Akki Release / Race Revision Suggestion
Apr 24, 2024 0:42:06 GMT -5
Akio Naito and Sieglinde P. Krantz like this
Post by Ludwig Verrlicht on Apr 24, 2024 0:42:06 GMT -5
Good evening, folks of the site I come to you with a request for a revision of how Akki operate. The reason for this request is due to a number of issues noted both from investigating Akki as described in the Hell Race section as well as personal experience from Paste (Charli/Juli). The problems that Akki suffer from are as follows:
The Problems with Akki:
1. Egregiously overtuned techniques such as Hell Mode and Orifice Mode. As well as some of the ahh . . . name choices are likely neither kosher with TOS nor just something people want to see. I'm looking at the Akki Mode tech that starts with R and ends with E for its first word. When you look at it, you can imagine how that might make many an individual uncomfortable and likely violates some aspect of TOS.
2. Akki release has "wasted stages". At class 6 and 5 due to technique class level if you attempt to make anything an offensive or defensive power it will inevitably lose the clash under normal circumstances from intermediate to high level fights. As shown by Paste needing to make techniques that didn't directly clash on Orobas to even have a chance to use the lower-class abilities. Class 4 is acceptable as is class 3 as power as clashing power, but they suffer from a very specific problem I'll describe in the next point.
3. Akki release duration is not only a single use per thread but also one of the smallest duration releases on site. This being 6 posts of release at all stages normally. I'll acknowledge that at class 1 the duration jumps from 6 to 8 posts and becomes reasonable however that would be under the assumption that it could refresh itself like other races. Nakka-Shini for example have Shikai that is 7 posts and is refreshable. Nakka-quincy, Nakka-beastclan, and Nakka-Bount all have limited release durations on their second ability but it's still refreshable unlike Sasei Oni is for pure Akki. (I would like to make it clear I'm not arguing that Nakka should have a refreshable Sasei Oni though I'm not against this.)
Even the smaller duration pure race abilities are refreshable such as high end bakkot usage intermediate levels (4-3) are 5 posts and high end (class 2-1) is three posts. And Beast-Clan who don't invest in duration increase have a base of 3 post, even getting a single duration boost is 6 posts. Point in case though, each of these releases are refreshable with comparable durations to Akki.
With no additional bonus like class scaling or infinite reiatsu like Arrancar, nor indefinite duration like Bount Dolls, Saika Dark Fullbring, and Quincy properties, it doesn't justify the need for a single release per thread. Especially when the class level of majority of the release isn't comparable to other races.
4. With regards to Akki as race and their particular benefit, the ability to choose between Power, Combination, and HSR type they attempt to be "Pick your own path" race. However, all these choices serve to do is limit the character in a way that isn't enjoyable to play.
Power locks out a release that assists in keeping the race's release comparable, a class 2 release. It does give a sufficient number of stat points at 500 but frankly not only is this bland and uninspired but doesn't serve to make Akki feel any better or different from HSR. Instead, it simply gives a statistically stronger form for stat crunching.
Combination serves as an attempt to meld the idea of regeneration along with some stat boost however the regeneration is insignificant and ends up being worse off that Saika Slow Speed Regeneration along with now a standard human world dweller stat block. No one that I've talked with, including Paste, would ever consider taking this option as the regeneration isn't enough to matter in a fight and the stat point gain is too minimal (and awkward with that 250 bonus) for the site.
Lastly with HSR you serve to be the lowest SP race on site sans a PT'd HWD character. From Paste's own experience this becomes a difficult character to manage as you have such minimal stats that investing enough in all stats to be "comparable" or a "threat" to other races, especially with how rampant stat boosting techniques/abilities/releases have become only further exaggerates the problems seen at such low SP pools. (Something that all Hell races suffer from and that personally should be looked into but that's beyond the scope for this discussion.)
Regardless of what path you pick you are still missing integral parts of your race that it makes playing Akki less than a desirable experience and ultimately degrades the fun of playing one. Especially when you consider the uphill battle that Akki have currently given their universally hated IC interactions as being a hell race. Their inherent problems with even socializing due to their monstrous nature at a glance. And even worse off given that a majority of organizations likely wouldn't accept them. Xcution and The Sanctus being the only two that I know that would humor the thought. And even then Xcution may not accept them.
How I recommend we fix these issues:
With all this in mind I've tried my hand to remake the Akki release and their "perk decision" in such a way that I think it tries to make Akki shine as a unique race. That aspect being the "Build an Akki" aspect or "Choose your own path". Akki to me, come off like Warlocks in DnD. You literally hand make your character to be what you want them to do be. Through invocations and your patron, you gain the chance to make a vastly unique warlock than someone else may make. And I think with Akki the same thing applies just that it was done poorly and thus doesn't feel fun to play because nothing feels fun to play about them. Below are the edits I've made and suggest to the Staff and Site as a whole. Starting with changes to the Akki release.
