Superpower discussion: "goblin sliver" genetics

[moonfly7]

So, contrary to the title this has nothing to do with Harry Potter and everything to do with discussing the limits and merits of a super ability floating around in my brain.
The power is basically what if your body only allowed positive or self improving outside stimulus to affect you?
Let me break it down.
Let's say you had this power. You could still get shot, be stabbed and injured Etc. But if you say, we're bitten by a poisonous snake you wouldn't be affected because your ability would stop the negative effects of the toxin. But let's say on top of being deadly the poison had a benefit, say it simulates adrenaline, your powers would still apply this side effect because it's positive.
I got the idea from the line in Harry Potter where they say that Goblin Silver "only takes in that which improves it" when talking about gryfindors sword.
What I wanted to discuss is plausible applications of this power. Because not being poisoned, affected by alcohol, or being in danger when eating rotten food is all useful but there has to be more practical application.
One of the few I can think of is things like Steroids and other drugs. In normal people they have dangerous side effects and are highly addictive, but our theoretical Super can or not the nasty side effects and only gain the benefits. Granted I know roughly zilch on drugs, but performance enhancing drugs would be something that could bump this into an effective combat power at least. And that's only considering speed and steroid because they're the only ones I really know about.
So, are there other applications of this ability? I think there more than likely are, so I'd like to pick your collective bigbrains to see what you can come up with.

[Ibrinar]

How flexible/smart is that ability. Like if you were overweight would it absorb less calories from food because for you it would currently be negative? Would chemo therapy only affect cancer cells or would the cancer be protected too? Would it prevent radiation from damaging your dna and if so would it leave a positive change through? Well I suppose a positive change is kinda absurdly unlikely but maybe you could deliberatedly insert dna modifications with a virus and it would prevent anything going wrong.

[Celestia]

The thing is, though, that the real world is more complicated that a blanket "positive effects" and "negative effects." For example, adrenaline. Sure, getting an adrenaline rush increases your strength, stamina, reflexes, etc., but prolonged exposure will cause long-term damage to your body as you exert yourself beyond what you can safely handle. Your muscles are actually strong enough that you can break your own bones just by flexing, but your brain applies limiters to your abilities to prevent this from happening. What adrenaline does is temporarily reduces these limiters to allow that excess power to be accessed. This is useful in the moment if the alternative is death, but it's not a "positive" thing, either.

This power either can't exist or requires multiple ancillary powers to actually work.

[moonfly7]

How flexible/smart is that ability. Like if you were overweight would it absorb less calories from food because for you it would currently be negative? Would chemo therapy only affect cancer cells or would the cancer be protected too? Would it prevent radiation from damaging your dna and if so would it leave a positive change through? Well I suppose a positive change is kinda absurdly unlikely but maybe you could deliberatedly insert dna modifications with a virus and it would prevent anything going wrong.

Yes, the chemo would only affect the cancer cells, if you could get cancer at all since the sun's negative effects would be filtered out. Heck, you could totally just drink whatever water you found in a survival scenario. No chance that the flesh eating bacteria can hurt you.

The thing is, though, that the real world is more complicated that a blanket "positive effects" and "negative effects." For example, adrenaline. Sure, getting an adrenaline rush increases your strength, stamina, reflexes, etc., but prolonged exposure will cause long-term damage to your body as you exert yourself beyond what you can safely handle. Your muscles are actually strong enough that you can break your own bones just by flexing, but your brain applies limiters to your abilities to prevent this from happening. What adrenaline does is temporarily reduces these limiters to allow that excess power to be accessed. This is useful in the moment if the alternative is death, but it's not a "positive" thing, either.

This power either can't exist or requires multiple ancillary powers to actually work.

So, per your adrenaline scenario the negative effects of adrenaline wouldn't exist for this person, but I know that's neither here nor there with what your talking about. And my response is this: this power can't exist. You are correct. Neither can collosus's or professor X's or dead pools or spiderman or wolverines. Neither can the flash's, Superman's, green lanterns, Wonderwoman's, or The Martian Manhunters. And Batman should've died a long time ago to either a lucky bullet to the chin or an also impossible super strength punch. I'm not asking if super powers are possible or real, I simply wanted to discuss one in a friendly setting with fellow nerdy minds and ask about other possible uses I might have missed.

