Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Excellent Emissary's Tongue
Cost: -
Ability: Linguistics
Prerequisite: Linguistics at 11+ for up to 13 slots, 12+ for up to 30 slots, 13+ for up to 46 slots, and so forth.
CP Cost: 2 points + 0.6 points per slot (round total up)

Essence enhances the Solar's language skills. By studying a language for 10 minutes, he may allot one "slot" of this charm into a language as a character point. He must hear the language spoken in conversation for improving the Spoken part of the language, and study appropriate texts for the Written part of the language.

Designer's Notes: This is the Super-Memorization variant of Modular Abilities as well as Preparation Required (-30%) and Languages Only (-50%, as per GURPS Powers, p. 64). However, this seems to be somewhat broken as once you spend five or more points in other languages, this is better than purchasing the languages directly in every way.

But maybe that's appropriate for Solars...

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

This is probably better expressed total points per spoken language that you can switch as needed, and have the limit based on number of languages.

Thus cost is: [4] per language that you can speak fluently, or [3] per language you can speak at a broken level. If you have Language Talent the cheaper version instead gets the language at accented.

(It seemed you were forgetting that most modular abilities can only hold one thing at a time, irrespective of size. Only Cosmic Slots let you arrange points freely. Everything else has to pay (cost for slot + cost per point) per ability they want active at once. Modular Abilities is always more expensive than buying an equivalent number of abilities outright.)

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Ah, right! I was wondering about that...

OK, another try:

Excellent Emissary's Tongue
Cost: -
Ability: Linguistics
Prerequisite: Linguistics at 11+ for up to 2 slots, 12+ for up to 4 slots, 13+ for up to 6 slots, and so forth.
CP Cost: 4.6 per slot (round up total)

Essence enhances the Solar's language skills. By studying a language for 10 minutes, he may allot one "slot" of this charm to a language and learn to speak or write it like a native. He must hear the language spoken in conversation for improving the Spoken part of the language, and study appropriate texts for the Written part of the language. Once he has filled up his slots, he must voluntarily forget one language to learn a new one.

Designer's Notes: This is the Super-Memorization variant of Modular Abilities with one as well as Preparation Required (-30%) and Languages Only (-50%, as per GURPS Powers, p. 64).


Hmmm. This is still cheaper than learning the language properly...

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Working without tools is usually a Perk (Accessory), at least for small toolsets.

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Well, this power is not supposed to represent a small toolset - it represents an entire workshop. The character is never without the tools he needs. If he wanted to construct an entire vehicle by himself, he could - all he would need are the raw parts.

Mind you, good workshops might provide bonuses to a certain task that this charm won't give, but the character will never feel the absence of tools.

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Increasing Strength Exercise
Cost: 1 mote per +1 ST, half to maintain
Duration: 1 minute
Ability: Athletics
Prerequisite: Breaking Blow, Forced Entry, Lifting, Power Blow, or Push at (desired level + 10)
CP Cost: 9/18/26/33/40/47/53/58/63/68 for levels 1-10

This charm suffuses the character with Solar Essence, temporarily increasing his Strength and causing his muscles to emit a golden glow. He may increase his ST by +1 for each mote he spends upon activating this charm, up to the level he has purchased.

Note: ST-derived skills may not be increased beyond the usual limits by this charm. Furthermore, the prerequisite skill levels for this charm are higher than normally required.

Designer's Notes: This charm is built by a variable number of levels of ST with the variable Costs Fatigue variant from GURPS Powers, p 101, as well as the Nuisance Effect (Obvious) limitation. The higher prerequisite demands were used because this charm adds to an attribute instead of a skill - which doesn't quite fit into the normal portfolio of Solars.

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Looks interesting, but I've no familiar with the source material to evaluate faithfulness. I see nothing wrong with applying modifiers to skill and technique bonuses if it's the best way to model the powers of the exalted. -GEF

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Well, I'm mostly trying to recreate the flavor of the original, and not trying to recreate it 1:1 in GURPS - that way lies madness, and not the good kind.

For example, in the original Exalted rules charms are organized into "charm trees" where you have to purchase weaker charms in order to create more powerful ones. I think that trying to implement this in GURPS would run counter to the strengths of the system, and so I ditched it for a more general framework of how construct charms.

Which the original system doesn't have, even though custom charm creation is encouraged. Really, Exalted is considered to have a fantastic setting - where the PCs start out as awesome, world-changing heroes from Day One and only get more powerful. Unfortunately, the system is frankly a mess, and I hope that by trying to convert the spirit of the setting over to GURPS it might become more playable, even though this is a major effort...

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

Update: I'm finally reading through GURPS Psionic Powers, and I'm seeing lots of potential in how this book does things. I will have to think about what precisely this means for my conversion, though the Extra Effort rules would nicely map to spending Willpower in the original Storyteller rules. Just to name one example.

Re: GURPS Exalted - Once More, From The Top
 

OK, further thoughts after finishing GURPS Psionic Powers:

- Charms are the equivalent of Psionic Abilties. They may come in levels - in that case, it's possible to temporarily boost them via Extra Effort, just like with Psionic Abilities. This costs Fatigue, not motes, and is the equivalent of spending Willpower in the original Exalted rules. When a skill roll is required for a Charm (including for Extra Effort), you always roll against the prerequisite skill appropriate for the situation.

- Charm Techniques are the equivalent of Psionic Techniques, and are attached to specific Charms. They always cost motes to use (including when you improve the odds of using them), not Fatigue. They are attached to a specific Charm, and you may use them with any of the appropriate prerequisite skill. For instance, if you have learned an Armor-Piercing Technique for an Archery Charm at (prerequisite)-2, and you have Bow-15 and Crossbow-13, you could roll it at a value of 13 if you use a bow and at a value of 11 if you use a crossbow. Young Solars (and Abyssals and Infernals) may develop Charm Techniques which default down to (prerequisite)-20. Other Celestial Exalted may develop Charm Techniques which default down to (prerequisite)-15, and Terrestrial Exalted to (prerequisite)-10. Elder Exalts may exceed these limits.


That's it so far - I think I have now a framework that works well enough to develop Charms and Charm techniques in earnest.