Well...call me a newb but I didnt know where to turn to for a few suggestions now that Exalted Compendium is gone. My GM is considering letting me use a custom martial art for my Solar character, and I've done some revising but I fear it may need some more. I'm particularly concerned about the Essence costs and if they're too high or low. If anyone has any suggestions or critiques, I'd sure welcome them.
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Way of the Gentle Fist
Type: Celestial
Developed and practiced in the First Age in compliment to the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style, the Gentle Fist Style is the penultimate expression of grace over power. Whereas the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan practitioner weaves subtly in his motions, turning his opponents emotions against them, the Way of the Gentle Fist cuts through this charade. Savants of this martial art see life as a dance, and the only way to triumph is to stand still. With this thought as their focus, Gentle Fist martial artists have been known to defeat legions without ever landing a blow.
Though this way of thinking is somewhat misleading as the Way of the Gentle Fist is littered with its small deceptions, the path does embrace minimalism. The path prescribes statuesque motionlessness in the face of danger. Masters of the style are able to turn blows and twist the energy of the attack on the assailant with barely perceptible motions. For this reason practitioners of this style much have a Temperance score of at least 3.
In practice, the most important feature of the Way of the Gentle Fist is not merely discipline of emotion and subtly of movement but control of one’s Essence. The entire martial art is centered around the flow of Essence through a world of spirit, and the practical applications of such a mindset. Though this is a highly heretical style, the philosophy of the Gentle Fist was purportedly admired by the Immaculate Dragon of Fire.
The Way of the Gentle Fist is not compatible with any type of armor. Weaponry props similar to the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style are allowed, though the Gentle Fist style does not augment their usefulness.
Golden Hand Technique
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: None
In the first exercise of Essence control, the follower of the Path of the Gentle Fist concentrates his power into his hands. His hands now hardened with Essence, the martial artist can overcome one of the basic disadvantages of fighting barehanded - defending against armed foes.
For the duration of the turn, the martial artist may parry the blows of any weapon as though he were armed. Additionally, his blows are made as though her were armed for purposes of parrying, though his fists still do bashing damage.
Caress of the Enemy
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Golden  Hand Technique
Because practitioners of this method may wear no armor, it is common for them to travel in the most peaceful and simple method as possible. In the First Age masters of the Way of the Gentle Fist wore simple robes or carried silken ribbons with them. This technique was developed to compliment this fact and to demonstrate the importance of a still mind exemplified in a still body.
When using this Charm the martial artist uses silk ribbons, or perhaps her cloak or even the fingertips of her hand, to touch and caress her opponent - a teasing which often provokes a frustrated response. To succeed in this touch, the character enters into a contest with her Martial Arts pool verses her opponent’s Temperance. Every success greater than her opponent’s total successes increases the difficulty rating for that enemy to attack the character. Every turn thereafter the difficulty rating decreases by one until it returns to normal. Therefore, if the martial artist achieved three (3) successes on her Martial Arts roll and her opponent gleaned none (0) from his Temperance roll, the difficulty to attack the character has been raised to four till the next turn. The next turn the difficulty will be at three, and so on.
Transcending the Gentle Fist Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Caress of the Enemy
To understand the world, you must understand your place in it. The Transcending the Gentle Fist Form allows the martial artist to quiet his own tumultuous spirit and sense the ripples of Essence around him. While in this perceptive state, the martial artist is much more aware of the path incoming attacks. He can predict their twists, dips, and force.
Mechanically, the martial artist may add his Martial Arts score to any dodge or parrying attempt. However, to gain the bonus the martial artist cannot move from the spot where he is standing or sitting. The Charm’s secondary effect is to provide for the character’s motionless state. He may dip, duck, and make other slight motions to provide for the dodge without actually moving his legs from the spot. If the character must move, he simply needs to resume the defensive position to regain the bonus for the Charm.
Silk Entrapment Technique
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charm: Transcending the Gentle Fist Form
Using a cloak, a scarf, or a silk ribbon, the character can use this Charm to snatch weapons from the hands of his enemies. Add the character’s Temperance score to all attempts to disarm an opponent in hand-to-hand combat.
