Excellencies

The Chosen enjoy a fundamental power called the Excellencies. When a Solar uses an Excellency, she channels pure Essence into her endeavors—the fundamental power of the sun quickens and strengthens her blows, sharpens her sight, or steadies her hands. Her own prowess is amplified directly. Excellencies can produce dramatically potent results, but are unrefined and inefficiently costly expressions of power. Still, often they are the only recourse available to a very young Exalt, and brute force is often sufficient to carry the day. Excellencies remain an important tool for even the most experienced and skilled Exalts.

The Solar Exalted may use their Excellencies to enhance any rolled action, or any application of a static value. To enhance a rolled action, the Solar simply spends one mote of Essence per die added to the roll. The Solar may spend up to (Attribute + Ability) motes, subject to the normal limitations on adding dice to a roll with magic (see "Using Charms and Charm Limitations," above). When using an Excellency to enhance a static value, the Solar spends two motes of Essence for every point by which she raises the static value, and may spend up to (Attribute + [Ability that contributes to the static value]) motes, again, subject to normal static value-raising limitations. All Excellency use is of instant duration. If the Excellency is being used to enhance a dice roll it is considered supplemental. If it is being used in a defense it is considered reflexive.

Gaining Excellencies: Solars automatically gain an Excellency for each Caste and Favored Ability in which they possess at least one dot, as well as any Ability for which they have learned at least one Charm. This costs no experience points during play and does not count against starting Charms at character creation. Other sorts of Exalted also have Excellencies, which function somewhat differently, as detailed in Chapter Eight.

Example Excellency

Excellent Solar Larceny
Cost: 1m per die; Mins: Larceny 1, Essence 1
Type: Supplemental
Keywords: None
Duration: Instant
Prerequisite Charms: Any one Larceny Charm or Larceny as Caste or Favored

The Exalt channels Essence into her hands, making them deceptively fast or nimble, capable of switching tiles, palming objects, or pickpocketing goods right under the nose of an adversary. She may also use this power to quicken her wits in order to formulate deceptions, to increase her cunning, identify likely targets for robbery or deceit, or to devise and apply a convincing disguise.