What kind of fantasy battles are the most interesting to you?

[TsumiHokiro]

A coherent, additive scene instead of just being an opportunity for the author to show their skill of depicting battle action.

 

[Keene]

Honestly I had yet to see a fantasy story that can authentically present a believable military theory over the use of tamed winged creatures as airborne troops.

If anyone know of any, please let me know!

 

[Yule]

I prefer it when there's a sadness element in fantasy conflicts. Not necessarily deaths, but more like characters fighting against their wishes, struggling for something they can't reach, or fighting with a ton of regret for not having done something to prevent the fighting altogether. Portrayals of character psychology appeal to me much better than a well-written description of what's physically happening.

 

[Tsuru]

Not gonna lie, I'm a sucker for one-man army type of thing. I don't know, it just sounds badass. More so, if the character is actually struggling.

Small recommendation.

Have you read the "after-stories" of Arifureta ? (the part when MC-group and classmates are back on earth)
There is this arc for "hero" dude (trying to get redemption by doing good deeds), somehow is isekai-ed again.

And in this arc about him, in a chapter
as the sole viable defender, he choose to protects the door of a basement/bunker, of civils in it, against a incoming demon army. Awaiting reinforcement of the kingdom.

But the funny thing is.
Previous chapter, have him fight bunch of op demons, but soon turn wounded, to the point of needing to "bandage" his sword around his hand so it doesnt fall.
And next chapter, directly time skip to him, being in near-dying state, entirely red and holes, unconscious-standing, but somehow miraculously still defending the basement despite unconscious. With, "his shining sword's light seemingly going out like a dying lamp" and "any demon coming close were cut in half before seeing how he does it" bc entered a "swordsman ultimate state".
------------
The "fight" is less about the coolness of witnessing the fight, but more about the atmosphere, his sacrifice and everything else.
I had goosebumps all over my body by how cool it was.

 

[J_Chemist]

Big. Massive armies. In one spot.

Running at each other.

I don't want tactics. I don't want strategy. I want "You and Me. Right here. Right now. Fucking fight me, pussy." And I want the two armies to absolutely hammer each other until there's only one left.

No surrendering like cowards. No running. No bullshit white flag. Either you slaughter the other side and earn your victory, or nothing.

Big fan! And the Dwarves woulda won, too! Haha!

 

[Notadate]

I like smooth and easy to follow fights. Ones that feel grounded. Ones that make you sit at the edge of your seat not knowing what’ll happen.
-

The dragons throat swelled, scales separating, making its neck resembled burning coal. Herald dove towards the pillar. The dragon roared. — Herald held in the air, staff in hand. The breath attack barreled forward, it’s heat already tingling his skin. It was moving faster than Herald. — Heat enveloped his legs, crawling up his back. He slammed into the cobbled floor, rolling. He shut his eyes. The heat grew and his skin screamed out. The heat disperse. Breaths heavy Herald open his eyes, his eyelids crinkled.


”Fuck.” He growled. His right side was pink. His left foot was gone, a scorched stump. It didn’t hurt, the only pain he felt was radiating from his right side. He glanced to his right and saw molten rock. He looked away and clutched his staff in his left hand. Wincing as he did, he made a gesture with his staff over his stump and right side. A red light blinked into existence and wrapped around the body parts, seeping in. The pain elevated.

 

[Katako]

Small recommendation.

Have you read the "after-stories" of Arifureta ? (the part when MC-group and classmates are back on earth)
There is this arc for "hero" dude (trying to get redemption by doing good deeds), somehow is isekai-ed again.

I've watched the show but haven't read the LN yet. Though I think I know this part of the story, where he get back to his old world.

But the funny thing is.
Previous chapter, have him fight bunch of op demons, but soon turn wounded, to the point of needing to "bandage" his sword around his hand so it doesnt fall.
And next chapter, directly time skip to him, being in near-dying state, entirely red and holes, unconscious-standing, but somehow miraculously still defending the basement despite unconscious. With, "his shining sword's light seemingly going out like a dying lamp" and "any demon coming close were cut in half before seeing how he does it" bc entered a "swordsman ultimate state".
------------
The "fight" is less about the coolness of witnessing the fight, but more about the atmosphere, his sacrifice and everything else.
I had goosebumps all over my body by how cool it was.

Dang. How the hell is he unconscious but still manage to hold out. I guess its the sword's ability but, really?
So, he's just there standing, not even with his sense alive butchering any demon that came close. That's cool.