Hands of the Sun
Cost: 1 mote per health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Silk Entrapment Technique
With the Hands of the Sun, Essence around the hands becomes so intense it crackles into the physical spectrum. The character makes a furious attack of open-palmed strikes, chops, and slaps against his adversary. With every blow landed, small bursts of Essence can be perceived leaving the palm of the martial artist‘s hand.
Before a declared attack is rolled, the character pumps motes of Essence into his hands. If the blow connects, the character converts one dice of unsoaked damage into an automatic damage success for every mote of Essence spent. The character cannot invest more motes than his Martial Art rating.
Open-Palm Devastation
Cost: None, see below
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Hands of the Sun
Open-Palm Devastation is the last of the Essence-hand focusing techniques, and truly makes the martial artist a formidable foe. She now has the permanent ability to treat her unarmed damage as lethal, if she so chooses. Her hands are still treated as bashing weapons, however, for purposes of parrying. If the character chooses to do lethal damage her hands become surrounded by a crackling nimbus as with Hands of the Sun, thus displaying the magical nature of her attack.
Catching the Snowflakes
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Silk Entrapment Technique
With this Charm, the martial artist has his reflexes honed to the point of perfection. With the merest ripple of Essence around him, he can spring into action, even to the point of picking a hail of arrows from the air. Whenever the character is witness to a ranged attack, he may make a reflexive roll to parry with his full Dexterity + Martial Arts pool without the use of a stunt.
Leaf in the Storm Technique
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Catching the Snowflakes
By assuming the Way of the Gentle Fist defensive position (calm, centered standing position), the character is able to perceive and turn a dizzying flow of Essence signatures at one time. No matter the size or the number of the enemies approaching, the character is completely aware of his surroundings and knows precisely how to avoid being hurt.
When this Charm is activated, the character may perform one full parry against the amount of attacks equal to his Temperance score. This Charm expires when he runs out of “freeâ€
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Way of the Gentle Fist
Type: Celestial
Developed and practiced in the First Age in compliment to the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style, the Gentle Fist Style is the penultimate expression of grace over power. Whereas the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan practitioner weaves subtly in his motions, turning his opponents emotions against them, the Way of the Gentle Fist cuts through this charade. Savants of this martial art see life as a dance, and the only way to triumph is to stand still. With this thought as their focus, Gentle Fist martial artists have been known to defeat legions without ever landing a blow.
Though this way of thinking is somewhat misleading as the Way of the Gentle Fist is littered with its small deceptions, the path does embrace minimalism. The path prescribes statuesque motionlessness in the face of danger. Masters of the style are able to turn blows and twist the energy of the attack on the assailant with barely perceptible motions. For this reason practitioners of this style much have a Temperance score of at least 3.
In practice, the most important feature of the Way of the Gentle Fist is not merely discipline of emotion and subtly of movement but control of one’s Essence. The entire martial art is centered around the flow of Essence through a world of spirit, and the practical applications of such a mindset. Though this is a highly heretical style, the philosophy of the Gentle Fist was purportedly admired by the Immaculate Dragon of Fire.
The Way of the Gentle Fist is not compatible with any type of armor. Weaponry props similar to the Dreaming Pearl Courtesan Style are allowed, though the Gentle Fist style does not augment their usefulness.
Golden Hand Technique
Cost: 2 motes
Duration: One turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: None
In the first exercise of Essence control, the follower of the Path of the Gentle Fist concentrates his power into his hands. His hands now hardened with Essence, the martial artist can overcome one of the basic disadvantages of fighting barehanded - defending against armed foes.
For the duration of the turn, the martial artist may parry the blows of any weapon as though he were armed. Additionally, his blows are made as though her were armed for purposes of parrying, though his fists still do bashing damage.
Caress of the Enemy
Cost: 3 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Golden  Hand Technique
Because practitioners of this method may wear no armor, it is common for them to travel in the most peaceful and simple method as possible. In the First Age masters of the Way of the Gentle Fist wore simple robes or carried silken ribbons with them. This technique was developed to compliment this fact and to demonstrate the importance of a still mind exemplified in a still body.
