Kai Upgrade!

» Name Of Character: Kai
» Link To Character: https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18064-jian-kai-yijun-2-5

» Upgrading: Tier upgrade, but I am not sure how much of an upgrade all of this can give him
Weapon Skill from Beginner to Advanced
Pain Endurance from Beginner to Adept
Mental Deduction from Adept to Advanced

UPGRADES!

Bastion Stance: Can now be recreated up to three extra times in a single thread (from once); Can block or reduce the damage of multiple moderately strong attacks (from a few weak to moderate); Is now more durable than advanced alloys (from steel).

• [NEW!] Flaming Bulwark: First used in combat against the powerful Moroi Wareyasui, this technique combines the volatility of Kai's Jade Fire and Bastion Stance's durability. By coating his shield in highly condensed flames, it can become significantly more effective at blocking element and energy based attacks. Along with this, Flaming Bulwark can prove dangerous to individuals who strike Kai's shield in close range, either with their own weapon or with a limb. In this way it allows Bastion Stance to be used offensively, no longer restricting it solely to blocking and staying on the defensive. Continuously coating his shield can sap at Kai's energy reserves, but timing the use of Flaming Bulwark intelligently (ie using it right before he gets attacked) can reduce this downside considerably.

Ranger Stance: With it being his most prolifically used Rank 1 Stance, Kai has developed a much greater comfort in Ranger's use. Not only can he rapidly shoot many arrows without tiring, but Kai's ability to use this Stance creatively has increased as well. Against a powerful demonic cyborg in Hawaii Kai was able to pin and destroy it through tactically causing internal damage and utilizing the environment intelligently, thus making Ranger by far his most versatile Stance.

• [NEW!] Ranger Gears: Over time Kai has developed two different "Gears" in which he can use Ranger Stance more effectively. What separates this from actual Stance changes is function: While Stances have their own identities and abilities, Gears are closer to techniques. The first, Spread, consists of nocking and firing multiple arrows simultaneously and aimed in different directions. The primary use of this is to cause more widespread damage, such as taking out multiple enemies at once. Along with this, the "Bomb" effect of infusing fire into his arrows to create infernal explosions can be used to damage a larger area of effect than normal. The second Gear is called Precision and focuses on more specific, precise goals. By focusing intently on his surroundings, movements, and senses, Kai can aim and fire individual arrows to a much more accurate degree than previously. In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch for Kai to pinpoint and strike something the size of a fizzy drink can from dozens of meters away with Precision Gear.

Assault Stance: Each blade can be remade up to three times (from unspecified); Telekinetic range increased to 60 meters (from 50)

• [NEW!] Jade Dragon Slash: First used against Law, this technique is a powerful application of Kai's Jade Flames by using his Assault Stance blades as its vehicle of destruction. To start, Kai lifts and crosses his two swords, forming a "X" with their edges. Following this he can choose to yell the technique's name out loud, but choosing not to doesn't reduce its power. As he slides the blades across each other a large amount of energy is charged up and expelled, creating a "X" of his Jade Flames of greater intensity than he is usually capable of. This attack can travel for quite a distance, and can grow up to twenty meters in size before maxing out. Upon impact it explodes into a dangerous inferno capable of overwhelming Cero-level attacks and potentially still causing damage to its target afterward. As its strength implies, Jade Dragon Slash is an exhausting technique to use in succession and as such is better to use sporadically.

[NEW!] Jade Dragon's Roar: At times of high desperation or emotional levels, Kai is capable of utilizing arguably his most powerful non-Stance attack. Unlike his other techniques which use a weapon or piece of equipment, Jade Dragon's Roar consists solely of empowering his Jade Flames in order to cause as much damage as possible. To start Kai places both of his fists against his chest and breathes in deeply, allowing him to focus on churning and condensing as much energy as possible into his core. Following this, Kai releases all his pent up power and rage in one powerful explosion. By shifting forward and striking forward with both fists, index and middle fingers now pointing at his target, this energy is transformed into a tidal wave of green fire. Almost immediately the fire takes the shape of a large oriental dragon with pretty specific details created from the flames. This dragon possesses a higher destructive force and intensity than any fire Kai is usually capable of creating, and can even be manipulated mid-use. What this boils down to is Kai has the ability to change the dragon's direction to a decently accurate degree. Of course along with all this power and intensity comes with it significant exhaustion, sapping Kai of much of his physical and mental strength. However, what is unique about Jade Dragon's Roar is it can be used even when Kai is already very low on these resources. While this can have more severe drawbacks, such as fainting, it turns this technique into a capable last resort attack.