 

[Tsuru]

I've watched the show but haven't read the LN yet. Though I think I know this part of the story, where he get back to his old world.


Dang. How the hell is he unconscious but still manage to hold out. I guess its the sword's ability but, really?
So, he's just there standing, not even with his sense alive butchering any demon that came close. That's cool.

That is the interesting/funny thing

Arifureta
As one of the masterpiece at that time, it was popular like the other classics
but it won quite a lot of new fans with the "after-stories" part (you can google which chapter it start)
In fact i am one of them.
It is THE UNIQUE isekai series, that described THE ISEKAI part, and, THE RETURN-ON-EARTH part
(nowadays generic "return isekai or chinese/kr returners" don't count because they skip, while arifureta, is a entire isekai story AND wrote the return)
Its called "after-stories", that give off a feeling of "extra stories/epilogue" but in fact, its not. Its truly a continuation. And attract(ed) fans that heard rumors of the MC life back on earth (and also bc KR/CH manhwa-hua werent a thing yet)

Also it is still "continued" even now

(though irregular schedule and didnt check for a while)

You could say that "afterstories" > "isekai" of Arifureta

-------

As for the unconscious thing.
For previous "otaku gen", it wasnt that rare. And the most famous one was probably ROCK LEE in naruto.

Though in this arifureta case he wasnt really unconscious but near-death blurry conscious.
For another analogy, you can think of when a soldier is bleeding out, and the mind is blurred, or someone drunk. Kinda conscious but not.

--------------------

"i guess its the sword ability, but really?"

No offense but from what you said, it truly tell that you are poisoned [<i can't think of any softer word to tell this] by nowadays generic isekais, where all the "op" things come from "cheats"
Nope, it's just a question of "mental fortitude" that any humans has. In this case, breaking limits. (Have you never heard the old anecdote example of "a mother lifted a car/boulder to save her child" ?)

That is why "no cheat = best cheat". A extinct trope. Another masterpiece that also follow this logic is Mushoku Tensei. Just his brain, memories, and good genes with training.
Even until the end of series, sure he is in top echelons of strength, and can beat majority of population, but HE never was the TOP1 nor invincible, as there was A LOT of op people surpassing him, with even wife Eris able to beat him if "ONLY SWORDS allowed" duel.
---------------
The atmosphere, his past
is why this scene is cool

"Hero dude" became a "betrayer" in the main story
but unlike nowadays trope of "evil hero" in revenge mangas, dude truly was normal guy/hero but became misguided half-way as he thought his method was most efficient to return.
After MC beat him, and brought him back with rest of class to earth, dude unlike others that live "normally", chose to try to redeem himself for his betrayal by helping people, around the globe => imagine Archer of Fate IP

His strength is quite good but not that op AND nerfed bc of this 2nd teleport in another isekai.
So you can think of him as "just a slightly stronger swordsman"

2nd isekai humans are on the border of annihilation, and very deserted world.
Small propaganda of "him being a hero/savior"
500+ civilians in the "wine basement/bunker" + sister of the princess of the kingdom

At start of the fight, it was already shown that the demons despite weaker, arent that much weaker (horn bull demon tackled him very badly)
His arm/hand was broken, and there is so much blood on his body (novel saying unknown if own or enemies) to the point of being entirely red and unrecognizable, that he bandaged the sword on his hand, not just because broken arm/hand, BUT ALSO SO IT DOESNT SLIP FROM THE BLOOD !
The light on the hero sword "flickering". Isnt even a buff or anything. Its just a light proving his owner is a hero. And is just a tragedic poetic writing, "flickering" = vital signs going out like a lamp that gonna go out at any moment

He is also vaccilating like a drunk man, and just looking at the ground.
Reason he is so strong despite in this "state" is because he entered the ultimate state of swordsmanship
He is not even consciously killing, but just "cutting anything coming closer"
Which will cause a small plot when soon the princess come in rescue and see him.


TLDR :
THIS "2nd-isekai-hero-guy character arc"
is BASICALLY
his very last opportunity, to redeem himself.
For this kind of characters (like Archer), the value of their own LIFE < Saving someone. And living = hell. Full of remorses and regrets.

