My suggestions

The Big Guy's Suggestion's

Alright so, I wasn't sure if this was a good place to put this or not, but it can be moved if ya'll would prefer it somewhere else. 

Now I have a site that Kiara, Terra, Dachou, Tan-ko, Xira and myself made. It's incomplete but it's full of resources that I think this site can use. I'm going to post up the links to each of the things that I think should be used for this place. 

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1. Bending System

Here is the link for the bending system that I created.

http://avatarnewbeginnings.canadian-forum.com/t5-everything-about-bending

Now this here is quite literally EVERYTHING about Bending, this includes the elements and new elements, training your bending and a fair training system, levels of bending potential, multiple bending rules and instructions on the elements and how they are properly used.
Now I really hope Matt that you can look through this because while it's a lot to read, it's detailed, and I worked hard to make sure it'd be easy to understand for beginner's in RPing and Avatar, yet still stuff to learn for experienced RPer's who have seen the series several times over. 

It's a system I believe that can bring a new but familiar approach to Avatar RPG and to RPer's. 
Please have a look at this at least if all else is dismissed. 

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2. Extra's and Flaws AKA Strengths and Weaknesses

Now the link here is for Character Creation profiles. 

http://avatarnewbeginnings.canadian-forum.com/t2-special-abilites-and-weakness-aka-extra-s-and-flaws

This is a brand new system that introduces what I believe is a fair system for character's that wish to have special strengths. 
For too long have I seen character apps that look like this:

Strengths: Super Strength, Super Speed, heightened sense's, master bender

Weaknesses: Shy, gets angry easily. 

I'm dead serious when I say I've seen character apps like this in the past. What you see up there is completely unfair character that is beyond human abilities and has no weaknesses aside from social issues. That's not to mention the sheer scope of these attributes isn't explained, as in how "Super" is that super strength? For all we know the guy was thinking of Superman's strength (Who can effortlessly move planets) and as for the super speed he could literally be thinking of light speed. I mean how could we know with an app like that right?
Now of course such RPing would be seen and stopped by staff I hope, but the point is that the whole thing is just confusing and doesn't make any sense. That's why I've put up this system as my second suggestion. 

This system is basically a fair way of regulating special abilities. The link explains it but I will give it to you in a nutshell. 
The system is an equalizer. If you have someone that wants to have some powerful strength like super speed, or start off as a master, they will have to create an equally, or at least somewhat similar weakness. 
For example

Strength: Master Bender

Weakness: Overwhelming fear of blood

In other words, it is a way to give everyone a "Kryptonite" to those that believe they can get away with being all powerful and have no weakness to exploit. What this also does is give people that chance to be actually all powerful, but still have it fair to other lower level RPer's that wish to take a shot against the stronger RPer. Another way of putting it, is that this system, gives everyone a fighting chance regardless of power, and the only determining factor is RPing skill. Thus letting people grow and at the same time still become very strong with the hard work.

So please look it over and consider adding it into the Character Creation Template App. Everything about the system and how it's used in an app is in the link above. If there's any confusion about it or questions, just shoot me a message or reply on here. 

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3. Weapons Registration System 

Now this is a more common thing but it's still something worth looking at. 

 http://avatarnewbeginnings.canadian-forum.com/t7-weapons-pets-system

Now the pets system was never finished but the weapons system is where the focus is for this suggestion. 

This weapon system introduces a unique and what could be a fun but fair way of having good, strong weapons. 
This brings a bit more of a technical aspect to weapons, one of the most important things is that it properly regulates weapon strength, size and durability when it comes to the player. Too many times have I seen RPer's slice through strong armor and powerful weapons like butter simply because there app claimed there sword was "Special". 
This system gives a wide variety of strengths for weapons to have so that if someone does manage to cut through a persons custom armor or weapon, it's because the person that did the cutting had a better forged and better quality weapon that was simply stronger because that's how it was designed, not because it was just "Special" or "Infused with power" Although the infused part is something different altogether. 
There are some things in that system itself that could be changed since it was what I would call an early prototype, but I believe it's a very good start to a great system. 

