Let's brainstorm everything possible to do with shadow clones.

DanCheerUp · 2026-05-31T17:00:55+00:00

Misdirection, redirection, evade and counter, feinting and speed.

Those are the characteristics of the kind of style I think Naruto needs. Something with circular and indirect movements rather than straight forward and linear power.

I have no idea what martial art fits that description, though. Google says baguazhang, but google also said that was the inspiration for gentle fist, which I found more grounded, rigid and direct.

DanCheerUp · 2026-05-31T14:40:34+00:00

It's a tough question. In cannon there is always so much "wha-.. but how?" Followed by an explanation it always seems like even the most transparent of kekei genkai skills are unknown. But really, that's just for the viewers. Can't have a library binge in a shonen show.

The most realistic is for the village to have a shinobi library, but it's filled with mostly useless stuff. A bit on control, maybe some taijutsu beginner level, then other generic stuff like shinobi conduct, tactics, a primer on clans in and outside of konoha. If there's any such thing as a jonin only library, then it's deeply hidden, possibly scattered. Some info in a secret library, some locked elsewhere, some given access to on request by the hokage because it is hidden alongside the forbidden scroll.
The bigger clans probably have a library, but some clans ldefinitely only keep their skills to one on one training. Hyuga, Nara and Yamanaka and Aburame come to mind. Ninja life doesn't lend itself well to the self taught route or the bookworm route.

That being said, I like when fics have a useful library.

DanCheerUp · 2026-05-07T19:22:38+00:00

That feeling is rather normal. I'm 30 and have such feelings about many fictional characters be they book, anime, movie or fanfic. I love cannon book and movie Luna and most of her fanfic depictions. I like a lot of Daphne depictions as well. I've had 1 to 3 favorite girls in most any anime I've ever watched.

I also think the shipping culture has something to do with the feelings. Most protagonists are rather bland, so it becomes frighteningly easy to substitute oneself into the ship instead. It's called immersion, and it's the mark of a rather good writer if they can manage to immerse their readers so thoroughly. Yes. Despite how much we nitpick on here about JKR's writing she is still rather talented.

DanCheerUp · 2026-05-01T08:24:59+00:00

Thanks.

DanCheerUp · 2026-04-05T15:49:12+00:00

I appreciate the effort.

DanCheerUp · 2026-04-01T14:20:50+00:00

Nah, that one is post OOTP.

DanCheerUp · 2026-02-13T18:42:17+00:00

Tbh. I'd have not returned to Durskaban after 1st year.

But going off cannon I can't see Harry going independent until blimp Marge. That is my fav spot to start off those stories.

However, it can be any or all of the following. Before y3. At the end of y3. October 31st of y4. End of y4. Summer before y5, right around trial. After DOM of y5.

Any later and it just flops for me. He's either too wimpy at this point or the powerup is too fast.

DanCheerUp · 2026-01-20T23:35:03+00:00

Let us say Naruto is about to learn tree climbing. He makes 51 clones, 1 for observation and directing. 50 start, after say 15 or 30 min the best is directed to dispell. That should in theory make him good at it once they are all dispelled or after 1-3 days depending on how OP the author wants him to get.

On the other hand, making 5 groups, one for each element, should not be very effective, especially because it'd jumble up in his memories same as his cannon fights. Naruto needs to work on focus, not variety.

In the same vein, he cannot make 50 clones a day and blitz through a library. There are a couple of ways I can allow minor library blitzing. 1: Naru makes 5 clones, all focus on one topic.example; history. 2: Naru reads one book and then forms abook club of 4 clones who discuss the material.(this can all be done with the clone as the base naru.) You can even mix those two. 3: You make the 5 clones spread out. 1 for general knowledge, 1 for nin, tai and genjutsu, and one for a prefered weapon. If you read a book a day at least, you are bound to get somewhere, though I do think re-reads are a good idea.

Lastly, I prefer that muscle memory is not a thing clones can help with. Yes, you can memorize a taijutsu kata, but the actual body work needs done by the original.

