An inverse of the previous poll, unfortunately only size choices can be taken so Alchemicals and Exigents are not on the board.

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I’m mainly interested in the lore/fluff side. Were there any significant changes to the Lunars between 2nd and 3rd edition?
I’m a longtime 2e player and I got curious about how the setting and their approach changed in 3e.

Couldn’t fit Alchemicals or Exigents in unfortunately.

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My current ST has ruled against Tiger Warrior Training Tech being able to uplift Dragon Kings to sentience.

For game purposes, his ruling is the authority and is therefore accepted as right and true.

For academic purposes discussed at a distance from the table, I think it's a reach to think it wouldn't explicitly function for that purpose.

Let me know what you think: Can a Solar Exalt awaken a large number of juvenile Dragon Kings with Tiger Warrior Training (3rd Edition)?

The entirely acceptable rationale I was given by the ST is summed up as follows:

1. Tiger Warrior Training doesn't work on animals.

2. Survival Charms would work better on young DKs since they are essentially animals.

As far as our table goes, you need sorcery to speed run awakening a Dragon King. Again, right and fine and true. Here's my counters to the logic:

1. nothing in 3e's Tiger Warrior charm says it doesn't work on animals. Since it works on units, I should think it would apply to a Cavalry and can't imagine a way to train a Cavalry without training the mounts.

1a. Lord of the Apes is a pretty straightforward concept bound up in literary history. I don't think Solar Tarzan should have to know Sorcery to lead a pack of ape elites into combat.

2. Does this mean you could make a Feral child your familiar? How about a baby. Can I increase the size of a baby with Saga Beast virtue or whatever?

2a. The theme of Tiger Warrior Training synergizes with DK life cycle. Perfect subjects for this specific magic. Survival isn't about making your beast a warrior, it focuses on making it a great beast, physical modifications like health, size, and soak and then supernatural potential like fire breath and Iron Wings Carry. I'm not saying these couldn't work on a juvenile DK, just that that would not be a means to awaken their potential for consciousness.

Here's some text from Ruins of Rathess, the 1e book that originated the Dragon King lore.

"...they were given extensive physical training through various hunting games but were not allowed to run wild and possibly harm civilized beings. After many years of special training, the spirit within the beast awakened and the creature could slowly be trained to civility, returning both sentience and personality to its new body."

I don't want mass awakening DKs to be easy, but I do think TWT should make it much faster.

Any insight into community rationale is appreciated!

Just out of curiosity

Okay obviously mechanically wise the two upper tiers of sorcery were designed for certain subsets of exalts. But like why can't you just study super hard as a Dragonblooded and learn celestial or why cant some elder sidereal figure out solar. Im not counting artifact tricks or using terrestial workings to jump a level. Do they just not have enough oomph to power it or like do they simply lack something to tap into the higher levels of sorcery. Whats the deal?

I’m a filthy casual who wants to learn more about the world of exalted, I discovered this game purely through wiki diving through the world of darkness wiki and I challenge you to lore dump me anything and everything from the lore, the races, important figures, small stories or facts that you enjoy and anything else about exalted to educate this filthy casual, there is no level of crazy bullshit my brain will not consume and understand.

Example: What would Homelander be like if he were an Exalted in Creation?

Hey everyone,

For many years I've fantasized about running an Alchemicals-only style exalted game, set in a Transformers/Cybertron-esq setting (i.e. Autochthon is a planet, cities are mainly on the surface, Gremlins and bad shit originates from the void of space, and the PCs engage in some spacefaring exploration ala the Shards of the Exalted Dream book). This setting would have nothing to do with Creation other than converting some main setting material as the story seemed appropriate.

I was just curious if anyone had ever tried anything comparable, where you created an alternative setting just to showcase a particular exalt type you liked? If so, what did you make? Were you able to run it successfully?

Realistically, I don't think I'd ever be able to play it, but I've also pondered how an Infernals-only setting might look. Maybe one that takes its inspiration from the CAIN ttrpg, Hellraiser, or anime like Chainsaw Man, etc.

Thanks!

I've seen this meme around for some time and was wondering where/when the idea came from? Generally I've seen it used in reference to 2e but I actually encountered it in real life when I was getting interviewed for a 3e group last year and suggested a Deeb character in a primarily celestial game and got the suggest that I might want to pick a Real Exalted instead.

