Questions tagged [super-powers]
For questions about the development and usage of powers and abilities beyond what is "normal" for a specific species.
341
questions
4
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3answers
100 views
Raising muscle power without increasing volume
Some of you may know my mutant thread, and guess what? It's back.
I'm wondering if there is any biological means to improve muscular power without greatly increasing the volume of said muscle.
My ...
3
votes
0answers
67 views
Superstrength and hypertrophy [on hold]
So it's fairly well established that to build bigger muscles you cause damage to muscles commonly by (lifting weights) and your body repairs these and grows bigger muscles. So how do superheroes with ...
2
votes
3answers
160 views
Possibility of non-magical superpowers [closed]
I am not writing a story, this just came to me as an idea. How can one introduce superpowers in his world without an appeal to magic or heavy machinery (in fact, without an appeal to machinery which ...
5
votes
2answers
130 views
Electrokinesis, direct, and based on technology
Superhumans in my setting work based on advanced technology (but not clarketech; no violations of physical laws, no FTL).
My question is, how can a superhuman direct electricity?
From my ...
9
votes
3answers
130 views
Power of flight vs weight of object in free fall
In my story there are people with super powers, but they only get to have one. So, if someone’s power is to start a fire, then they can’t also control it once it starts. My problem currently is with ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Energy Transfer in Telekinesis [closed]
This specific type of telekinesis is constrained in that the telekinetic can only lift what they would physically be able to lift. Somehow, they are transferring energy from their body across space, ...
2
votes
4answers
187 views
Is there a scientific explanation for mental manipulation? [closed]
I have a character who can suggest things to people, and what she says, they believe to be true. Is there a way to scientifically explain this, even vaguely? I was wondering if perhaps a form of ...
-4
votes
6answers
403 views
Can medieval weapons (swords, spears, polehammers, etc) be more viable than guns in this SciFi setting?
Context In this world, laws of physics are roughly the same as ours. No placeholder magic involved. Wars are fought by cyborgs/mutants/synthetic mutants (super soldiers) who can manipulate certain ...
68
votes
10answers
10k views
How can powerful telekinesis avoid violating Newton's 3rd Law?
Characters with powerful telekinesis are portrayed as being able to exert a superhuman force using only their minds. For example, they can throw a car.
Based on what I remember from high school ...
-2
votes
2answers
133 views
How would one go about getting away with illegal human experimentation? [closed]
My protagonist is subjected to involuntary experimentation because she has superpowers. I want it to be painful and traumatizing. Every time she is injured, she heals more resilient to harm, and she ...
3
votes
3answers
152 views
Salem witch trials safe haven [closed]
With the story I'm writing I really want to find an accurate place to set up a school (preferably in New York) that was originally a safe place to go to during the Salem Witch Trials.
I'm hoping to ...
1
vote
4answers
245 views
If a human body was self sustaining
If a human somehow managed to change their body in such a way that self sustaining was possible and they did not need any outside sources to maintain themselves, does that mean that they cannot grow ...
6
votes
4answers
242 views
Would it be possible for someone with ice powers to stop or “freeze” a wound to their heart?
I have characters with ice powers. I was planning that they could freeze an injury and prevent it from progressing. An arrow is shot at their heart, but I could possibly change the location to make ...
-4
votes
4answers
275 views
What would determine the most powerful superpower? [closed]
I should probably start with this to get a few answers I know are coming my way right out of the equation altogether:
No, this isn't the age-old question of "If you could have superpowers...?" but ...
3
votes
4answers
318 views
Practical body armor for a female who can create objects from her body
In the anime My Hero Academia, most people have a random ability like a physical enhancement, a bodily mutation, control of an element, etc.
Momo Yaoyorozu is a student who has the ability to ...
1
vote
3answers
125 views
How would a person be able to attain superspeed if they could subvert Newton's 2nd Law of Motion?
I'm struggling with the physics here a bit since I'm a complete novice at this. I'm making a character whose main ability is to subvert/play around with the 2nd Law of motion.
Somehow I understand ...
16
votes
9answers
3k views
What does air vanishing on contact sound like?
