Secrets from a bestseller writer
So you want to write your own fantasy story and there’s one thing you know all the best stories have - a solid power system.
How do you create a power system for your manga, novel, or fantasy work?
As a creative ghostwriter for hire, I’ve had to develop unique power systems for clients who had all sorts of ideas and no ideas at all. This always includes crafting everything from the worldbuilding that fits, to power sources, types, names, levels, etc. So I know it’s not a walk in the park for anyone with less experience.
In today’s post I’ll be breaking it down for you to be able to do this yourself or get better at it if you're not a beginner.
What is a power system?
In the world of anime, power systems are king. Many of the most popular anime or manga are simply so successful because they nailed it with this vital element.
Same with other fantasy works we know and love.
But I’ve noticed that when it comes to talking about it, no one really defines what a power system is.
It’s just these two words we sort of understand from what we’ve seen in novels and movies.
But the definition is important when you’re crafting one for your story. Here’s how I describe it:
A power system in fantasy fiction is the structured framework that defines how supernatural abilities, magic, or special powers work in your world. It’s the logic behind the magic — the rules, limits, and consequences that make the world’s extraordinary elements feel believable and engaging.
It’s the manual for how these abilities operate and why, within the world created in the fictional work.
Some good examples of power systems include Nen in the anime Hunter x Hunter, Chakra in the anime Naruto, Cursed Energy in Jujutsu Kaisen, Spells in Harry Potter, Magic in The Lord of the Rings, and One Power in Wheel of Time.
How to create a good power system for your fantasy story
Whether you’re writing a novel, manga, comic, anime, film, or whatever, the steps for creating a well-balanced power system are the same.
I’ll walk you through how I do it. This will be different from other ways you’ve heard - most likely because I taught myself.
Start with worldbuilding
The first thing you want to do before crafting spells, attack forms, or whatever is to outline your world.
This fantasy story, what’s the foundation? Why does it exist? What’s the big idea?
I’ll use a case study of one of my client projects to give you perspective -
We’re writing a story about mega monsters unleashed from an abandoned place with a hunger for human flesh and bones.
The world will shift from a peaceful urban village to a post-apocalyptic one where these monsters can attack survivors at any time. The origin of these creatures is unknown (it has something to do with their history as a people though). But at the same time this world doesn’t know or use magic.
The people are regular humans. They have a deep reverence for the pillars in their village known as the oldest families. These families have in fact battled these monsters before but won with an inhumane solution.
Now, years later, generations who know nothing about that first fight, battle the same monsters.
This worldbuilding gives us some direction on what the power system can look like for this story.
The first point is that there’s no magic involved. If there is no magic in this world, it means the humans will have to rely on their physical strength to fight back. The only other possible solution that exists in this world is science.
When you know what your story’s world is about or where your idea is heading, it’s easy to see the kind of power system you’ll need to progress your story through till the end.
In the case of this project above, our vision becomes human fighters whose physical strengths are amplified by scientific solutions.
Flesh from your foundation
Power system development is like building a house. You start at the foundation, next comes the pillars, and then you can flesh out everything else.
Taking your answers from your initial worldbuilding, you now know what the founding elements of your power system are.
The next step is to erect your pillars by answering these 5 big questions:
Why does this power system exist?
How will it be used?
Who will use it?
What are the general limitations, costs, and dangers?
What are the general rules?
These questions require more than single-line answers. This is the ‘development’ part in a power system development.
By answering each of the questions in detail, you will get to identify everything that will make your power system good.
To help you, here is an example using the case study story. I’ll keep the answers brief for the sake of this article, but like I said, go deep and wide when answering for your story.
I know from step 1 that my power system will comprise human fighters whose physical strengths are amplified by scientific solutions.
Why does this power system exist? To fight the mega monsters and reclaim the world for humans.
How will it be used? As various attack forms, users will enhance their physical strength through training and they’ll use a specific scientific solution to boost themselves to match the monster's strength.
Who will use it? Selected fighters in the story. They will undergo the training to fight the monsters. They will be from the aforementioned families.
What are the limitations, costs, and dangers? Physical strength can’t go too far. The scientific solution is limited by the human body. The danger is it changes your body with overuse. And it is made from a particularly dangerous substance.
What are the rules? The solution can only be used once per release.
It’s important to point out that in making a power system, having no rules at all can also be the rule. This method is tricky but doable.
Many fantasy stories based on magical power systems have no rules. Whoever has power can do anything, anytime, and that in itself is a rule.
3. How to think of a unique power system
This is the million-dollar question most people ask. You might hear that there’s no such thing as a unique power system, that someone has already beat you to whatever fresh idea you think you have.
But I believe differently.
It’s possible to have a unique power system. The uniqueness might not come from what the power system is, but from how it’s used, the limitations, and other pieces of the puzzle.
If you want to be unique with the type of power system, you have to think out of the box.
For example, imagine if the electronic device you loved most defined supernatural abilities for you.
Sounds crazy, but crazy is fresh, and crazy is interesting. You just need to take that absurd idea and build your own thing.
{power system linked product image here}
If you’re interested in a complete guide from me to help build the power system for your fantasy story, get my Power System Development Guide & Workbook from the store.
It will help you build a custom power system that feels fresh, logical, and deeply tied to your world. And it also guides you to plug holes, validate your system, and avoid tropes that suck the greatness from your work. You can use this guide to craft legendary power systems over and over again for any story.
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