History Main / InstantDeathRadius

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

** Shortly after Baraggan's InstantDeathRadius is dealt with, [[BigBad Sōsuke Aizen]] evolves into a form that's so awash with spiritual pressure that anyone without spiritual awareness just flat out ''disintegrates'' if he gets too close to them, in addition to being a OneManArmy beyond that. This presents a serious problem for [[ActionSurvivor Ichigo's spiritually aware but non-powered friends]], who are forced to either RunOrDie from him and Gin until Rangiku and later Ichigo arrive to deal with them.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure:'' Even discounting their actual abilities, stands with low range but high power shouldn't be approached without a plan, as it's likely to end with you obliterated under a massive barrage of RapidFireFisticuffs (or, as in the case of King Crimson, a single MegatonPunch). Factor in Stand abilities, which can get quite bizarre and sometimes overpowered but can only be applied under certain strict conditions, and the end result is that approaching some Stand Users without knowing what they can do is often tantamount to suicide. That said, it's usually the heroes who have powerful, short-ranged Stands, meaning that they usually face the opposite problem of getting through the enemy's barrage of supernatural weirdness and deploying their own InstantDeathRadius.

** Hilariously, one of the most ridiculously awful 'Mechs in the game, the Urbanmech, has a variant called [=the UM-R60(L)=], which removes its primary weapon (the powerful, but not overly so AC/10) and replaces it with an AC/20. While it doesn't carry a lot of ammunition, the end result is a 30 ton 'Mech, one of the lightest and definitely the slowest in the game, being capable of destroying an Assault 'Mech (weighing between 80-100 tons) in a surprise attack if it gets lucky. And gets in range fast enough, since the Urbanmech is very, ''very'' slow. While the Urbanmech is mostly considered a joke 'Mech, it is a foolish [=MechWarrior=] that doesn't treat it as a threat.

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* The picture above is from a ''Webcomic/VGCats'' strip about ''Dungeon Crawlers''.
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* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen2001'': One early issue involved a young mutant with a ''literal'' Instant Death Radius -- quite a wide one, too -- that he [[PowerIncontinence couldn't turn off]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople no matter how much he wanted to]]. Only {{ComicBook/Wolverine}} could survive in close proximity to him due to his HealingFactor rebuilding his cells faster than the mutant's aura could break them down. Wolvie [[PetTheDog commiserates with the kid]] on his lousy lot in life and offers him his first drink [[spoiler:before [[ShootTheDog offing]] [[MercyKill him]] for the safety of those around him]]. The same plot happened before in a four part Wolverine and ComicBook/ThePunisher crossover. A situation where a young mutant had a death radius that couldn't be turned off [[spoiler: and was reluctantly killed by Wolverine before more people died]]. The difference being that it was a Morlock girl instead of a boy, and she was trying to head to the surface from the chamber she was sealed in underground to contain her powers.

* ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'': One early issue involved a young mutant with a ''literal'' Instant Death Radius -- quite a wide one, too -- that he [[PowerIncontinence couldn't turn off]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople no matter how much he wanted to]]. Only {{ComicBook/Wolverine}} could survive in close proximity to him due to his HealingFactor rebuilding his cells faster than the mutant's aura could break them down. Wolvie [[PetTheDog commiserates with the kid]] on his lousy lot in life and offers him his first drink [[spoiler:before [[ShootTheDog offing]] [[MercyKill him]] for the safety of those around him]]. The same plot happened before in a four part Wolverine and ComicBook/ThePunisher crossover. A situation where a young mutant had a death radius that couldn't be turned off [[spoiler: and was reluctantly killed by Wolverine before more people died]]. The difference being that it was a Morlock girl instead of a boy, and she was trying to head to the surface from the chamber she was sealed in underground to contain her powers.

