Devil Fruits! Rules, Weaknesses, and Katakana!

[Fox]

Devil Fruits

Perhaps one of the most famous things in the One Piece world are Devil Fruits—mysterious objects that bestow strange and bizarre powers upon whomever takes a single bite in exchange for robbing them of their ability to swim. On Bon Voyage, the powers that a Devil Fruit offers are represented as a set of Aspects. These sets are concise and simple, encompassing the most basic abilities that a particular Devil Fruit offers—it is then up to the user to develop upon those abilities and come up with new ways to manipulate their powers.

When designing a Devil Fruit, the X-Poinz cost is determined by the number of Aspects it offers. A Devil Fruit will always offer its initial powers as a set of tier one (1) Aspects. This means that the base cost of a Devil Fruit should always be a few hundred X-Poinz. No two Devil Fruits are the same—different powers (even those within the same class) can range from being extremely simple to surprisingly complicated—and that means that the cost can vary.

Availability

On Bon Voyage, Devil Fruits can either be custom made or taken from canon. There are, however, some particular abilities that are restricted due to potential issues they can cause in a multiplayer roleplay environment. You can find the list of restricted abilities below. Thanks to the influence of the Rainbow Mist, most of the available canon Devil Fruits are open to player selection, should you be inclined towards a particular power covered by a canonical ability. This means that more than one character can have the same Devil Fruit, but those that do cannot normally interact. The influence of the Rainbow Mist at least tries to keep the world consistent, even when multiple “Universes” are present.

You may also create your own custom made abilities! However, because these abilities are the creative designs of players, when you design a Devil Fruit, you are also given the option as to whether or not you are happy with other players using your fruit’s core Aspect Set. This choice of permission is included in the Devil Fruit application template. If you don’t want to share your basic design with other people, that’s fine! It’s your choice, after all, but it should be noted that your custom ability does not prevent people from making their own Devil Fruit following a similar concept. Basic concepts aren’t necessarily a unique thing, but it’s the way that concept is executed that is!

It should be noted that Zoan, Ancient Zoan, Special Paramecia, Logia, and SMILE abilities will always be available to all players at their basic level. This is because their general concepts and power sets are not specifically unique to individual players. Paramecia and the special abilities of Mythical Zoan Devil Fruits, however, do have a uniqueness to them and so permissions must be provided.

Restricted Abilities

Even within the world of One Piece, there are some kinds of power that just aren’t suitable for the setting. On top of that, some powers aren’t really healthy for a community-based role playing environment. Below is a list of powers and specific concepts that (on their own) are not suitable for Devil Fruit abilities.

Canon Fruits

• Yami Yami no Mi
• Toki Toki no Mi
• Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika

Restricted Powers

• Time Travel
• Psychic Powers (ESP, Telekinesis, etc.)
• Antimatter
• Water
• Kairōseki (“Seastone”)
• Aura, Ki, etc.
• Fully Aquatic Zoans
• Devil Fruit “Meta” Abilities (Disabling, Etc.)

It’s worth noting that not every conceivable banned concept appears on this list, as that’s practically impossible to manage (we’ll add to the list as new ones come up). However, just because it doesn’t appear here doesn’t mean it will be approvable or suitable for the setting or system—we will treat applications for Devil Fruits (and related improvements) on a case by case basis. In many cases, it might not be the specific concept that proves problematic, but the execution of it.

On the opposite side of the coin, not all concepts that appear on the above lists are entirely impossible! However, for the most part those sorts of effects are caused by proxy of how abilities interact, such as how many Paramecia abilities have telekinetic control over a particular material, or how certain abilities might innately be capable of canceling each other out!

Common Characteristics

All true Devil Fruits possess the same basic traits, with no true exceptions having yet been seen. First of all, the form a Devil Fruit takes always shows some kind of swirling pattern on its exterior, whether it’s dominating spirals as shown on the skin of the Gomu Gomu no Mi, or more diminished whorls. The only exception to this are artificial Devil Fruits, such as SMILEs, who have a very different appearance because of their man-made nature. Second, Devil Fruits taste horrible. It’s never been clearly stated exactly what they taste like, just that it’s disgusting, with no exceptions outside of SMILEs, which are unusually tasty.

Once a Devil Fruit has been eaten (even just a small bite), the user immediately inherits the ability it possesses, though they may not be aware of what that ability is at first. Many inexperienced Devil Fruit users discover their abilities by accident, transforming due to sudden physical or mental exertions, while those with more familiarity with themselves (such as people who are already trained fighters or have a high level of self-awareness) can quickly discern the changes their body has undergone and use their basic abilities with a modicum of understanding. Luffy and Momonosuke both took quite a while to get to grips with their abilities, as both were still children when they gained their respective powers. Meanwhile, Sabo was quickly able to use the Mera Mera no Mi’s basic powers mere moments after consumption, though he still had some minor mental hang-ups due to instinct.

