From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note: This is a list of powers/abilities, not a list of superheroes by their power/ability.

Comic book fiction traditionally features characters with superhuman, supernatural, or paranormal abilities, often referred to as "superpowers" (also spelled super-powers). Below is a list of many of those that have been known to be used. Some of these categories overlap.

Contents 1 Means 1.1 Object-based powers 1.2 Mutation 1.3 Cosmic 1.4 Methods 1.4.1 Energy sourcing 1.4.2 Magical powers 1.4.3 Technopathy 1.4.4 Telekinesis 2 Powers 2.1 Superpower manipulation 2.1.1 Power bestowal 2.1.2 Power mimicry or absorption 2.1.3 Power negation 2.1.4 Power sensing 2.2 Personal physical powers 2.2.1 Accelerated healing 2.2.2 Acid generation 2.2.3 Animal mimicry 2.2.4 Biological manipulation 2.2.5 Body part substitution 2.2.6 Bone manipulation 2.2.7 Duplication 2.2.7.1 Temporal duplication 2.2.8 Echolocation 2.2.9 Invisibility 2.2.10 Invulnerability 2.2.11 Kinetic absorption 2.2.12 Matter ingestion 2.2.13 Merge 2.2.14 Pheromone manipulation 2.2.15 Poison generation 2.2.16 Prehensile/animated hair 2.2.17 Reactive adaptation/evolution 2.2.18 Self-detonation or explosion 2.2.19 Sonic scream 2.2.20 Superhuman durability 2.2.21 Superhuman reflexes 2.2.22 Superhuman senses 2.2.23 Superhuman strength 2.2.24 Superhuman vision 2.2.24.1 Night vision 2.2.24.2 X-ray vision 2.2.24.3 Telescopic or microscopic vision 2.2.25 Wallcrawling 2.2.26 Waterbreathing 2.3 Mental faculty and knowledge-based abilities 2.3.1 Innate capability 2.3.2 Omni-linguism 2.3.3 Omniscience 2.3.4 Superhuman intelligence 2.3.5 ESP 2.3.5.1 Astral projection 2.3.5.2 Cross-dimensional awareness 2.3.5.3 Empathy 2.3.5.4 Mediumship 2.3.5.5 Precognition 2.3.5.6 Psychometry 2.3.5.7 Telepathy 2.3.6 Domination and mind control 2.3.6.1 Astral trapping 2.3.6.2 Memory manipulation 2.3.6.3 Mind control 2.3.6.4 Possession 2.3.6.5 Psionic blast 2.3.6.6 Psychic weapons 2.4 Manipulate fundamental forces or reality 2.4.1 Animation 2.4.2 Darkness or shadow manipulation 2.4.3 Density control 2.4.4 Disintegration 2.4.5 Elemental transmutation 2.4.6 Gravity manipulation 2.4.7 Immortality 2.4.8 Intangibility or phasing 2.4.9 Light manipulation 2.4.10 Magnetism manipulation 2.4.11 Mass manipulation 2.4.12 Molecular manipulation 2.4.13 Probability manipulation 2.4.14 Radiation manipulation 2.4.15 Reality warping 2.4.16 Sound manipulation 2.4.17 Time manipulation 2.4.18 Classical elements 2.4.18.1 Air and wind manipulation 2.4.18.2 Cold and ice manipulation 2.4.18.3 Earth manipulation 2.4.18.4 Electric manipulation 2.4.18.5 Fire and heat manipulation 2.4.18.6 Plant manipulation 2.4.18.7 Water and moisture manipulation 2.4.18.8 Weather manipulation 2.4.19 Energy manipulation 2.4.20 Concussion beams 2.4.21 Energy blasts 2.4.22 Energy constructs 2.4.23 Energy conversion 2.4.24 Force field generation 2.4.25 Transportation or travel 2.4.25.1 Dimensional transportation 2.4.25.2 Electrical transportation 2.4.25.3 Omnipresence 2.4.25.4 Summoning 2.4.25.5 Superhuman speed 2.4.25.6 Teleportation 2.4.25.7 Time travel 2.5 Miscellaneous 2.5.1 Flight 2.5.1.1 Energy propulsion methods 2.5.1.2 Physical propulsion methods 2.5.2 Illusion 2.5.3 Shapeshifting 2.6 References

Examples of ways in which a character has the ability to generate an effect.

