Superpower Lottery in a School Setting

I got this idea from watching Baka And Test and To Aru Majutsu No Index, and it's like this:

• Each potential student will gain avatars with abilities corresponding to their specialties (e.g. one who excels at Math will have a different ability than one who excels at History) and Power Levels corresponding to their overall performance in the exams.
• An odd prize snucked in the lottery is bestowed to the student with the lowest passing grade (i.e., the lowest possible to get admitted in that school): Magikarp Power in the form of Anti-Magic. It would be useless until said student gets the hang of it.
• Avatar stats are determined as thus:
  • Attack Power - Test scores in a particular subject.
  • Hit Points - Total scores from all subjects.
  • Speed - Student's physical fitness and control over hir avatar.
• Thus, in general, Class A students will have Mighty Glacier avatars, while Class F students will have Fragile Speedster avatars. Thus, for a student to gain a Lightning Bruiser avatar, s/he should be BOTH physically and academically strong.

edited 11th Apr '12 10:59:41 PM by judasmartel

My questions are:

• Does this sound viable?
• What do you think could be good superpowers corresponding to a subject? Like for example:
  • History: Time Master
  • Physics: Attack Reflector
  • Chemistry: Elemental Powers

edited 12th Apr '12 2:13:23 AM by judasmartel

Why and how do these students have these avatars? To make school life more fun? There's a prize for the winner of the tournament or something?

... why would the lowest ranked student even get an ability? Baka to Test had a proper explanation, mind you.

Also:

• Class A = Mighty Glacier; Class F = Fragile Speedster
  • Speed related to fitness
    • Implication that smarter people are less fit?

The idea about powers being related to a subject... You might be interested in a work with a similar concept...

edited 12th Apr '12 2:33:34 AM by fillerdude

I know there's such an implication, but think about it. Smart students are traditionally depicted to be holing up in their classrooms or in the library reading books all day, so they forget to get themselves in shape. Not so much today, though. So there's a possibility that Class A's in this setting are Lightning Bruisers if anything.

On the other hand, lower classes don't have that much interest in their studies, and thus find more time to get themselves in shape outside of school.

Ah, I got an idea! Instead of avatars, the students get the powers themselves. Result? End-of-term fighting tournament! At least THAT is different from Baka Test. And speed is still dependent part on physical prowess, part on the student's ability.

edited 12th Apr '12 3:18:21 AM by judasmartel

That still begs the question of why they get powers. Incentive for studying? The prize for the tournament is awesomesauce?

My first suggestion is to do away with hierarchical classes. Have each class be a mix of people from all levels of academic achievement. If you want the people with high grades to form a group, then have them be members of an elite club or something.

My second suggestion is that, since you're doing away with the avatars, the scale of the power depends on the test grades. So say you have a low score in Physics but a high score in History... going by the powers you posted, your Physics power would only be "reflecting forces 50 Newtons strong", but your History power would be "manipulating time however".

tl;dr The higher your scores in a subject, the less restrictions there are for your powers in that subject.

EDIT: Third suggestion: let people specialize. Like if you have a high enough score for Physics, you can take special courses in Fluid Dynamics, Quantum Mechanics and so on. And they'll have powers related to those specialties. Of course, while a person with a high score in General Physics may be damn good at controlling liquids, someone who specializes in Fluid Dynamics would be better.

edited 12th Apr '12 3:36:01 AM by fillerdude

Like in Class X01? Well, yeah, that's kind of plauisble. That way, one will never know which class is strong from the get-go.

Of course, there's still the explanation of scientific research to go with it (Academy City, anyone?)

I had this idea to address the problems I perceived about Baka Test and the ToAruVerse.

In Baka Test, stat determination is too vague. Test scores determine all of the student's avatar stats, including Hit Points. Now that's why F class students get killed very easily.

In the ToAruVerse, it's been implied that mastery of Math and Science is a Required Secondary Power for most esper abilities. So what about other subjects, then? That would kinda suck if you can't do math but otherwise are a good student overall.

As for the lowest grade, hmm... let me think about it. Thanks.

edited 12th Apr '12 3:35:27 AM by judasmartel

I agree with Baka Test being too vague about stats.

About To Aru, though, it's kind of justified, since the students are specifically on a special curriculum. Touma himself isn't an idiot by any means, it's just that the academic standards are too high.