Saisei Oni:
An Akki's Release is known as "Saisei Oni." Unlike most races this is unique release that through sheer force of will and a determination to dominate the very power that binds them forces the chains of hell to reforge themselves into a form that is most suitable to the akki in question. High unique and highly individualized each Saisei Oni bestows the user a boon that the Akki deems as most necessary for them to use as weapon against all that would oppose them. The sealed state of their Release as mentioned are the chains of hell that can be found on, around, or even inside the Akki's body. Once Saisei Oni is activated it has two natural stages of release that all Akki can learn to conjure while only the truly capable will achieve the fabled third stage. Unlike most races Akki's Saisei Oni is a customizable release that allows for Akki to determine what type of release best suits their individual needs. Notably different from other Hell races, while it can be influenced by the Akki's Aspect of Hell it is not bound to the Aspect of Hell as it is more a show of the Akki's desire and control over the powers that bind them.
Primera Etapa is the name of the first stage of Saisei Oni and is available at class 5. Its base duration is 8 posts and upon gaining access to it the Akki chooses one of three types of release to pick from: Body, Weapon, Aspect. Saisei Oni is refreshable so long as the Akki in question can pay the reiatsu cost and so long as the Akki is class 4 or higher, can be increased to Class 4 so long as total duration is reduced by 1 post. The cost at class 5 is 200 reiatsu and upon releasing the Akki gain's access to a singular power that is generated from their specific choice of release type. This power is akin to an Overall Ability with no techniques or additional properties to it. This power forms the base of the Akki's Sasei Oni for the higher stages. The types of release that can be picked at class 5 are explained in more detail below.
Body refers to the Akki's fusing their chains with their body to generate a new body through a physical transformation. This new body then gives them an ability or power that stems directly from their new physiology. Examples would include transforming into magma elemental and gaining the means to super heat or otherwise combust objects that are in contact or nearby due to how much heat is being generated by the Akki. Or turning into a Hell Hound and possibly utilizing a personalized form of Hell fire, Darkness, or having supernatural sensory capabilities.
Weapon refers to the Akki reforging their chains into a weapon of their choosing. Be this as a simple melee weapon such as a sword, spear, or axe to ranged weapons such as bows, guns, rocket launchers. The form chosen is singular but said chosen form can be anything desired by the Akki so long as it is noticeably separate from their person and can be actively utilized to harm another. Objects like jewelry are not objects that can be formed by the Weapon release type though stylization of a chosen weapon is allowable. Weapons created are ingrained with a unique ability or power of the Akki's choosing so long as they make sense for the object in question. A gun can shoot chains that not only weigh down an opponent but also actively bind around them as if they were snakes. Or a sword can be made of a poisonous metal and be toxic not only upon contact but possibly be capable of generating short, ranged attacks that deliver the toxic material.
Aspect refers to the Akki themselves gaining a unique ability or power. This release type is shown as a more "magical" or "manipulative" ability. Such as controlling all earth in a short distance around the Akki or otherwise being capable of turning into various types of gaseous substances. Such powers are undeniably broad in application however they are related in a singular manner. Upon activating an Aspect type release Akki gain a non-offensive object upon their body. Generally, this manifests as a sigil, tattoo, or even a piece of jewelry that enable the Akki to control and harness their newly acquired ability. A unique note to make however is that this object is merged with the flesh of the Akki somewhere on their body that is external. While this object or supernatural marking has release weapon durability it does not defend the Akki's body. And should it be capable of surviving an attack, but the flesh of the Akki cannot, it will simply move a short from the injured point on the body. For example, if a sigil is on the hand of an Akki and the Akki's hand gets cut in half, assuming the sigil has enough OS to survive, it will move up to the wrist of the Akki. Meanwhile the hand is still cut in half and will not gain any defensive benefit from the marking.
Upon reaching Class 3 an Akki gains access to their Segunda Etapa. Segunda Etapa costs 300 reiatsu to activate and refresh. It lasts for 8 posts and can be scaled up to class 1 if the Akki in question does not have access to Tercera Etapa. Each class above 3 reduces the total duration by a single post. At this stage the Akki is given another choice for how their release manifests as their control over the chains that bind them has grown substantially. At this stage Akki can choose from the original three choices (Body, Weapon, and Aspect) or they can choose from two additional choices. Beast and Environment. Regardless of what choice is made Segunda Etapa fuses the two types of release chosen to create a refined and more intense power than was previously possible in Primera. This manifests in the means to create four (4) unique techniques for Segunda Etapa that are based off the release types chosen. In addition, the Overall Ability generated by the Primera is now given a wider scope of power and scaled up to meet the class of the Segunda Etapa. The Beast and Environmental choices are described in more detail below.