[Lord Raziere]

this would be a wonderful power to pair with some other superpower or plot thing that has an incredible power to give but negative downsides that this ability would negate. this feels like the kind of power that you'd exploit some magical alchemy system full of dangerous potions with to do awesome things.

...could it be used to breathe any kind of atmosphere? dying to wrong air breathed is a negative effect, technically.

wait your brain is apart of your body, wouldn't that mean you never take in bad ideas?

[moonfly7]

this would be a wonderful power to pair with some other superpower or plot thing that has an incredible power to give but negative downsides that this ability would negate. this feels like the kind of power that you'd exploit some magical alchemy system full of dangerous potions with to do awesome things.

...could it be used to breathe any kind of atmosphere? dying to wrong air breathed is a negative effect, technically.

wait your brain is apart of your body, wouldn't that mean you never take in bad ideas?

I was thinking it works on a chemical level. Which is why you can still get shot, but you can't be poisoned.
Honestly this would be an awesome way to aquire more superpowers though. You don't need to worry about any jegative side effects of experimental super soldier serums, you can just go stand in churnoble till you get a positive mutation, let yourself get zapped by a particle accelerator.
Seriously though. We know particle acclerators screw with people so that could be a pretty nice option. Also I'm not referencing the flash I'm talking about what happened to an actual dude in Russia.
Also: superpower granting substances like MGH. No downsides. Might as well.

[Rater202]

I've actually got an OC with a variation of this power: She can turn into a "monster girl" with powers based on mutagens she's exposed to. She only gets the benefits, not the downsides.

(Though, in her case the mutagen's effect is reduced as a balancing factor... For now.)

The obvious application of this, especially if you're in a superhero setting instead of being the only super?

A common plot is the creation of drugs, gene-therapies, viruses, and the like that grant superhuman powers but that also causes debilitating physical or mental side effects. With this? You could take one of those Captain America Super Soldier Knockoff serums without going insane or becoming sterile.

Goblin formula without going insane.

Nano-sentinels without becoming a genocidally racist cyborg.

Or whatever equivalents exist in setting.

[moonfly7]

I've actually got an OC with a variation of this power: She can turn into a "monster girl" with powers based on mutagens she's exposed to. She only gets the benefits, not the downsides.

(Though, in her case the mutagen's effect is reduced as a balancing factor... For now.)

The obvious application of this, especially if you're in a superhero setting instead of being the only super?

A common plot is the creation of drugs, gene-therapies, viruses, and the like that grant superhuman powers but that also causes debilitating physical or mental side effects. With this? You could take one of those Captain America Super Soldier Knockoff serums without going insane or becoming sterile.

Goblin formula without going insane.

Nano-sentinels without becoming a genocidally racist cyborg.

Or whatever equivalents exist in setting.

That was basically all I have for now. The character I created this ability for utilizes a plethora of superpowered street drugs to fight crime. Kind of a bad example for kids, but considering he can dose up on as many combos as he wants without dying he's a pretty effective hero. Only the drugs are still illegal so technically he's breaking the law.

But your totally right. Honestly thinking just in terms of temporary power drugs and the like is short sighted. The best application would be to team up with a super scientist. It doesn't matter how much of the stuff they've made would kill normal people, it'll be fine on you.
You know, people like Doc Connors(an imperfect example but you get the idea) would be great to seek out. People who know their creations could work but can't or won't do human trials. You might not be able to use it on a normal human but you could at least prove ypur theories are correct. And every poor scientist that you help, the more unstoppable you become.
You remember how in some arcs wolverines adamantine skeleton is what was causing his memory loss? Wouldn't be an issue here. Actually you could 100% just slap metal onto this guys bones. So long as the surgery and process itself is survivable the metal can't poison him.
So just flat up slap some titanium alloy on his bones.

