Why don't people utilize the Rinnegan to its fullest?


### This question contains spoilers for anime viewers and early manga readers.

We've seen Nagato use his Rinnegan to the fullest, using the Rikudo technique
(to control 6 bodies)

> As well as by fighting alone, as a reincarnated zombie.

He utilized all 6 paths of the Rinnegan.

* * *

> So why don't Obito and Madara? Madara only used the Preta Path, to absorb
> incoming ninjutsu. Obito only _tried_ to use the Human Path, to try and kill
> Naruto.

Why don't they use any other realms? Their Rinnegan is supposedly perfect. I
can't imagine they're holding back on purpose, the Rinnegan has some pretty
scary abilities.




We can be fairly certain Madara is just too strong without using the Rinnegan
_at all_. Although Madara's strength has never been explicitly discussed, we
can infer it indirectly through other plot points. Madara fought on par with
the Senju Hashirama, who used to have the 9 bijuu as his "pets". Other badass
characters have had a lot of trouble dealing with just one.

> It is heavily implied that the battle happened _before_ Madara activated his
> Rinnegan. During the fourth ninja world war, Madara effortlessly mopped the
> floor with the five Kages. If Madara did use the Rinnegan, Kishimoto-sensei
> may have chosen to skip it to retain suspense over its powers.  
>  
>  Obito has only implanted the Rinnegan (and not "earned" it, like Madara).
> Maybe overusing Rinnegan drains his chakra rapidly (just like overusing
> Sharingan does to Kakashi), and hence he chose to not use it fully.
> Alternately, Kishimoto-sensei wants to save it for the climax.

Nagato being able to use it could be because:

> Being from the Uzumaki clan, he naturally has a huge amount of chakra.
> Madara likely chose him to receive the Rinnegan for that reason. Madara's
> plan involved getting himself revived through Rinne Tensei. He had to pick
> someone who could reliably use the Outer Path without passing out.

Another key difference between the three:

> Nagato received his Rinnegan when he was a child, and must have learnt to
> use the full powers of Rinnegan through years of practice. Madara awakened
> the Rinnegan shortly before he died, and Obito has had it for only a few
> weeks at most.




We can be fairly certain Madara is just too strong without using the Rinnegan
_at all_. Although Madara's strength has never been explicitly discussed, we
can infer it indirectly through other plot points. Madara fought on par with
the Senju Hashirama, who used to have the 9 bijuu as his "pets". Other badass
characters have had a lot of trouble dealing with just one.

> It is heavily implied that the battle happened _before_ Madara activated his
> Rinnegan. During the fourth ninja world war, Madara effortlessly mopped the
> floor with the five Kages. If Madara did use the Rinnegan, Kishimoto-sensei
> may have chosen to skip it to retain suspense over its powers.  
>  
>  Obito has only implanted the Rinnegan (and not "earned" it, like Madara).
> Maybe overusing Rinnegan drains his chakra rapidly (just like overusing
> Sharingan does to Kakashi), and hence he chose to not use it fully.
> Alternately, Kishimoto-sensei wants to save it for the climax.

Nagato being able to use it could be because:

> Being from the Uzumaki clan, he naturally has a huge amount of chakra.
> Madara likely chose him to receive the Rinnegan for that reason. Madara's
> plan involved getting himself revived through Rinne Tensei. He had to pick
> someone who could reliably use the Outer Path without passing out.

Another key difference between the three:

> Nagato received his Rinnegan when he was a child, and must have learnt to
> use the full powers of Rinnegan through years of practice. Madara awakened
> the Rinnegan shortly before he died, and Obito has had it for only a few
> weeks at most.