Beast refers to the ability of the Akki to sunder a portion of their chains and conjure up a creature to aide them. While this creature is typically combat capable it's not necessary for it to strictly be an offensively capable ally. Instead depending on the Akki and the previously chosen release type the beast in question can be anything from supportive, defensive, to even non-combat related. Regardless, it conjures up a creature that assists the Akki in some manner for the duration of the release or until it is destroyed. The creature in question must have a durability stat though how much durability is varying depending on the creature manifested. However, if the creature is destroyed it does not seal the Akki's release but instead is simply unavailable for the duration. The creatures' physical form is limited only in size to the NPC size rules and gains an ability based off the class 5 Overall Power. For example, an Akki can conjure a giant wasp to assist them and if their choice of release was Aspect and they use hell fire, the wasp could be created out of hell fire or otherwise produce hell fire in some manner.
Environment refers to the ability to extend the effects of the base release type over a large area around the Akki. The form by which this manifest depends heavily upon the base ability chosen. For those who chose Weapon it could manifest as giving the weapon the means to attack at a distance despite not having been within melee distance of an enemy or object. Body may create a means for the Akki's form to meld with the environment and enact physical changes on it such as conjuring corrupted trees out of the ground if the user's Body release is based around a corrupted tree. Aspect is the most noteworthy as it expands the power of Aspect to allow for manipulating or otherwise change the world to suit the user's power.
For Akki who have gained access to Tercera Etapa this is the pinnacle of their release. As with Segunda the Akki chooses another release type from the previously described types upon gaining access to this release. Weapon, Body, Aspect, Beast, and Environment. Once the final release type is chosen the Akki gains access to two new techniques and their Overall Power is further expanded to encompass the new type. This stage of release has a base duration of 10 posts and costs 400 reiatsu to use. This release cannot be scaled beyond class 1 however it can be refreshed so long as the Akki can pay the reiatsu cost. Additionally, all techniques from previous levels are increased in potency in some capacity upon reaching this new stage of power.
Akki Species/Playstyle Type:
Starting at class 6 Akki begin their journey to control the powers of Hell by increasing their personal control of their body and souls. These abilities manifest in a few different paths called Demonic Heritages that an Akki can follow as well as intermingle portions of one heritage with another if suits them. The heritages are Heritage of Power, Heritage of Endurance, and Heritage of Deceit. At class 6 an Akki can choose the base ability of any one of these heritages. Upon choosing a heritage they gain the benefits described below immediately. This again occurs at class 4 and class 2 however there is a twist. Upon reaching class 4 and again at class 2 the Akki can choose to gain further power from their first heritage, or they can choose to follow another heritage and can gain its first ability. The same choice is given at class 2 and an additional heritage can be chosen at this point as well as choosing to follow down a previously chosen heritage. Regardless of what the choice is, these can be changed through two threads of intense training as to gain new abilities the Akki must give up control of the previously gained power. The different heritages are described below:
Heritage of Power: Akki of this heritage are the power mongers. Those that desire personal power above all else and do not care where it come from. Thus, they bend and warp their very soul alongside the chains that bind them to ensure they are the single strongest being at any point in time. And for their effort, the rewards are abundant. The first ability that can be acquired is the ability to increase the duration of Saisei Oni by 2 posts. This applies to all stages of Saisei Oni, changing the new maximum to 10 posts. For the sake of types that boost release duration these 2 posts are added after the type's boost. For those that tread further down this path they gain the ability to create a release technique for their Primera Etapa. This technique is available at all stages of release and increases in power and scope when the Akki is using Segunda or Tercera Etapa. For those who are truly dedicated to submitting themselves to power they gain access to the class 1 Saisei Oni, Tercera Etapa as well as gain an additional in their Primera Etapa. In total this gives Akki 2 techniques in Primera, 6 in Segunda, and 8 in Tercera. With all Segunda etapa techniques getting strengthened in Tercera.
