Does protagonist of a combat story need to be the best at everything?

[BearlyAlive]

The genre you've been looking at is commonly called something along the lines of "powertrip fantasy" and that's about all those stories amount to. You get your typical rags-to-riches hook for the first few chapters and then it turns into MC bullying those weaker than him because the ones that usually read that stuff are the kind of kids that are most likely to gun down their school or town if they're murrican.

As for the old shounen mangas, there's a high chance the MC wasn't the sole focus and the size of the conflicts escalated every few arcs. Kinda 1-on-1 into group battles into faction wars into real wars into dimensional warfare and the MC being an "early-game unit" (FE's Jaegan lol) is a "clever" way to amass people around them to set up the later story. A few of them actually completely planned out their story before even releasing the first chapter and it mostly shows.

Outside of those special set-ups and genres, those characters are a big minus at best and a red flag at worst.

 

[NotaNuffian]

Fuck no.

The one thing he needs to be better than everyone else? MURDER.

That's it.

If that fuckhead is mary sue gary stu, the author can go kill himself/ herself

 

[CheertheSecond]

Fuck no.

The one thing he needs to be better than everyone else? MURDER.

That's it.

If that fuckhead is mary sue gary stu, the author can go kill himself/ herself

Hmm. This is one interesting tidbit.

I've decided to create a protag that is only better than everyone else at being sodomized.

 

[owotrucked]

Well, either my preference for art style is in the opposite spectrum to everyone or their readers are very easy to please 'cause I don't see solo leveling has art as a strong enough

It even extend to things like.

Protag is great at mana so he is great at magic, since he controls magic so great, he boost his body so much better and made him champion at physical games too. His magic can heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, ntr I mean mind break, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

Or protag is great with qi. He control qi so good, his qi resists all negative buffs. He can heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, do alchemy, unlock allies' potentials, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

Or protag is great with speed. He speeds so fast. He dodges explosion, magic, mind control, and can do a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p...

Or protag is great with sword. He instinctively knows how to forge the best sword. Since he is good with sword arts, he is also good at other martial arts since they operates under the same principle. Martial arts can do things like heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, do alchemy, unlock allies' potentials, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

You get the idea why I said being able to do everything better than everyone else.

Remind me of heavenly demon cant live a peaceful life manhwa. Mc is OP in all aspects but it still entertaining. It's not an ensemble story but a lord/kingdom building. So even if MC is OP theres still the need to improve his subordinates

OP characters work, if not superman and james bond or OPM wouldnt be entertaining. Just because the MC is mostly the strongest doesnt mean he never struggle and if there are stronger enemies or he gets ganked, it serves as progression milestone.

As Bearly said it's a solo powertrip, and it's a novel taste for people who had enough of the power of friendship

 

[RepresentingWrath]

It even extend to things like.

Protag is great at mana so he is great at magic, since he controls magic so great, he boost his body so much better and made him champion at physical games too. His magic can heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, ntr I mean mind break, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

Or protag is great with qi. He control qi so good, his qi resists all negative buffs. He can heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, do alchemy, unlock allies' potentials, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

Or protag is great with speed. He speeds so fast. He dodges explosion, magic, mind control, and can do a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p...

Or protag is great with sword. He instinctively knows how to forge the best sword. Since he is good with sword arts, he is also good at other martial arts since they operates under the same principle. Martial arts can do things like heal, gather intel, dissolve poison, do alchemy, unlock allies' potentials, mind control, bring people together, and attract some pussies to fuck, then he discover summoning art and his summons are the best, outnumber everyone's summon, cost the least mana etc.

You get the idea why I said being able to do everything better than everyone else.

What?

 

[Hollex]

Remind me of heavenly demon cant live a peaceful life manhwa. Mc is OP in all aspects but it still entertaining. It's not an ensemble story but a lord/kingdom building. So even if MC is OP theres still the need to improve his subordinates

OP characters work, if not superman and james bond or OPM wouldnt be entertaining. Just because the MC is mostly the strongest doesnt mean he never struggle and if there are stronger enemies or he gets ganked, it serves as progression milestone.