---------
Bonus :

Ninja-dude
(with 0 presence), get a harem in "afterstories" (multiple arcs for him, with 1 new "heroine" each)
btw himself didnt even want the harem
(girls fell for him and bunny-wife was fine with it bc "as the right-hand man of MC, you should also have a harem)

BONUS 2 ;

THE FAMILY OF MC and waifus
WILL SEE
the journey of MC thx to a spell that show a hologram of the past
(warning tissues)
It feels even more tragic, with spectators, the "fall of MC in the abyss" and "the hellish painful reconstruction of his body to the point of turning hair white"

BONUS 3 :

The trolling "robot" Miledi Reisen

will have her backstory explained
and also a small glimpse to the infinite loneliness of waiting she endured

Her in human form (in the side novel story) long long long long ago :

 

[Voidiris]

After MC beat him, and brought him back with rest of class to earth, dude unlike others that live "normally", chose to try to redeem himself for his betrayal by helping people, around the globe => imagine Archer of Fate IP

I think redemption is a extremely interesting concept in novels because our entire justice system is build upon retribution, except for Switzerlands? It should be Switzerland but that's not important, so it's even more subjective how much the person would need to do to redeem themself.

For this kind of characters (like Archer), the value of their own LIFE < Saving someone. And living = hell. Full of remorses and regrets.

I think character that care about themself more and still have remorse and regret for there actions are more interesting but that's just a matter of subjectivity.

 

[Katako]

That is the interesting/funny thing

Arifureta
As one of the masterpiece at that time, it was popular like the other classics
but it won quite a lot of new fans with the "after-stories" part (you can google which chapter it start)
In fact i am one of them.
It is THE UNIQUE isekai series, that described THE ISEKAI part, and, THE RETURN-ON-EARTH part
(nowadays generic "return isekai or chinese/kr returners" don't count because they skip, while arifureta, is a entire isekai story AND wrote the return)
Its called "after-stories", that give off a feeling of "extra stories/epilogue" but in fact, its not. Its truly a continuation. And attract(ed) fans that heard rumors of the MC life back on earth (and also bc KR/CH manhwa-hua werent a thing yet)

Also it is still "continued" even now

(though irregular schedule and didnt check for a while)

You could say that "afterstories" > "isekai" of Arifureta

-------

As for the unconscious thing.
For previous "otaku gen", it wasnt that rare. And the most famous one was probably ROCK LEE in naruto.

Though in this arifureta case he wasnt really unconscious but near-death blurry conscious.
For another analogy, you can think of when a soldier is bleeding out, and the mind is blurred, or someone drunk. Kinda conscious but not.

--------------------

No offense but from what you said, it truly tell that you are poisoned [<i can't think of any softer word to tell this] by nowadays generic isekais, where all the "op" things come from "cheats"
Nope, it's just a question of "mental fortitude" that any humans has. In this case, breaking limits. (Have you never heard the old anecdote example of "a mother lifted a car/boulder to save her child" ?)

That is why "no cheat = best cheat". A extinct trope. Another masterpiece that also follow this logic is Mushoku Tensei. Just his brain, memories, and good genes with training.
Even until the end of series, sure he is in top echelons of strength, and can beat majority of population, but HE never was the TOP1 nor invincible, as there was A LOT of op people surpassing him, with even wife Eris able to beat him if "ONLY SWORDS allowed" duel.
---------------
The atmosphere, his past
is why this scene is cool

"Hero dude" became a "betrayer" in the main story
but unlike nowadays trope of "evil hero" in revenge mangas, dude truly was normal guy/hero but became misguided half-way as he thought his method was most efficient to return.
After MC beat him, and brought him back with rest of class to earth, dude unlike others that live "normally", chose to try to redeem himself for his betrayal by helping people, around the globe => imagine Archer of Fate IP

His strength is quite good but not that op AND nerfed bc of this 2nd teleport in another isekai.
So you can think of him as "just a slightly stronger swordsman"

2nd isekai humans are on the border of annihilation, and very deserted world.
Small propaganda of "him being a hero/savior"
500+ civilians in the "wine basement/bunker" + sister of the princess of the kingdom

At start of the fight, it was already shown that the demons despite weaker, arent that much weaker (horn bull demon tackled him very badly)
His arm/hand was broken, and there is so much blood on his body (novel saying unknown if own or enemies) to the point of being entirely red and unrecognizable, that he bandaged the sword on his hand, not just because broken arm/hand, BUT ALSO SO IT DOESNT SLIP FROM THE BLOOD !
The light on the hero sword "flickering". Isnt even a buff or anything. Its just a light proving his owner is a hero. And is just a tragedic poetic writing, "flickering" = vital signs going out like a lamp that gonna go out at any moment

He is also vaccilating like a drunk man, and just looking at the ground.
Reason he is so strong despite in this "state" is because he entered the ultimate state of swordsmanship
He is not even consciously killing, but just "cutting anything coming closer"
Which will cause a small plot when soon the princess come in rescue and see him.


