Performance
When it comes to the performing point of the template, its all about imagination but this one is considered the most obvious of the whole template. When the student performs something you need to paint a picture in the teachers head to give them a clear image of everything that is going on and how you are reacting or feeling about the jutsu. Each jutsu will give different feelings and reaction. It is your job simply to show me how and what you are feeling and what is going on when performing the jutsus.
The things I expect in the performance are two things that are most important when performing the jutsus. The first is called Nature Manipulation. Nature manipulation is when the user will manipulate or control their raw chakra to change in basic nature which is one of the five basic elements. Now most people like to simply say something like this:
I gather my chakra and nature manipulate it into lightning chakra.
Yes this is okay but where is the creativity or the respect of actually wanting to perform and feel the jutsu? Now to explain every basic element properly on how to manipulate chakra into nature with more imagination and creativity such examples like this would work.
With my raw chakra gathered I begin to take focus upon the chakra. I begin to think of the warmth of the very sun and the blazing heat it gives off, I condense the chakra and finally mold the chakras nature into fire.
After gathering my chakra, I begin to take full control over it. I sharpen the chakra having the precious sharpness that surpasses that of a sword. Successfully I mold the chakra into wind chakra.
Now this is pretty much the basis when it comes to nature manipulation on how I see fit and what is best to impress your teacher. Now if you are wondering about how should I explain all the natures, well think about their property. Lightning has high frequent vibration and electrical sharpness, fire is superheated and blazing warm, water is free-flowing and very flexible, earth is rough and versatile, wind is sharp and thin with great accuracy. To be able to explain them you simply have to free your mind and become as creative as you can.
Now I can understand some times you don't want to go that deep into the jutsu because some are more simple then others and I can understand that, all I ask is to try and not be lazy with it.
The second thing that is most important when performing a jutsu correctly is called Shape manipulation. Now this is when you take the chakra or the chakra nature and shape it into any form or shape it requires to be properly formed. Shapes include spheres, animals (All types), blades, ect. This is all about attention to detail, and how precious you want to be when trying to perform the jutsu. Now here is a regular example that is done usually.
I manipulate the shape of my chakra to form a bullet.
Though again, that is not exactly wrong but where is the fun and creativity in that? This is all about paying attention to detail and how much you want to focus up on it. Here are some other examples that are more suffice.
After gathering my lightning chakra, I lengthen its size and sharpen the edge of the chakra to create a spear of lightning.
As I gather my chakra and release it forward, I begin to shape it and make it round as well as smooth leaving no bumps to create a spherical ball of chakra.
This is pretty much all it takes nothing more or less. You do not need to go extreme but detail is always best not only for me as a teacher but when you get in the habit of making proper and creative replies it will follow you in battle and help you greatly their when the time comes.
Creative uses/strengths
Now we are getting to the important part of all this. Now with this template I expect two things each with a total amount of detail. What I mean is firstly I expect you to tell me the strengths of a certain jutsu, I don't care how it works. I want to know what makes it useful. Things like that can include the jutsu is able to move in all ranges giving it a large amount of mobility. Another is you can send multiple attacks with one jutsu to attack more then one opponent or trying to barrage the opponent with attacks to make evasion difficult. Yes this are quite the small strengths but stuff like this count in the eyes of a teacher and needs to be taken in account. Though those are just some small examples what you really need to do is look into the jutsu itself. Try adding all or as much strengths with what you see in the jutsu. Also I understand some jutsus are more simple then others and might not have as much advantages but that is okay, its all about trying and thinking about it. But I do expect 1-3 strengths mentioned.
Lastly to perfect the strength portion, this is simple but something so many students fail to do. When you give a strength explain why that is considered a strength. Yes explain why. This is the most important part because it shows us how you plan on using it in battle and the teacher will be able to pick out what you have done wrong specifically. So simply saying it goes long range does not make it a hardcore advantage because if you think about it, that can also be considered a disadvantage. So by saying that it is very wrong and can confuse the teacher, all we really do is assume and guess what you are trying to say. So trying to perfect it, you would need to say something like this.This is the correct and proper way in doing the strength portion of the template.
The jutsu goes in long range, because of this the opponent will not be able to evade that easily by just pushing back and it can correspond with other jutsus.
Now the second portion of the template is creative usages. What is this is simply a combo or something you would do with the jutsu. This helps the teachers notice your style and what you are likely to accomplish in fighting so if you are doing anything wrong we can inject it and fix it so you do not make a mistake in battle. This is all about just being creative, every jutsu has a unique usage and can be used creatively or at the very least used in correspondence with other jutsus to create a combo to attack the opponent or turn the table on them.
