History Main / PowersAsPrograms

* This is not normally how [[FightingSpirit Stands]] and other abilities are treated in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', but in [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Part 6]], main villain Enrico Pucci's ([[spoiler:first]]) Stand Whitesnake allows him to extract (among [[LaserGuidedAmnesia other]] [[EmptyShell things]]) the Stand of his victim in the form of a CD-like disc. These discs are physical objects that can be handled by anyone and swapped around between people. They can even be swapped into non-human lifeforms, like, say, a colony of plankton.

* In ''Series/{{StargateSG1}}'', it becomes a plot point that [[spoiler: Sam Carter]], who had been in a symbiosis with [[spoiler: a Tokra]] can use their technology, due to the aforementioned having done what amounts to installing a "driver" in [[spoiler: her]] brain; while other humans can not.

* In ''Series/{{StargateSG1}}'', it becomes a plot point that [[spoiler: Sam Carter]], who had been in a symbiosis with [[spoiler: a Tokra]] can use Goauld technology, do to the aforementioned having done what amounts to installing a "driver" in their brain; while other humans can not.

Thus, if you need to increase your powers fast, just look around for an UpgradeArtifact! Forget about rolling your own powers, however -- the tools required to create the programmed powers in the first place (such as a programming language and associated compiler program) are nowhere to be found, and nobody ever thinks to ask about them. Compare VancianMagic and PowerCopying. May also overlap with PowersViaWeapon. A subtrope is DiscardAndDraw, where the "diskspace" freed by losing one power gets utilized for another power afterwards. For powers that are performed through actual programming with mathematics, see FormulaicMagic. A subtrope of MetaPower. When combined with {{Shapeshifting}} abilities, this can result in a TransferredTransformation or a PhysicalAttributeSwap.

* The second wave of Heisei ''Franchise/KamenRider'' seems to be heading this way, arguably a result of the MerchandiseDriven nature the series developed with each series' subsequent TransformationTrinkets. Earlier series played with this idea. TheMovie of ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'' showed the Ryuki Advent Deck being passed to Shinji from the former Ryuki, and [[spoiler:he receives the Knight Deck from a dying Ren after the Ryuki Advent Deck is destroyed]] while ''Series/KamenRiderFaiz'' showed the various Rider Gears changing hands variously throughout the series to where it became a secondary gimmick; there was a point in the series when the hero Takumi Inui became Kamen Rider Delta when he lost possession of the Faiz Gear. ''Series/KamenRiderKabuto'' also played with this in how often the [=TheBee=] Zecter switched hands.
** This started in ''Series/KamenRiderDecade'' where the title character and his similarly-powered rival (despite being from entirely seperate versions of Earth) use cards via their TransformationTrinkets to become/summon Riders from any past Kamen Rider series, perform special attacks, summon equipment, and make their finishing moves. The official descriptions of the suits and {{Transformation Trinket}}s even say that the cards are just stored data and that the suits have the power to read the data and [[RealityWarper alter reality]] in order to create things or change pre-existing things, as seen with their ability to turn past Riders into objects.

* This is the core concept behind magic in the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise. Several of the characters are in fact considered to be programs, namely Reinforce and the Wolkenritter. In fact, the catchphrase which Nanoha uses to [[TransformationSequence transform]] ends with "Set Up!" The [[AllThereInTheManual fluff]], however, tones it down somewhat, explaining that magical programs/spells cannot be copied arbitrarily and each mage has a highly personalized library of spells. They can share the ''principle'' of their respective spells (cf. generic algorithms) but each spell is its caster's personal implementation and often an upgrade of an older spell from their library. For example, despite having the same name, Nanoha's and Subaru's versions of [[WaveMotionGun Divine Buster]] function differently from each other.

* ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'':
** Humanoid Interfaces are avatars of an [[SufficientlyAdvancedAlien immaterial godlike intelligence]] capable of hacking reality and boosting their fighting prowess with "Aggressive Combat Data," effectively making them [[PhysicalGod physical gods]].
** Nagato Yuki from is an information based lifeform and achieves superhuman feats by reality warping via "altering the flow of data" around the object she wishes to warp. She has used this abillity to "reprogram" objects with enhanced durability and even created a bat that always scored home runs. It could be assumed that this ability could be used to program people as well.

