Post by Avatar Akira on Jun 2, 2014 20:45:06 GMT -8
Waterbending, one of the many elemental bending arts, is the hydrokinetic ability to control water in all its many forms. This type of bending is utilized by the people of the Water Tribe, who are divided into the Southern, Northern, and lesser known Foggy Swamp tribes. Each with their own unique bending style.
Water is the element of change. The moon is the source of power in waterbending, and the original waterbenders learned to bend by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides. The Water Tribes are the only people who did not learn bending from an animal, though the Moon and Ocean Spirits took the form of koi fish in the mortal world near the beginning of the Avatar World.
The fighting style of waterbending is mostly fluid and graceful, acting in concert with the environment. Foggy Swamp style waterbending, however, is more rigid and straight. Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy; they let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' own forces against them. Even when waterbenders do take an attack stance, their moves always appear to flow from one to the other.Waterbending's strength is its great versatility. Rather than supporting a separate set of offensive methods, waterbending employs defensive techniques that can be transformed into attacks and counters - defense into offense. Instead of simply deflecting an attack, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control, achieved through turning an opponent's own strength against them, rather than directly harming the opponent.
Water manipulation: Almost all forms of waterbending involve moving and shaping a body of water to the waterbender's desire. By simply levitating a large mass of water, waterbenders can move water anywhere they wish, even parting it under the surface of a lake or sea, allowing them to walk along the bottom of a basin without the need to swim. These large bodies of water can also be used as weapons, either by shaping them into gigantic whips, swung repeatedly at a target as a snake-like body, formed momentarily into a razor-sharp edge that can cut through even metal, or simply dropped onto an opponent to smother them or put out a fire. On the sea or ocean, waterbending can be used to create giant maelstroms. Avatar Aang and Master Katara used this to set off a giant sea serpent.
Streaming the water: Named by Master Katara, it is a move that draws water from a source that waterbenders move around their bodies. A more advanced version demonstrated by Avatar Aang apparently involves "sinking and floating". This move is thought to be used for basic training so that beginning waterbenders can get a "feel" for water, but it is in reality a very useful move performed by waterbenders of every skill level.
Water whip: The water whip is a commonly used move that involves creating a lashing tendril of water to swipe at an opponent. The shape, size, and length are all determined by a waterbender's control, and more powerful benders can create larger whips, or ones of greater finesse. The whip can be sharpened into a blade that can slice through metal with relative ease, and Master Katara have demonstrated the ability to create water whips with their feet.
Water jet: High pressure jets can be used to force opponents back or even blast clean through a target if focused enough. Water jets are primarily used if the user has the intent of severely hurting their opponents. It was seen being performed by Master Katara against a pirate.
Wave: By moving a large mass of water without separating it from its original source, waterbenders can create waves of nearly any size. They do this by using an upward movement that raises the source, which they subsequently send away in their desired direction. This can be used to sweep opponents away or even as a form of transport, with the bender surfing on the crest of the wave. This same process can be used to propel waterborne crafts.
Water bullet: The water bullet is a move where a waterbender bends a large amount of water and sends it in a forceful blow toward their target. It is similar to a water jet, but it is more for a quick use since the jet takes more concentration. It is basic yet useful because it takes little time to perform and has a significant effect on the target. Master Katara used this against Southern Tribe waterbender Hama.
Water wall/water shield: Water can be molded into a variety of shapes and can be used to deflect an attack, trap opponents in a viscous body, reshaped and propelled at attackers before they can recover, or solidified into a shield of ice. This diversity and ability to swiftly change to suit the situation is what makes the waterbender's defense so adaptable. Although usually protective, the shield needs some type of compression or else it will not be effective. This is demonstrated when Master Katara was fighting Prince Zuko at the Spirit Oasis and her quickly-made shield could not block the fire blast.
Water temperature manipulation: Waterbenders also possess the ability to alter the physical state of the water they manipulate, between liquid, solid and gas, at will. Changing the phase of water allows for multiple techniques in the course of a battle, from encasing an opponent in ice to hiding behind a wall of mist. Ice and steam/fog can also be molded in a diverse range of shapes. Ice provides a degree of hard lethality since it can be molded into spikes or blades to pin down or impale opponents. Steam or mist can obscure a battlefield and mask movement. A waterbender can easily superheat and boil water and other liquids to scalding temperatures.Master Katara made good use of this to enhance her performance as the Painted Lady. Waterbenders also possess the ability to breathe an icy mist that freezes water and other substances.
Water pressure manipulation: Waterbenders are also able to manipulate water pressure, allowing them to use water to grasp other objects or cut through without simply parting around them. Water can be used as a semi-solid while being able to move and flow like a liquid. Water can be pressurized to such a level where it can slice through metal. Waterbenders can also use this to avoid sinking in water, effectively allowing them to walk on water, as demonstrated by Master Katara multiple times.
Iceberg spike: Waterbenders can shoot small shards of ice at their opponent, or cause a giant spike to protrude from a body of water. The Northern and Southern Water Tribes employs these as a primary defense of their homeland when enemy ships are sighted.
