Games, all sorts

Both exalts have:

- ox-body technique (called the same for both)

- durability of oak meditation (spirit-hardened frame for abyssals), a reflexive charm that is invoked after the exalt is attacked but before damage is rolled, and gives the exalt a hardness of 8 for the attack. Since hardness doesn't stack, this charm is of no use if the exalt is wearing reinforced breastplate or better artifact armor.

- adamant skin technique (wounds mean nothing for abyssals), a perfect defense that negates damage,

However, abyssals lack two significant resistance charms that solars get:

- iron skin concentration, a reflexive charm where the solar rolls stamina+resistance with a difficulty of the attacker's essence (up to a maximum of six). A success negates all damage. Even if it fails it provides +4A/+8l/+8b soak.

- iron kettle body, a which gives the character +4A/+8l/+8B for the scene. It is not compatible with armor, but it is with iron skin concentration, enabling the solar to get +8A/+16l/+16b soak against an attack.

It is odd that the abyssals lack such useful charms. Perhaps it is because they have better access to artifact armor, but this does give solar martial artists an advantage over abyssal ones when using styles that disallow armor.

Solars exclusively get:

- forceful arrow, a supplemental charm giving the solar archer's arrows a knockback effect.

- arrow storm, a supplemental charm that lets the solar archer apply an attack (for which he only rolls once) to his permanent essencex3 valid targets.

- rain of fettered death, a supplemental charm where the solar spends motes for a number of duplicate attacks (where he can make up to his permanent essence in duplicate attacks). The original attack and its duplicates get a single attack roll, but if it hits, the damage of each is determined separately.

Abyssals exclusively get:

- twisting spiteful shaft, supplementing an abyssal archer's attack, making it burrow deeper into the wound (if an arrow) or covering the target in an agonizing nimbus (if a firewand attack). A str+(athletics or medicine) roll at difficulty will remove the arrow/extinguish the nimbus. However, until the effect is stopped, the victim suffers a number of dice of lethal damage (which bypasses soak and hardness) equal to the abyssal's essence on each tick they act. Multiple hits use the highest essence among the archers to determine damage, and adding one die of damage and one to the difficulty of removal for each activation after the first.

- piercing ghost barb, a simple charm that negates penalties from cover, bypasses all soak except innate soak, and renders it unblockable except to unarmed parries.

- elegant executioner stance, a scene long charm that makes extra attack successes on targets within 5 yards count twice for determining raw damage.

- iron sleet attack, a supplemental charm adds the abyssal's essence rating to the attack's raw damage, and makes the target lose a dot of dex if the attack inflicts damage. Targets reduced to 0 dex can do nothing but huddle in helpless misery.

Additional differences:

- The solar's flashing vengeance draw adds a number of successes equal to their essence to their join batle roll, while the abyssal mirror, doom drawn and imminent, gives those trying to attack the abyssal an internal penalty equal to the abyssal's archery rating to their attacks until the abyssal takes their first action in the combat.

- inexhaustible bolts of solar fire and quiver of souls give the solar or abyssal archer (respectively) limitless arrows/fire dust for the scene. Solars get one more die of normal damage, whereas abyssals will regain a mote whenever his shot hits an animate being (whether or not it causes damage).

In my opinion, the abyssal gets better archery charms. Knockback from forceful arrow is okay, but not compared to stuff like the benefits given by any of the abyssal charms. (And they have the same number or less prerequisites, so its not like forceful arrow is a “lesser” charm). Arrow storm lets the solar attack multiple people with one attack and rain of fettered death lets the solar hit a single target with multiple attacks, but both solars and abyssals get trance of unhesitating speed/withering feather maelstrom (respectively) which lets them make a barrage of attacks, so its not like abyssals don't get a multiple attack charm.

So solars charms let them fire more arrows (whether at a single target or a group), but the abyssal's arrows are more devastating, particularly when comboed. The abyssal's arrow will negate normal protective measures, cause more damage (especially at close range), and can continue to cause damage after the initial hit.

Solars exclusively get:

- joint wounding technique, a supplemental charm which causes a crippling effect. For the scene, the target loses one die from their physical attribute pools and one point from the equivalent static ratings.

