Exalted Arena

This is a simple rules set for a persistent Exalted Arena being set in OpenRPG. Do not download the 64-bit versions of python or wxpython! They do not work, not even on 64-bit machines! Use the 32-bit versions instead.

• A friend of mine had trouble with wxpython 2.8.7. For PCs, 2.8.4 can be found here.

Introduction

In the height of the First Age, the Exalted created a vast network of teleportation gates. Some of these went directly to other cities, but some, still stranger, were fashioned in the likeness of the Gates to Heaven. Out of the distilled Essence of the Wyld, forged within Elsewhere, and breached with ninety gates scattered across Creation, the Exalted forged the great diplomatic arena that would become Paxremai.

While not so large as Malfeas or even Yu Shan, 'Pax' is still immense, a task worthy of the Exalted and necessitated by its immense transportive power. Crossed with rivers of gold and silver much like Yu Shan, the great city can be crossed in minutes.

While these rules may grow to encompass something more complex, for the moment they are mostly just ground rules for a sparring system. If a base of good storytellers can be found, these could happily be expanded.

Character Creation

• Players may have only one of any given Celestial Exalted character at a time. That is, one Solar, one Lunar, one Sidereal, one Abyssal (when the 2e book is released), one Alchemical (ditto), and so on.
• Players may have one dragon-blooded of each element.
• Character creation is standard. However, during the course of Exalted Arena, some Charms, Artifacts, or Hearthstones may be changed or banned outright (the process is described below).
• All characters must be approved by an ST for use. Once they approve your character, you will get added to the Player Roster (you will see a notice of this occurring). You may then play.
• Maximum starting Essence is 3.

Server Rules

• Fights are official on the Exalted Arena server only.
• Server-sided dice are mandatory. That is, dice are rolled a la {3d10.vs(7)} instead of [3d10.vs(7)]. If you roll with client-sided dice, any ST or opposing player may ask that you roll with the server-sided dice. Refusal means that your result will be considered a botch.
• All actions are logged, of course, but you must keep your own fight-log as well. This is a fairly simple log where you record the room you were in, the character you used and her Tier, the character(s) you fought and their Tiers, the type of fight (social, physical, etc.), the amount of essence and wp spent, health levels lost, time started and ended, and the result.
• If a Storyteller asks for your character sheet, you are to hand it over immediately.
• No one but an ST has the right to see your character sheet, but you may of course hand it over voluntarily.
• If no ST is present, any third party familiar with the Exalted ruled may act as a referee to resolve rule disputes. These can be raised with STs at a later time for clarification.

Fight Rules

• A character may only fight opponents of their own Tier, unless facing multiple opponents.
• Once a character concedes or is knocked unconscious, the fight is over, and no more actions may be taken. If, somehow, the character does die (note the Incapacitated Health Levels equal Permanent Essence house rule), then the character will be removed from the Roster.
• A character's action is expected to be resolved within ten minutes of their opponent's. There will be some exceptions to these rules - if both players agree, for example, or for new players. The first time this rule is violated in a fight, the offending player loses 1 willpower, 1 aggravated health level, and 10 Essence. The second time, they forfeit the match.

Advancement Rules

• As mentioned above, you log every fight your character participates in, and you begin at Tier 0 (Neophyte). Every ten (10) fights at that Tier, win or lose, your character is considered to have advanced a Tier. This gives you a new xp total to play with.
  • Once you have advanced a character past a given Tier, you may advance any character of that Caste or Aspect to that Tier in the future, should a character perish or you wish to make a new one.
  • You may maintain 'old Tier' versions of your characters.
  • You may adjust your character's experience purchases. However, any starting adjustments must be approved by a Storyteller.
• Your Essence is limited to the value listed for a Tier. Your character's actual age is irrelevant (I suppose this would be another House Rule).
• Currently, characters with craft abilities will still need to purchase backgrounds with xp, no matter what their ability. This may change if the game gets enough helper STs.

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Tier	Max Essence	Celestial Experience	Dragon-Blooded Experience
0 (Neophyte)	3	0	0
1 (Initiate)	3	50	60
2 (Green)	3	100	120
3 (Veteran)	4	250	300
4 (Elite)	4	500	600
5 (Champion)	5	750	900
6 (Adept)	6	1,250	1,500
7 (Master)	7	1,750	2,100
8 (Grand Master)	8	2,250	2,700
9 (Demigod)	9	3,000	3,600

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House and Game Rules

• Characters have Incapacitated health levels equal to their permanent Essence score. This is to make things slightly more survivable. This is the only 'real' house rule, currently.

• 3 xp purchases a background dot.
• By default, 2-die stunts are assumed, as long as some roleplay is given. If a player's role-playing is consistently above or below par, they may be relegated to 1 or 3 die stunts as appropriate. This will be done by no less than 3 GMs.
• Second-Edition rules only. This means no merits or flaws are allowed. If the book for a given type is not yet out, it cannot be played.
• All 2e books are allowed, but you must create a summary for any Charm, Hearthstone, or Artifact that you use outside of the core book or a core splat (the Manuals of Exalted Power).

Getting things Banned

• Some abilities, techniques, and such are simply too twinkish for their own good. If an Artifact, Hearthstone, Charm, or some combination of effects is broken, you are encouraged to declare such and that you are building your character to take advantage of this wickedness.
• The above means that if you are the one claiming an effect is broken, it is your responsibility to build the character that demonstrates such.
• If no one challenges you, and a suitable number of players have seen the challenge, then it will stand, and the effect will be removed from the game in one manner or another. Either there will be a house rule, or the effect will be stripped entirely.
• If you are challenged, you must defeat the opponent in a fight appropriate to the needs of the challenge.
• Convincing us that a Charm is underpowered for its purpose follows the opposite method.