Ice claws: Shown by Hama, using ice claws involves the bender drawing water around their fingers and freezing it. They can also be sent forward, shooting them at an opponent. A waterbender can also use this as an advantage; being small and unnoticeable, they can hide them in their sleeves just like Mai's weapons. Additionally, this technique uses very little water and thus can be performed quickly using the Condensation technique.
Ice spear: The ice spear is a waterbending move shown to have been used by Southern waterbenders. It involves freezing a stream of water and sending the frozen result flying at the target. This move was used by Master Katara when she was about to strike down War Criminal Yon Rha.
Ice creeper: A waterbender can send a ray of ice on the ground, speeding at an opponent to freeze them. This technique freezes a trail of water beginning with the waterbender performing the move and ending with their targets freezing. This technique was first performed by Master Katara when she accidentally froze Sokka's feet to the ship, before she was able to freeze three Fire Nation soldiers.
Ice shield: A waterbender can freeze an amount of water in front of them, creating a shield of ice. Avatar Aang and Master Katara performed this technique on numerous occasions during the War.
Ice disc: A waterbender can create a cylindrical column of ice and proceed to slice razor-sharp sections of it off and send them at an opponent. They are sharp around the edges but also very thin, since Master Pakku was able to break them with his wrists, though this may partly have been due to his waterbending ability.
Breath of ice: A waterbender can use their breath to rapidly freeze objects, such as metallic chains, or an opponent. For a more advanced version of the technique, the user takes a deep breath and exhales the air as a cloud of freezing mist. Master Katara used this technique to freeze Jet to a tree, to save Sokka from Huu, and to stop the warship from sinking by temporarily freezing a hole in the ship's hull. Avatar Aang and Avatar Roku have used this technique before, possibly combined with airbending, to freeze lava. Also Avatar Aang used this to break the chain from where King Bumi was being lifted by a crane.
Water knife: The ability to shape water into a super-sharp edge or point for a split-second, enabling a waterbender to cut through metal, wood and stone. Avatar Aang and Master Katara used this technique to sabotage the giant Fire Nation drill assaulting Ba Sing Se.
Water cloak: A waterbender can use their water as a form of armor with tentacle-like arms. The bender can use these arms to grab objects, whip enemies, blast enemies with water and freeze them. If a waterbender has less water available, he or she can simply form the arms instead of the entire cloak. This technique was first shown by Master Katara while she dueled against Princess Azula in the Crystal Catacombs, and again when she was on board the Southern Raiders frigate.
Water filtering: When working in concert with an earthbender, a waterbender can purify polluted water. The waterbender suspends the polluted water in the air while the earthbender removes the pollutants.
Water SpinThe Bender creates one or two water whips and spins rapidly sending ice shards out while protecting the bender in a water barrier.
Water is the element of change. The moon is the source of power in waterbending, and the original waterbenders learned to bend by observing how the moon pushed and pulled the tides. The Water Tribes are the only people who did not learn bending from an animal, though the Moon and Ocean Spirits took the form of koi fish in the mortal world near the beginning of the Avatar World.
The fighting style of waterbending is mostly fluid and graceful, acting in concert with the environment. Foggy Swamp style waterbending, however, is more rigid and straight. Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy; they let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' own forces against them. Even when waterbenders do take an attack stance, their moves always appear to flow from one to the other.Waterbending's strength is its great versatility. Rather than supporting a separate set of offensive methods, waterbending employs defensive techniques that can be transformed into attacks and counters - defense into offense. Instead of simply deflecting an attack, waterbending's defensive maneuvers focus on control, achieved through turning an opponent's own strength against them, rather than directly harming the opponent.
Water manipulation: Almost all forms of waterbending involve moving and shaping a body of water to the waterbender's desire. By simply levitating a large mass of water, waterbenders can move water anywhere they wish, even parting it under the surface of a lake or sea, allowing them to walk along the bottom of a basin without the need to swim. These large bodies of water can also be used as weapons, either by shaping them into gigantic whips, swung repeatedly at a target as a snake-like body, formed momentarily into a razor-sharp edge that can cut through even metal, or simply dropped onto an opponent to smother them or put out a fire. On the sea or ocean, waterbending can be used to create giant maelstroms. Avatar Aang and Master Katara used this to set off a giant sea serpent.
Streaming the water: Named by Master Katara, it is a move that draws water from a source that waterbenders move around their bodies. A more advanced version demonstrated by Avatar Aang apparently involves "sinking and floating". This move is thought to be used for basic training so that beginning waterbenders can get a "feel" for water, but it is in reality a very useful move performed by waterbenders of every skill level.
Water whip: The water whip is a commonly used move that involves creating a lashing tendril of water to swipe at an opponent. The shape, size, and length are all determined by a waterbender's control, and more powerful benders can create larger whips, or ones of greater finesse. The whip can be sharpened into a blade that can slice through metal with relative ease, and Master Katara have demonstrated the ability to create water whips with their feet.
Water jet: High pressure jets can be used to force opponents back or even blast clean through a target if focused enough. Water jets are primarily used if the user has the intent of severely hurting their opponents. It was seen being performed by Master Katara against a pirate.