See also: List of objects in the DC Universe

Powers derived from objects (also known as artifacts), such as armor, jewelry, weapons, and wands.

• Examples: Juggernaut's Crimson Gem of Cyttorak^[1] or Green Lantern's power battery and ring^[2]

Main article: Mutant

Abilities resulting from either induced evolution or natural selection in humans.

• Examples: X-Men or Captain Comet^{[citation needed]}

Abilities resulting from being a cosmic entity or powers bestowed by such.

• Examples: Galactus^{[citation needed]}

Examples of methods by which a character generates an effect.

Ability to draw energy from the cores of stars or other large sources of energy, such as turning kinetic energy into physical blasts.

• Examples: Nexus^[3] or Superman^[4]

Main article: Magic

Ability to use magical forces to varying degrees. Often used to simulate other powers, such as mind control and elemental attacks.

• Supernatural
  • Examples: Doctor Strange^[5] or Doctor Fate^[6]

Not all "magical" superpowers are actually supernatural, but are still so beyond our understanding of science as to be completely unexplainable. Mxyzptlk's abilities, for instance, rely on a set of physics different from our dimension's.

• Pseudo-supernatural
  • Example: Mister Mxyzptlk^[7][8] or Impossible Man^[9]

Ability to manipulate technology. It could manifest as a special form of electrical manipulation, a special form of shapeshifting which allows physical interaction with machines, or even a special form of ESP that allows for mental interface with computer data.

• Examples: Black Box^[10] or Cyborg Superman^[11] or Drummer^[12]

Main article: Psychokinesis

See also: List of fictional characters with telekinesis

Ability to manipulate and control objects with the mind, often in ways not visible to the naked eye.

• Examples: Jean Grey^{[citation needed]} or Psimon^[13]

This section refers to the ability to manipulate superpowers themselves, not "power" such as electrical power or gravitational power.

See also: List of fictional characters who can manipulate superpowers

Ability to bestow powers or jump-start latent powers.

• Examples: Sage^[14] or Synergy^[15]

Ability to copy or absorb another's powers or skills.

• Examples: Rogue^[16] or Black Alice^[17]

Ability to cancel the superpowers of others.

• Examples: Leech^[18] or Scrambler^[19]

Ability to sense or recognize superhuman powers.

• Example: Caliban^[20]

Powers which affect a physical person's body.

Main article: Healing factor

Ability to heal rapidly from any injury; the rate of recovery varies from character to character. Can sometimes result in the slowing of aging.

• Examples: Wolverine^[21] or Lobo^[22]

Ability to generate acid, can be manifested through touch or as a spray.

• Examples: Anarchist^[23] or Man-Thing^[24]

Ability to take on the abilities of certain animals.

• Examples: Animal Man^[25] or Vixen^[26][27]

Ability to control all aspects of a living creature's biological make-up. This includes, but is not limited to, genetic alterations, physical distortion/augmentations, healing, disease, and biological functions.

• Examples: Elixir^[28] or Raven^[29]

Ability to replace one's limbs or other body parts with those of another.

• Examples: Terror Inc.^[30]

Ability to manipulate the bones in one's own body. This includes, but is not limited to, the generation of new bone mass, projecting bones out from the skin or rearranging one's own bones.

• Examples: Marrow^[31] or Spike^[32]

Main article: Self-replication

Ability to create physical duplicates of oneself.

• Examples: Multiple Man^[33] or Triplicate Girl^[34]

Ability to bring past and future versions of oneself back to the present.