NEW STANCES

Youxia Stance: In Chinese literature and poetry, tales of wandering knights are celebrated as folk heroes. These individuals, called Youxia, are honoured and personified in this Stance. The first of Kai's Rank 2 Stances, Youxia is exceptional in many regards. By combining the increased durability of Bastion and the powerful offensive strength of Assault, Kai is able to create a fusion greater than the sum of its parts. While Bastion's Shield is ported as is, his swords are replaced by Ai Hu (seen here:

Spoiler:

), named for the Young Hero of famous Chinese novel The Three Heroes and Five Gallants. Both the shield and sword of Youxia are more durable and stronger than any used in lower Stances. Unique to Youxia are two primary effects which remain active at all times: First, 15% of all damage Kai would incur or blocks is reflected on the attacker; meaning, if someone used a Cero against him a portion of its power would be sent back as a wave of damage-causing pressure (functionally and structurally different from spiritual pressure). Regardless of the kind of attack, 15% is mirrored (includes mental and indirect attacks). Damage-over-time is reflected periodically, meaning if Kai is continuously being damaged by something, once a post 15% of the total accumulated damage from that attack over the course of that post is reflected. Second, Youxia Stance ignores exhaustion and damage. Effectively this means Kai can continue to use Youxia Stance regardless of how tired or injured he is, and he is unable to be knocked out while using this Stance. Total exhaustion once he stops using Youxia can hit him like a freight train, but with it active he is immune to this. While active, Kai's durability and pain endurance increase by the equivalent of a full level while his speed decreases an equivalent amount. As a Rank 2 Stance, Youxia has a higher initial cost to use than Rank 1's.

Gunner Stance: Of his Rank 1 Stances, Ranger is certainly and obviously the most versatile. Seen as the Rank 2 equivalent, Gunner could be assumed to possess the same attribute. Instead, Gunner trades the precision of Ranger for the increased power of Assault Stance. By combining the ranged and rapid fire aspects of Ranger and the heightened offensive power and dual-wielding of Assault, Gunner's capabilities are greater than the sum of its parts. In place of his bow, Kai gains access to two automatic firing crossbows (seen here:

Spoiler:

). These weapons fire bolts at an alarmingly high rate, beating out Ranger's bow's absolute fastest speed by x2. The bolts themselves are also individually slightly more powerful than arrows, and while they can be infused with fire to create miniature explosions it is just as effective to utilize their incredible piercing strength. In fact, a bolt is twice as piercing as an arrow when Gunner is compared to Ranger. However it is worth noting overall the crossbows are moderately less accurate than the bow and can make precision firing more difficult. Like most others, Gunner Stance possesses a unique trait which separates it from its peers: Hyper Piercing is the ability to fuse six bolts into one with the goal of firing a single more powerful projectile. This attack is six times more piercing and three times more overall powerful than individual bolts, allowing Kai to damage considerably more durable opponents than usual. These bolts can cause greater explosions with Jade Flames as well. As expected, they are six times more exhausting to use than regular bolts and also fire in much slower succession, about a third as fast.

» Why:
Post count
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18282-descendant-of-shu-closed#117590 - 1, solo thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18312-tales-of-djibouti-robooty-in-africa - 3, event thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18260-looking-for-some-fun-kichirou-kai - 3
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18325-extinguishing-hope-chaya-nation-invasion-ruvik-inami-ask-to-join - 2, big war thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18361-oahu-a-hawaiian-vacation - 4, event thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18405-when-worlds-collide - 10, 1v1 battle thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18416-a-falling-out-in-the-wasteland - 8, 1v1 battle thread
https://www.platinumhearts.net/t18415-make-it-stop-ceal-kai - 5, 1v1 battle thread

» Extra: The Rank 1 Stance techniques have already been used in threads and are merely applications of what Kai already has available to him. The Rank 2 Stances (Youxia and Gunner) will first be used mid-thread. Thank you for consideration!