Whirlwind Hand of the Striker

Cost: 4m, 1wp; Mins: Thrown 5, Essence 2
Type: Simple
Keywords: Decisive-only
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Diving Hawk Discipline

The Solar makes an Essence-infused throw that strikes her opponent to the ground. This Charm is a difficulty 4 Thrown gambit that, if successful, will knock down an opponent. Alternately, if the Solar hurls a bola, net, or other snare, then she makes a difficulty 4 Thrown-based grapple gambit against her target. If successful, roll (Strength + Thrown) to establish clinch control, with a number of automatic successes equal to extra successes on the initial attack roll plus one. The control roll cannot be modified by Thrown or other Ability Charms. If successful the target is snared for the number of control rounds plus one. If the number of control rounds exceeds their Strength, they also fall to the ground. A snared char¬acter can attempt to struggle free by spending a complete action without a flurry to remove two rounds of control each turn. They can also instantly break free from snares made of non-magical materials (cords, cables, etc) with a Strength 5+ difficulty 5 feat of strength. Lastly, if the Lawgiver has the other end of a line, rope, or other tether hooked to the snare, then if she knows the Brawl Charm Crashing Wave Throw (Exalted p. 275) then she can use it to sling her opponent vio¬lently into scenery with a decisive throw. The Solar is considered to have (Essence + 1) more Strength than her actual rating for the purpose of this stunt. Damage on this attack resets the Solar to base Initiative. Lastly, unassisted characters must struggle at least one round to remove this snare, even if the control rounds have been completely expended. A net won't just fall off on its own, and a character bound by the legs and hurled with Crashing Wave Throw isn't set free by smashing into scenery, even though this forfeits all rounds of control. This gambit can be supplemented by Diving Hawk Discipline. On Whirlwind Hand of the Striker I know it is a complex Charm. Just make sure to record ex¬tra successes on the attack roll to apply to the control roll. The Crashing Wave Throw tie-in can be ignored if you don't have Brawl, but if you want to play a character who hooks people by the legs with a weighted line and then hurls them to a dangle over the rooftops, this is the Charm for you.

As an aside, if you want to free a snared character, there are a couple of ways you might do it. A Storyteller should require a character to use their action without a flurry and an appropriate stunt to try to help a friend get free, removing an additional -2 rounds of control. Alternately you might have them try a difficulty 3 gambit to cut the snare loose with an edged, lethal weapon. A botch on the Initiative roll should be rather spectacular.