Howdy all! I've been running exalted since 1e, and just recently started my first 3e game. I specifically asked the players not to get too heavy in terms of combat (I asked them to limit themselves to about ~5 combat charms at character creation) because I find Exalted most interesting when people can both fight but also do other shit. I've got 5 players (3 solars, a DB and a lunar).
But this is still exalted, so fighting is certain still a thing, and I'm having some bumps getting used to 3e combat, as are my players. I'm sure that practice will make perfect, but I need some ideas for threatening but not deadly antagonists I can use to let all of us gain comfort in combat.
I've used some Hobgoblins, bandits and zombies, and while the hobgoblins felt like they hit the right spot between "takes some effort to kill" and "won't paste the protagonists", I felt that the zombies/bandits, even using the combat-unit rules, were kinda chumps? Like they had very little chance of harming my only-okay-in-combat players, and while they sucked up some hits, it never felt like a real threat.
Is there any way to make pretty regular mortals dangerous to exalts? It seems to me that they might have actually been more challenging if they were fighting separately and able to make full use of withering/decisive attacks?
I know 3e has gotten rid of a lot of how to empower mortals stuff, and I'm putting a bit back in just to have non-exalted antagonists, but am I reading the system correct that by default mortals really aren't meant to be any kind of threat to exalts?
Related question -> what's the best way people have found to notate and run exalted antagonists? I really don't have the brainspace to keep in mind every charm an experienced DB might have access to. Do you just make some notes about "Okay Timmy Dragonmuffin attacks with a daiklave, he routinely uses Charm X for 3 motes, when he can decisive attack he adds charm Y/Z, and if he's pressed he'll use Charm Q"? Just write a few attack lines?