Combo-Platter Powers: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

{{quote|'''Dr. Jackson:''' Egeria, Roman goddess of fountains.

'''Col. O'Neill:''' How do those two go together?|''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' }}

 

Superheroes sometimes have an unintuitive combination of powers. Sometimes this is a [[Justified Trope]]. For example, anyone with [[All Your Powers Combined]] will have '''Combo-Platter Powers''' at least some of the time. Other times it is the result of either an excess or lack of thematic unity. Sometimes, combinations that look strange to modern-day Western conceptual categories made perfect sense in the culture where they originated.

 

 

This does ''not'' include abilities gained by learning them or some other method of choosing them, as something that can be learned is only random if the ''character'' wants to learn it random things. This means most magical abilities are excluded.

 

{{examples}}

* ''[[Naruto]]'': [[Superpowerful Genetics|Kekkei Genkai]] sometimes provide extremely random ability combinations.

** '''Sharingan''' (the regular ones are based on sight/perception/analysis, but the [[Deadly Upgrade]]'s powers are all kinds of crazy, {{spoiler|including hypnosis, setting things ablaze with immortal flames, and '''[[Reality Warper|bending reality at will.]]''' Also, with [[Applied Phlebotinum|Senju DNA]], an Uchiha gains the Rinnegan's powers as well}}).

* ''[[Rave Master]]'': Haru Glory's [[Morph Weapon|Ten Commandments sword]] at any given time gives its wielder powers to generate explosions, move and attack at super speed, cut intangible objects and seal magic, shoot ice and fire, paralyze and push back opponents, become a ridiculously heavy sword, emit blinding flashes of light, unleash a berserk mode that features enhanced strength and speed, and finally the ability to dispel evil.

* ''[[One Piece]]'': most characters' abilities stick to a certain theme.

** '''Brook''': The Revive-Revive Fruit originally appeared to give him the ability to come back to life, once. Post-Timeskip, his powers now seem to have granted him control over his soul, which allows Astral Projection and the ability to create ice by drawing on the coldness of the afterlife.

** '''Blackbeard''': Dark-Dark Fruit powers grant at least two entirely different sets of powers: One set of powers allows him to manipulate gravity and be a living black hole (hence the name of the fruit), and the other lets him [[All Your Powers Combined|take someone else's Devil Fruit powers]]. So far, however, it hasn't been entirely clear how much of this he began with, how much he's taken from others, and how much are his own body's natural abilities. Nevertheless, he has a definite odd combination, now that he can not only control gravity, but also {{spoiler|create earthquakes at will}}.

* ''[[Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha Force]]'': the powers Tohma gained from his [[Viral Transformation]] started off pretty simple, with the ability to fire huge blasts, [[Anti-Magic]], [[Plot-Powered Stamina|inexhaustible stamina]], [[Nigh Invulnerability]], and a [[Healing Factor]]. But as more chapters are brought out, the powers he received from the Eclipse virus gets bigger and more random. Currently, he also has psychic immunity, flight, [[Stat-O-Vision]], an EMP Shockwave, an automatic self-defense array that launches 100 million energy blasts, and the ability to make everyone over a wide range experience cardiac arrest.

 

* ''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X Men]]'', has the concepts of ''Secondary Mutations'', [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]], which are un-related to their primary mutations, and ''Homo Killcrop'', the informal term for the original pre-modern sub-species of x-gene-possessing mutants, whose powers manifest at birth/infancy and are much more chaotic—and thus more varied—than those of the modern sub-species of mutants, whose powers manifeset at puberty (stated to be the result of natural selection, as mutant babies tended to have an extremely low survival rate compared to mutant teenagers). A number of X-characters thus fit this trope, including:

** '''Wolverine''': healing factor, retractable claws, enhanced smelling and hearing, adamantium skeleton. It's explained that Wolverine is the [[Superpowerful Genetics|product of two mutant families]]. His mother's family has long been "cursed" with bone claws and mindless animal rages, while his father has the regeneration and enhanced senses. [[Lamarck Was Right|Wolverine gets all of them]]. The adamantium is added, much later in his life, by government experimentation. They'd been wanting to do it for a long while to produce [[Super Soldier]]s, but adamantium is poisonous—a test subject who could heal away the ill effects was perfect.

** '''Angel''': Wings for flight and the [[Required Secondary Powers]] that make flight work and can heal people with same blood type. Although the last part was added later because, well, flight is boring. Angel also recently gained the ability to transform to and from Archangel, who has metal wings with razor-like feathers. That can be fired at enemies.

** '''Icarus''': Wings and associated [[Required Secondary Powers]], the power to mimic any sound, as well as [[Healing Factor]] for ''himself.'' Unfortunately, the healing factor relied on enzymes produced by the muscles of his wings, so when they were removed, he lost that power and promptly had a [[Dropped a Bridge on Him|Bridge Drop]] befall him.

