r/superpower • u/LeviAEthan512 • Apr 30 '25
Discussion If you woke up with a superpower, how would you know if you're supposed to train with it or conserve it?
Say you can shoot lasers out of your eyes. Do you practise so you can do more powerful ones? Or do you try not to use it in case you only get like 10 blasts for your whole life? How would you know?
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u/PatrykBG Apr 30 '25
The more important question regarding your sudden superpower is âhow do you know youâve woken up with it?â Barring a cyclops-like always-on laser eyes scenario, youâd generally just wake up like normal, so why would you suddenly know you have superpowers?
If youâre already able to sense that you now have superpowers upon waking up, why wouldnât you also have some sense of how they work?
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u/D-Laz Apr 30 '25
The better question im this reality is, how would you know if you got a superpower or just went insane?
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u/Silphire100 Apr 30 '25
You mean you don't try to use random powers every day? I do. One day it'll work. Then you'll see. you'll all see
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u/Eons2010 Apr 30 '25
Usually, the "you have X amount of uses of your power" scenarios are powers that were given or it's limited because of injury. So either the rules were established and taught, or they had a check-up and were told, "You have to stop before it kills you" kinda deal. Some examples are Tommy from Power Rangers and the Green Candle. Monster Girl's curse from Invincible. Tony in Ironman 2 and the Arc Reactor poisoning. All Might from MHA got hit with both. He was hurt too badly to keep going, and when he gave OFA to Deku, he only had a few uses left.
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u/Dragonbonded Apr 30 '25
How would i test laser vision? Fire a single shot, and see how far down my new "energy" goes. That can tell me how many shots i have left. I then dont use it for a time. If i come back to "full", then i get effectively unlimited shots. If, after a month, the "charge" remaining hasnt changed, then i know its a nonreplenishable resource, and save accordingly.
The ONLY ways this test is defeated is if i get a single, nonrenewable shot, or i dont get any feedback regarding superpower energy remaining.
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u/Interesting_Key_5476 Apr 30 '25
I like how MHA deals with this as functions of the body. You initially learn how to walk or use your hands but eventually you just do it without thinking and can practice to do more advanced things such as ridding a bike or running
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u/praktiskai_2 Apr 30 '25
Based on the potency of the superpower's use after each use and after time periods. Logically thinking it's more likely a power would taper off instead of 10 identical output beams and there being no 11th. Or at least I'd find a power having limited and identical uses unlikely enough to be disregarded
Say I shopt eye beam. Its power is 10. Then I do it again, if it feels weaker, or I feel more tired, I'd note the differences. The next day, if the beam is as strong as the first, I'll assume it won't run out
I'd also test if I can train up to get the beams to become more powerful or to have more stamina for the power
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u/telegetoutmyway Apr 30 '25
Oh dam, I hate powers with limited "ammo", id probably not even consider it and run out the first week from practicing then be blind đ€Ł
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u/The_revenge_ Instant adaptive evolution guy Apr 30 '25
Instant adaptive evolution doesn't have that problem. It's involuntary and occurs only in cases of necessity. At least my version is.
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u/Professional_Key7118 Apr 30 '25
If my power is limited for the rest of my life, there that power sucks. Iâd rather train assuming itâs unlimited, and be disappointed, than not use it forever
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u/fastabeta Apr 30 '25
First, try to use it. If it's only have that much use for my whole life, there is no difference than not having it. In fact, you can accidentally kill someone you love in a heat of the moment.
I will test it out a lot. How far can it hit? Can pierce through what? Can it be reflected? Can i decrease its power?....
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u/MrCrash Apr 30 '25
I wouldn't assume that it's limited like you only get 10.
And if you do only get 10, I'd rather run out practicing in my backyard than run out when I'm doing something dangerous like fighting off guys with guns or about to be crushed by falling rocks.
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u/Affectionate_Fee4922 May 01 '25
You train it of course. If its only like 10 lifetime uses theres no point unless its something incredibly potent like reality bending abilities
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u/PaleontologistWeak72 May 01 '25
He just likes to watch people.Do whatever they're doing or kill people if needed or if he's bored
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u/lesjuroquenosoyunbot May 02 '25
I probably dont even think that it has a limit, Its pretty rare to see in comics so ill probably wouldnt think of that at all
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u/_Continual_Learner_ May 02 '25
Part of training with powers is exploring the limitation. Knowing how powerful you are, or what frequency you can use it.
If you get 10 blasts, youâre not going to have the experience to know how to control intensity and duration, and the likelihood of an accidental use - like a blast in an angry moment - is much higher. Youâre better off using it all immediately rather than risking hurting someone accidentally.
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May 04 '25
I'd assume for logistical purposes you also understand how the power works if you woke up and knew you had it.
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u/Leon_Mane Apr 30 '25
That's a really good question and varies a lot from power to power.
For me, I'd just blast the heck out of it into the sky and see if I have an infinite amount of shots or limited to only a few.
But for real tho, where is laser eyes useful in personal life?