I don't think Frank and I are going to do a wrap-up, so here are the bits I consider useful from a game design standpoint:
The Yozi
Infernals takes the Yozi from the base game and converts them from bog-standard villains into a really interesting RPG NPC character and a very interesting inspiration for a system of triggering abilities.
It really starts with the Excellencies. While it's almost unworkable to use theme and ideas that are supposed to trigger when you get to use the Infernal Excellencies, they have a lot of narrative power. While I can't tell you when the demonic virtue of
indiscriminate callousness should mean that the Infernal Excellency of Malfeas should could be applied to a roll, I can tell you that the idea of applying it is very compelling. I could imagine a better designed system where there is a list of objective conditions where you could trigger the ability. Maybe it triggers when you interact in a negative way with no-contest opposition as determined by some objective metric like DnD's CR. Maybe it would interact with a more complex system for channeling a Virtue. Maybe it triggers when you target enemies and allies/neutrals. Really, the potential objective designs are quite interesting.
I could also imagine a system where you used those subjective ideas as inspiration for objective adventures designed from the perspective of the Yozi. You could design adventures of Cecelyne where elements in the adventure have to correspond to her themes, like the adventure must center on foiling a pre-prepared plot which involves the need to
endure unrelentingly harsh conditions. You could set up modular adventure design where each of the themes is a list of potential setting elements and plots, and then plop them into a Yozi mad-lib, offloading most of the trouble of adventure design.
Really, the potential uses for the Yozi as depicted in this book are pretty endless. The fact that this book only uses them as a rough guide for Charm design is only scratching the surface, though they serve as an example of turning these themes into concrete mechanics.
Infernals as a proper inversion/mirror match
Inversions and mirror matches are a fundamental aspect of game design, and this is one of the few examples of it actually working. DnD has examples of failure in the
Book of Vile Darkness and the
Book of Exalted Deeds, where Exalted has the
Abyssals book as its own failed example because both try to do a palette swap and then consider the work done, and that produces a strictly inferior product.
Infernals avoids the flaws of
Abyssals by doing things like Charm
Incomparables that fills the same tactical and strategic niches as Solar Exalted instead of just changing the flavor text on the same abilities in the way that
Abyssals does. It's not done with every niche and there are some mechanics changes that are almost cosmetic, but Incomparables are used often enough to produce a mirror match that feels distinct and flavorful from the mechanics up.
It should also be noted that there is a lesson to be learned here about ability design. The base Exalted abilities are actually pretty boring and I feel that this was one of Exalted's weaknesses, but this book's abilities are distinctive and flavorful. You are going to remember the guy specializing in Ebon Dragon Charms and you are not going to confuse him with the guy who focuses on Adorjan Charms.
Infernals as potential Exalted fix
Overall, the book is collection of potential fixes to Exalted problems and a wishlist of features. I've referenced most of them in our main review, but here is a quick list:
1. Hellforged Wonders as a mechanic for more flavorful and powerful artifacts, and a way to make non-Exalted NPCs viable. Also, interesting artifact rules like granting Charms and perfect defenses
2. Akuma and Infernal Sorcery as a fix for the creation viable non-Exalted enemies
3. Infernal Limit as model for a Limit fix (the first power of Infernal Style Martial Arts as a direct spot fix for Solar Limit because it bleeds Limit and looks like a Solar power)
4. Yozi Imperfections as a model for an Imperfection fix
5. Charms that take some narrative control from the GM
6. Unwoven Coajudicator as a model for Demon-guiding or Shadow (from Wraith). As a player and as a DM, I've seen this be a lot of fun when done well
7. Charms for Eclipse-type Solars and Exalted with Charms that expand Charm choice that are not obvious down-grades (see Primordial Principle Emulation from the
Unconquered Sun book for the method that any Solar can use to get access to Yozi Charms).