Extras

As a cinematic high-action game, Exalted assumes that protagonists and major supporting characters will scythe through legions of minions and flunkies with comparative ease. Within the combat rules, the concept of extras reinforces this idea. Simply put, an extra is a nameless, faceless adversary of no particular consequence, dangerous only in mass numbers. From a narrative sense, extras serve several functions. First, they provide animate scenery upon which protagonists can show off their phenomenal skill and powers. On the reverse side, they slow down the Chosen and/or force them to waste precious Essence before they can face the "real" enemies. The following rules define the extra template:

Reduced Health: Extras have only three health levels of damage. They can be Unhurt, -1, -3, Incapacitated or Dead, with their -3 level treated as -4 for the purpose of impaired movement. Extras usually die as soon as lethal damage reduces them below Incapacitated rather than spending a period of time dying. However, the Storyteller may relax this rule for dramatic purposes so a mortally wounded soldier can deliver a final report or an enemy can gloat how his master will destroy the heroes, et cetera. If a creature already has three or fewer health levels before being classified as an extra, use those instead.

Automatic Damage: Damage is not rolled against extras. Instead, divide the final raw damage after soak by three, rounded up. Apply the result as levels of the appropriate damage type. This does mean that any attack that hits an extra will inflict at least one level of damage.

Not Heroic: Extras do not count 10s as two successes, nor are they normally capable of stunts. If a scene requires a measure of drama that qualifies as a stunt, the Storyteller may relax this limitation on a rare case-by-case situation. Extras do not spend Willpower for bonus successes or to channel Virtues except in defense of their Motivation.

Profile Statistics: Most extra profiles have full statistics, if only because they may serve another role in the story. However, every member of that profile uses the same statistics, allowing the Storyteller to keep notes for "Generic Zombie" or "Varangian Militia" or "Veteran Mercenary" as needed for encounters. Sone sample profiles for a variety of basic character types may be found in Mortals page.