As Bearly said it's a solo powertrip, and it's a novel taste for people who had enough of the power of friendship

Honestly, not every OP protagonist is a protagonist who is the best at everything, which is what we are talking about.

Being the best at everything implies that exactly being the best fighter, having the best growth potential and being the best at all (relevant) professions.

To me that kind of protagonist bores me, because even if they fight and have some struggle in the end they always win.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

there are two types of stories you could be referring two: the op-from-start type, and the powercreep type.

If you look at the op-from-start type, most of the popular ones i would define as comedies done through the medium of action. (so action-comedy, with emphasis on comedy). However, you can't really make an actual 'combat' story with this type of protagonist, because he would immediately overcome any trial set before him. (One thing I cannot stand in many chinese works is how the MC flaunts his strength to all the "ants" he fights)

The powercreep type usually does focus on action. I suppose there are various reasons why its popular, including its simplicity to make. All you have to do is write a struggle, have the mc lose, mc trains, then overcomes and repeats.

Both of these could be written well, I'm sure. So if you have a concept of a story you want to write that you think fits with either of these protagonists, go ahead. However, I would frown upon anyone who simply writes an OP protagonist for the sake of writing one, without first considering what impact they have on the tone and plot of the story.

 

[CheertheSecond]

there are two types of stories you could be referring two: the op-from-start type, and the powercreep type.

If you look at the op-from-start type, most of the popular ones i would define as comedies done through the medium of action. (so action-comedy, with emphasis on comedy). However, you can't really make an actual 'combat' story with this type of protagonist, because he would immediately overcome any trial set before him. (One thing I cannot stand in many chinese works is how the MC flaunts his strength to all the "ants" he fights)

The powercreep type usually does focus on action. I suppose there are various reasons why its popular, including its simplicity to make. All you have to do is write a struggle, have the mc lose, mc trains, then overcomes and repeats.

Both of these could be written well, I'm sure. So if you have a concept of a story you want to write that you think fits with either of these protagonists, go ahead. However, I would frown upon anyone who simply writes an OP protagonist for the sake of writing one, without first considering what impact they have on the tone and plot of the story.

Then you would get a lot to frown upon. Most op protag is op because of power creeping of introducing the next big thing to beat and therefore the protag must also op enough to beat. In worse cases, the authors ignored the opness of their protag's previously obtained power to put protag in duress against an opponent that should create no difficulty to them, all of this just to make it feel like there is drama in the plot. Character that punch hard enough to break wall, being harm by a freaking rock. Characters that can nuke building blocks afraid of a rolling boulder trap.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

Then you would got a lot to frown upon.

You bet I do.

 

[Sabruness]

, I noticed this trend in the shounen battle sector.

welp, your answer is right there.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

It's not that the protagonist has to be the best, but if everyone is talking about growth and potential then the expectation of the readers are that the protagonist has to be the best and I find when i read it, if he isnt' the best I don't really like it. This is in stark comparison to stories like Spider-man where the hero isn't the best at everything but has to still find a way to win.

I think the problem is expectation.

 

[HungrySheep]

Well, either my preference for art style is in the opposite spectrum to everyone or their readers are very easy to please 'cause I don't see solo leveling has art as a strong enough aspect.

If you know any artists who are willing to draw a webtoon for me in a "not strong enough" style, let me know.

Edit: To clarify since not everyone is familiar with the industry, Redice (the studio who does the art for Solo Leveling) and Lezhin are pretty much the "giants" in the webtoon studio sector. If your novel is adapted to a webtoon by Redice, you're pretty much guaranteed to succeed. It's a dream come true for nearly every aspiring author seeking an adaptation.

 

[Deleted member 139452]

If you know any artists who are willing to draw a webtoon for me in a "not strong enough" style, let me know.

Edit: To clarify since not everyone is familiar with the industry, Redice (the studio who does the art for Solo Leveling) and Lezhin are pretty much the "giants" in the webtoon studio sector. If your novel is adapted to a webtoon by Redice, you're pretty much guaranteed to succeed. It's a dream come true for nearly every aspiring author seeking an adaptation.