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** While many monsters can floor you with a hit or two in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', boss-level Monk monsters can use Hundred Fists, an ability that allows non-stop, no-delay attacks that pretty much insta-kill anyone that has hate. Normally only [[StoneWall Paladins]] have a chance to not die, provided that they have the Sentinel ability at the ready, or Invincible if Sentinel is still on a timer... [[TooAwesomeToUse that is, if said Paladin actually uses Invincible!]] Thieves could also survive with Perfect Dodge, but a Thief rarely tanks outside of soloing, if ever, so you might not see it as much.

** This is subverted in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' against Titan. After a quarter of his HP is gone, he starts a massive AOE attack. You get to see the radius where this affects and you'll notice it doesn't cover the entire arena. This is the gotcha: you're not supposed to stand outside the radius. If you do, you'll fall to your death as that part of the arena crumbles. However, you still have to stay as far away from Titan as you can since [[SplashDamage the attack does more damage the closer you are to him]].
*** At the same time Titan (especially Extreme Mode) played it straight. By making (near)instant death areas around the players. To elaborate: one of his attacks created a circle around several players (increasing in number as his health lowered) which in short order explode for massive damage. Most players -could- survive one such explosion, but with all the other non-avoidable [=AoE=] damage going on it was still pretty much death (or at the very least would seriously piss of your healers if you got hit). The problem came from the tiny battle area, so to avoid totally filling it with explosions the only viable strategy was to stack all players together and move as a group to avoid each sequentially programmed attack. This condensed all the explosions into one place which WAS instant death for anyone who hesitated even half a second in running when the circles appeared[[note]]Usually "blamed" on "lag"[[/note]] (and god help you if anyone targeted started running EARLY).

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': One of [[MagicAIsMagicA the established rules of magic]] is that, within a certain radius called the "one-step, one-spell distance",[[note]]approximately two paces, but it's not a fixed distance: in fact several advanced sword techniques rely on distorting it[[/note]] no mage can speak a MagicIncantation faster than an attacker can strike with a weapon, which was [[AccidentalDiscovery discovered by accident]] when a prominent archmage was killed in a fair duel by a {{Muggle}} swordsman. The eponymous "spellblades" are {{Unblockable Attack}}s that are executed within this range, guaranteeing the wielder's victory... that is, unless the opponent is ''also'' the wielder of a spellblade, in which case what happens next is anyone's guess.

* ''Literature/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': the titular spellblades are secret techniques that are instant kills within "one step, one spell" distance from an opponent.

** [[DropShip DropShips]], when landed on the surface of a planet, are effectively enormous battle fortresses, typically carry upwards of a dozen long ranged weapons like [[MacrossMissileMassacre LRM-20]]s and the aforementioned Gauss Rifles and [=PPCs=]. Because of their sheer firepower and the ability to almost instantly destroy anything that gets near them, commanders usually try to avoid directly attacking one. The dropships are often essentially boss battles in the videogame adaptation, ''Videogame/MechWarrior'' The reason for this is actually because a grounded dropship is a huge SittingDuck and they don't have all that much armor relative to their size, so packing [[GlassCannon overwhelming firepower]] is their only real defense.

** The page image is of the Bed of Chaos, infamous for combining this trope along with others to make her boss battle not a challenge, but an ordeal. Firstly, her long arms can sweep most of the arena, giving few spaces to hide. Second, getting inside her Instant Death Radius prompts her to use slam attacks which turn most of that radius into a BottomlessPit. Relatedly, if the arm sweeps don't kill you, they have a tendency to drag you into the pits. Thirdly, she's unlike other bosses in the game by being a PuzzleBoss, completely invulnerable to attack unless you destroy two chaos bugs creating the forcefielf protecting her. Many players, even those knowing strategies to beat her, describe beating her as completely up to the RandomNumberGod.

* ''Videogame/PokemonUnite:'' Buzzswole is particular in that he has zero ranged options, low range even for a men's melee Pokemon and only one gap closer in his slow-charging ultimate attack. However, anything he lays so much as a finger on that's not a tank will be beaten into thin paste in a matter of moments thanks to his powerful comboing moves and generally brutal damage. It's not unheard of for him to crater half the enemy team all by himself if they unwisely walk into melee range.