• Examples: Flashback^[35] or Damian Tryp^[36]

Main article: Echolocation

Ability to determine location of items in the environment by use of reflected sound waves, whether generated by the character or ambient sound. Also known as sonar sense.

• Examples: Daredevil^[37] or Man-Bat^[38]

Main article: Invisibility

Ability to render the user unseen to the naked eye.

• Examples: Invisible Woman^[39] or Invisible Kid^[40]

Ability to be immune to one or more forms of physical damage or injury.

• Examples: Champion of the Universe^[41] or Supergirl^[42] or Brit^[43]

Ability to absorb forms of kinetic energy into oneself and convert it into physical strength.

• Examples: Strong Guy^[44] or Sebastian Shaw^[45]

Ability to consume any sort of matter without any ill effects on the user.

• Examples: Matter-Eater Lad^[46]

Ability to temporarily merge two beings into a single being, which results in a completely new and stronger being.

• Examples: Kleinstocks^[47] or B'Wana Beast^[48]

Ability to generate and control pheromones which may have various effects.

• Examples: Wallflower^[49], Crimson Fox^[50], Narumi (Alice Academy)

Ability to assault others with one or more varieties of toxins, with widely disparate effects.

• Examples: Cobra^[51] or Poison Ivy^[52]

The ability to animate and lengthen one's hair.

• Examples: Medusa^{[citation needed]}, Lorelei Travis^{[citation needed]} or Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

Ability to develop a resistance or immunity to whatever they were injured by or exposed to. This effect can be permanent or temporary.

• Examples: Lifeguard^{[citation needed]} or Doomsday^{[citation needed]}

Ability to explode one's body mass and reform.

• Examples: Nitro^[53] or Damage^[54]

Ability to generate vocal sounds of a higher amplitude than a normal human.

• Examples: Siryn^[55] or Black Canary^[56]

Ability to have a higher resistance to one or more forms of damage before being injured.

• Examples: Luke Cage^[57] or Solomon Grundy^[58] or Tick^[59]

Ability to react faster than a normal human.

• Examples: Blade or Midnighter or Madman

Ability to see, smell, taste, feel and/or hear more than a normal human.

• Examples: Sabretooth^{[citation needed]} or Timber Wolf^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Superhuman Strength

See also: Strength level

Ability to have a level of physical strength higher than that possible by a human being in real life.

• Examples: Hulk^[60] or Blok^[61] or Mister Majestic^[62]

Ability to see more than a normal human.

Ability to see clearly in darkness.

• Examples: Owl^{[citation needed]} or Doctor Mid-Nite^{[citation needed]}

Main article: X-ray vision

Ability to see through solid objects.

• Examples: Peepers^{[citation needed]} or Lar Gand^{[citation needed]}

Ability to magnify vision to various levels.

• Examples: Hyperion^{[citation needed]} or Power Girl^{[citation needed]}

Ability to cling to objects or surfaces by a variety of means.

• Examples: Spider-Man^{[citation needed]} or Anole^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Water breathing

See also: Liquid breathing

Ability to respirate through water in lieu of a gaseous medium. Not to be confused with an ability to go without breathing or to be able to breathe an alternate air supply.

• Examples: Namor^{[citation needed]} or Aquaman^{[citation needed]}

Ability to naturally have skills and/or knowledge typically earned through learning.

• Examples: Forge^{[citation needed]} and Razorback^{[citation needed]}

Ability to understand any form of language, a natural polyglot. This can be accomplished in various ways.

• Examples: Cypher^{[citation needed]} or Starfire^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Omniscience

Ability to know anything and everything.

• Examples: Infinity^{[citation needed]} and Mageddon^{[citation needed]}

Ability to have intelligence far above genius level.

• Examples: Leader^{[citation needed]} or Brainiac 5^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Extra sensory perception

The abilities of extra-sensory perception (ESP) and communication.

Main article: Astral projection

Ability to separate and control one's astral body.