I'm about to break rule seven of superpowers: don't think too hard about what it does to the air.
A superhero has the ability to disappear any atoms that come within 2 cm of their skin (atoms that ...
0
votes
5answers
155 views
Uses for members of society with cool powers [closed]
In my world, one in every 1000 is born with a power/gift/talent/whatever you want to call it. If you are born with a gift it is in one of three categories: teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy.
...
2
votes
3answers
450 views
How broken would a ~5ms reaction time be? [closed]
Suppose we've got one character, who for whatever reason (handwave.gif), has around a ~5ms reaction time (20-40x regular people's). That's enough to be many, many times faster than the rest of the ...
11
votes
4answers
571 views
How strong can zombies really be?
Assume that average Joe dies in a zombie outbreak and is revived as a zombie pretty much immediately. How strong could that zombie be, assuming that:
Zombification is done by "taking over" the brain, ...
40
votes
14answers
13k views
Putting Ant-Man on house arrest
In Ant Man and the Wasp, Ant Man starts the movie on house arrest. House arrest is enforced by a standard ankle tracking monitor. Of course, this security mechanism proves woefully inadequate since, ...
10
votes
8answers
1k views
Effects on objects due to a brief relocation of massive amounts of mass
I want you to meet Gary. Gary looks like a human, walks like a human, and talks like a human. But he's not. He's a superhero, or a magician, or... something. He's not really sure. He just knows that ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
How would someone who could break the laws of motion apply it? [closed]
I'm working on a "Science Fantasy" story and in my story I'm trying to approach magic from a different angle. I understand this is a fictional work but I'd like to get my facts right nonetheless.
The ...
7
votes
5answers
382 views
Velocity Difference From Teleportation
In Steven Gould's Jumper series, the main character has the ability to teleport, and he eventually realizes he automatically does frame matching when doing so - no matter where on earth his origin and ...
7
votes
16answers
2k views
How would the world control an invulnerable immortal mass murderer? [closed]
This question came to me after re-watching Jason movies and some Hulk movies. SCP-096 was a huge inspiration as well. Forgive me if this question is silly but I'm curious on how humanity would react ...
10
votes
16answers
3k views
How to deal with speedster characters?
In many fictional franchises we see people like the Flash who can move at speeds defying physics.
In my story I want to include a speedster, however I feel that they would be too overpowered for the ...
2
votes
8answers
2k views
Ideas for 3rd eye abilities [closed]
I am creating a super villain that developed special abilities from a mutated pineal gland. For now i'm referring to it as the Enhanced 3rd eye or the 3rd Eye ability. From the research I've done, ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Hierarchy: Protect, absorb and reflect vs destructive parasitic or vampiric spells such as leech or draw [closed]
Suppose there are two wizards, one using light magic to protect himself and others, via wards, barriers, shield spells and with some focus on drawing and absorbing energy whilst also attempting to ...
20
votes
6answers
4k views
Personal Teleportation: From Rags to Riches
I'm looking to investigate one aspect of the "real world" implications of teleportation as a super power, much like I did with this question.
In this case, I'm trying to figure out the best method(s) ...
1
vote
4answers
138 views
Looking for heroic deeds that don't involve stopping criminal activity [closed]
I'm looking for types of heroic deeds that a stereotype superhero or main character in a fiction story does, but with the restriction that it cannot involve (stopping) criminal activity or be too "...
4
votes
2answers
700 views
How much force would your fist need to strike with to punch through a human body?
Okay so, this is kind of a disgusting question... sorry about that in advance, guys. Say you are super strong, super fast, and super durable. There is a not so strong, fast, or durable normal human ...
1
vote
3answers
148 views
How fast would a person need to be to cross a gap and prevent a gunman from shooting someone?
I was reading one of the recent questions involving a fast-moving superhero, and it reminded me of something I've been wondering about for a while, so I decide to create a spinoff scenario question.
...
7
votes
4answers
672 views
How fast would a person need to move to trick the eye?
Say superheroes in a certain world have somewhat less overpowered abilities. A strong super might be able to lift a few tons, but not stop speeding trains or pick up an entire semi. Unlike the Flash, ...
