Abilities are a core element of the world of unORDINARY. Almost everyone is born with a supernatural ability, which ranges from destructive lasers and energy grenades to invisibility and mind reading. Abilities are featured heavily in the fights between characters. When somebody is born without an ability, they are called a "cripple".
Physical Signs[]
All abilities in unORDINARY are primarily active, meaning they require a conscious decision to be activated. However, abilities can be activated on reflex such as the user using their ability to defend themselves, or dodge an attack. While abilities often vary from person to person, regardless of what ability one has, a user's eyes will glow when an ability is activated. Once activated, all abilities give out an aura that is usually in the user’s signature color. A signature color refers to the user's eye color or hair color.[1] In abilities that involve enhancing a body part, the corresponding body part will be surrounded by the user's aura, which is not visible by people who can't sense aura. In abilities that involve generating a construct, such as Projectile Generation abilities or Construct Generation abilities, the constructs made will possess the user's eye color, hair color, or both.
Exceptions[]
There have been some exceptions to the ability color rule mentioned above, for example, when Wenqi's ability, Speed was first introduced, the color of her aura was red as opposed to her signature color, yellow. Another exception to this rule was Leilah, whose aura was not either of her signature colors, but magenta, a signature color her mother and sister share (but don't emit).
Most element-based abilities, such as Lightning, Heat Palm, and Flame Claw will have auras that are colored like the element it is associated with (electric-blue for lightning bolts, red for heat, and orange for fire respectively).
Aura[]
Whenever an ability is used, it usually gives off an Aura in a user's hair or eye color. A person's Aura flows through Aura Channels which regulates the flow of aura throughout the body. The stronger the flow of Aura is, the stronger the ability being used will be. Normally, the aura flow through these channels are self-regulated and cannot be altered. However, there are abilities that allow the user to naturally alter their aura flow.[2]
All high tiers have an enormous supply of aura that they built up over their lifetime for using their ability effectively without exhausting themselves. This is a part of the mastery process.[3]
Ability Usage[]
Although most low-tiers and mid-tiers only have a single method of using their ability, elite-tiers and high-tiers, especially Turf War participants, have honed multiple techniques from their ability. Arlo's Barrier, for example, is not only defensive, but can also deflect physical damage and allow only certain people to enter or exit. An even better example is Blyke's Energy Discharge (formerly Energy Beam); when attacking, he can use a single powerful, long-range shot or multiple, smaller, throw-able spheres. When defending, his beams can propel him across a wide area, greatly increasing his speed, or deflect other ranged attacks. Blyke can also use a big pulse to either warn others or to protect himself.
For high-tiers, their mastery of their ability also causes it to manifest passively. Five examples of this can be found in Remi's electrical current detection, Arlo's invulnerability, Keene's security nets, John's aura detection and Blyke's accelerated healing. People in higher tiers also seem to have a higher degree of physical strength and/or speed over lower-tiers, such as when Evie, a low-tier, struggled to move Roland, whereas Remi, a high-tier, was able to lift him with ease, as well as outrun a motorcycle. However, this seems to vary individually: Blyke has shown no enhanced strength or speed even after becoming a high-tier, and Arlo has only enhanced strength despite being much higher level than Remi, while Gavin has enhanced speed despite being a mid-tier. This implies that all abilities can enhance one's physical capabilities, and it is simply more common among higher tiers.
Abilities also do not seem to damage the user if used on themselves. For example, users of Explosion aren't hurt by their blast, users of Heat Palm can touch themselves without getting burned, and users of Lightning can coat their body with electricity without getting shocked.
Obtaining Abilities[]
Abilities are, at least partially, a hereditary trait. The innate potential of one's ability is inherited from their parents. The type of ability also seems to be hereditary, as shown by Seraphina sharing an ability with her mother and sister, and Remi sharing an ability with her brother and mother. It is possible, but unlikely for 2 cripples to have a child with an ability.
While most abilities manifest within a person at a young age, there are others who develop their abilities much later than others; these individuals are called late-bloomers. Once an ability manifests, the user must train and practice to discover new ways to utilize their ability.[4] Abilities can also undergo name-changes to better describe their effects, as shown when Blyke's Energy Beam renamed Energy Discharge in Chapter 199.