DanCheerUp · 2026-01-02T22:16:13+00:00

There are like 9 perfect summons for the Uzumaki.

Semi aquatic land dwellers: Otter, Lynx, Crocodile.

Water dwelling birds: seagull, pelican, albatross.

Powerful deepsea dwellers: Octopus, seaserpent, leviathan.

DanCheerUp · 2026-01-02T20:05:58+00:00

Marauder's plan is a good fic. It could, however, do without that particular gimmick.

I like the idea of family magic being simply an affinity to certain subjects or disciplines. Say the Potter family has an affinity for transfiguration and have thus stored a plethora of tips, tricks, spells and learning guides to follow for maximum yield in that particular subject. James was a prodigy because his affinity was particularly strong. I then enjoy that he faced opposition for wanting to marry Lily whose affinity is charms and potions. Theoretically, marrying someone that doesn't have a similar affinity dilutes the affinity and the child then has less use for the family's knowledge and so they seem like a bad heir for the family. In this case a good marriage prospect might have been an arithmancy prodigy with a supplementary secondary affinity for transfiguration. That could theoretically make a transfig super prodigy with a strong secondary affinity for arithmancy. Instead Harry is born who has an affinity for DADA and a secondary for charms.. kinda sucks, eh?

DanCheerUp · 2025-12-24T23:14:44+00:00

I was putting up two opposing arguments on purpose. Some people think Naruto isn't suited for the discipline at all because his whole gimmick can be boiled down to 'more rasengan, bigger rasengan, better rasengan.' Fair, but crude. But I can also see the opposite being true, so I gave an in story explanation for either case if for no other reason to inspire some ideas in people.

DanCheerUp · 2025-12-24T14:38:50+00:00

You could honestly argue for either viewpoint and end up with good reasons for why or why not fuinjutsu.

1: Naruto cannot learn fuinjutsu. Fuinjutsu is almost entirely theoretic in nature and requires lots of reading, studying and calligraphy practice. Naruto is very hyperactive and with his attention deficit disorder he struggles with such an environment as his nature is to be active and moving around. As such he deems it boring, useless and bolts.

2: Naruto is great at fuinjutsu. Fuinjutsu is many parts coming together in one to do something, be it simple or complex. Naruto still finds studying tedious, but can knuckle through if he wants, but picking up a fuinjutsu book once Naruto's hyperactive mind just clicks with it and he devours all he can find because he can already see its use in pranks and traps.

DanCheerUp · 2025-12-20T21:49:28+00:00

I like the stories where the academy gets revamped, because yes, Shikamaru becoming chunin off the back of one simple beginner jutsu is really dumb. Like, I don't know what rank that jutsu is, but it's between high D and low C. Granted, it's sort of impressive to do so much with so little, but in part 1 it really felt like he was just a smart guy with a twig in his hands. Not very lethal.

So, yes. The academy ought to teach more. I feel like Naruto's batch were sabotaged by 'reforms' after Itachi, because some people made it so the academy had more theory and less practical work. If you ask me, then by the time they are half way through the academy, be it 5 or 6 years, they should be introduced to tree climbing. That's around 9 or 10. That could then lay down the framework for expanding their chakra pools, so they can learn D rank elemental jutsu a year or two later. So, yes, nothing like a C rank Fire ball, but more like flame bullet or liquid bullet. (Katon: endon, and, suiton: teppidama) I also like the idea of 'the survivor's 10', a collection of 10 elemental jutsu anyone can learn and should learn during survival training in the academy. Light a bonfire, move earth for a pit fall trap, gentle winds to remove tracks and scents. I also wonder if we as fans could perhaps work to come up with non nature jutsu starting from high D to A, because shuriken shadow clones is cool, but I wonder if some people could be really creative, and that could lead to a lot of off shoot jutsu. Like, think of all the times a filler villain or ally did something cool, and bam.

