Shakuton | Scorch Release | 灼遁

[Peregine]

Shakuton | Scorch Release | 灼遁
There are many elemental Kekkei Genkai in the world, though few that have remained as pure or solitary as Sunagakure's Shakuton. True wielders of the blistering Kekkei Genkai have been few, and those that can truly claim its mastery even fewer. While many have managed to combine the arts of fire and wind into devastating ninjutsu, true Shakuton techniques are an order of magnitude more powerful and awe-inspiring, achieving feats of heat manipulation otherwise impossible. Despite its rarity, the power of a true Shakuton wielder has made the bloodline itself well-known throughout the Elemental Nations, inscribing a place in the history of the world in blistering heat.

The Shakuton was first documented in the Era of Warring Clans, though since the formation of the Great Shinobi Villages the Shakuton has grown both increasingly rare and increasingly desired. Many researchers have theorised on the gradual vanishing of the Shakuton from existence, with theories ranging from simple genetic extinction to wild guesses that the intense heat produced by Shakuton wielders drives their bearers to an early death by dehydration. Regardless, bearers of this volatile Kekkei Genkai are almost destined to leave their mark on the people around them, bringing change and fire in abundance. Now, one hundred years since the last true appearance of the Shakuton, many have begun to believe that the famous Kekkei Genkai of Sunagakure died with its last bearer, Pakura.

The Shakuton grants its bearer the ability to manipulate the combined energies of fire and wind, melding them together into a release of pure heat that instantly evaporates all water in the surrounding area. While other practicioners of ninjutsu can imitate this effect without the powers of the bloodline, Shakuton wielders often find the feat far simpler. Shakuton wielders often also posess the instintive ability to use the heat of their Kekkei Genkai to bend light itself, creating mirages indistinguishable from the truth. Oftentimes, to fight a bearer of the Shakuton is akin to fighting the desert under a midday sun: nothing but endless heat and a slow, certain death.

The Shakuton Kekkei Genkai is the naturally occurring genetic sequence that produces Scorch Element chakra without the need for lengthy training of elemental chakra manipulation. The few shinobi that are bearers of the Shakuton generate far more body heat than ordinary humans, which is used as the litmus test for those who have inherited its abilities. They are able to channel this heat into their chakra, generating blazing power with little more than a thought.

Shakuton Instinct

Effect: The character gains the skill ‘Combinatorial: Scorch’ for free. The character may purchase two ranks of the skill 'Ninjutsu Mastery; Scorch' for one Skill Point.

Description: A natural bearer of the Shakuton's natural grasp of Scorch Element techniques far outstrips the standard comprehension of the Scorch Element. In the hands of a bearer of the Kekkei Genkai, any Scorch technique is vastly stronger than the same technique used by a normal shinobi.

Cost: -2

Ranks: 1

Vaporize

Effect: For each rank in this skill; raise the cost increase effect caused by [scorch] tag techniques by an additional 10%.

Description: Any user of Scorch techniques can dehydrate their enemies, but tales of master Shakuton wielders tell of shinobi flash-dried to little more than bone. The strain this dehydration places on the victim's chakra system is immense, forcing them to use vastly more chakra to make up for the damage.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 3

Cost: -1

Endless Drought

Effect: [scorch] Elemental techniques that strike a target currently under the status effect [Exhausted] have a 20X% chance to increase the duration of that instance of [Exhausted] by an additional turn, where X is equal to the number of ranks in this skill. Additionally, any [Exhausted] status inflicted by this character has its maximum duration extended by 1 turn.

Description: When a dehydrated target is struck by another draining attack, the cumulative effects can cause crippling damage to the enemy's system, perpetually keeping them in a descending spiral of endless thirst.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 3

Cost: -2

Residual Boil

Effect: Whenever an opponent under the effects of the [scorch] elemental bonus utilizes a technique, they are inflicted with Burning: X for 1 turn, where X is equal to 50% of the forced additional cost caused by the [scorch] element. If the target is under the status effect [Exhausted] or the effect of [subtle Elements; Fire], this is increased to 75%. If the target is under the effect of both [Exhausted] AND [subtle Elements; Fire], this is increased to 100%. This effect may not trigger on consecutive turns.

