To all writers old and new and anyone curious about how to build a power system for a story, stop by for a quick read. We will be covering what power systems are, what counts under a power system, and how you, the viewer, should write power systems in the future. All we’ll be covering today might just be the difference between a good story and a great story, so take notes!

A power system is a system by which characters can do superhuman or magical actions. Sometimes, these actions aren’t technically superhuman but are portrayed in a manner that makes them appear that way. Some examples of power systems are the Riordanverse’s godly heritage, the Harry Potter magic system, and the devil fruits from One Piece. These all provide their characters with supernatural abilities that they can use to do powerful actions, like manipulating water at will, firing off a killing curse, or even transforming one’s body into rubber.

Many things can count under the broad umbrella of a power system. For example, power systems can fall into multiple categories. Power systems like godly heritage from the Riordanverse or fantasy races like in the Lord of the Rings series fall under the closed category of power systems. These systems are exclusive to some people, and you can’t just work hard enough or drink a special sauce to gain access to their might. Power systems like the mist, also from the Riordanverse, and magical items also from the Lord of the Rings count under open power systems. If someone else got the one ring, they could turn invisible while wearing it, or if someone trained under magic, they could learn to manipulate the mist’s magic.

Now, as you might’ve realized in the last paragraph, your world can have multiple power systems that all work differently than the others and have different requirements than the others. Tons of universes do this! One piece has devil’s fruits, but it also has Haki, cybernetics, genetic modification, and more! Many fantasy shows and media have magic, different races, and different physical limits on the body. Having more power systems is neither good nor is it bad. It depends on the person’s ability to make those systems work well without overwhelming the viewer or creating power systems that make previous ones useless.

Now how should you, the viewer, write power systems? This depends on your style and temperament, but I have some guidelines if you’re new to the craft. First, don’t go crazy. Some people like to make advanced and wild power systems without the experience to manage them and always end up burnt out. Look at the bending power system from Avatar: The Last Airbender, for instance. You either have a bending ability or not and if you have a bending ability, there are limits to it. Water benders have to be near water, earth benders can’t just lift mountains, things like this. On this topic, the limits of your power system should be clear and concise. These limits make the power system stand out more than its abilities grant. Hundreds of power systems let characters summon lighting, but if you have to give up a sense to use this ability, that suddenly makes the system more interesting. Lastly, for the more experienced, try to have your power system fit the plot or themes of your universe. If your story is about fighting from the rule of a dictator, maybe your characters get stronger with their infamy or fame. Or if you want to tell a story of understanding others and working towards peace, maybe learning more about the world grants the people in the systems more power, or learning from other ways to use the power system gives them much more they can do.

In conclusion, power systems are how characters in fictional media can do the supernatural. Power systems can be opened or closed, with open power systems being able to be wielded by anyone while closed power systems have requirements like heritage behind them. Your story can have multiple power systems but avoid making redundant things within this. Lastly, a good set of guidelines are: keep it simple, make interesting limits on the system, and if you’re up for the challenge, make the power system fit the plot of your story.