** '''Wild Thing''' of the MC2 [[Twenty Minutes Into the Future]]-verse: The healing factor and animal-like senses and hairdo of her dad, Wolverine, with a smaller dose of the temper. "Psychic claws" in the style of Psylocke's psychic blade? (It's said it was "taught" to her by Psylocke, the mental version of [[Charles Atlas Superpower|CharlesAtlasSuperpowers]], but ''no one else'' without psychic powers has ever been shown to use one, and Psylocke's own ability to use this is at the mercy of whatever's going on with her powers at the moment.)

** '''Monet St. Croix''': [[Flying Brick]] powers. [[Fusion Dance|Ability to merge with any mutant member of her family]] encountered thus far, with different combinations having entirely different personality and powers. This goes, in fact, for all of the St. Croix siblings except for Nicole (who hasn't displayed solo powers just yet.) And telepathy and heightened intelligence.

* ''[[Superboy]]'': Conner Kent and Chris Kent a.k.a. Nightwing have Kryptonian powers ''and'' tactile telekinesis. Chris' girlfriend Thara Ak-Var aka Flamebird has Kryptonian powers ''and'' [[Playing with Fire|pyrokinesis]].

* ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes]]'': Ultraboy a guy with the powers of Superman but he can only use one at a time (even the passive ones like invulnerability.) He does have a Legion flight ring so he doesn't have to use his natural flight which frees him up to use one other power. He does seem to keep the [[Required Secondary Powers]] for whichever ones he's using at the time though.

* ''[[Sub-Mariner|Namor the Sub-Mariner]]'': has everything you'd expect from a being built to survive underwater: strength enough to survive ocean pressure, agility and speed to swim quickly and efficiently... and tiny wings on his ankles that allow him to fly, making him a [[Flying Brick]]. This last was eventually explained as a mutation caused by his [[Half-Human Hybrid|surface-dweller/Atlantean hybrid]] heritage. Thus he's considered one of the first mutants of the modern age in the [[Marvel Universe]].

* ''[[Spider-Man]]'': Most of his powers are supposed to be those of a spider, amped up to human proportions, but with [[Spider Sense]] standing in for a spider's multiple eyes. But once having got these powers, Peter quickly invents his web-shooters,<ref>Originally, he knew instinctively how to mix chemicals to make web, which he then loaded like cartridges into a "blaster" on his arm</ref> which are thematically appropriate, but not really connected to the rest of his powers. Later versions of the character have given Spidey "organic web-shooters" to more closely tie his powers together. Over the decades, Spider-Man has developed other temporary powers or devices. A recent secondary mutation gave Peter more spider-based powers including the ability to feel trace vibrations in his weblines, enhancing his spider-sense to where he can practically see in the dark, making his hairs more sensitive, giving him poison stingers in his arms... [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|and the power to instantly recognize what species a spider is by looking at it]]. However, most of these powers, plus his organic webbing, have been lost in the [[Time Skip]] between ''[[One More Day]]'' and ''Brand New Day''.

* ''[[Fantastic Four]]'': Susan Storm, who started out with just invisibility, then gained force field powers to allow her a more active role in the stories. A much later [[Retcon]] claimed that her invisibility was actually an instinctive use of the forcefield to distort light around her. Johnny Storm also has the [[Flying Firepower]] set, and is over on that page.

* ''[[Static (comics)|Static]]'': almost anything as long as it can be given a [[Hand Wave|vague connection]] to [[Lightning Can Do Anything|electromagnetism]]. Including listening to CD's without a player.

* ''[[Empowered]]'': Empowered's super suit gives her super strength, energy beams... and the ability to make phone calls by speaking into her pinky and forefinger and [[Wall Crawling]] and [[Batman Can Breathe in Space|the ability to breathe in space]], it turns out. Also, her suit can turn invisible. ([[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|Not her]], [[Fan Service|just the suit.]]) The suits mask offers a bunch of vision based powers as well including [[X-Ray Vision]] and the like.

** '''Smoke Lightning''' can transform into smoke and shoot lightning.

* ''[[Cerebus]]'': Parodied with the "reads" character Rabbi. He had hundreds of peculiar and highly specialized powers such as dextrorotatory breath - making the plane of polarization of light spin to the right by blowing.

 

== Fan Works ==

** When he was being changed into a winged humanoid by Varx to save his life, there was magic left over that had to be factored in somehow. Varx channeled the magic into mild [[Super Strength]] and super-hearing because he wanted it to be as unobtrusive as possible. Why he didn't improve John's sight, which would have made more sense for a winged guy, can probably be explained by the fact that he was working very fast.

** When he got his water powers, which come from a magical gem, the gods {{spoiler|(actually Jeft)}} ensured that he would get the gem (rather than Paul) because it worked better on stronger hosts.

 

 

* ''[[Dracula]]'': is supremely strong, hypnotic, commands animals, [[Super Smoke|can turn into a mist]], addict people to his blood, and climb walls like a spider. Most of these powers can be found in folklore about vampires, or previous vampire novels, but not usually all at once. And just what constitutes "vampire powers" is under dispute—see [[Our Vampires Are Different]] for further discussion.

