What do Unique Skills mean to you?

[Chaos_Sinner777]

For me a genuine Unique Skill should be something that arises from a person's own hopes, dreams, desires, personal traits, or even sheer force of will. As I have put it a couple times in my stories, a unique power born from an individual's soul. Such a thing should be technically "Unique". Even if someone else gains a unique skill with the same name and Similar abilities, there should still be differences that wouldn't normally be present in typical skills. Like differences of functionality or strength. And most importantly, Unique Skills, bend the rules of reality, nature, the world's system, or even the very Gods themselves. A Unique Skill should make you special in one specific small way. For instance "Astral Immortality" would make your soul indestructible, and even the gods cannot typically change that fact. Only a person with a Soul Destruction unique, or a god with a soul related domain, could oppose the invulnerability of the soul. In the case of Soul Destruction, the skills would be set directly against each other, and the wielder with the stronger will would be the one who's skill takes priority. As for a god with a relevant Domain, they'd win. After all a Domain is basically a Divine Unique Skill.

As for the Unique Skills granted by gods or the like, there are a few ways to do it. They could be "Artificial" and thus technically inferior to natural ones in some not clearly quantified way. Like, if two people have Gluttony, the one who has it naturally would almost always win in a head to head contest, even if the artificial one has better sounding sub effects. Back to the gods, maybe they could alter the person slightly to adapt them to their skills. Or, perhaps, the very act of choosing a specific Unique Skill could form the core of desire needed for the skill to truly belong to them. Or perhaps a person already has some potential for a specific unique and the god simply awakens that.

I also like the idea that stolen unique skills would be more suited to the original owner than the taker, and maybe even count as artificial too, but. . . There should be ways for a person to truly make artificial unique skills their own. Using the skill a ton, combining it with another unique to make something new, some external catalyst like Ambrosia(The food of the gods in Greek Myth), getting normal skills in some way similar to the unique you're trying to master and practicing until you master those then applying what you learn with the normal skills to the unique, maybe even trying to change your own intent to match the skill in some way. There could be plenty of other ways to do it, and the rules could change from world to world if you use more than one reality, but the point is Unique Skills can be awesome. This has been a relatively short rant based on what I was thinking about at work most of the day, thanks for reading, and I hope it makes you think~

 

[Zavha0mnic]

A unique skill is about what you described, except in my opinion. Once someone acquires one then it’s unbeatable at it’s specific job. They need to be specific though, a unique skill that says “astral immortality” makes me think that your astral self is immortal, not your body. You could be killed mortally but you won’t die astrally? Even unique skills should have weaknesses.

A unique skill is about what you described, except in my opinion. Once someone acquires one then it’s unbeatable at it’s specific job. They need to be specific though, a unique skill that says “astral immortality” makes me think that your astral self is immortal, not your body. You could be killed mortally but you won’t die astrally? Even unique skills should have weaknesses.

Ignore my shit grammar I recheck everything I write normally oof.

 

[Ediav42]

So basically they are a relatively absolute conceptual ability (in the same vein of unstoppable force and immovable object) that embodies “you.” There are questions about if the skill would change if you yourself change (excluding a unique skill that naturally changes its effects as the person is changeable) or would it just stay the same as a “snapshot” of the person you were at that point in time?

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

I don't quite want to say that a Unique skill is "Unbeatable at it's specific job", like in my example of Astral Immortality vs Soul Destruction, they'd directly oppose eachother, so there would have to be some way to resolve it. And yes, an immortal soul wouldn't save your body, but you could always find some way to get a new one. Maybe? Otherwise it's permanent ghost time. But yeah, a Specific absolute conceptual ability is the general idea, though naturally being unique they wouldn't always exactly line up with that idea perfectly.

As for Unique skills changing. Generally, I'd say once it is established it would stay as it is no matter how much you as the user change, because that factor would always still be a part of you. But under some special circumstances, it could evolve into a more complex one? Like in Tensura, if you acquire multiple compatible Unique Skills, they could combine together into something more. Or if you fulfil the correct circumstance to gain another unique skill that would overwrite the first one. For instance, maybe something terrible happens to you and you gain "Wrath" but eventually, you overcome your anger and do what you gotta do, then acquire "Avenger" or the like in it's place.

 

[Biggest-Kusa-Out-There]

Imma need a replay here...
A Unique Skill is a one-of-a-kind skill... not a variation of another. Like being the only being in existance that can destroy a soul in any capacity, that would make it unique.

You can even look at Japanese Manga in those silly survival scenarios where every single character has a unique skill and their application is what makes people win or lose, not the skill itself. In the currently aired anime "Deatte Go-Byou de Battle" you can see this example, where the protagonist has a very ridiculous unique skill.