Description: The punishing aftereffects of a Shakuton technique aren't only felt in the dehydration of the body. The searing of the victim's chakra system ensures that any attempt to use shinobi techniques are accompianied by a crippling, burning pain.

Ranks: 1

Cost: -2

nb. This bloodline is a collaboration between Hardcore Skittlez and Peregine Edited November 21, 2016 by Peregine

[Peregine]

Pause this one for the moment please.

[wolfnin]

 

Shakuton Instinct

Effect: The character gains the skill ‘Subtle Elements: Scorch’ for free. ‘Subtle Elements: Scorch’ now has multiple skill ranks and shares skill ranks with Subtle Elements. The character may purchase two ranks of the skill 'Ninjutsu Mastery; Scorch' for one Skill Point.

Description: A natural bearer of the Shakuton's natural grasp of Scorch Element techniques far outstrips the standard comprehension of the Scorch Element. In the hands of a bearer of the Kekkei Genkai, any Scorch technique is vastly stronger than the same technique used by a normal shinobi.

Cost: -2

Ranks: 1

 

 

I'd just like to point something out real quick. Scorch, is not a Subtle Element....its a Combinatorial Element. 

 

 

Combinatorial; Scorch

May use Scorch Element techniques. Scorch Techniques that strike the opponent raise the cost of any technique used that turn by 10%. Does not stack. In addition, the user may choose to apply the bonus from one of the Subtle Elements skill required to learn this element if they own it.

Requirements: Subtle Elements; Fire & Wind

Cost: -1 SP

 

 

So that effect would read something along the lines of: 'A character with this skill gains the skill 'Combinatorial; Scorch' for 0 skill points. The user may purchase 2 ranks of the skill 'Ninjutsu Mastery: Scorch' for 1 skill point. 

Edited June 2, 2015 by wolfnin

[Peregine]

Ready for your consideration, moderating team!

[Peregine]

Bump.

[Peregine]

Guys pls.

[Rhap Sodos]

]May use Scorch Element techniques. Scorch Techniques that strike the opponent raise the cost of any technique used that turn by 10%. Does not stack. In addition, the user may choose to apply the bonus from one of the Subtle Elements skill required to learn this element if they own it.

Requirements: Subtle Elements; Fire & Wind

 

Vaporize

Effect: For each rank in this skill, increase the effectiveness of the [scorch] elemental bonus by an additive 10%. At rank 1 of this skill, the cost increase applied by Scorch elemental techniques would be 20% rather than 10%.

Ranks: 3

 

This gets a bit nuts once at max Rank. If I'm reading this correctly, you're increasing the cost of the next technique used by your opponent by 50%(? - A bit confused, because you say 'Rank 1' starts at 20% instead of 10, so is it 20-30-40-50? or 20-30-40?). Also, does the elemental bonus include the bonuses granted by either Fire or Wind? 

 

Endless Drought

Effect: [scorch] Elemental techniques that strike a target currently under the status effect [Dehydrated] have a 20X% chance to increase the duration of that instance of [Dehydrated] by an additional turn, where X is equal to the number of ranks in this skill. Additionally, the [Dehydrated] inflicted by this character has its maximum turn duration extended by 1 turn per rank.

Ranks: 3

Dehydrated: Whenever you spend Stamina or Chakra, you must spend an additional 20%.

