Realistic Powers

This thread is to explain how to use individual powers in a realistic fashion.

Frist you need to explain the power that you're talking about and then state how such a power would be able to work in a realistic setting. By how it works I mean the logical weaknesses that such a power would have, the types of Secondary Powers that it could realistically have and what kind of effect the power would have on the enviroment. Keep in mind that by realistic I mean as close to reality as a story with powers could be.

You can also make suggestions on what power to talk about, but using those suggestions are purely optional.

Electricity powers would not be able to be manipulated with any accuracy except in very rare or modified circumstances. Extreme heat could damage the wielder from where they shoot electricity. In essence without the ability to manipulate the path the electricity would flow through one would essentially be throwing dangerous super heated strings of plasma through the air at random. On the flip side because magnetism and electricity are inter related the person would have to some extent magnetic powers.

Magnetic powers would only work on ferrous materials.

Super healing would generate heat and require energy and materials to repair the damage.

Any power that allows you to move something should cause you to move in an equal and opposite direction, and the energy used to move it has to come from somewhere.

If you can lift something you also need the ground to be able to support the pressure exerted on in.

Jumping is an equal and opposite reaction that requires the ground to be able to sustain the force to leave no collateral damage.

It would have been more precise on my part to say force, but oh well.

Telekinesis and such have problems with explaining that, as well as where the energy is coming from. And how it's being used to move things.

Something like Super-Strength can be more easily explained, depending on what type it would be.

Increasing the number of fast-twitch muscle fibers in someone would enable them to exert a great deal of force in a short burst.

Of course, the price of this would be low-sustainability, because unless you add more muscle mass, then there will still be less slow-twitch muscle fibers. Those are the ones that are used in more long-term things.

Basically, you someone who could win a dash but not a marathon.

Could still shatter your ribs with a kick, though.

In order to keep themselves from cracking their own bones, they'd need them to be reinforced somehow. Perhaps more active osteoclasts and osteoblasts. They'd need to increase their intake of calcium and get some vitamin D..

If they're to be punching things and whacking around, thicker skin will keep them from getting bruised or bloody.

And a more efficient respiratory and circulatory system while we're at it..

Anything else I'm forgetting while we're redesigning the human body?

I guess we could remove the endoskeleton and replace it with an exoskeleton. Depending on thickness the skeleton could possibly low caliber resistant, would offer protection, and hold in moisture.

Unfortunately it would be harder to regulate temperature, the armor would also slow the subject down. Healing would take much longer.

edited 18th Mar '13 1:52:42 PM by Philosopher

Wouldn't that depend on the object and on how hard you push? Throwing a ball through the air doesn't cause you to fly backwards through the air, because the force you exert on the ball isn't enough to move you. Jumping, on the other hand, directs enough force downwards to propel you off the ground.

Think about this for a second. Imagine you're on a smooth concrete floor in socks. It's slippery, but not so slippery that you can't move around. In front of you are two large pillars. One is solid and made of steel, the other is hollow and made of cardboard. You walk up to the cardboard pillar with your feet an inch away from it. You use your arms to push on it. Despite its height, the pillar falls over and you stay in pretty much the same position.

Now you try the same with the steel pillar. You push with all your strength, but instead of knocking the pillar over, you find your sock feet sliding away from the pillar.

The point is, whatever form of energy you use to move objects without touching them, there's a limit on what you can do. Basically, you can't exert more force than you're capable of resisting without being affected. For example, lots of people can fire an average handgun without the recoil knocking them over backwards, even if they're a scrawny little lightweight. That doesn't mean the same scrawny little lightweight can fire a large hunting rifle or a bazooka.

So, pushing on an object with "mental energy" (or whatever phlebotinum your setting uses) exerts a force on that object, and an equal, opposite force is exerted on you. Whether that force moves you or not depends on how much force there is and on the particulars of the situation. Where you are and how you exert that force will also affect your movement - a gentle push causing you to slide away or an explosive blast sending you flying through the air.

I understand and amended my statement soon after making it.