* ''[[Codex Alera]]'': Even a single-element Crafter will get an impressively broad array of powers. As an example, an Earthcrafter can gain superhuman strength, shift rock and earth to create barriers or tear down walls, calm animals, travel rapidly over the ground, [[Rule 34|induce]] [[Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick|lust]], and sense people's locations if they're on the ground. {{spoiler|Tavi is smart enough to recognize the implications of this, and when he is short of combat engineers enlists the local brothel to aid a demolition project.}}

* ''[[Mistborn]]'':

* '''Mistborn''' have quite an impressive array of abilities, including [[Super Strength]], [[Super Senses]], emotional manipulation, limited telekinetic control of metals, and [[Combat Clairvoyance]]. Justified in that they get their abilities by metabolizing certain metals, each of which has distinct effects- a Mistborn ''without'' his or her metals is no more powerful than any other human.

** '''Feruchemists''' from the same series have a similarly broad array of powers, because of their ability to alter their own bodies' processes through [[Equivalent Exchange]]. It's well within a Feruchemist's abilities to have [[Super Strength]], [[Super Senses]], a [[Photographic Memory]], a [[Healing Factor]], and more- as long as they're willing to go with their abilities similarly ''reduced'' for an equivalent amount of time.

 

* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'':

** '''The Haitian''' can block the powers of other 'special' people. Also, he can erase memories.

** And as of season 4, {{spoiler|Matt Parkman}} has gained the power to paint the future, despite already having powers of his own.

** '''Santiago's father''' from the webisodes, who has the same power as Santiago himself, plus electricity.

** '''Ando''' eventually acquires the ability to boost the superpowers of others by touch; this ability apparently manifests as red lightning that can blast people with concussive force.

* The title character from ''[[The Secret World of Alex Mack]]'' has [[Mind Over Matter|telekinesis]], [[Shock and Awe|electrical manipulation]] (with some minor [[technopath]]y on the side) and can [[Elemental Shapeshifter|turn into a puddle of watery liquid]], which she often uses for escaping unseen from danger or to travel quickly via sewers.

* [[Misfits]]: Although most people were only given one power by the Storm, a drug dealer has the ability to transfer powers from one person to another. One of his customers bought telekinesis, walking on water, teleportation and the ability to drive people mad with lust when he touched them. {{spoiler|Simon}} gained {{spoiler|precognition}}, time-travel, and immunity to others' powers. In a few rare cases people gained secondary powers from the storm, such as {{spoiler|Nathan}} gaining {{spoiler|immortality and the ability to see the spirits of the dead}}, and Simon gaining invisibility and {{spoiler|super-human aim}}.

 

== Myths & Religion ==

 

== Video Games ==

** And that's just at ''creation''. Starting after level 41, you can get Ancillary power pools based on your class but again otherwise unbound (so a Tanker with a shield in one hand and an axe in the other could suddenly start throwing out fireballs, or develop psychic/energy shields, etc.) The villain equivalent that you need to run a mission to get are Patron pools, which are thematically bound to said patron (though running the quest for one unlocks for all) but otherwise unique. And that's not even getting into [[A God Am I|Incarnate]] abilities...

* [[Mario]]:

** '''Mario''': The title character has had a long list of powerups along the years, among them: A [[Drop the Hammer|Super powerful Hammer]], power to [[Elemental Powers|shoot fireballs]], to [[Sizeshifter|grow in size]], [[Invincibility Power-Up|temporary invincibility]], a flying raccoon suit that transformed into a statue, a Frog suit to swim faster, a turtle suit that gives him an infinite supply of hammers, a [[Best Level Ever|giant clockwork boot]], a pet Dinosaur to ride on, a [[Flight|Flying cape]] (which deflects projectiles in ''[[Super Smash Bros.|Super Smash Bros Melee and Brawl]]''), rabbit ears that allow him to Glide and Super Jump, hats that let him become solid Metal, [[Intangible Man|Intangible]]/[[Invisibility|Invisible]], or Fly, the ability to puff himself up like a balloon, a water gun that straps to his back, and the latest game gave him Ice powers, and Ghost, Bee, and spring transformations. Not to mention his vanilla standard powers of [[In a Single Bound|Super jumping]], [[Super Speed]], and [[Super Strength]] that he always has. New Super Mario Bros. Wii adds a Penguin suit that can swim like the Frog Suit, toss freezing snowballs like the Ice Flower, and walk on ice without slipping. And the Propeller Hat for flying. Plus has the Mini Mario from the DS game that is super tiny and can run across water without sinking.

* ''[[South Park]]'' episode "Good Times With Weapons": parodied extremely well.

{{quote|'''Cartman:''' Hold on you guys. I actually have another power. I can see into the future too, but better than Kyle. Let me try it.

'''Cartman:''' I am Bulrog and I have lots and lots of powers! }}

* ''[[Ben 10: Alien Force|Ben 10 Alien Force]]'' several of the aliens Ben Tennyson could transform into had multiple strange power sets. Swampfire, for example, had both [[Green Thumb|plantlike qualities]] and a [[Healing Factor]], but also [[Playing with Fire|fire powers]]; Big Chill was [[An Ice Person]] who could also fly using its mothlike wings, and [[Invisibility|become invisible]] [[Intangible Man|and intangible]].

[[Category:Stock Super Powers]]

[[Category:Combo-Platter Powers]]