Magic?

Long forgotten bloodlines generally work well. Thats why they get used. As long as you put your own spin on it no one will care.

Long forgotten bloodlines are usually lame. There's nothing to spin.

No, the character can't just be someone who has gained incredible skills over time and with hard work. That's not cool. Why should I(read: me the reader who is lame in real life) have to work hard to get what I want, instead of having it handed to me on a platter? They have to be the hero because of a lucky break completely unrelated to who they are as a person. Yeah, that's what makes you special. Your great-grandma. Talk about elitism.

Okay, I am exaggerating. There have been perfectly wonderful stories with forgotten bloodlines. Most of them are just excuses for a character to be cool without actually doing anything cool. The reason they get used is not because they work. It is because the idea has been copied by a bunch of people with no originality or work ethic. Like elves.

Despite lack of total originality they are still great reads. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say they are incredibly hard work.

What's hard work?

Any novel is hard work. One worth reading even more so.

Lol, no argument there.

I use magic to enhance my story. Not everyone in the story has magic. It originated as a gift from the gods and it's kind of like eye color. It's genetic. Each spell has a corresponding hand motion and color. Potions is probably one of my favorite things to write about. My cauldrons are glass instead of pewter or anything like that. Only those who posses the magic "gene" can make potions. Others can combine the ingredients, but they won't do anything. They won't be harmful or helpful.