[Tvtyrant]

So, contrary to the title this has nothing to do with Harry Potter and everything to do with discussing the limits and merits of a super ability floating around in my brain.
The power is basically what if your body only allowed positive or self improving outside stimulus to affect you?
Let me break it down.
Let's say you had this power. You could still get shot, be stabbed and injured Etc. But if you say, we're bitten by a poisonous snake you wouldn't be affected because your ability would stop the negative effects of the toxin. But let's say on top of being deadly the poison had a benefit, say it simulates adrenaline, your powers would still apply this side effect because it's positive.
I got the idea from the line in Harry Potter where they say that Goblin Silver "only takes in that which improves it" when talking about gryfindors sword.
What I wanted to discuss is plausible applications of this power. Because not being poisoned, affected by alcohol, or being in danger when eating rotten food is all useful but there has to be more practical application.
One of the few I can think of is things like Steroids and other drugs. In normal people they have dangerous side effects and are highly addictive, but our theoretical Super can or not the nasty side effects and only gain the benefits. Granted I know roughly zilch on drugs, but performance enhancing drugs would be something that could bump this into an effective combat power at least. And that's only considering speed and steroid because they're the only ones I really know about.
So, are there other applications of this ability? I think there more than likely are, so I'd like to pick your collective bigbrains to see what you can come up with.

They can use poison very effectively. Polladium teeth inserts, breath sarin gas out of lung held capsules, fill their blood with venom like poison ivy, etc. They can work with radiation and chemicals that other people need insane precautions for, which would have advantages.

Do they heat up? Like if they took chemicals that release tons of heat would they burn up or would it be negated? Because vomiting acid or fire is on the menu depending.

Heck just the Dread Pirate Robert's trick

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of ingesting poison to get someone else to

would be very effective.

Depending on how it works with bacteria or viruses they could also spread diseases while being immune themselves.

[paddyfool]

Heck just the Dread Pirate Robert's trick

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of ingesting poison to get someone else to

would be very effective.

You know he / the author didn't invent that trick, right? The practice of ingesting small amounts of poison to gradually acquire immunity has been around since at least Ancient Greece [see "Mithridataism"] and tricking someone else into sharing a poison to which you have sone degree of immunity has multiple precedents in fiction.

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Going back at least as far as Arthur Conan Doyle's "A study in scarlet"

.

Not to mention in every drinking establishment in history.

[Tvtyrant]

You know he / the author didn't invent that trick, right? The practice of ingesting small amounts of poison to gradually acquire immunity has been around since at least Ancient Greece [see "Mithridataism"] and tricking someone else into sharing a poison to which you have sone degree of immunity has multiple precedents in fiction.

Spoiler

Show

Going back at least as far as Arthur Conan Doyle's "A study in scarlet"

.

Not to mention in every drinking establishment in history.

Ok. I'm using it as a cultural touchstone, not implying at all that it was invented by the author? I even made it a bit of a joke by spoilering one of the most famous popculture movies.

[Lord Torath]

You know he / the author didn't invent that trick, right? The practice of ingesting small amounts of poison to gradually acquire immunity has been around since at least Ancient Greece [see "Mithridataism"] and tricking someone else into sharing a poison to which you have sone degree of immunity has multiple precedents in fiction.

Spoiler

Show

Going back at least as far as Arthur Conan Doyle's "A study in scarlet"

The Count of Monte Cristo has another example, and dates back to 1844. As I understand it, it's much less effective than popular media (even really old popular media) makes it out to be.

[paddyfool]

The Count of Monte Cristo has another example, and dates back to 1844. As I understand it, it's much less effective than popular media (even really old popular media) makes it out to be.

I think the results depend massively on the poison. Without being too specific, people who get into some addictive substances can frequently build up to levels which would indeed kill the uninitiated.

[moonfly7]

They can use poison very effectively. Polladium teeth inserts, breath sarin gas out of lung held capsules, fill their blood with venom like poison ivy, etc. They can work with radiation and chemicals that other people need insane precautions for, which would have advantages.

Do they heat up? Like if they took chemicals that release tons of heat would they burn up or would it be negated? Because vomiting acid or fire is on the menu depending.

Heck just the Dread Pirate Robert's trick

Spoiler

Show

of ingesting poison to get someone else to

would be very effective.

Depending on how it works with bacteria or viruses they could also spread diseases while being immune themselves.

I hadn't considered this, but your correct. Just because they aren't affected by the substances doesn't mean they become annuled in their veins. So this would be possible.

