Attributes

Notes on various attribute changes and updates will be noted here.

Appearance
Copied over from Crossover Rules. This is a meaningful change from the Exalted core description. Charms, social combat, etc., however remain unchanged.

Appearance is not just one's physical beauty or comeliness (a 'hotness' gauge), but includes their entire outward affectation, and more importantly, their composure. Composure in this sense is referencing one's ability to remain cool under pressure (reacting to that pressure would be wits), and never to appear as anything but what they intend. A character with high appearance is adept at making people see what that character wants them to see (be it a cool exterior or particularly fashionable; active deception - where one might appear ragged when one is actually refined - is typically the domain of Manipulation).


 * Note the first: This does overlap slightly with Manipulation. The major point to take away here is that Appearance is about manufacturing a composed (as in, composition, art) image from which people will draw their own conclusions. Manipulation, on the other hand, involves a certain amount of mental/social gymnastics and energy to more directly affect, deflect, or decieve those conclusions.
 * Note the second: This also overlaps slightly with Wits, in that Wits is one's ability to react with speed. In this sense, Appearance is one's ability to not appear as if one is calculating a response, i.e. as if nothing has changed, as if that insult didn't land, even if it did. "Coolness." One's ability to maintain "Face."
 * Note the third: And yes, there is some slight overlap with Willpower. In this sense, Willpower is strictly mental fortitude. If there is a fear effect in play, one's ability to compose themselves will matter little if they're screaming for the hills. On the other hand, if the fear effect is mild, then the Appearance attribute will come in very handy to mask that fear, even if the character may still be shaken because of it.