Editing Exalted Combat 101 (section)

==Combat Lesson 3: Basic Charms==

Ok, lets take a moment. We've looked through combat basics. It comes down to this: If you lose init, you parry/dodge. If you have it, you can split for multiple attacks, attacks and defenses, or you can hold to see what your opponent does. Now we're gonna get complicated.
Let's begin:

'''There was the sound of metal striking flesh, and the fifth, unseen assassin collapsed to the ground, hand clawing for Steel Ribbon Warrior before finally succumbing to his wound.'''

'''The swordsman spun to see Jaida standing over the corpse, blood on her face, on her sword. Her first blood. She raised her astonished eyes to him, and he took a step back when he saw what had changed in her.'''

'''Jaida watched the fear blossom in his face. She had been attacked herself, and quickly divined that he would need her. If she hadn't been there, he would have died, and she could not bear to see that. '''

'''The blood of her first kill mixed with the deepening scarlet of her anima as she stepped forward to Steel Ribbon. "Master, what's wrong?"'''

'''The burning mark on her forehead said it all. Her heart broke when she saw his sword rise up against her.'''

Jaida has improved some since we last saw her, gaining Melee 3. Apparently, Steel is an excellent teacher. She also wields a straight sword, and has a buff jacket. This gives her the following stats: Speed 6 Accuracy 7 Damage 5L Defense 7. The buff jacket adds 3 to her lethal soak of (now) 1 for a total of 4L.

There are no REAL canonical rules for new Exaltation, so we will assume she remains at Essence 1, and gains 5 Charms "instinctively". We choose Ox-Body, Retrieve the Fallen Weapon, Excellent Strike, Golden Essence Block, and Dipping Swallow Defense. This makes her an excellent Melee specialist.

Her personal pool is 8, Peripheral 22.

'''"Steel...please, what are you doing?"'''

'''Her master's face was pale, his hand unsteady as he stepped forward, sword whipping towards her in deadly strokes she knew all too well. Instinctively, drawing on knowledge she had no right to possess, she slid away from the attacks, her blade working furiously to keep the edge away from her skin. Sweat beaded on her forehead.'''

Steel is still the initiative king in this fight, and gets to go first. He chooses to split his dice pool 4 ways, slashing at her quickly in an effort to slip past her now demonic defenses. This makes his (still wounded) dice pool 10, 9, 8, and 7. More than enough to slide past Jaida's measly 7 defensive dice pool.

Desperate, Jaida chooses to abort to a dodge (assume she has a dodge of 2, giving her a dodge pool of 4: Dex 3 + Dodge 2 - Mobility 1 from the buff jacket), and uses Dipping Swallow Defense AS WELL against each attack. This gives her 4+7, 3+7, 2+7 and 1+7 for her defensive dice pools (the first numbers are her dodge pool, the second that which is granted by her Charm) 

She has used up her Personal Essence pool.

'''As Jaida lept from his last attack, her mind worked furiously, coming to grips with what had happened, and she realized she could never bring herself to kill her master. Her mind suddenly seized on a possibility, and as Steel Ribbon Warrior readied himself for another attack, Jaida launched herself at him.''' 

'''Before she her blade hit, she dropped to one knee, the glow of her power making her blade brilliant as it slipped past Steel Ribbon's defenses, caressing his thigh at a vulnerable point. He slipped to his knee suddenly, mobility weakened, blood darkening his pants. She backed away as he watched her, waiting for the final blow.'''

'''Jaida murmured "I'm sorry." And as tears streamed down her cheeks, she fled her former master. '''

Jaida is lucky enough to get initiative, and decides she would rather not harm him. Jaida's player asks if it's possible to just "wound him so he can't chase me", and the ST decides that it's ok, since it would further the story.

She uses Excellent Strike for its maximum (+6: She has a Dex of 3, and a Melee of 3), and channels Compassion for another +3. This gives her a total of 16 dice, against Steels 14. 8 successes versus 7, is enough to slip past the defenses, and achieve victory for Jaida.

It should be noted that this attack isn't canonical, but the point is that a relatively normal warrior was able to wound an extremely capable one, the only difference being Charms. 

Also, it shows one of the intricate points of Exalted that will be expanded upon in the next chapter.

A Solar has to choose: A defensive Charm, or an offensive Charm.