- observer deceiving attack, a charm that makes those watching the solar possibly not notice the attack, and those not watching the solar think the attack came from some other distance and direction of the solar's choosing.

- mist on water attack, which puts a silence effect on the target, and if the target is killed, no one will notice the target is dead until the charm expires.

- falling icicle strike, a charm that enhances unexpected attack by making damage successes rolled count twice.

- cascade of cutting terror- a charm that makes a thrown attack undodgable, and doubles the solars successes on the attack roll before comparing it to the target's defense.

Abyssals exclusively get:

- improved assassin's trick, a charm that lets abyssals make all sorts of improvised thrown weapons, and negating the +2 difficulty for making a surprise attack in plain view.

- wicked darts of suffering, a charm that causes a certain number of effects (one picked on initial purchase, and other effects can be purchased for a single xp): corrosion, which inflicts double its raw damage against inanimate objects and minimum damage even if it fails to penetrate the object's hardness. destruction, which auto-kills mortal or natural animal extras. infection, which causes a sickness effect rather than damage, with a morbidity equal to the abyssal's essence rating. And pain, which doubles raw damage and makes it bashing, though the target cannot be brought below incapacitated from such an attack.

- frozen prayer entombment, a charm that encases the opponent in ice which has a bashing and lethal soak equal to the attack's raw damage. The ice will shatter if any raw damage done to it exceeds its soak, but the encased also suffers the attack that broke the ice's minimum damage. The encased can also attempt a str+athletics check to try and break out. The ice does damage to the encased as an enviromental effect with a trauma equal to the abyssal's essence and damage of one bashing health level per action. Those so encased can be rendered unconcious by the damage, but will not take further damage once they are incapacitated. The charm can also be used to make blocks of ice for use in craft (earth) actions, or to make cover, seal off a doorway or make a crude raft.

- radiant holocaust flare, which lets the abyssal release a number of crypt bolt attacks (the abyssal equivalent of the solar charm spirit weapons) in a normal flurry that ignores usual rate limites and adds to the accuracy of each blast.

In addition, crypt bolt attack also makes the abyssal's unarmed attacks lethal for the scene. Spirit Weapons gets no such affect.

The abyssals have some good tricks. Crypt bolt attack provides a benefit to their unarmed attacks while letting them toss about energy bolts for the scene. The wicked darts of suffering have some interesting effects like insta-slaying extras (though the damage done by the abyssal would likely auto-kill them anyways) or weakening objects despite hardness. Frozen prayer entombent is useful for capturing an opponent, though since thrown damage isn't that much compared to other forms of attack, the soak of the ice won't be that high. So one may get more use from its utilitarian effects.

Still, the solars seem to have the edge in throwing. Cascade of cutting terror is a pretty good charm. And while the abyssal's improved assassin's trick is useful for assassins, observer-deceiving attack, mist on water, and falling icicle attack are more useful. Cascade of cutting terror and falling icicle attack are useful on their own, and devastating in combination, so the abyssals' are lacking some potent throwing charms. A thing to remember though is that while falling icicle strike is especially potent since it doubles the amount of damage AFTER damage is rolled, it only works on unexpected attacks.

Of course, in the scheme of things, thrown attacks are inferior to archery or martial arts/melee attacks. Where they do shine is in their unexpectedness. Thrown weapons are also easier to conceal than most melee weapons, bows, or firewands. And thrown rates are comparable to that of bows and exceed those of firewands. Thrown range can exceed that of firewands (depending on the thrower's strength) but can go nowhere near as far as arrows.

All in all, its good as a secondary method of attack, but not primary. So the fact that solars get better thrown charms is not that big of an advantage. A combo including cascade of cutting terror and falling icicle strike along with either of the first two thrown excellencies can make for a pretty powerful sneak attack, but its only useful as a sneak attack. In regular combat, its not so useful. The other exclusive solar thrown charms are equally geared towards sneak attacking, and may be worth the xp expenditure for a sneaky assassin type, but its not efficient xp use for a front line fighter.

Solars exclusively get:

- one weapon, two blows, which raises the rate and accuracy of their weapon by 1 until their next action.

- bulwark stance, which causes the solar to ignore penalties to his parry dv until his next action.

