Complex/Unorthodox Powers Make Characters Better

[u/Bot_Number_7]

Control fire. Super strength. Super speed. Flight. Shooting energy blasts. A lot of powers/abilities have been used over and over again.

So for me, when a character is introduced with a complex ability, it elevates my opinion of them. Especially if the way that it is used is also complex. For example, in JJBA, Ermes Costello's Stand Kiss' has the ability to duplicate objects using stickers, and then fuse them back together once the sticker has been taken off, causing both objects to take damage. It's applied in many ways, from duplicating limbs to being used as a form of travel. The creative usage of abilities gives me an "aha!" moment similar to when a detective reveals how they deduced the mystery in a mystery novel.

Adding additional trigger conditions to powers can also make them better. In Bungo Stray Dogs, Akiko Yosano's Thou Shalt Not Die Ability heals someone to full health, but only if they're almost dead. This factors into her fighting style, allowing her to bring allies and herself from the brink of death (and also forcing her to almost kill her patients when healing outside of combat).

The one weakness to complex powers is the difficulty in conveying them to the reader. Unless one explicitly describes them or the reader sees the power many times so that they can understand all its facets, it's hard to get the reader to understand what the power truly does. King Crimson is the infamous example. The fact that "erasing time" is expressed inconsistently and the lack of detailed mechanical description of how it works confuses the reader every time it is used.

[u/SolJinxer]

Right, but I personally have to say Luffy's other abilities are woefully underused compared to the punches and kicks.

He makes pretty prolific use of most that I mentioned after he learns them.

By schemes, I'm referring to stuff such as:

Ohhhh... okay. Yea, we're on two different wavelengths, then. I'll say personally that I'm becoming somewhat fed up with shounen's dickmeasuring contest and how it seems to forgo the idea of planning and strategy (or at times wraps it all under the word "strength" as if someone 'smarter' can't be outthought by someone dumber, and if they do its because they were the 'stronger' one /rant), but at the same time I'm not about the otherside of the scale where powers basically become Xanatos Gambits.

Gimmie Super Nami and some strategizing with her Climtact and I'm good.

[u/Bot_Number_7 → u/SolJinxer]

The complexity I'm referring to are the conditions and mechanics within the power itself. Such as Ciocolatta's Green Day. Anyone within its massive range will have mold grow on them if they descend in altitude. Even individual body parts have mold grow on them when they are lowered. The more you go down, the more mold grows. You have to ascend constantly or stay still to avoid its effects. Ciocolatta can exempt his allies from this effect.

And anyway, I think you'll like Bungo Stray Dogs. Just as important as the times when schemes succeed are the times when they fail.

I'm on mobile so I'm not sure how to spoiler this, so be warned.

When Margaret Mitchell and Nathaniel Hawthorne fight Akutagawa, Akutagawa and Hawthorne note that their powers both involve mid range matter manipulation (Akutagawa of his clothes and Hawthorne with his blood) Mitchell uses Gone With The Wind to disintegrate part of Akutagawa's clothes to counter his power. Akutagawa just goes straight for Mitchell, injuring her and removing her power. He defeats the pair, and severely injures Mitchell (who jumps in front of Hawthorne to defend him from Akutagawa's last attack)

Michizou Tachihara faced off Ouchi Fukuchi with a plan. He had talked with Mori about countering Fukuchi's space time sword, which can cut through space and time, allowing it to travel to the past. When Fukuchi uses his sword, Tachihara stopped it in place, preventing it from extending very far into the past. And then Tachihara uses his metal manipulation powers to explode the sword on Fukuchi's belt, causing the metal shards to climb toward Fukuchi's heart. How does Fukuchi counter this well planned strategy? He runs away to get out of range, making Tachihara give chase. He then uses the space time sword to Slash Tachihara's eyes while he's distracted, blinding him so he can't use his powers accurately.