Heritage of Endurance: Akki of this heritage are those who seek to survive any encounter. Hell's tortures and trials have permanently shown them that only those who are strong survive. But not raw power, instead it's the power to endure and continue pursuing their goals while not losing themselves in the process. To eventually seek a power that allows them to never falter, to never break. Until eventually even their wardens and enemies fall without ever having inflicted any meaningful harm. The first ability gained by those who follow this path is the means to pick from the following skill list and gain an additional point in the chosen skill. This skill point does not count against the total of number of skills points the Akki has and it can boost the skill up to a maximum of 2. The skills that can be chosen are as follows: Poison tolerance, Bleeding Tolerance, Pain Tolerance, Cold Tolerance, or Heat Tolerance. Upon gaining class 2 this ability increases the chosen skill by 2 with a cap of 3. For those who seek further means to withstand harm the second ability grants their body the power to endure bodily harm. This comes in the form of a skin defense that is class 4 and has a durability equal to the Akki's base offensive stat. Strength, Spiritual Pressure, and Reiatsu Strength are all viable and can be changed so long as one training thread is completed that justifies the change. For attacks that are class 2 or higher the durability damage is reduced by 1.5x the attacks OS. This ability cannot class clash to negate damage done to the Akki, if an attack hits the Akki the durability is reduced by the OS. If an attack does not reduce the durability to 0 then no harm comes to the Akki. If the attack reduces the durability to 0 the remaining OS is the OS that harms the Akki. This defense is activated at the start of every thread and once brought to 0 durability cannot be reused. Durability cannot be regained. For those who seek the epitome of defensive power there comes a choice. The Akki can gain HSR that can heal all portions of the body which will heal all harm done to the body including non-vital organ damage, though this requires a post of no harm to heal any internal organs. Or they can gain Legatus Guard, a reinforcement of the previous skin defense that operates similarly to Hierro but uses 1.5x the chosen offensive stat. This choice can be changed but as with the change to the offensive stat to the Akki's skin defense requires the Akki to complete a training thread to do such.
Heritage of Deceit: Akki of this heritage are those who shun combat and instead prefer to manipulate the world around them. Literally and figuratively. Where others choose personal power, these Akki prefer to have others do their dirty work. To survive not on their own merit but by the merit of others. Until they find yet another pawn in their grand machinations who can take them to further and greater heights. The first ability gained by those who follow this heritage gain the means to transform themselves in a human appearance. The chosen appearance can appear as any human they like with the ability to generate features that could be found on a human, including disabilities, scarring, loss of limbs, and more. While in this form the Akki's reiatsu signature is hidden and thus cannot be sensed unless an individual has the minimum points in ES necessary. This is calculated by adding 25 ES for every point in Stealth and by adding 25 ES at class 6, 4, and 2. For those that seek to subvert their enemies the second ability gained is the power to suppress a small number of non-release techniques they utilize. This ensures that those around cannot sense the technique used without seeing the Akki in question using the technique. The ES necessary to sense a suppressed technique is the same as the ES necessary for sense the Akki's reiatsu signature while hiding in their human form. This can be done twice a post and only affects techniques that are class 5 Lastly, for those who seek the ultimate means of subversion the last ability an Akki can gain is the power to expand their human form to other races. They can create a form of any other spiritual race and have an increased ES requirement of 50 per point in Stealth and for being at or above class 6, 4, and 2. The other ability gained is the means to suppress any non-release technique using the same ES check as their new form mimicry. This can be done once every other post and is not limited to class 5 and under.
Minor Change suggestion due to the Heritage System discussed above:
Something that needs to be mentioned also. I want to recommend a change in the SP total of Akki as with the above recommendation I've taken away the old ability of Akki to gain 500 or 250 bonus SP. Instead, I recommend a change to a more standard baseline of SP. 1600 SP base with the addition of TT for an 1800 maximum. (As a side comment I'd recommend this for all Hell races so that PT'ing characters do not feel like they are declining against other races that also have a 1600 to 1800 SP baseline or higher.) This not only incentivizes players to start with Akki that are new, weak, or otherwise not noteworthy in the grand scheme of things while building their story in line with other characters of the site with ease. Or more ease than simply showing up to the scene with a high-end character. It will hopefully also promote more individuals to join the Sanctus or even create their own personal factions based around or in Hell as low class characters of a race help ease others to make low class characters due to thread availability.
Conclusion:
With my suggestions described above I want to take a moment to describe why I think these are suitable changes. First and foremost, I want to make Akki even on the surface level appear to be fun and interesting. This allows for potential players to be inspired and consider the possibilities of playing Akki. Which already have a difficult time due to the affiliation with Hell and limited player capabilities that aren't fighting threads. And while we are a shonen site we've seen the player base lean a bit away from this and start focusing not only on interconnected stories but social interactions. Heritage of Deceit is specifically made to assist in this endeavor and allow more roleplay opportunities outside of combat.
While those who are invested and interested in combat can choose Heritage of Power or Endurance to help choose between an aggressive or defensive style. Not to mention the changes to Akki release allows the player to have, what I hope will be more fun to create a unique release that may not be found elsewhere on the site. As well as helps fix the inherent issues such as predominantly low class and forcing people into a difficult fusion of body and weapon style techniques. Whereas that possibility is still present but isn't forced on the player as they must choose Weapon and Body release styles to achieve this. Additionally, I believe that this release change is also a very simple shift for any current Akki or previous Akki that return to the site. I'll have to work with the individual players to ensure this is the case but I'm very confident that it can be done.