Currently, it is unknown if powerless people have latent abilities or can gain abilities through artificial means, however, there are ways to remove, suppress and enhance abilities artificially. There are also methods of restoring abilities that have been removed.
Gauging[]
- Main article: Standard Gauging System
Users of an ability are given an ability level based on the innate potential of their ability (which is inherited) and the extent to which its user has mastered it (which can be trained). Users are then divided into one of four ability tiers (and one subcategory) based on their ability level, which affects their social standing, reputation, and prestige. These tiers are: low, mid, elite, and high (as well as the special subcategory god). It is possible for users to have their ability levels altered by either cultivating their ability or having their ability enhanced. According to Rei, ability levels tend to fluctuate most during high school years. [5]
Statistics[]
- Main article: Category:Stats
According to Uru-chan's stat sheets, there are five main traits every ability has: Defense, Power, Speed, Recovery, and Trick. Every stat is rated from a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the lowest possible number and 10 being the highest. Even those who have the same ability, like Remi and Rei, could have completely different stats depending on how well they've mastered their ability.
Power[]
Power is the raw offensive strength of an ability; in other words, how much it hurts when it hits. Abilities like Lightning and Super Strength have high power.
Defense[]
Defense is, as the name suggests, how well an ability can counter attacks and protect its user from harm. Abilities like Barrier and Stone Skin have high defense.
Speed[]
Speed is how quickly the ability allows its user to move. Abilities like Speed and Time Manipulation have high speed.
Recovery[]
Recovery is a stat that determines how well an ability can aid in recovering during or after battles; the recovery stat encompasses all forms of recovery such as healing, snapping out of stuns, regaining energy, and so on. Abilities like Healing and Regeneration have high recovery.[6]
Trick[]
Trick is a trait that shows how well a user can utilize their ability to surprise or outplay their opponent; this stat depends on the user's ingenuity and creativity. Abilities like Aura Manipulation and Nightmare have high trick.
Classification[]
For ease of reading, this wiki classifies abilities into one of seven unofficial categories.
Augmentation[]
Augmentation Abilities are abilities that alter a physical aspect of a user in some way whether it be boosting their stats, transforming parts of their body into a different material, manipulating one's body parts, or even rendering themselves invisible.
Construct Generation[]
Construct Generation Abilities are abilities that allow its user to create physical objects from their ability. Such abilities include the defensive Barrier and the versatile Conjure: Vines.
Medical[]
As their name implies, Medical Abilities grant users a way of healing themselves or others in some manner. Abilities under this category include Healing and Regeneration.
Mental[]
While many abilities grants physical boosts, Mental Abilities specialize in affecting the user's mind or the mind of another. Some mental abilities allow users to detect lies, enter other minds, invoke emotions in others and even see glimpses of the immediate future.
Projectile Generation[]
Projectile Generation Abilities specialize in creating projectiles for long-ranged combat. Though most Projectile Generation Abilities are only mostly for attacking foes at a distance, however there are exceptions to this rule.
Quantum Manipulation[]
Quantum Manipulation Abilities are abilities that affect matter and aspects of reality itself. Almost all Quantum Manipulation Abilities are considered to be quite powerful and can range from creating explosions out of nothing, controlling the elements, appearing from thin air, and even full on Time Manipulation.
Meta-Ability[]
Meta-Abilities are abilities that are directly affected by other abilities. These abilities can range from gauging ability levels or copying other abilities.
Ability Naming[]
Some abilities in unORDINARY, despite being unrelated, may have the same effect when compared with other abilities. Uru-chan has stated that she uses different words for similar abilities. These include Catch Up and Speed or Impact and Strength.
Abilities may also share certain prefixes due to shared traits. For example, abilities with the prefix "demon," such as Demon Claw and Demon Blade, are used to cut and stab opponents, or abilities with the prefix "conjure:," such as Conjure: Disks and Conjure: Vines, are used to create versatile constructs.
Notes & Trivia[]
- Abilities typically manifest when the user is 5-6 years old.
- Stats are measured logarithmically, for example, the strength difference between level 1-2 is much smaller than the difference between level 4-5.
- Animals do not have abilities.
References[]