Ramblings on Character: Merit

It is no secret that I like long games.  Campaigns are where I find my happy place with tabletop RPGs. So what does one do when a new edition of a beloved game comes out? What do you do when the tone of a game you know shifts? These are ideas I struggle with. The obvious answer is that you continue to play the game you love; the harder answer is that you adapt and find new things to enjoy about the game. Remember, there is no wrong way to play a game, only what is right for your table. I think we forget that detail often, or at least I know I’ve been guilty of it. 

With that said, I like Exalted Essence. I didn’t want to, but it has proved me wrong. I like how it has condensed things, while simultaneously allowing me to pull what I like from all three editions. (They say it isn’t a new edition, but let’s be real… I digress.)

I find Merit to be an interesting exalt. In my mind, he exists in the Scavenger Lands. This gives him a lot of room to maneuver and fit into whatever game he might end up in. I wanted to make him different from my usual tropes and as versatile as possible. That said he can’t escape all of them, and starting with an artifact just made good sense. Essence is interesting in the way it tiers Merit’s importance. 

To me, this adds more of the narrative quality that draws me to Essence. Exalted has always been a strange beast. It has the more story-based idea indicative of White Wolf (and later Onyx Path), but it has a huge mechanical curve that many find intimidating. Paring that down and allowing the true beauty of the setting to shine through is a real godsend for one of my favorite games. I can’t wait to play it in the future!

And I’ll eat my hat: some of the new exalt types are really damn fun, and now it’s in writing. I’ll never live this down. 

Here is Merit’s sheet. Please come join us on discord if you ever get a chance to use him! I want to know his story.