"Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

[Ragitsu]

1. The ability to shoot lasers from one's eyes.

2. The ability to see through objects (X-Ray vision).

3. The ability to become invisible.

4. The ability to fly under one's own power.

5. The ability to alter luck to their benefit.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

I think a great deal would depend on what Psych Lims (and other baggage) that normal has beforehand.

 

Also, for 2 and 5, those abilities COULD work on a subconscious level. S/he does not realize that they have powers, just that they are lucky at cards or sometimes "know" what is hidden someplace or whatever.

[Squall]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

I'd say the answer depends on (a) your general thoughts towards the morality and decency of humanity in general, ( your thoughts on the morality and decency of the specific person/character in question, and © the tone of the game you're wanting to run.

[Doctor Agenda]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

Different powers, different people, different temptations, different consequences. Laser eyes are weapons which can be used for good or ill...and probably have industrial applications as well. X-ray vision and invisibility lend themselves to spying, but the former also has obvious medical applications and the latter is an accident waiting to happen: we rely a good deal on other people seeing us for our safety. Flying is dangerous fun, and a quick way to transport a lifesaving organ, important documents, or contraband. Being lucky is an asset no matter what you do.

 

While invisibility might be the most tempting power to misuse, I have the feeling that spying for the sake of voyeurism or noseyness would get old quickly. Eavesdroppers rarely hear good about themselves.

[Asperion]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

While I cannot speak for anyone else, the presence of these powers would make changes in my life. Here is a breakdown of the way that I expect these powers would change me:

 

1. The ability to shoot lasers from one's eyes.

 

This is simply a natural gun. As a result, I would treat it that way - when it was called for I would have it and use it to its proper effect.

 

2. The ability to see through objects (X-Ray vision).

 

While this one may seem to be a great ability, I cannot see much use for it unless you are in a profession that calls for the ability to see through things (such as bomb squad).

 

3. The ability to become invisible.

 

Has many advantages in detective work and playing pranks on others.

 

4. The ability to fly under one's own power.

 

This one would effectively eliminate the need for a private vehicle. Depending on the speed that I can travel at, I might just use this one to become a special Currier. This one would have the biggest effect on my life.

 

5. The ability to alter luck to their benefit.

 

I would simply travel from one casino to another and win at small hands. Never anything large enough to gain anyone's attention, but still enough to make a tidy little addition to my income.

[Ragitsu]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

The need for secrecy seems to cause irrevocable changes.

[JmOz]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

I know if I had x-ray vision I would do something I should not with it...

[Clonus]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

I know if I had x-ray vision I would do something I should not with it...

 

That's one sexy skeleton you got there, miss.

[SKJAM!]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

That was mentioned in a manga, I think the title was Horobi--"Yeah, seeing what's inside a girl's panties might be cool, but what if you had to see what was inside what's inside a girl's panties because it just kept on going?"

[dmjalund]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

That's one sexy skeleton you got there' date=' miss.[/quote']I'd love to jump those bones

(don't blame me, blame 'The Man with Two Brains')

[johnvalentine]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

If i had X ray vision I would become a chiropractor or something.

If I had laser eyes, I would have a bunch of little conveniences for it, but nothing that would really change my life, unless people start trying to kill me. The downside would be I would literally see the persons face right as I laser it off.

If I could turn invisible I would use it for great mischief but not much else. Maybe to scare my girlfriend.

If I could fly I would give my car away and never worry about tickets or gas again. Then Maybe go on trips and visit far away places.

If I was super lucky, I would buy a scratcher card every day.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

her is another one superior balance i wouldn't need a wheelcharthat i've used after a knee injury

[wick]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

Many people would turn to crime if that was not already their inclination.

 

Like the saying goes, " A lock is used to keep an honest man honest."

For example, take a bicycle locked to a bike rack with a chain. A criminal will easiy cut the chain or lock and take your bike, the lock is not a deterent. An honest man seeing the lock would walk on. If there were no lock and chain you may not have a bike in the case of either man.

 

With super powers even a bank vault may not be locked to you.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

1. The ability to shoot lasers from one's eyes.

 

Not really useful except in self-defense situations. I suppose you could become an assassin, but the lack of any other ability to back this up would make you a glass cannon.

 

2. The ability to see through objects (X-Ray vision).

 

How much control do I have? If I can see the fronts of playing cards from the back, or look inside locks, maybe. Otherwise, yeah, chiropractor.

 

3. The ability to become invisible.

 

Handy. Great for petty theft. I am also put in mind of that Buffy episode where they recruit the girl to be a literal goverment spook.

