Re: [Guide] Making a Custom Fighting Style
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Part 1: The Essentials
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Brainstorming Process
Now that we've discussed all the parts to a style, let's talk about actually putting one together! Most times when you are thinking of making a CFS, you already have a general idea of what you want the style to be ( if not, this is a good time to think! ). At it's rawest form, what is it based on? Taijutsu? Combining Taijutsu with Elemental Ninjutsu? What makes it so unique that it differs from normal Taijutsu or Weapon Based jutsu that requires it to have it's own unique style? These are the first questions that you should be able to answer. If you cannot find good answers to these, then you need to put more work into your idea for it to work. Once a general idea is settled on, further research should be done before actual creation is done. This means looking through the pages of the thread to see if someone else has had this idea before you or something similar to it. If you don't see anything remotely close, then it's a sign that it might be a good idea that is certainly unique. After that, the brainstorming process begins!
It's ideal to write down all possible ideas that you have related to the CFS and the ideas that make sense together should be grouped together. At this part, it is highly advisable to try not to just add abilities together just for the sake of having a CFS, as it will likely be declined. It should be unique enough to be a fighting style and not just a slightly better elemental Taijutsu. Inversely, it shouldn't have so much added to it that it seems like it's just ability after ability. Finding this balance is often times a big problem for people, which is why a large portion of CFS are declined each cycle. At this stage, a few more questions should be asked; can this be done via normal customs? Does this really need to be a CFS?
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Developing the Style
After you have gathered your thoughts on what you would like out of a CFS, you are ready to start actually writing it! By now, you should have divided all the ideas you have written down into different "groups", like things that are possible, things that arent possible with your style, what ideas are too powerful to allow, and other things like that. Taking the ones that you think would make the style great, you start a rough draft of the style. Granted, this is generally the hardest part for some because they have all these great ideas but don't know how to put them together. First, you should always start from the base, what ties the entire style together. For example, if I were to create a style based on a long bō staff that could detach into two smaller jō staffs. Combining it with, for example, Genjutsu could allow me to cast illusions through contact with the opponent. However, upon reading through the past submissions, I'd find that this would be done already, namely by Whip Arts which induce a genjutsu through physical contact with a weapon. I'd go back to the drawing board and scrap this idea before landing on using those bo staffs with elemental taijutsu and Bukijutsu.
With all the ideas listed that one could go with, it becomes time to further develop the style. Starting by taking the ideas that make the most sense in relation to the style, one should look at it from the point of view as the checker and ask themselves questions such as "Would I approve this with a clear conscious? Does this seem like it's just ability hoarding?" Questions like that should be asked to ensure that your style isn't too powerful or plausible. A good rule of thumb is that a style shouldn't have more than 2-3 abilities, or unique traits, associated with it and even then, it should logically make sense in relation to the style. Example being having a Wind based CFS that allows the user to coat his fingers with wind for sharper punches that grant piercing capabilities but also grants the user a heightened tracking ability. These wouldn't make much sense in relation to one another as the Wind is merely enhancing damage or effectiveness of the punches, but it doesn't logically give any reason why you should have increased tracking.
Another important facet of developing the style is wording and execution. There have been many a CFS submitted that have a great idea and base, but are declined due to poor wording and bad execution of said idea. How you word a style is the most important part of making the style. It can make or break any style. You should keep from writing filler lines or unnecessary parts, like over explanations of minor parts of the style or repeating sections. There isn't any reason to take 3 paragraphs to detail how a punch is supposed to be thrown for example but at the same time, a style shouldn't be condensed into one paragraph. Moderation is key, you should write enough to the point the style is explained, but not so much that it becomes overly worded ( seriously, I'll decline a wall of text and tell you to condense it! ). You should always be sure to clearly write what you are trying to achieve with a CFS. For example, if you want to create a style that utilizes Elemental Ninjutsu, then in the description of the style, you should be sure to clearly write about using Elemental Ninjutsu and not just Ninjutsu. In addition to this, proper English should be used and if it isn't your native tongue, don't hesitate in asking a friend to proofread it for you; be sure to find one who won't just be your "yes man" and tell you it looks good because they want to learn it.
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Restrictions and Effects
Another important facet to understand is that restrictions should always be appropriate to a style. This means that if your style is rooted in Taijutsu usage, then Taijutsu should be mastered, or rather training completed. This also means submissions based around using Ninjutsu, Fuuinjutsu, Genjutsu, etc - any field that is utilized in a CFS has to have been previously mastered before submitted. The restrictions section is also used to list and detail other limitations of the style. These could be things such as the various ranks within the style, other requirements of the style that must be met to learn it and other things.
In addition to restrictions, a CFS can grant unique effects to practitioners. A very common effect is "Users of this art have slightly better reflexes, increased agility, when compared to Strong Fist users", commonly seen in many styles. What this means is that the user of the style generally has better reflexes and agility compared to a strong fist user. This doesn't mean that users gain an increase in damage or speed from a CFS; these effects are generally not allowed and are grounds for automatic declining of the style. Speed boosts and multipliers are also treated the same, having a 2x or 1.5x or even a + 3 speed levels effect is generally not allowed, only on rare occasions has this been allowed and even then, it wasn't something that was welcomed with open arms. Tracking boosts are also a touchy subject. Most are simply added just for the sake of having increased tracking and make no sense with the CFS, so it's something that is also not recommended.