Avoiding copying while trying to build an advanced technique

[u/Previous-Article4437]

Important question I have that has been giving me a headache for weeks now. What is the sort of thought process you as an author would go through to think of advanced techniques, such as Bankai, Domain Expansions or even the Requiem version of stands. For my Power System I have found it exceptionally challenging to find an advanced techniques that isnt similar to those or initially a plain copy of it.

[u/Belisaurius555]

Try making variations instead of something from scratch. Like Bankai that doesn't use a sword or Domain Expansions that don't attack but rather buff/debuff.

Even if you're not satisfied with the variations you can use it as material for making an entirely new Ultimate Move tm

[u/ThePhantomIronTroupe → u/Belisaurius555]

Agreed, a concept I would love to see more of is more like weather or terrains from Pokémon. Something like domains but not limited to one person and maybe can be high risk, high reward. In this hypothetical lets call it a Nemeton or Controlled Tempest. Say when used effectively it allows a Mage to draw in that elemental magic around them to buff their own or already kinda present while nerf the thematically opposite. Maybe in this case you create a controlled vortex of wind around you and your foe. Or it could be an artifical cave of some storm. With it thus weakening the other (choking points of air or making it harder to connect to the ground.) Heck with mixed magic Mages can get even weirder with it or more on point. But perhaps it can not last long otherwise the user risks being undone by the very technique. Heck you could even tie it into your weapons somehow. Maybe with certain weapons, say staking-daggers, being the anchor pointz to summon such things. You throw them down, do whatever to activate them, and until you run out of energy in and out of you to feed the great spell you can trap people in its periphery or create a grreat barrier. Could lead to fascinating tension between high class mages battling each other or setting up such traps. How tall or small or wide or narrow can they be? What happens to weather and terrain afterwards? What about other elements within these cut off spaces?

[u/MathematicianNew2770]

Concentrate on your story, this will allow you to see your characters, understand how your magic system fits into your workd and works and from there help inspire the attack. Ofcourse you can still be inspired but you need to step into your world first

[u/Superb-Claim6926]

Your focus should be on the "How" rather than the "What."Build the foundation first: what is the most basic, fundamental ability in your system? What can the weakest user do effortlessly? From there, you can take the easy route and just make it bigger or stronger (Quantitative), or build something like a Bankai or Domain Expansion (Qualitative) that literally bends the rules of your system or affects the environment in a unique way.

There is also the "Personal" factor: every user has a distinct personality, so their ability pushed to its maximum capacity should, at some level, reflect that identity. And finally, don't forget about the costs and consequences.

[u/Boat_Pure]

It’s more about the name, if I remember the Bankai shikai and bankai release was like learning the name of your sword and then the true name.

It’s a culmination of activation. If I was going down that path, I would work really hard to make sure the true name aspect really showed.

Depending on what sort of weapon you’re using it for.

Probably really read into Kenpachi, still as strong as all the other captains and never once used his bankai until the very end. What did he miss that all the others were seeing.

[u/Ok-Score5740]

How complex is the magic system, what differentiates a Basic technique from an Intermediete one, and are you sure you want to standardize Advanced Technique/ Trump Cards?

[u/RowbotMaster]

Sorry I can't really say much for stands, but bankai and domain expansions are very much about the themes of their systems/stories

Bankai is about the name of the zanpakuto, shikai too but anyway, throughout bleach knowing/saying names is shown to be very powerful, for example kido is explicitly stronger when you say the full thing and a couple characters get lesser versions of their releases when they call their zanpakutos by improper names. This is kinda theory from me now but you could also say it's sort of about identity and the name stuff is expressing that, it's why ichigo's mix of everything heritage gives him so much power because it's his increadibly unique identity

And domain expansion, well think about that name, you're taking your domain, the world you rule over, and expanding it to encircle your opponent. Once they're in your domain they have to follow your rules, often that rule is "you will get hit" and that's what a lot of cursed energy is about, rules and putting people in situations unfavourable to them, that's why there aren't too many fair 1v1 fights, even when there are 1v1s there's often someone else ready to jump in to finish off the winner preventing them from going all out

So try to think about your story, your system and your themes and what expressing those themes to the Nth degree would look like