TLDR :
THIS "2nd-isekai-hero-guy character arc"
is BASICALLY
his very last opportunity, to redeem himself.
For this kind of characters (like Archer), the value of their own LIFE < Saving someone. And living = hell. Full of remorses and regrets.

---------
Bonus :

Ninja-dude
(with 0 presence), get a harem in "afterstories" (multiple arcs for him, with 1 new "heroine" each)
btw himself didnt even want the harem
(girls fell for him and bunny-wife was fine with it bc "as the right-hand man of MC, you should also have a harem)

BONUS 2 ;

THE FAMILY OF MC and waifus
WILL SEE
the journey of MC thx to a spell that show a hologram of the past
(warning tissues)
It feels even more tragic, with spectators, the "fall of MC in the abyss" and "the hellish painful reconstruction of his body to the point of turning hair white"

BONUS 3 :

The trolling "robot" Miledi Reisen

will have her backstory explained
and also a small glimpse to the infinite loneliness of waiting she endured

Her in human form (in the side novel story) long long long long ago :
View attachment 25164

Your explanation is quite detailed, very cool

 

[Tsuru]

Your explanation is quite detailed, very cool

Ty for liking. Much appreciated (ovo)b

It heal my heart from past-scars of [tldr]

 

[2wordsperminute]

The entire

Spoiler

final war

arc of So I'm a Spider so What (not sure that counts as a spoiler but just in case). In other words, large, climactic confrontations between two ideals that have a lot of build up and some strategy. Not to mention the fact that characters on both sides got plenty of spotlight before the arc in both good and bad ways.

 

[Hanne]

Tactical battles. Doesn't matter if siege battles, open field, or duel style, as long as it isn't me see, me punch or involves friendship-fueled last-minute nuclear strike deus-ex-machina ass-pull power-ups.

lol, bad tactical battles in mainstream fantasy novels are the thing that motivates me to write.

 

[Tsuru]

Your explanation is quite detailed, very cool

Another bonus detail-spoiler i forgot

The hero dude.
In main story, of course never won girls.

But in afterstories.
He will get 2 women.

But welllllllllllllllllllll~~~~~~
let's say they are both very pretty women that are "HEROINE" quality..... but the malus is that they are possessive with a small dose of yandere-ness, if you catch what i mean.

One is the princess of the kingdom arc (only merit is being a good healer/mage)
The other is a ONEE-SAN type "goddess/spirit" of some sort (weakened) in some kind of spirit realm. That i think i was in middle of reading the arc before dropping reading. Also Btw YES, dude was ISEKAI-ed a 3RD TIME (lol)
They will stick-follow him, despite him still going around the earth.

PS : in a bonus chap where Miu daughter of MC act as flying santa claus for everyone, he won't be forgotten, and she will give him a gift to him too. BUT PROBLEM, the gift was 2 RINGS (not 3), making wry smile very hard when he opened it, with the girls. Both bickering / soon fighting.
She fly away very cutely saying "I wish you a marry christmas and plenty more of isekai summoning !"
as behind her there was a sad-despairing scream saying : "Please dont wish me this kind of stuff !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" orz
(joke about him a isekai-magnet with main-story, 2nd isekai kingdom, 3rd isekai arc)

PS PS : Ninja-dude with 0 presence, will get a BLONDE legal loli western genius scientist / a clumsy but very sturdy and strong SAINTESS with a giant cross (kinda like in trigun) from the vatican / lot of hints of a "female onmioji" when someone called his phone bc he was again forgotten for school trip

 

[Arger]

I love fantasy battles that involve magic, dragons, and epic quests. I think they are the most interesting because they allow me to immerse myself in a world that is different from reality, but still has rules and logic. I enjoy seeing how the characters use their skills and abilities to overcome challenges and enemies, and how the story unfolds with twists and surprises. Some of my favorite fantasy battles are from The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter. What about you? What kind of fantasy battles do you like and why?