- ready in eight directions stance, a charm which allows the solar to make counterattacks whenever he uses his parry DV against an attack until his next action.

Abyssals exclusively get:

- soul cleaving attack, a charm which forgoes damage for a choice of crippling effects. It can cause the victim to lose a dot of essence (not mote!). Their essence pool is recalculated for the new essence value, and the target bleeds off the motes in excess of that. Or, it can cause the target to lose a dot from each virtue. Or, they can lose a dot (not point!) of willpower. For mortals and creatures of the wyld, these losses are permanent. For exalts, healing this damage back requires a day of rest for each successful use of the charm against them, during which they cannot heal or respire essence.

- five shadow feint, which lets the abyssal spend motes to decrease a target's dv.

- thieving ration claws, which lets the abyssal steal weapons within essencex8 yards. Weapons not being wielded by an owner fly to the abyssal's hand without hesitation, while stealing a held weapon or a weapon in a sheath on an opponent's person require an opposed roll.

- broken toys riposte, which destroys ordinary weapons on a successful parry, and sends enchanted weapons/weapons made of the five magical materials a number of yards away equal to the abyssal's essence. The essence cost is one more than the damage bonus of the parried weapon, so knocking away big-ass weapons like goremauls and such cost a ton of essence.

- hundred razor circle, wherein the abyssal makes a reflexive melee attack against everyone who comes within three yards (friend or foe, no one is exempt)

The ways in which their charms work diffrently:

- fire and stone strikes adds one die to post-soak damage for each mote spent (up to a max of the solar's strength score). Its abyssal mirror, artful maiming onslaught will cripple or amputate limbs.

- blazing solar bolt casts holy fire from the weapon, giving the solar a ranged attack (with a range of essence x10 yards) with their melee weapon, and doing aggravated damage on creatures of darkness. Its abyssal mirror, ebon lightning prana, instead has the abyssal rush at any opponent within essencex10 yards. The attack is always unexpected and does piercing damage. And if combat has not yet begun, the abyssal automatically strikes first regardless of the result of any join battle rolls.

An analysis of the differences in their melee abilities is a little more complex.

Bulwark stance allows the solar to ignore penalties to their parry DV, but both abyssals and solars get fivefold bulwark stance, which is the scene long version, so the solar doesn't really have an advantage in this case.

While not mirrors, one weapon two blows and five shadow feint are somewhat close, with the latter being better, in my opinion. Being able to do an extra attack in a flurry with your weapon and getting an extra die are good, but being able to negate the opponent's dv altogether seems to be more useful.

ready in eight direction stance and hundred razor circle are probably the closest analogues amongst the abyssal and solar melee charms. Ready in eight direction lets the solar counterattack anyone they parry, but hundred razor circle lets the abyssal attack anyone coming within range. But the abyssal can only attack a target once, whereas the solar can keep counterattacking anyone who continues to attack them. Plus the solar charm is a reflexive defense, whereas the abyssal charm is an active attack. This mean the solar can do something, then make any number of counterattacks until their next action, while all the abyssal can do for their action is to maintain the hundred razor circle. Brave opponents may choose to weather the attack for the chance to close in and do a devastating flurry. Then again, ready in eight directions is defensive in nature and requires the solar's opponents to attack him, while the abyssal can just lash out at everyone around him. Of course, if either the abyssal or solar wants to do a bunch of attacks on several persons, the solar can do peony blossom attack or iron whirlwind attack, whereas the abyssal can do unfurling iron lotus or time-scything technique.

For the most part it seems solars are pretty straightforward when it comes to melee, getting additions to their attack or damage. Abyssals get all sorts of useful special effects. Take fire and stones strike, this beefs up post soak damage, but it mirror while harder to hit with, will cause a amputation effect if it hits. While an increase in post soak damage puts them down faster, I guess lopping off/smashing up both arms or legs may take them out of the fight just as fast. Thieving raiton claws and broken toys riposte can quickly disarm opponents. And the damage done by soul cleaving attack, particularly the essence and willpower ones can be pretty devastating. Having a lowered essence pool or losing willpower (and its not that you just lose a point of willpower, your max willpower is reduced until you heal that damage) for a day (at least, more if one is hit by more than one instance of the attack) is extremely annoying, particularly if you want to heal them, you can't regain essence or heal up.