All people who have consumed Devil Fruits suffer the same vulnerabilities as a result of their power. As the sea turns against them, they become a hammer, sinking into water even when they should be capable of floating near the surface and being robbed of their strength and ability to move. This also prevents conscious activation of their abilities and, in some cases, may even serve to neutralize their powers. The material known as Kairōseki (“Seastone”) can also rob a Devil Fruit eater of their strength in a similar manner, with higher concentrations having a greater effect, but even just coming into direct contact with this material will disable their ability until contact is broken. These weaknesses also apply to artificial Devil Fruits.

Defining Substances

Many Devil Fruits allow the user to generate a particular substance, but in some cases those substances are not so easily defined by simple logic. We all know what candle wax is like and there isn’t much room for variability in its most basic form, but some substances or forces generated by Devil Fruits (especially Paramecia and Mythical Zoan types) aren’t exactly within the boundaries of being identifiable to us. In cases such as these, it’s important that you clearly define what the substance, energy, or force you are creating is capable of doing at its most basic level.

For example, Foxy’s Noro Noro no Mi generates a special form of light beam made of Noroma Photons (“Slowpoke Photons”), which is how he instigates the slowing effect. These photons function in a similar way to regular light, which isn’t really harmful at its most basic level, but is still a good example of how the energy is uniquely defined and thus worthy of being an Aspect of a Devil Fruit.

On the side of Mythical Zoan abilities, Marco’s Phoenix abilities are a great example of a substance that is seemingly familiar yet functionally very different from what we’re used to. Marco’s flames of regeneration are a form of fire that doesn’t actually burn those hit by them, instead acting in a solid manner in addition to their healing and regenerative effects. All these together are worth more than a single Aspect would be (they’d have to be a set), but in Marco’s case he could easily pair the fact that his flames don’t burn and that they allow him to regenerate from damage to define what they do as a single Aspect.

[Fox]

Devil Fruit Weaknesses

Many Devil Fruits offer abilities that far exceed what can be considered normal and, to help balance them out, Bon Voyage requires that these abilities have at least one suitable weakness. While all Devil Fruits inherit the weaknesses to submersion in water and the rare material known as Kairōseki (“Seastone”), this isn’t always enough for versatile and powerful abilities like those of Paramecia, Logia, and some types of Zoan.

Devil Fruits vary so drastically in their powers that no two powers will typically have the same kind of weakness, but knowing what that weakness is can help an opponent turn the tables against an ability user, whether they stumble upon it by accident or figure it out through other means. But what makes for a good weakness for each specific ability? This is a question that often gets asked, so here’s some handy tips and examples for figuring them out.

Do All Devil Fruits Need A Weakness…?
The short and sweet answer is ‘no’. Zoans and Ancient Zoans, as well as SMILEs (Artificial Zoans) do not require an additional weakness outside of the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses. Paramecia, Special Paramecia, Logia, and Mythical Zoans all require at least one additional weakness.

Can An Opponent Use It…?
If the answer to this question is ‘yes’, then you’re already on the right track for a good weakness. While Devil Fruits can have various limitations, these are typically just boundaries that an ability cannot naturally cross, which some opponents may figure out but in general aren’t tangible things that can be turned around. An actual weakness needs to be something that an opponent can use in some form or another to counter the Devil Fruit ability.

What Does It Do…?
Weaknesses come in many forms, each depending on the type of ability. Ask yourself what your ability does and think about what can be done to stop it from working in some way. For example, Crocodile’s Suna Suna no Mi allows him to transform into sand to avoid incoming attacks, but sand clumps together when it gets wet. This is how Luffy was able to strike a veteran Logia user well before he learned how to use Haki, effectively ignoring the supreme defense that Crocodile’s Fruit offered him.

Another example involving liquids is Charlotte Katakuri’s Mochi Mochi no Mi, where Jinbe used tea to cause the Sweet Commander’s produced mochi to lose its thickness and viscosity and allow for an escape. Gecko Moria’s Kage Kage no Mi was vulnerable to salt, which had the ability to purify any zombie he created and allow the entrapped shadow to escape, thus nullifying the power. Overall, a good weakness should allow an opponent to ignore, cancel, or counter a significant feature of a Devil Fruit’s ability.

Weaknesses & Limitations: What’s The Difference…?
A weakness is something that an opponent can exploit directly in order to fight back against a Devil Fruit user’s supernatural powers, but not all things are a weakness. A limitation is something else entirely — something it can’t do within the scope of its power. Opponents can still use limitations to their advantages in combat, but it’s not something that directly inhibits the ability in any sense. For example, Buggy’s Bara Bara no Mi has a limited range at which he can make his separated body parts float. Once body parts go beyond that range, he loses his telekinetic control over them, but this isn’t a specific weakness. It’s a limitation of the Devil Fruit.

