History Main / NoSelfBuffs

* In PatriciaCWrede's ''EnchantedForestChronicles'', Herbert can spin straw into gold for other people, not himself.

->"Fun fact about Voodoo, Larry...can't conjure a thing for myself."
--> -- '''Doctor Facilier''', ''Disney/ThePrincessAndTheFrog''

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]

[[AC: ComicBooks]]
* The deformed mutant ''Masque'', from the MarvelUniverse, has the power to alter anyone's facial features, save for his own.

[[AC:TabletopRPG]]
* In early editions of ''DungeonsAndDragons'', some monsters (archdevils, efreeti and noble djinn) could grant another character's wishes, but not wish for things themselves.

[[AC: VideoGames]]

** Mostly averted in ''WorldOfWarcraft'', any spell which can buff a target can buff the caster (indeed some default to buffing the caster if there is no target).

* In ''FinalFantasyVI'', Sabin can use his "Mantra" and "Spiraler" Blitzes to heal his teammates, but not himself (using Spiraler actually kills him).

* ''PokemonBlackAndWhite'' introduces Heal Pulse, which heals a target other than the user. It's made for double battles.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]

* Completely inverted with Feruchemists from ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}''. Their EquivalentExchange-based powers only work on ''themselves'' - Feruchemy can't be used directly to alter someone else's abilities. Feruchemy's sister magic system Allomancy is similar, though it has some "external" powers that work on others, while the third system in the triad, [[BloodMagic Hemalurgy]] can power up ''anyone'' so long as the person actually performing it is willing to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild pay the price]].

* In PatriciaCWrede's EnchantedForestChronicles, Herbert can spin straw into gold for other people, not himself.

* The deformed mutant Masque, from the MarvelUniverse, has the power to alter anyone's facial features, save for the own.

Exceptions can result in a very powerful character; see {{CoDzilla}} for an example of why this may be a balance requirement.

* In the ''{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/{{Sourcery}}'', it was mentioned that the only thing the wizards couldn't magically improve- even after they started recieving power from [[RealityWarper the Sourcerer]]- was themselves (or at least, not for more than a few seconds).

* In PatriciaCWrede's EnchantedForestChronicles, Herbert can spin straw into gold for other people, not himself.
* In ''TheWheelOfTime'' series the Aes Sedai can not use their powers (mostly Healing) on themselves. This is explained by the magic needing to "weaved" and "applied" to someone. In this way its impossible to to lay a weave upon yourself as you would be unable to properly see it. It's a pity they couldn't use mirrors or bend light or something to get around that ... other than that, it's a pretty consistent rule: there's an anecdote about an Aes Sedai whose mental block (Wilders often acquire these when learning to keep a lid on their powers on their own) was that she couldn't touch the Source with her eyes open. Naturally, this made her rather ineffective.
* Completely inverted with Feruchemists from ''Literature/{{Mistborn}}''. Their EquivalentExchange-based powers only work on ''themselves'' - Feruchemy can't be used directly to alter someone else's abilities. Feruchemy's sister magic system Allomancy is similar, though it has some "external" powers that work on others, while the third system in the triad, [[BloodMagic Hemalurgy]] can power up ''anyone'' so long as the person actually performing it is willing to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild pay the price]].

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

* Completely inverted with Feruchemists from ''Literature/Mistborn''. Their EquivalentExchange-based powers only work on ''themselves'' - Feruchemy can't be used directly to alter someone else's abilities. Feruchemy's sister magic system Allomancy is similar, though it has some "external" powers that work on others, while the third system in the triad, [[BloodMagic Hemalurgy]] can power up ''anyone'' so long as the person actually performing it is willing to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild pay the price]].

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'' series the Aes Sedai can not use their powers (mostly Healing) on themselves. This is explained by the magic needing to "weaved" and "applied" to someone. In this way its impossible to to lay a weave upon yourself as you would be unable to properly see it.

--> -- '''Doctor Facilier''', ''ThePrincessAndTheFrog''

* The [[EvilSorcerer witch doctor]] Facilier in ''ThePrincessAndTheFrog'' mentions this as a reason he has to work his schemes through others.

* In ''TheWheel ofTime'' series the Aes Sedai can not use their powers (mostly Healing) on themselves. This is explained by the magic needing to "weaved" and "applied" to someone. In this way its impossible to to lay a weave upon yourself as you would be unable to properly see it.

* In ''TheWheelofTime'' series the Aes Sedai can not use their powers (mostly Healing) on themselves. This is explained by the magic needing to "weaved" and "applied" to someone. In this way its impossible to to lay a weave upon yourself as you would be unable to properly see it.

* In ''The Wheel of Time'' series the Aes Sedai can not use their powers (mostly Healing) on themselves. This is explained by the magic needing to "weaved" and "applied" to someone. In this way its impossible to to lay a weave upon yourself as you would be unable to properly see it.

* In ''TeamFortress2'', while the Medic can't heal or buff himself with his Medigun, doing so still boosts his own regeneration rate; additionally, when Ubered, both himself and his Uber target(s) are invincible.

** Other spells in the game can be cast on anyone of the player's choosing.

* In the ''{{Discworld}}'' novel ''{{Sourcery}}'', it was mentioned that the only thing the wizards couldn't magically improve- even after they started recieving power from [[RealityWarper the Sourcerer- was themselves (or at least, not for more than a few seconds).

* In the DiscWorld novel ''Sourcerer'', it was mentioned that the only thing the wizards couldn't magically improve was themselves (or at least, not for more than a few seconds).

** The engineer benefits less from his dispenser than other classes, as the metal generation is limited while ammo is not, even though the two are interchangeable when it comes to picking up dropped weapons and ammo boxes.

->"Fun fact about Voodoo, Larry....can't conjure a thing for myself."

->"Fun fact about Voodoo, Lawrence. Can't conjure a thing for myself."

** Averted in ''WorldOfWarcraft'', any spell which can buff a target can buff the caster (indeed some default to buffing the caster if there is no target).
*** A few exceptions exist where the caster can only cast a buff on someone else, but the effects of the buff also benefit the caster. A fairly common variant is a spell cast on the casters minion by default that directly or indirectly benefits the caster as well.

* In ''ShadowHearts [[ShadowHeartsCovenant Covenant]]'', Lucia's oils will affect the three other party members but not her. In [[ShadowHeartsFromTheNewWorld the sequel]], Ricardo's songs work the same way.

** Very slighly averted with the Kritzkrieg, which allows the Medic to heal himself with the taunt, although it's much slower than the usual healing rate and leaves him wide open to attacks. However, its Ubercharge effect is completely NoSelfBuffs since the medic cannot take advantage of it.
** The engineer benefits less from his dispenser than other classes, as the metal generation is limited while ammo is not, even though the two are interchangable when it comes to picking up dropped weapons and ammo boxes.