When using this Charm the martial artist uses silk ribbons, or perhaps her cloak or even the fingertips of her hand, to touch and caress her opponent - a teasing which often provokes a frustrated response. To succeed in this touch, the character enters into a contest with her Martial Arts pool verses her opponent’s Temperance. Every success greater than her opponent’s total successes increases the difficulty rating for that enemy to attack the character. Every turn thereafter the difficulty rating decreases by one until it returns to normal. Therefore, if the martial artist achieved three (3) successes on her Martial Arts roll and her opponent gleaned none (0) from his Temperance roll, the difficulty to attack the character has been raised to four till the next turn. The next turn the difficulty will be at three, and so on.
Transcending the Gentle Fist Form
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: One scene
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 3
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite Charms: Caress of the Enemy
To understand the world, you must understand your place in it. The Transcending the Gentle Fist Form allows the martial artist to quiet his own tumultuous spirit and sense the ripples of Essence around him. While in this perceptive state, the martial artist is much more aware of the path incoming attacks. He can predict their twists, dips, and force.
Mechanically, the martial artist may add his Martial Arts score to any dodge or parrying attempt. However, to gain the bonus the martial artist cannot move from the spot where he is standing or sitting. The Charm’s secondary effect is to provide for the character’s motionless state. He may dip, duck, and make other slight motions to provide for the dodge without actually moving his legs from the spot. If the character must move, he simply needs to resume the defensive position to regain the bonus for the Charm.
Silk Entrapment Technique
Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite Charm: Transcending the Gentle Fist Form
Using a cloak, a scarf, or a silk ribbon, the character can use this Charm to snatch weapons from the hands of his enemies. Add the character’s Temperance score to all attempts to disarm an opponent in hand-to-hand combat.
Hands of the Sun
Cost: 1 mote per health level
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Silk Entrapment Technique
With the Hands of the Sun, Essence around the hands becomes so intense it crackles into the physical spectrum. The character makes a furious attack of open-palmed strikes, chops, and slaps against his adversary. With every blow landed, small bursts of Essence can be perceived leaving the palm of the martial artist‘s hand.
Before a declared attack is rolled, the character pumps motes of Essence into his hands. If the blow connects, the character converts one dice of unsoaked damage into an automatic damage success for every mote of Essence spent. The character cannot invest more motes than his Martial Art rating.
Open-Palm Devastation
Cost: None, see below
Duration: Permanent
Type: Special
Minimum Martial Arts: 5
Minimum Essence: 4
Prerequisite Charms: Hands of the Sun
Open-Palm Devastation is the last of the Essence-hand focusing techniques, and truly makes the martial artist a formidable foe. She now has the permanent ability to treat her unarmed damage as lethal, if she so chooses. Her hands are still treated as bashing weapons, however, for purposes of parrying. If the character chooses to do lethal damage her hands become surrounded by a crackling nimbus as with Hands of the Sun, thus displaying the magical nature of her attack.
Catching the Snowflakes
Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Silk Entrapment Technique
With this Charm, the martial artist has his reflexes honed to the point of perfection. With the merest ripple of Essence around him, he can spring into action, even to the point of picking a hail of arrows from the air. Whenever the character is witness to a ranged attack, he may make a reflexive roll to parry with his full Dexterity + Martial Arts pool without the use of a stunt.
Leaf in the Storm Technique
Cost: 6 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Extra Action
Minimum Martial Arts: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite Charms: Catching the Snowflakes
By assuming the Way of the Gentle Fist defensive position (calm, centered standing position), the character is able to perceive and turn a dizzying flow of Essence signatures at one time. No matter the size or the number of the enemies approaching, the character is completely aware of his surroundings and knows precisely how to avoid being hurt.
When this Charm is activated, the character may perform one full parry against the amount of attacks equal to his Temperance score. This Charm expires when he runs out of “freeâ€