Do I Need More Than One Extra Weakness…?
In most cases, the answer is ‘no’, but not all Fruits are equal in that regard. Devil Fruits with Open permissions are required to only have one official weakness. However, just because you’ve listed a weakness in the Devil Fruit’s application doesn’t mean it’s the only weakness it has: As you develop your character and Devil Fruit and participate in more and more threads, you may find situations where another weakness could apply to your power that you hadn’t already thought of. It’s impossible to account for every possibility right away, so when it comes to this, treat it as you feel appropriate and logical within the setting!

[Fox]

Devil Fruit Names
A Guide to Katakana

The name of a Devil Fruit is usually written in Japanese, but all Devil Fruits follow a surprisingly strict naming scheme! Devil Fruit names don’t just consist of two syllables – something which is often a point of confusion for some – but are made of two “katakana”.

What are Katakana?
Katakana aren’t like English syllables, but are quite similar, as you can probably see by the names of many Devil Fruits, such as Luffy’s Gomu Gomu no Mi, or Crocodile’s Suna Suna no Mi. In written Japanese, they appear as very simple characters, with one for each possible combination of consonant and sound – one for every possible sound in Japanese!

Below is a handy chart of each katakana, written in both Japanese and with their English variant below them:

ア (a)	イ (i)	ウ (u)	エ (e)	オ (o)
カ (ka)	キ (ki)	ク (ku)	ケ (ke)	コ (ko)
サ (sa)	シ (shi)	ス (su)	セ (se)	ソ (so)
タ (ta)	チ (chi)	ツ (tsu)	テ (te)	ト (to)
ナ (na)	ニ (ni)	ヌ (nu)	ネ (ne)	ノ (no)
ハ (ha)	ヒ (hi)	フ (fu)	ヘ (he)	ホ (ho)
マ (ma)	ミ (mi)	ム (mu)	メ (me)	モ (mo)
ヤ (ya)		ユ (yu)		ヨ (yo)
ラ (ra)	リ (ri)	ル (ru)	レ (re)	ロ (ro)
バ (ba)	ビ (bi)	ブ (bu)	ベ (be)	ボ (bo)
ダ (da)	ヂ (di)	ヅ (du)	デ (de)	ド (do)
ガ (ga)	ギ (gi)	グ (gu)	ゲ (ge)	ゴ (go)
パ (pa)	ピ (pi)	プ (pu)	ペ (pe)	ポ (po)
ザ (za)	ジ (zi)	ズ (zu)	ゼ (ze)	ゾ (zo)
ワ (wa)
ン (n)

How does it work?
The process is simple enough – you find an appropriate name for the Devil Fruit, and then find the katakana that correspond to the name! The table below shows a selection of examples from the series.

Gomu	ゴム
Doru	ドル
Awa	アワ
Sui	スイ

Almost all Devil Fruits follow this exact formula. Remember that katakana are fixed characters – they won’t change based on what’s before or after them, so the symbols you see here are always relevant, unlike Kanji.

What are the exceptions?
In some cases, Devil Fruit names use a slightly different formula, but these are special cases. As you might see in the table above, not every possible combination is present – there’s no katakana for the “cho” sound or the “sha” sound, for example. There’s also another couple of unique cases, namely in the form of Bartholomew Kuma’s Nikyu Nikyu no Mi, the various iterations of the Ryu Ryu no Mi, and a small selection of others. All of these will be addressed below, because they all share something in common.

These katakana are “extended” sounds. As they don’t have a single character for them, they instead use a diminutive (smaller) version of the second character in order to complete the combination. While these smaller characters usually follow the katakana they extend from, there is one uncommon exception. The below table shows all of these extended sounds used so far in the series, and why they are as they are:

Ryu	リュ	(ri-yu)
Cha	チャ	(chi-ya)
Cho	チョ	(chi-yo)
Sha	シャ	(shi-ya)
Shu	シュ	(shi-yu)
Wo	ウォ	(u-o)
Ju	ジュ	(zi-yu)
Kyu	キュ	(ki-yu)
-tto	ット	(-t-to)

As you can see, these are almost all combinations of a specific katakana that ends in “i”, which is then followed by a katakana that starts with “y”. This is the exact same reason why Ryū (“Dragon”) is pronounced like “ree-you”. The only exceptions in this list are “wo”, which is a combination of the “u” and “o” sounds – a very unique case – and “tto”, which is a unique example that precedes the katakana – as shown in the case of Batto.

The Final Word…
We don’t require you to actually use katakana for the name of your Devil Fruit, but a Devil Fruit’s Japanese name won’t work if it can’t be made out of katakana. This is an important rule to remember! The other thing to remember is that a full Devil Fruit’s name is the katakana repeated twice, with two additional characters afterwards:

ゴムゴムの実

Gomu Gomu no Mi

The last two characters are the characters for “no Mi”, which basically just means “Fruit of” or “’s Fruit”. All Devil Fruits share these last two characters.