• Examples: Marvel Girl^{[citation needed]} or Ravager^{[citation needed]}

Ability to detect actions and events in other dimensions. This is occasionally used in comics as an awareness of the fourth wall between the characters and the artist or audience.

• Examples: She-Hulk^{[citation needed]} or Ambush Bug^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Empathy

Ability to read or sense the emotions and/or control the emotions or feelings of others.

• Examples: Empath^{[citation needed]} or Psycho-Pirate^{[citation needed]}

Ability to see and communicate with the dead (ghosts).

• Examples: Wicked^{[citation needed]} or Lionel Zerb^{[citation needed]}

Main articles: Premonition, Precognition, and Clairvoyance

Ability to perceive the future. It may be expressed in vague dreams while asleep, other times it can be clear and can occur at will. It may also be used as a form of "Danger sense" to show the user that they are being threatened and from what direction it is coming from.

• Examples: Destiny^{[citation needed]} or Dream Girl^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Psychometry

Ability to relate details about the past or future condition of an object, person or location, usually by being in close contact with it.

• Examples: Adrienne Frost^{[citation needed]} or Abe Sapien^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Telepathy

Ability to read the thoughts of, or to mentally communicate with others.

• Examples: Emma Frost^{[citation needed]} or Saturn Girl^{[citation needed]}

The ability to alter the perceptions of others, and general mind-control.

• Example: Karma^{[citation needed]}

Ability to cause an astral projection to stay on the astral plane, usually in one specific place.

• Example: Shadow King^{[citation needed]}

Ability to erase or enhance the memories of another.

• Example: Professor X^{[citation needed]} or Zatanna^{[citation needed]} or Hatori Sohma^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Mind control

Ability to control the actions or reasoning of another with the mind.

• Examples: Mesmero^{[citation needed]} or Maxwell Lord^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Spiritual possession

Ability to take control of another person’s body via astral projection or mind transfer.

• Examples: Nocturne^{[citation needed]} or Jericho^{[citation needed]}

Ability to overload another's mind causing pain, memory loss, loss of consciousness, vegetative state or death after having created a psionic link into that person's mind.

• Examples: Psylocke^{[citation needed]} or Gorilla Grodd^{[citation needed]}

Ability to create a weapon of psychic energy that can harm mentally and not physically.

• Examples: Danielle Moonstar^{[citation needed]} or Wild Thing^{[citation needed]}

These powers may be manifested by various methods, including: by some method of molecular control; by access to, or partially or fully shifting to another dimension; by manipulating the geometric dimensions of time or space; or by some other unnamed method.

Ability to bring inanimate objects to life or to free a person from petrification.

• Examples: Selene^{[citation needed]} or Mr. Mxyzptlk^{[citation needed]}

Ability to create or manipulate darkness, often by mentally accessing a dimension of dark energy (the Darkforce dimension in Marvel Comics, and the Shadowlands in DC Comics) and manipulating it.

• Examples: Black Death^{[citation needed]} or Obsidian^{[citation needed]} or Darkness^{[citation needed]}

Ability to increase the natural density of an object and/or one's self.

• Examples: Vision^{[citation needed]} or Martian Manhunter^{[citation needed]}

Ability to disintegrate matter through touch.

• Examples: Wither^{[citation needed]} or Plasmus^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Transmutation

The ability to alter chemical elements, changing them from one substance to another by rearranging the atomic structure. May be limited to self-transmutation.

• Examples: Alchemy^[63] or Metamorpho^[64]

Ability to manipulate or generate gravitons, or other types of gravitational interactions.

• Examples: Alex Power^[65] or Geo-Force^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Immortality

Ability to live forever. This may be complete immortality in which the character cannot be killed in any way, appears to die but is resurrected somehow, or simply an inability to age normally, or even only be killed in specific ways (i.e. decapitation).

• Examples: Mr. Immortal^{[citation needed]} or Vandal Savage^{[citation needed]}

Ability to phase through solid matter without harm.

