(last updated: 09/19/23)CHARGING is an Ability that represents the talent some fighters have for stopping during combat to gather themselves, to prepare for a massive, powerful assault. A fair number of Karate experts can do this, and it's common to see chi energy flaring up around them. For other people, it's a less impressive sight; slamming their fists together, shifting into an aggressive stance, or whatever else puts them ready to strike; the result is the same. A variety of people have the CHARGING ability, there are no pre-defined criteria that make someone stand out as a likely choice for having it.
Use of +charging will end your turn, much like +focus, +attack, or +pass. Upon use of +charging, you immediately gain reserve and super, as well as a bonus to block and interrupt on your next turn. Damage taken through blocking on your next turn will reward you with more super than normal as well.
Use of +charging will incur an penalty to dodge on your next turn. If you choose to dodge or interrupt on your next turn, some of the reserve and super gained from CHARGING is forfeited.
Once you complete your next action, the above conditions no longer apply and you keep whatever reserve or super gained without any restrictions.
Ability Summary
In TOP: +charge gains [4.8]% more reserve. Interrupt bonus becomes [16]% instead of [8]%. If super is at 100%, [4]% health instead of [25]% super.
D Rank: +charge gains [10]% super, [6]% reserve, and [4]% bonus to block/interrupt.
C Rank: +charge gains [25]% super, [6]% reserve, and [4]% bonus to block/interrupt.
B Rank: +charge gains [25]% super, [10]% reserve, and [8]% bonus to block/interrupt.
A Rank: +charge gains [30]% super, [15]% Reserve, and [8]% bonus to block/interrupt.
S Rank: Same as A Rank, plus access to [1] charge of +surge.
SIG ABIL: Access to use of +empower.
TOP Mechanic
If a character charges while already in TOP, they will gain [16]% reserve instead of [8]%. The bonus to interrupt in the next round becomes [16]% instead of [8]% and this bonus will apply whether the character charged while already AT top, or charged INTO TOP. +empower receives similar TOP bonuses.
Ability Ranks
D Rank - This rank represents the novice charger. They get some super, they get back some reserve, and are a bit more ready to block/interrupt.
C Rank - The fighter is still learning how to use their ability, and have learned how to gain more super for the same amount of effort.
B Rank - At this rank, a fighter is much more adept at channeling energy from their inner wellspring and/or environment, but channeling also tends to increase their vulnerability to otherwise avoidable attacks. More reserve is granted, as well as a higher bonus to block or interrupt, but this higher benefit comes along with a higher penalty to dodging.
A Rank - This is a straight-up improvement in the areas of resource management. The bonuses afforded by A Rank also apply to the EMPOWER Signature Ability detailed below. It's worth pointing out that at this rank, if you decide to dodge or interrupt instead of block or endure, you will retain [10]% super and [3]% reserve instead of the [5]% super and [2]% reserve of B Rank.
S Rank (Surge) - The charging concept has been evolved to its pinnacle. Instead of rooting oneself to the ground to channel energy, a fighter at this rank can charge while on the move. This technique is represented by +surge, an Free Action that can be used once per fight to gain [5]% reserve, [10]% super, and a [4]% bonus to block or interrupt. Use of +surge requires you to have spent at least [1] Dramatic Moment in the fight. Note: the block/interrupt bonus does not stack with the CHARGING bonus to block/interrupt.
Signature Ability -- EMPOWER
Some characters have the ability to build up resources to empower a single, focused attack. By taking a moment to channel the chi within, to draw upon ambient chi without, or summon a surge of psychic energy, these characters can unleash a stronger version of an attack they already know. These characters tend to be known for devastating special techniques or for having sudden surges in potential that increase their fighting power by significant amounts for short onslaughts.
- Entering '+empower <attack>' will allow you to empower an attack instead of doing a normal charge.
- Empowered attacks have [1] PL higher damage and [10]% improved chance to hit. The bonus chance to hit does not stack with the normal interrupt bonus of CHARGING however.
- You gain [10]% super and [8]% reserve instead of the normal charge bonuses when empowering attacks. (A Rank and S Rank grant [10]% reserve)
- You gain a [10]% bonus to block and an [8]% bonus to interrupt when empowering an attack.
- If you do not use the attack on your next turn, the EMPOWER bonuses for it are lost.
- If you decide to dodge after EMPOWERING, you do not lose the EMPOWER bonus but you will have a [10]% penalty to dodge.
- If you dodge or interrupt after Empowering, you will not lose super or reserve (as you would with Charging).