Vibrating Strings Defense

Cost: 5m; Mins: Performance 4, Essence 3; Type: Reflexive (Step 5)
Keywords: Combo-OK, Obvious
Duration: One scene
Prerequisite Charms: Invisible Street Performer Technique

Dragon-Blooded musicians rarely tolerate their performances being interrupted by anything so gauche as an attack by armed men. This potent Charm allows a Dragon-Blood to parry any attack with the music he creates through his instrument. Those foolish enough to attack the musician find their mightiest melee and ranged attacks turned aside by a particularly loud thrum of a sanxian's strings or a single mighty strike of a drum or gong.

For the duration of the scene, the Dragon-Blood can replace his normal parry Ability with his Performance for purposes of calculating Parry DV. Any dots the Dragon-Blood has in an applicable Performance specialty also applies to calculating Parry DV. Finally, any Performance Excellencies the Dragon-Blood has can be used to further improve Parry DV for the duration of the scene, exactly as if they were Melee or Martial Arts Excellencies.

In addition to a minimum of Performance 4, the Dragon-Blood must also have a specialty in some kind of musical instrument or else activate the Talented Improvisation Charm prior to beginning her performance.

This Charm is a reflexive one that can be used freely without the need for a Combo. It can be activated on any tick on which the Exalt is subject to an attack.