the topic of progression power fantasy came up in a chatroom, particularly what the core appeal of the genre is and what distinguishes it. one user (one of my mutuals actually: hi) expressed opposition to it, in part because because the focus of the conversation gave a skewed impression of what was necessary (is it just the protagonist getting stronger, or must they never lose ever?)

that confusion was resolved, mostly to the conclusion that the genre isn’t a complete anathema to good storytelling, but it’s still irrelevant to my mutual’s interests.

i had something of a different take on the genre, though. for my the core appeals aren’t what many get out of it. i’m not especially excited by revenge against assholes who wrong you, nor do i especially relish getting to be the most beloved and coolest.

does that mean i’m too good for gamer bro fanfic? far from it: i crave stories about characters given special abilities and rising meteoric in significance. i’ve even indulged the most base form of the genre‍ ‍‍—‍ isekai self‍-​inserts who get showered in praise for their “genius” abilities‍ ‍‍—‍ and found it thrilling.

whenever i task myself with conceiving a story, the form almost always takes the form of a power progression narrative‍ ‍‍—‍ it’s what i want to write‍ ‍‍—‍ even if it never has realized itself accordingly. inevitably all the chapters and wordcount concern themselves instead with vanities like character development or atmosphere. at best, detailed exposition.

nevertheless, i do think it’s awesome when the protagonist has magic powers and gets stronger. these are the reasons i highlight:

• power is story. if you have a power with milestones A, B and C, and it has requirements/complications X, Y, Z, then you’ve basically outlined a subplot? it adds structure and anticipation and direction. the power is a plot device (if not a character in its own right!) that can be explored and related to the other elements in a more meaningful way
• power is surprising. sort of a extension of the above, but this is a rationalization of hype moments. i like it when the implications and antecedents of how a power works leads to various recontextualizations and revelations. and i like that there’s way more potential for novelty once gimmick powers are in the equation. it’s the difference between every character design being a human vs myriad stylized furries. it’s just plain more expressive
• power is game design. i’m also something of a game dev, so it’s basically a way to marry these two interests. creating balanced and interesting powers has a lot in common with creating fun items. when i speak of devising mechanics that leads to clever emergent effects, it’s literally the same to me whether it’s worldbuilding or programming.
• power is xenofiction. when you have a unique magical ability, how you relate to the world changes, your mindset diverges. just as if you had alien anatomy; texture of your thoughts and actions are remodulated. all the more intriguing if the abilities result in needs and limitations that humans don’t struggle with. progression only deepens the disconnect: the more powerful you become, the more alien your life can be from the human condition
• power is actualization. to put it in an overly formal way, power is an instrumental goal of any optimizing intelligence. more transparently, to me gaining power is equivalent to a character taking their goals seriously. if a character cares about themselves and others, it takes power to secure safety and flourishing. how a character gains power, what power they seek to gain, what they do once they gain power, each is a deeply meaningful channels for revealing character
• it’s also a kink thing. the stuff i have the most prurient interest pretty much entails a form of progression fantasy either as a logistical requisite or a natural consequence

so perhaps the reason i’ve struggled so long to write these narratives is what i strive for is so abstracted from the payoff of punching assholes and winning babes.