Energy Bending is one of the two types of techniques in Endless Utopia Online. It involves using Aera with a specific purpose, that does not involve Elemental Bending.
Overview[]
Energy Bending is one of two main branches of techniques in EUO, the other being Elemental Bending. Energy Bending allows any sentient being to manipulate Aera in different ways, such as enhancing one's physical capabilities, summoning weapons or other beings, manipulating substances, create illusions, among other capabilities.
Energy bending reflects the user's individuality.
Inside this category are included any techniques that do not include Elemental Bending, all the techniques included have Aera with no elemental infusion.
Classification[]
Energy Bending techniques are classified by their effects into seven groups, which are called "Aera-Types", with six main Aera-Types, while the seventh (Specialization) can only be achieved by an experienced Aera-user with Technique Crafting. Depending on their effects, many techniques can be classified into just one of the six main Aera-types, but many other techniques can be classified into two or more types.
Energy Bending Chart. In clockwise order: Alteration, Transmutation, Conjuration, Illusion, Manipulation, and Emission. In the center, Specialization
Unlike Elemental Bending, where the affinity to an element is determined by the race, in Energy Bending every being in the world has one affinity to a specific Aera-Type. In the case of players, their affinity is randomly chosen by the system. To know which one is, an Aera user first needs to go through a special test to find out their Aera-type.
Upon learning one's affinity, a student of Energy Bending can know which is his greatest strength between the six types and even create his unique technique. At the same type, the student can find out which category is the one he has the least affinity to, which following the chart at the left, is the category on the opposite side of the hexagon. The user has no affinity or aversion to the other four categories in the chart.
Specialization is located in the center, but it's not connected to any other type with a line, as no category has an affinity or rejection towards it. However, experts consider that Aera users have less than a 1% possibility of becoming a Specialist.
Aera-Type Test[]
Since every Aera user has an affinity to one of the six main Aera Types, determining which type the user has is fundamental for his progression in Energy Bending. Though there are several different ways of determining one's affinity, the most commonly seen is by using pieces of paper made from a special type of tree that is grown and fed with Aera. An Aera student will grab the piece of paper with his hands and perform Aera Release. The resulting effect from one's Aera contacting the glass will determine a person's aura type.
The six possible effects are the following:
- If the paper hardens, the user is an Alterer.
- If the paper changes to the sense of touch, the user is a Transmuter.
- If a symbol appears in the paper, the user is a Conjurer.
- If the paper changes color, the user is an Emitter.
- If the paper moves and twists, the user is a Manipulator.
- If the paper becomes transparent, the user is an Illusionist.
It should be remarked that the seventh category, Specialization, is not determined by this test. Instead, an Aera user becomes a specialist once he creates a technique that does not fit any of the six other categories.
It should also be remarked that by training too much with a category that one isn't suited for, one risks stagnating their potential by overloading their capacity for using Energy Bending. However, administrating one's time properly and training in all categories is the best way to gain versatility and proficiency. In other words, one should spend most of his time training on his affinity, then less time with the four neutral categories, and the least amount of time with their aversion.
Aera Types[]
Alteration[]
If a student hardens the paper when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Alteration. Alteration techniques are skills that strengthen, or somehow affect the user's own body and/or a specific object. Those with an affinity for Alteration are known as Alterers. Alteration is meant to enhance some property of an object or to obtain abilities that are impossible with other means. This is generally used to enhance one's physical abilities. Therefore, those who have an affinity for alteration are well suited for direct hand-to-hand combat or close quarters.
Some basic techniques of Alteration include Accel Step, Instinct Compass, and Warrior's Heart.
The category opposed to Alteration is Illusion, since it deals with mental or psychological attacks, rather than close-quarters combat.
Transmutation[]
If a student changes the feeling of the paper when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Transmutation. Transmutation enables the user to use their Aera to mimic something else. Those with an affinity for Transmutation are known as Transmuters. Similar to Emission, since things created via Transmutation are pure Aera. Transmuters can copy the properties of things, but they can also give their aera properties that don't necessarily mimic real objects. It can be confused with Conjuration, but the difference is that Transmutation mimics the properties of a substance or object, while Conjuration summons said object or substance.
It should be remarked that no one can change the properties of Aera into elements since that is considered Elemental Bending. Therefore, it's only possible to transmute Aera into things that are not elements.
Some basic techniques of Transmutation are Aera Shield, Aera Armor, Aera Dome and Glass Wall.
The category opposed to Transmutation is Manipulation, since it deals with controlling already existing substances within the vicinity of the user, rather than mimicking the properties of substances.
