History Main / MutualDisadvantage

* '''Mutual Weakness''': Both participants are extremely susceptible to each others' skills, essentially making it a fight between {{Glass Cannon}}s. The result is either a standoff wherein both sides try to avoid MutuallyAssuredDestruction, or a fight that could go either way, but is very likely to [[CurbStompBattle be one-sided]] in favor of whoever gets the first strike. Compare MexicanStandoff, where the stalemate is the result of the participants all being perfectly matched. Often happens in fights against {{Evil Counterpart}}s.

* '''Mutual Invulnerability''': Both participants are offensively disadvantaged - neither of them can harm the other, as they are both immune or resistant to each others' attacks. The result is a battle between two {{Stone Wall}}s, making for a stalemate unless and until someone else intervenes.

LikeCanNotCutLike and TakesOneToKillOne are {{Sub Trope}}s.

* Also, inverted in ''BattleForWesnoth'', in the Drakes vs. Undead matchup. The Undead, again with Adepts, are able to take advantage of the Drakes' faction-wide cold weakness to deal massive damage, prohibitively so during their night-time power phase and significant amounts even at day. The Drakes meanwhile have the speed to escape at night and choose to battle at day, and their Fighters can cut down Adepts on open terrain while Burners and Gliders take advantage of the fire and impact damage weaknesses of the other Undead units for great damage as well. Thus while both sides can take advantage of the others' weaknesses, the day-night cycle and speed difference mean that both sides having a Mutual Advantage - instead of two {{Glass Cannon}}s battling, it is a FragileSpeedster (the Drake army) fighting a MightyGlacier (the Undead army).

This is when two (or more) sides in a fight are unable to gain an advantage over each other. This can come in two flavours;

* '''Mutual Invulnerability''': Neither participant can harm each other, as they are immune or resistant to each other's attacks. The result is a stalemate unless someone else intervenes.
* '''Mutual Weakness''': Both participants are extremely susceptible to each other's skills, essentially making it a fight between {{Glass Cannon}}s. The result is a fight that could go either way, but is very likely to [[CurbStompBattle be one-sided]]. Compare MexicanStandoff, where the stalemate is the result of the participants all being perfectly matched. Often happens when one fights their EvilCounterpart.

* In one episode of ''{{Charmed}}'' Piper (whose unborn magical prodigy of a child is protecting her) and Cole (who had amassed a vast number of abilities from fallen demons while in hell) have a fight while both are invulnerable.

* Since arcane damage is descended from the defunct holy damage type in earlier versions, a matchup between two undead units in ''BattleForWesnoth'' that do arcane damage falls hard into type 2.

* In one episode of ''{{Charmed}}'' Piper and Cole have a fight while both are invulnerable.

** This also served as the central conflict in the film ''WarGames'' when the WOPR supercomputer (with access to real nukes) was instructed to play a simulation called "Global Thermonuclear War". In the end, it memorably declared "The only way winning move is not to play."

** This also served as the central conflict in the film ''WarGames'' when the WOPR supercomputer (with access to real nukes) was instructed to play a simulation called "Global Thermonuclear War". In the end, it memorably declared "The only way to win, is not to play."

** Wobbuffet is another example, as it learns no direct attacks whatsoever and is capable only of various {{Counterattack}}s. Pitting one Wobbuffet against another Wobbuffet will result in a stalemate where neither one can harm the other in any way (and in Generation 3, neither could be switched out for another fighter due to the opponent's ability).

* Mortal enemies [[Touhou Mokou and Kaguya]], while not invulnerable as such to each other's attacks, are both immortal and will regenerate the wounds inflicted by the other. The result is a long-term stalemate where no matter who wins the individual battles (usually Kaguya), either of them will be back to start again in no time.

LikeCanNotCutLike is a SubTrope.

** Two pyros will fall into this trope. Both are resistant to each other's signature ability (i.e. setting each other on fire), their unlockables are useless as the flare gun and axtinguisher require their opponent to be on fire (and the [[ScrappyMechanic backburner]] is considered useless against everyone), meaning the winner is decided by either shotguns (if either has one equipped), flamethrowers (which would require either participant to move into the range of the other's flamethrower) or melee weapons (which do have some advantages over each other but don't make all that much difference).
** Demomen equipped with the Charging Targe might also qualify (since it increases their resistance to explosives and removes their ability to ambush enemies with sticky grenades).
* In ''{{Pokemon}}'', many elemental types ([[FireIceLightning fire, electric, ice]], and so on) are resistant to attacks of their own element (receiving half normal damage). Bug and Fighting types are resistant to each other's element, and Normal and Ghost types are completely ''invulnerable'' to the other's element. A fight between such types, especially at low levels (where they're unlikely to know any other attacks), will often result in this.

