History Main / ConditionalPowers

[[AliceAndBob Alice]] has a superpower, but she only gets to keep the power as long as she does (or doesn't do) a specific thing.

If the condition is too restrictive this can fall into BlessedWithSuck or become a WeaksauceWeakness.

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!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Anime}}]]

[[AC:{{Comic Books}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:{{Mythology}}]]
* This trope dates back to the notion of the ''{{geas}}'', a boon granted by a supernatural being that bound one to certain rules. [[CelticMythology Cu Chulainn]] was bound by two such laws: one, he could never partake of dog meat, and two, he would always accept hospitality when offered. His downfall came [[LogicBomb when a hag offered him a meal of dog meat,]] forcing him to break his ''geas''.
* A Native American legend features a man who has a "can't be hit by bullets as long as I don't touch metal" power, which was nullified by accidentally touching a ladle.

* Samson in the book of [[Literature/TheBible Judges]] had SuperStrength in exchange for a number of promises to God, including not cutting his hair. When he tells his secret to his lover ([[TooDumbToLive who has already tried to exploit various fake weaknesses]]), Delilah, she betrays him and has him shaved, and he lost his strength.

[[AC:TabletopGames]]

* ''{{Shadowrun}}'' mages often prevent magic loss by accepting something like this being applied to their magic. They can be as simple as needing to chant while casting spells to needing to not eat anything for 24 hours or needing to be in a forest/city/desert/whatever.

* Many classes in DungeonsAndDragons, especially ones that grant powers with a divine power source. Paladins are arguably the most well-known example; if a paladin knowingly performs any act that isn't LawfulGood, his paladin powers are stripped from him until he atones. But the Forsaker probably takes the cake as it requires you to destroy magic items daily to maintain your powers.

[[AC:WebAnimation]]
* In ''HomestarRunner'', Bubs apparently had the ability to fly (or at least hover a few inches off the ground) until Strong Bad got him to say "sbu".

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* Raven from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' can only manifest her most dramatic magical abilities while feeling particularly strong emotions- something she deliberately ''avoids'', as this also leaves her open to PowerIncontinence and/or possession by her SuperpoweredEvilSide.
* Puck from ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' eventually has a geas laid on him that he can only use his magic to teach or protect Xanatos's infant son Alexander. Otherwise, he's just [[spoiler: Owen]].

* Antaeus was the son of Poseidon and Gaea, who remained invincible as long as he was in contact with earth. [[Characters/ClassicalMythology Hercules]] had to hold him off the ground to defeat him.

* Samson in the book of [[TheBible Judges]] had SuperStrength in exchange for a number of promises to God, including not cutting his hair. When he tells his secret to his lover ([[TooDumbToLive who has already tried to exploit various fake weaknesses]]), Delilah, she betrays him and has him shaved, and he lost his strength.

* ''BitterSeeds'' by Ian Tregillis features a team of psychic children. Their powers require electrical batteries wired into their brains. As long as the batteries are charged, they can burninate and phase-shift to their hearts' content. [[OhCrap Once they run out of juice though ...]]

* This trope dates back to the notion of the ''geas'', a boon granted by a supernatural being that bound one to certain rules. [[CelticMythology Cu Chulainn]] was bound by two such laws: one, he could never partake of dog meat, and two, he would always accept hospitality when offered. His downfall came [[LogicBomb when a hag offered him a meal of dog meat,]] forcing him to break his ''geas''.

** They're surprisingly lenient about it compared to other examples of this trope. You get multiple screw ups before there are consequences.

* Many magic schools in ''UnknownArmies'' work this way.

* Many classes in DungeonsAndDragons, especially ones that grant powers with a divine power source. But the Forsaker probably takes the cake as it requires you to destroy magic items daily to maintain your powers.

* ''ElHazard'': the teacher has super-strength so long as he can refrain from drinking. In the anime he gets even ''stronger'' after running out of cigarettes.

* In ''TabletopGame/TheDresdenFiles'' RPG, Items of Power and Sponsored Magic tend to come with restrictions on how and when they can be used. In addition to having the Item of Power in your possession, typically the powers either have to be used in accordance with the item-granter or sponsor's agenda, or the powers will turn off if you try to use them for something diametrically ''opposed'' to that agenda. A holy sword, for example, which is super powered when fighting literal fallen angels, might still work against more mundane nasties (ghouls, vampires, etc.), but will literally drop out of your hand of its own accord if you try to use it for selfish or evil reasons.

* Puck from ''{{Gargoyles}}'' eventually has a geas laid on him that he can only use his magic to teach or protect Xanatos's infant son Alexander. Otherwise, he's just [[spoiler: Owen]].

* Antaeus was the son of Poseidon and Gaea, who remained invincible as long as he was in contact with earth. {{Hercules}} had to hold him off the ground to defeat him.

* A specific with Nen abilities in ''HunterXHunter'' is turning your power into this. By limiting the conditions in which you can use an ability and/or impose penalties for not using them within those conditions, a Nen user can multiply their Nen ability's power several times over.

* ''{{BIONICLE}}'': [[MaskPower Kanohi]] grants the wearer powers as long it is worn.

* Part of the shtick in ''TheWildThornberries'' was that Eliza was given the power to talk to animals--and if she revealed the fact to anyone, she would lose the ability.

[[AC: {{LiveActionTV}}]]
* The eponymous ''{{Alphas}}''. Their powers tend to come from quirks in neurology and thus also come with downsides.

[[AliceAndBob Alice]] has an superpower, but she only gets to keep the power as long as she does (or doesn't do) a specific thing.

* BitterSeeds by Ian Tregillis features a team of psychic children. Their powers require electrical batteries wired into their brains. As long as the batteries are charged, they can burninate and phase-shift to their hearts' content. [[OhCrap Once they run out of juice though ...]]

* BitterSeeds by Ian Tregillis has several psychic children. Their powers require electrical batteries wired into their brains. As long as the batteries are charged, they can burninate and phase-shift to their hearts' content. [[OhCrap Once they run out of juice though ...]]

* Raven from ''Series/TeenTitans'' can only manifest her most dramatic magical abilities while feeling particularly strong emotions- something she deliberately ''avoids'', as this also leaves her open to PowerIncontinence and/or possession by her SuperpoweredEvilSide.

If the condition is too restrictive this can fall into BlessedWithSuck or become a WeaksauceWeakness

* SabrinaTheTeenageWitch: it's not a direct problem for a witch to reveal his/her witchiness to a mortal, but if that mortal tells another mortal, the witch gets depowered.
* Raven from TeenTitans can only manifest her most dramatic magical abilities while feeling particularly strong emotions- something she deliberately ''avoids'', as this also leaves her open to PowerIncontinence and/or possession by her SuperpoweredEvilSide.

* In ''DarkerThanBlack'', [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Contractors]] need to perform a 'remuneration' of varying degrees of seriousness, be it drinking beer, breaking their own fingers, or lining up pebbles.