* ''Videogame/{{Ultrakill}}:'' Downplayed in that it won't ''directly'' kill you, but in a game where getting right in your enemy's face to [[BloodSplatteredWarrior catch their blood splatter]] and [[HealItWithBlood heal from it]], Guttertanks stand out as an enemy that will actively prevent this. Trying to get into a Guttertank's business, shotgun in hand, will just end in a lightning-fast MegatonPunch to the face that ''will'' launch you into the ceiling if there's any, and just send you clear out of the arena otherwise. The attack ''does'' have a lengthy wind-down and a parry window if it misses, but ''only'' if it misses, so you have to either bait the punch out or just never get close; slugging it out isn't an option.

* ''Videogame/{{Ultrakill}}:'' Downplayed in that it won't ''directly'' kill you, but in a game where getting right in your enemy's face to [[BloodSpatteredWarrior catch their blood splatter]] and [[HealItWithBlood heal from it]], Guttertanks stand out as an enemy that will actively prevent this. Trying to get into a Guttertank's business, shotgun in hand, will just end in a lightning-fast MegatonPunch to the face that ''will'' launch you into the ceiling if there's any, and just send you clear out of the arena otherwise. The attack ''does'' have a lengthy wind-down and a parry window if it misses, but ''only'' if it misses, so you have to either bait the punch out or just never get close; slugging it out isn't an option.

%% Image removed per Image Pickin thread:https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16982729740.65223500
%% Please see thread to discuss a replacement.

* Lucy and all other [[PersonofMassDestruction Diclonii]] from ''Manga/ElfenLied'' can manifest telekinetic "vectors" that are capable of tearing apart any human within their range. Normally, a Diclonius' vectors only have a range of a few meters, but particularly powerful Diclonii can extend this range.
* In ''Manga/FairyTail'' this comes as part and parcel for anyone that has [[JerkassGod Ankhselam's]] [[FateWorseThanDeath Curse]]. Basically it's a situational instant death radius that, ordinarily, only activates when a certain condition is met and is typically not active otherwise. The only problem is that the condition that activates the curse is when said cursed one cherishes the value of life, and so long as that person even ''slightly'' cares about anyone, they run the risk of the curse randomly going off and killing ''everything'' in the immediate area. This means that in order to prevent the unintentional deaths of those the cursed one holds dear, they pretty much have to either become a stone cold [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who has no concept of life having value, or live in [[TheAloner self-imposed exile]] away from ''everyone'' lest the curse activate and murder scores of people. This aspect, along with CompleteImmortality and a ''severe'' case of MindRape, are designed to ensure that no one with the curse can ever find happiness, and is the primary reason why [[BigBad Zeref's]] life sucks so much.
* From ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', we have [[MasterSwordsman Wrath.]] Thanks to his ImplausibleFencingPowers, CharlesAtlasSuperpower and CombatClairvoyance, he only needs a single sword to take on an entire company of soldiers, maybe a grenade to take on the occasional tank or two. It took a double SuicideAttack just to finally wound him, and even in his weakened, crippled state, no one dared to take on his challenge. Although finally the BadassPreacher took it, and duked it out to the bitter end.

* Haruka Kotoura from ''Manga/KotouraSan'' gives a [[{{Telepathy}} telepathic version]]: [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/K-s-1-1_8156.jpg It's the first thing viewers see]].