 

This also plays into my concerns with the above. You're maxing at potentially +70% cost to your opponents techniques for up to 7 turns. That's extremely powerful for a passive bloodline and skills (e.g.  there is no activation or required upkeep). 

tl;dr - The reason that the effects of "Scorch" normally don't stack with itself is because it's extremely potent on it's own. Some of this might rely on clarifying the Vaporize, but at maximum I don't think it should be able to increase the cost by more than 50% (just like you can't reduce the base cost by more than 50%.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Rhap Sodos

[Peregine]

At Rank 1 of Vaporise, the bonus from Scorch would be 20% and at max rank 40%. Vaporise doesn't increase the effects of Fire or Wind, just Scorch. So yes, with the Dehydrated status you could pump an enemy to 60%. I'd be ok with capping an enemy's maximum cost boost at +50%, but would prefer not to change the skills. So you could theoretically get them to 60%, but it caps at 50%. Feels more like a proper rule than a bloodline rule though.

 

However, I'm not sure where 7 turns of dehydrated comes from? At max rank of Endless Drought you're increasing the duration by 3 over the maxmium (which is 3) for a new max of 6. If 6 is too high, we could reduce the maximum ranks of Endless Drought by 1 and increase the % chance to inflict extra dehydrated so that doesn't change at max rank.

 

Proposed revision:

Endless Drought

Effect: [scorch] Elemental techniques that strike a target currently under the status effect [Dehydrated] have a 30X% chance to increase the duration of that instance of [Dehydrated] by an additional turn, where X is equal to the number of ranks in this skill. Additionally, the [Dehydrated] inflicted by this character has its maximum turn duration extended by 1 turn per rank.

Description: When a dehydrated target is struck by another draining attack, the cumulative effects can cause crippling damage to the enemy's system, perpetually keeping them in a descending spiral of endless thirst.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 2

Cost: -2

Edited August 11, 2015 by Peregine

[wolfnin]

 

Vaporize

Effect: For each rank in this skill, increase the effectiveness of the [scorch] elemental bonus by an additive 10%. At rank 1 of this skill, the cost increase applied by Scorch elemental techniques would be 20% rather than 10%.

Description: Any user of Scorch techniques can dehydrate their enemies, but tales of master Shakuton wielders tell of shinobi flash-dried to little more than bone. The strain this dehydration places on the victim's chakra system is immense, forcing them to use vastly more chakra to make up for the damage.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 3

Cost: -1

 

 

I believe Rhap Sodos covered my feelings for this one and I agree with her, but I believe we could fix the wording a bit so it's clearly. Perhaps something along the lines of "For each rank in this skill; raise the cost increase effect caused by [scorch] tag techniques by an additional 10%. (eg; two ranks would equal 30% rather than 10%)." Or something similar to this. 

 

Endless Drought

Effect: [scorch] Elemental techniques that strike a target currently under the status effect [Dehydrated] have a 30X% chance to increase the duration of that instance of [Dehydrated] by an additional turn, where X is equal to the number of ranks in this skill. Additionally, the [Dehydrated] inflicted by this character has its maximum turn duration extended by 1 turn per rank.

Description: When a dehydrated target is struck by another draining attack, the cumulative effects can cause crippling damage to the enemy's system, perpetually keeping them in a descending spiral of endless thirst.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 2

Cost: -2

 

 

I can see where you're going with this, but I'm not sure about extending the duration of an already powerful status effect. It's fine if you'd extend a turn, under the maximum turn duration, but being able to extend it for two extra turns past the maximum 3 turns is a bit too strong in my opinion. I'd say have it have a set chance to extend the duration of dehydrated, but can't exceed max turns if you want to stick with this ability. 

 

 

 

Residual Boil

 

Effect: Whenever an opponent under the effects of the [scorch] elemental bonus utilizes a technique, they are inflicted with Burning: X for 1 turn, where X is equal to the forced additional cost caused by the [scorch] element. This effect may not trigger on successive turns.

Description: The punishing aftereffects of a Shakuton technique aren't only felt in the dehydration of the body. The searing of the victim's chakra system ensures that any attempt to use shinobi techniques are accompianied by a crippling, burning pain.