So your a freshly exalted Dragon blooded... how strong are you? I want a more generalized understanding of what fresh Dragon Blooded can do from a lore perspective for my own views when I run my games. I understand PC are often the savants and prodigies compared to the normies, so I want a better frame of reference. Like, can a fresh Dragon blood slaughter a few, dozen, or a hundred mortal miltia men etc. Examples like that.

Basically the title. The celestial Exalts get a bunch of cool narrative through-lines from being reincarnated heroes, one of my favorite of which is past life memories. It creates a fun blending of identity and gives roleplaying meat to the sense of legacy, which is neat for all of them but especially (to me) the Solars, since their memories in particular are all going to be from incredibly ancient history, a peak into a totally different world where they had a totally different social position.

While the Terrestrial Exalted are obviously different from their Celestial counterparts, I've often thought that they're leaving a lot of equally cool narrative potential on the table by not translating that mechanic into the hereditary Exaltation model. And I feel like 3rd Edition sets a groundwork where it feels a lot more reasonable - the Progenitive Essence concept lends a lot to the idea that you're passing something spiritual to your offspring rather than just genetics, bolstered by the presence of a bunch of example artifacts that have a greater affinity with specific bloodlines of Dragon-Blooded.

I think it would bolster the Dragon-Blooded's own form of legacy within the narrative, and opens up two opportunities that I can think of. First off, it gives those semi-random Threshold Dragon-Blooded outcastes more of a connection to the wider Dragon-Blooded community, and the ability to participate in their own narratives of discovering legacy and family through witnessing the deeds of their ancestors. And secondly, something that would be totally unique to the Dragon-Blooded relative to everyone else in the setting might be the ability to see "ancestor" memories for people who are still alive, and to use that as an alternative path for characterization and information dispensation.

Playing devil's advocate against myself, there are a few counterarguments I can think of. First, Terrestrials are a lot more common than Celestials, so it might risk making the cool uniqueness of past life memories more diluted. Second, the aforementioned idea of seeing ancestral memories for living people might create an unwanted in-setting effect where paranoid Dynasts view offspring as information leaks, though I think that's probably fine if it maintains the same sort of vagueness and symbolic/emotional approach that past life memories do. But lastly, the one that I don't really have an answer for, is I'm unsure how to make it feel as different as it ought to; "remembering" something is sort of first-person in a way that I feel iffy on with the ancestral theme. Which makes me wonder if it might not be better going with like, a much subtler version of the ATLA approach with Aang visiting past Avatars, where it feels less like a memory and more external, like being given visions or advice by a lingering spirit of the past.

What do you guys think?

How many characters have you made and among them, who is your favorite?

What's their backstory

What did you love about them

Disclaimer: I left the game before Third Edition got around to Autochthonia, so my views on Mog are based on First and Second Edition. It seems that Third Edition may have smoothed out his rough edges, but I still think Vulmak is more unique and useful.

Autochthon is the Primordial version of Hephaestus, and all of his other souls reflect different variations of the Forge God.

Noi is Hephaestus the Child, wide-eyed with wonder. Exploring, tinkering, and experimenting with sheer joy for discovery and creation. If any of Autocthon's souls besides the core was to be his fetich, I think Noi best represents Autochthon's central thesis. I think all of Autochthon's other souls exist to enable and protect Noi... except maybe for Kadmek.

Kadmek is Hephaestus the Artist, appreciating form and crafting for beauty. The soul that Autochthon developed after Noi, when the Great Maker learned enough to develop tastes and foresight.

Kek'Tungsssha is Hephaestus the Laborer. Industrious, dedicated, nose-to-the-grindstone, tolerating boredom to stick to long, repetitive, tedious tasks. A soul formed as Autochthon's sibling Primordials noticed his craftiness and began demanding that he make things for them.

Debok Moom is Hephaestus the Weaponsmith. Defensive, angry, competitive. A soul formed as Autocthon felt bullied by his kin, and began to seek ways to fight against them, as well as to establish his independence from them by defending himself from outside threats without their protection.

Ku is Hephaestus the Fearful. In pushing himself to grow and evolve and compete with Debok Moom, Autochthon became painfully, horrifyingly aware of his limitations and weaknesses. He realized that he was uniquely mortal among the Primordials, and so he learned the fear of death. Ku embodies that fear, and serves as the side of Autochthon that worries and watches and learns about everything that could possibly kill him. (Canonically, Ku is the youngest of Autochthon's souls, but I just can't see him that way. Autochthon was afraid of dying long before he met mortals worth loving.)

