# Choose a Superpower...first come, first served! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 11, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822 "2018-10-11T21:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/41 "2018-10-12T16:45:06Z")
No one took super-strength yet (unless I missed it), so I’ll take that. I’m assuming it comes with associated durability (i.e. my bones will support the massive weights I can lift, and punches I can deliver, etc.). I’ll fight crime and serve and protect the innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/42 "2018-10-12T16:51:15Z")
> [@Knight\_Of\_Few\_Words](#): > > So while you so-called good guys are messing around and having fun with your god-like powers, I guess I’ll have to take the ability to regulate CO2 levels and save the planet. Tremble before the responsible biospherical management of _Thermostat_. Hey, maybe you want to extract CO2 from the air and form it into diamonds and O2. Save the world, make money and piss of DeBeers - where’s the downside? ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/43 "2018-10-12T17:10:37Z")
Magic. Like a lower-grade Dr. Strange. A variety of utility spells for safe travel over distances, self-defense, information-gathering, and problem-solving. Call me **Pentacle**. I will use this power to locate and rescue lost pets and children, solve mysteries, confound tyrants, and occasionally to banish escaped demons summoned by other allegedly well-meaning Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/44 "2018-10-12T17:11:37Z")
The ability to become anything I can envision, like Plastic Man. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/45 "2018-10-12T17:14:12Z")
If I could only choose one, teleportation, Nightcrawler-style. But ideally, more range than his max which is like 3 miles I think and very exhausting. If I didn’t have to choose only one I’d be a frikken Jedi. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@Go\_Arachnid\_Laser\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_Arachnid_Laser_1)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/46 "2018-10-12T17:36:52Z")
> [@Knight\_Of\_Few\_Words](#): > > So while you so-called good guys are messing around and having fun with your god-like powers, I guess I’ll have to take the ability to regulate CO2 levels and save the planet. Tremble before the responsible biospherical management of _Thermostat_. Great. So now the powers that be can happily pump as much pollution as they want since they have you as their Deus Ex Machina… only when you grow old and die, what will happen with all the unchecked pollution? Look, Thermie, let me get that away from you before you destroy civilization. Sheesh. My name? They call me… The Poacher. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > No one took super-strength yet (unless I missed it), so I’ll take that. I’m assuming it comes with associated durability (i.e. my bones will support the massive weights I can lift, and punches I can deliver, etc.). I’ll fight crime and serve and protect the innocent. What? Are you going to spend your free time roaming around town, hoping for some crime to be committed near you? And then, I hope you realize you’re not invulnerable, so a simple weapon, or even a good sucker punch and you’re dead meat. Let me take that before you hurt yourself. Seriously. I’ll find a better use for these powers. > [@Sailboat](#): > > Magic. Like a lower-grade Dr. Strange. A variety of utility spells for safe travel over distances, self-defense, information-gathering, and problem-solving. > > Call me **Pentacle**. > > I will use this power to locate and rescue lost pets and children, solve mysteries, confound tyrants, and occasionally to banish escaped demons summoned by other allegedly well-meaning Dopers. I will call you “Regular Guy” after I’m done Poaching that. It’ll probably come in handy. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/47 "2018-10-12T18:03:03Z")
> [@Ashtura](#): > > If I could only choose one, teleportation, Nightcrawler-style. But ideally, more range than his max which is like 3 miles I think and very exhausting. > > If I didn’t have to choose only one I’d be a frikken Jedi. Already claimed that one (post #29). Note that I said “immediately”, and didn’t state a minimum or maximum range. That means I can teleport Nightcrawler-style as well as across the world. Or across space, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/48 "2018-10-12T19:53:42Z")
I’d like the power to know exactly when my wife will me mad at me, the ability to know precisely what to say or do to prevent it and the ability to make her think I did exactly that. Whether I did or not… ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/49 "2018-10-12T19:57:01Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Already claimed that one (post #29). Note that I said “immediately”, and didn’t state a minimum or maximum range. That means I can teleport Nightcrawler-style as well as across the world. Or across space, for that matter. Oh. These start getting pretty dumb after the first couple dozen, so, uh I dunno… controlling sea animals? Or is that already taken by “mind control?” Is immortality a super power? I’d like that. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/50 "2018-10-12T21:22:32Z")