 

4. The ability to fly under one's own power.

 

Not as useful as you would think. Would you really want to be known as the only person in the world who could fly under their own power. There's no way to do this so that you won't eventually be seen somehow, especially if you did not have any added powers to supplement flight. You need to breathe and it gets awfully cold at high altitude.

 

Even if I could fly above normwl air traffic, I would stil ahve to be carful. If I wanted to go to Paris, I couldn't land inside the city. I would have to take off from some desolate point in the backwoods and land in another equally obscure point. You would end up hiking in to a more suitable transport point and covering the rest of the distance some other way.

 

5. The ability to alter luck to their benefit.

 

This is the only power on this list that I actively covet. I would learn how to play a decent game of poker and go on the tour, supplementing that with casino runs: mainly craps, roulette, and slots. I would live comfortably as a professional gambler, but avoid making too many big wins in a row. I would throw a few as needed to stay clsoe to the top, but not always come out number 1. I could see being a low end millionaire for an extended period of time by using this strategy and investing a portion of the winnings. Excessive greed and boasting would be your only potential enemies.

 

None of the powers listed here would make you into a crimefighter or supervillain on their own. In almost every case I can think of a super with one of these abilities has a suite of other powers and abilities to go with it. Cyclops is the only exception I can think of, and they made him into a bad@%# fighter and tactitian over the years to make up for it.

[Ragitsu]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

Thank you guys for the answers so far, and for those that haven't answered, please do so!

 

I now need perspectives on the following powers:

 

6. The ability to read minds.

7. The ability to conjure permanent items that weight up to ten pounds.

8. The ability to regenerate from even mortal wounds and ignore illness.

9. The ability to teleport (closely related to flight, but it differs significantly).

10. The ability to selectively enhance your senses at will: see vast distances, hear ordinarily inaudible sounds, function in the dark as if it were day, track by scent, and so forth.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

I'D LIKE#S 8A nd 10

[Ragitsu]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

Huh?

[kahuna's bro]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

8. The ability to regenerate from even mortal wounds and ignore illness.

 

10. The ability to selectively enhance your senses at will: see vast distances, hear ordinarily inaudible sounds, function in the dark as if it were day, track by scent, and so forth.

theese are powers i'd like to have

[Squall]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

theese are powers i'd like to have

So would you go by Wolverdevil, or Dareverine?

[BlueCloud2k2]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

theese are powers i'd like to have

 

It's not "what powers you would like to have"... it's "what would you do if you had these powers"...

 

That said:

 

1. The ability to shoot lasers from one's eyes.

This one's never really been my cup of tea, but assuming the power is easily controlled I wouldn't get much use out of it (WTF am I going to do with laser vision).

 

2. The ability to see through objects (X-Ray vision).

Real-life X-Ray Vision? I would try getting a job working security. Super-man style X-Ray vision? I'd try getting a job working security but this one would be abused.

3. The ability to become invisible.

Being a spy would be kinda cool, corporate espianage supposively pays well, but it would have to be worth the risk. Great for pranks and scaring the be-jesus out people (always fun!). This another that would be abused though.

4. The ability to fly under one's own power.

As previously pointed out, I wouldn't want to be the only person in the world that could fly. If such a thing were common place, I wouldn't be walking to work except when lightning is involved.

5. The ability to alter luck to their benefit.

One word. Vegas.

6. The ability to read minds.

This is another power I don't think I'd want, who wants to know what everyone is thinking of them. It would be cool to get inside my partners head during lovemaking... (Think of the movie What Women Want). Also be useful in Vegas... so yeah I guess I would like this one IF I could control it.

7. The ability to conjure permanent items that weight up to ten pounds.

Living as a stage magician isn't my style. Conjuring gold and precious gems, very much my style - I'd just need to make friends with a reputable jewler

8. The ability to regenerate from even mortal wounds and ignore illness.

Wow... there is a few things I'd do with this power... too many to list really...

9. The ability to teleport (closely related to flight, but it differs significantly).

Anyone see the movie Jumper? There you go. I'd also do some Robin-Hooding

10. The ability to selectively enhance your senses at will: see vast distances, hear ordinarily inaudible sounds, function in the dark as if it were day, track by scent, and so forth.

This one really wouldn't change much for me...

 

Basically speaking, I would try to do the right thing with my powers... but in the end I would just use my powers for my own benefit. At least I'm honest about it.

[Mad Kitsune]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

10. The ability to selectively enhance your senses at will: see vast distances, hear ordinarily inaudible sounds, function in the dark as if it were day, track by scent, and so forth.

