Strike

Cost: — (+4m); Mins: Melee 4, Essence 4; Type: Permanent Keywords: Obvious Duration: Permanent Prerequisite Charms: Iron Raptor Technique, Peony Blossom Attack

The wind blows, the grass sways; a shadow passes over the sun. In a moment frozen in time, the Solar calls weapon to hand, birthing a gale to silence a legion. Grass-Cutting Strike upgrades the Solar’s Peony Blossom Attack, permitting the character to pay a four mote surcharge to apply its attack to all enemies within (Melee x 8) yards.

Flashing Edge of Dawn

Cost: —; Mins: Melee 4, Essence 3; Type: Permanent; Keywords: None; Duration: Permanent;Prerequisite Charms: One Weapon, Two Blows

Given time and practice, superhuman prowess comes naturally to the Solar Exalted. The benefits of One Weapon, Two Blows are automatically applied to all Melee attacks the Solar makes. If invoked normally, that Charm’s effects stack with this upgrade.

Shining Razor Wind

Cost: 3m per die, 1wp; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive; Keywords: Combo-Basic, Obvious; Duration: One scene; Prerequisite Charms: Fire and Stones Strike

A brilliant red-gold corona erupts around the Lawgiver’s weapon, em -powering him to strike down his enemies. This Charm allows the character to enchant a weapon with Fire and Stones Strike for the duration of a scene rather than a single attack, at a cost of three motes per die added, following the same rules for maximum dice. This also counts toward the maximum number of dice that may be purchased with a subsequent normal activation of Fire and Stones Strike. Any non-magical weapon forced to channel such power is destroyed when the Charm ends.

At Essence 5+, dice purchased with this Charm no longer counts toward the maximum number of dice that may be purchased with a subsequent normal activation of Fire and Stones Strike.

Rising Sun Slash

Cost: 4m or 6m; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Holy, Mirror; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Fire and Stones Strike

Crackling with golden lightning, the Solar’s blade becomes impossible to turn from its course. For four motes, an attack enhanced with this Charm becomes unblockable. If activated for a cost of six motes, the attack also gains the Holy keyword and becomes undodgeable by creatures of darkness in addition to its basic effect.

World-Scarring Solar Glory

Cost: 5m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 6, Essence 6; Type: Supplemental; Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious, Mirror; Duration: Instant; Prerequisite Charms: Rising Sun Slash

The Solar’s weapon surges with the limitless power of the wrathful sun god. An attack supplemented by this Charm adds (Essence) dice of raw damage in Step Seven. Should the dice of damage to be rolled after soak in Step Eight exceed the target’s maximum total health levels, the Solar may instead inflict as many or as few automatic levels of damage as desired.

At Essence 7+, this Charm may be used to inflict whatever level of damage the Lawgiver desires to nonmagical objects and structures up to the size of a palace. Cutting passes through hills or smashing down stout fortress gates are trivial exercises for such mighty heroes. At Melee 9+ the character may pay a five-mote surcharge upon activation to inflict as many or as few automatic levels of damage as desired to targets regardless of his total dice in Step Eight.

A second purchase, at Melee 8+, Essence 8+, allows the Solar to activate this Charm as a miscellaneous action (Speed 5, DV -1), and commit Essence to it to “store” it in advance. When the commitment is reflexively dropped (this must be done in Step One), the Charm activates without counting as a Charm use. At Essence 9+, the Solar may store up to (Essence/2) activations simultaneously, though each must have Essence committed to it separately.

 Immortal Blade Triumphant 

Cost: 15m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 7, Essence 7; Type: Simple (Speed 7, DV -4); Keywords: Obvious, Mirror; Duration: One scene ; Prerequisite Charms: Heavenly Guardian Defense

The Lawgiver’s anima fractures into a thousand reflections of his weapon as he raises it in a silent salute. Afterward, he moves with grace beyond words and skill beyond awareness to brush aside the clumsy attacks of any who should be so impudent as to strike at him.