Remote viewing across space and time - like a drone that can zoom in anywhere/when. ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/51 "2018-10-12T23:38:17Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > I think that’s not really a superpower _per se_, rather an item of equipment. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from super-powers. ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/52 "2018-10-12T23:52:57Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > It can be really hard to delineate if some of these are just variations on the same power or different enough to count as something seperate. 🙂 I figured mind control, as opposed to reading and projecting thoughts, to be fairly distinctive and considerably less evil. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2018, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/53 "2018-10-13T06:38:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The ability to become anything I can envision, like Plastic Man. Beat you to it, though I filed off enough of the serial number that **Alex** didn’t recognize it as a gratuitously OP ability. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/54 "2018-10-14T00:58:27Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > It can be really hard to delineate if some of these are just variations on the same power or different enough to count as something seperate. 🙂 I didn’t read **Balance** ’s post carefully enough prior to requesting my superpower, but having had it pointed out to me, I see that his superpower is a superset of the one I asked for, so he’s beaten me to it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/55 "2018-10-14T01:17:46Z")
If it’s not superseded by someone else’s choice, I’ll take the rather mundane superpower of being able to eat and drink whatever I damn well please without any ill effects on my health, including my weight. (Note: for purposes of this superpower, intoxication from consumption of alcohol isn’t an ill effect.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/56 "2018-10-14T01:41:35Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Beat you to it, though I filed off enough of the serial number that **Alex** didn’t recognize it as a gratuitously OP ability. 😃 No, you didn’t. Plastic Man doesn’t just “change shape”-When he changes into a hot air balloon he floats, when he changes into a street lamp he lights up, and when he changes into Superman he flies. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/57 "2018-10-14T06:23:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No, you didn’t. Plastic Man doesn’t just “change shape”-When he changes into a hot air balloon he floats, when he changes into a street lamp he lights up, and when he changes into Superman he flies. > [@Balance](#): > > …I would assume the natural abilities of anything I turn into, with the reflexes to use them. “Anything”. I deliberately didn’t specify shifting into living things. A lamp naturally produces light. An airplane naturally flies (as does a Kryptonian on Earth, if there happen to be such things as Kryptonians). The “fine adjustments” I also mention in the post would cover such things as turning switches to control the lamp, or manipulating controls to fly the plane. (I imagine I would still have to learn piloting to make the latter work.) ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2018, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/58 "2018-10-14T11:37:48Z")
Control of biology. I’ll learn some of the lesser applications as skills, such as healing, changing shape, eating what I like etc. If thats too powerful, I’ll go with aging control by reverting or advancing bodies or objects to an earlier or later stage without affecting memories or skills. Basically, saving any mind present, changing the age of the subject then reloading the mind. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/59 "2018-10-15T20:16:06Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Beat you to it, though I filed off enough of the serial number that **Alex** didn’t recognize it as a gratuitously OP ability. 😃 Well I did think you meant only living creatures and even _that_ is quite possibly OP, but I realise I’m fighting a losing battle on this issue, though I’ve always found it more interesting to have certain limitations, otherwise its basically Star Trek handwavium to solve any issue. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822/60 "2018-10-15T20:47:39Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > Well I did think you meant only living creatures and even _that_ is quite possibly OP, but I realise I’m fighting a losing battle on this issue, though I’ve always found it more interesting to have certain limitations, otherwise its basically Star Trek handwavium to solve any issue. 🙂 “Turn into anything” is pretty dang overpowered (though turning into any existing, real animal is less so), but I think that some of the limitations you impose are a bit extreme. Super-strength that strains to lift a truck with both arms and a stable stance? That’s not particularly super - I’m glad that you allowed my TK to _toss_ a truck, making my mind at least five times stronger than the limits imposed on muscles. And even then lots of powers have limitations that come from lacking secondary powers - with all my incredible telekinetic powers I still wouldn’t be able to catch bullets because by the time I saw them coming they would have hit me; I don’t get instinctive detection and deflection abilities as part of the package. And that’s putting aside the fact that pretty much every single one of us in this thread could be laid out by a moderately powerful mind-controller. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choose-a-superpower-first-come-first-served/822822.md?page=4)