SANJIESAN LORE / Conflict design
Make a villain’s advantage use the established rule
An antagonist does not need a separate universe of rules to be dangerous. Sanderson’s FAQ treats his magic-writing guidelines as personal choices that can also inform villains. For an original exercise, hold one fictional rule steady and change the resources each side brings to the same situation.
State what both sides must do
Imagine that opening a fictional archive requires two prepared tokens to be present together. Both protagonist and antagonist must satisfy that requirement. Do not quietly allow the antagonist to open it alone because the scene needs an impressive entrance. Instead, decide who holds each token, who can move it and how the characters know the requirement. A shared condition makes the later strategic difference visible.
Give the advantage a chain of preparation
The antagonist might have arranged an earlier delivery, persuaded a custodian or learned the collection schedule. Choose one path and write the two actions that made it possible. This is not an invitation to describe every scheme in advance. It is a way for the author to avoid explaining success with an undefined superior version of the same power. Make the advantage interruptible: a delayed package or changed decision should matter.
Offer a response that is not a larger power
Give the protagonist one opportunity to notice or change that preparation. They might ask why a token moved, protect a messenger or persuade the second custodian to wait. If the only possible response is an unprecedented ability, reconsider whether the conflict actually uses the established rule. The resulting scene can remain unequal and frightening while allowing characters to make meaningful choices within a world readers already understand.