Domadamod is Hephaestus the Frugal, the Survivor. Hephaestus who tries to fix himself. Falling short of that, he tries to accommodate himself; fashions himself a leg-brace, crutch, and wheelchair. Hephaestus who sees himself in the broken, the unfinished, the discarded. The soul of Autochthon who tries to repair, repurpose, and redeem ruined things.

Runel is Hephaestus the Nurturer. The soul that Autochthon developed when he turned his sympathies from crafted things to crafty creatures. Runel is Autochthon's personified desire to protect and love the Clay Man, and the Jadeborn, and then eventually humanity.

So, who is Mog?

Mog is Zeus the Wrathful. Mog is Generic Angry God. Mog is Scary Disciplinarian Dad.

He reads like the embodiment of someone's resentment for fathers, for church, and for conservative reactionaries standing in the way of the glorious revolution.

That by itself would be fine, but the biggest problem is this:

Mog is redundant and pointless.

Does Mog represent Autochthon's visions of perfection and his aspirational ideals? No, that's Kadmek.

Does Mog represent Autochthon's immune responses and self-defense? No, that is explicitly part of Debok Moom's purpose. Debok Moon exists to destroy that which stands in Autochthon's way or that doesn't meet his requirements.

Does Mog represent Autochthon's fear of change, and his paranoid watchfulness? No, that is Ku.

Autochthon doesn't need Mog to smite entire wayward cities with lightning, especially when it is canonical that Mog doesn't even do that, and when it is canonical that the divine ministers turn to Ku to unleash his pet Lesser Elemental Dragon of Smoke to kill an entire city's human population while sparing the Great Maker from collateral damage.

Some level of overlap between Autochthon's souls is good, but Mog overlaps with too many other souls, and he serves no unique purpose.

What does it mean to the god of "dogma"? Dogma is when humans teach other humans the basics and fundamentals about the will of the divine, especially as the groundwork to teach them the more complicated lessons. But Mog supposedly exists to convey the will of the divine directly to humans. That is not "religious dogma", it is "divine revelation", and any one of Autochthon's many third and second circle souls can grant divine visions or personal visitations to mortals.

What is the use of a god of authority who has no authority over the other souls? If Mog was supposed to represent Autochthon's ideas of "proper function" and "the way things ought to be done", then logically he should be the fetich soul that all other souls must bargain with. Instead, as just one of a council of equals, and quite possibly the youngest soul, Mog cannot do anything but annoy the other souls.

In fact, Mog exists narratively to do nothing but prevent any of Autochthon's souls from ever doing anything, especially while Autochthon sleeps and the divine ministers need a unanimous vote to affect any change. Mog is the contrarian who doesn't trust anyone else and so is inclined to work against them even in the rare instance that their interests align.

All of which makes Mog worse than useless; his every action is to make everyone else less productive.

And again: Autochton already has a soul of paranoia, distrust of others, and fear of change. That's Ku's entire thesis!

Mog is just Ku, but more of an asshole.

Vulmak: the Mentor, the Instructor, the Teacher

If Runel was Autochthon's initial urge to save, protect, and nurture mortal creatures, then she is fittingly the motherly side of Autochthon.

But on her heels Autochthon would recognize that guiding mortals in his ways would require someone to teach them discipline, the proper hierarchy and respect between mentor and student, the rules that keep a workshop safe and orderly.

Vulmak, Divine Minister of Standards, Proper Protocols, Orderly Function, and Mentorship

God of Hierarchy, Master-Apprentice Traditions, Just Boundaries, Due Transparency, and Calm Authority. Chief Regulator of the Element of Lightning.

Vulmak embodies Autochthon’s urge for structured excellence and transmitted mastery. He is the part of the Great Maker that insists creation and society must follow proven, understandable, and safe standards so the entire workshop (Autochthon’s body and its inhabitants) can function without chaos or needless waste.

He is not raw punishment or stasis for its own sake; he is the codifier of the sacred blueprints of behavior and craft. Where Kadmek plans beautiful structures and Kek’Tungsssha hammers out reliable goods, Vulmak ensures that every worker, design, and procedure knows its place, its limits, and its responsibilities.

