I have been pondering how to make RWBY's magic system work for some time now and think I have finally figured it out! I took heavy inspiration from Hunter X Hunter's Nen system, as well as an honorable mention to Full Metal Alchemist and Jujutsu Kaisen.
Silver Eyes-
I was able to keep most of the concepts that have been introduced with the exception of the Silver Eyes. If anyone was curious about my decision to get rid of them entirely, the simple answer is that I had no way to convince myself that it is cool, much less required in any capacity. Besides, introducing a dojutsu without any connection to the system is just a bad idea lore wise, making it my task unnecessarily harder than it has to be.
Faunus and Hybrid Traits-
Before going over the main topic of this post, I wanted to address the Faunus and half-Human/half-Fanus offspring.
Unlike in the original, Faunus have more than just the shared trait of night vision. Just as the animal kingdom is highly diverse, so too are the Faunus and Hybrids. Some have night vision, other's are better swimmers, there are even a few who can fly without the need of a semblance, etc.
For instance, Blake has all of the traits or "superpowers", that a typical cat would have like claw retraction, incredible reflexes, and even being able to sense changes in weather.
When it comes to comparing the average Human to a Faunus/Hybrid, human's tend to lose out as they don't have the same advantages as their beastlier counterparts. These trump cards do become less relevant when aura and semblances are involved, however.
Dust-
Another thing I wanted to address was Dust. They still serve their purpose in the story of giving people the power of the elements, but they aren't used as prevalently by the Awakened. Rather, they are regularly found in everyday appliances or are used as the primary fuel source across Remnant for automobiles and other machinery as they are more proficient than petroleum and environmental friendly.
Because most of the deposits from the moon fell on Solitas, it is actually a bit uncommon for Dust to be used in a lethal manner by military forces outside of Atlas, who have a monopoly over its research and distribution. That being said, what Atlas has achieved with its contents have made them the most advanced army in the world.
There is less elements than in the original because it was incredibly difficult trying to give any plausible explanation on how wind dust exist or how it can be utilized by society without appearing silly. The best I could come up with was turning them into a.c. units, but then I remembered how ice dust would be a better alternative. Perhaps a combination of the two to act as fans?
Either way, I'm sticking with fire dust, ice dust, lightning dust, and hard-light dust for now.
Souls-
Every intelligent species within the world of Remnant born of flesh and blood is brought into existence with a soul. Though still a mysterious concept, it is one that has proven itself to be true nonetheless. Unfortunately, the conditions for harnessing such power is quite limited with the most common method being the most dangerous. Theoretically, it is possible for all of Human and Faunus kind to gain access to their soul, but it would be a fool's errand.
To awaken one to their soul, it would require the dangerous act of being attacked by a Grimm unprotected due to their unique ability to siphon one's soul for themselves. For you see, those unenlightened are bound to their soul on a physical level and vice-versa. Any wound an average person receives from the Grimm is practically asking for a slow and agonizing death as not only will their body need to heal, but so too must their soul.
Without enough talent to instinctively mend the soul on your own or a mentor figure to guide you through the process, it wouldn't be farfetched to say your soul could bleed out before your body does, and that isn't considering if the poison doesn't take you out first.
For those seeking to still awaken, a much more safer option is available, but far more limited. An Awakened of the Spiritual class is required for the procedure due their greater relationship to the soul. Sadly, they are the rarest out of all of the classes with the majority of them using this to their advantage to garner wealth. This means you have a higher chance of being attacked by a Grimm than purchasing a Spiritualist for their services or even coming across one.
If one does manage to survive their Grimm encounter or receive aid from a Spiritualist, they can count themselves lucky to have made it into the 1% of the population.
Aura-
Whereas the soul is the catalyst behind the mysticism of the Awakened, harnessing that life force turns into energy that makes its user almost supernatural. That energy is called Aura. It makes you stronger and faster than anything the unenlightened are capable of producing. You could shatter a boulder into sand, perceive the world in slow motion, and survive a building collapsing on top of you.
Like all things in life, however, not all Awakened are equal. Some have more reserves than others, which seems dependent on who you are as a person. Those who are more active in life tend to have more aura than those who are less active. This is important as the more aura you have, the more powerful you can become. Alas this is made even worse when you factor in how difficult it is to increase your reserves. If you simply lack the capacity to change who you are as a person then you may as well accept your fate of being above average in this department to be void.
Not all hope is lost, however, as anyone can increase their reserves, albeit temporarily. Through emotions of intense passion can this be achieved. Just as adrenaline prepares your body for quick physical action by triggering the "fight-or-flight" response during stressful or dangerous situations, profound emotions work the same way for the soul.
Semblances-
Semblances is where the true magic happens. Semblances rely on aura to fuel their activation, so it is important to pace yourself, especially in the midst of battle. Each semblance is unique to the individual, representing who they are on a foundational level. Through a series of tests conducted at Hunter institutes, an Awakened can assemble an idea of what their semblance is at its barest basics, it is then up to the Hunter to nurture their gift as best they see fit.
For instance, Weiss uncovered her class as an Evoker, and then went on to create a concentrated orb of aura that she could command absolutely. She would later go on to develop this orb further, molding it into a more combat efficient familiar, the first of her summons, Arma Gigas.
Transitioning into Classes, there are six categories; Alchemist (transmuter), Augmenter (enhancer), Elementalist (emitter), Evoker (conjurer), Invoker (manipulator), and Spiritualist (specialist).
Alchemists can alter their aura to take on the properties of anything they can truthfully conceptualize and understand. This can range from something as simple and straightforward as turning your aura into the effect of a brick to something more vague like gravity.
Augmenters can magnify whatever they choose to focus on. Whether it be themselves, other people or even objects, they remain the most balanced of the classes with their above average offense and defensive capabilities.
Elementalists can generate and discharge the very make-up of the universe. They are the most expansive and well-defined class, as their choice in application being the most limited with how effortless their process is.
Evokers can create anything they can imagine from their aura so long as it doesn't go against the rules of nature itself. As long as they have aura, whatever object they conjure up will be infinite in its supply and ready to serve.
Invokers can exploit the laws of physics, though only to a degree, for nearly any purpose they see fit. This makes their class the most difficult, however, as they must have the same understanding as an Alchemist to employ the lessened restraints that apply to them in comparison to everyone else.
Spiritualists are the oddity of the classes as they have nothing specific about them outside of their complete abnormality to freely allocate themselves into any class they wish. This gives them their jack-of-all trades, but master-of-none status.
Oaths-
Oaths are a pledge to oneself that is adamant and true. They allow anyone to gain a quick boost in power at the cost of something else, following the Law of Equivalent Exchange. These contracts can only be made during heightened emotional states, as previously mentioned, where the contractor is temporarily empowered by their passion. These vows are usually permanent and can result in dire consequences if ever breached.
That will conclude my re-work of the RWBY magic system! I would love some feedback and discussion in the comments, so please don't hold back on my account!
