Power Copying: Difference between revisions

* In ''[[Naruto]]'', Kakashi Hatake and the Uchiha clan have an explicit ability to copy other ninjas' moves with their Sharingan. Kakashi is known to screw with his opponents' minds by subtly hypnotising them into using techniques he already knows, making it look like he can copy their techniques before they even finish using them.

* One of the definitive powers of Ifurita, the "Demon God" android from ''[[El-Hazard: The Magnificent World]],'' who can copy and improve on any attack used against her. (That she's pretty much [[Nigh Invulnerability|indestructible]] just helps her pick up things.)

** There's also the ninth Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie, [[Cannibalism Superpower|who has the ability to obtain the power of any Hollow he eats.]] {{spoiler|At some point, he ate the hollow that absorbed Kaien Shiba, which allows him to use that Hollow's shapeshifting powers and Kaien's shinigami powers.}}

* Several characters from ''[[The Prince of Tennis]]'' have an ability referred to as State of Self-Actualisation (Muga no Kyouchi), which allows them to subconsciously replicate any techniques ever witnessed. Some other characters, while not possessing Muga, can also duplicate their opponents' moves, giving them a mental edge.

** While this doesn't sound like much, considering this is tennis, after all, well, it's probably better if you [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA1rC0GPAWA look into it yourself].

** Shishio does 'learn' moves he sees to an extent, but only to be able to perform a perfect counter rather than executing the move itself.

** Massively subverted at the end of the manga. [[The Quiet One|Aoshi]] fights a member of a [[Quirky Miniboss Squad]] who specializes in copying the sword techniques of his enemies. It appears to be working and the guy seems to have an edge on Aoshi until Aoshi suddenly kicks him right in the face, informs him that as a martial arts master using swords is only a part of his technique. (And the copycat can't copy his kenpo skills). The angry copycat tries to kill Aoshi with his own techniques, but Aoshi correctly anticipates the moves, comments on how dumb it is trying to kill him with moves he knows inside and out, and then promptly breaks the copycat's swords and beats the crap out of him.

** Gourmet, an enemy from the third season, had a [[Cannibalism Superpower]]. This unfortunately proved to be his downfall when he ate the Elder Toguro, who regenerated and took over Gourmet's body from within in the most horrible way possible.

* According to Decepticon rumor, Thrust of ''[[Transformers Armada]]'' can copy his opponent's fighting style just by watching him. He's never actually done this in canon, but since everyone's fighting styles seem to be either "run at enemy and grab his fists forcefully", "swing sword like baseball bat" or "shoot from a distance", he doesn't seem to have a reason to.

** Hayate also makes use of this same power shortly thereafter to become an [[Instant Expert]] in magical combat.

* Takeshi Yoshida, from the baseball manga ''[[Touch]]'' is able to imitate a pitcher's style perfectly just by watching them. He develops an impressive repertoire {{spoiler|but is undone in the end by a lack of endurance}}.

* In ''[[Vampire: The Masquerade]]'', a vampire can steal another vampire's power by devouring the vampire's soul. The game considers this act, called Diablerie, to be a Very, Very Bad Thing, especially in the eyes of the Camarilla... Though they mostly dislike it for the precedent it sets.

* In ''[[Exalted]]'', Eclipse Caste Solars and Moonshadow Caste Abyssals can learn the Charms of other types of Exalted, as well as Charms unique to spirits. The catch is they have to be taught the Charm by an Exalt of that type (or Spirit) who knows it.

** Oh, and this can be done at 1st level (although only in the [[Forgotten Realms]] universe). It is an important lesson in what happens when you take the rules literally.

** There is also the Spellthief [[Prestige Class]] in edition 3.5, which has a temporary, [[Vancian Magic|disposable]] version of this trope

** The Kroot also do something like this. They consume their slain enemies, and any useful traits are incorporated into the Kroot's DNA (which is mostly blank apart from their natural traits). Over a few generations, the traits gained from consumed enemies become a natural part of the Kroot's biology.

*** The Kroot Shapers are shamans within tribes that direct what they eat, to ensure only good traits are retained and not detrimental ones. This came after one section of kroot decided it would be good to assimilate canine DNA, and getting trapped in an evolutionary dead end. The current Kroot themselves are actually not the base race, they use to be a type of scavenging bird before consuming a humanoid race.

** Also inverted by a boss in ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'', he can learn Blue Magic from your party. [[Anticlimax Boss|Including]] [[Crowning Moment of Funny|Self-Destruct.]]

* ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'s'' Blitzball mini game allows the players of your team to mark and learn new abilities from the players of the opponent team.

** This also carried over to ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', although he can't really eat his enemies. He also only copies one move of the inhaled opponent, which replaces his Inhale move until you decide to drop the ability by taunting or if you take enough damage from the opponent(s).

** In ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', he can even use the ability to create a "Helper", an ally with similar abilities to the enemy that commonly has the skill (often a [[Palette Swap]]). The helpers themselves has a bit of [[Mega Manning]]; if one's health is reduced to zero, they begin to glow before exploding. In this state, they simply need to touch an enemy to turn into that enemy's respective helper and completely restore their health to boot. One of the abilities also allows Kirby to copy powers by scanning the enemy rather than inhaling them. This is rather pointless for Kirby, but gives the Helper even more freedom.

* ''[[Clive Barker's Jericho]]'' sees {{spoiler|The Firstborn}} use this when you fight it. {{spoiler|It attacks by launching bolts of lightning at members of the team. When it lands a hit, it temporarily absorbs the powers of the victim, and the only way to damage it is to possess that team member and use their powers against The Firstborn.}} Makes for some awesome animations; most notably the aerial duel between {{spoiler|The Firstborn's version of Ababinili and Delgado's}} and the beatdown handed to it by Church.

* ''[[Devil May Cry]] 2'' employs a variation of this. The penultimate boss, Argosax the Chaos, is a [[Monster Mash|twisted amalgamation of bosses from all through the game and its prequel]]; those bosses being Phantom, Griffon, Furiataurus, Nefasturris, Jokatgulm and Oranguerra. Each has its own health bar and the player must kill them all, one at a time, before going on to face the Despair Embodied.

** Also Monsters, and Riki in particular, are based entirely around absorbing enemies and mix-and-matching their moves.

** Mystics can seal monsters into their "mystic" weapons to learn moves as well gain a stat bonus.

* ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]: [[Devil Survivor]]'' has a system in which your characters can "crack" the skills of demons or other demon tamers, gaining the skill to equip for later or immediate use.

* ''[[The Maw]]'' features the titular character as an [[Extreme Omnivore]]. When it eats certain unique enemies, it can also gain their powers, such as fire, flight, or shooting laser beams from its multiple eyes.

* As a ''[[Mega Man (video game)|Mega Man]]'' homage, ''[[Rosenkreuzstilette]]'' has Spiritia plays it straight, Grolla averts it, and Freudia uses an odd variation by retooling the attacks to fit her [[An Ice Person|Ice Person]] status.

* One of the most popular skill builds of ''[[Ragnarok Online]]'''s rogues (and stalkers) involves using their Intimidate ability to copy the most recent skill they've been hit with, from player or monster alike. Only stalkers have an ability to preserve the copied skill, however.

[[Category:Videogame Effects and Spells]]

[[Category:Magic and Powers]]