Ranks: 1

Cost: -2

 

 

 

 

I feel like you're trying to add everything fire into scorch techniques. I understand that scorch is fire, but you're already getting a bonus burning damage from fire when utilizing scorch. Also, this is way to powerful. With all the ranks in this bloodline, you'll be dealing 40% extra damage for no additional cost while also causing them to pay 40% more chakra/stamina for using a technique. Let's say somebody is using a technique that is 200 Chakra, they'll be taking 80 damage just to use a technique on top of having to pay more chakra/stamina. This isn't including any burning, poison, etc damage caused by techniques that were previously used. I like the idea but this is going to need to cost more or be toned down a bit for use. 

 

 

 

Shimmering Heat

Effect: Whenever this character uses a [scorch] elemental technique, increase their evasion by 5% of their base Ninjutsu statistic per ninja rank of the [scorch] technique used. [Genin = 5%, Chuunin = 10%, Jounin = 15%, Sennin = 20%].

Description: As masters of heat manipulation, Shakuton practitioners can use the blistering heat created by their techniques to bend light as it passes through the air, blurring their outline and position, making them more elusive.

Ranks: 1

Cost: -2

 

 

Sure? I guess. This ability feels really out of place and just feels like an extra grab for extra evasion stat. From a technical standpoint, a "This bonus can not exceed 1.5x evasion statistic" or something like that needs to be added. But I digress, this feels somewhat out of place for the bloodline. 

 

Overall, I really like the bloodline, but I feel like the fat could be trimmed a bit and abilities can be changed to make the bloodline more concise, streamlined, and efficient. Personal view, but it really feels like it's just trying to grab everything fire. If you'd like feel free to pm me if you want to discuss a few ideas or such. 

[Hardcore Skittlez]

I figure I should step in and say something, since this is a collab that includes me here.

 

Endless Drought

Effect: [scorch] Elemental techniques that strike a target currently under the status effect [Dehydrated] have a 20X% chance to increase the duration of that instance of [Dehydrated] by an additional turn, where X is equal to the number of ranks in this skill. Additionally, the [Dehydrated] inflicted by this character has its maximum turn duration extended by 1 turn per rank.

Description: When a dehydrated target is struck by another draining attack, the cumulative effects can cause crippling damage to the enemy's system, perpetually keeping them in a descending spiral of endless thirst.

Restrictions: Ranks may be purchased once every 20 levels.

Ranks: 3

Cost: -2

 

 

At first, a potential total duration of 6 turns(Dehydrated at base lasts only 3 turns) might seem like a lot, but you should step back and look at the delivery mechanism just as much as the final, best-case scenario result of the skill. This, after six skill points, adds only a 60% chance to increase the duration of Dehydrated by one turn only if said technique hits. In most battles, characters end up having something around a 60-ish percent chance to hit each other. This means that, after spending three skill points, you have a 60% chance on a 60% chance to increase a currently existing instance of Dehydrated by one turn, each time it hits. So, realistically speaking, you're probably looking at something like a 36% chance to extend the turn duration by a single turn each time.

[Peregine]

Updates made to the bloodline to lower or remove the chance of an ultimate combo turn:

-Endless Drought max duration increase now capped at 1. I feel for a bloodline that revolves around Dehydrated, increasing it's max duration by one isn't unreasonable.

-Vaporise wording clarified. This is the cornerstone of the whole bloodline, and at max levels is only 10% better than the standard effect of Gravity. You could argue that there is unfair interaction with Dehydrated, but that interaction is also possible with Gravity for much less SP investment and at half or a third of the level that this combo comes online. I'm still open to feedback, but please don't just dismiss it out of hand.

-Residual Boil damage lowered, added conditional triggers to increase the damage. This still can't trigger on consecutive turns and I feel like it's much more open to counter-play with the required triggers.

-Shimmering Heat removed.

Edited January 27, 2016 by Peregine

[Cellar Door]

This looks okay to me.

[Azure]

Approved.

[Peregine]

Dehydrated has been replaced with Exhausted. No other changes were made.

[Cellar Door]

Approved.

[Rhapsody]

Approved.