Emission[]
If a student changes the color of the paper when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Emission. Emission means that a user is capable of controlling the deployment of their Aera while separating it from their body. Those with an affinity for Emission are known as Emitters. Aera generally decreases in intensity very quickly when it is separated from the body, but adept Emitters can separate their Aera for long periods, over long distances, and they are still able to maintain the ability and its functions.
Emission can also be used to manifest the effects of certain abilities away from the body of the user, and to preserve those of Alteration and Transmutation after those abilities have separated the body. Due to its properties, Emission is typically employed in abilities with an emphasis on range and/or those that have long-lasting effects. Emission is also typically used with Manipulation, as it facilitates it in long range.
Some basic techniques of Emission are: Aera Bullet, Aera Ball, Aera Wave, Scattering Shot, Twin Impact and Soothing Serenity.
The category opposed to Emission is Conjuration, since it deals with summoning living or non-living things, rather than separating Aera of the body.
Conjuration[]
If a student makes a symbol appear in the paper when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Conjuration. Conjuration techniques are all skills that can summon and seal creatures, objects, Aera, along with a variety of other things. Those with an affinity for Conjuration are known as Conjurers. Sealing can also be used to restrict movement or unseal objects either from within something or someone.
Commonly known summoning techniques include Inventory, Invocation, Instant Arsenal, Constriction Chains and Knight's Armory. Some basic Sealing techniques include Restrain, Nullification, Test of Will, Pain Killer.
The category opposed to Conjuration is Emission, since it deals with separating Aera of the body, rather than summoning living or non-living things.
Manipulation[]
If a student makes the paper move and twist when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Manipulation. Manipulation allows the user to control non-living objects, animals, or Aera constructs. Rational beings can be manipulated, albeit this is through Illusion and not Manipulation. Those with an affinity for Manipulation are known as Manipulators. It should be remarked that Manipulation does not change in any way the objects (as Alteration does), but simply controls objects.
Some basic Manipulation techniques include: Third Eye and Skinchanger.
The category opposed to Manipulation is Transmutation, since it deals with mimicking the properties of substances, rather than controlling already existing substances within the vicinity of the user. At the same time, it shares a notable similarity with Transmutation, since through Manipulation no one can control any of the elements, but rather, substances that are not classified as an element. For instance, strings, paper, wood, plastic, fabric, corpses, etc...However, a notable difference between the two is that Transmutation changes the properties of Aera to mimic substances, while Manipulation controls said substances already existing within the user's vicinity.
Illusion[]
If the student makes the paper invisible when performing the Aera Type Test, his affinity is for Illusion.
Illusion techniques are skills that manipulate the flow of Aera in the victim's brain, typically disrupting their one, some, or all of their senses, or sometimes even the mind itself. Those with an affinity for Illusion are known as Illusionists. llusion is frequently used to create false images or to cause pain from trauma (because the body of the receiver is forced to believe the pain is real). However, there are plenty of other uses depending on the situation: some illusions are subtle, while others are more obvious. Some illusions can leave the target conscious, while others can leave him in a temporal fugue state, and others can induce the target into sleep. The strongest abilities allow controlling the minds of others.
Though it is seemingly impossible to break free of an illusion, most of the techniques in this category have several common weaknesses. For instance, a victim's aera, if disrupted enough, can break the caster's influence. An ally who emits Aera into them can brake the illusion as well. Sudden physical reactions, such as pain, can break an illusion. Experienced illusionists tend to recognize when they are under the influence of an illusion, as they are familiar with the mechanics. Also, depending on their effects and mechanics, an Aera user with enough knowledge of the Illusion category can figure out the flaw in the illusion or the system to break it.
A notable weakness of this category is that, since they don't have physical manifestation into reality, illusion techniques by themselves do not kill the target, albeit they can leave him out of action.
Commonly known techniques include Afterimage, Black Voice, Glamor, Nightmare Lullaby and Lustful Servant.
The category opposed to Illusion is Alteration, since it deals with close-quarters combat, rather than mental or psychological attacks.
Specialization[]
Specialization can be broadly defined as the umbrella category that gathers all techniques that cannot be classified in the other six, therefore making it the vaguest Aera-Type. Unlike any of the other categories, no one is born with an affinity for Specialization. Instead, one can use this category after succeeding in crafting a technique that can be classified Specialization technique. It should be noted that each Aera User has a 1% chance of achieving this feat. This is why Specialization is at the center of the chart. If they do, they are referred to as Specialists (besides their original Aera-Type).
It should be noted that even Specialists are unable to achieve feats that are impossible with Aera, such as stopping time, giving life to objects or creating matter out of energy.
Trivia[]
- Part of the classification of techniques was taken from the game Skyrim, but it was also inspired by the Nen system from HunterxHunter.
[]
| Aera Arts | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Energy Bending | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||