What are Systems and Cultivation?

[Enachia]

There are plenty of fanfic or novels revolving around Systems and Cultivation, but I don't clearly know or familiar with that kind of thing (since I just joined the writing world like 2 months ago or so). Care to explain what that means? I'm a bit confused by it and clearly doesn't have any grasp of the whole concept itself how it applied to the theme that the authors picked for a story.

 

[udin-san]

I suggest you read some Chinese or Korean web novels

 

[Enachia]

I suggest you read some Chinese or Korean web novels

That's the problem. I don't really understand how these System and Cultivation thingy work on those fics, which only confuses me since I have no basic grounding or understanding how it works

 

[Cipiteca396]

It's pretty simple really.

A system is an interface that lets you modify Attributes or Stats; Skills or Classes; and a myriad of other things in exchange for a resource(usually experience, quests or dead things). Basically, it's an RPG style video game in novel form.

Cultivation is... Theoretically also simple. A person uses herbs, meditation and self reflection, or martial arts to improve themselves; body, spirit and mind. The ultimate goal of cultivation is usually either to ascend to godhood or achieve something like Nirvana.

Of course, tons of tropes and clichés then get added to the mix, and things get complicated real fast.

 

[ArcadiaBlade]

In simple terms, systems are just magical AIs that provides assistance to the host in terms of being a mechanical support. From providing assistance in enhancing body to mind modifications, to supplying any help in exchange for mutual benefits to its host, an equal exchange if you will(mostly helping its host). From low to high, its assistance can give its host OP abilities or even scamming them depending on what system it is. Ex. A strongest system that enhances its host to reach godhood or a system designed to give a gacha-like assistance depending on its host's luck(in MC's case, a BS luck that mostly helps its host). In most cases, systems tend to built around the RPG-like mechanics due to it systemize the layout in simple terms for the host.

Cultivation is mostly gathered around the power system in the eastern genre(mostly chinese) as it works as a enhancement type which strengthens its host or beast(depending on how their settings works in each work). Providing power differ from the western genre, their power system works on a ladder-type mechanics such as they get powerful per type of barriers they break(cultivation levels). Enhancing from body to spirit to even reaching godhood, cultivation is more busted on the power genre due to how many types it can be design per how the settings of the world work.

 

[Daitengu]

Cultivation was originally inspired by Taoism. The goal was to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit/soul to reach immortality. It has since been influenced by the CCP and Kung Fu movies. Every novel handles it similarly, and often has a lot of evil protagonists, even if not labeled as such. The novels tend to be so long that eventually the protagonists start genociding one group or another.

Systems were inspired by RPG games. Kill stuff, level up. Make stuff, level up. It even started out in game based stories. Like .hack// But has generally devolved into an excuse to not train skills as some magic/divine/tech AI interface just downloads them into your head. Most of those novels revolve around a murder hobo who just can't sit still long enough to bother with a home. Unless they can just magic it with them for no cost. And then it just comes down to who has the biggest numbers instead of trained skill or knowledge.

 

[Enachia]

Cultivation was originally inspired by Taoism. The goal was to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit/soul to reach immortality. It has since been influenced by the CCP and Kung Fu movies. Every novel handles it similarly, and often has a lot of evil protagonists, even if not labeled as such. The novels tend to be so long that eventually the protagonists start genociding one group or another.

Systems were inspired by RPG games. Kill stuff, level up. Make stuff, level up. It even started out in game based stories. Like .hack// But has generally devolved into an excuse to not train skills as some magic/divine/tech AI interface just downloads them into your head. Most of those novels revolve around a murder hobo who just can't sit still long enough to bother with a home. Unless they can just magic it with them for no cost. And then it just comes down to who has the biggest numbers instead of trained skill or knowledge.

In simple terms, systems are just magical AIs that provides assistance to the host in terms of being a mechanical support. From providing assistance in enhancing body to mind modifications, to supplying any help in exchange for mutual benefits to its host, an equal exchange if you will(mostly helping its host). From low to high, its assistance can give its host OP abilities or even scamming them depending on what system it is. Ex. A strongest system that enhances its host to reach godhood or a system designed to give a gacha-like assistance depending on its host's luck(in MC's case, a BS luck that mostly helps its host). In most cases, systems tend to built around the RPG-like mechanics due to it systemize the layout in simple terms for the host.

Cultivation is mostly gathered around the power system in the eastern genre(mostly chinese) as it works as a enhancement type which strengthens its host or beast(depending on how their settings works in each work). Providing power differ from the western genre, their power system works on a ladder-type mechanics such as they get powerful per type of barriers they break(cultivation levels). Enhancing from body to spirit to even reaching godhood, cultivation is more busted on the power genre due to how many types it can be design per how the settings of the world work.

It's pretty simple really.

A system is an interface that lets you modify Attributes or Stats; Skills or Classes; and a myriad of other things in exchange for a resource(usually experience, quests or dead things). Basically, it's an RPG style video game in novel form.

Cultivation is... Theoretically also simple. A person uses herbs, meditation and self reflection, or martial arts to improve themselves; body, spirit and mind. The ultimate goal of cultivation is usually either to ascend to godhood or achieve something like Nirvana.

Of course, tons of tropes and clichés then get added to the mix, and things get complicated real fast.

I see, I see. It's a pretty interesting one I'd say, and wholly depends on the theme and world that the authors that are trying to play out with the System/Cultivation.

Any Fanfic/Novel recommendations that could set me up to learn more about this kind of thing? Preferably the simplest and easiest one for me to learn about it, since I'm considering on creating one and I need to see how different authors played out their narrative with this kind of set up.

