The secret to a good power(magic) system.

[SailusGebel]

You don't need a power system.

To deduce how important a power system is, let's do a small thought experiment. Imagine a genre, a tag, or a combination you don't read. For example, let's say you don't read BL. Ever. Are you going to read BL if it has incredible power system? No, this won't be an action story with BL subplot. It won't focus on fights with the said system. It will be a full-blown BL, which means focus of the story will be BL.

Imagine the generic isekai harem, imagine MC that is an equivalent to a block of wood, smut, GL, GB, beta MC, slave harems, NTR. Imagine stuff that you don't like, that you don't read. Will a good power system make you read it?

You don't read a story for power system, you don't like a story for power system. You think you do, but you liking a story comes from different things. A power system can be a nice bonus, no shit; however, power system is not a dealbreaker. Just write an interesting story, and ignore nerds.

 

[Envylope]

Spoken like a true nerd.

 

[OokamiKasumi]

I agree. The only reason you need a power system is if the whole story revolves around having one, such as in one of those "system" stories. (My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, My Mage System...) Even then, it's the Story we're reading for, not the bulleted lists of what abilities someone has, or doesn't have.

Those damned lists get tedious after the first dozen chapters.

 

[Jerynboe]

Power systems are a form of world building. World building is seasoning.
If someone truly hates fish, it is extremely unlikely that any combination of seasonings will make them like that fish even if they would LOVE that style of preparation if the meat was chicken.
Good seasoning can compensate for low quality meat, but probably won’t make outright rotten food palatable.
It’s probably a bad idea to make seasoning the star of the show, but it’s not impossible.
That doesn’t mean that seasoning isn’t important.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Your title made you sound like a snake oil salesman.

And then you smashed the truth in.

Still, a good story can be brought down by a badly thought power system, especially if most of the action depends on it.

The story is like a car and the power system its stereo; does not help if the car is shit even if the stereo is nice but your ride will suck if everything works fine but the stereo, and it is a long long drive.

 

[Lloyd]

You don't need a power system.

To deduce how important a power system is, let's do a small thought experiment. Imagine a genre, a tag, or a combination you don't read. For example, let's say you don't read BL. Ever. Are you going to read BL if it has incredible power system? No, this won't be an action story with BL subplot. It won't focus on fights with the said system. It will be a full-blown BL, which means focus of the story will be BL.

Imagine the generic isekai harem, imagine MC that is an equivalent to a block of wood, smut, GL, GB, beta MC, slave harems, NTR. Imagine stuff that you don't like, that you don't read. Will a good power system make you read it?

You don't read a story for power system, you don't like a story for power system. You think you do, but you liking a story comes from different things. A power system can be a nice bonus, no shit; however, power system is not a dealbreaker. Just write an interesting story, and ignore nerds.

This is one of the worst takes I've seen from you. If the power system is bonk, then the writer is retarded and can't come up with a good story either. Just look at a story like Naruto, that gets worse as the power system becomes more convoluted and unbalanced. A story is an interconnected web and you need a good power system to support your plot or else everything becomes one big ass fuck. So yeah, you should spend a long time and a lot of hard work coming up with a power system that will carry your plot throughout your whole story.

 

[SailusGebel]

Your title made you sound like a snake oil salesman.

And then you smashed the truth in.

Still, a good story can be brought down by a badly thought power system, especially if most of the action depends on it.

The story is like a car and the power system its stereo; does not help if the car is shit even if the stereo is nice but your ride will suck if everything works fine but the stereo, and it is a long long drive.

That's why you just use soft magic, no powers at all, or simple powers. Problem solved. You can try hard like JJK, Kimetsu, Naruro, Bleach, you name it. Or you can just do, devil fruits go brrrr, and make the most succesful manga of them all. Let nerds mald over simple powers, and how there are no power levels, and how it does not make sense, all while you count your stonks.

 

[KoyukiMegumi]

Yeti of the snowy mountains has spoken! Preach Yeti! Preach to the masses, and they shall follow!

 

[Deleted member 165212]

You don't need a power system.

Well played. I thought, you were really gonna give a really long speech on how hard-core (magic/power) system or soft-core (magic/power) system works. That's a good advice, but are you sure offending Brandon Sanderson is a good idea?

 

[melchi]

Based.

 

[Jerynboe]

Well played. I thought, you were really gonna give a really long speech on how hard-core (magic/power) system or soft-core (magic/power) system works. That's a good advice, but are you sure offending Brandon Sanderson is a good idea?

To be fair, Brando Sando is a cinnamon bun so his response would probably amount to “well yes that works for some people. It’s not how I write, but I find that having a hard magic system helps me tell a more satisfying story. That’s just what works for me though.”
His rabid Fanbase, though? Potentially a different story.

 

[Deleted member 165212]

His rabid Fanbase, though? Potentially a different story.

Yeah, I was just kidding about Brandon getting offended. I guess most of the older writers are chill like that, they don't have energy to argue with people anymore when they have to write thousands of words per day. Just kidding again.

Brando Sando

I didn't noticed till now, but that sounds like a Jojo character.

