Semblances and your OC - A Guide

Editors Note: This Guide is Written and Updated up to the End of Volume 1: Episode 16. When Volume 2 comes out this guide WILL NOT BE UPDATED until Volume 2 is over, and by then, a new one will likely be written in this ones place.

What is a Semblance?
Semblances are powers exhibited by Hunters and Huntresses in the world of RWBY, much like Aura. Though while Aura seems to posess a stock set of effects for every person, Semblances are unique and individualized.

It is *officially* unknown if Semblances are tied to Aura, however, there is evidence to suggest they are.

Overusing both Aura, and Semblances have led characters shown in canon to experience fatigue.

Ren vs the King Taijitu showed off the aspects of Aura, and how it acts as a protection from harm. However, he used quite a bit blocking an attack from the snake, and for the rest of initiation he found himself quite a bit more fatigued than the rest of his team.

Weiss vs the Giant Nevermore finale showed her using her Semblance to run not one, but an entire line of Glyph circles up the face of a cliff. Afterwords, you can see her walking, but bent over and clearly exhausted from exerting that much effort into her Semblance.

Due to these two points, it's not hard to suggest that Aura may be tied to Semblance in some way, even partially.

What Semblances do we know about?
From the Canon episodes of RWBY, We have been given very little light on Semblances and what they do. That being said, there are sevral we do for a fact know of.
 * Ruby has the Semblance of Speed, and is capable of moving so fast she can surprise many of the rest of the cast.
 * Weiss has the Semblance of Glyphs, she can create circular glyphs that can act as platforms, hold things in place, and can be used in-conjunction with Dust to create magical-like effects.
 * Pyrrha has the Semblance of Polarity, she can control Magnetism to a degree. Mostly she uses this with her own weapons and shield.
 * Blake has the Semblance of Shadow, when she attacks, or dodges, she is seen making shadow-step like motions to launch in a direction a few feet to either assist in attacking, or dodging attacks. This isn't perfect, as she's been hit out of these steps by skilled opponents. According to the DvD Commentary, her Semblance deals with creating temporary clones. However the actual appearance of the move seems to contradict this.
 * Yangs Semblance has no name, and appears to bathe her in flames and is triggered by her emotional state. A side-effect of this Semblance is her eyes changing color.
 * Jaune has an unnamed, enigmatic Semblance that is said to be protective in nature.

What do these tell us?
From looking at these Semblances, we can come to more than a few ideas as to what's possible. Statistical increases or augments to physical abilities, control over certain natural phenomena, using Glyphs to produce certain magic-esque abilities, and more.

However, more importantly. All these canon Semblances lead us to one critical theme between them all, that is the main key to think of when giving your Original Character a Semblance ability.

And what would that be?
Unity. Each and every Character who's Semblance is known, and trained, doesn't use them alone. Ruby uses her Speed to assist in attacking fluently with Crescent Rose, a larger Scythe than most would find highly useful. Weiss uses her Glyphs in combination with her rapier, and Dust, to produce effects similar to magic. Pyrrha uses Polarity to easily retrieve her spear and shield when she throws them, and Blake uses her Semblance frequently whenever she fights as well, similar to Ruby.

When you think of a Semblance, don't just think of what fits your character, but think about how they can use it alongside their Weapons, Dust, and other skills to create this unity. Don't have a Semblance be something that is used by itself against an opponent, or acts entirely as its own weapon.

Credits

 * This guide was Created by http://rwbyfanon.wikia.com/wiki/User:SelenaZephyr
 * Anybody is free to Copy, Use, Quote, or do whatever you'd like with this guide, so long that the Creator is informed first.