* '''Mutual Invulnerability''': Neither participant can harm each other, as they are immune or resistant to each other's attacks. The result is a stalemate unless someone else intervenes. (See: LikeCanNotCutLike)

* '''Mutual Invulnerability''': Neither participant can harm each other, as they are immune or resistant to each other's attacks. The result is a stalemate unless someone else intervenes.

* In ''StarTrekII'', the still badly-damaged ''Enterprise'' leads the less-damaged ''Reliant'' into the Mutara Nebula, which will disable their shields and sensors. When Saavik points that out, Spock answers "Sauce for the goose, Lieutenant. The odds will be even", citing Khan's two-dimensional tactical thinking.

* In a [[MarvelComics Marvel]]/[[DCComics DC]] crossover between {{Batman}} and CaptainAmerica, after TheJoker becomes furious after finding out that his collaborator the Red Skull is a Nazi, the two villains try to use their own weaponized toxins on each other to no effect. Since both Joker and Red Skull are immune to their own toxins and both Joker Venom and Red Skull's "dust of death" are remarkably similar, both characters are also immune to ''each other's'' toxins.

* Also in the ''{{Pokemon}}'' series, Ghost and Dragon typed Pokémon are notably vulnerable to their own element, especially the Dragons as they are the only element that Dragon-type attacks get an advantage against at all. Additionally, it is a common competitive practice to teach a given Pokémon moves from other elements specifically to counter their own weaknesses (such as giving a Fire-type user the Grass-type "Solarbeam" for use against Water-types).

* In RealLife, the idea of MAD (mutual assured destruction) was what kept the cold war cold. Slightly different in that in addition to destroying both sides, the theory was that the "losing" side would still have enough time to retaliate and hit the other side just as hard.

* ''ChronoCross'' had three sets of opposing elements (Red/Blue, Green/Yellow, Black/White), each dealing increased damage to its opposite and reduced damage to itself; every character in the ([[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters rather large) roster was assigned an elemental affinity.

* Mutual Invulnerability: Neither participant can harm each other, as they are immune or resistant to each other's attacks. The result is a stalemate unless someone else intervenes.
* Mutual Weakness: Both participants are extremely vulnerable to each other's attacks, essentially making it a fight between {{Glass Cannon}}s. The result is a fight that could go either way, but is very likely to [[CurbStompBattle be one sided]]. Compare MexicanStandoff, where the stalemate is the result of the participants all being perfectly matched. Often happens when one fights their EvilCounterpart.

Any RPG system with pair-based ElementalRockPaperScissors will naturally display both types: Equal elements will exhibit a Type 1 disadvantage while opposing elements exhibit a Type 2.

!!Examples of type 1

* England vs. France in the Hundred Years War, among others. England had the world's best navy. France had the best land army. England was unable to launch a successful land war against France, while France was unable to land its army in England.

* In ''{{Pokemon}}'' ghost and normal type pokemon are completely immune to attacks of each other's type (which is mainly what they'll know at early levels). In addition dark, electric, fire, grass, ice, poison, psychic, steel and water types are resistant to attacks of the same type (so a fight between to pokemon of the same type falls into this).
** Pokemon also has what is possibly the ultimate version of Type 1. Wobbuffet vs Wobbuffet. Since Wobbuffet has no offensive abilities aside from counterattacks, which require it to be damaged first, two of them have literally no way of harming eachother, untill they run out of pp and can use Struggle. It was even worse in pre-4th generation games, where Wobbuffet's Shadow Tag ability meant that neighter player could switch to a different Pokemon (in later games two Pokemon with Shadow Tag cancel each other out).

* In ''FinalFantasyTactics'' characters could receive attacking bonuses when based on each fighter's astrological sign. This bonus, however, applied equally both ways.

!!Examples of type 2

* In ''StarTrekII'', the still badly-damaged ''Enterprise'' leads the less-damaged ''Reliant'' into the Mutara Nebula, which will disable their shields and sensors. When Saavik points that out, Spock answers "Sauce for the goose, Lieutenant. The odds will be even."

* Also in ''{{Pokemon}}''; ghost and dragon types are both extremely weak against attacks of their own type (so a fight between two dragon types or two ghost types falls into this).

* The ElementalRockPaperScissors system in ''ChronoCross'' is entirely built off of Type 2. There's three sets of two opposing elements (Red/Blue, Green/Yellow, Black/White), and each color deals extra damage when attacking an opponent with an innate element that's opposite it. So while a character that's, for example, Blue innate might have lots of Blue attacks that deal massive damage to a Red innate opponent, they'll also take extra damage when their opponent counters with Red elements.
* Type 2 was attempted in PokemonDiamondAndPearl with the three Starters: Fire/Fighting Infernape, Steel/Water Empoleon, and Grass/Ground Torterra. Empoleon's Steel Typing makes it weak to Ground and Fighting attacks, Infernape's Fire is weak to Water and Ground attacks, and Torterra's Ground is beat by to Water, and Grass is beat by fire. This was deemed useless anyway, since Infernape is the fastest of the bunch.