The Count of Monte Cristo has another example, and dates back to 1844. As I understand it, it's much less effective than popular media (even really old popular media) makes it out to be.

Actually there's a really famous ruler(and wouldn't you know it I don't remember his name or what country he's from) who is the poster child for poison immunity. He drank some bit by bit to build up an immunity, but then eventually his home was being stormed so he tried to commit suicide
With poison
The poison he was immune too
He drank a whole cup and nothing happened
So he had to kill himself with his sword. Very messy.
P.S when I say he's famous I mean famous for trying to kill himself using poison he had an immunity too.

[Xyril]

There was an Outer Limits that explored a variation of this idea that explored many of the questions being raised. Someone used experimental nanites that were vaguely described as being programmed to "fix problems" in order to save a friend from cancer or some other terminal disease. At first, they worked as expected. The inventor wanted to flush the nanites at this point, but the patient wanted to keep the experiment going. The nanites then started fixing basic handicaps--for example, bringing the patient to 20/20 vision so that he no longer needed his glasses. Basically, stuff that could be explained by the AI (it was unclear at this point how sophisticated it was) running the nanites having access to data on what baseline or average human capability is, and following a directive to bring or restore the patient to those levels.

Then stuff got weird. The AI started responding to attempts to flush them out of his system by adapting the patient/host to resist those forms of intrusion. IIRC, they tried administering an electric shock to deactivate the nanites. Whether it was motivated by self-preservation, or merely following the directive to protect and improve the host (this was a desperate move that nearly killed the host), the AI changed the host's biology in response to this outside stimulus, insulating his insides from electric shock. Weirder still, the AI then just started to improve things without any obvious prompt--for example, it gave the host gills, even nothing ever happened to prompt the AI to consider that drowning was a threat, or that the host specifically wanted to survive underwater.

Depending on the setting (anything goes in "magic" after all), you can wave away some of the raised concerns about ancillary powers or a mechanism for intelligent decision making (you can just say "the gods" or "magic itself" decides what is good or bad and implements the proper response.) The challenge would be how you decide to set the rules when designing your setting. In many cases, the question of what the "good" outcome is would depend greatly on circumstances and the host's goals. The calorie/metabolism question, for example: There is probably some level where, no matter how you live, you're eating too many calories to be healthy and your powers should kick in to protect you. However, before that point, there's a pretty wide range of what a given individual might want their body to metabolize, whether their goal is weight loss, gaining muscle, etc. Anesthetics and other bioactive compounds raise another interesting question. It seems clear that, in most cases, everyone would want their body to neutralize lethal poisons, while pointing useful poisons (like chemo) to affecting only an intended target. However, other substances are much more situational. Do you let a tranquilizer or anesthetic affect you? In certain scenarios, that's the last thing you want. In others, having powers that make you immune to these effects would be a nightmare--especially since your offer no protection from harm that doesn't occur at the chemical level.

[Ibrinar]

Many situation dependent good/bad decisions can be solved if you let the characters desires influence it. (Although that leaves the door open for wrong judgement of the character like having bulemia.)

[moonfly7]

There was an Outer Limits that explored a variation of this idea that explored many of the questions being raised. Someone used experimental nanites that were vaguely described as being programmed to "fix problems" in order to save a friend from cancer or some other terminal disease. At first, they worked as expected. The inventor wanted to flush the nanites at this point, but the patient wanted to keep the experiment going. The nanites then started fixing basic handicaps--for example, bringing the patient to 20/20 vision so that he no longer needed his glasses. Basically, stuff that could be explained by the AI (it was unclear at this point how sophisticated it was) running the nanites having access to data on what baseline or average human capability is, and following a directive to bring or restore the patient to those levels.

Then stuff got weird. The AI started responding to attempts to flush them out of his system by adapting the patient/host to resist those forms of intrusion. IIRC, they tried administering an electric shock to deactivate the nanites. Whether it was motivated by self-preservation, or merely following the directive to protect and improve the host (this was a desperate move that nearly killed the host), the AI changed the host's biology in response to this outside stimulus, insulating his insides from electric shock. Weirder still, the AI then just started to improve things without any obvious prompt--for example, it gave the host gills, even nothing ever happened to prompt the AI to consider that drowning was a threat, or that the host specifically wanted to survive underwater.

