Introduction

A lot of times, you’ll have this grand idea and it’s really awesome, but it’s all in your head. There’s probably one thing you’ve overlooked: This system exists only for your hero. This is typically in the form of a “cheat” and its entire purpose is to make your hero’s power a step ahead of everyone else. It’s a trap that is easy to fall into, it plagues your writing, and you’ll begin to think, “My villain must have a cheat as well.” Of course, assuming you intend to create challenges for your hero.

That’s not to say that cheat magic should never exist. You might also be thinking, “My hero’s magic system is meant to be discovered.” Let’s look further into how cheat and discovery magic can avoid being “bad.”

Setting Up The System

An external entity is popular for setting up the system. Usually, it’s a voice or a game-like interface that does this. As you can see, the “cheating” has already begun because this external entity exists only for the hero. No one in the world understands how the hero is so powerful.

The discovery of this magic system becomes a plot point that is often thrown to the wayside. It then becomes a support used to explain the hero’s power. The objective is to turn this supportive magic system into one that the hero actively wields. No, this is not done by having the hero consume everything within their vicinity and hoping something useful “unlocks.” The problem with this is that the hero spends a lot of time doing nothing and later on in the story, you’ll throw in a sentence to remind the reader that the system exists.

The system should be set up to challenge the hero. If the hero wants to unlock the ability to spit out potions, then he should need a reason to have a potion and it shouldn’t be random chance that he gains the knowledge. This conflict I’ve stated already has potential to span an entire novel.

A discovery system should always create a quest that the hero cares about. Think about the air you breathe. Do you care that you exhale carbon dioxide? No, and your hero shouldn’t care about meaningless consumption either.

Making Cheats “Fair”

Your hero has a cheat that is so amazingly broken that it’s derailing your story. The hero uses his cheat to save the princess and they live happily ever after. What’s lacking in these circumstances is consequence. If the hero saves the world from a demon lord, then surely the people will begin to suspect a new tyrant. After all, the hero used powerful magic to win, and the demon lord did the same thing to conquer to world.

The hero’s rising fame should indeed instil fear and admiration, and above all, the hero needs to feel that his cheat is achieving a purpose. If the hero has a magic eye power that forces obedience, then they damn well need a reason for conquering the world. Otherwise, they truly are just another tyrant.

I should mention that the cheat doesn’t need to be fair to the enemy, it just needs to be fair to the reader. Conflict is what makes cheats fair. Say you’re a gifted chemist, the best in the world. Your life turns upside-down when you discover you have cancer. Despite being a gifted chemist, you’ve earned little money for your family. You decide to use your cheat to create drugs that sell for millions. Suddenly, the reader has a reason to care for the cheat’s existence, regardless of its absurdity. It drives the character’s motivations forward.

Foreshadowing

The external entity usually gives out a hint for progression, and it’s direct more often than not. This leads to the removal for a lot of mystery. The reader will begin to rely on the external entity to solve the hero’s problems and that’s not good. You want the hero to solve problems.

Foreshadowing is tricky. It needs to be subtle, and it needs to misdirect the reader’s attention. Say my hero is on a journey. He needs to visit magic fonts all over the world, and those fonts reveal to him pieces of his ultimate power. I can foreshadow the power to be one that enflames his sword, but it doesn’t fit his theme because he lacks intelligence to wield magic. I’ll then lead the hero on a goose chase where he seeks an enchantment on his weapon because similar powers have activated with enchantments. It’s a silly journey that frustrates the hero. When the time comes, I’ll reveal that the flaming sword activates when his friend gives him an intelligence buff, thereby also revealing that his ultimate power isn’t one to be activated alone.

A Hero With Cheats Should Lead

It’s really weird when the hero maintains his humbleness while external forces are pushing them to become a leader. This dynamic happens often in real life when a person shows that they’re capable of overcoming a problem. Again, this is a conflict that is thrown aside because the author wants the hero to remain humble. The reality is that it actually breaks the character, a term commonly referred to as “out of character.” The status quo is maintained, while in the background, characters are congregating around the hero to seek his leadership. It doesn’t make sense for the hero to just stop thinking about leadership, does it?

Cheat magic creates massive power imbalance, and it needs to be reflected in the people he interacts with. It’s a conflict that lasts throughout a whole novel. Your hero should face problems, especially if he’s never been in a position of leadership before. You might think you’re not smart enough to write politicking, but it shouldn’t be smooth sailing either.

A simple conflict that can be created is to make the leadership fail. The leader (hero or not) will lose confidence and transfer of power is natural. Look for innovative ways for your hero to avoid or take on this leadership.

Conclusion

Conflict is the crux of what makes cheat and discovery magic entertaining to read. Always give your hero a reason to progress their power and err on the side of creating a spectacle. Look into power dynamics as well. Decide if you want your hero to always be at the top of the command hierarchy due to their power. Determine when to foreshadow powers to create an engaging story.