LitRPG With Weak to Strong MC

By Trevor Wells, Editor, Level Up

The weak to strong MC narrative is a trope that is becoming ever more popular within the LitRPG genre. While this plot device has always been present within the genre, the bulk of the early stories were raging power fantasies that saw the MC (main character) become OP (overpowered) within the first five chapters of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a wonderful power fantasy. (When I first discovered the genre years ago, I consumed nothing but books with OP MCs); however, with new and talented writers (and some established writers in the video game industry) finding out how AWESOME LitRPG is; the weak to strong MC is becoming a trope that readers seek out on their own volition (myself included).

Why read Weak to Strong MC books?

The weak MC is often difficult to write. Keeping the readers interested in an OP MC is easier because the author has various powers and abilities at their disposal. Yet many writers have discovered that readers care vastly for the weak MC and relate to them at a deeper level than they do for the mighty protagonist. Many of the weak MC books are character driven in nature. To write an effective weak to strong MC one must have a deep understanding for level progression mechanics and creating a game system with that balance in mind. When it is done well, the journey of the weak MC is such a rewarding reading experience.

The joy of the weak MC (in my mind) harkens back to the one of the most important tenants of creative writing; why does the reader care about my protagonist? While it is oftentimes fun to hide behind the plot armor of an OP MC mercilessly destroying all their foes (and trust me there is nothing wrong with a great power fantasy, I still love and read them voraciously) the weak to strong MC offers a completely different reading experience—and that is great for the genre.

Good Weak to Strong MC books

Thankfully, authors are exploring the nuances of a well-crafted weak to strong MC narrative. While it can be difficult to pace the progression, the reward of reading how the writer manages to keep one invested is enthralling to discover. In my journey to find titles well worth your time, I found myself attached to protagonists with unique circumstances or powers that stood out. Of course, in true fashion like many of my articles, an honorable mention is much deserved—that goes to Summoned! To a Prawn Cocktail Crisp by Oisin Muldowney. In my opinion, the weak to strong MC novel focuses on a vastly purposeful progression that, of course, fulfills the promise of eventually becoming strong but takes the time to explore by progressing in levels meticulously. The titles on this list have these said qualities. In no particular order, here is my list of wonderful weak to strong MC novels that are well worth your time.

The Last Dragonsoul

V.A. Lewis

Kara is summoned to a world ruled by a game-like system. Her aim is to become the last wielder of a dragonsoul. While Kara accepts her path, it is not easy by any means. She finds herself lost in monster-infested mountains, pursued by a powerful being who knows far too much. Despite the mysterious calamity sweeping the region and the insurmountable odds, Kara will complete her apotheosis by any means necessary.    

The hallmark of a good story is the fulfilment of a promise. And The Last Dragonsoul tells its readers that Kara will become a god. While the prospect of becoming a god is something seen in OP LitRPG titles, the author subverts the basic LitRPG tropes to deliver on a promise in an epic 800-page tale. The powers are fantastic, and the character progression is deep, making it a proper weak to strong MC title well worth your time.

Grilled Armageddon: Cooking with Disaster

Dakota Krout

Nacho, the battle-scarred killer isn’t interested in saving the world—only the people that matter to him. In a world where everything but the air itself is poison, Nacho must embark on an epic quest to give his friends a fighting chance to survive in an unforgiving world. He will learn the new rules, or die trying.

“Welcome to the Juxtaposition. May Your Future Be Delicious.”

Grilled Armageddon is not only punny, but the progression is also gouda. (Couldn’t help myself) While I haven’t read every Dakota Krout title, I do believe most of his stories follow a weak to strong MC progression (on the off chance I’m wrong, It’s not the Worcestershire I’ve ever been in.) Despite getting puns beaten out of me during my time as a video game journalist, Dakota revived by love for the good old-fashioned pun. He tells a juicy story with many grate yokes, thus I advise you not to be jelly and just roll with it.

