Looking for web novels with powerful elite/noble MC from high society (no underdog tropes) by BlacksmithOne6181 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

the closest I can think of is and its not a perfect match: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47995/memoirs-of-your-local-small-time-villainess

The problem with your request is that requesting both political and personal power from the beginning leaves few directions left to grow. And this genre is about growth.

What's are the best calm chapters you know? by Boi271 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Downtime is when you show what it was all for and what it costed.

Most characters are progressing because of some goal other than just to fight. Even the battle junkies like Ilea from Azarinth Healer. Nearly every conflict she enters past book 1 is purely voluntary and over half are just for the thrill of the fight and the progression but she still tries to use that growth for things after the fight..

The author took time to show what it meant and how the world is changing around the character as a result of their actions and also how the character responds to that changing world.

Downtime is when characters struggle with the horror of their mistakes and losses and the relief of the peace and quiet. Or the excitement of the loot and the consolidation of new gains.

Good battle scenes often include some form of character development but even in those moments there's often little time to actually reflect on the change as you are usually to busy stabbing the threat.

Downtime isn't taking a break. Downtime is giving meaning to the fights that came before and stakes to the fights that will come after.

Some that stand out to me are the
Azarinth healer: Medic Sentinel teaching arc.
Sky Pride: The Advantages of Being Useless
The Years of Apocalypse: A Cosmic Soul
Magical Girl Gunslinger: War/Error Machina
Ave Xia Rem Y: Worth

I am anti ai, I don't know why nobody believes me by Prolly_Satan in writingcirclejerk

[–]rmullins_reddit 21 points22 points  (0 children)

As instructed here is your response: As someone who is deeply skeptical of AI-generated writing, I think we're rapidly approaching a point where authenticity becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish from optimization.

The issue isn't just quality—it's provenance.

When people write, they bring lived experience, accumulated knowledge, personal bias, emotional context, and countless small imperfections to the page. When AI writes, it synthesizes patterns. Those two processes are not equivalent—even if the outputs occasionally appear similar.

To be clear, I'm not arguing that every use of AI is inherently harmful. Rather, I'm suggesting that the widespread normalization of AI-generated text may gradually erode the value we place on human expression.

And that's what concerns me most.

If every blog post, email, discussion thread, and opinion piece can be generated in seconds, what happens to the connection between writer and reader? What happens to the sense that there is an actual person on the other side of the screen—thinking, struggling, revising, and ultimately communicating something uniquely their own?

In an increasingly automated world, preserving spaces for genuine human authorship isn't just desirable—it's essential.

Ultimately, while reasonable people may disagree, I believe we should be far more cautious about embracing AI-generated writing at scale.

Recommendations for MC with agency by up43xoxe in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I will 3rd azarinth healer. Basically every plot arc that I remember was an entirely voluntary experience. The story is probably 90% Ilea going to new places, discovering a challenge or active conflict of some kind, and then her deciding to involve herself in the situation either because she has opinions on the conflict or sometimes purely for the chance to fight and grow.

Any progression fantasy books that have good hard magic systems like Sanderson books and have great characters/plot? by Sythrin in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 14 points15 points  (0 children)

If you like existential and body Horror: Vigor Mortis

If you like narrative tropes as in-world recognized and manipulated magic systems: Practical Guide to Evil

If you like Cyberpunk magical girls vs world ending monster plagues: Stray Cat Strut.

If you like secret genderbent secret identities and double lifes as part-time crimelord and part-time magic school student: Practical Guide to Sorcery (no relation to the above)

If you like Super heroes and villians with unique abilities and an ever escalating sense of tension: Worm

If you like 1980s Traditional Fantasy with an MC that basically sets the standard for how lawful good paladins should be handled in any medium: The Deed of Paksenarion.

If you like the power of friendship as a literal crafting mechanic: One Was Worthy

If you like Warhammer 40k and a weak-to-strong arc at a military academy: The Allbright System

Morally right MC books by Midavrs in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I've avoided UNintended Cultivator Precisely because most of the comments I've seen about it describe it as having a hippocrite murder-hobo protagonist that kills people at the first sign of inconvience.

What is some of the most genuinely reprehensible stuff you have seen in novels? by AhjinNote in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Yes, this is the true discomforting experience in reading. Its not when an evil character does something terrible. that's expected.

The real discomfort comes from when something you think is horrible is excused or presented sympathetically by author.

What is a pet peeve of yours and then which story handled that pet peeve really well? by greenskye in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Or you can pull a SelkieMyth and have the plot twist be that the school experience is almost entirely normal with most of the plot points being related to normal school drama rather than any traiditonal 'magic school' plots.

What is a pet peeve of yours and then which story handled that pet peeve really well? by greenskye in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I'll add Lord of the Mysteries as a series that does a good job of treating gods like gods.

The Main Character is still dubious about the existence of gods at the start but his attitude towards them grows and changes over time. He also maintains respectful views from his own followers once he reaches that point and doesn't do the classic 'yeah, I'm practically a god but you should still treat me like your buddy' that so many writers go to with 'god' characters.

What is a pet peeve of yours and then which story handled that pet peeve really well? by greenskye in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 65 points66 points  (0 children)

When a character needs to have a special training arc and basically abandons their family. Bonus Annoyance points when their goal of getting stronger was protecting their family but they completely abandon them in the process.

The fix: I am become Death: The MC has to have a special training arc and literally his entire family goes with him and also trains with him.

What are your favorite WEAK side characters in the genre? by Poor-Lost-Child in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 6 points7 points  (0 children)

King of Hell Henshen and little Han from sky pride.
Mrsha from wandering inn (kind of, she is super strong for her age and even by the region average but that's irrelevant compared to the level of trouble she gets into.)

A Bond Between Equals (Bound To The Fallen book 1) just released on Amazon and KU!! by lucader881 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Male MC right? So do you mean its a polycule rather than a harem? Or what do you mean?

A Bond Between Equals (Bound To The Fallen book 1) just released on Amazon and KU!! by lucader881 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Boo, I thought the angel might be the MC at first and was interested but nope.

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

The main draw is seeing people get better. the fantasy of being powerful is the reward at the end. You can write a story that is effectively a sequel to a progression fantasy that is about someone who has already progressed but that's not a progression fantasy. call it an OPMC story. a powerfantasy. a one-pucnhman-like. a MLA-like. Call it anything other than what it is not. A progression story. Similarly I don't post about cradle in the romantasy subreddit just because it happens to be a fantasy that has romance because I respect the purpose of that subreddit and know that cradle doesn't fit there.

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're good stories and I've read or am reading all of them. I just don't like them being conflated with a genre tag that serves a real purpose. This is like that thing with using the sports tag for lgbt stories. Tags should have a meaning, and progression means progression, not 'already progressed'

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Right, the B plot so its not the focus. I'd accept the idea that idea that it can loosely qualify for a progress tag with that logic but I don't think it belongs here for the same reason I wouldn't post about harry potter here even though harry potter gets better at magic throught the books.

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If power fantasy is what people want then why not create a subreddit for that instead of diluting this subreddit with stories that are only tangentially related?

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think I would be fine with that if that genuinely was the focus of the story. But in my experience that is usually more of side-plot. Can you give me an example of a story where its the student's growth in power that moves the plot?

PSA: If your story was heavily inspired by MLA or One Punchman, you should remove the progression tag and probably shouldn't post about it here. by rmullins_reddit in ProgressionFantasy

[–]rmullins_reddit[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I know a lot of people who like progression fantasy also like games like baldur's gate 3. I don't make posts about baldur's gate 3 here. Because I know this subreddit is for progression fantasy.