• Examples: Shadowcat^{[citation needed]} or Phantom Girl^{[citation needed]}

Ability to control, generate or absorb photons (particles of light).

• Examples: Northstar^{[citation needed]} or Dr. Light^{[citation needed]}

See also: List of fictional characters who can manipulate magnetic fields

Ability to control and/or generate magnetic fields.

• Examples: Magneto^{[citation needed]} or Doctor Polaris^{[citation needed]}

Ability to increase or decrease mass in an object or person.

• Examples: Harry Leland^{[citation needed]} or Star Boy^{[citation needed]}

Ability to mentally manipulate molecules and objects on a molecular level.

• Examples: Mister M^{[citation needed]} or Firestorm^{[citation needed]} or Solar^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Probability

Ability to alter probability, causing unlikely things to happen or likely things to not happen.

• Examples: Domino^{[citation needed]} or Calamity King^{[citation needed]}

See also: List of fictional characters who can generate and manipulate radiation‎

Ability to generate, manipulate or have immunity to toxic radiation.

• Examples: X-Ray^{[citation needed]} or Captain Atom^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Reality warping

See also: List of fictional characters who can warp reality

Ability to change or manipulate reality itself.

• Examples: Franklin Richards^{[citation needed]} or Mister Mxyzptlk^{[citation needed]}

Ability to manipulate sound waves.

• Examples: Klaw^{[citation needed]} or Fiddler^{[citation needed]}

See also: List of fictional characters who can manipulate time

Ability to affect the flow of time by slowing, accelerating or even stopping it.

• Examples: Tempo^{[citation needed]} or Zoom^{[citation needed]}

Ability to control or manipulate the classical elements.

Ability to control, generate, or absorb air or wind.

• Examples: Wind Dancer^{[citation needed]} or Red Tornado^{[citation needed]}

Ability to reduce the kinetic energy of atoms and thus reduce temperature, can be used to control, generate, or absorb ice.

• Examples: Iceman^{[citation needed]} or Ice^{[citation needed]}

Ability to control earth; sand, stone, rock, lava, dirt, or minerals.

• Examples: Petra^{[citation needed]} or Terra^{[citation needed]}

Ability to control, generate or absorb electrical fields.

• Examples: Electro^{[citation needed]} or Black Lightning^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Pyrokinesis

See also: List of fictional characters who can manipulate fire

Ability to control the kinetic energy of atoms to generate, control or absorb fire.

• Examples: Pyro^{[citation needed]} or Fire^{[citation needed]} or Liz Sherman^{[citation needed]}

Ability to accelerate the growth of, control or animate plant life.

• Examples: Gardener^{[citation needed]} or Poison Ivy^{[citation needed]}

Ability to control, generate or absorb water.

• Examples: Hydro-Man^{[citation needed]} or Tempest^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Weather control

See also: List of fictional characters who can manipulate weather

Ability to control or mentally affect the weather. This includes the ability to generate various natural phenomena (rain, tornadoes, lightning, etc.) or control the intensity of the weather.

• Examples: Storm^{[citation needed]} or Typhoon^{[citation needed]} or Sarah Rainmaker^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Energy

These powers deal with energy generation, conversion and manipulation. In addition to generic energy, versions of these powers exist that deal with such things as light, sound, electricity, nuclear energy, and "darkforce".

Ability to generate or transform various forms of energy into a "solid" or concussive beam of energy.

• Examples: Cyclops^{[citation needed]} or Gunfire^{[citation needed]}

See also: Heat vision

Ability to expel various forms of energy from the body.

• Examples: Havok^{[citation needed]} or Ray^{[citation needed]}

Ability to create complex shapes (such as giant boxing gloves or cages) or even functional machinery (such as fire extinguishers or laser rifles) out of solid energy.

• Examples: Cerise^{[citation needed]} or Jade^{[citation needed]}

Ability to absorb one form of energy and convert it into another form of energy.

