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When exalted, the character is provided a merit. All characters have an essence pool, but only some can really make use of it. Exalts are gifted with an expansion predicated on the type of exaltation they're gifted. I want them to be themed - their essence expands based off the theme of their exaltation and on principle. Solars will benefit more from higher virtues, lunars from willpower, and sidereals from base permanent essence rating, for example.
I jotted down some notes before feeling like my numbers were fairly arbitrary and that I might benefit, once again, from checking the editions that preceded this one. I checked each of the core books I own specifically before simply finding this :
http://wiki.white-wolf.com/exalted/index.php?title=Essence_Pool
The numbers line up. Anyway, 2nd Ed. is pretty arbitrary. The link gives us the maximum possible pools, which are fairly substantial at a character's end game. But why are sidereal personal pools so truncated vs. starting lunar pools? What's the reason for the wonky Willpower/Virtue/Essence multiplication discrepancies? Why do mortals get higher personal essence pools than dragons-blooded?
I didn't get a response from RPG.net yet, so I probably won't get an answer from anyone there. My guess is the answer is 'no particular reason'.
In a way, that's nice. I don't have any particular rational to deal with. The basic essence pool math will be the same for everyone. The essence chain will still be solars, other celestials, terrestrials, mortals if it's easily managed. Willpower is really easy to bump vs. permanent essence, though, and the chart on the link clearly shows that Lunars would have an easier time at character creation while Sidereals pull ahead by 10 motes at the very end because the multiplication on the permanent Essence is 2 higher than the lunar, but in terms of most games the player is likely to actually play, Sidereals are fairly crippled on their essence reserves.
I'm not 100% sure how to go about dealing with that.
I jotted down some notes before feeling like my numbers were fairly arbitrary and that I might benefit, once again, from checking the editions that preceded this one. I checked each of the core books I own specifically before simply finding this :
http://wiki.white-wolf.com/exalted/index.php?title=Essence_Pool
The numbers line up. Anyway, 2nd Ed. is pretty arbitrary. The link gives us the maximum possible pools, which are fairly substantial at a character's end game. But why are sidereal personal pools so truncated vs. starting lunar pools? What's the reason for the wonky Willpower/Virtue/Essence multiplication discrepancies? Why do mortals get higher personal essence pools than dragons-blooded?
I didn't get a response from RPG.net yet, so I probably won't get an answer from anyone there. My guess is the answer is 'no particular reason'.
In a way, that's nice. I don't have any particular rational to deal with. The basic essence pool math will be the same for everyone. The essence chain will still be solars, other celestials, terrestrials, mortals if it's easily managed. Willpower is really easy to bump vs. permanent essence, though, and the chart on the link clearly shows that Lunars would have an easier time at character creation while Sidereals pull ahead by 10 motes at the very end because the multiplication on the permanent Essence is 2 higher than the lunar, but in terms of most games the player is likely to actually play, Sidereals are fairly crippled on their essence reserves.
I'm not 100% sure how to go about dealing with that.
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