Do you prefer one cultivation system for all races, or many different?

[AncestorDuck]

Basically the title.

Do you want all the different races to follow the same path, or do you prefer if they are some differences.

 

[Kenjona]

I actually find it fascinating if the underlaying mechanics might be the same, but due to cultural differences how they go about cultivating and advancing might be different. Which because of those differences, besides the differences in different species make up, end up with different plus and minuses to various cultivations.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Basically the title.

Do you want all the different races to follow the same path, or do you prefer if they are some differences.

Well, look at the pros and cons then.

1. Same path
Pros:
- Easy to keep track both as an author and reader.
- Maybe can go for the whole "all is one" quote from FMA, which is also daoism AF.

Cons:
- Coming from all the CNs I read, this BS same path probably is going to be Chinese Human AF. And even if not Chinese, it is still Human AF because let's face it, readers and author are humans, we believe in human supremacy and therefore the same path is Human AF.

2. Some differences.
Pros:
- This is nice that it is SOME difference and not completely bonkers different, meaning there is still point of reference readers can relate to by comparing with MC
- Gives MC chance to become Ichigo Ditto, like seriously. Do the Soul King/ Pokemon and collect em all.

Cons:
- Not really, unless some of the difference is TOO different.
- Author really needs to pull up bootstraps for this, to make a convincing difference instead of simple aesthetics change like most CN authors did.
- Few differences is fine, too many is not. I leave how many is too many to the readers not author. #SorryNotSorry

 

[Isometric]

I think it's dumb when cultivation systems for humans and non-humans are completely different without any justification. Like, why would snakes just keep getting bigger each time they got stronger, while humans stay the same size? Our bodies are basically the same, but humans, out zillions of different animals, are the only ones who cultivate in this one special way.

At the very least, whatever I write needs to make sense to me. If a bear can cultivate purely by eating random spirit plants in the forest, so can humans. If humans can cultivate by performing martial arts, so can other animals, assuming they're smart enough to learn them and their bodies are capable of performing the moves.

I do like having countless different cultivation paths and methods, but it should be based more on location than anything else. Basically, people will follow the cultivation paths their ancestors figured out. Inhabitants of World X could choose between cultivation methods A, B, and C, while inhabitants of World Y could choose between cultivation methods B, D, and E. If the inhabitants of the worlds interacted, pretty soon methods A through E would be available in both worlds.

 

[goblinquest]

I think it's dumb when cultivation systems for humans and non-humans are completely different without any justification. Like, why would snakes just keep getting bigger each time they got stronger, while humans stay the same size? Our bodies are basically the same, but humans, out zillions of different animals, are the only ones who cultivate in this one special way.

Actually the reason is because for the animals their cultivation is natural. They don't use a cultivation technique to cultivate, they gradually accumulate spiritual energy simply by living. What determines their cultivation speed is their bloodline, a chicken will be an ordinary animal forever unless it has a fortuitous encounter, while a phoenix is a born destined for divinity.

Now humans are basically ordinary animals, we don't naturally accumulate spiritual energy overtime. The difference between us and the other animals is we're naturally sapient. Which means we can practice cultivation techniques, forcibly gathering spiritual energy, and cultivating manually.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Now, normally I'd say they should be the same.

But part of me prefers when, even between humans, they have completely different techniques, to the point where one person's techniques outright contradict another person's.

 

[PancakesWitch]

Depends, I like making them different in some regards, with some races having more advantages than others due to being born stronger by default (more connected to an element and other things, not everything is equal and balanced in nature after all). But even if they have different method related to the world building and their own tribes traditions and unique energy sources, they are all comparable. For example a Vampire cultivates their Blood Core and reaches Tier 3 by drinking the blood of foes and stronger monsters over time, and then there's an Elf whose Spirit Heart grows to Tier 3 through their bonds with Spirits and their mutual magical growth, sharing a bond that strengthtens them both. At the end they have different methods, powers, and origins, but both are around the same power level because they're Tier 3. As simple as that. The difference is in methods and how easy or quick it can be, their limitations and how they can play around them. Some readers hate this though, they dont like everyone being special and unique and only want the MC to have all of that while everyone else is lame.

 

[Placeholder]

The more you expose the mechanics of the system, the more you're going to have to make them interesting. Interesting to the reader. This means the mechanics do not need to be carefully worked out and presented. All you have to do is make sure you don't contradict yourself or pull plot armor out of midair.

I'm interested in seeing characters strive and sweat. In a car theft film, most filmgoers are not intrinsically interested in engine design or horsepower-torque graphs.

> Do you prefer one cultivation system for all races, or many different?

Does this detail and complication make it more interesting to the reader. Note every complication has an opportunity cost, where it may add to the boredom counter and not the dramatic tension counter.

Lord of the Rings and Master Your Poor Disciple is About to Die Again have good system mechanics. Likewise Stray Cat Strut. DnD's system mechanics are better hidden from the reader.

If you can hide a detail without making it worse, hide the detail. Tolkien wasn't tracking HP or armor class.

 

[DireBadger]

I love the friction that comes from alternate power systems.

The greenskins in my world use a totem to interact with the 'system'. These totems are kept at nodes and interacted with via shamans.
The humanods, however, invite aspects into their bodies, and are mutated into avatars as a result, with things like cat ears or spines, and their personal aspects allow them to interact with the 'system' sort of like a low-level AI.

The friction comes from the humanoids thinking the greenskin shamans 'enslave' aspects instead of offering them their bodies, and the shamans consider humanoids abominations for allowing their souls to be warped by what is, in the end, an interface. Ironically, the greenskins are a lot closer to traditional cultivation, in that they have to go through pain and blood as they advance, whereas the humanoids are protected by their aspects from things like tribulations, and their body alterations are just natural because the aspects keep their bodies 'in flux'.

Drama is good.