• Questions

  • How do you make a novel with an OP protagonist more interesting to read?

You could also follow the anime route and have a cast of important characters who will fight the big bad only to be defeated and need to be saved my MC in the end.

Like Goku in the Vegeta saga. Or Goku in the Frieza saga. Or even Goku in... you get it already. A more recent and clear example would be One Punch Man.

Here's a couple videos on One Punch plus one video on Chosen ones because I see the idea of prophecy cropping up once in a while in novels with OP MCs.

Super, Human Heroes (One Punch Man & Mob Psycho 100) – Mother's Basement
The Philosophy of ONE PUNCH MAN – Wisecrack Edition
CHOSEN ONES - Terrible Writing Advice

    Story and world building. You can have a massively op mc but if you pair it with excellent story that isn't blatantly repetitious and good-great world building people will read it.

    Problem is you will need to plan extensively for main plot points and sub plots and flesh out your world before actually writing. If you do this and maintain consistency in the time line and antagonist power creep the over powered part of the main character will fall in importance as they will get the wish fulfillment dopamine but also an excellent story and world to enjoy.

    Basically the goal is to avoid the over poweredness eclipsing all plot and world building aspects.

    I think to make a protagonist figure more interesting in a novel, she/he must be someone cool and stuborn. So that, reader will curious what will be the end of the story.

    Beyond she/he cool behaviour, she/he has warm and soft heart so someone will fall in love and keep her/him.

      One Punch Man is a parody, so I'm not sure if JohnnyKbca's point works. What you want to do is make it funny, or make fun of the concept of overpoweredness, and that's what accounts for One Punch Man's success.

      Without the gags, the humor or the satire, One Punch Man would not work.

      Read Emperor's domination and you will understand why despite an OP MC and 3K+ chapters ongoing, it is popular and interesting to read.

        JohnnyKbca The videos you linked helped a lot, it really changed my view on OP Mc's in a story. You don't always need to focus on the super powerful MC but instwad focus on the sidecharacters that are also powerful but feels powerless when meeting opponents more powerful than them and then make the Mc help them in the most serious situation.

        I now have a good foundation but still no story, it would either be: Slow life, Comedy, Action. I have a few stories in my draft folder but it's just a bunch of wish fulfillment and aimed on audiences that wants to read novels that have an OP Mc to satisfy their lack of power.

          I suggest you to start with a weak MC and make him OP along with the story. You could give him only his former memories as cheat, without a system. He would have to cultivate like the others, using manuals he would obtain in his journey. He would use technology knowledge to create weapons who would help him to face stronger opponents. I like op mc, but i think they should earn their opness while the story goes on.

            Azraeeeel maybe this is not the answer that you are looking for, but I still want to mention it to you ;
            Sometimes story with OP MC still could meet opponent thats more OP or just slightly stronger antagonist. So whats interesting is how those OP MC could be more OP so that they could defeat their stronger opponent.
            Remember, there are still another heaven above the heaven. 😁
            Some story as example that perhaps fit those that I know of is ; Shura's Wrath (at Gravity Tales) and Strongest Abandoned Son (which we could find it here at webnovel).

                Kingdom building with OP mc would be interesting. Start as a low-level kingdom and then slowly rise up in power and become a huge and powerful empire.

                  GegeSadewa Those are good suggestions.

                  Azraeeeel Taking GegeSadewa's idea of someone more OP, and as I already suggested a parody with One Punch man, I'll recommend another one — kinda. This one is a novel but is also R-18, so be warned.

                  Invincible Canadian Hermaphrodite Goddess Cultivator

                  Yes, that is actual the title. I did say it was kinda of a parody. Try to read a couple of chapters before taking any conclusions, you may end up enjoying it. And if you're only interested in the part where MC fights someone more OP, then:

                  8.Grand Demon’s Duel: VS Main Character.
                  9. Grand Demon’s Duel: VS Main Character 2.

                        If you're asking what's the point then the type of story you're thinking of doesn't fit an OP mc. Main Character Hides His Strength is a good example of how to handle the situation.
                        Mc is OP. OP to the point he could wipe out countries and empires by himself, through it make take some time. Mc has a goal that can't just be solved by being the strongest and has obstacles in his path.
                        Another thing to note that while he is OP how his power works gives him glaring flaws. This world has stats and he broke the cap for strength and other physical stats are close to the limit, as well as having skills to support this build, but sucks at magic. He starts training it to complete one if his task that requires extremely high magic stats and spells, but getting magic to the equivalent of top 100 magic users in the world, on a time limit, and while most if tbe world hates him makes his path of learning magic very interesting and well earned. As for after that first task you'll be drawn in to see how his story plays out.
                        Another thing to note is how the mc handles being a titan among morals power level wise. He's a skilled warrior so he doesn't just fart around in battle and takes things seriously. He also as the story progressed you learn he earned his power, so you respect him more.

                          You need to put him in situations where he can't win with force.

                          Maybe he has a dream of solving hunger in his country.

                          Socioeconomic problems, religious beliefs, stuff he can't change with a punch. Maybe the country goes through harsh weather, hurricanes, floods, mud slides. Some can be stopped by engineering. Lol have the OP guy suddenly need to learn how to make things instead of destroy.

                          Anyway make him solve things he can't punch away.

                          OMDGEAR what novel is that? Sounds interesting. MC is OP on physical aspect but have trouble against magical aspect.
                          Long ago I also have idea for story about MC that is OP on strength, but could not do magic at all, and his OP is more because magic is also not working on the MC.

                              GegeSadewa
                              Main Character Hides His Strength is a KR novel. You can read it for free online and volume 1 is on Amazon kindle.
                              For the mc it wasn't that he was bad at magic but rather trusted his body more than magic tricks. He neglected magic stats and put his all into physical stats and physical skills, as well as passive magical skills that supported this build. It's not much of a spoiler as it's said in the prologue, but our mc who is a godly warrior couldn't kill his first target, the demon king because scared for his life he discarded his flesh to live as a soul, something that not even someone with strength breaking the level cap can harm. And because he's the demon king he requires top tier magic stats and spells to kill him, despite souls being vulnerable to magic.
                              Mc learns magic rather well because he's skilled at killing mages. He knows their ins and outs, so through experience and hard work rather than talent he learns magic very fast. Still he needs to explore and take risk as he can't reach top tier level of magic doing minor quest or studying in a classroom.

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