The most important part to me is that it makes sense for the character. Arbitrary flaws as a result of attempts to balance versatility aren't that much better, narratively speaking.Â
Iris is exceptionally studied in magic. While I haven't established her as having abilities outside those of a Scholar with a hint of lesser Summoner abilities, she's also competent in understanding the basic principles of most magic classes. She's also basically spent the last seven years avoiding people she didn't absolutely have to deal with, wasting the resources of her noble house on learning these exotic magics and is a complete disaster in social situations that aren't extremely controlled. She is too obsessed with strategy to adapt to changes in a plan quickly and by in large is a total mess.Â
Actually, instead of her flaws being a result of her skills, the inverse is true. She lost her fiancee in the Calamity (because that player didn't come back for 2.0) and that really seriously damaged her life. She became obsessed with the aetheric sciences as a way to do something other than grieve, and the obsession further damages her life and further fuels her obsession.Â
Basically she doesn't have actual friends that aren't other researchers or Tonberries.Â
A lot of those drawbacks are way less tangible or measurable than the skills, but they do affect her life pretty hard. I don't know if that /balances/ because that depends on how much attention you put on combat potential versus her life actually going well. I think a lot of people have different views on how those two factors balance out. If you're really driven by IC combat prowess, she might be a bit OP despite these flaws. If you aren't all that interested in IC combat, though, I think it more than balances out.
Iris is exceptionally studied in magic. While I haven't established her as having abilities outside those of a Scholar with a hint of lesser Summoner abilities, she's also competent in understanding the basic principles of most magic classes. She's also basically spent the last seven years avoiding people she didn't absolutely have to deal with, wasting the resources of her noble house on learning these exotic magics and is a complete disaster in social situations that aren't extremely controlled. She is too obsessed with strategy to adapt to changes in a plan quickly and by in large is a total mess.Â
Actually, instead of her flaws being a result of her skills, the inverse is true. She lost her fiancee in the Calamity (because that player didn't come back for 2.0) and that really seriously damaged her life. She became obsessed with the aetheric sciences as a way to do something other than grieve, and the obsession further damages her life and further fuels her obsession.Â
Basically she doesn't have actual friends that aren't other researchers or Tonberries.Â
A lot of those drawbacks are way less tangible or measurable than the skills, but they do affect her life pretty hard. I don't know if that /balances/ because that depends on how much attention you put on combat potential versus her life actually going well. I think a lot of people have different views on how those two factors balance out. If you're really driven by IC combat prowess, she might be a bit OP despite these flaws. If you aren't all that interested in IC combat, though, I think it more than balances out.