7
votes
7answers
348 views
How do I defend a person against an attacking teleporter?
Inspired by Personal Teleportation as a Weapon
Using the teleportation rules from that question:
The Teleporter can teleport themselves and/or any object (including people) they are touching, ...
24
votes
27answers
8k views
Everything Bob says is false. How does he get people to trust him?
I was looking at the questions where Everything Joe says is true and I thought it would be interesting to explore the inverse superpower.
Bob isn't just a pathological liar, but if he says a true ...
25
votes
17answers
5k views
Personal Teleportation as a Weapon
I've always considered teleportation to be one of the most under-rated super powers in all ways, but at the moment I'm thinking through the ramifications of personal teleportation as a superpower in ...
6
votes
6answers
282 views
Exploiting an ability to see into the past
A group of people from a particular family are born with an ability to see into the past. They would like to exploit this for money but there is no obvious way to do so.
Details
By closing their ...
6
votes
5answers
367 views
Explaining pyrokinesis powers
I write sci-fi, and I don't love fudging important things. I have a character that was a victim of genetic experiments (I know how original). I want to find a semi-reasonable way to explain this.(not ...
1
vote
1answer
207 views
If everyone has telekinesis, how would people fight? (1v1, wars, etc)
Main Goal: A general idea of fighting, or a specific example of a fight that fits (like general strategies all use, or a single fight where "fast users" beat "strong users". Traps laid in advance, or ...
1
vote
1answer
154 views
What society/government would be stable if people get superpowers randomly? [closed]
To refine the question:
Goal: a society/government capable of lasting centuries. This takes place somewhere within a technological time period (1000BCE to 1000CE). No gunpowder or explosives. I'm ...
23
votes
5answers
5k views
What problems would a superhuman have whose skin is constantly hot?
The basic premise is about a metahuman whose skin always emits large amounts of heat. It's usually around 300-500 F (150-260 C) degrees, but when he gets mad, in pain or in a serious fight, it can ...
7
votes
3answers
880 views
How could my hard telekinesis work?
So, in my setting, telekinesis is divided into two sub-fields:
Soft telekinesis allows for precise manipulation of objects but doesn't pack a punch. Newton's third law is negligible for this type.
...
1
vote
0answers
58 views
What's the elemental form used in conjuring a super power/ability? [closed]
Example: kinetic energy used for psychic abilities and chakra for ninjas and so on. What more forms are there?
If a knight(mage/magical knight) were to use his 'superpowers', what form of energy ...
4
votes
3answers
172 views
Performance enhancing drugs (mostly realistic)
I have a character in my story who is immortal and heals very quickly (think Wolverine). Ignoring physical side effects (but keeping in mind psychological ones) what sorts of drugs could he take to ...
4
votes
12answers
1k views
Guns against regular people [closed]
In my story a group of people (around 18-20 years old) get superpowers but only slight ones and invulnerability is not one (e.g. perceiving time slower and breathing underwater) and only a couple so ...
9
votes
6answers
1k views
What is a good way to explain how a character can produce flames from their body?
So in a webtoon that I am drawing/writing everyone is born with 1 or 2 psychic abilities that can range anywhere from teleportation, sensory manipulation, thermal conductivity, elemental kinesis ...
5
votes
7answers
514 views
How can someone be immortal and still age?
I need an explanation for how one could be immortal and still age. If one was truly immortal one would remain an infant forever. How could this be explained?
I'm working on a character who is ...
2
votes
1answer
420 views
Splitting the atom with a hammer
In a world of superheroes the job of blacksmith is given to the very strongest of them.
Question
Is splitting an atom in a human-scale piece of work by using a human-scale tool even theoretically ...
-2
votes
1answer
67 views
Voice Activated Reality Warping [closed]
Okay, so before I start this probably 95% completely opinionated but I would really like some feed back and overall help with this.
I’m writing a story where everyone has a specific power or a gift ...
2
votes
5answers
330 views
How to test a mutant to know all of his/her abilities?
I've read a lot of question about testing, so this may be a duplicate, but so far, I've been unable to find this question.
Settings
Following WW3, and its scenarium-radiating super-weapons, mutants ...