* In ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'', powers are programs, the universe is a great computer, Heaven is where the sysops work, and the greatest threat to reality is a well-written virus. Amusingly, errors manifest as actual bugs and are fixed by whacking them with a mallet.
* In ''Manga/{{Psyren}}'', PSI abilities, especially Burst-types, can be programmed by the user to work unconsciously or preform tasks more complicated then what the Psychicer could do on their own.

* In ''Anime/AngelBeats'', this is how [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Tenshi]] gets her powers, but in a twist, [[spoiler: it's ''actually a program.'']] This is a plot point.

* ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' treats this sort of literally. Cards from the ''TabletopGame/{{Digimon}}'' card game can be slashed through a Digivice to temporarily load its effects onto one's partner Digimon, which are themselves programs; in the context of the card game, such cards are also programs. Additionally, killing a Digimon and loading its data enables one to use the attacks of that Digimon.

* ''LightNovel/ModernMagicMadeSimple'' does this literally: FunctionalMagic has been thoroughly hacked by computer nerds, and spells are called "codes."

** Rogue herself takes it to a new level. She doesn't just borrow powers, but knowledge and skills as well. Everyone she's ever touched stays in there, and it's driven her to near madness before. However, she's ''also'' had ''all'' those past powers activated at once before (Sage did it, natch), sending her into one-woman army territory. It doesn't happen often because of the danger of losing herself (and the fact that she'd be a GameBreaker) but it's awesome to behold when it does.

* In ''Fanfic/UltimateSpiderWoman'', the nanotechnology that's fused with the cells of Netshape's body are programmed with the abilities of various video game characters, including the Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Duke Nukem, Donkey Kong and Kratos. By changing shape, he can give himself super speed, super strength, More Dakka, the ability to throw fireballs, etc.

* In ''Fanfic/TheWarcrafter'', Adrian points out that the abilities the Warcrafted have are pretty much Powers as Apps - activate the power and it all works out automatically.

* In ''Film/GodzillaVsMegalon'', the robot, Jet Jaguar, suddenly grows to the same size as the monsters! One character expresses surprise at this, and the scientist who built him says, "Oh, he must have reprogrammed himself to be able to grow in size!" [[VoodooShark Yes, because programming can do that.]]

* Magic in ''Literature/TheDragonKnight'' books involves creating a computer-code-like statement in your mind. In fact, Jim is particularly good at clever use of spells because of his passing knowledge of computer programming. Over the course of the series this is eventually revealed to be a horribly amateurish approach to magic, however (Jim's advantage comes from having a modern education and being able to give more specific, technical and thus energy-efficient instructions as to what spells he wants looked up and cast for him). Eventually this almost becomes inverted, as Jim progresses to poetry and applied symbolism, then to trying to invoke a situation's potential for the inexplicable and miraculous, until the narration sometimes gives up explaining just what Jim's doing or why he's doing it... he's simply certain that he ''should''.

* Taken to extremes in Rick Cook's ''Literature/WizBiz'' series, where [[SummonEverymanHero a computer programmer pulled from Earth to a fantasy world]] invents a ''[[RewritingReality programming language]]'' for [[PostModernMagik magic spells]]. (It does regularly come up that most of the setting's magic ''cannot'' translate into programming terms.)
* This is one of the central ideas behind Joan Vinge's ''[[Literature/TheSnowQueenSeries Snow Queen/Summer Queen]]'' books. When the "mystical sybil" begins her "incantation" with "Input!" and ends it with "No further analysis!" you can pretty much guess what's going on with the "magic" here.
* The [[LanguageOfMagic Speech]] in the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' universe is essentially a programming language for reality; spells are instructions and/or equations in The Speech and wizards are like the IT staff for the Universe who "know the little noises it makes every day when it's running. And where to kick it to make them stop."
* The TropeCodifier and original source material for the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' video game series, ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'', featured the Demon Summoning Program which did exactly what its name says. There is also the Demon Transfer Theory, which allows demons to use modems to move around the world.

* Invoked and inverted by ''[[http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs]]'' (also known as "The Wizard Book"), a computer science textbook obsessed with the idea that programming is like sorcery.

