hey! I'm currently working on my oc team, and I was wondering what makes a good/balanced team (sensei included)! should each teammate have a different fighting range (short, mid, long) and should they each focus on one type of jutsu? thanks so much!
Hi, good question.
I think there are different combinations for different teams. Similar to what you are suggesting, I think there are three different types of Genin team usually:
1) Specialism focussed
An example of this is Team Kurenai, where the genin are paired up specifically to make a good tracking team - with Shino’s kikaichuu, Hinata’s byakugan and Kiba’s/Akamaru’s sense of smell, they can track anyone anywhere.
Other specialisations might be infiltration (so genin who show talent with impersonations, disguises, interrogation, adaptive planning etc), or assassination (talents include sniping, poisonings, quick speed, ability to pass by unnoticed etc), or hard hitters (focusses include taijutsu, distractions, tanking etc).
2) Balanced
This is one you were suggesting, where the talents are varied and fit to each other. Team Gai would be a good example - Lee gets in close with taijutsu, Tenten covers from afar with her weapons barrages, and Neji is a good defender with his 64-palm techniques and 360-byakugan vision.
Team Kakashi would be a good example too. Sakura is the tank in this case, but also doubles as medical backup. Sai provides the long range backup with his ink techniques, and Naruto is a mid range attacker who can confuse and fight the enemy with his army of clones.
3) Tradition
This one’s almost a subcategory of balanced. These teams were established as good pairings years ago and have passed the arrangement down through the generations. Like InoShikaChou - they found that their techniques compliment each other, despite both Nara and Yamanaka being long range techniques, and the Akimichi techniques only working so well until they backfire on the user, leaving the other two unprotected.
Gaara’s team/Sand Siblings would also be an example of this. While it wasn’t passed down, the team isn’t based on how well they work together, but that they’re the Kazekage’s children. Technically all three are long range fighters.
Hope that makes some sort of sense, and helps somewhat.
-Mod Ida