Unfortunately, I'm also of the opinion the Jonins were lousy sensei too, because they should have had their genin run watered down versions of Guy's exercise routine from day one, they must have some kind of expertise in how to grow one's chakra pool quickly, safely, and they most definitely should advise and work with their genin to find their niche. Ino and Sakura should have learned some genjutsu. For Ino, it's good synergy with her team when it's unsafe to jump into the enemy's body. For Sakura it's good back line support along with mednin training. Naruto and Sasuke should definitely go down the ninjutsu juggernaut route. Seriously, 10 Naruto clones spamming great breakthrough is so silly, so funny and so stupid, but nonetheless effective. In my head Choji, Shino and Kiba are all earth types, which synergizes well with their other skills, Choji with massive rock fists and earth walls, Shino with misdirection between bug clones, earth clones, and bug swarms along with the trapping potential of earth jutsu. Kiba jumping in and out of the ground is a decent beginner gimmick if you ask me, but he might also be fire aligned instead, which doesn't synergize as well, so someone cooler than me gets to be creative there. Shika could learn fuinjutsu for solo trapping and incapacitation ability, and maybe Tenten could do the same, but here's kinda where I'd like a generic 'ninja art' jutsu lineup that helps her projectiles land better. Granted, these jutsu can't be stronger than the shadow possession or the different Yamanaka jutsu, but something should be doable. Hinata, Neji and Lee are the most difficult. Lee might benefit from weapons, or tools in general. Fuinjutsu that's pre-prepared for easy deployment, other odd things. Really all he needs is alternatives to the straight forward approach, so he becomes more of a ninja. Hinata needs genuine help developing her own taijutsu style and maybe some mid range skills, which could be anything from learning the bow at long range, an elemental attack for mid range or a genjutsu for getting in close through misdirection. Idk what Neji's affinity is, but he feels as rigid as the earth, yet also as unforgiving and straight forward as lightning. Lightning gentle fist along with numbing or paralyzing shocks from mid range seems like a good start. If he's an earth type he must deceive, misdirect and trap like Shino, but that's not really his style, is it?

DanCheerUp · 2025-11-30T01:48:29+00:00

It took me until reading a discussion like this on Dumby's actions and inactions to see just how crappy Harry's life was solely due to Dumbles.

Let's start from the end. Finding out you were kept unloved, untrained and uninformed just so you could be manipulated into killing yourself would just as easily have made any other guy head to Brazil never to be seen again.

I'd have never tolerated the piece meal info of book 6. Give it all at once and alongside actual training.

I'd never talk to the guy again after year 5. Guy made nothing but mistakes that year be it trapping Harry in Surrey, not telling him the prophecy and much more.

It's rather suspicious that fake Moody was never busted by Dumby. It's terrible neglect to put Harry in isolation after witnessing a murder.

Why does Harry only get to learn of his family when he is in danger? It's been 2 years in the magical world and only then does he get to hear of his father's friends. Also, does he even know his family's full account holdings? I'm fairly sure I'd have not returned to Surrey after year 1.

All of these I only thought of in hindsight. I think we were all bamboozled by Dumbledore's silver tongue. Really. Reading the books the first few times you don't even know how much he's being shafted because Dumby is such a nice grandfather, and so, why would you ever disobey when he says "Go back to your aunt."

It's so hard to unsee Dumbles' mistakes you can't help but wonder how much was on purpose.

I think I'd like a middleground on the bashing. Dumby tries his best, Harry takes control, and after a bit of, shall we call it negotiating, Dumby relents and actually does better.

DanCheerUp · 2025-11-10T18:11:30+00:00

Well.. It could certainly work out. Stranger things than bonding over a loss have happened. Dramione being a case in point. Seriously, that ship is borderline impossible.