 

[Cipiteca396]

I see, I see. It's a pretty interesting one I'd say, and wholly depends on the theme and world that the authors that are trying to play out with the System/Cultivation.

Any Fanfic/Novel recommendations that could set me up to learn more about this kind of thing? Preferably the simplest and easiest one for me to learn about it, since I'm considering on creating one and I need to see how different authors played out their narrative with this kind of set up.

I don't really read cultivation, but for LitRPG you could read:

Spoiler: LitRPG examples

Azarinth Healer | Royal Road

A new world with nearly unlimited possibilities. A status, classes, magic and monsters. Sounds good? Well, for Ilea it didn't come quite as expected as for some other protagonists, nor was there a king or god to welcome her. The grand quest? Well, she might figure that out someday but for now, a...

www.royalroad.com

Chrysalis | Royal Road

Anthony has been reborn! Placed into the remarkable game-like world of Pangera.However, something seems a little off. What's with these skills? Bite? Dig?Wait....I've been reborn as a WHAT?!Follow Anthony as he attempts to adjust to his new life, to survive and grow in his new Dungeon home! Join...

www.royalroad.com

There is no Epic Loot here, Only Puns. | Royal Road

She became a dungeon core. Everything pointed Delta to murdering her way to success. People were just mana farms, right? No, that was wrong. Delta refused. Then everything became odd.

www.royalroad.com

Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG)

You can only read Salvos on Amazon now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SQD1DLR Follow Salvos, a Demon girl with a penchant of making friends and punching jerks in their nether regions. It's a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows the journey from her birth and...

www.scribblehub.com

Unbound (LitRPG Isekai Fantasy)

Books 1-6 are removed from the site and is now up on Amazon via Kindle Unlimited and Audible! A New World. A Thousand Threats. Welcome to The Continent. Felix's life on Earth had become a series of dead-end jobs, ruined relationships, and rotating apartments smaller than most postage stamps. By...

www.scribblehub.com

Trouble With Horns

More than a hundred years into the future and the world has been through hell and back, not that ancient history matters to Terry as his girlfriend of three years dumps him in the middle of a park. As a way to distract him, his twin sister convinces him to...

www.scribblehub.com

Blunt Type Ogre Girl’s Way to Live Streaming - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Reincarnated as a Dragon’s Egg ～Lets Aim to Be the Strongest～ - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (WN) - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated (WN) - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (WN) - Novel Updates

www.novelupdates.com

Oh yeah, this would have been easier than manually linking everything:

Tags Level System

www.novelupdates.com

Search Page | Royal Road

Search Royal Road for new stories to read or stories whose title you have forgotten

www.royalroad.com

Series Finder | Scribble Hub

www.scribblehub.com

Somehow I don't remember all the stories that I read when I first discovered the genre, but this should be a good list, even if most of them aren't to your liking.

 

[udin-san]

That's the problem. I don't really understand how these System and Cultivation thingy work on those fics, which only confuses me since I have no basic grounding or understanding how it works

Let me tell you about cultivation then since I have some experience reading them. Bear in mind that I don't really dig deep into the genre, I only read a bunch of them. So, this is only my basic understanding of it.

You know how in common martial art like karate, they use rank system for their practitioners, right? They use different belt color to show their level of proficiency. After the colored belt, there is the black belt. There is usually a big difference in skill between the colored belt and the black belt. But that doesn't mean that all black belt are the same since there's still a rank system in black belt, like 1st Dan, 2nd Dan, and so on in Karate.

Cultivation also has a rank system. The more you practice, the higher your level, the stronger you are. When you reach the bottleneck (usually the 9th level) of your current realm (realm like colored belt realm or black belt realm), then you can breakthrough to the next realm.

Now imagine that the number of realm is not limited to two like in Karate. You can keep getting stronger and stronger to the point of levelling mountains with a punch. Not only that, reaching certain higher realms gives you perks like the ability to fly, increasing your lifespan, or the ability to regrow your lost limb. The goal of the cultivators usually is to reach high enough realm that they became immortal.

This doesn't cover all about cultivation. Furthermore, this is not how the traditional cultivation works. But I think this is good enough for a start. What do you think?

If you want a recommendation on cultivation novels, here's a few:
- I Shall Seal the Heaven is a classic; it's a traditional cultivation novel.
- Coiling Dragon can also be considered a classic; it's a cultivation novel with a bit of western fantasy element sprinkled in it.
- Lord of the Mysteries is cultivation meets steampunk.
- Warlock of the Magus World is cultivation meets magic.
- Ascending, Do Not Disturb is a romance comedy (with more emphasis on the comedy) cultivation novel with female MC.
- I Am the Fated Villain is a cultivation with system.

All links go to their respective NovelUpdates page. Some chapter links are dead already, but you could easily use google *wink wink*

 

[immortal1daoist]

In short, during ancient periods the people (mortals) cultivated several stages, techniques, and unique abilities and ate magical herbs to be immortals or gods. These types of novels are called Xianxia which means immortal heroes

maybe you can try reading"Shrouding the Heavens" novel

 

[Templary]

There are plenty of fanfic or novels revolving around Systems and Cultivation, but I don't clearly know or familiar with that kind of thing (since I just joined the writing world like 2 months ago or so). Care to explain what that means? I'm a bit confused by it and clearly doesn't have any grasp of the whole concept itself how it applied to the theme that the authors picked for a story.

I'd say a cultivation system is... A soul crushing machine that uses that energy for item/energy/ki creation or else for host soul growth... Like RPGs Where experience makes you grow as an organism by killing others