Draft idea 3: Not following the protagonist

[Arch9CivilReactor]

With the magic system sorted and it being generally agreed that there was no inconsistency that could pose a big problem. Now I move onto Draft Idea 3, which will be how the main character will interact with the ‘main scenario’.

Something that inspired me recently was “Conquering the Academy with a Sashimi knife”, but in the opposite direction from what I’d read in the 7 chapters currently out. That being that I want the main character TO NOT INTERACT WITH THE MAIN SCENARIO DIRECTLY.

This means that he won’t get the original protagonist’s harem as a rizzer. He won’t be fighting insurmountable odds that require the bogus abilities of a main character. The only power he needs is to protect his teammates.

Moreover, the ‘original protagonists’ are the only ones who get a special weapon is used against the enemies of humanity. By logic of the power system’s laws, the MC can’t defeat the real enemies without the help of the protagonists.

This doesn’t mean everyone will work together in a happy and accepting way. This world has a capitalist society that is very focused on one’s own achievements. Those with money can buy expensive weapons like MagiTech, while the poor can’t even afford to buy a regular sword.

It’s an unfair world that overly values talent and disregards the poor, which is why none of the main characters possess the ‘real weapons’ capable of hurting enemies of humanity. The rich flaunting wealth while the poor are starving.

Moving on…

The base of this idea is that the main character (reincarnator with knowledge of future events) is not involved with ‘main scenario issues’. Instead having to focus on his own life trying to adapt to THIS WORLD(city), which is constantly under attack by monsters and has strange people even outside the main cast. Some who are even weirder than the protagonists that he knew of.

This might seem a bit vague compared to my other posts, but is definitely direct enough if you’ve read “Academy Isekai” stories these days that are popular. It also combines with the direction I’m taking my card system in calling them “possessions”, as some would sell their skills for money. Even if they are unique.

This gradual shift into an evil society that forces ‘special’ individuals to give up their gives to empower those ‘within the system’ is a product of the Final Boss. The new magic system that causes this to be possible is the ‘ability to turn skills into cards’. The aspect I’m focusing on.

To be clear, this isn’t a card game story. Just a world that uses cards in the power system.

That’s the current draft I got for the direction.

I’m sure there aren’t inconsistencies (since direction is based on author opinion), but how do you see such a plot?

Also, I was thinking of combining this with the random idea of “debuffs for stronger buffs” that I used in ‘I Chose The Cursed Gifts’. Though without the sex elements that plague that story.

Does anyone know how ‘debuffs’ could be implemented into a card system?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

The only time I have seen a story where the protagonist does not interact with the main plot, as he is too focused on his own plots and schemes and pleasures, is the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser. Harry Flashman is a con man, a rogue, a womanizer, who keeps getting sent off into areas where major historical events are about to happen, and is often credited with playing a pivotal role (sometimes correctly, though never intentionally), or he gets pulled out of the incident just before it goes critical (he is saved from death at the Battle of Little Big Horn when one of his illegitimate daughters kidnaps him the night before the fight because she wants the honor and pleasure of killing him for what he did to her mother to be hers alone). Will be impressive if you can pull it off (especially if it is not done as comedy - usually when the story happens in the background, it tends to be played for laughs, no matter how serious it is - for example, at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, Flashy winds up accidentally helping the Zulus, which ultimately saves his life, and meets Col. Tiger Moran, the villain in "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" ... which he also crosses over into himself in one of the few Flashman short stories).

As for cards carrying debuffs and buffs that is something as old as the Tarot; some cards have different meanings if they turn up "inverted" rather than positioned correctly, and others actually do affect the main card in different ways.
If you use a standard deck, say a Face Card is an actual attack card, the suit determines its power, and various Red and Black cards could increase that power, add (or subtract) properties etc. So if the Jack represents a flurry of dagger attacks, with 2 for the "weakest" suit (say, in this case, clubs), 4 for the next suit up (Diamonds, maybe), 6 for the third strongest suit (Spades) and 8 for Hearts. Then a 2 of the same color can add one attack, while a 2 of the other color removes one. Other numbers may give bonus effects, and effects can stack. So that if you have a Jack of Hearts with a 2 of Spades, a 5 of diamonds and a 10 of hearts, it may have a flame ability added to the dagger swarm (the five), and may be able to make a second attack (the 10), but loses two daggers (the 2 of spades) in the process.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

