I'm having a conundrum. I'm not sure where to draw the limits on how strong and how complex I want to be with powers in my story. I feel if I make the powers too simple that aspect of my story will stay generic and forgettable while if I make things too complex things will get too complicated with all the possibilities making the story jarring to write how I want and contrived for readers with the direction I take the story.
For example, the basic 4 elements (I know it's overdone and generic, it's my first story gimme a break) tie into temperature, life, metals, and gases at their cores, there are so many applications to each of these, attainable by any mob in the world (technically). Plus there's the more personalized (and OP) powers and their potential too. I just don't want to write myself into a corner and then have to rely on asspulls and plot convivences to get myself out.
I'm thinking of scaling down what the basic elements can do and just focus on the more individualized powers but I think the problem will still remain for them too, any ideas on what I can do?
I would advise that if you are starting with simple abilities, then you have a unique underlying mechanism.
It's totally fine to have simple powers, but by having a unique mechanism by which the powers are received, you can provide novel limits and conditions that the characters have to work around. That way, it is not a complete generic magic system. To give an example, Avatar: The Last Airbender. You bend the elements via varying styles of martial arts, as well as actually well-thought out philosophies and ways of living life. You must grow as a person, training your body, fulfilling forms to perfection, and follow one of the spiritual practices. Those are what leads to improvement in your ability. It's not just saying "Imma stick as much mana into this water spell and let it wash away my opponents" or "I'm going to squish this spell with my indomitable willpower and kill everyone with this basic experimentation." Instead, different moves lead to differing effects i.e. an uppercut is very different in effect (a short, blowtorch effect) to a spinning kick (a veritable pinwheel of fire). And different combinations are more effective in different circumstances. In most cases, a spinning kick is going to be useless, because while flashy, it is mainly for show, even with fire to back it up. Physical strength is actually relevant, because the elements are not controllable with perfect exactitude. They
must be controlled via various physical methods.
My personal spin on such a generic system would be that various human body parts, when sacrificed to a deity of one element, will bestow that power on you. Say, the eye will grant you light, the heart will grant you fire, the gut will grant you shadow, etc. There are a lot of body parts, thus a lot of powers. But! The more you gain, the more your own body part will start turning into that element (which basically just amounts to disintegration). Which means that you will have to sacrifice those organs in your name or get others sacrifice other people's organs in your name, to fix them. If you want to go even more unique, refining those organs into certain shapes, experimenting with various stuff, could call on smaller versions of the elements that are more potent.
In addition to a unique underlying mechanism, you can compensate with in-depth world building if your power system sucks. I'll be honest. My power system is not the best. It has some big flaws. But how it impacts the world, how much I went into that, it compensates a good amount for it. I didn't get just give people powers and be done with it, nor did I lightly sprinkle stuff, and not think of various geopolitical consequences.
K.I.S.S: Keep It Simple Stupid
If it's easy to understand your reader will identify with it better, take the force as an example. Simplicity hides complexity, allowing you to expound upon many magic related issues. Like each element having an aspect, that when combined with another could have differing outputs based on ratios.
Not going to lie, basic ratio math is one of the most basic ideas one can think of. It can still be used. I'm just saying, it isn't complex. I've seen more than 20 different versions of this.
Here's how to balance it. If a reader whose native language ain't English reads your power description, and has to reread it at least once, it's too complicated.
I completely disagree. Some people are just stupid, and you shouldn't cater to them. There are plenty of people who speak English and have to reread power descriptions because they were tired, are idiots, etc.
) with you being a well-experienced individual.