Cultivation Systems and the Daos Within
Alright, I've thought about it and I think I know how to clarify myself on Cultivation and Daos.
Cultivation systems are how you relate with the world. For instance, if you cultivate the classic Five Elements system, you divide your perception of the world into the various Wood, Metal, Water, Fire, and Earth, This is how you relate to the world and how the world relates to your cultivation.
Your Dao defines what parts of the world you use. So, to use the previous example, a Cultivator of the Five Elements System might choose to cultivate Fire. In that case, they would need to find cultivation methods and materials related to Fire, while gaining a weakness to Water because those are parts of the cultivation system. However, if they met a cultivator of Taiji, they would have little to specifically interact with their Daos unless their cultivation system had integrated principles of Taiji cultivation. And if they meet someone that cultivates a system that also has the concept of Fire, they will interact with that system in the way that that system and theirs demands. For our example, if the Classic Five cultivator met a cultivator that used the Pokemon element system, they would be vulnerable to Water, Rock, and Ground. Now, if two systems clash, they do not cancel each other out unless they are specifically opposite. I simply add the modifiers up and see where things go.
Which might get weird, yes.
So why not just choose to cultivate a system that is Fire and Fire only? Because you would end up crippled. You need to have your system able to relate to a significant portion of the environment, or you will find yourself starved for resources and power. You both wouldn't be able to do anything BUT fire and would only be able to process cultivation materials that are specifically and only fire. Which are incredibly rare. On the other hand, while you can attempt to cultivate all the elements, and some people absolutely do, it's slow because you have to find a way to keep all of your energies in balance or risk part of your cultivation either withering or imploding. Neither of which is good.
What cultivation method scriptures do is try to balance the need for power, the need to relate to the world and other systems, and the need to grow quickly. Don't worry about this yet, I want to keep things simple for now. I say all of that to say this: I want you to choose both a system of cultivation and a Dao or set of Daos within that system as your personal path. Again, keep it basic for now, and don't worry about optimization yet.
I will be adding this to the mechanics page with some editing.
On the three kinds of cultivation
There are generally accepted to be three broad kinds of cultivation: Body, Qi, and Soul. They all have general attributes, but be careful, because there are always workarounds.
Body cultivators are cultivators that integrate their Daos into their bodies and use them there. They are usually quite powerful and tough as a base, but tend to lack the more exotic abilities of other kinds of cultivators. Since they are, in a very real way, their own Daos, it is very hard to wear them out. They produce and use their own energies with limited control of them outside of their bodies.
Qi cultivators are cultivators that use external energy. They bring the energy of their surroundings under their control, then use that to fuel their abilities. They tend to be better at range and offense than body cultivators, but can get worn down by using too many abilities and draining the surroundings of Qi. Without Qi in the surroundings, Qi cultivators are much weaker and might not even be able to fight, though many do keep at least a couple options for that exact eventuality. Also, they are vulnerable to hostile qi in the environment, which is why a lot of body cultivators cultivate daos like Poison, Chaos, or Void.
Soul cultivation is the strange one. It tends to give a broad array of abilities, from effects similar to body cultivators, to ones more like Qi cultivators, to ones that are completely unique like direct attacks on the soul. However, it has risks as well. It is the easiest to accidentally lose your cultivation with, it is the easiest one to have "side effects" with, and it is always a risk. When you use abilities, screwing up always gives backlash. Great power, but at risk.
Any questions?