Additionally, most esper powers in To Aru do require a great understanding of math and science, the greatest example being Accelerator, whose powers would be worth nothing if he didn't have the brains to do the math that makes it work. It's understandable that subjects like History won't matter as much because they'd contribute almost nothing to honing your abilities.

edited 12th Apr '12 3:40:19 AM by fillerdude

So History specialties fall under Boring, but Practical, I see. I agree that Time Master has a very great game-breaking potential (if you can go back in time to take your tests over and over again until you max out your scores, yeah). So instead, let's have it involve memories.

Even better, lump History into other Social Sciences (including Psychology) and make it involve Psychic Powers instead.

Good idea! Psychic powers for social sciences, object manipulation for the other kind. Then have weird abilities for extracurricular stuff, I guess? That's a good question, actually, what would be PE-related powers?

Although I think subject specialties must not have one specific kind of ability, otherwise we could see too many students with the same kind of ability, but if that in itself is not a bad thing, each student could use the same kind of power in different ways.

Here are some abilities I came up:

• English or Latin - Functional Magic (complete with spell chants), Words Can Break My Bones, and Hyperspace Arsenal
• Native language - Depends. Onmyodo for Japanese, Voodoo Magic for Filipino.
• Math - Telekinesis, Vancian Magic
• Botany
• Zoology - The Beastmaster
• Chemistry - Alchemy, Transmutation, and Elemental Powers
• Physics - Mind over Matter
• Social Sciences - Psychic Powers
• Health - Healing Hands
• PE - Charles Atlas Superpower
• Calisthenics - Dance Battler

edited 12th Apr '12 4:58:24 AM by judasmartel

Hey, just because you have the same specialty doesn't mean you'll have the same ability.

Take Geology for example. That could translate to "becoming a golem" or "producing lava" or "causing earthquakes".

I honestly think the language subjects shouldn't have a kind of magic as the ability. Magic is too vague, it's too broad, and it seems like it makes the other subjects seem not worth it. Language powers should probably be more along the lines of communication and information gathering.

Actually, scrap any sort of "magic" as an ability. Magic is, again, too vague. You want your powers to be well-defined.

I'd also advise against using plain tropes to describe the power sets of each subject. Define the abilities clearly.

@Ability Definitions I will as soon as I get my script done.

But yes, one ability type has different uses.

All righty then, shall I write a draft. This is a good time for me to explain how language powers will work, but making them sorcery-based is pretty much the best thing I can come up with IMO. Or stealth, Brown Note, Magic Music, and sonic booms. But I just can't see the relationship between language proficiency and stealth, though.

With PE-based powers I meant Super-Strength, Super-Speed, and Made of Iron. Flying Brick is too overpowered, so I'll make it Charles Atlas Superpower, instead.

edited 12th Apr '12 5:19:27 AM by judasmartel

Hmm... okay, I haven't given the main story a thought yet, though it might come off as a ToAruVerse rip-off if I make the male lead the Anti-Magic wielder and the lead female an Electric Power User. That's how much I like the KamiKoto ship.

Okay, I guess I have to think of something new.

Anyways, here's my thought about the Superpower Lottery:

• The Superpower Lottery school is a scientific experiment on Virtual Reality. Recently, they have found a way to make one without the risk of permanent injury or death to the participants, as it may lead to a Win to Exit situation. So the researchers decided to give the government a sample of this system to give public schools a Maximum Fun Chamber.
• Incoming students are required to take entrance exams to determine eligibility. Returning students only need to take assessment exams to update their Power Levels.
  • With this premise, it is possible that I would make the female lead or some other important character an upperclassman to the male lead.
• All incoming students that pass the entrance exams are given default Power Levels and abilities corresponding to their test scores.
  • As mentioned above, abilities are determined by the student's highest scoring subject.
  • The lowest passing grade gets Anti-Magic. Average students get enhanced physical abilities.
    • My aim is to spread the Aesop, "Even a turtle can beat a rabbit {because the rabbit thinks he can still win by slacking off)".
  • The test score corresponding to the ability's subject field determines attack power if the ability is mainly offensive, defensive power if the ability is mainly defensive or is a Charles Atlas Superpower.
  • The student's overall test score determines Hit Points.
  • The student's physical fitness determines speed, making virtually anyone a Lightning Bruiser.
• To avoid abuse, abilities only work inside the school grounds and if the Virtual Reality System is activated.
• Subject field abilities are as follows:
  • History students gain time manipulation abilities (except Time Travel) and teleportation through materials specially marked with names of historical places.
  • Psychology students gain Mind Control abilities. They can control minds, conjure illusions, and manipulate, remove, replace, or implant memories and emotions.
  • Literature students gain abilities involving symbolisms from literary works, with all the pros and cons. For example, Snow White symbolism involves animating dolls to function like the Seven Dwarves, boosting the user's abilities and inflicting Standard Status Effects through mirrors, and turning apples into bombs.
  • Economics basically involves money as weapons. It can involve firing coins or paper bills at very high speeds or turning the latter into explosives.
  • Political Science students have similar abilities to the Psychology students, except that these are activated through communication, such as eye contact, compelling voices, and hand signs.
  • As mentioned above, PE students have enhanced physical abilities. Super-Strength, Super-Speed, super toughness, you know the deal. They might even learn martial arts almost instantly.
  • Music students can have voices and instruments which can boost allies, debuff foes, or break through solid concrete.
  • Health students can heal injuries instantly or make potions to achieve various effects.
  • Art students can bring artworks to life.
  • Math students can draw mathematical graphs and turn them into weapons (bullets for points, swords, spears, and staves for straight lines, boomerangs for triangular objects, whip swords for curved lines, chakrams or shields for circular objects) or barriers (with 3-D objects such as cubes and pyramids), move objects through telekinesis, or create explosions depending on the degree of calculation performed (arithmetic is the weakest, while higher-level maths are the strongest).
  • Botany students have control over plants, while Zoology students have control over animals.
  • As mentioned above, Earth Science students have Earth-based abilities. They can shake the ground, control sand, conjure rocks, or transform themselves into golems.
  • Chemistry students have control over water, air, fire and ice and can transmute anything under the law of equivalent exchange.
  • Physics students IMO have the widest range of abilities, but sadly, not everyone has this specialty, at least not on paper. These may involve control over a lot of things, such as vectors, temperature, radiation, electricity and atomic particles. In fact, pretty much anything. This subject could well be the Game-Breaker of this setting.

edited 18th Apr '12 8:47:31 PM by judasmartel

I'm still a bit iffy on the anti-magic ability. Why is such a powerful ability given to the student with the lowest grades?

Still, otherwise it's solid. I am also somewhat amused that you thought of this subjects-into-superpowers thing, as I also have a similar story, though my inspiration is different, and a bit more direct.

Like what I said, to bring out the Aesop of taking your opponents seriously, just like a rabbit should not sleep when racing against a turtle.

Or perhaps you can suggest a different condition for Anti-Magic? Like the highest grade for instance. But truth is, that would kinda suck. But it does bring the Aesop of finding good in anything, no matter how bad.

I also thought of subject scores which are exactly equal or too close to each other for the system to give the student a default ability. This way, you have to be trying to get equal scores to get Anti-Magic. It's either perfect scores in all subjects or equal non-perfect scores.

Anti-Magic rules:

• The Anti-Magic wielder can block or disable abilities within a range proportional to the difference between the opponent's test score and the wielder's test score corresponding to the opponent's ability subject field.
  • All types of Anti-Magic wielders can fully negate an ability with a power level equal to the perfect test score, to the extent that the opponent can no longer use his powers properly.
  • The average-grade Anti-Magic wielder can fully negate an ability with a power level equal to his subject test score.
• At low differences, Anti-Magic can only block direct attacks within close proximity of the wielder, but not the effects. It can block fire but not the ash and smoke it produces.
• At high differences, Anti-Magic creates an "Instant Death" Radius which disables all abilities used around it.
• It cannot render Charles Atlas Superpowers useless because the ability is hard-wired to the wielder. Only turning off the VR System can disable it.

See, that's the thing. I don't know how strong your idea of anti-magic is. I was thinking along the lines of Touma's Imagine Breaker, which is pretty damn broken and thus it seems kind of unfair to give it to the lowest ranking student. Not to mention, what's stopping the more devious from deliberately trying to become the lowest ranking student and thus gain anti-magic?

Basically, I don't know how strong the anti-magic is, but if you think it's at a reasonable power level then by all means proceed with the idea. I don't have an equivalent in my story so I can't really vouch for the viability of anti-magic.

