How To: Create Your Fantasy Hero/Heroine

8. Cool Powers... How do I Use Them?

This chapter will extend on the point I made in the previous one; 'depending on how new these abilities are to your hero, the easier they will find them to use.'

Was your hero born with these superpowers? Do they have a firm grasp on how to use them and control them? Are they aware of any consequences of using their powers?

If you answered yes to all of those questions, then this chapter probably isn't for you. 

If you answered no to any of those questions, then your hero is in for a right shock when they wake up with the ability to read minds, or the ability to conjure fire with their bare hands, or the uncontrollable lust for human blood. So, how will your character deal with these new powers? Let's break down each three of the questions, feel free to skip straight to the specific question(s) you answered no to.

Was your hero born with these superpowers?

No, your hero was born a normal human (or perhaps another species you have made without any supernatural/superhuman abilities). So, how exactly did your hero acquire these powers and are they aware? Perhaps they had to drink some kind of potion or be a part of some ritual to obtain these powers. In which case, your hero would be aware that they will be gaining the powers so they won't come as such a surprise.

Or, does your character have absolutely no idea how they got these powers? Perhaps, I don't know, they were struck with lightning or something and, as a result, they have electricity coursing through their veins. Perhaps they died and came back to life as this supernatural being. Perhaps they have to reach a certain age before they can access their powers and your hero just reached this age.

Do they have a firm grasp on how to use them and control them? 

Is your hero aware of what the can and cannot do with their powers? Are they educated on what it takes to use their powers (i.e the physical and/or mental strain it will put on them)? If your character doesn't know how to use their powers, this could lead to experimentation and mistakes. If they don't know about their power taking a lot of mental energy, they may unknowingly and accidentally abuse their power, causing them to get very drained very fast.

Perhaps you should consider giving your hero a mentor, or a sidekick (something we will talk about in the next chapter). They may possess the same powers as your hero, or perhaps they don't possess any powers at all, but they will help your hero come to terms with who they are becoming.

Are they aware of any consequences of using their powers?

And I'm not just talking about the physical/mental strain. I'm talking about bigger consequences. If they embrace these powers; what or who will they be sacrificing? Perhaps, if your hero is part of a prophecy they didn't know about in which they obtained these powers and ultimately save the world, are they aware that using these powers will reveal their position to the villain, or will they not find out until it is too late?

Let's see... Harry Potter didn't even know he was born a wizard until he reached 11 years of age. The story follows him as he learns about the Wizarding World and undergoes his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

As I mentioned earlier about having a mentor - Hagrid was Harry's mentor. I guess you could argue and say Dumbledore was as well. But, at first, it seemed like Hagrid. Of course, Harry also had other mentors - all the Hogwarts professors, the Order of the Phoenix (Tonks, Lupin, Sirius etc.) and some other characters that appeared later on in the series. You don't have to specify who your hero's mentor is, but if they have no idea what their new powers are, there is probably going to be someone (or multiple people) who help your hero develop their powers.

Or, perhaps your hero is figuring it all out on their own. It's just something to think about when creating your main characters. It could be something as simple as their parents being their mentors. It's more just an extra type of character for your readers to relate with. I will (probably) be writing a guide on Fantasy Mentors (if people are interested, that is). So, if you want to know more on the topic, let me know.

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A/N: at the end of all the chapters, I am going to put a little exercise/question for you guys to do in the comments as a way for you to interact and really take something away from reading this guide. I will leave an answer regarding one of my own fantasy books for you to use as an example. Don't forget to vote and share this guide with whoever may need it!

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Exercise 8:

Was your hero born with their powers, or have/will they acquire them in your story?

My answer:

They were born/created with their powers, but don't quite understand them yet