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doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#1: Feb 11th 2011 at 2:42:36 PM

Ever notice that some superheroes and other superhuman really should get more use out of their powers than they do?

For example, consider a character with super strength but is not Nigh-Invulnerable. Sure, they might be able to toss a fridge at someone but it’s meaningless if they can just shoot him.

So why not wear amour? Sure it’s uncomfortable, but it will stop you from being too hurt, and you could make it much thicker than any normal human could wear, giving you “fake” nigh-invulnerability.

Likewise, if you have low-level super strength that’s lower than most super-humans in the area, and don’t care about Thou Shalt Not Kill, why not use it to cart around some really huge guns? Nothing is going to make a crock shit himself more than a guy dual-wielding Gatling guns and toting them around like they weren’t there.

Rant aside, this is a thread for any super-powers, technology, ect. Ect. That should have a lot more potential than is really shown, at least in your opinion.

cityofmist turning and turning from Meanwhile City Since: Dec, 2010
turning and turning
#2: Feb 11th 2011 at 2:46:35 PM

Teleportation. Everyone's like 'oh yeah you can travel to places instantly' but what about when fighting? You could always be exactly where you need to.

Scepticism and doubt lead to study and investigation, and investigation is the beginning of wisdom. - Clarence Darrow
Yej (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: They can't hide forever. We've got satellites.
doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#4: Feb 11th 2011 at 4:46:45 PM

Still merits a discussion though. Should I rename the thread?

And yeah, there no end to the uses of teleportation, especially if you're in the school that says that tele-fraging kills the guy you’re teleporting into and not the other way around.

CyganAngel Away on the wind~ from Arcadia Since: Oct, 2010
Away on the wind~
#5: Feb 12th 2011 at 7:00:47 AM

telekinesis, man.

Especially when you consider that could branch out into pyrokinesis.

If you want a story that actually thinks about how powers work and thinks their uses through, try the Whateley Universe.

edited 12th Feb '11 7:01:46 AM by CyganAngel

There are too many toasters in my chimney!
FrodoGoofballCoTV from Colorado, USA Since: Jan, 2001
#6: Feb 12th 2011 at 8:03:29 AM

I had an idea about a character who could create magic portals with just a thought. Which with practice could be an awesome fighting technique. In fact the guy became a bit of a Mary Sue once I thought about it and I took the power away.

Use a mesh of portals as armor - stuff would just go through you.

Stealth. After all, camoflage is just making yourself look more like whatever's behind you.

Use portals to dangerous places for attack. For example, in one scene he basically fries an entire room.

  • I thought you could only open portals...
  • That is correct.
  • [pause] Where the hell did you open the portal to?!?
  • Mercury.
  • [pause] That doesn't even make any sense.
  • It's bright there.

edited 12th Feb '11 8:03:50 AM by FrodoGoofballCoTV

Theram A travelling scholar Since: Jan, 2011
A travelling scholar
#7: Feb 12th 2011 at 1:27:12 PM

Yea, I am still kind of annoyed at Shamal for not using portals like shields...

edited 12th Feb '11 1:27:54 PM by Theram

LushCity Since: Aug, 2012
#8: Feb 12th 2011 at 6:55:06 PM

[up][up]Like Spot from Spider Man?

edited 12th Feb '11 6:55:15 PM by LushCity

FrodoGoofballCoTV from Colorado, USA Since: Jan, 2001
#9: Feb 12th 2011 at 7:37:05 PM

[up]Yes, exactly. The Arbiter Of Planes is more like Magneto in his fighting style, though.

Heh. I didn't think of the punching people with a disembodied arm idea.

Sark AI Entity from across 100 000 miles Since: Feb, 2011
AI Entity
#10: Feb 12th 2011 at 10:19:48 PM

Hypothetically, somebody with telekinesis would be able to insta-kill anybody within range by fucking with their arteries.

edited 12th Feb '11 10:20:39 PM by Sark

Without good, no evil. Without want, no lack. Without desire, no need.
doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#11: Feb 12th 2011 at 11:57:21 PM

Maybe not. It might be one of those things where they have to see what they’re targeting.

And there's always the undead, who would not give a shit about their arteries and would proceed to smash your "enlightened" physic brain in and then pick it off the floor.

Onto topic, I think Super-Intelligence could have some neat in-combat uses as well as the general “Make-a-raygun-out-of-duct-tape-and-crazy-glue.” For example, super-quick thinking could allow for limited bullet time, and Awesomeness by Analysis could be used for devastating accuracy and martial artwork, as seen in Sherlock Holmes. Plus, if hyper-awareness comes with the package, they are never going to be surprised.