I was thinking about this last night. How about scrapping Anti-Magic and exchanging it with Mega Manning instead, but make the abilities random so the wielder does not know what kind of ability he will have for a particular battle?

This could work for students with equal or very close non-perfect scores in all subjects. This way we can have a Generic Guy protagonist.

edited 19th Apr '12 7:36:44 PM by judasmartel

That could actually work. However, an ability like that tends to get abused for plot convenience, so tread carefully.

I have another question: it's only the entrance exams that determine your abilities, correct? What, then, will be the impact of other exams?

Entrance exams only determine initial power levels. Successive exams simply level up the students. Now, if power level = total score, it will accumulate to ridiculous levels over time, so it could be possible that the grand total of test scores will serve as Experience Points instead, and student stats will be determined differently in accordance with this adjustment.

edited 19th Apr '12 8:17:09 PM by judasmartel

I see. That should work. How about extracurricular activities?

EDIT: I dunno if this will help, but in my story, exams have a "Worth" rating. Basically:

Initial stats —> X points = exam entrance score (which is worth 100%)

Leveled-up stats —> X+Y points; Y = exam score x Worth

So say you have a fifty-point exam, but it's so easy that the worth is only 1%. So even if you get a perfect score, you only get 0.5 points added to your initial stats.

Of course, my system is considerably different from yours, so... yeah.

edited 19th Apr '12 9:54:39 PM by fillerdude

Perfect. School stuff injected with RPG Elements. Oh yes.

edited 19th Apr '12 10:11:40 PM by judasmartel

If only school was like that in real life...

Hi, I'm back. So while Baka Test's system was quite vague in stat determination, as mentioned above, I came across its Aesop of fighting together as a team instead of individually.

Now I have to work this up again and determine what I'm going to do with my Magikarp Power ability which I still want to give to The Hero.

'Chemistry students have control over water, air, fire and ice and can transmute anything under the law of equivalent exchange.'

I think power over elements like water, air, fire and ice would be better suited to Geography students.

Geography means learning about the rain cycle and how rivers and lakes form and the tide works (water), the formation and life cycle of volcanoes also how forest fires occur and their affect upon the environment (fire), how air currents and pressure systems work (air), and the formation and life cycle of glaciers and how the melting polar ice affects sea leavel (ice)

Whereas Chemistry is, to quote that other wiki, 'Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds.'

You could give the Chemistry students the ability to create a chemical mixture for almost any use? Examples being they could create a pheramone that causes people to become strongly attracted to or extremely violent towards whoever has the scent of that pheramone upon them. The strongly attracted pheramone could also double as making the affected person more controllable since teenagers 'in love' are usually willing to do a lot for the person their 'in love' with. They could even try to mix up a truth serum.

Or they could mix a batch of chemicals to create a volatile explosive or create a strong acid to burn through walls or even a strong glue that sticks someone to the spot and can be dissolved only with the proper counter agency. Or they could use their knowledge of elements and their properties to create a sword or weapon made of incredibly strong nigh unbreakable metal. They could use their knowledge to create smoke bombs or sleep gas, etcetera.

Theres a very long list of possibilities when it comes to chemistry and the students would be a very creative bunch always experimenting with new theories and ideas for chemical mixtures. They would probably cause a lot of random explosions by mixting volatile chemicals together just to see what would happen.

Also a truly good chemistry student could probably qualify for that mind over matter power because they would have the understanding of the composition, structure and properties of matter, how it works , how to control it, how to make or unmake it, etcetera.

edited 1st Aug '12 5:07:52 AM by Merlanthe

I came up with Chemistry that way because we don't necessarily study geography very extensively in our schools. That's covered in our History and Earth Science classes (used to be covered by our equivalent of Grade 7 under a 10-year system, but a 12-year basic education program has been implemented here, so I have no idea what would be covered in our Grade 7).

I want to give the Magikarp Power to somebody who is something like an outcast of the system, like somebody who doesn't have any strong or weak subjects. I got quite the flak by trying to give it to the guy with the lowest score, because it's so easy to flunk everything so you can get an ability that could be Game-Breaker if one gets a hang of it.

What criteria could be imposed such that it's impossible to obtain the Magikarp Power by trying to get around the system.

edited 1st Aug '12 4:23:13 PM by judasmartel