Exactly how am I different as the main character?

[Arrogant Savant]

I mean this setting and lore wise what is stopping someone else from becoming as strong as me? Do I snort crushed up aether crystals to increase my strength or is my increase in strength normal for the people in the setting? Is this one of those stories where I am supposed to fill in the blanks for character motivations and the increase of strength?

[FlamingX21]

Yes, yes... that's it.

[Prometheus]

If you read your abilities you'll notice a great many of them are named after people who came before you. The lore of the game features many paths to power. I am pretty sure you are unique in being the only person to survive being fully possessed by an Aetherial.

As for how common is this level of power. Definitely rare but not so rare that its unheard of. There is a guy in the main story that is on your level if not higher. Plus all the boss fights and such.

[Wintermute]

Well, you do have your brain rewired by an aetherial. Other than that - you are turning into an ascendant. You're not the only one though.

[FlamingX21]

Originally posted by Wintermute:

Well, you do have your brain rewired by an aetherial. Other than that - you are turning into an ascendant. You're not the only one though.

Perhaps we, as player, are aetherial. Would make much sense.

[Shellbie]

Originally posted by FlamingX21:

Originally posted by Wintermute:

Well, you do have your brain rewired by an aetherial. Other than that - you are turning into an ascendant. You're not the only one though.

Perhaps we, as player, are aetherial. Would make much sense.

Sacrilege.

[FlamingX21]

Originally posted by Shellbie:

Originally posted by FlamingX21:

Perhaps we, as player, are aetherial. Would make much sense.

Sacrilege.

I approve.

[Lokvi]

This is the part of game where logic goes completely out of window. Always happens in leveling rpgs. How can soldier based class compete agaist magic users in terms of damage? Your blackwater cocktail melts anything, yet when enemies yeet that on you, it does nothing?
Best not to think about this and go with "player is the chosen one of the universe".

[DirtyMick]

Originally posted by Lokvi:

This is the part of game where logic goes completely out of window. Always happens in leveling rpgs. How can soldier based class compete agaist magic users in terms of damage? Your blackwater cocktail melts anything, yet when enemies yeet that on you, it does nothing?
Best not to think about this and go with "player is the chosen one of the universe".

Yeah I always found that funny about rpgs. At the start, a goblin can kill you in 2 hits. Then later on, you could unequip all your gear and that goblin would have to stab you 500 times to kill you. Like what happened? Your skin turned into stone??? Lol. Or like when you fight a guy with your whole party, and he has 50000 health, but then joins your party and suddenly has just as much health as you have and would get slaughtered in one round against your party.

[Blinkybubs]

Well there are loads of npc's who have great powers and abilities...Main characters and normal folk. For example Mazaan, he can open gateways to other realms...Too many to list, everyone plays their part.

[Halcyform]

You were possessed by an aetherial, but a local was able use some kind of spirit trap on it to keep it in check. The locals were going to hang you but the guy in charge suspended that sentence when the aetherial possessing you fled your body.

The possession left you with residual aetherial powers - namely your ability to open and travel via rifts. The local leader immediately recognized its potential and recruited you.

Except for you, aetherial possession is something that no one else has escaped.

There are others out there that have achieved "beyond human" strength, but I don't think many of them have the ability to freely traverse rifts as you do. Doesn't matter how much strength someone has, if you can pop in and out, at all will, anyone going against you is going to be at a serious disadvantage.

You can't do it in game, but, this ability would allow you to overwhelm areas with sheer numbers. Open a rift somewhere, piss a bunch of stuff off, have it chase you into a rift, open another one and drop all that crap onto someone or a place like a city.

It'd also be a useful tool for assassinations. You could bypass security/militia or could even use it as a trap to strand someone where it'd be hopeless to get back from.

[Arrogant Savant]

Originally posted by Halcyform:

You were possessed by an aetherial, but a local was able use some kind of spirit trap on it to keep it in check. The locals were going to hang you but the guy in charge suspended that sentence when the aetherial possessing you fled your body.

The possession left you with residual aetherial powers - namely your ability to open and travel via rifts. The local leader immediately recognized its potential and recruited you.

Except for you, aetherial possession is something that no one else has escaped.

There are others out there that have achieved "beyond human" strength, but I don't think any of them have the ability to freely traverse rifts as you do. Doesn't matter how much strength someone has, if you can pop in and out, at all will, anyone going against you is going to be at a serious disadvantage.

You can't do it in game, but, this ability would allow you to overwhelm areas with sheer numbers. Open a rift somewhere, piss a bunch of stuff off, have it chase you into a rift, open another one and drop all that crap onto someone or a place like a city.

It'd also be a useful tool for assassinations. You could bypass security/militia or could even use it as a trap to strand someone where it'd be hopeless to get back from.

Oh ok that makes alot more sense if the aether rifts is something that you can do but most "good" guys and alot of bad guys can' that is a huge advantage in allowing you to traverse across cairn surprised noone makes fun of your ability to traverse through portals in a jealous way

[powbam]

Originally posted by Arrogant Disciple:

that is a huge advantage in allowing you to traverse across cairn surprised noone makes fun of your ability to traverse through portals in a jealous way

Is that a normal reaction? To make fun of (and show jealousy) to the one who can do what you can't do, is furthermore "helping" you, and even further - can probably kill you and is clearly getting stronger and better all the time?

I mean.. if you want to pretend this is a high school hallway, by all means. Proceed.

Sounds like a solid plan.

---

With that said - there are some who are wary of this ability and may show fear.

[Halcyform]

Originally posted by Arrogant Disciple:

Oh ok that makes alot more sense if the aether rifts is something that you can do but most "good" guys and alot of bad guys can' that is a huge advantage in allowing you to traverse across cairn surprised noone makes fun of your ability to traverse through portals in a jealous way

Most people you run into are too busy being scared that you can open rifts. These people associate rifts with monstrosities pouring out and killing everyone.

[Arrogant Savant]

Originally posted by powbam:

Originally posted by Arrogant Disciple:

that is a huge advantage in allowing you to traverse across cairn surprised noone makes fun of your ability to traverse through portals in a jealous way

Is that a normal reaction? To make fun of (and show jealousy) to the one who can do what you can't do, is furthermore "helping" you, and even further - can probably kill you and is clearly getting stronger and better all the time?

I mean.. if you want to pretend this is a high school hallway, by all means. Proceed.

Sounds like a solid plan.

---

With that said - there are some who are wary of this ability and may show fear.

Come on I've played games with even more depressing atmospheres and people can make a joke. Maybe in this context the main character is too much of a blank slate so he's not really connected with anyone so I guess It does make sense that it doesn't happen

[powbam]

Originally posted by Arrogant Disciple:

Originally posted by powbam:

Is that a normal reaction? To make fun of (and show jealousy) to the one who can do what you can't do, is furthermore "helping" you, and even further - can probably kill you and is clearly getting stronger and better all the time?

I mean.. if you want to pretend this is a high school hallway, by all means. Proceed.

Sounds like a solid plan.

---

With that said - there are some who are wary of this ability and may show fear.

Come on I've played games with even more depressing atmospheres and people can make a joke. Maybe in this context the main character is too much of a blank slate so he's not really connected with anyone so I guess It does make sense that it doesn't happen

Your joke, as described, made it sound much more like it would be done from spite (and jealousy) - in other words, not a "joke". A joke is one thing - someone making you uncomfortable out of jealousy, quite another.