History Main / CastFromHitPoints

The cost of the life energy thus expended will vary. In extreme cases, a spell cast from HP may cost the caster their life, resulting in a HeroicSacrifice; this is often done for the purpose of TakingYouWithMe. When done by multiple casters at once, this qualifies as a SpiritBomb. Lesser versions may result in [[CastFromLifespan a decreased lifespan]], which is typically given in round numbers such as years. Whether this is cut from physical longevity or some kind of cosmic clock depends on the series. At its mildest, casting from HP leads to immediate physical effects such as fatigue or a PsychicNosebleed. Casting from hitpoints in a way that causes irreversible/cumulative damage to the caster is PowerDegeneration, and fueling a SuperMode from hitpoints is a HeroicRROD.

The cost of the life energy thus expended will vary. In extreme cases, a spell cast from HP may cost the caster their life, resulting in a HeroicSacrifice; this is often done for the purpose of TakingYouWithMe. When done by multiple casters at once, this qualifies as a SpiritBomb. Lesser versions may result in [[{{CastFromLifespan}} a decreased lifespan]], which is typically given in round numbers such as years. Whether this is cut from physical longevity or some kind of cosmic clock depends on the series. At its mildest, casting from HP leads to immediate physical effects such as fatigue or a PsychicNosebleed. Casting from hitpoints in a way that causes irreversible/cumulative damage to the caster, especially in order to fuel a SuperMode, is either PowerDegeneration or a HeroicRROD.

The cost of the life energy thus expended will vary. In extreme cases, a spell cast from HP may cost the caster their life, resulting in a HeroicSacrifice; this is often done for the purpose of TakingYouWithMe. When done by multiple casters at once, this qualifies as a SpiritBomb. Lesser versions may result in [[{{CastFromLifespan}} a decreased lifespan]], which is typically given in round numbers such as years. Whether this is cut from physical longevity or some kind of cosmic clock depends on the series. At its mildest, casting from HP leads to immediate physical effects such as fatigue or a PsychicNosebleed. Casting from hitpoints in a way that causes irreversible/cumulative damage to the caster, especially in order to fuel a SuperMode, is a HeroicRROD or PowerDegeneration.

The cost of the life energy thus expended will vary. In extreme cases, a spell cast from HP may cost the caster their life, resulting in a HeroicSacrifice; this is often done for the purpose of TakingYouWithMe. When done by multiple casters at once, this qualifies as a SpiritBomb. Lesser versions may result in [[{{CastFromLifespan}} a decreased lifespan]], which is typically given in round numbers such as years. Whether this is cut from physical longevity or some kind of cosmic clock depends on the series. At its mildest, casting from HP leads to immediate physical effects such as fatigue or a PsychicNosebleed. Casting from hitpoints in a way that causes irreversible/cumulative damage to the caster, especially in order to fuel a SuperMode, is a HeroicRROD.

The cost of the life energy thus expended will vary. In extreme cases, a spell cast from HP may cost the caster their life, resulting in a HeroicSacrifice; this is often done for the purpose of TakingYouWithMe. When done by multiple casters at once, this qualifies as a SpiritBomb. Lesser versions may result in [[{{CastFromLifespan}} a decreased lifespan]], which is typically given in round numbers such as years. Whether this is cut from physical longevity or some kind of cosmic clock depends on the series. At its mildest, casting from HP leads to immediate physical effects such as fatigue or a PsychicNosebleed.

* Warlocks in ''WorldOfWarcraft'' are able to convert health into MP on demand. Coupled with a number of abilities that drain health from the enemy and give it to the player, this makes warlocks surprisingly self-sufficient.

* In the third Star Wars Movie, Revenge of the Sith, the Supreme Chancellor struggles against Mace Windu (and {{Samuel L Jackson}}'s general badassery) and the only way to over come Windu is through the prolonged use of Force Lightning (and pushing and whatnot) that exhaust him to the point where his face begins to age rapidly making him look at lest fifteen years older in mere moments.

** 3E ''Fiendish Codex II'' offers the {{Hellfire}} Warlock, which upgrades the warlock's standard attack from "kinda okay" to "nuclear inferno" at the cost of 1 Constitution drain per shot. Since Constitution affects both current and maximum HP, it's generally a good idea to have someone on standby with a restoration spell or a cheep wand of lesser restoration with the spell provided by a Paladin (it is even suggested in the fluff).

* In the ''DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Epic Level Handbook,'' several extremely powerful spells, such as Hellball and Let Go of Me, work this way. The greatest example of this, however, is Vengeful Gaze of God, which deals 305d6 damage to an opponent while dealing 200d6 damage to the caster, who suffers from bleeding eyes and convulsing skin and, most of the time, dies. This spell will almost always kill anyone and anything it is used against, excluding the most powerful of monsters, who simply ''might'' be killed by it.
** Another D&D supplement offers the Hellfire Warlock, which upgrades the warlock's standard attack from "kinda okay" to "nuclear inferno" at the cost of 1 Constitution drain per shot. Since Constitution affects both current and maximum HP, it's generally a good idea to have someone on standby with a restoration spell or a cheep wand of lesser restoration with the spell provided by a Paladin (it is even suggested in the fluff).