** Pokemon also does Type 2 with the dragon type, attacks of which type do double damage to dragon type Pokemon.

** Pokemon also does Type 2 with the dragon type, attacks of which type do double damage.

** Pokemon also has what is possibly the ultimate version of Type 1. Wobbuffet vs Wobbuffet. Since Wobbuffet has no offensive abilities aside from counterattacks, which require it to be damaged first, two of them have literally no way of harming eachother, untill they run out of pp and can use Struggle. It was even worse in pre-4th generation games, where Wobbuffet's Shadow Tag ability meant that neighter player could switch to a different Pokemon (in later games two Pokemon with Shadow Tag cancel each other out).

* In OnePiece, Smoker and Ace proved unable to hurt each other, due to both being logia fruit users - all they achieved was a huge pillar of smoke and fire.

* Havok and Cyclops in ''XMen'' comics. As they are brothers, this situation happens very rarely, but when it does, they are both immune to each others attacks.
** Point of fact, the Summers brothers power immunity isn't due to simple genetics, it's not their family bond which makes them immune to one another. Their powers work the same way. They both absorb solar energy and channel it into their external release of energy. When one hits the other he's just giving him fuel. Notable subversion is their younger brother Gabriel who is immune to their powers, but they are not immune to his.

* Barbossa and Jack Sparrow fall into a type one version of this trope for a short while, during the first film.
* In the final Matrix movie Neo has fully embraced his 'The One' status and therefore can do just about anything in the Matrix and can withstand an almost limitless amount of damage. Agent Smith has infected everyone, human or machine, in the Matrix and can also do anything and withstand anything. Made for a really boring fight sequence.
* ''The Golden Voyage of Sinbad''. The eternal battle between Good and Evil is personified by a combat between a griffin and a centaur at the Fountain of Destiny. Neither one can prevail on its own, but "The deeds of weak and mortal men can tip the scales one way or the other."

* [[{{Animorphs}} Megamorphs #2]]: The crab aliens can't get to the ant aliens' base without getting shredded by their energy weapons, the ants can't penetrate the crabs' force field.

* I remember an episode of the ''{{Superman}}'' TV-series, where some random dude off the street ends up with a carbon-copy of Superman's powers due to [[LightningCanDoAnything lightning]]. Said random dude then starts a Hero For Hire business, charging people premium rates for applying his superhuman powers, inbetween using his X-ray vision to [[PowerPerversionPotential check out girl's changing-rooms]]. Supes gets fed up with this pretty quickly and starts actively interferring in the 'business' (and pleasure), causing the dude to lose his temper and start a fight. Both of them, of course, are super-strong, but entirely invulnerable - and they're more invulnerable than super-strong, resulting in a Type-1 brawl... the only possible loser being the surrounding area.

* England vs. France in the Hundred Years War, among others. England had the worlds best navy. France had the best land army. England was unable to launch a successful land war against France, while France was unable to land its army in England.

** Two pyros will fall into this trope. Both are resistant to each other's signature ability (i.e. setting each other one fire), their unlockables are useless as the flare gun and axtinguisher require their opponent to be on fire (and the [[ScrappyMechanic backburner]] is considered useless against everyone), meaning the winner is decided by either shotguns (if either has one equipped), flamethrowers (which would require either participant to move into the range of the other's flamethrower) or melee weapons (which do have some advantages over each other but don't make all that much difference).

* In MonkeyIsland 4, you engage in a giant statue fight with the villain. Your life bars regenerate too fast for either side to win, so you have to figure out an alternate means to proceed.

* In ''StarTrekII'', The still badly-damaged ''Enterprise'' leads the less-damaged ''Reliant'' into the Mutara Nebula, which will disable their shields and sensors. When Saavik points that out, Spock answers "Sauce for the goose, Lieutenant. The odds will be even.".
[[AC: RealLife]]
* In RealLife, the idea of MAD (mutual assured destruction) was what kept the cold war cold. Slightly different in that in addition to destroying both sides, the theory was that the "losing" side would still have enough time to retaliate and hit the other side just as hard.

* Other Class versus Class battles in TeamFortress2 are more of a Type 2, coming down to who has the better aim, ping, and/or luck (Sniper wars in particular).

* Type 2 was attempted in PokemonDiamondAndPearl with the three Starters: Fire/Fighting Infernape, Steel/Water Empoleon, and Grass/Ground Torterra. Empoleon's Steel Typing makes it weak to Ground and Fighting attacks, Infernape's Fire is weak to Water and Ground attacks, and Torterra's Ground is beat by to Water, and Grass is beat by fire. This was deemed useless anyway, since Infernape is the fastest of the bunch.