This is the first of several Charm cascades I'm working on, with the goal of diversifying the options for characters preferring Melee to Martial Arts. Storm Crow Style is intended to capitalize on the advantages of and also bolster the weaknesses of the spear as Exalted interprets it, but like any Melee cascade it can be used with any weapon.
| Unfurling Banner Flourish | |
| Cost: | 3 motes |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Reflexive |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 2 |
| Minimum Essence: | 1 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | None |
| The Exalt's movements are swift and sure; he assumes the predatory grace of a hunting bird. | |
| During turn this Charm is activated, the character adds his Melee to his initiative total; this Charm can be used only once a turn. | |
| Stalking Heron Attitude | |
| Cost: | 1 mote per 2 dice |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Supplemental |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 2 |
| Minimum Essence: | 1 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Unfurling Banner Flourish |
| Like the heron, the Exalted are quick and alert. | |
| The character may add 2 dice to any parry attempt per 1 mote spent on this Charm, subject to dicepool enhancement limits. If this Charm is used to add an odd number of dice, the half-mote left over is wasted. | |
| Golden Falcon Meditation | |
| Cost: | 5 motes |
| Duration: | One scene |
| Type: | Simple |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 3 |
| Minimum Essence: | 2 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Stalking Heron Attitude |
| The Exalt moves with the effortlessness of flowing Essence. | |
| Until the end of the scene, he adds his permanent Essence to his initiative total. | |
| Serene Crane Stance | |
| Cost: | 5 motes |
| Duration: | One scene |
| Type: | Simple |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 4 |
| Minimum Essence: | 2 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Stalking Heron Attitude |
| Essence crackles from the character's hands, making his weapon's movements certain as the crane's patient footsteps and irresistible as the wind. | |
| Until the end of the scene, he adds his permanent Essence to all parrying dicepools. | |
| Storm Crow Form | |
| Cost: | 7 motes, 1 Willpower |
| Duration: | One scene |
| Type: | Reflexive |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 5 |
| Minimum Essence: | 3 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Serene Crane Stance |
| The character's eyes flash with golden thunder, and Essence pools on the ground around him. | |
| While this Charm is in effect, the character may use his full Dexterity + Melee dicepool to parry any incoming attacks that he is aware of. In addition, he may spend Essence to enhance parries on a 1 mote per 2 dice basis. An Exalt can only benefit from the effects of one Form-type Charm at a time; if a new one is activated, the previous Form ends. | |
| Sinuous Tassel Distraction | |
| Cost: | 2 motes per 1 additional difficulty |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Supplemental |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 2 |
| Minimum Essence: | 1 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Unfurling Banner Flourish |
| The character makes a complex, Essence-charged feint with his weapon, which distracts and confuses his opponent. | |
| The character's attack is more difficult to parry or dodge as if he had more successes; the character can buy one die of additional difficulty for 2 motes. | |
| Sharpness Lost in Silk | |
| Cost: | 5 motes |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Simple |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 4 |
| Minimum Essence: | 2 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Sinuous Tassel Distraction, Stalking Heron Attitude |
| The character performs an elaborate, impossibly swift attack, which can be defended against only by Charms which permit characters to avoid attacks of which they are not aware, or by characters with Charm-enchanced vision. | |
| Striking Thunder Prana | |
| Cost: | 2 motes |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Supplemental |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 2 |
| Minimum Essence: | 2 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Unfurling Banner Flourish |
| The character enhances his attack with a wild burst of Essence; the weapon adds the character's permanent Essence to its damage. | |
| Inevitable Rainfall | |
| Cost: | 7 motes |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Supplemental |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 3 |
| Minimum Essence: | 3 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Striking Thunder Prana |
| Nothing can about the touch of the rain. | |
| With this Charm, the character slips by his target's armor; the attack can be soaked only by Stamina and other effects considered to be "natural soak". | |
| Ninefold Branching Lightning | |
| Cost: | 5 motes, 1 Willpower |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Extra Actions |
| Minimum Ability: | 4 |
| Minimum Essence: | 3 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Inevitable Rainfall |
| The character's weapon leaps and dives as if of its own will; it reaches out to touch all within the warrior's reach, like lightning drawn to trees. | |
| The character can make additional attacks this turn equal to his permanent Essence. | |
| Long-Fingered Thunderbolt Technique | |
| Cost: | 7 motes, 1 Willpower |
| Duration: | Instant |
| Type: | Extra Actions |
| Minimum Ability: | Melee 5 |
| Minimum Essence: | 3 |
| Prerequisite Charms: | Ninefold Branching Lightning |
| Essence crackles down the character's weapon, setting the weapon ablaze with golden lightning. Lightning does as it will, and strikes down the unwary. | |
| If the character hits with an attack, he may make an additional attack to a target no more than Essence yards away. The extra attacks generated by this Charm are ranged Essence attacks; the attack dicepool is Dexterity + Melee, and does a base lethal damage of the character's Strength + his permanent Essence. As long as the character hits (he need not do damage), he may continue making attacks, as long as each new target is no more than Essence yards away from the previous. | |