Simple combos are of all kind, and most teachers will explain the jutsus usually giving a combo or a usage you can use, but it is the very basic of it. It is simply meant to show you how it is meant to be used or just to give you an idea. All because the teacher says it does not mean we want you to repeat what we said. You need to come up with another detail or combo. Simple combos could be like sending a fire jutsu towards the opponent and then use a jutsu to shake the ground to put the opponent off balance so it will be hard to react with the attack, and a more powerful combo could be when sending a fire jutsu direct it towards the ground and then send a single blade of wind behind the fire, which you can then activate the blade to turn into a hurricane to create a powerful fire vortex. Though with newer RPers they tend to sometimes use basic combos because they have seen less of the jutsu list or understand it less then others, but when you move on and learn more jutsu creating combos become much more easier and you begin to take action effectively.
Drawbacks/counters
Now this is the complete opposite of the strengths and creative usages. This is as equal as the strengths and creative usages for it allows the teacher to see exactly how is your understanding of the jutsu. Usually when people look at jutsus they tend to leave this with very little detail and failure to explain it properly. This is because many people believe disadvantages are to obvious to try and explain on why its a disadvantage which is the wrong mentality when doing this point. There are things with drawbacks and counter that need to be taken in account. What I usually expect from the student here is at least 1-3 drawbacks and at least one counter for the jutsu you would do.
Drawbacks when looking into it is not explained from the student, it is usually because of the double standards people give to jutsus. As I explained in the above long range attacks would be great attacks but their are disadvantages to them, one being is if the opponent is long range it will take much more time for the attack to reach the opponent so they will be able to counter the attack with ease. The thing is when it comes to advantages their will always be a disadvantage to that very thing. If something is great to use in short range battle it is useless in long range, if the jutsu is a projectile technique it can be used with combos but the jutsu will usually be straightforward and easy to anticipate. This is something always to consider when writing disadvantages that they're will always be one as long as you have listed advantages or mention them. So if you have two advantages mentioned then their is a huge likely hood that their will be two disadvantages with that, so their should not be much of a ratio difference between the two.
Listing proper drawbacks all depends on the way you fight and how you see the jutsu being used, usually it is looked at if the jutsu is sent or used against you, what would be the initial weaknesses you would sense. Firstly too look into listing them you have to take account everything in your senses and the jutsu concept. When it comes to the senses examples include if you send a large fire attack towards the opponent you will likely not be able to see through the fire so you won't be able to see how they are moving or what they are doing. If the opponent tries to use a jutsu with earth release that uses the ground as a medium you will be able to use your sense of feel, to feel the density of the ground begin to shift or change. Stuff like this are obvious disadvantages. Now when it comes with the jutsu concept those are usually the usual people tend to look into, so lets say the chidori only works in close range battle so it can't be used for anything but close range battle limiting the jutsu. Also jutsus that have long list of hand seals are disadvantages because it might take some time to perform the jutsu leaving you open. Streaming techniques are usually not good to use with combos but you have complete control where you aim them. (Notice their how their is a disadvantage but also a advantage because of that ability)
Lastly when it comes to countering the jutsu. Now how teachers picture your combos is usually as if the jutsu has already been sent so saying things like:
While he is performing the long list of hand seals I will send an attack before he completed them.
Yes they work but it will not always be the case like that so you need to be able to counter it as if it was already sent, though its not bad to mention that aspect saying because of the hand seals you can counter before he completes them but it is not what we look at, you are not simulating a battle situation, and that is what teachers what you to try to do and how they want to teach as if you were in battle. Remember when we were talking about how disadvantages work? Those are usually what a person will look at when trying to counter the jutsu, so lets say the opponent sends a lightning blade towards you as a projectile attack, this is what is acceptable.
Due to the fact it is straight forward and easy to notice (See the disadvantage) I can simply figure out where it is heading and I can create a dense defense like a wall or try to overpower it.
So using those disadvantages you listen can be used to make the proper counter towards the jutsu so remember that.
Lastly it is the type of counters we want to see. When it comes to countering a jutsu we don't want you just to stop the jutsu, we want you to turn the table and go on the offense so to impress try to add ways to not only defend but attack as well. Also try not to spam the same counter over and over, what I mean by that is if the opponent sends a lightning attack don't just say:
I will send a wind attack to overpower it.
That is far to generic, yes some techs are more straightforward then others but those should be the ones you can formulate better counters with, its okay to experiment and say something new or outside the box, that is what teachers want to see and what they expect. So instead of using a wind jutsu, why not use a water pillar to launch you in the air and then send a attack to go on the quick offense? Simple yes, but at least it is not generic and overdone.
So that is the basis of everything, all in all try to have fun and be creative with it, this is meant for enjoyment as well as a learning experience.