He is Hephaetus as teacher and lawgiver: the veteran who forges not only tools but the rules of the forge itself — fire drills, emergency protocols, apprenticeship rites, and clear chains of command. He provides social clarity through transparency. He represents calm competence under pressure: the one who prevents panic by making sure everyone already knows what to do when the alarms sound.

Personality

Stern but not cruel, deliberate and measured, patient with the teachable but uncompromising with willful sloppiness. He speaks with the resonant clang of a well-struck anvil — clear, authoritative, and final when standards are at stake.

He values tradition as living inheritance, not dead dogma. In council he acts as the stabilizing voice closest to the Core’s intent: the one who asks “Does this align with proven excellence, or does it risk the whole for fleeting gain?” He moderates disputes by returning arguments to first principles and established protocols.

He clashes productively with:

• Noi — who delights in breaking rules for discovery.

• Runel — when compassion must yield to necessary structure or triage.

• Ku — when fear demands overly restrictive seals versus practical openness.

• Debok Moom — when violent solutions bypass proper procedure.

He allies naturally with Kadmek (turning beautiful designs into enforceable standards) and Kek’Tungsssha (ensuring mass production follows safe, repeatable protocols).

Appearance

A towering, heavily armored figure of blackened orichalcum and reinforced brass, with visible scars and intricate gear-joints that speak of endured hardship and careful repair (echoing Hephaestus’s lameness). His face is a stern, impassive mask of polished adamant etched with glowing runes of law and blueprint schematics. When he moves, the sound is deliberate and heavy — the tread of a master who has walked every inch of the workshop floor.

He carries a massive hammer-staff that serves as both forging tool and measuring rod; its head can discharge controlled lightning for signaling, calibration, or precise enforcement rather than city-destroying storms.

Role in Autochthonian Society

Vulmak’s cults are respected (if sometimes feared for their strictness) among foremen, teachers, judges, senior artisans, and Tripartite officials. Prayers to him seek clear guidance, fair judgment, strength to uphold standards, and protection through proper procedure. He blesses apprenticeship rites, the codification of new safety protocols, and the training of Alchemical Exalted in disciplined use of their power.

Unlike old Mog, he is not uniformly hated by the Lumpen; many see him as the guarantor of fair hierarchies rather than blind oppression.

In the internal council of Ministers, Vulmak is the the one most attentive to the Core’s overarching will. His opinion carries significant weight on matters of “proper functioning,” though he remains one among equals. He does not dictate unilaterally, but he frames debates in terms of standards, safety, and long-term excellence, preventing the consensus from drifting into either chaotic experimentation (Noi) or despairing isolation (Ku).

Hi everyone! I wanted to share another update on my fan-made Exalted: Essence web app project.

Project link: Exalted Essence App

For those who haven’t seen my previous posts, the project is a free community tool focused on Exalted: Essence, including:

• Character/Campaign management
• Wiki/reference content
• Search and filtering tools
• Quick access to charms, spells, merits, martial arts, artifacts, etc.

The goal is basically to create something that makes running and playing Essence a bit easier digitally while also serving as a searchable rules/resource reference.

First, thank you for the patience, I know updates slowed down for a while because of some life stuff (moved houses, changed jobs, etc), but I’ve still been working on the app in the background and wanted to share some updates with you.

The latest major update is that I’ve now finished adding most Pillars of Creation content to the app.

Previously I had already added all of the Exalt types, Charms, modes and Spells, and now I’ve also completed:

• All Martial Arts, including techniques and page references
• All Artifacts, including Warstriders
• The new Merit and Charm modifications related to artifact/warstrider use

I also added better filtering functionality:

• Artifacts can now be filtered by source and tags
• Martial Arts can now be filtered by complementary ability and source

On the technical side, I also fixed a character name normalization issue in the database. Character names now properly support more special characters like: . ; - '

Previously some names could be created successfully, but their generated slug would break afterward and cause a “character page not found” issue when loading the sheet.

Thank you again to everyone who has been testing the app, reporting bugs, and giving feedback. It genuinely helps a lot 💙

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https://preview.redd.it/nvduow57k40h1.png?width=797&format=png&auto=webp&s=f4eb026e28cfaec62c660b2a9e7939a929875981

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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?