Exalted 2nd Edition Review

 

Hi everybody!  I thought I should review Exalted Second Edition!  Exalted is part of the Storyteller system by White Wolf, and it's a different take on Fantasy Roleplaying Games than other games.  You see, Exalted takes it's cues from world literature.  This includes the Bible, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Ramayana, Journey to the West, Arabian Nights, and Anime. So, instead of starting out like Frodo Baggins -- with nothing and little experience, you create a super human character called an Exalted.  In fact, in this game you will be playing Solar Exalted -- humans that carry a divine spark provided by the Unconquerable Sun.

What's in it?

The first chapter introduces you to the setting of Exalted.  Which is not set on a globe, but a flat planet called Creation.  At first, it starts with the Primordials, who made Creation and the gods.  Then they made the various races of Creation, including humanity.  Then the gods grew dissatisfied.  They took the best of humanity and exalted them with their essence.  The result was a Superhuman.  The Unconquerable Sun created the Solar exalted, the Moon created Lunar exalted, the planets created the Sidereal exalted, and the elemental dragons created the Terrestial exalted.

Then the gods with their exalted humans made war on the Primordials. After many years of war, the Exalted triumphed.  But not without the Primordials cursing the Exalted with a terrible curse. After that, the Exalted ruled over creation.

But after a time, the curse wore powerfully on the Solar exalted, and the Terrestial exalted rebelled against the Solar exalted and overthrew them.  Mostly at the urging of the Sidereal exalted. It was to save Creation.  But now, after a few thousand years, the Solar exalted are returning.

The second chapter talks about character creation. The character creation is similar to other Storyteller games by White Wolf.  Including Werewolf: the Apocalypse. You begin with a concept and are given free reign to create your Solar Exalted. He or she can come from any nation or creed of humanity.  He or she is a superhero, that's for sure, but he or she probably doesn't know unless she was instructed by a mentor.

You start with a concept for your character, then choose a caste (which is analogous to Character Class in other roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons or Palladium Fantasy), then choose a motivation.  After the core of your character is chosen, then you decide attributes.  The game allows you to develop between mental attributes, physical attributes, and then social attributes.  You decide which your character excels at.  Like other roleplaying games -- Attributes in Exalted are your ability scores (in D&D), or attributes (like Palladium Fantasy).

After that, you choose your abilities.  These are your skills, and they are divided after which Caste excels at. Dawn abilities are warrior abilities.  Zenith abilities are priestly abilities.  Twilight abilities are spellcaster or wizard abilities.  Night abilities are thief or rogue abilities.  Finally, there are the Eclipse abilities which are social abilities.  Of course, you may also specialize in an ability to two.

After your abilities are determined, your advantages are determined.  These include your background, your charms (which are superhuman abilities), then you determine your virtues -- which are an aide in roleplaying. After that, you apply your finishing touches which include your character's willpower, her intimacies (another aide in roleplaying), essence and health levels.  After your solar exalted character is created, then you work with the storyteller to work about a background story, called the prelude.  There are also some basic questions to ask about your character.  After all this, an example of character creation is recounted. After that, there is a character creation summary.

Chapter three describes the traits used in the game. This chapter also contains a discussion of each Caste of Solar Exalted. Starting with Dawn, which are the warriors of the Solar Exalted. After that, comes the Zenith caste, which are the priests. After that is the Twilight caste, which are scholars and wizards.  Night comes after Twilight, who are thieves, assassins, and rogues. Finally comes the Eclipse Caste, which are diplomats and social butterflies.

After that, the attributes are discussed.  As said before, the attributes are a total of nine, divided into three.  Physical attributes are your character's body capabilities, while social attributes are their looks and charisma.  Finally there are the mental attributes, which include perception and wits. After all this are the virtues -- a roleplaying aid.  Then the flaws.

After the flaws come the Abilities. All the abilities denote the Solar's skills.  There are five abilities for each Caste. First the Dawn cast abilities are given, then the Zenith abilities, and so on. After the abilities, the backgrounds are discussed.  And each background works like the backgrounds in other White Wolf storyteller games. Then Essence and willpower are explained.

Then comes Chapter four: Drama and Systems.  This chapter discusses how the game is played.  It's the longest chapter in the book.  Although the first rule of the game is to have fun.  The second is if you don't like it, you change it for your game.  Then the rules, and how they interact with your character, are discussed.

After this comes chapter five. Which includes all the Solar Charms, combinations, and sorcery.  Here, the superhuman abilities of the Solars are discussed.  And there are several charms for each skill. You can create combinations of charms for your solar character.  It is here that certain spells are discussed as well.  After chapter five, comes chapter six, Storytelling.  This chapter talks about telling the story for the game, and it's invaluable for the storyteller (or game master).

As a storyteller game, Exalted does not disappoint.  But the game assumes that you already know how to be a storyteller (or GM).  The chapter goes over game styles and other things the storyteller needs to know. Including action and experience.  The comics help here too (there are comics included in the core rulebook).

Chapter seven deals with antagonists.  The examples in the book cover everything, including a small bestiary.  Of course, there are other books (like Exalted: the Infernals, the Dragonblooded, et. al.) that can help you round out antagonists for your games. Finally, chapter seven talks about disease, and how different diseases (including leprosy, consumption, and hysteria and others) affects your game.  There is two diseases for each virtue. 

by Immanuel Giel.

The last chapter deals with items in Creation.  Everything is bought and sold by the Jade standard, which is different from other fantasy roleplaying games (D&D and Palladium Fantasy uses a gold standard). This depends on how many dots in Resources you have.  The more dots, the more you can create your panoply with.  After all this, there is an index.  There is a map of Creation both in the back and the front of the book.

Conclusion

 This game, Exalted Second Edition, is White Wolf's better game.  It's the best, better than Werewolf or even Vampire.  The game allows you to play over the top heroes in an over the top setting.  You aren't playing monsters, but super-heroes in an fantasy setting.  It's a storyteller game, though, and requires some thought to play.  Despite it's flaws, I recommend it for adults (it's marketed to adults). It's not good to start with, although if you are a kid reading this, I suggest starting with Dungeons and Dragons or Palladium Fantasy.