Wave: By moving a large mass of water without separating it from its original source, waterbenders can create waves of nearly any size. They do this by using an upward movement that raises the source, which they subsequently send away in their desired direction. This can be used to sweep opponents away or even as a form of transport, with the bender surfing on the crest of the wave. This same process can be used to propel waterborne crafts.
Water bullet: The water bullet is a move where a waterbender bends a large amount of water and sends it in a forceful blow toward their target. It is similar to a water jet, but it is more for a quick use since the jet takes more concentration. It is basic yet useful because it takes little time to perform and has a significant effect on the target. Master Katara used this against Southern Tribe waterbender Hama.
Water wall/water shield: Water can be molded into a variety of shapes and can be used to deflect an attack, trap opponents in a viscous body, reshaped and propelled at attackers before they can recover, or solidified into a shield of ice. This diversity and ability to swiftly change to suit the situation is what makes the waterbender's defense so adaptable. Although usually protective, the shield needs some type of compression or else it will not be effective. This is demonstrated when Master Katara was fighting Prince Zuko at the Spirit Oasis and her quickly-made shield could not block the fire blast.
Water temperature manipulation: Waterbenders also possess the ability to alter the physical state of the water they manipulate, between liquid, solid and gas, at will. Changing the phase of water allows for multiple techniques in the course of a battle, from encasing an opponent in ice to hiding behind a wall of mist. Ice and steam/fog can also be molded in a diverse range of shapes. Ice provides a degree of hard lethality since it can be molded into spikes or blades to pin down or impale opponents. Steam or mist can obscure a battlefield and mask movement. A waterbender can easily superheat and boil water and other liquids to scalding temperatures.Master Katara made good use of this to enhance her performance as the Painted Lady. Waterbenders also possess the ability to breathe an icy mist that freezes water and other substances.
Water pressure manipulation: Waterbenders are also able to manipulate water pressure, allowing them to use water to grasp other objects or cut through without simply parting around them. Water can be used as a semi-solid while being able to move and flow like a liquid. Water can be pressurized to such a level where it can slice through metal. Waterbenders can also use this to avoid sinking in water, effectively allowing them to walk on water, as demonstrated by Master Katara multiple times.
Iceberg spike: Waterbenders can shoot small shards of ice at their opponent, or cause a giant spike to protrude from a body of water. The Northern and Southern Water Tribes employs these as a primary defense of their homeland when enemy ships are sighted.
Ice claws: Shown by Hama, using ice claws involves the bender drawing water around their fingers and freezing it. They can also be sent forward, shooting them at an opponent. A waterbender can also use this as an advantage; being small and unnoticeable, they can hide them in their sleeves just like Mai's weapons. Additionally, this technique uses very little water and thus can be performed quickly using the Condensation technique.
Ice spear: The ice spear is a waterbending move shown to have been used by Southern waterbenders. It involves freezing a stream of water and sending the frozen result flying at the target. This move was used by Master Katara when she was about to strike down War Criminal Yon Rha.
Ice creeper: A waterbender can send a ray of ice on the ground, speeding at an opponent to freeze them. This technique freezes a trail of water beginning with the waterbender performing the move and ending with their targets freezing. This technique was first performed by Master Katara when she accidentally froze Sokka's feet to the ship, before she was able to freeze three Fire Nation soldiers.
Ice shield: A waterbender can freeze an amount of water in front of them, creating a shield of ice. Avatar Aang and Master Katara performed this technique on numerous occasions during the War.
Ice disc: A waterbender can create a cylindrical column of ice and proceed to slice razor-sharp sections of it off and send them at an opponent. They are sharp around the edges but also very thin, since Master Pakku was able to break them with his wrists, though this may partly have been due to his waterbending ability.
Breath of ice: A waterbender can use their breath to rapidly freeze objects, such as metallic chains, or an opponent. For a more advanced version of the technique, the user takes a deep breath and exhales the air as a cloud of freezing mist. Master Katara used this technique to freeze Jet to a tree, to save Sokka from Huu, and to stop the warship from sinking by temporarily freezing a hole in the ship's hull. Avatar Aang and Avatar Roku have used this technique before, possibly combined with airbending, to freeze lava. Also Avatar Aang used this to break the chain from where King Bumi was being lifted by a crane.
Water knife: The ability to shape water into a super-sharp edge or point for a split-second, enabling a waterbender to cut through metal, wood and stone. Avatar Aang and Master Katara used this technique to sabotage the giant Fire Nation drill assaulting Ba Sing Se.
Water cloak: A waterbender can use their water as a form of armor with tentacle-like arms. The bender can use these arms to grab objects, whip enemies, blast enemies with water and freeze them. If a waterbender has less water available, he or she can simply form the arms instead of the entire cloak. This technique was first shown by Master Katara while she dueled against Princess Azula in the Crystal Catacombs, and again when she was on board the Southern Raiders frigate.
Water filtering: When working in concert with an earthbender, a waterbender can purify polluted water. The waterbender suspends the polluted water in the air while the earthbender removes the pollutants.
Water SpinThe Bender creates one or two water whips and spins rapidly sending ice shards out while protecting the bender in a water barrier.