# Would you rather get $1 million or three random superpowers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2024, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564 "2024-04-20T23:29:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/41 "2024-04-21T08:56:10Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Would the poison generation one including creating it wherever I wanted? I suppose you could spontaneously generate poison in some war criminals food or what have you. Why not generate it in your target’s bloodstream? ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/42 "2024-04-21T09:01:06Z")
The random super powers I got offered were pretty shit, so I’ll take the cash. Give me flight, super strength or telekinesis, I’m onboard. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/43 "2024-04-21T09:44:00Z")
I’d choose the powers, because I figured there’d be something among them to turn into a significant and low-effort stream of income. So I got: > Probability Manipulation > (The power to manipulate probability.) > > Oil Vision > (The power to project oil beams/blasts from one’s eyes.) > > Social Cloaking > (Power to instantly assimilate into any society or social group.) The first one alone seems like I should be set. If I can make any outcome happen, I can just play the lottery; if I can effect only subtle changes, there’s any number of games of chance that would end up making a profit long-term. If I can influence the stock market, I can perhaps even do some good in the process! Oil vision is a bit bizarre. Does the oil just spontaneously materialize, or is it produced in my body? Anyway, I suppose I could sell the oil if all else fails, but that would be something I’d want to avoid. Social cloaking would’ve been useful back in school, maybe. But I guess I could infiltrate secret societies or something… ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/44 "2024-04-21T09:49:48Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Social Cloaking > (Power to instantly assimilate into any society or social group.) Wait a minute, isn’t that a power already possessed by everyone, except me? ---
**Author:** ![Mnemnosyne](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mnemnosyne/32/3347_2.png) [@Mnemnosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnemnosyne)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/45 "2024-04-21T10:06:27Z")
Yeah, a million isn’t that much, so I’d take the superpowers. And apparently I become something from a hentai: > Vacuum Adaptation > > (The power to adapt to the vacuum of space unaided.) > > Tentacle Manifestation > > (The power to possess or generate tentacles and tentacle-like appendages.) > > Omnilingualism > > (The power to speak, understand and decipher any and all languages.) Truthfully not that bad. Vacuum Adaptation will never be relevant unfortunately, but Omnilingualism is still quite good (translators and such are still needed in a lot of fields) and tentacle manifestation, besides the hentai implications, is pretty useful. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/46 "2024-04-21T10:40:13Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > You folks are all more sure of your ability to do no harm than I am. I applaud your moral turpitude! Two thoughts. 1. Speaking solely for myself, it’s _not_ that I’m sure I’ll do no harm. It’s that I don’t greatly _care_ that I’ll do some harm along the way to having world-class fun while it lasts. Even with super powers, it’s unlikely I’ll wreck the world worse than the asshats with ordinary mortal power are already doing now. And as you might imagine, smiting a couple dozen of those folks is Job #1. Then I’ll start in on my own projects (see below). 2. “Turpitude”. You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means. In fact I think it means rather the opposite. > [@ParallelLines](#): > > I on the other hand, am a nasty, vindictive piece of work You say that like it’s a bad thing. 😉 > [@Stratocaster](#): > > Just become a supervillain then. You only spread evil if you’re inclined. Otherwise, zero responsibilities, unlike those exhausted do-gooders, the super heroes. This. So much this. Great power can be used with great wisdom. Or not. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I’m hard-pressed to think of anything I’d want _less_ than to rule the world. It’d be up to _me_ to keep everything running. Fuck ME! Actually my ambitions aren’t to rule the world. I’ll settle for ruling a harem. And occasionally bestirring myself to put my thumb on the scale of ongoing history as it emerges. As one of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour (Jeff Foxworthy(?)) said so eloquently: He needed killin’. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/47 "2024-04-21T11:22:29Z")
I’m 70. A million bucks would make a nice supplement to my annuities and pension, thanks. I’m too old and tired to deal with superpowers. ---
**Author:** ![Dialo\_Malison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dialo_malison/32/14734_2.png) [@Dialo\_Malison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dialo_Malison)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/48 "2024-04-21T11:25:06Z")
My thought was to take the money, but I was tempted so I tried making a roll and I seem to have hit the supervillain trifecta: > Death Inducement > > (The power to cause death, either instantly or after a certain time.) > > Psychic Constructs > > (The power to create constructs out of psionic/psychic energy.) > > Enhanced Breath > > (The ability to exhale/inhale with superhuman power.) ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/49 "2024-04-21T14:10:28Z")
Superpowers. I’m already comfortably retired. I rolled the superpower dice for a few groupings of three, and usually got more than one that was better than the million. Often a superpower would facilitate more than a million in additional wealth, anyway. But, the million would be very nice, too. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/50 "2024-04-21T14:26:00Z")
