So I’m currently working on a lineage anthology series of graphic novels inspired by JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, split into five parts. The protagonist from part 1 can essentially only phase through solids and attack using sound. The protagonist from part 2 starts weak and gains increasingly insane powers over time at the cost of not being able to control it always, making him afraid to use it. The part 3 protagonist, however, is what I’m concerned about. He has three main abilities. The first is the ability to protect himself with a force field-like barrier of air pressure. The second is a wide array of lightning-based attacks that he can’t use while his “Pressure Barrier” is up. The third is a technique he learns halfway through the part as the only way he can defeat the antagonist with the same ability—the ability to halt the flow of time for a brief period. There are limits to how long and how intensely he can use any of these abilities, but they don’t play as big a role for him as they do for other characters. So is he powerful to the point of boredom, and if so do you guys have any ideas on how I can balance him out? Also, I’ve heard that lightning-based abilities are overused in the superhero world. Do you agree? Thanks.
I don't think we have enough information to determine whether he is overpowered. In this genre, an overpowered character is one who: has powers which his enemies are unable to defend against or counter, and/or; is impervious to enemy attacks. So, the corresponding information we need in order to determine whether this character is overpowered is: how do the character's enemies defend against of counter the MC's abilities, and; what attacks is the character vulnerable to from his enemies?
@mashers is right, I reckon. Giving a character powers that make him easily overcome any problem is one that can cause a major STORY problem for the writer, if it means nothing really stops that character for long. You've got to come up with important things that character cannot do. Or give other characters powers that equal and/or surpass his. Otherwise ...it's just an exercise in wish fulfillment and not a very interesting story. Think Superman/Krypton. You've got to have a krypton factor to make your character vulnerable to something, if you want a good story. (Superman was also vulnerable to the thought of harm to the people he loved as well, so that can also be a factor.) I know it's one of those things that makes me leery of 'superpowers' and 'magical systems.' If writers concentrate on what these things can do for the character, and don't give enough thought to how these things are also drawbacks, the story will be too simplistic and easy. If you look at successful superpower/magic stories, you'll realise that the opposite but equal thing exists in all of them. That's what makes the story exciting. You have to build in the knowledge that the hero/heroine CAN be defeated—by something. You can make that kind of story without resorting to magic or superpowers as well. Somebody is good at something, but somebody else is better, or has found a way to bring that person down. That dynamic is what makes the story.
Yeah, he sounds kind of overpowered, but there are a couple different ways you can approach this problem! Option 1: Nerf him. Limit him to only one or two of the powers. When a character has a bunch of different abilities with no explanation of why or how they got them, it just seems like life is too easy for them. If your MC has one power and focuses on the different ways to use it, their abilities seem more realistic. As if they have honed that one skill. This doesn't mean that your character should be limited to only being able to do one thing, like shooting lightning bolts. If they have had time to practice and train, then they should have figured out other ways to use the power. If their power is manipulating electricity, then maybe the can use that to shoot lightning bolts but also to mess with electronics or something. (In my opinion, it's fun to see people use common superpowers in new and innovative ways.) Option 2: Make stuff really difficult and really dramatic. When your character is OP, you risk making everything look easy for them. Fix this by putting them into a situation where they are not above everyone else. Maybe the villains have similar levels of strength, maybe the villains are objectively weaker but are master planners and can outsmart the protagonist. Readers want to cheer for a protagonist who works for their goal. Even if the MC is over-powered, there are ways that you can make their life more difficult. Making things dramatic has to do with your own ability to write and portray a scene. It's boring if the MC walks up to an enemy, blasts them with lightening, and then the battle is over. Make the MC struggle by making them do things like think of strategy and then work hard to put that plan into motion. Throw a wrench in their plans halfway through so that they have to come up with something new. Show them struggling and working hard. A person's powers are not necessarily a sign that they are over-powered. What really matters is how the power is portrayed, how the MC uses it, and how their powers affect the their ability to overcome problems.
What's the drawback, or the cost, of using his powers? Figure that out and he'll be interesting again if you weave it into the plot
Overpowered compared to what? If he's up against a single non-superpowered villain, then yes. If he's up against an army with powers greater than his then he's underpowered. Ideally your hero would be less powerful than the antagonists, but not so far behind that a victory isn't believable.
