Soul Resonance

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Technique Name: Soul Resonance

Class: 1

Technique Type: Soul Release

Usable By: Shinigami and Vizard

Technique Element: None

Technique Description and Effects: The relationship with ones Zanpakuto Spirit varies from Shinigami to Shinigami. Some work in tandem with their Spirit, treating them as equals. While others force a much more servitude relationship. Making the Zanpakuto Spirit out to be nothing but a mere tool. A simple weapon to be handled and used when needed. Regardless of the relationship, a Zanpakuto Spirit is a representation of a Soul Reapers very soul. They are a piece of them. Though similar in personality in some aspects. They can be vastly different in others.

Soul Resonance is more along a state of being than a technique itself. It represents a melding of the mind, body and soul between Shinigami and Zanpakuto Spirit. When the two truly become one harmonious being. No longer shackled by differing thoughts and personalities. The Zanpakuto Spirit and Shinigami have become truly one. Acting, fighting and even speaking as one. The voice of the Zanpakuto Spirit will overlap and resonate from the Shinigami. The appearance of the Shinigami will differ from Reaper to Reaper. Causing the Shinigami to take some resemblance of their Zanpakuto Spirit. This varies depending on the Spirit in question. Possibly causing the Reaper, to sprout wings or even a tail. Sometimes shifting their physical appearance drastically. which can shift wildy between Shikai and Bankai respectfully.

Soul Resonance: Echo The Shikai variant of Soul Resonance is simply known as Echo and can only be used in Shikai. It also requires a two post start up time to activate (Mastery reduces this to one). And can only be active for up to five posts. In this state the Shinigami and the Zanpakuto Spirit haven't fully fused. They merely share the same state of mind, the same goal. Though some physical features of the Reaper will change causing them to faintly resemble their Zanpakuto Spirit. But only small changes will occur. Such as a change in clothing or even eye color. Possibly even growing fangs.

Soul Resonance: Harmony The Bankai variant of Soul Resonance is known as Harmony and can only be used in Bankai. It requires a three post start up time to activate (Mastery reduces this to two). And can only be active for up to five posts. In this state the Shinigami and the Zanpakuto Spirit have fully harmonized. This shifts the Shinigami's appearance as well as their personality heavily. Causing them to appear as a fusion between Shinigami and Zanpakuto Spirit.

During Soul Resonance, the Shinigami and Zanpakuto Spirit act as one. And as such their release techniques become less strenuous and easier to perform on their spiritual bodies. Allowing the Shinigami and the Spirit to cut the cost of release techniques by 25% in Shikai and 50% while in Bankai. Also in becoming one being, they are able to think far more quickly and effectively than they would on their own. Allowing the two, to make split second decisions and act far more efficiently in the heat of battle. Increasing their instinct by 25% in both Shikai and Bankai. Lastly when mastered, their main offensive stat will increase by 25% in Shikai and 50% in Bankai respectfully, during the first duration of release before refresh.

How to use technique: Commune and resonate your soul with ones Zanpakuto Spirit

Technique Drawbacks: Though this technique is rather strong, it comes with some rather nasty drawbacks. First of all, the personality of the user can vastly shift after fusion. Forcing the Shinigami and Zanpakuto Spirit to perform and act in certain ways they would not before. Making the user out to be a completely different person. This is mainly an issue in Bankai though and is rarely a problem in Shikai. This technique cuts the duration of release in half and doubles the cost of release. Also this technique can only be used once in a thread and remains active for only five consecutive posts. Thus might require the Shinigami to refresh their release in order to remain fused. Lastly even though this technique is active for five posts. Exiting this fusion at any time puts the Shinigami in a wounded state. Cutting their instinct and offensive by 25%, lasting for three posts afterwards. This is due to the stress that this fusion puts on their spiritual bodies.

Made By: Aevus

Reserved?: No

[Zeich Yajuu]

Nice Soul Eater reference.

That being said, I feel that the benefits from this are far too great for the drawback. Enormous cuts in costs can easily break balances, as high costs are often part of the reason that extremely powerful techniques can't be abused. And adding to that an undefined "you have two minds processing things" is the equivalent of a hidden Instinct/Senses boost because you have two different minds being aware and thinking at the same time. And then doubled Type boosts on top of that? Can you imagine a Lunatic making use of this and getting a 9x Boost to one stat? A Perma-Release getting a 6x boost? Even a Support getting two free 4x boosts and a doubling in an additional stat? Nope.

And our comparative drawbacks are undefined stress, being winded, and halved Release duration. With how inexpensive Shinigami releases are as a whole and the general duration of a fight (I use a 20-turn baseline, i.e. 10 turns for each side), the drawbacks don't feel like drawbacks. I can't think of many times people have to refresh a Release in a normal fight, so at most we'd see a single refresh from this and the added cost would be negligible compared to the saved Reiatsu and huge bonuses.

So yeah, sorry, but this isn't going to fly in its current form. Either the bonuses have to be much weaker, or the drawback must be a lot more substantial.

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Updated.

[Zeich Yajuu]

The drawbacks are much better than they were, but this technique still has the same issue: too much long-term gain for too little long-term loss.

As stated prior, I judge most techniques on the basis of a 20-post battle, i.e. ten posts on either end, as it is rare that most battles last beyond that. Most certainly do not last beyond a single use of one's Release, so that's my baseline for this.

For almost the entire duration of a battle, give or take 2-3 posts, you have the following bonuses: -25% Shikai technique costs, -50% Bankai technique costs, an undefined Instinct boost via communication between the Zanpaktou and Shinigami being able to "think faster and more efficiently than on their own," and a 50-100% stat boost to your already strongest stat for five or more posts. The costs are a single doubled Release cost boost (300-400 Reiatsu for Shikai, 600-800 for Bankai, going with the non-extremes of an early Bankai or a Class 0 one), and the inability to fight after what is very likely to be the end of the battle unless the opponent is extremely stall-focused.

So yeah, no. This is a lot for a Class 4/2 technique, and the drawbacks are still minimal. My suggestion, and one I'm admittedly still wary about, would be the following:

Benefits: -25% to all Release technique costs, a static 25% Instinct bonus (for the faster thinking from two minds), and a 25%/50% bonus to OS in Shikai/Bankai respectively.
Drawbacks: -50% Release Duration, inability to refresh this technique (i.e. once per rest period), and a 25% cut to Instinct and Offensive Stat for three posts afterwards to make up for recovering from the fusion.

While it is a strong nerf to your technique, it still provides much of its bonus while still making it a tactical decision rather than just an always-chosen tactic. Additionally, I would simply make this Class 2, as this provides far too many benefits for a Class 4 technique.

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

I made this technique class 1 instead of 4 and 2

Used your suggestion of making it a 25/50% boost of OS in Shikai/Bankai

Added the 25% Instinct suggestion for both Bankai and Shikai

I kept the -25/50% to all Release technique costs

Added all your drawbacks. but made it a 50% cut to instinct and offensive stat instead of 25%.

I also tripled the cost of release in bankai to try and balance it out more.

[Zeich Yajuu]

The 50% cut to stats still makes little difference if the technique can practically last the entire battle, which is one of the major issues. I'm going to have to put my foot down on a five-post count, but in exchange you can bump the drawbacks back up to 25% instead of 50%, and reduce the tripled Bankai back down to double.

Other than that it looks fine.

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

It now only last for five posts and I changed the drawbacks to your earlier suggestion.

[Zeich Yajuu]

[Himitsu Kasumi'Oji]

Looks cool, 2/2