It offered me omniscience first. You might think that would be the best superpower of them all. I mean, think of what you could do with omniscience, both selfishly and altruistically. But then I thought, gee whiz, it would become an unbearable burden, probably fairly quickly. Give me the money. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/51 "2024-04-21T14:30:42Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > If you can’t figure out how to make well over a million dollars with three super powers, you deserve neither. I got “Portal Awareness”, “Invisibility Awareness” and “Neon Vision” I hope I can make a million bucks doing planetarium light shows with my eyeballs. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/52 "2024-04-21T14:43:24Z")
Based on the generator in the OP it appears to be more like _Extraordinary_. The powers seem to range from minimal use, to dangerous only to great. Also no indication of what level they’re at. * * * * * * I would probably take the powers, but Murphy would probably saddle me with 3 duds. * * * * * * > [@markn\_1](#): > > Yeah, unless you live in a very inexpensive area, $1 million is hardly enough to retire on. I chose the superpowers and the random generator gave me: But it could mean enough extra to allow for early retirement for those that have already been investing well. If you have over $2,000,000 put away, that extra million can mean early retirement fairly easy. If you’re at $3,000,000, that extra million should make the decision easy, even in an expensive state. * * * * * * My random powers (set to unique) **Graphic Vision** _(The ability to view things in a dimensional form (e.g 2D, 3D).)_. Not sure how often this would be useful. Seems a little weak to me, so good thing getting more than 1. **Muscle Manipulation** _(The ability to manipulate the muscular structure of oneself or others.)_ This sounds like it could help with some health issues I have and accelerate my getting to a weight I should be at. Sounds pretty good. Probably be able to walk & run faster and have a greater lift would be nice benefits. **Helicopter Propulsion** _(The power to achieve a form of flight by achieving a helicopter-like effect.)_ Weird but useful power I guess. Make it a lot easier to get on the roof too. No idea of eventual speed or lift capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/53 "2024-04-21T15:00:14Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Helicopter Propulsion** _(The power to achieve a form of flight by achieving a helicopter-like effect.)_ Weird but useful power I guess. I assume this is a power that Snoopy has. [![](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/peanuts/images/5/5f/Helicopter-Color.JPG) ](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/peanuts/images/5/5f/Helicopter-Color.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/54 "2024-04-21T15:01:14Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **Graphic Vision** _(The ability to view things in a dimensional form (e.g 2D, 3D).)_. Not sure how often this would be useful. This feels like the sort of power someone would have in a comic book, the writers would quickly run out of ideas and then it would become “They can see things in 4D with the fourth being time so they can _see the future_ with this!” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/55 "2024-04-21T15:11:22Z")
Gimme the money — the way my luck runs, I’d get Super-nose-blowing, Super-throat-clearing and Super-hearing so I could listen to the entire world bitch about the nose blowing and throat clearing. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/56 "2024-04-21T15:14:59Z")
I’d definitely take the superpowers. It wouldn’t even be a close contest unless you were talking real money, like a billion dollars. Even then, I’d likely still take the superpowers. No amount of money can buy something like that. So with that said, I got: - Enhanced Wits (The power to have wits that are far beyond other members of one’s species.) - Jet Propulsion (The power to move via energy expulsion.) - Self-Spawn (The power to transform others into exact replicates of oneself.) The first two powers sound awesome. The latter doesn’t sound too useful unless I get important enough to need body doubles to deter assassination attempts. Actually, reading a more [detailed description](https://powerlisting.fandom.com/wiki/Assimilative_Replication) of self-spawning indicates there is a lot more to it than just physical duplication, but also memories. And the effect is permanent and irreversible. So there is opportunity for immortality here, but with real moral quandaries, since you essentially take over another person’s body. Yeesh. 😱 Not sure I want to deal with that. All in all, this sounds like way too much power for one person to have, including me. I’d be afraid I’d turn into a supervillain. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/57 "2024-04-21T15:19:56Z")
> [@robby](#): > > Not sure I want to deal with that. > > All in all, this sounds like way too much power for one person to have, including me Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that you’re right about whether it’s too much power for yiu or any other person to have. But what about someone with, say, wits that are far beyond other members of one’s species? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/58 "2024-04-21T15:21:57Z")
Dimensional Storage (The power to store anything in a fold of dimension/space and re-materialize at will.) Cosmic Manipulation (The power to manipulate cosmic forces.) Claw Retraction (The power to possess or generate sharp claws/talons.) The first one is incredibly lucrative with just a little imagination. The second one seems galaxy destroying powerful even though im not entirely sure what it means. The third one will… really scratch that itch i guess. I could really surprise a mugger i suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/59 "2024-04-21T15:23:35Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > The third one will… really scratch that itch i guess. Climb trees! Catch mice! Ruin the leg of the coffee table! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564/60 "2024-04-21T15:23:50Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > The third one will… really scratch that itch i guess. I could really surprise a mugger i suppose. As you already could, by materializing some claws from dimensional storage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-get-1-million-or-three-random-superpowers/1000564.md?page=4)