* In the canonical ''Series/BabylonFive'' Techno-Mage trilogy by Jeanne Cavelos, the origin and use of Techno-Mage powers is gone into in some detail. Their powers are literally programs, though in a language unique to each Mage. This makes certain Mages adept at certain types of spells that other Mages find very difficult or even impossible, and means that Mages can develop specific spells that other Mages cannot use. [[spoiler: Galen from ''Crusade'' has a very mathematical spell language, which enables him to break down spells into simpler and simpler terms which ultimately allows him to determine the basic origin of the Techno-Mages' powers and interface directly with his technology. The down side is that complex spells require complex equations, which are harder for him to visualise. Elric, his teacher, uses a completely different spell language based on visual imagery, but whilst this makes him extremely powerful he explicitly states that he could never have discovered the "root terms" needed to tap directly into his tech as his spell language doesn't work that way.]] Other Techno-Mage spell languages include sounds, dance and knitting patterns.

* [[Webcomic/BasicInstructions Scott Meyer]]'s ''Literature/Magic20'' books use the "reality is a computer program" concept to achieve this trope. A number of people (mostly hackers) find a file (usually online) and realize that, by editing it, they are RewritingReality. After they slip up (most do so by upping their bank account balance and getting tagged by the government for fraud), they flee to a past time period, where they can pretend to use magic by writing code that updates the file. A good number, including the protagonist Martin Banks, flee to 12th century England and become wizards using an open-source shell that is constantly updated with new code and macros. The shell updates the file based on certain cues, such as gestures with a staff or wand and/or words in a bastardized version of Esperanto (many of the locals know Latin). In this way, powers really are programs written and shared by wizards/programmers.
** In the city of Atlantis, the sorceresses have developed their own version of the software, calling it the Interface. Instead of words, it's controlled entirely by a system of menus and icons that appear in front of the user and are selected in the same manner as one would use a touchscreen (except in the air). Only the user can see her icons. So here, powers are ''apps''.
** Other groups of time travelers use various means of control. For example, Indian fakirs play their pungis, while a pair of stage magicians living in Victorian England use magician attributes to trigger "spells".
* ''Literature/SchooledInMagic'': It's mentioned that spells tend to work a lot like computer programs in their design. Emily [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] the fact that a computer programmer would be a ''hell'' of a wizard.

*** A few magic spells (like ''contingency'') allow the caster to attach other spells so they will trigger in specific circumstances automatically, without the mage's conscious decision.

* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'':
** In ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline'', "Techniques" (the equivalent of spells) are explicitly gained from disks.
** As is the case in ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarUniverse''. However, it is important to note that the ''Phantasy Star'' setting makes a distinction here. Techniques (or rather, [=TECHNICs=]), operate by allowing their user, with the aid of a technological/computerised focii and portable photon reactor, to manipulate energy fields by means of latent psychic abilities. This is ''not'' magic, but rather rooted in the setting's science. Magic ''did'', at one point, exist in the ''Phantasy Star'' setting (See Rune and Kyra's Skills in ''Phantasy Star IV''), but was mostly destroyed early in the continuity. ''Phantasy Star'' "Magic" made far less sense, was far more powerful, and far less predictable than [=TECHNICs=], and did not behave like a computer program.
** ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'' had this in a more justified manner as well: Wren and Demi, both androids, can find spare parts in treasure chests at various points in the game and install them, gaining new abilities. Notable in that these weren't programs, but actual hardware components. (Demi, the female android and the more "human" of the two, actually asks the main character to avert his eyes while she performs this self-maintenance, as though she were undressing -- the screen goes dark, and the player is treated to all manner of mechanical sound effects to indicate the complexity of the process.)

** In the world of ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'', the abilities used by your demonic alter-egos are literally programs, called "Mantras," which you download from "Karma Stations". The game actually uses the term "Download" directly. Of course, the fact that [[spoiler:the whole thing is apparently a VR world]] effectively turns it into a sort of meta-self-referential-thingie. The Karma Stations being in the second game as well is one of your first clues that [[spoiler:the 'real' world is ''also'' composed of data--data God begins deleting when it gets ''really pissed...'']]
** Another [=MegaTen=] game, ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'', makes use of a Demon Summoning Program much like described in the ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'' entry above. The program is based on music and functions like e-mail, with client programs on handheld computers (which need to be recharged) that communicate with a ''server''. Oh, and you hire new demons by [[AuctionOfEvil bidding on them over Ebay]]. The human main characters get to use spells and skills with the help of the Program, and their skill sets can be modified and swapped around in between skirmishes.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': To be fair, ''everything'' is a program, since it does take place on the internet.
*** The special powers aside from the Navis' basic attacks are all loaded onto oversized reusable microchips! Using them in combos to create more powerful attacks is even called a "Program Advance".

