Board Thread:Speculation House/@comment-14138255-20140815002519/@comment-25308133-20140817215243

The Devil's Advocate WP wrote: Pyrrha's conversation with Jaune clearly suggests Aura is used even when a person has not unlocked it. The whole "you ever felt someone was watching you" thing. I also imagine people can unlock it or use it even when they are not trying. A person in mortal peril might activate his or her Aura unconciously. I didn't say it didn't have any effect, just that you didn't get superpowers from it. The whole feeling someone staring at you is something everyone has felt at some point in their lives and is not a superpower. If aura is usable by default, then what's the point of unlocking it at all? Some may be able to unlock it themselves, someone had to be first after all. But the few that can do that are likely very exceptional and have already spent long time on training and discipline. In extreme circumstances one may be able to make use of aura, mother's lifting cars off their children etc, but it can't really be counted on. This is all speculation of course, so unless we get more details it's all up in the air. But lacking evidence to the contrary I'm going to stick to my original opinion: for reliable control or sustained, repeatable superpowers it needs to be unlocked.

By superpowers I don't just mean semblances or dust magic, but even the increased strength, speed and durability that all the major fighters show. As an example: Ruby is at best five foot nothing and can't weigh more then ninety pounds. She shouldn't even be able to lift that weapon of hers, let alone wave it about with such ease.

Once it's unlocked then a person without any training would have a much better chance of unconciously using it to absorb damage or increase strength. This is likely the level Junior's mooks and the basic White Fang soldiers are at, or maybe alittle higher. To access it conciously and for any fancy effects you'd need training. Not necessarily the level of training you'd get at a combat school, but training of some sort.