All in all, fire and stones strike allows the solar to do more straight up health damage than an abyssal (particularly if combo-ed with peony blossom or iron whirlwind), and ready in eight directions stance makes the solar extremely dangerous even on the defensive. However, the abyssal has several ways to take an opponent out of the fight, even temporarily, by making them lose their weapon, or lopping off limbs or causing willpower/essence/virtue damage which may render them ineffective quicker than inflicting straight up health damage. The exception seems to be with blazing solar bolt/ebon lightning prana. Both can attack an opponent within essencex10 yards. Blazing solar bolt is useful against creatures of darkness, but ebon lightning prana is more useful in general. Ebon lightning prana may not do aggravated damage on anyone, but the attack is both unexpected (reducing parry and dodge dvs to 0!) and piercing (halving not natural soak!) and automagically stikes first.

Since the various martial arts styles can be used by either exalt, there isn't really a comparison to be made.

From an observation of the charms available to abyssals and solars, it appears that the solars are much better defensively and against superior numbers. They have two more useful resistance charms than the abyssals. While both get a hardness charm and a perfect defense, having something in between gives solars the edge when trying to weather attacks, particularly if they're a martial artist using a style that prevents them from using armor. And ready in eight directions lets the solar get a counterattack in for every attack they take, meaning they're giving as good as they're getting. Arrow storm lets a solar archer take on large groups as well.

Perhaps it does balance out- solars are more likely to fight singularly or in small circles. Abyssals on the other hand have better access to artifacts and troops. This is not to say solars don't have access to powerful artifacts or can't get a legion of followers. But they have to find those artifacts, and have to build those armies. Abyssals have the backing of deathlords, and will often start out with such things.

In terms of offense, while a solar archer can attack more people/make more attacks per action, the abyssal's arrows are more devastating, and the abyssal archer may not need to make as many attacks. Against extras though, the exalts' attacks are often powerful enough to kill on their own. So the solar archer seems more suited to raining death on a mundane army, whittling their numbers down, whereas the abyssal archer seems to work better as a sniper, using the special effects they can imbue on their arrows to take down more hefty opponents.

In melee, fire and stones strike gives the solar a damage booster to their attacks, which can be pretty devastating when combo-ed with peony blossom or iron whirlwind. As said earlier, the abyssals can make their melee attacks just as devastating even if they don't cause as much actual health damage. While those attacks can possibly take the abyssal's opponent out of the fight quicker, sometimes the abyssal wants to be doing levels of damage, particularly if they're wanting to use ravening mouth of melee to regain motes of essence. Then again, once the abyssal has lopped off or otherwise made the opponents limbs useless so they can't run away or fight back, there's nothing stopping them from feeding on the opponent at their pleasure to replenish their essence pools.

Ebon lightning prana is one of the more potent abyssal melee charms. While it does not provide a damage boost, it does make the attack unexpected and dealing piercing damage. When combo-ed with falling scythe attack (the thunderbolt attack prana mirror which gives the exalt a “signature attack” that gives a bonus success on the attack roll and doubles post soak damage) it gives the abyssal a pretty powerful strike first attack that can take place even before combat has even started.

In the end, I want to say in a fight between a solar and an abyssal, the abyssal has the advantage. The solar can weather hits better having more resistance charms and can continually answer every attack made on them with ready in eight directions stance. Ebon lightning prana gives the abyssal the opportunity to draw first blood, and when comboed properly, can possibly end the fight before its even started unless the defender uses a perfect defense. And while the solar has a couple more charms that can reduce taken damage, the abyssal can counteract that advantage by doing things to reduce the solar's combat effectiveness/take them out of the right without causing actual health levels of damage.

The biggest advantage though is with the abyssal's ravening mouth charm. When activated for the scene, any damage the abyssal does is converted into motes. So while the solar is continually hemorraging essence beefing up his attacks and defending, the abyssal can refill his essence stores on every successful attack. Basically, the solar has to weather the abyssal's attacks and put him down quick before the solar runs out of motes or the abyssal does something to take the solar out of the fight. The abyssal's best strategy would be to quickly make the solar run out of essence to take away their defensive advantage.