If you bring up immortality, then it's the absolute inability to die, period... no matter what the character is facing. It's like saying "this shield can't be broken (except by bullets)". Using absolute terms and then coming up with ways to circumvent them means you're misguiding your audience, or the system is faulty AF. If I read in a story that a character is Immortal in any way, shape, or form, I'd expect them to not die, ever. Even against Cthulu, Godzilla, Ra, Thor, Hades, or whatever.

An immortal CAN be destroyed, but won't die. Death and destruction are not the same thing. Immortality can naturally come in many ways if the narrative needs it to. You could have a Wolverine type of immortality through regeneration but with the soul, that would win against a weak destruction, or lose against a strong destruction. But calling it immortal implies immunity to death at the end of the day.
Maybe using other terms will make it easier for you to explain what your skills do/mean in your story.

In mythology, we can see Excalibur as being a blade that can cut literally anything. So, if you come up with a shield that can block literally anything, then the sword loses value, or does the shield. They are not "unique" anymore, just 'slightly better than the others'. Balance is always important when dealing with skills and systems.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

Well, "Unique" is the commonly used word for them. But I tend to think that they don't really specifically account for the other skills that exist. At least, not in that manner. They should be what they are regardless of what any and everything else is. I guess I mean, they don't have to be "Unique" according to the definition of "Unique" but are rather Unique Skills because of how special they are? I wasn't prepared for this line of thought. But something to that effect. As for Death and Destruction being distinct, well. Kinda? If something is destroyed, it can't damned well be alive. And rather than getting a headache from the paradoxes, I'd rather have some specific outlet to resolve them. Not that I'm using Astral Immortality in any of my stories anyway. Nor do I particularly intend to explicitly have any paradoxes.

 

[Deleted member 45782]

Unique skill is something that I would feel is only what the individual has and that is what makes it rare and stand apart from others. Or its only what a very few have, making that type of skill fall into some sort of niche.

Not sure about "astral immortality," but I feel like immortality falls into two types of things (probably a few types out there in fiction) in a lot of stories have seen or read: immortality as in you live forever and can't die of old age or sickness, but can die of mortally inflicted wounds such as in battles (i always think of elves in this case), or immortality where you're just damn invincible to everything and can't be killed no matter what they throw at you. Whether it can be destroyed or taken away/granted by the gods, that depends on the story and how powerful they make the gods as.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

Unique skill is just another "tier" of skills to make them look more powerful, nothing more, nothing less. Oooo I'm putting that one into my quotes doc.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

That is pretty true in general, but don't you want them to be something more? Something that defies the very laws of the world? Something CHAOTIC?!

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

That is pretty true in general, but don't you want them to be something more? Something that defies the very laws of the world? Something CHAOTIC?!

I just wanted to sound edgy. Anyways, sorry cause most of my drafts aren't LitRPG and the only one that isn't is a semi-realistic VR slice-of-life. I would call what you described a "TrueSoul" or a "Conceptual law". Or... super-duper powerful ultra ultimate skills.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

I just wanted to sound edgy. Anyways, sorry cause most of my drafts aren't LitRPG and the only one that isn't is a semi-realistic VR slice-of-life. I would call what you described a "TrueSoul" or a "Conceptual law". Or... super-duper powerful ultra ultimate skills.

Those names aren't bad, though I feel the common term "Unique Skill" fairly well covers what I want. If I were to take one of those, it'd be "Conceptual Law". "True Soul" kinda sounds like the final key phrase for an awesome high rank magic, like "Unlimited Blade Works".

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

Those names aren't bad, though I feel the common term "Unique Skill" fairly well covers what I want. If I were to take one of those, it'd be "Conceptual Law". "True Soul" kinda sounds like the final key phrase for an awesome high rank magic, like "Unlimited Blade Work.

That term isn't bad persay... But it only fits to the LitRPG genre tbh. TrueSoul is actually the very concept of someone(at least how I coined the term),if they manage to hold it together, even if their soul is scattered they will still remain since their "concept" still exists within that point, meanwhile if they lose their TrueSoul they just cease to exist.

 

[Cipiteca396]

As for a god with a relevant Domain, they'd win. After all a Domain is basically a Divine Unique Skill

Hmm. More accurately, wouldn't a god be someone who developed their Unique Skill to the absolute limit and gained Dominion over it?