 

Totally would go into search and rescue with this one. A bloodhound that actually understands what he's looking for? Outstanding.

 

Of course, with any useful power, once people knew you had it there would ALWAYS be people clamoring for you to help them.

 

Think Haiti after the earthquake.

 

MK

[megaplayboy]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

The ability to read minds would have to come "idiot-proofed", imo, with perfect filtering(you read only one mind at a time, maybe more if you feel you can handle it) and easy processing(you basically just "intuit" what the other person is thinking, filtering out all but the essential/important details). This is an ability that could pretty clearly be abused--knowing what to tell people to reassure them, knowing what buttons to push psychologically to manipulate people into doing things. But the budding lawyer-to-be in me poses the "devil's advocate" counter-argument--there are people who are very good at "reading" other people, gaining their confidence and getting critical information they can use against them and others; there are also very attractive, charismatic people who can persuade, manipulate or con others fairly easily and naturally. To the extent they're not actually defrauding someone, I think its probably not illegal to read someone's mind without their knowledge, though it'd have to at least be considered unethical. But the temptation to use it might be pretty strong.

 

All of the ethical quandaries and potential shadiness of telepathy, though, pales in comparison to the issues raised/shattered by Telepathy's sick and twisted kinsman, Mind Control. When everyone else on the planet is walking around with a "free will killswitch" and is "free" and "independent" only by your sufferance...I can't imagine the average person could completely refrain from use of such an ability for personal gain, particularly if it was "always on" and operating on an unconscious level(so people were essentially instinctively doing what you generally wanted them to, and in the case of people the user regularly interacted with, reconfiguring their own personalities and goals to be in line with the user's unconscious desires and expectations), and required conscious effort to NOT use.

[Roy_The_Ruthles]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

1. The ability to shoot lasers from one's eyes.

2. The ability to see through objects (X-Ray vision).

3. The ability to become invisible.

4. The ability to fly under one's own power.

5. The ability to alter luck to their benefit.

 

1) Not much, save on sodering things, be better at welding, and possibly use it as a laser range finder.

2) See through stuff. I'm not nearly optimistic enough to tell you that i'm going to use it for good, only for my own convience (i.e. is my friend home? or his is door just locked and he's gone?). I'm probably too moral to use it for sketchiness.

3) I think I'd have to use this one immorally at least once, for "the lulz" (also known as my power source)

4) Reach things on high shelves, clean gutters easier, maybe even overcome my fear of heights.

5) Kick ass and take names. Play the stock market, solve world hunger (man, it sure is lucky that none of Roy's fields ever have droughts or pests), build a giant mansion with my money and retire to play RPGs all day (which luckily are always game balanced)

 

Thank you guys for the answers so far, and for those that haven't answered, please do so!

I now need perspectives on the following powers:

6. The ability to read minds.

7. The ability to conjure permanent items that weight up to ten pounds.

8. The ability to regenerate from even mortal wounds and ignore illness.

9. The ability to teleport (closely related to flight, but it differs significantly).

10. The ability to selectively enhance your senses at will: see vast distances, hear ordinarily inaudible sounds, function in the dark as if it were day, track by scent, and so forth.

 

6) Morally, I should probably kill myself because I'm not going to resist the temptation to violate people's privacy. Realistically: violate people's privacy.

7) Build a kickass computer 1 part at a time, make money (literally), make food, make cloths, never work, and basically see answer 5, except w/o luck powers and instead with the ability to create anything of 10lbs or less. This includes babies, replacement limbs/organs, gas for my car, etc.

8) Not die? I mean I still hurt, so I'm not going to go out seeking pain. So you just don't get sick, and that's about all.

9) Be lazier and walk less? Don't pay for entry to the pool?

10) This one is pretty useless to me. I'm not sure what I would use it for in my every day life, and it takes a great deal of effort to turn this into money/power/fame. Either that or I'm clearly not creative enough to use it well.

[Ragitsu]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

Basically speaking' date=' I would [i']try[/i] to do the right thing with my powers... but in the end I would just use my powers for my own benefit. At least I'm honest about it.

 

There is no reason you can't do both.

[BlueCloud2k2]

Re: "Normals" gaining superpowers: how would they change in terms of mentality?

 

There is no reason you can't do both.

 

Ture... but it also depends upon how lecherous you are. Using X-ray vision/invisibility to your jollies off does NOT fall in the "doing the right thing" catagory. And I am lecherous enough that I wouldn't want the temptation.

 

This Thread makes me think of a Strongbad E-mail...

 

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail1.html (For good or for Awesome?)

 

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail25.html