Dreamer's Throne

Seth Ring

After a close call with death, Garrett comes to the realization that he is in a new world. What’s more, he’s missing an arm and is paralyzed from the waist down. However, that doesn’t stop the brutal gang lord from wanting to throw him out into the street. Garrett must use his own wits and newfound powers that give him experience for exploring his new world. It will take Garrett’s intelligence to survive.

Out of all the books on my list, Dreamer’s Throne is the best example of a weak MC. While it can be difficult to write a weak to strong story, Seth takes it to a whole new level. He forces the MC to be condemned to a wheelchair and still makes it one of the most exciting LitRPG books I’ve read in recent years. The juxtaposition between Lovecraftian elements and epic fantasy is a masterclass of what LitRPG titles can achieve. And is clear why Felicia Day called the world of Dreamer’s Throne “inventive”.

Glory Seeker: Feast of Ghouls

Bruce Nesmith

Laran wakes up in a strange fantasy world ruled by a System. His only knowledge comes from the fiery tutorial assistant named Toot. Unfortunately, the Undying Empire is hunting Laran down and he must survive. But all is not lost, Laran is a Glory Seeker in this world, which means he’s able to augment almost anything he does by using points of glory; a resource earned through actions within the world. No matter the nature—heroic or villainous.

What happens when the lead designer on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim tells a LitRPG tale…Glory Seeker is the answer. Bruce’s knowledge of game design and character progression is a masterclass of what LitRPG titles are capable of. The weak to strong MC progression is one of the crunchiest and most balanced experiences I’ve read. The opening scene, in a way, invokes deep memories of my time in Tamriel and fans of Skyrim just might find an easter egg or two. However, the story is original enough to shine on its own. By the end of the story, Laran’s character sheet stands at around seven pages, and is not overpowered in the slightest. If that doesn’t excite you, I’m not sure what will.

The Book of Dungeons

John Staats

In a ruthless new VR RPG in which no one respawns, a player must fight to survive. The stakes of winning the battle royale couldn't be higher. Broke and homeless, the MC must outwit 63 other gamers. Can alliances last with so much on the line? The game world spans a continent filled with cities, dungeons, monsters and magic. Contestants amass experience, rank up skills, unlock dozens of spells, and plunder magic items. Welcome to The Book of Dungeons, players!

Despite not being published yet, The Book of Dungeons can be found on Royal Road at this time writing. John has a good understanding of character progression with his time working on World of Warcraft as a dungeon designer. The novel is a slow burn, featuring a slice of life story for the first half. I found the worldbuilding unique and once the action starts it doesn’t let up. Additionally, the character growth is well-thought-out. I enjoyed my time reading this one—it’s worth your time.

Sins of the Forefathers (Interview with a Weak to strong MC)

J.D. Campbell

J.D. is the author of the ongoing Sins of the Forefather series. I was fortunate enough to talk with him about the craft of writing, his book, and his time writing a weak to strong MC. So, without further udo, here is an interview with J.D. I hope you enjoy the conversation. 

What was the most difficult part about writing a protagonist that starts 'weak’ and did you find it difficult to ensure his progression was balanced?

In all honesty, it's not the 'weakness' that's difficult for me. To my mind, it just makes logical sense for a protagonist to be as weak as a kitten when starting out. I find it very natural to very slowly add on elements of power to a weak character over time. On the contrary, it's balancing the much stronger characters and enemies that Nathan Hart encounters on his journeys and struggles that I find more difficult. For Sins, Nathan is very weak in comparison to the rest of the world for quite some time and thus has to navigate, survive, and triumph over it despite the circumstances. This includes his own much more powerful companions, and I've found it more of a challenge to balance believability against his starting weaknesses despite outside advantages.

The book has many wonderful world-building elements. What was the first thing you created during this process?