There should be ways for a person to truly make artificial unique skills their own

By adapting to the skill, would be the only way using this description of Unique Skills. Like a swordsman throwing away worldly concerns and becoming an extension of their Blade. If you gain a Skill that embodies the concept of Wrath, then the only way to make it your own is to make yourself a creature that exists only for the sake of Wrath.

Generally, I'd say once it is established it would stay as it is no matter how much you as the user change, because that factor would always still be a part of you.

Kinda dull. People constantly change, so it makes sense that their Unique Skill would change with them. But, it makes more sense in an RPG or LitRPG, since they tend to like having clear, hard and easy to understand rules. But if it's not LitRPG, then it should perfectly match the user as they are in the moment. So if they don't change, neither does the skill. If they do change, so does the skill.

I do like the concept of Unique Skills. Hmm. I wonder if your version of Unique skills would be better called Personal Skills? Or maybe make a distinction between the two... With Unique skills being the 'artificial' skills that are replicas of Personal Skills. That way you can have a dozen people with variants of the Wrath Skill, but only one person has the 'Wrath of Wōđanaz' Personal skill. And then if you make a Unique skill your own, it can become a Personal Skill.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

Hmm. More accurately, wouldn't a god be someone who developed their Unique Skill to the absolute limit and gained Dominion over it?

By adapting to the skill, would be the only way using this description of Unique Skills. Like a swordsman throwing away worldly concerns and becoming an extension of their Blade. If you gain a Skill that embodies the concept of Wrath, then the only way to make it your own is to make yourself a creature that exists only for the sake of Wrath.

Kinda dull. People constantly change, so it makes sense that their Unique Skill would change with them. But, it makes more sense in an RPG or LitRPG, since they tend to like having clear, hard and easy to understand rules. But if it's not LitRPG, then it should perfectly match the user as they are in the moment. So if they don't change, neither does the skill. If they do change, so does the skill.

I do like the concept of Unique Skills. Hmm. I wonder if your version of Unique skills would be better called Personal Skills? Or maybe make a distinction between the two... With Unique skills being the 'artificial' skills that are replicas of Personal Skills. That way you can have a dozen people with variants of the Wrath Skill, but only one person has the 'Wrath of Wōđanaz' Personal skill. And then if you make a Unique skill your own, it can become a Personal Skill.

Gods being at the Limit of their Unique skills could be an interesting thing to do from both perspectives. But it would need the gods to grow up in the system if they're all like that? Unless people who Master Unique/Personal skills completely can migrate to a new space to build up their own worlds.

I still like the idea of there being other ways to overtake a unique skill fully, but changing yourself to match it would probably be the most consistent. Like a last resort, almost certain thing whereas any other ways aren't guaranteed or even especially likely.

I think in any circumstances, having a major ability that changes as fast as you do would be difficult to work with. Unless you have some sort of innate understanding of it's current state and capabilities. And hopefully at least retain the general idea to some extent.

And Personal skills, I like the idea there. That is pretty much how I was thinking of the distinction between Genuine and Artificial uniques. Not sure if Personal is the best possible word there, but it certainly fits. Might need to look around for other words to see what else might work and then I may have to use such a term at some point.

 

[SailusGebel]

Long story short, unique skill = JoJo stand.

 

[Armored99]

Something a person has attained by breaking away from the norm. Keep things simple.

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

Something a person has attained by breaking away from the norm. Keep things simple.

Keeping it simple can be helpful, especially for what you actually explain in stories. But I like to think beyond that a bit. So for "Breaking away from the norm", how far away can they go? What exactly allows them to do so? Do they just take existing abilities and use them in ways they wouldn't normally work until it becomes a new skill? Or is it always something separate granted by a deity or the world system? How do the skills grow from there?

 

[Armored99]

Keeping it simple can be helpful, especially for what you actually explain in stories. But I like to think beyond that a bit. So for "Breaking away from the norm", how far away can they go? What exactly allows them to do so? Do they just take existing abilities and use them in ways they wouldn't normally work until it becomes a new skill? Or is it always something separate granted by a deity or the world system? How do the skills grow from there?

The drive to take the paths that others avoid out of compliance with what is considered the safest bet. People like taking the more traveled route, but its the trailblazers that have unique experiences.

 

[gaylolis]

for me unique skill is the MC's cheat ability, like System, plot armor and being denser than a black hole for example.

it can be called unique since only the MC has them.

 

[celestialbeing90]

I just wanted to sound edgy. Anyways, sorry cause most of my drafts aren't LitRPG and the only one that isn't is a semi-realistic VR slice-of-life. I would call what you described a "TrueSoul" or a "Conceptual law". Or... super-duper powerful ultra ultimate skills.

intresting and kind of funny too!