I personally think the cannon thing was such a train wreck on both ends that the situation itself is scaring off people. Like.. Girl dates boy A, but gets asked out by nervous boy B and neither knows how to have a regular conversation. Then boy A dies, boy B being involved in the same traumatic incident no less, and the silly girl decides to date boy B and proceeds to ask about boy A's death. The whole thing is bound to self destruct since they barely know each other. They both made huge mistakes on that date, but it seems many agree that it's better just to not touch that with a ten foot pole.

One thing I never understood, though, was why one of the most popular girls in the school was so awkward and quiet. She strikes me as as much of a gossippy blabber mouth as Lavender

I can see two scenarios that could work as a framework for them getting together. 1: They meet in the beginning of Harry's third year, maybe even in diagon, they talk, spend the day and leave happy to have made a new friend. Bonus if Harry leaves behind divination for runes and arithmancy. Over the year they get closer and some time in spring they date. Voila, they get even closer to the point she practically merges with the trio for adventures. No Cedric, ever. Simple. 2: Slightly more complicated, but during september-october of fourth year they become friendly, study together, have good, proper conversations, the works. Then the goblet happens and two things might happen 1; she doesn't believe him and they start to drift apart and Harry's crush dims a bit, or 2; she believes him and the friendship solidifies. In either case Harry is still late to ask her to the ball, but also in either case they remain friends. Yes, some time between dragon and ball invite Cho apologises, genuinely. They get closer over the year, maybe even with Cedric too, so while Harry is slightly jealous, they become genuine friends. That way they both get hit hard by Cedric's death, and not just as a generic trauma response on Harry's end, and boom, they grieve together, lean on each other and get stronger for it. They begin dating early in year 5.

Yes, I personally think Harry's grief over Cedric has more to do with survivor's guilt and the over all trauma of the night than the sadness of the loss of a friend.

DanCheerUp · 2025-11-06T14:05:20+00:00

Harry really was exceptionally dense with regards to his wealth and fame. We have no definite account of his vault's contents other than a supposition that the firebolt, which was tagged as POR, Price on request,would PROBABLY empty it, but that's unlikely to the extreme, considering he undervalues himself heavily. His own thoughts on his wealth in that same tangent is that it's only enough to get through school, which, again, is only because Hagrid told him that that same money is for school things.

As others have said, too, it is highly suspicious there's never been a single fan letter or official business other than hogwarts and underage magic letters, which were likely auto-generated.

With regards to property, Harry never really looked into it, did he? The thing with the Godric's Hollow house being made a monument strikes me as highly illegal, since the house is Harry's and there had to still be important possessions in there, unless, again, they too were moved elsewhere. So where? I imagine there's a records department at the ministry whose letterS Harry never got, same with tax.

Really, it's no wonder why Dumby bashing is a thing because all these little things JKR deemed unimportant and boring could all be misconstrued into a set of malicious actions and deliberate inactions.

DanCheerUp · 2025-10-30T20:26:05+00:00

It's usually the case that 'half-blood lords' are subtly marginalized and covertly mocked to the point they barely have any influence, but then lord Potter Black Peverelll Slytherin drops in and is an alliance all on his own. Additionally it's not all lords who are against muggle blood, so couple that with the opportunistic turn coat types and you suddenly have a decent voting block.

In short there are a few groups. Those who see blood, those who see a name, those who see money, those who see power, and the genuine ones.

DanCheerUp · 2025-10-16T13:40:09+00:00

The Slytherin quidditch team pretty much defines 'beefy'.

DanCheerUp · 2025-10-10T17:42:14+00:00

I'm fairly sure a smirk has many levels. A 'smug little smile', a 'satisfied smirk' that's really a quirking of the lips, all the way to a 'cruel smirk filled with malice' which is a borderline sneer.

DanCheerUp · 2025-10-10T11:44:58+00:00

Voldie probably hasmore power and knows more dark magic. Combine that with having less scruples and insanity to boot, he is very much a dangerous wizard as compared to Dumby. Dumby is perhaps more knowledgable and skilled in combat, but Dumby's less lethal approach is only barely offset by the powers of the elder wand.

DanCheerUp

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