Excellence

A character who wants to be his or her very best is Motivated by Excellence. For these characters, the "higher calling" they answer to is the pursuit of personal perfection. Whatever their art may be, these characters train to master it night and day. A character Motivated by Excellence is often tireless in this training, not because of what the training may help the character achieve in life, but because mastering the skill is his or her life. Excellence is a common motivation for characters who study martial arts, particularly in Wuxia games, where eastern philosophy suffuses every moment of the lives of dedicated, tireless warriors. But there are other characters who may pursue Excellence in combat as well. The nimble fencer for whom swordplay and mastery of the rapier is a life's calling. The eagle-eyed sharpshooter who pushes himself to more and more impossible shots. The deadly assassin who seeks to master the art of silent death. It could even work well for characters with supernatural abilities, such as a psychic seeking to hone her mental powers or the winged superhero who loves complex aerial acrobatics.
Excellence need not be simply for combat, of course. A hacker who wants to prove to herself that there is no security that cannot be breached makes for a fine Motivation, as does the swordsmith who wants to create the finest blade ever held by a man. So too could the acrobat who hopes some day to win Olympic gold be seen as Motivated by Excellence. And beyond PCs, many NPCs may pursue Excellence, though often in fields that would take them far away from the action of the game. The master pianist trying to write his opus, the painter who is still trying to create her masterpiece, and the writer seeking to craft an epic novel.
Characters Motivated by Excellence often already border on Obsession, and often handicap themselves to test their skills as part of a rigorous code of Honor.
* 1 Hero Die: If you best a rival in your area of expertise decisively, you are awarded 1 Hero Die. Note that simply winning a combat is not sufficient: a fencer would need to seek out another fencer in the fray, or a sharpshooter would need to engage in a sniper's duel and come out on top to receive the Hero Die.
* 2 Hero Dice: You recieve 2 Hero Dice if you achieve a major milestone in your training, such as mastering a powerful new sword technique or learning a new form of meditation. This is often accompanied by gaining a new FX or learning a new Feat, particularly if it is one the character has been training at extensively.
* Noble Conclusion: You gain five Hero Dice if you increase your modifier in the appropriate skill or FX by 5 or more since you dedicated yourself to Excellence. You may still devote time and training to self-perfection, but you have achieved a fulfilling level of self-mastery. You are then able to choose a new Motivation.
* Change Motivation: Characters in pursuit of Excellence change their Motivations infrequently, but sometimes they are pulled from their isolation and find themselves caught up in the midst of something greater. A fencer called upon by a noble lord to join an epic quest, a superhuman asked to join an elite super-team to fight evil, or a hacker who joined a movement to end tyranny might find themselves Motivated in new ways, training not simply to achieve perfection but to accomplish some greater task. These characters gain 1 Hero Die and are entitled to choose a new, appropriate Motivation, such as Allegiance or Conviction or Justice.
* Failed Conclusion: If you are forced to give up your art, such as a person trying to master his or her superhuman powers who has them stripped away, or a martial artist who is crippled and no longer able to do battle, you are awarded 1 Hero Die and are entitled to choose a new Motivation.
Category:Rulebook
Category:Characters
Category:Fortune
Category:Motivation