We know Madara used Fire Style against him, so why didn't Hashirama use Water Style?
Not only as a counter to Fire Style, but as a counter to illusions (obscuring line of sight) and weapons, Water Style would have been more useful than Wood Style. Adding in its lower energy cost, this isalmost guaranteed.
So this gets me thinking. Kakashi said that using hereditary elements requires a mastery of the normal elements that constitute them. And indeed, Yamato demonstrated a mastery of both Water and Earth Style befpre using Wood Style.
However, such terms as 'mastery' can have broad or vague meanings that do not always equate to power level. Lee has been master of physical combat since he was a Genin, but he would not beat Kurenai in that category. The number of times hereditary element users have refused to apply their basic elements even when they would be useful implies they may not be too good with them.
Another factor to apply is that practice makes perfect, which means that even if one has adequate talent with something, a lack of practice can make them poor users of it.
Combining these, maybe mastery of the elements simply refers to being able to freely work with them, but not necessarily being practically good with them, especially in heated situations like battle.
With this In mind, how good would the 1st Hokage have been with Water and Earth Styles on their own? Deidara with Earth and Lightning Styles? Gaara with Wind and Earth Styles and so on?
How much of a difference would it have made to their careers if they only had these basic elements and not the hereditary ones, assuming no extra training focus?
Not only as a counter to Fire Style, but as a counter to illusions (obscuring line of sight) and weapons, Water Style would have been more useful than Wood Style. Adding in its lower energy cost, this isalmost guaranteed.
So this gets me thinking. Kakashi said that using hereditary elements requires a mastery of the normal elements that constitute them. And indeed, Yamato demonstrated a mastery of both Water and Earth Style befpre using Wood Style.
However, such terms as 'mastery' can have broad or vague meanings that do not always equate to power level. Lee has been master of physical combat since he was a Genin, but he would not beat Kurenai in that category. The number of times hereditary element users have refused to apply their basic elements even when they would be useful implies they may not be too good with them.
Another factor to apply is that practice makes perfect, which means that even if one has adequate talent with something, a lack of practice can make them poor users of it.
Combining these, maybe mastery of the elements simply refers to being able to freely work with them, but not necessarily being practically good with them, especially in heated situations like battle.
With this In mind, how good would the 1st Hokage have been with Water and Earth Styles on their own? Deidara with Earth and Lightning Styles? Gaara with Wind and Earth Styles and so on?
How much of a difference would it have made to their careers if they only had these basic elements and not the hereditary ones, assuming no extra training focus?