With all this said and done I'm open and available for any questions Staff or the player base may have regarding these suggestions for Akki. I'll do my best to clarify anything that is presented here and attempt to address any issues noted. But please feel free to state your opinions, concerns, and other commentary. I hope this suggestion, if nothing else, promotes thought on how to address the issues stated above if my suggestion is not the answer. Thank ya'll.
~Ryouzen
The Problems with Akki:
1. Egregiously overtuned techniques such as Hell Mode and Orifice Mode. As well as some of the ahh . . . name choices are likely neither kosher with TOS nor just something people want to see. I'm looking at the Akki Mode tech that starts with R and ends with E for its first word. When you look at it, you can imagine how that might make many an individual uncomfortable and likely violates some aspect of TOS.
2. Akki release has "wasted stages". At class 6 and 5 due to technique class level if you attempt to make anything an offensive or defensive power it will inevitably lose the clash under normal circumstances from intermediate to high level fights. As shown by Paste needing to make techniques that didn't directly clash on Orobas to even have a chance to use the lower-class abilities. Class 4 is acceptable as is class 3 as power as clashing power, but they suffer from a very specific problem I'll describe in the next point.
3. Akki release duration is not only a single use per thread but also one of the smallest duration releases on site. This being 6 posts of release at all stages normally. I'll acknowledge that at class 1 the duration jumps from 6 to 8 posts and becomes reasonable however that would be under the assumption that it could refresh itself like other races. Nakka-Shini for example have Shikai that is 7 posts and is refreshable. Nakka-quincy, Nakka-beastclan, and Nakka-Bount all have limited release durations on their second ability but it's still refreshable unlike Sasei Oni is for pure Akki. (I would like to make it clear I'm not arguing that Nakka should have a refreshable Sasei Oni though I'm not against this.)
Even the smaller duration pure race abilities are refreshable such as high end bakkot usage intermediate levels (4-3) are 5 posts and high end (class 2-1) is three posts. And Beast-Clan who don't invest in duration increase have a base of 3 post, even getting a single duration boost is 6 posts. Point in case though, each of these releases are refreshable with comparable durations to Akki.
With no additional bonus like class scaling or infinite reiatsu like Arrancar, nor indefinite duration like Bount Dolls, Saika Dark Fullbring, and Quincy properties, it doesn't justify the need for a single release per thread. Especially when the class level of majority of the release isn't comparable to other races.
4. With regards to Akki as race and their particular benefit, the ability to choose between Power, Combination, and HSR type they attempt to be "Pick your own path" race. However, all these choices serve to do is limit the character in a way that isn't enjoyable to play.
Power locks out a release that assists in keeping the race's release comparable, a class 2 release. It does give a sufficient number of stat points at 500 but frankly not only is this bland and uninspired but doesn't serve to make Akki feel any better or different from HSR. Instead, it simply gives a statistically stronger form for stat crunching.
Combination serves as an attempt to meld the idea of regeneration along with some stat boost however the regeneration is insignificant and ends up being worse off that Saika Slow Speed Regeneration along with now a standard human world dweller stat block. No one that I've talked with, including Paste, would ever consider taking this option as the regeneration isn't enough to matter in a fight and the stat point gain is too minimal (and awkward with that 250 bonus) for the site.
Lastly with HSR you serve to be the lowest SP race on site sans a PT'd HWD character. From Paste's own experience this becomes a difficult character to manage as you have such minimal stats that investing enough in all stats to be "comparable" or a "threat" to other races, especially with how rampant stat boosting techniques/abilities/releases have become only further exaggerates the problems seen at such low SP pools. (Something that all Hell races suffer from and that personally should be looked into but that's beyond the scope for this discussion.)
Regardless of what path you pick you are still missing integral parts of your race that it makes playing Akki less than a desirable experience and ultimately degrades the fun of playing one. Especially when you consider the uphill battle that Akki have currently given their universally hated IC interactions as being a hell race. Their inherent problems with even socializing due to their monstrous nature at a glance. And even worse off given that a majority of organizations likely wouldn't accept them. Xcution and The Sanctus being the only two that I know that would humor the thought. And even then Xcution may not accept them.
How I recommend we fix these issues:
With all this in mind I've tried my hand to remake the Akki release and their "perk decision" in such a way that I think it tries to make Akki shine as a unique race. That aspect being the "Build an Akki" aspect or "Choose your own path". Akki to me, come off like Warlocks in DnD. You literally hand make your character to be what you want them to do be. Through invocations and your patron, you gain the chance to make a vastly unique warlock than someone else may make. And I think with Akki the same thing applies just that it was done poorly and thus doesn't feel fun to play because nothing feels fun to play about them. Below are the edits I've made and suggest to the Staff and Site as a whole. Starting with changes to the Akki release.
