# Which power would you choose? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650 "2004-07-05T15:37:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/1 "2004-07-05T15:37:13Z")
Yep, another super power thread. So which would you choose out of the following and how would you use your power? 1. Superman powers (physical powers only) including super strength, sight, hearing, jumping, immunity to pain and all forms of injury and disease. 2. Force Powers (like Star Wars) with no dark side negative aspects (so you can have freakin’ lighting bolts coming out of your hands etc). Range ~30 meters. The force requires mental concentration equivalent to doing math in your head. Or 1. Harry Potter magic. You’ll need a wand for anything over the basic spells and preperation for any of the potions. There isn’t any real mental work involved except to remember the incantations. No range limitations except for line of sight where applicable (I believe a few spells work without LOS). I asked my GF this and we both would pick Force Powers. Probably because it’s a blend of the other powers. She’d use her powers to make life better for her friends and family while I’d probably end up messing with the minds of all the people who block the left lane 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/2 "2004-07-05T15:57:32Z")
Superman powers. In addition to the powers mentioned, I would never need to sleep or eat. I’d work a full time job and a part time job, spend the rest of the time with my family, and retire at 50. Thin. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirt_Ninja_13)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/3 "2004-07-05T15:59:59Z")
Well, I’d go for Harry Potter magic, if only because it’s the most likely to allow for shapeshifting. Then again, Force Powers are awfully useful. I suppose, in the end, I’d flip a coin to decide between the two. Everyone else I’ve talked to goes for Force Powers, tho’. _bamf_ ---
**Author:** ![Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@Shirt\_Ninja\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirt_Ninja_13)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/4 "2004-07-05T16:01:25Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > I’d work a full time job and a part time job. Isn’t that how Tyler Durden got started? _bamf_ ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/5 "2004-07-05T16:06:27Z")
Yeah, but with the Force you could screw with the minds of your bosses, make them give you a raise or two and you’re golden 😃 Harry Potter magic would have been my next choice. Just the ability to “apparate” would be cool. Shapeshifting would be fun but rather limited in use. You’d become a cat and then…what? ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/6 "2004-07-05T16:15:48Z")
Can I add a 4th category? If so, I’d want mind reading powers. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/7 "2004-07-05T16:22:46Z")
> [@monica](#): > > Can I add a 4th category? If so, I’d want mind reading powers. The Force includes all powers given in the movies, books and videogames. So you get the ability to alter minds, force your will on others and learn what other people are thinking. You can also pick up things, have a “6th sense” when danger is near and heal wounds etc. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/8 "2004-07-05T17:01:18Z")
You left flying off of the Superman powers; was this deliberate? With flying, it’s a tossup between Superman and Harry Potter; without, it’s definitely Potter. I would pay extra **not** to be able to read people’s minds. People are icky. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/9 "2004-07-05T17:08:45Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > You left flying off of the Superman powers; was this deliberate? With flying, it’s a tossup between Superman and Harry Potter; without, it’s definitely Potter. I would pay extra **not** to be able to read people’s minds. People are icky. > > Daniel Deliberate. I went with the “old school” Superman who could jump over tall buildings in a single leap etc. Basically Superman’s powers are all physical super powers with no “magic” in them. I also kept out x-ray vision because who the hell wants to emit deadly x-rays at people? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/10 "2004-07-05T17:30:09Z")
Force powers by far… I can imagine it now: “Ashley Judd, I am the man you want to sleep with.” Superman powers could let you see beneath her blouse, but that is rude without her permission, and Potter Power could let you hide in her underwear drawer as a mouse, but that is just sick. Nope, force power is the best. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/11 "2004-07-05T17:41:10Z")
I won’t settle for anything short of omnipotence. That way I get to create a whole new reality. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/12 "2004-07-05T17:48:15Z")
Superman hands down. I’d rather be able to start things on fire with my eyes than use lighting bolts from my hands. Travel would be a breeze obviously. I think Ashley Judd would fall for Superman anyway, being the mysterious type and all. Superman would probably lose her in the end though, he’s not the committed type. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/13 "2004-07-05T18:19:51Z")
With force powers, you can do many of the same things as Superman powers; live long, use telekenisis to move your body in such a way that you can jump high, etc. Harry Potter powers are lame- who neeeds to make a patronus when you can shoot blue lightning out of your hands at Demenors? Force powers are the best. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/14 "2004-07-05T18:34:12Z")
Just give me the cloak of invisibility… Not a perv, just enjoy observing ppl Might get some chuckles out of haunting a few houses as well ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/15 "2004-07-05T18:55:13Z")
Superman powers. That way, I wouldn’t get all these mysterious bruises on my legs everytime I bump into something (I’m sort of… clumsy). ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/16 "2004-07-05T20:39:00Z")
Clark Kent is clumsy. But I don’t know if the OP means that you can be both Superman and Clark Kent, however, they are one in the same. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/17 "2004-07-05T20:52:49Z")
Nope, I just said Superman (type) powers (minus the laser eyes and true flight). I guess the question is almost a personality test. Would you pick purely phsycial powers over purely “mental” powers or pick magic? (a bit of a mix of the two since you’d need to flick your wand to cast a “spell”. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/18 "2004-07-05T21:07:47Z")
If there were only one power I could pick it would likely be life-long good health. The advantage of Superman-style power over the other two is that it’s just _there_ whereas the others require training but have much more versatility. Between Force powers and Harry Potter, I’d choose HP for the versatility. So, immediate gratification or delayed gratification? Very difficult but it’s HP by a nose. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/19 "2004-07-05T22:04:10Z")
With no flight, I think I’ll have to join the masses with Force powers. It’s not really a fair comparison, though. The full set of Force powers with no downside is both mighty and flexible, compared to the old-style Superman physical powers. If you limit the Force powers to just those that Luke shows in the original three movies (that is, superleaping, amazing lightsaber work, some mind influence), then it’s Superman in a heartbeat. I expected to have to choose a single power rather than a power set, BTW. I’m tempted to start another thread to ask that question, rather than hijacking this one… in fact, I think I will. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650/20 "2004-07-05T22:23:20Z")
If I get a power, there’s only _one_ that will do. As much as I like Superman, I’d have to go with… AUTOBOTS! _TRANSFORM!_ And roll out! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-power-would-you-choose/253650.md?page=2)