The only time I have seen a story where the protagonist does not interact with the main plot, as he is too focused on his own plots and schemes and pleasures, is the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser. Harry Flashman is a con man, a rogue, a womanizer, who keeps getting sent off into areas where major historical events are about to happen, and is often credited with playing a pivotal role (sometimes correctly, though never intentionally), or he gets pulled out of the incident just before it goes critical (he is saved from death at the Battle of Little Big Horn when one of his illegitimate daughters kidnaps him the night before the fight because she wants the honor and pleasure of killing him for what he did to her mother to be hers alone). Will be impressive if you can pull it off (especially if it is not done as comedy - usually when the story happens in the background, it tends to be played for laughs, no matter how serious it is - for example, at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, Flashy winds up accidentally helping the Zulus, which ultimately saves his life, and meets Col. Tiger Moran, the villain in "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" ... which he also crosses over into himself in one of the few Flashman short stories).

As for cards carrying debuffs and buffs that is something as old as the Tarot; some cards have different meanings if they turn up "inverted" rather than positioned correctly, and others actually do affect the main card in different ways.
If you use a standard deck, say a Face Card is an actual attack card, the suit determines its power, and various Red and Black cards could increase that power, add (or subtract) properties etc. So if the Jack represents a flurry of dagger attacks, with 2 for the "weakest" suit (say, in this case, clubs), 4 for the next suit up (Diamonds, maybe), 6 for the third strongest suit (Spades) and 8 for Hearts. Then a 2 of the same color can add one attack, while a 2 of the other color removes one. Other numbers may give bonus effects, and effects can stack. So that if you have a Jack of Hearts with a 2 of Spades, a 5 of diamonds and a 10 of hearts, it may have a flame ability added to the dagger swarm (the five), and may be able to make a second attack (the 10), but loses two daggers (the 2 of spades) in the process.

So you’re saying inherent negative properties can be infused into the positives. Instead of a clear divide between ‘good cards’ and ‘bad cards’. Is what I got.

That… actually makes more sense. It’d probably be to obvious if someone was given a negative card with no benefits, and with the possession of assets being whatever you want, anyone could just discard cards they do not like.

However, cards that have more of a restriction factor than negativity, with their own benefits, is likely more suited. I’d give a reason for why they didn’t just discard a useless card in the first place.

That sounds very workable.

I haven’t read that book but am thinking of just making the split more like… The Isekai guy knows the real context behind some lies by the academy. The mystery expanding on the true nature of the overarching conflict and his role in this world.

All of this leading to a no-hold-bars epic showdown between an army and the final boss.

 

[LoneQuack]

Well that reminds me of Author's POV. I'm sure you've heard of it because its popular but if you don't Ill give you a summary: guy is author of the book struggles to figure out the ending and ends up transmigrating to a random character. Now, (similarly to you) he can't be the one to kill the final boss, only the MC and so he tries to help him and his crew from the shadows although things don't really end up in his favor. If I say more it will be spoilers but yeah, if you haven't read its a great novel and it might inspire you.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

Well that reminds me of Author's POV. I'm sure you've heard of it because its popular but if you don't Ill give you a summary: guy is author of the book struggles to figure out the ending and ends up transmigrating to a random character. Now, (similarly to you) he can't be the one to kill the final boss, only the MC and so he tries to help him and his crew from the shadows although things don't really end up in his favor. If I say more it will be spoilers but yeah, if you haven't read its a great novel and it might inspire you.

Usually leave very close to home inspiration material aside because my own work gets too affected by what I’m reading. Will try it AFTER completing the work and not worrying about getting too influenced as a writer.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

So you’re saying inherent negative properties can be infused into the positives. Instead of a clear divide between ‘good cards’ and ‘bad cards’. Is what I got.

That is a simpler way of saying what I was thinking, yes. Some cards have properties that work on their own, some cards have properties that only modify (up or down) other cards, and some cards have properties that change either other cards or due to other cards and can go either way, depending.

I haven’t read that book but am thinking of just making the split more like… The Isekai guy knows the real context behind some lies by the academy. The mystery expanding on the true nature of the overarching conflict and his role in this world.

The Flashman books are a series - I've only read four of them (three were excellent, the fourth not so much) but I believe there were either six or seven total in the series.