Saisei Oni:
An Akki's Release is known as "Saisei Oni." Unlike most races this is unique release that through sheer force of will and a determination to dominate the very power that binds them forces the chains of hell to reforge themselves into a form that is most suitable to the akki in question. High unique and highly individualized each Saisei Oni bestows the user a boon that the Akki deems as most necessary for them to use as weapon against all that would oppose them. The sealed state of their Release as mentioned are the chains of hell that can be found on, around, or even inside the Akki's body. Once Saisei Oni is activated it has two natural stages of release that all Akki can learn to conjure while only the truly capable will achieve the fabled third stage. Unlike most races Akki's Saisei Oni is a customizable release that allows for Akki to determine what type of release best suits their individual needs. Notably different from other Hell races, while it can be influenced by the Akki's Aspect of Hell it is not bound to the Aspect of Hell as it is more a show of the Akki's desire and control over the powers that bind them.
Primera Etapa is the name of the first stage of Saisei Oni and is available at class 5. Its base duration is 8 posts and upon gaining access to it the Akki chooses one of three types of release to pick from: Body, Weapon, Aspect. Saisei Oni is refreshable so long as the Akki in question can pay the reiatsu cost and so long as the Akki is class 4 or higher, can be increased to Class 4 so long as total duration is reduced by 1 post. The cost at class 5 is 200 reiatsu and upon releasing the Akki gain's access to a singular power that is generated from their specific choice of release type. This power is akin to an Overall Ability with no techniques or additional properties to it. This power forms the base of the Akki's Sasei Oni for the higher stages. The types of release that can be picked at class 5 are explained in more detail below.
Body refers to the Akki's fusing their chains with their body to generate a new body through a physical transformation. This new body then gives them an ability or power that stems directly from their new physiology. Examples would include transforming into magma elemental and gaining the means to super heat or otherwise combust objects that are in contact or nearby due to how much heat is being generated by the Akki. Or turning into a Hell Hound and possibly utilizing a personalized form of Hell fire, Darkness, or having supernatural sensory capabilities.
Weapon refers to the Akki reforging their chains into a weapon of their choosing. Be this as a simple melee weapon such as a sword, spear, or axe to ranged weapons such as bows, guns, rocket launchers. The form chosen is singular but said chosen form can be anything desired by the Akki so long as it is noticeably separate from their person and can be actively utilized to harm another. Objects like jewelry are not objects that can be formed by the Weapon release type though stylization of a chosen weapon is allowable. Weapons created are ingrained with a unique ability or power of the Akki's choosing so long as they make sense for the object in question. A gun can shoot chains that not only weigh down an opponent but also actively bind around them as if they were snakes. Or a sword can be made of a poisonous metal and be toxic not only upon contact but possibly be capable of generating short, ranged attacks that deliver the toxic material.
Aspect refers to the Akki themselves gaining a unique ability or power. This release type is shown as a more "magical" or "manipulative" ability. Such as controlling all earth in a short distance around the Akki or otherwise being capable of turning into various types of gaseous substances. Such powers are undeniably broad in application however they are related in a singular manner. Upon activating an Aspect type release Akki gain a non-offensive object upon their body. Generally, this manifests as a sigil, tattoo, or even a piece of jewelry that enable the Akki to control and harness their newly acquired ability. A unique note to make however is that this object is merged with the flesh of the Akki somewhere on their body that is external. While this object or supernatural marking has release weapon durability it does not defend the Akki's body. And should it be capable of surviving an attack, but the flesh of the Akki cannot, it will simply move a short from the injured point on the body. For example, if a sigil is on the hand of an Akki and the Akki's hand gets cut in half, assuming the sigil has enough OS to survive, it will move up to the wrist of the Akki. Meanwhile the hand is still cut in half and will not gain any defensive benefit from the marking.
Upon reaching Class 3 an Akki gains access to their Segunda Etapa. Segunda Etapa costs 300 reiatsu to activate and refresh. It lasts for 8 posts and can be scaled up to class 1 if the Akki in question does not have access to Tercera Etapa. Each class above 3 reduces the total duration by a single post. At this stage the Akki is given another choice for how their release manifests as their control over the chains that bind them has grown substantially. At this stage Akki can choose from the original three choices (Body, Weapon, and Aspect) or they can choose from two additional choices. Beast and Environment. Regardless of what choice is made Segunda Etapa fuses the two types of release chosen to create a refined and more intense power than was previously possible in Primera. This manifests in the means to create four (4) unique techniques for Segunda Etapa that are based off the release types chosen. In addition, the Overall Ability generated by the Primera is now given a wider scope of power and scaled up to meet the class of the Segunda Etapa. The Beast and Environmental choices are described in more detail below.