** The psionicist class has traditionally used a spell-point-type system even when the actual spellcasters use VancianMagic. Since an ability like CastFromHitPoints fits in so much better with a spell-point system, the 2nd edition had "Cannibalize" power that allowed mid-level psionicists to get extra power points from damaging Constitution.
** The Blood Mage Prestige Class requires that you have had a near-death experience, and afterwards, you can replace physical components in your spells with drops of your own blood (read: points of Constitution.)
** ''ForgottenRealms'' has some formidable spells involving sacrifice of the caster's hit points, either permanent and/or normal damage or the loss incurable as long as the spell is active. This includes several spells from ''Secrets of the Magister''. May be a legacy of Elven [[TheDarkArts blood magic]].
** ''{{Spelljammer}}'' spell "Create Atmosphere" involves permanent hit point sacrifice from the caster.

* The Caster's [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique three most powerful shells]] in ''OutlawStar'', #4, #9 and #13, work at the cost of the user's life force. Firing two will leave the user winded, and a third will bring them near death. [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean "Just like, you know..."]] [[spoiler:Gene fires four in a short period of time.]]

* MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha gives one of these to Nanoha in the third season. It's called the Blaster System and it boosts Nanoha's power and gives her a set of AttackDrones that can cast her spells independently of her, for a potential boost of better than ''4x'' her already monstrous power level. The cost of this is placing an immense strain on Nanoha's body and dealing physical damage to herself and to [[EmpathicWeapon Raising Heart]]; when she used Blaster 3 in the climax of the third season, she lost 8% of her total magical power and had to spend the next few years on enforced vacation to recover it.

-->-- [[spoiler:'''Tellah''': (prior to casting Meteor on Golbez)]] FinalFantasyIV

* For the most part, whenever a card effect in the ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'' card game requires a cost to activate, it's generally one of two things: a discard from your hand or deck and/or a payment of life points. Considering that the loss of either resource in their entirety means game over for you, this is very much a CastFromHitPoints scenario.
** The third is typically the sacrifice of a monster, which also fits, even if it's not ''your'' hit points you're using.
** The Lightsworn-archetype Deck uses the first type, as several of the monsters and spell/trap cards discard two to three cards from the top of your deck after activation or at the end of every turn. The recently added Psychic-type monsters normally drain Life Points to use their effects, but there are also a few that give some back.

* It didn't affect him physically during his own show, but WordOfGod says that spending a century as a HumanPopsicle burnt up a lot of [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Aang's]] extra Avatar time. As a result, he died fairly young by the standards of his world, paving the way for [[AvatarTheLegendOfKorra Korra]].

* While we're talking about [[TabletopGames tabletop [=RPGs=]]], the previous edition (using the Revised Core Rulebook) of the ''StarWars'' RPG rules generally had Force powers cost vitality (the system's version of Hit Points) to activate. If you didn't have enough vitality, you could even use wound points (representing real and dangerous--even potentially fatal--damage) to make up the difference. The only thing stopping characters from 'casting to death' is the fact that no Force power had a vitality cost so high that the damage could push a character far enough into the negatives to result in death.

* {{One Piece}} Has Luffy's Gear Second where he forces his blood to move through his body faster giving him a sort of hyper (even for him) metabolism effect. The plus side is that his body can operate at a much higher level in terms of speed and power, the downside is it consumes the nutrients stored in his body quickly and it is said using it for extended periods of time shaves away at his life span. [[InformedFlaw Not that Luffy has actually shown any sign of this so far.]]
* {{Naruto}} includes at least three examples of this. One where Tsunade uses an ability that heals all of her injuries instantly, at the cost of advanced aging, and another two in Shippuuden. Chiyo has a "reincarnation jutsu" which allows her to bring back the dead--at the cost of her own life, this one is actually powered by life energy, rather then chakra. [[spoiler:Nagato, AKA Pain]] has what is basically a mass version of that ability though it still only costs his own life. Naruto gains more "tails" the more he draws on Kyuubi's power, and using the power of three or more tails reduces his own lifespan among other even less pleasant side effects..
** Actually, in the case of [[spoiler:Pain's Gedo Rinne Tensei technique, which can steal and release souls]], it's hinted at that it doesn't cost him his life to use it. In this instance his chakra levels were simply so depleted from his fight with [[spoiler:Naruto]] that the resulting effort [[HeroicSacrifice caused his death]].
*** And he wasn't doing so well before that, either.
*** If you're referring to the skinny thing, that seems to have occured [[spoiler:because he was synced with Gedo Mazu (the giant Bijuu-sealing statue thing), since he basically instantly became like that after he summoned in in the flashback).]]
*** So it makes him straighter example of the trope descriprions - his techniques normally work on chakra, but when overused/low on chakra start eating at his life.

* In {{Wheel of Time}}, channeling on too much of the One Power can result in fatigue, losing the ability to channel, or, in some cases, death.

*** Correction: While it may not harm the caster, the havoc it wrecks on the wildlife promotes copious quantities of wangst on the part of the caster, which become progressively more painfully irritating to read. Effectively, this means that the protagonist can Cast From ''The Reader's'' Hit Points.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lizard_blood-squirting-clip.jpg
[[caption-width:150:[[EyeBeams *squirt*]]]]

->"Let my life fuel the spell that will end yours"

* WildArms4 and WildArms5 both have a move simply titled "Sacrifice" which uses a little MP, which brings self down to 1 HP, but deals damage proportional to it. Since all HP returns to max after battle, this can become a GameBreaker for random encounters.
** Sacrifice returned in WildArmsXF, attached to the main character's class. Her armor also came with the natrual ability to put her to half HP instead of 1 HP.

* In ''[[MegaManBattleNetwork Mega Man Battle Network]]'' 4 and 5, the use of a Dark Chip will allow MegaMan to perform a very powerful attack, at the cost of losing 1 hitpoint permanently for each battle he uses a Dark Chip in.