# Unique Ability of Delay

**URL:** <https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958>\
**Category:** Writing\
**Created:** [April 13, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958 "2017-04-13T17:12:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mike.d](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mike.d/32/1302_2.png) [@mike.d](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/mike.d)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2017, 5:12pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958/1 "2017-04-13T17:12:38Z")

</div>

My MC Throughline had a Unique Ability of Delay and a Critical Flaw of Dream. I’m struggling to understand how Delay can be a Unique Ability that helps the MC solve the OS Problem. Does the delay refer to the MC delaying, or that he causes a delay in external circumstances (bad example: delaying the antagonist from getting their hands on the nuclear code which prevents them from blowing up the world.) Curious if anyone had any thoughts on this. Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobRaskoph](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/bobraskoph/32/75_2.png) [@bobRaskoph](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/bobRaskoph)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 12:06pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958/2 "2017-04-14T12:06:33Z")

</div>

Not exactly the same, but [this thread](http://discuss.dramatica.com/t/catalyst-inhibitor-delay-and-dream/536/6) talks about delay/dream as catalyst/inhibitor.

Unique Ability is “the item that makes the Main Character uniquely able to determine the Overall Story’s outcome” so your second example would be more fitting than the first.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jhull](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/jhull/32/3_2.png) [@jhull](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/jhull)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958/3 "2017-04-14T17:30:13Z")

</div>

Sometimes procrastinating is the best approach to solving a problem–puts people on hold until resources are available to attack that problem.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Greg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Greg](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/Greg)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958/4 "2017-04-14T21:06:33Z")

</div>

If you have a hostage situation with a gunman ready to open fire, I imagine a negotiator with a unique ability of delay would be useful in achieving a goal of getting everyone out alive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MWollaeger](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex010/user_avatar/discuss.dramatica.com/mwollaeger/32/82_2.png) [@MWollaeger](https://discuss.dramatica.com/u/MWollaeger)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://discuss.dramatica.com/t/unique-ability-of-delay/958/5 "2017-04-15T00:48:19Z")

</div>

@mike.d, it’s both of those things. It could also be that his delayed onset of puberty gives him a different perspective on life that proves crucial. It’s pretty open-ended.