Beast refers to the ability of the Akki to sunder a portion of their chains and conjure up a creature to aide them. While this creature is typically combat capable it's not necessary for it to strictly be an offensively capable ally. Instead depending on the Akki and the previously chosen release type the beast in question can be anything from supportive, defensive, to even non-combat related. Regardless, it conjures up a creature that assists the Akki in some manner for the duration of the release or until it is destroyed. The creature in question must have a durability stat though how much durability is varying depending on the creature manifested. However, if the creature is destroyed it does not seal the Akki's release but instead is simply unavailable for the duration. The creatures' physical form is limited only in size to the NPC size rules and gains an ability based off the class 5 Overall Power. For example, an Akki can conjure a giant wasp to assist them and if their choice of release was Aspect and they use hell fire, the wasp could be created out of hell fire or otherwise produce hell fire in some manner.
Environment refers to the ability to extend the effects of the base release type over a large area around the Akki. The form by which this manifest depends heavily upon the base ability chosen. For those who chose Weapon it could manifest as giving the weapon the means to attack at a distance despite not having been within melee distance of an enemy or object. Body may create a means for the Akki's form to meld with the environment and enact physical changes on it such as conjuring corrupted trees out of the ground if the user's Body release is based around a corrupted tree. Aspect is the most noteworthy as it expands the power of Aspect to allow for manipulating or otherwise change the world to suit the user's power.
For Akki who have gained access to Tercera Etapa this is the pinnacle of their release. As with Segunda the Akki chooses another release type from the previously described types upon gaining access to this release. Weapon, Body, Aspect, Beast, and Environment. Once the final release type is chosen the Akki gains access to two new techniques and their Overall Power is further expanded to encompass the new type. This stage of release has a base duration of 10 posts and costs 400 reiatsu to use. This release cannot be scaled beyond class 1 however it can be refreshed so long as the Akki can pay the reiatsu cost. Additionally, all techniques from previous levels are increased in potency in some capacity upon reaching this new stage of power.
Akki Species/Playstyle Type:
Starting at class 6 Akki begin their journey to control the powers of Hell by increasing their personal control of their body and souls. These abilities manifest in a few different paths called Demonic Heritages that an Akki can follow as well as intermingle portions of one heritage with another if suits them. The heritages are Heritage of Power, Heritage of Endurance, and Heritage of Deceit. At class 6 an Akki can choose the base ability of any one of these heritages. Upon choosing a heritage they gain the benefits described below immediately. This again occurs at class 4 and class 2 however there is a twist. Upon reaching class 4 and again at class 2 the Akki can choose to gain further power from their first heritage, or they can choose to follow another heritage and can gain its first ability. The same choice is given at class 2 and an additional heritage can be chosen at this point as well as choosing to follow down a previously chosen heritage. Regardless of what the choice is, these can be changed through two threads of intense training as to gain new abilities the Akki must give up control of the previously gained power. The different heritages are described below:
Heritage of Power: Akki of this heritage are the power mongers. Those that desire personal power above all else and do not care where it come from. Thus, they bend and warp their very soul alongside the chains that bind them to ensure they are the single strongest being at any point in time. And for their effort, the rewards are abundant. The first ability that can be acquired is the ability to increase the duration of Saisei Oni by 2 posts. This applies to all stages of Saisei Oni, changing the new maximum to 10 posts. For the sake of types that boost release duration these 2 posts are added after the type's boost. For those that tread further down this path they gain the ability to create a release technique for their Primera Etapa. This technique is available at all stages of release and increases in power and scope when the Akki is using Segunda or Tercera Etapa. For those who are truly dedicated to submitting themselves to power they gain access to the class 1 Saisei Oni, Tercera Etapa as well as gain an additional in their Primera Etapa. In total this gives Akki 2 techniques in Primera, 6 in Segunda, and 8 in Tercera. With all Segunda etapa techniques getting strengthened in Tercera.
Heritage of Endurance: Akki of this heritage are those who seek to survive any encounter. Hell's tortures and trials have permanently shown them that only those who are strong survive. But not raw power, instead it's the power to endure and continue pursuing their goals while not losing themselves in the process. To eventually seek a power that allows them to never falter, to never break. Until eventually even their wardens and enemies fall without ever having inflicted any meaningful harm. The first ability gained by those who follow this path is the means to pick from the following skill list and gain an additional point in the chosen skill. This skill point does not count against the total of number of skills points the Akki has and it can boost the skill up to a maximum of 2. The skills that can be chosen are as follows: Poison tolerance, Bleeding Tolerance, Pain Tolerance, Cold Tolerance, or Heat Tolerance. Upon gaining class 2 this ability increases the chosen skill by 2 with a cap of 3. For those who seek further means to withstand harm the second ability grants their body the power to endure bodily harm. This comes in the form of a skin defense that is class 4 and has a durability equal to the Akki's base offensive stat. Strength, Spiritual Pressure, and Reiatsu Strength are all viable and can be changed so long as one training thread is completed that justifies the change. For attacks that are class 2 or higher the durability damage is reduced by 1.5x the attacks OS. This ability cannot class clash to negate damage done to the Akki, if an attack hits the Akki the durability is reduced by the OS. If an attack does not reduce the durability to 0 then no harm comes to the Akki. If the attack reduces the durability to 0 the remaining OS is the OS that harms the Akki. This defense is activated at the start of every thread and once brought to 0 durability cannot be reused. Durability cannot be regained. For those who seek the epitome of defensive power there comes a choice. The Akki can gain HSR that can heal all portions of the body which will heal all harm done to the body including non-vital organ damage, though this requires a post of no harm to heal any internal organs. Or they can gain Legatus Guard, a reinforcement of the previous skin defense that operates similarly to Hierro but uses 1.5x the chosen offensive stat. This choice can be changed but as with the change to the offensive stat to the Akki's skin defense requires the Akki to complete a training thread to do such.