• Examples: Dazzler^{[citation needed]} or Bishop^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Force field

Ability to project powerful fields of manipulated energy.

• Examples: Captain Britain^{[citation needed]} or Argent^{[citation needed]}

Ability to create wormholes, portation "discs" or other spatial portals for transport between two non-adjacent locations

• Examples: Blink^{[citation needed]} or Spot^{[citation needed]}

Ability to travel through electrical conduits (such as power lines, or telephone lines). Can enter through devices such as televisions, electrical poles or computers.

• Examples: Atom or Air Wave

Ability to be present anywhere and everywhere always.

• Examples: Eternity^{[citation needed]} or the Source^{[citation needed]}

Ability to summon objects or beings for assistance.

• Examples: Magik^{[citation needed]} or Kid Eternity^{[citation needed]}

See also: List of fictional characters who can move at superhuman speeds

Ability to move at speeds faster than a normal human.

• Examples: Quicksilver^{[citation needed]} or Flash^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Teleportation

Ability to move from one place to another without occupying the space in between.

• Examples: Nightcrawler^{[citation needed]} or Misfit^[66]

Main article: Time travel

Ability to travel back and forth through time.

• Examples: Kang the Conqueror^{[citation needed]} or Chronos^{[citation needed]}

The following powers could be manifested in any number of ways.

Main article: Flight

See also: Gliding and Levitation

Ability to lift off the ground, to ride air currents or to fly self-propelled through the air.

• Examples: Characters with flight

Different forms of flight include:

Cosmic energy control

• Example: Ms. Marvel^{[citation needed]}

Energy aura projection

• Examples: Sunfire^{[citation needed]} or Looker^{[citation needed]}

Gravitational manipulation

• Example: Gravity

Magnetic levitation

• Examples: Magneto^{[citation needed]} or Static^{[citation needed]}

Sonic repulsion field

• Example: Banshee^{[citation needed]}

Telekinetic power

• Examples: Justice^{[citation needed]} or Match^{[citation needed]}

Thermo-chemical energy

• Example: Cannonball^{[citation needed]}

• Insectoid form
  • Examples: Wasp^{[citation needed]} or Insect Queen^{[citation needed]}
• Wind current control
  • Examples: Cyclone^{[citation needed]}
• Wings
  • Examples: Angel^{[citation needed]} or Northwind^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Illusion

Ability to alter or deceive the perceptions of another. Can be sensory, a light or sound-based effect, or an alteration of mental perceptions.

• Examples: Mastermind^{[citation needed]} or Princess Projectra^{[citation needed]}

Main article: Shapeshifting

Ability to change appearance or body structure.

• Examples: Mystique^{[citation needed]} or Chameleon^{[citation needed]}

Types of shapeshifting include:

• Animal morphing: Ability to take on animal forms. May be able to take on the abilities of the altered form.
  • Examples: Wolfsbane^{[citation needed]} or Beast Boy^{[citation needed]}
• Elasticity: Ability to stretch, deform, expand and contract one's body into any form they can imagine.
  • Examples: Mister Fantastic^[67] or Elongated Man^{[citation needed]}
• Inorganic: Ability to transform completely into an inorganic substance while retaining organic properties.
  • Examples: Colossus^{[citation needed]} or Ferro Lad^{[citation needed]}
• Liquification: Ability to turn partially or completely into a liquid.
  • Examples: Hydro-Man^{[citation needed]} or Zan^{[citation needed]}
• Size shifting: Ability to increase or decrease one's size.
  • Examples: Yellowjacket^{[citation needed]} or Giganta^{[citation needed]}
• Sublimation: Ability to transform into a gaseous, mist, or fog-like form.
  • Examples: Amelia Voght^{[citation needed]} or Mist^{[citation needed]}
• Transformation: Ability to transform into substance touched.
  • Examples: Absorbing Man^{[citation needed]} or Amazing Man^{[citation needed]} or Grunge^{[citation needed]}