* Ramiel, the fifth Angel from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', has an {{Always Accurate|Attack}} laser powerful enough to melt through an Eva's armor in seconds (and even with a shield, it doesn't take much longer) and can possibly fire it indefinitely (and surprise attacks from underground don't work either, as it detected Unit-01 long before it surfaced.) Needless to say, it effortlessly wipes out anything and everything in range, and the only option is to fire at it with a giant sniper rifle from outside its Instant Death Radius. Ramiel then reveals it ''can'' attack outside that radius... but its accuracy isn't perfect at that range.
* From ''Manga/OnePiece'':

* [[WorldsStrongestMan Thorkell "The Tall"]] from ''Manga/VinlandSaga'' is presented as all but having this. Articles claim that Thorkell is ''230 centimeters'' tall (slightly over 7 and a half feet) and [[DualWielding dual-wields]] [[OneHandedZweihander pole axes]] in battle, complete with [[LightningBruiser all the speed, skill and coordination]] you ''wouldn't'' expect from someone as big and muscular as he is. (His speed and strength is even more surprising when you consider that, although [[OlderThanTheyLook he certainly doesn't look it]], Thorkell is about 50 years old when main character Thorfinn first encounters him, and that for anyone else those axes would be awkwardly large and slow weapons.) Fights involving Thorkell and any opponent without PlotArmor usually start and end with Thorkell swinging those axes of his with blinding speed, and thanks to both Thorkell's enormous reach and the length of the axes, [[https://i.imgur.com/lSBFidR.mp4 his opponents start losing limbs or getting cut in half]] long before they get close enough to reach him with their own weapons.
* Black Trigger Organon from ''Manga/WorldTrigger'' creates circular blades that surrounding the user. The blades cover a wide area and can down a few buildings in one go.

* One early issue of ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'' involved a young mutant with a ''literal'' Instant Death Radius -- quite a wide one, too -- that he [[PowerIncontinence couldn't turn off]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople no matter how much he wanted to]]. Only {{ComicBook/Wolverine}} could survive in close proximity to him due to his HealingFactor rebuilding his cells faster than the mutant's aura could break them down. Wolvie [[PetTheDog commiserates with the kid]] on his lousy lot in life and offers him his first drink [[spoiler: before [[ShootTheDog offing]] [[MercyKill him]] for the safety of those around him.]] The same plot happened before in a four part Wolverine and ComicBook/ThePunisher crossover. A situation where a young mutant had a death radius that couldn't be turned off [[spoiler: and was reluctantly killed by Wolverine before more people died]]. The difference being that it was a Morlock girl instead of a boy, and she was trying to head to the surface from the chamber she was sealed in underground to contain her powers.

-->-- '''Leo''', ''Webcomic/VGCats'' 184 (see picture)

[[quoteright:268:[[Webcomic/VGCats https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/RapeRadius.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:268:''Too close!'']]

* In the multiplayer mode of ''VideoGame/StarWarsSquadrons'', the enemy's capital ships are this if your team is not on the offensive. Going anywhere near them when you're supposed to be defending will result in you dying in one hit, no matter what your configuration is, and the shots fired at you will be all but impossible to dodge. Your only option is to stay away from the enemy capital ships until your team gets the green light to attack them.

** This trope is exactly what happens when you get too close to a really good Zangief player (or a [[PerfectPlayAI really effective computer-controlled Zangief]]). He can't ''instantly'' KO you, but there's a psychological intimidation factor involved: You're basically fighting an ImplacableMan who will punish every little mistake with a Spinning Pile Driver or its much more brutal version, the Final Atomic Buster. Even at a distance you're still not safe as he can close the gap with his running powerbomb or his Siberian Express from ''V'' . Jumping's not safe either as he'll catch you with the Aerial Russian Slam from ''Alpha 2&3'', the more powerful Siberian Blizzard from ''SSFIV'', and the less powerful but still painful Borscht Dynamite from ''V''. Now both Borscht Dynamite and Aerial Russian Slam return in ''6'' making aerial options against Zangief even more risky.

** ''VideoGame/AceCombat7'' has the Arsenal Bird's active defense system, an electromagnetic shield that it can surround itself with basically at will. If you're inside the radius when that happens, you're dead. The shield shows up in the DLC mission ''The Ten Million Relief Plan'', with small drones that are intended to block your missiles by making them blow up early. However, if you fly through the shield, you'll take 10% damage every half a second, which makes them functionally impossible to approach.