 

[GlassRose]

What are you even trying to say? Yeah you don't need one for every story, duh, but it can still add to certain stories when used one. And of course there are stories that explicitly revolve around some means of acquiring power. 'Progression' has become a genre. There's also, basically, 'Research' stories where the main character is experimenting and trying to learn about whatever the source of power in the story is, how it fundamentally works.

But your little thought experiment makes no sense. A power system is a literary device in all cases where it is not foundational to the genre. A literary device is not what makes people read a story, it's just a tool that contributes, enables writers to tell stories they couldn't otherwise tell. What's your point?

 

[Envylope]

Great job again, Sailus! You have proven once more that people can’t read.

 

[NotaNuffian]

That's why you just use soft magic, no powers at all, or simple powers. Problem solved. You can try hard like JJK, Kimetsu, Naruro, Bleach, you name it. Or you can just do, devil fruits go brrrr, and make the most succesful manga of them all. Let nerds mald over simple powers, and how there are no power levels, and how it does not make sense, all while you count your stonks.

I think the reason why a hard magic system exist because people want to catalogue.

Watching the main cast goes superpower ftw for no apparent reason is fun, but in the end it just means that the fictional world revolves around them main cast and everyone else is mook.

Then again, when hard magic is introduce like cultivation, the main character shall be the first one to break the rules.

 

[BlackKnightX]

Just write an interesting story, and ignore nerds

What if most of your readers are nerds~?

 

[Zenomew]

You don't need a power system.

To deduce how important a power system is, let's do a small thought experiment. Imagine a genre, a tag, or a combination you don't read. For example, let's say you don't read BL. Ever. Are you going to read BL if it has incredible power system? No, this won't be an action story with BL subplot. It won't focus on fights with the said system. It will be a full-blown BL, which means focus of the story will be BL.

Imagine the generic isekai harem, imagine MC that is an equivalent to a block of wood, smut, GL, GB, beta MC, slave harems, NTR. Imagine stuff that you don't like, that you don't read. Will a good power system make you read it?

You don't read a story for power system, you don't like a story for power system. You think you do, but you liking a story comes from different things. A power system can be a nice bonus, no shit; however, power system is not a dealbreaker. Just write an interesting story, and ignore nerds.

Power systems are basically a sort of ingredient for a story it works with some dishes (stories) and sometimes id does not but the skill of the writers is to be able to use this ingredient well



Sure there are other aspects that are important but the point is it's your story you decide how to make it



It doesn't really matter wheather you need power systems or not only thing that matters is if you are going to use it make sure you use it well

 

[Envylope]

What if most of your readers are nerds~?

Start writing Scifi

 

[TheEldritchGod]

You don't need a power system.

I don't need clothing. I like wearing it anyway.

To deduce how important a power system is, let's do a small thought experiment. Imagine a genre, a tag, or a combination you don't read. For example, let's say you don't read BL. Ever. Are you going to read BL if it has incredible power system?

Yes.

No, this won't be an action story with BL subplot. It won't focus on fights with the said system. It will be a full-blown BL, which means focus of the story will be BL.

Hold it.
IF IT HAS AN INCREDIBLE POWER SYSTEM, THEN THAT POWER SYSTEM MUST BE USED.
You just said it has an incredible power system, that is not used. If it is not used, HOW WOULD ANYONE KNOW IT IS INCREDIBLE?

This is like saying, "There is a movie that is a comedy with incredible fight scenes, but there is no fighting in the movie."

What???

Imagine the generic isekai harem,

Okay. Imagining.

imagine MC that is an equivalent to a block of wood, smut, GL, GB, beta MC, slave harems, NTR. Imagine stuff that you don't like, that you don't read.

Imagining that as well.

Will a good power system make you read it?

Yes.

You don't read a story for power system,

Yes. I do.

you don't like a story for power system.

BUT IT IS INCREDIBLE.
Why wouldn't I like a story for the power system, if it's a good power system?
I don't like the power system for Amber RPG, but I love the setting. So I read it for the setting.
Hero System/Champions' setting is SHIT (especially the latest edition), But I love the Game Mechanics/Power system. I READ IT FOR THE POWER SYSTEM.

You think you do,

You can read my mind now? Fine.
So What Am I thinking right now?
I'll give you a hint. It involves my grandfather, the shores of Lane Six, and keeping my finger out of your aorta.

but you liking a story comes from different things.

Yes... One should hope. Unless I'm a Sims and I happen to be of the Grilled Cheese persuation. Then the only thing I like in my stories is grilled cheese.

A power system can be a nice bonus, no shit; however, power system is not a dealbreaker.

If I am writing a LitRPG, I assure you, the power system is a deal breaker.

Just write an interesting story, and ignore nerds.

...

I have to ask, do you write for Disney? Because you sound like the guy who writes scripts for of Disney's Star Wars and Marvel TV Shows and Movies. Ignoring the nerds worked out just fine for Disney, after all.

BTW, How's The Acolyte doing?

 

[Corty]

I am going to put this into the tutorial.