I'm kinda asking about story-breaking powers you avoid, but it could just be abilities that make you uncomfortable writing or exploring.
One thing that makes me uncomfortable for example is telepathy. Not even mind control or psychic surgery levels of mind powers. Just simple mind reading/communicating.
I get very uncomfortable with the idea of someone being able to look into my mind and I get skeeved out when trying to imagine how characters like that would work.
Another uncomfortable power for me is time travel of any kind. Maybe it's the perfectionist in me. The idea of being able to undo any mistake is overwhelming. And I dunno, feels sort of trivializing of people.
What about the rest of you? Are there any powers you prefer not to explore or write about?
I agree with time travelling. Including it is just opening such a huge can of worms.
Another one for me is foretelling/prophecy. Not sure why, but something about it just breaks my suspension of disbelief in a way other forms of magic doesn't. It feels like the character is getting a dm from the author about something that's gonna happen in the future, which is kinda lame even when there's a twist to it.
Oooh I hate prophecies and future predictions.
I can only accept it if it's fallible, or if it's done in a way like high level data processing, like Garnet in Steven Universe.
I agree with the caveat of Dune doing this well in my opinion. For some reason I didn't hate it so much there.
A prophecy-driven plot is the laziest writing imaginable. Just come up with an actual reason someone wants to do the thing, ffs
Lazy motherfuckers just want to slip you the story synopsis so you will just connect the dots for them.
at least be as creative about the premise as people were in ancient greece and have people try and work around or game the prophecy
I like time travelling but time is linear and irreversible so anything you go back and do already happened. Basically there are no alternate timelines and anything you do ultimately still results in the same future.
so time travel but deterministic
Something I avoid the the "gift" of power(s) granted by a deity. It creates an unhealthy perception of power dynamics in the audience. Like this: If I am a good boy the powers-that-be shall grant me a slice of the pie.
True power, in reality, is never given. It is only taken. Gifted power is false and beholden.
For me, it will always be the idea of immortality. As even in a world I created with every diety is "valid", they die as well. Even they have their limits to their power.