* Also used literally in ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'': the final boss shouts out "This is my most powerful program!" before using his ultimate attack.

* The ''VideoGame/ExaPico'' series uses several extensive {{Conlang}}'s that basically functions like command code that the Reyvateils use to cast magic. The REON-4213 language takes this even further by practically being written like regular program code.
* ''VideoGame/FreedroidRPG'' has powers and skills as programs (internally called "spells" to avoid confusion) executed by the Linarian's brain and his cyborg gear.

* Used literally in ''VideoGame/TheDesolateHope'', since you fight in cyberspace. Every buff, attack, and status inflection is a program; for example, the power that a bosses uses to fill your screen with static is called 'Hackworm', and one that stuns your characters is called 'Sleep Mode'.

* When The Boss is trapped within a virtual simulation of Steelport by the Zin Empire in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'', Kinzie's able to hack into the simulation and give The Boss various powers. You can upgrade them by collecting data clusters scattered all across the city.

* ''VideoGame/RememberMe'' features a combo system ''you can rewrite on the fly''; the Combo Lab lets you assign powers to different combos, which can be tailored to enemy weaknesses. Unfortunately, it's regarded as a ScrappyMechanic due to the constant pausing mid-battle to get an appropriate combo.

* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Nanase's method of learning new spells is extremely similar to the leveling systems found in {{R|olePlayingGame}}PGs. In fact, [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-01-31 this strip]] [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade]] on the idea. It's implied that the immortals altered the laws of magic to fit this system, rather than the WildMagic one would expect.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Gnoph}}'', the title symbiotes give their hosts MagicFromTechnology. Powers like teleporting or creating shields are activated by running "scripts" or "programs".
* In ''Webcomic/ChasingTheSunset'', the method for giving orders to Phantasms [[http://www.fantasycomic.com/index.php?p=c532 sounds an awful lot like speaking programming code]]. "Goto" is a real command in [=BASIC=].
* ''Webcomic/CogaNito'': The intention seems to be that Pieces become stronger and gain their powers by gaining experience in a video-game-like fashion. This experience is tracked by the same program individuals use to enter The Corpse. It's shown to be possible to hack into this program and essentially trick The Corpse into thinking you have more experience than you actually have.
** Literally in the case of the Breach ability, which is described as a program that must be installed in the user's brain.
* The Humans in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' have the [[{{Magitek}} etheric sciences]], such as computers that allow to very literally use Powers as Programs. [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=518 Explained here.]] In addition to giving each user a replica of Anja's own [[DeflectorShields force shield]] and binding the troublesome fox-spirit, a few other [[UtilityMagic handy effects]] were called by in Chapter 37.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', this is implied to be how God Tier powers work. An Aspect - a manifestation of reality - assigns a Class and Aspect to a player through Sburb, eg [[PowerOfTheVoid Maid of Void]] or [[LightEmUp Thief of Light]], and can then channel various powers related to their Aspect during the game. Bonus points for players being able to attain literal godhood, the most significant advantage of which is being able to use their Aspect in its purest form.

* Magic in ''Webcomic/{{Unsounded}}'' exists as an energy field called the "khert," and the mages ("wrights," short for "spellwrights") who work with it are essentially supernatural programmers, recoding the fabric of reality to suit their whims according to a series of very specific rules. Thanks to a [[MagicAIsMagicA solid, consistent system]] and some excellent worldbuilding, the whole setup works beautifully.

* ''Literature/TrintonChronicles'' features programs as powers in a variety of ways.
* According to LetsPlay/{{Chuggaaconroy}}, LetsPlay/ProtonJon has the power to call [[VideoGame/MarioParty minigame names]] [[LetsPlay/TheRunawayGuys wrong...]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot'' literally treats programs (or rather, commands) as powers: a Hide command makes one invisible, the Paint program becomes a veritable threat when it falls into the hands of an insane virus, and so on. This actually makes sense, as the people and the powers are all software. Bob literally ''downloads'' glitch into himself to gain GreenLanternRing powers.
* In ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'', the protagonists' powers really are programmed. Unfortunately for them, the show treats programming realistically, so any addition (even by the team's two {{Teen Genius}}es) is a difficult and time-consuming task -- and may as well induce "bugs" that need first to be worked out (as in episode "Triple Trouble"). On the other hand, XANA, being a superior Artificial Intelligence, can easily boost the heroes' powers -- but since he's the BigBad he reserves this for his mind-controlled puppets. Fortunately for them, what XANA can do from his end is limited by his own processing power. Things get kind of bad when he [[spoiler:escapes to the internet, and they make him mad enough to create a nearly invincible monster that easily one-shots them.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/MegaManFullyCharged'' makes it the most explicit of any iteration of the (robot) character, where the copied powers are downloaded through a holographic "cable" and activated by saying, "Activate <Someone> schematic!".