While this Charm is active, the character may invoke Heavenly Guardian Defense at its normal cost as an innate ability rather than a Charm activation. When used this way, the Charm’s duration is always instant regardless of other modifiers. This benefit may not be be employed until the character’s DV has refreshed once, and may be used a number of times equal to (Essence x 2); upon making the last permitted invocation, Immortal Blade Triumphant automatically deactivates itself. This Charm may not be reactivated to re-stock its supply of defenses while it is already active.

Golden Destruction Cut

Cost: -; Mins: Melee 5, Essence 4; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Obvious, Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: Hungry Tiger Technique

This Charm acts as a permanent upgrade to its prerequisite, allowing the Solar’s player to count extra successes on the attack roll three times rather than twice for the purpose of determining raw damage. A second purchase, at Melee 6+, allows extra successes to be counted four times rather than three, while a third purchase at Melee 8+ allows extra successes to be counted five times. A fourth and final purchase at Melee 9+ causes each extra success to be counted ten times for the purpose of determining raw damage.

Unassailable Aegis of Dual Armament

Cost: — (+4m); Mins: Melee 6, Essence 6; Type: Permanent; Keywords: Obvious, War; Duration: Permanent; Prerequisite Charms: Protection of Celestial Bliss

The Solar Exalted embody a limitless destructive power which is second to none. Using this Charm, the character may tap into that power, focusing it into a large-scale defense capable of striking down and turning aside all oncoming forces with an even greater force of her own. Defending herself is not good enough; even if a star should fall, the Exalt may use Guarding Star Tactics to deflect it away from all that she wishes to protect by an unrivaled display of power. This Charm serves as a permanent upgrade to Heavenly Guardian Defense, allowing it to be activated with a four mote surcharge to serve as a perfect parry against any area-of-effect attack, environmental damage effect, or ranged attack from a complementary unit—a parry which destroys or turns aside the offending attack. Players should feel free to invent suitably dramatic stunts to express the way in which attacks are defeated. Attacks may be divided into two categories.

Transitory: Transitory attacks are attacks composed of non-imperishable physical matter, energy, or non-permanent environmental hazards. Defending against a transitory attack destroys that effect utterly at the point where it intersects the Lawgiver’s weapon, preventing it from harming anything behind the Solar, or any complementary unit he is a special character in.

Sustained: Sustained attacks include attacks made of the five magical materials, attacks which are part of the body of a living being, permanent environmental hazards, and environmental hazards or attacks which the Storyteller deems unsuitable to arbitrary destruction. Attacks made with imperishable materials (such as a rain of jade arrows) are simply scattered and deflected without harm. Attacks made by permanent environmental hazards (such as the Pole of Fire) are stilled within (Essence) miles for (Essence) actions. Attacks made by living environmental hazards (such as the winds of Adorjan or a Lunar using a swarm Knack) are prevented from moving to intersect or bypass the position of Solar or any complementary unit he is a member of until their DV has refreshed. Attacks unsuitable for arbitrary destruction are generally one-of-a-kind storyline events, and are deflected or otherwise handled according to the Storyteller’s discretion.

Sharp Light of Judgment Stance

Cost: 12m, 1wp; Mins: Melee 7, Essence 7; Type: Simple; Keywords: Combo-Basic, Holy, Obvious, Mirror, War; Duration: One Action; Prerequisite Charms: Blazing Solar Bolt

Light breaks across the edge of the Lawgiver’s weapon. Whirling into a devastating attack, she hurls this shattered brilliance outward in a terrible storm that fells all who would stand in opposition to her. The character makes a standard Melee attack and applies it against all enemies within (Melee x 100) yards. Allies are immune to this onslaught; the waves of lethal radiance dance deftly past them. This attack is also applied against any enemy who moves into the effect radius during the Charm’s duration, and applied again once per tick against any enemy attempting to move toward the Lawgiver.

If used while the Solar’s weapon is touched by sunlight, this Charm becomes Holy and deals aggravated damage to creatures of darkness.

If used over consecutive actions, the Charm loses its Willpower cost after the first use, and the range of its area of destruction doubles with each activation.

Directed against a complementary unit in mass combat, this Charm renders the attack unblockable and undodgeable, and multiplies its final damage in Step 10 by the Lawgiver’s Essence.