@ Frodo Goofball That being said, that portal thing could be cool for a Big Bad, or if your series is on the scale of DBZ... Hell, Just the portal armor alone could be amusing. "Stop shooting yourself, Stop shooting yourself, Stop shooting yourself.."

edited 13th Feb '11 12:00:59 AM by doorhandle

Morven Nemesis from Seattle, WA, USA Since: Jan, 2001
Nemesis
#12: Feb 13th 2011 at 5:53:44 AM

At the very least, one should explicitly limit the powers — perhaps the telekinetic can only manipulate things they see, or it doesn't work on living tissue, or it's simply not that powerful or not that easy or that precise.

A brighter future for a darker age.
Sark AI Entity from across 100 000 miles Since: Feb, 2011
AI Entity
#13: Feb 13th 2011 at 9:33:56 AM

Well, if they can only use their powers on stuff they can see, then just rip at the flesh you can see until you get to something important.

But yeah, telekinesis is a power that needs definate limits to be set on it so it isn't too powerful. Even if you can't use it on flesh an average pebble can basically become a bullet in the hands (or is it mind?) of somebody with telekinesis.

Without good, no evil. Without want, no lack. Without desire, no need.
Alkthash Was? Since: Jan, 2001
Was?
#14: Feb 13th 2011 at 10:54:19 AM

Well a good limit for telekinesis is that you can only move 1) a certain substance or 2) move things in only one direction, either towards you or away from you.

storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#15: Feb 13th 2011 at 7:58:44 PM

Well my idea of telekinesis is that it can only do stuff you could normally do with your hands, and only if you can see it. But with that limitation, it is still very powerful.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
Pyroninja42 Forum Villain from the War Room Since: Jan, 2011
Forum Villain
#16: Feb 14th 2011 at 10:49:08 AM

Charisma. Just imagine if there was a super-charismastic superhero (or supervillain) or whatever whose charisma was so influential it was essentially mind control; like, say, he's fighting in a duel with a nemesis or rival. What does he do? He rallies bystanders and policemen and stuff in a badass Misfit Mobilization Moment where the rabble, unified by a rousing speech, swarms the rival.

"Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person that doesn't get it."
doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#17: Feb 21st 2011 at 8:23:12 PM

good point! Also, you could proably charm a spirit or somthing into your services to protect you while you rant at people to kill your rival.

Not to mention using you newfound army to rob banks and then get out of jail.

edited 21st Feb '11 8:28:18 PM by doorhandle

Morgulion An accurate depiction from Cornholes Since: May, 2009
An accurate depiction
#18: Feb 21st 2011 at 9:42:46 PM

One idea of mine: if you take portals and mess around with them in a vacuum, you can remove the terminal velocity of an object due to air resistance. That means if you take a big enough tungsten slug, for instance, you could very well nuke whole cities with one pop.

This is this.
AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#19: Feb 23rd 2011 at 12:20:18 AM

I think teleportation tends to be one of the things that doesn't get enough thought into it. Also, I don't think secondary powers are considered enough. Surely being resistant to fire/extreme cold could have some uses in something other than combat situations.

edited 23rd Feb '11 12:22:43 AM by AceofSpades

doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#20: Feb 23rd 2011 at 1:50:33 AM

well, even in combat there's allways the Incendary Exponent...

Guess it would be very handy for hazardous environs, both man-made and otherwise. Also, Never get cold. Or hot.

[up][up] You talking about something like this?

edited 23rd Feb '11 1:52:03 AM by doorhandle

Alkthash Was? Since: Jan, 2001
Was?
#21: Feb 23rd 2011 at 8:49:33 AM

Well resistance to heat could allow a character to function in a state of high activity for extended periods of time or fever since their body isn't bothered by heat.

doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#22: Feb 23rd 2011 at 9:31:15 PM

Oooh, super endurance. Niiiice.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#23: Feb 25th 2011 at 10:12:26 PM

Here's an odd question. If you're a teleporter, wouldn't you have to be really good at spatial thinking? Or spatial visualization, whichever of those is the right phrase.

cityofmist turning and turning from Meanwhile City Since: Dec, 2010
turning and turning
#24: Feb 25th 2011 at 10:58:02 PM

[up]Yes, very. And what would happen if you teleported into a space that already had something in it?

Scepticism and doubt lead to study and investigation, and investigation is the beginning of wisdom. - Clarence Darrow
doorhandle Since: Oct, 2010
#25: Feb 26th 2011 at 12:11:01 AM

Depends on the indivudual mechanics of the teleport, really.

In my opinion, anything in the way would be telefragged.

also, what could good spatial vison be useful for?

back to the fire-controller, wouldn't they also be able to hold their breath for a really long time?

edited 27th Feb '11 1:30:07 AM by doorhandle

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