** One fan theory is that the Power Chip Rectifiers the Decepticon troops donated were something akin to access keys to subspace structures responsible for their assorted powers and ammo storage. The only reason Megatron can use most of them effectively is that he's focused, familiar with the effects and weapons in question, and a consummate warrior. And Optimus Prime was totally not expecting it. It may also be a short-range thing only -- the donors in question were on the sidelines for the relevant fight scene.

* In ''ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsJLA'', villain Prometheus uses a helmet that allows him to download other people's physical skills and knowledge for his own use (he can't duplicate superpowers, though). Hilariously, Batman defeats him by [[spoiler: overwriting his fighting skills with the physical skills of Stephen Hawking.]]

* This is not normally how [[FightingSpirit Stands]] and other abilities are treated in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', but in [[Manga/StoneOcean Part 6]], main villain Enrico Pucci's ([[spoiler:first]]) Stand Whitesnake allows him to extract (among [[LaserGuidedAmnesia other]] [[EmptyShell things]]) the Stand of his victim in the form of a CD-like disc. These discs are physical objects that can be handled by anyone and swapped around between people. They can even be swapped into non-human lifeforms, like, say, a colony of plankton.

* Anthony "Tony" Masters, aka ComicBook/{{Taskmaster}} falls into this, as he can copy every muscle fiber twitch of most people's physical abilities (he can throw a shield like Captain America, punch like Iron Fist, but don't ask him to jump like Hulk) from simply watching it of this as just like a computer his mind gets full, so his brain has formatted itself to dump memories even those of his wife and past life as an [[spoiler: ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, which is how he met his wife.]] It gets even sadder as ''ComicBook/AvengersAcademy'' member Finesse believes she may be his daughter due to her having similar abilities, meaning she's possibly gonna have this weakness. He admits when they meet alone that he can't remember but it's a possibility. He won't take a DNA test, though, as he likes to stay off the grid.[[spoiler: ''Avengers Academy'' #23 has a possible future version of Finesse, and her memory has been affected so much, that as she looks at her daughter, she can only remember her vaguely by her movements.]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'':
** In ''ComicBook/DemonSpawn'', villain Nightflame intends to transfer Supergirl's powers to herself.

* Several examples in Franchise/{{Superman}} story ''ComicBook/KryptoniteNevermore'':
** The Sandman Superman gradually drains Superman's powers.
--->'''Superman:''' The faster I fly... the faster it flies! And I can't seem to attain top speed... Almost as though it's somehow... draining my power!
** An ancient artifact called the Devil's Harp steals abilities and powers from other people. His owner Nyxly wanted to be a great musician, and the Harp stole the talent from a famous pianist. He wanted to fly, be super-strong and invulnerable, and the Harp stole Superman's powers.

* In a story focused on ''[[Characters/SupermanBizarro Bizarro]]'', the Thing of Steel creates Bizarro Amazo. His reversal of Amazo's ability to copy every power for himself is makes him able to steal superpowers to give to powerless people. He spends the issue causing chaos by giving powers to random people who don't know how to control them.

* Despite being changes to your genetics, Plasmid and gene tonics in ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' can be installed, removed and re-installed with ease. [[spoiler: Then again, player characters seem to be the only people in Rapture who can withstand constant genetic alteration without going stark raving mad.]]

* The ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'' Series plays this trope straight, considering that every Sub-Weapon you obtain must be acquired via 'downloading' it from either a conveniently placed terminal (ZOE) or via stealing the data from defeated units (The 2nd Runner)

* Played with by Devil Fruits in ''Manga/OnePiece''. Taking just one bite instantly gives you the power, and renders the fruit powerless. However, some do have physical changes, there is literally no way to remove them, and trying to eat a second one apparently causes a very nasty and fatal backfire. [[BigBad Blackbeard]] is the exception to the latter rule. He has the ability to possess multiple Devil Fruits and can even directly steal the abilities of other people, after killing them.