You do know that Redice studios is infamous for skimming and cutting corners over the original source material right?

 

[melchi]

No.

Flaws are more interesting than power.

 

[Deleted member 139452]

No.

Flaws are more interesting than power.

Yes, it's interesting to see how the protagonist circumvents or comes above the faults

 

[HungrySheep]

You do know that Redice studios is infamous for skimming and cutting corners over the original source material right?

Doesn't change the fact that I'll have an insane amount of readers, a possible animated adaptation, and possibly even a game adaptation. If skimming is all it takes for me to become disgustingly successful like Solo Leveling, I'll take it. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I can make it on my own after turning down an offer from Redice assuming they want to adapt my novel.

The reality of the situation in that particular circumstance is that I have been given the opportunity to become a successful writer and that I have to sacrifice a portion of my vision as an author in exchange for hefty benefits, and it's not as if the adaptation will be horrifically terrible either. More importantly, this goes beyond my immediate success as an author and creates connections with a large studio that likely has even more far-reaching contacts in the industry than I can even imagine.

It is a launchpad not only for my adapted novel, but also my future. I think the benefits outweigh the detriments.

 

[groudonvert]

Been checking a heap of old and new manga, manhwa, fictions recently, I noticed this trend in the shounen battle sector. The protag is always the one that can do things better than anyone else, faster than anyone else, more efficient than anyone else, or do those more creatively than anyone. If it's something another character had already done, then the way the protag did is the best, most effective way, most rewarding way. Apparently, the audiences like these a lot so I was wondering if the protag always have to be so.

Almost every reincarnated manhwa, isekai manhwa, time reverse manhwa, dungeon manhwa has this type of protag.


So if this is the more optimal way of making protag, I am considering to convert into it.

My Main Character is OP from the start but the story is not that much battle focused. It's important for the plot and also my enjoyment to write good fight scenes without being limited in what I want to do, but, as I said, the story is not focused only on her battle prowess. So if you enjoy good written battles, it's good, if you prefere mystery, you're good, if you like a bit of polar, you're good as well, or if you want a story with character developpment, you're good too. In a sense, I wrote my story like I wanted to be, but many readers can be interested because it's not completely focused on some point or another.

So yeah, your MC can be OP from the start, but your story and MC have to have something else as well (especially the MC if you don't them to be a Mary-Sue/Gary-Stue).

 

[CrimsonGenius]

The MC has to climb the ranks. He can't be good at everything. Naruto is not good at everything and he becomes a terrible hokage who does not take advantage of the kage bushin no jutsu and adopts the salary man approach. In fact, he let everything turn bad and now his son has to save his ass. Goku is good a fight, can't do much else.

 

[beast_regards]

The protagonists of anime and manga are rarely truly good in everything, they are often just canonically good in one specific thing. Usually the one very relevant to the plot.

They are, however, very often rewarded for anything they do.

The web novel protagonists (western) aren't quite good at everything, they are merely "smart" i.e. handle the entire life as the game with a walkthrough. That's not good at everything. That's precognition.

 

[QuercusMalus]

Been checking a heap of old and new manga, manhwa, fictions recently, I noticed this trend in the shounen battle sector. The protag is always the one that can do things better than anyone else, faster than anyone else, more efficient than anyone else, or do those more creatively than anyone. If it's something another character had already done, then the way the protag did is the best, most effective way, most rewarding way. Apparently, the audiences like these a lot so I was wondering if the protag always have to be so.

Almost every reincarnated manhwa, isekai manhwa, time reverse manhwa, dungeon manhwa has this type of protag.


So if this is the more optimal way of making protag, I am considering to convert into it.

Hell no. Those characters are boring. This was why I always hated superman growing up. They are boring.

Give them a flaw. If they have an overpowering strength, give them a weakness. And not just an 'allergic to some glowing rock' unless there is a reason for alot of that rock to be floating around.