Funnily enough, the bones of the idea that led to Sins started out as a World of Warcraft fanfiction. I'd been rolling around the idea of a story for years that involved a protagonist who was captured as a slave from the beginning. Exploring a character who has suffered through that experience and rises above it has been something I've wanted to do for some time. However, when I eventually sat down to write the story, I kept having ideas for something more original. So it happened that instead of Azerothian Orcs enslaving the protagonist, it ended up being Velancian Dwarves. There are still Orcs in this setting, though. I couldn't get away from them. But that's for a later book.

Did any books serve as your inspiration when writing Sins of the Forefathers?

I would say three principal inspirations come to mind. The first would be Glen Cook's The Black Company series, a veritable classic of the fantasy genre in my mind. I've long since loved this series since I was a teenager, and consider it one of the peaks of dark fantasy. The second would be a web fiction, non-LitRPG, by the name of Worm. It's huge, really, a sprawling work involving a wholly original dark superhero setting. It couldn't be farther from traditional swords and sorcery fantasy, but what inspired me about it was the tone. There's a true sense of desperation to the work, of hanging on by the skin of your teeth despite the world arranging itself against you. The last would be my LitRPG inspiration, Unbound by Necariin. What I'm looking for when I read LitRPG is a tangible sense of adventure to the work, combined with a blending of fantasy genres. That's really what appeals to me, and it's what I find in that series. I've enjoyed it for years now.

What is your writing process?

I'm a weekend writer, doing everything at once instead of gradually. Some people prefer to do a little bit of writing every day of the week, building up over time. But I prefer to fit all of my writing for the week into two days instead, going longer on Saturday and Sunday. The key to it, I've found, is routine. I get up early, shower, make a cup of coffee, and then putter around for an hour or so. Then I get started writing, doing it in chunks of around a thousand words each time with half-hour breaks between them. I repeat that until I've finished my writing for the week, and I've done it for nearly two years now, week in, week out.

Furthermore, there's a term that gets floated around in author circles, the 'pantser vs. plotter' styles of writing. Essentially, the idea is that some authors meticulously plot out every scene and every beat that's coming in their work, while some fly completely off the seat of their pants, making it up as they go. I'm more of a 'pantser', myself. I do an extremely rough outline before I start a new book, but those are really just brain-storming sessions. Once I have the bones of an idea, I just build on it from there.

Who is your favorite author?

My favorite author is, and will always be, Sir Terry Pratchett. An odd choice, considering the rarity of humor in my own work. But he had a huge influence on me growing up, and Discworld will always hold a special place in my heart.

What do you think makes a LitRPG story great?

To my mind, it's simple. Clear, concise, plainly understandable progression over time. Any fan can understand a well put together stat and skill sheet and see just how far the protagonist has come over their trials. That sense of steady, tireless, unrelenting effort paying off in very tangible ways is attractive to many people, and I think it's why the genre has been taking off in recent years.      

Weak to Strong MC FAQ

WHAT DRIVES A GOOD WEAK TO STRONG MC STORY?

The best weak to strong LitRPG books subvert the expectations of what we all love about a good overpowered protagonist. Instead of gaining vast power within the first five to ten chapters of the book; we get the opportunity to explore a character driven story that relies on wit and strategic decision making. (My personal favorite type of LitRPG book.) While it can be difficult to find balance and keep the reader’s attention, when it works, it leaves a memorable experience for the reader.   

WHAT SUB-GENRE OF LITRPG WORKS WELL WITH WEAK TO STRONG MC?

Progression fantasy LitRPG stories fit well with weak to strong MCs. Because many of these stories feature slower progression, skill trees and intricate game systems work splendidly in crafting a well-thought-out story. Additionally, readers will be more likely to follow a protagonist that they can relate to and feel connected with. While crunchy stats is not a requirement, in my opinion, it makes the journey that much more enjoyable.

IS THERE A WEAK TO STRONG MC LITRPG COMMUNITY?

Want to talk about weak to strong MC novels? The LitRPG Forum | Facebook is a good place to talk about weak to strong stories. Level Up also has a WhatsApp group to recommend books to each other and chat about all kinds of LitRPG, just request a link via the form at the bottom of this page.