Thus, if you need to increase your powers fast, just look around for an UpgradeArtifact! Forget about rolling your own powers, however -- the tools required to create the programmed powers in the first place (such as a programming language and associated compiler program) are nowhere to be found, and nobody ever thinks to ask about them. Compare VancianMagic and PowerCopying. May also overlap with PowersViaWeapon. A subtrope is DiscardAndDraw, where the "diskspace" freed by losing one power gets utilized for another power afterwards. For powers that are performed through actual programming with mathematics, see FormulaicMagic. A subtrope of MetaPower.

Thus, if you need to increase your powers fast, just look around for an UpgradeArtifact! Forget about rolling your own powers, however -- the tools required to create the programmed powers in the first place (such as a programming language and associated compiler program) are nowhere to be found, and nobody ever thinks to ask about them. Compare VancianMagic and PowerCopying. May also overlap with PowersViaWeapon. A subtrope is DiscardAndDraw, where the "diskspace" freed by losing one power gets utilized for another power afterwards. For powers that are performed through actual programming with mathematics, see FormulaicMagic.

* A literal example of Powers as Programs: the DC supervillain Prometheus, who uses a helmet that allows him to download other people's physical skills and knowledge for his own use (he can't duplicate superpowers, though). Hilariously, Batman defeats him by [[spoiler: overwriting his fighting skills with the physical skills of Stephen Hawking.]]

** In ''Superman Family #183: Shadows of Phantoms'', another villain -Shyla Kor-Onn- attempts to steal Supergirl's powers by plugging her into a life-draining machine.

* The 2016 Doctor Strange film has the Ancient One describe magic as drawing energy from dimensions to perform reality-warping feats.
--> Ancient One: The language of the mystic arts is as old as civilization. The sorcerers of antiquity called the use of this language "spells." But if that word offends your modern sensibilities, you can call it a program. The source code that shapes reality.

* In ''Manga/UQHolder'', MagiTek has apparently advanced since the days of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' to the point that it is now possible to purchase "Magic Apps," or buy spells rather than train to acquire them. This has lead to a rather nasty divide between the upper and lower classes, as the rich are now able to afford instant magic powers, while those who cannot afford it must train for years to acquire it. However, users of Magic Apps tend to be much less skilled at magic than those who trained for it, for obvious reasons, although there are a few who are legitimately skilled at magic despite buying their way into it.

** Also the other side of the coin where devices or artifacts that render superhumans powerless apparently work on ALL superhumans, regardless of their type of powers or the origin of them. DC is worse about this than Marvel; Marvel usually just applies this to mutants, who get their powers from a particular genetic strand and could thus (at least with comic science) reasonably be repressed, but DC tends to have the same power-dampening collars work on (for example) Franchise/{{Superman}}, Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} and Franchise/WonderWoman, despite the vast difference in the way their powers work and the source of them.

*** Peter Petrelli owes a lot to Mimic. Mimic can take on the powers of any mutant he's around, his body altering itself to match (such as gaining Beast's physique and Angel's wings). The villainous main MarvelUniverse one has permanently taken on the powers of the original X-Men in addition to gaining new ones based on who he's around. The good Comicbook/{{Exiles}} version can hold any five powers at once (though he only started out with the ability to copy mutant powers, he later learned how to copy the powers of non-mutants). At one point, Exile!Mimic mimics the Phoenix Force from one of the Summers - granted, as with all his mimics he got it at half power, but he mimic'ed a fundamental force of the universe (and half of infinity is still infinity). When copying someone's powers, Mimic (either version) can't do so selectively; he gets their entire power set, including any weaknesses that might go along with them. Exiles!Mimic also was shown to not always be able to use all copied powers simultaneously: he could use Colossus's armored body and SuperStrength with Wolverine's claws and healing factor, but not Jean Grey's psychic powers (he also didn't appear to have Wolverine's SuperSenses even though he should have).

* ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'':
** In ''Comicbook/DemonSpawn'', villain Nightflame intends to transfer Supergirl's powers to herself.

* Several examples in Franchise/{{Superman}} story ''Comicbook/KryptoniteNevermore'':

** The ''{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}'' version of Black Alice (from the latest comic book iteration) only copies magical abilities, rather than stealing them.