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 3. Character Updates 

Now this is something more simple, but I personally think it's necessary. 

http://avatarnewbeginnings.canadian-forum.com/t9-character-updates-info-templates

So with a training system, I ask you a simple question "How do we know how strong people are getting?" Basically, it's like, what's stopping someone from blowing through training themselves all the way to the max in just one topic? Well while I don't think that in it of itself is a bad thing of they put the work in, I do however think that someone popping out of nowhere with that level of power so suddenly would cause confusion. 

This system I believe can alleviate that confusion. In a nutshell, if someone trains there bending level from Beginner, to Trained, they post it. This way staff can properly keep track of everyone and let everyone go at their own pace while at the same time not trying to get away with any sneaky moves or claiming they have so much power so soon. Whenever someone gets stronger, gets a new weapon or new abilities and the like, they post it up so admins can look it over to make sure the training was legitimate and keep track of it. 

I honestly couldn't tell ya how many people I've seen try to get away with going up all the way to the top level of power after barely posting anything, or just posting long pages of things that wouldn't count as training at all. 

I know member's here so far can be trust worthy but if this site kicks off and gets very populated then this would be a system to consider

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4. Plot Suggestion
 

Now Matt I'm well aware that you want to be the one that creates the plot and once you do I'd like to have a discussion on it, but this is one suggestion that I'd like to make. 

TECHNOLOGY

Blasphemy right? I understand everyone's feelings on technology on Avatar and believe me I'm one of those people, but I'm all about being user friendly, and I think technology is something would make things a lot easier. I will explain why. 

Remember that one episode of Avatar: The Last Air Bender where Sokka was thinking of himself as a useless member of the team because he only had a sword and no special powers? Well while he was in fact a brilliant strategist, great leader, and quick thinker, lets face it, any bender could have those things as well, making him honestly quite useless when compared to a bender. 
The reason why he was useless was because in terms of offense, he had a sword and boomerang. Now don't get me wrong, I do love Sokka's character, and without him the team Avatar wouldn't have made it without him. However when you have an RPG forum it's a little different. 
Who the hell would wanna be a non-bender in an Avatar RPG set in times before technology? They wouldn't be able to do much of anything especially when it comes to battle. Now you can make the argument that non-bender's are useful for many other things, but I'm a believe in fairness in all things, and I think without technology, you will have an unrealistic world filled with bender's and no non-bender's. 

This is one reason why I recommend at least some level of technology, enough so that non-bender's can have tricks up there sleeves as well and be just as deadly in combat as a bender. 
Basically I think that a truly equal Avatar RPG site would have Bending master struggle with tough, strong, crafty and unpredictable non-bender. That to me is a fair Avatar RPG. Where anyone has a chance to do the impossible. It's more realistic in that way since it's the truth. 

NOW

My second reason is much more simple. 

Some level of technology just honestly gives RPG's in general more variety. 
Without any level of tech in the world, you are very limited, and when it comes to plot idea's, and events, you can only turn to four things

"People, Places, Nature, Magic" The magic for this place of course could be the spirit world if you prefer. 

Technology adds a fifth and very versatile option, it's something can be unpredictable and also just make an RPG have more variety in the activities it has when you have technology you can play with. 

Now what I suggest for the level of technology is this. 

Anything either during the Renaissance Era or after, maybe Industrial Revolution. The Renaissance should be the bare minimum to me, it's the early stage of modern technology with intricates, devices, and muskets. It's a good enough tech as a bare minimum to me because it adds lots of room for customization for an RPer. Yet it's still grounded to a level of control as the toughest thing anyone could use would be a cannon or a musket gun. Which to me isn't any different from bending a rock at someone. 

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So Matt these are my suggestions, I do have more but for the time being I think this will do for a start. I hope you take them into consideration and use at least one. I would deeply appreciate to see at least one thing in here be used. Hell after typing all this, in addition to making a whole damn site for these things that was in the end, all for this site, I'd hope that something could be used.  
Post up any questions you might have right here, I'd be more the happy to answer. 

I know it's a long post so thank you for taking the time to read it, I hope it helps.

I think that is a pretty nicely put together system. It is fairly straight forward and easy to understand. This should really be considered.