Heritage of Deceit: Akki of this heritage are those who shun combat and instead prefer to manipulate the world around them. Literally and figuratively. Where others choose personal power, these Akki prefer to have others do their dirty work. To survive not on their own merit but by the merit of others. Until they find yet another pawn in their grand machinations who can take them to further and greater heights. The first ability gained by those who follow this heritage gain the means to transform themselves in a human appearance. The chosen appearance can appear as any human they like with the ability to generate features that could be found on a human, including disabilities, scarring, loss of limbs, and more. While in this form the Akki's reiatsu signature is hidden and thus cannot be sensed unless an individual has the minimum points in ES necessary. This is calculated by adding 25 ES for every point in Stealth and by adding 25 ES at class 6, 4, and 2. For those that seek to subvert their enemies the second ability gained is the power to suppress a small number of non-release techniques they utilize. This ensures that those around cannot sense the technique used without seeing the Akki in question using the technique. The ES necessary to sense a suppressed technique is the same as the ES necessary for sense the Akki's reiatsu signature while hiding in their human form. This can be done twice a post and only affects techniques that are class 5 Lastly, for those who seek the ultimate means of subversion the last ability an Akki can gain is the power to expand their human form to other races. They can create a form of any other spiritual race and have an increased ES requirement of 50 per point in Stealth and for being at or above class 6, 4, and 2. The other ability gained is the means to suppress any non-release technique using the same ES check as their new form mimicry. This can be done once every other post and is not limited to class 5 and under.
Minor Change suggestion due to the Heritage System discussed above:
Something that needs to be mentioned also. I want to recommend a change in the SP total of Akki as with the above recommendation I've taken away the old ability of Akki to gain 500 or 250 bonus SP. Instead, I recommend a change to a more standard baseline of SP. 1600 SP base with the addition of TT for an 1800 maximum. (As a side comment I'd recommend this for all Hell races so that PT'ing characters do not feel like they are declining against other races that also have a 1600 to 1800 SP baseline or higher.) This not only incentivizes players to start with Akki that are new, weak, or otherwise not noteworthy in the grand scheme of things while building their story in line with other characters of the site with ease. Or more ease than simply showing up to the scene with a high-end character. It will hopefully also promote more individuals to join the Sanctus or even create their own personal factions based around or in Hell as low class characters of a race help ease others to make low class characters due to thread availability.
Conclusion:
With my suggestions described above I want to take a moment to describe why I think these are suitable changes. First and foremost, I want to make Akki even on the surface level appear to be fun and interesting. This allows for potential players to be inspired and consider the possibilities of playing Akki. Which already have a difficult time due to the affiliation with Hell and limited player capabilities that aren't fighting threads. And while we are a shonen site we've seen the player base lean a bit away from this and start focusing not only on interconnected stories but social interactions. Heritage of Deceit is specifically made to assist in this endeavor and allow more roleplay opportunities outside of combat.
While those who are invested and interested in combat can choose Heritage of Power or Endurance to help choose between an aggressive or defensive style. Not to mention the changes to Akki release allows the player to have, what I hope will be more fun to create a unique release that may not be found elsewhere on the site. As well as helps fix the inherent issues such as predominantly low class and forcing people into a difficult fusion of body and weapon style techniques. Whereas that possibility is still present but isn't forced on the player as they must choose Weapon and Body release styles to achieve this. Additionally, I believe that this release change is also a very simple shift for any current Akki or previous Akki that return to the site. I'll have to work with the individual players to ensure this is the case but I'm very confident that it can be done.
With all this said and done I'm open and available for any questions Staff or the player base may have regarding these suggestions for Akki. I'll do my best to clarify anything that is presented here and attempt to address any issues noted. But please feel free to state your opinions, concerns, and other commentary. I hope this suggestion, if nothing else, promotes thought on how to address the issues stated above if my suggestion is not the answer. Thank ya'll.
~Ryouzen