* In ''FanFic/UltimateSpiderWoman'', the nanotechnology that's fused with the cells of Netshape's body are programmed with the abilities of various video game characters, including the Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Duke Nukem, Donkey Kong and Kratos. By changing shape, he can give himself super speed, super strength, More Dakka, the ability to throw fireballs, etc.

** In the world of '': VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'', the abilities used by your demonic alter-egos are literally programs, called "Mantras," which you download from "Karma Stations". The game actually uses the term "Download" directly. Of course, the fact that [[spoiler:the whole thing is apparently a VR world]] effectively turns it into a sort of meta-self-referential-thingie. The Karma Stations being in the second game as well is one of your first clues that [[spoiler:the 'real' world is ''also'' composed of data--data God begins deleting when it gets ''really pissed...'']]

** In later ''SMT'' and ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' games, demons or Personae will inherit skills learned from [[FusionDance their predecessors]]; inheritance mechanics are more or less random, leading to the potential for hours of annoyance while fusing and re-fusing demons. This is not an inconvenience as of late, though, for Atlus has heard everyone's prayers and allowed the player to choose the moves the fusion result will learn in later games, starting with ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'', and the trend has continued with ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor2'', ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}: The Golden'', and ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV''.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

*

* This is not normally how [[FightingSpirit stands]] and other abilities are treated in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', but in [[Manga/StoneOcean Part 6]], main villain Enrico Pucci's ([[spoiler: first]]) Stand Whitesnake allows him to extract (among [[LaserGuidedAmnesia other]] [[EmptyShell things]]) the Stand of his victim in the form of a CD-like disc. These discs are physical objects that can be handled by anyone, and swapped around. They can even be swapped into non-human lifeforms, like, say, a colony of plankton.

* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' Part 6, main villain Enrico Pucci's original Stand Whitesnake allows him to extract (among other things) the Stand of his victim in the form of a CD-like disc. These discs are physical objects that can be handled by anyone, and swapped around.

* ''LightNovel/YokuWakaruGendaiMahou'' does this literally: FunctionalMagic has been thoroughly hacked by computer nerds, and spells are called "codes."

** Smeargle's signature move Sketch allows it to [[PowerCopying permanently copy the last move its opponent made]], presumably just by drawing a picture of it. The very few exceptions are for technical reasons, not physiological ones.

Thus, if you need to increase your powers fast, just look around for an UpgradeArtifact! Forget about rolling your own powers, however -- the tools required to create the programmed powers in the first place (such as a programming language and associated compiler program) are nowhere to be found, and nobody ever thinks to ask about them. Compare VancianMagic and PowerCopying. A subtrope is DiscardAndDraw, where the "diskspace" freed by losing one power gets utilized for another power afterwards. For powers that are performed through actual programming with mathematics, see FormulaicMagic.

* A literal example of PowersAsPrograms: the DC supervillain Prometheus, who uses a helmet that allows him to download other people's physical skills and knowledge for his own use (he can't duplicate superpowers, though). Hilariously, Batman defeats him by [[spoiler: overwriting his fighting skills with the physical skills of Stephen Hawking.]]

* In a way, the upgrading in ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' is rather PowersAsPrograms styled. Justified because your character has been cybernetically enhanced and can thus use the terminals to enhance his body and mind.

* In principle, this is one part of how VideoGame/{{Mega Man|Classic}}'s powers work: he acquries them via PowerCopying (which is the other part) from the defeated Robot Masters, then he can equip them at will. [[VideoGame/MegaManX X]] works under the same principle.

*** The "Navi Customizer" feature that debuted in the third game. You obtain these programs as you progress throughout the game and do events and you encode them into a special puzzle like interface, these parts either enhance Mega Man's abilities (like increasing the damage his ArmCannon deals or how many chips you have available at the Custom screen) or alter some events like being guaranteed data chips from every battle (provided you can actually obtain chips from them normally) instead of a chance between it or some Zenny. You can even ''compress'' these programs a little via a cheat to help you fit them into the puzzle.

* Played with by Devil Fruits in ''Franchise/OnePiece''. Taking just one bite instantly gives you the power, and renders the fruit powerless. However, some do have physical changes, there is literally no way to remove them, and trying to eat a second one apparently causes a very nasty and fatal backfire. Blackbeard is the exception to the rule. He has the ability to possess multiple Devil Fruits and even steals abilities of other people.