Depending on the setting (anything goes in "magic" after all), you can wave away some of the raised concerns about ancillary powers or a mechanism for intelligent decision making (you can just say "the gods" or "magic itself" decides what is good or bad and implements the proper response.) The challenge would be how you decide to set the rules when designing your setting. In many cases, the question of what the "good" outcome is would depend greatly on circumstances and the host's goals. The calorie/metabolism question, for example: There is probably some level where, no matter how you live, you're eating too many calories to be healthy and your powers should kick in to protect you. However, before that point, there's a pretty wide range of what a given individual might want their body to metabolize, whether their goal is weight loss, gaining muscle, etc. Anesthetics and other bioactive compounds raise another interesting question. It seems clear that, in most cases, everyone would want their body to neutralize lethal poisons, while pointing useful poisons (like chemo) to affecting only an intended target. However, other substances are much more situational. Do you let a tranquilizer or anesthetic affect you? In certain scenarios, that's the last thing you want. In others, having powers that make you immune to these effects would be a nightmare--especially since your offer no protection from harm that doesn't occur at the chemical level.

I don't know why 2 sepperate people just assumed this was magic based, I mean it could be but I was thinking more comic book superpowers. Maybe I said something. Anyways doesn't matter.
I actually agree with the point you raised about the anesthetic and knock out drugs. I think they'd be categorized as "bad", so no more pain free surgeries for this guy. Pain relievers would still work. Like, in my mind Tylenol still works but without a risk of an overdose. So painkillers could help somewhat but I think there's a threshhold you couldn't push past. Or maybe instead of knocking them out copious amounts of pain relievers simply dull pain to negligible levels. Enough to warn but not distract or cause discomfort.

Many situation dependent good/bad decisions can be solved if you let the characters desires influence it. (Although that leaves the door open for wrong judgement of the character like having bulemia.)

Yeah but then you run into the issue of the ability being way powerful even with bad judgement. I like my characters to work around problems in there powers using creativity and knowledge, not have there problems created by creativity and knowledge.

[Xyril]

I don't know why 2 sepperate people just assumed this was magic based, I mean it could be but I was thinking more comic book superpowers. Maybe I said something. Anyways doesn't matter.

Umm, I can't speak for the other guy, but I never "assumed this was magic based." I don't know how familiar you are with things like conditional statements, arguing in the alternative, the subjunctive tense, and all that good stuff, but sometimes when you're talking about something, it makes sense to explore slightly outside the parameters of the original topic in order to make a point about the original topic.

As an illustration, if you said, "I think that a propeller plane could fly from Beijing to New York in an hour," and I responded "Even with a jet plane, it might be plausible eventually, but it's certainly not possible with the technology we have now," it doesn't mean that I thought you were talking about jet planes. Currently, planes with jet engines can go much faster than prop planes. So when I'm explaining that jet planes--which can go much faster than prop planes--can't currently make that flight in an hour, then it implies that prop planes--which are much slower than jets--really have zero chance in hell of making that flight.

Just to reiterate, in case I'm being too subtle, I know you're not talking about magic. My point is that magic/fantasy/supernatural settings are generally less restrictive than more sci-fi settings in terms of world-building (you can always just say "magic did it" or "a god did it.") However, even in a setting where it's much easier to justify and to operate an ability in a way that's consistent with in-setting rules, your powers have serious challenges. Now, in a comic setting that's closer to very soft sci-fi, you face those same challenges as well as additional constraints based on the fact that you have to have plausible pseudo-science explaining everything.

[paddyfool]

Umm, I can't speak for the other guy, but I never "assumed this was magic based." I don't know how familiar you are with things like conditional statements, arguing in the alternative, the subjunctive tense, and all that good stuff, but sometimes when you're talking about something, it makes sense to explore slightly outside the parameters of the original topic in order to make a point about the original topic.

As an illustration, if you said, "I think that a propeller plane could fly from Beijing to New York in an hour," and I responded "Even with a jet plane, it might be plausible eventually, but it's certainly not possible with the technology we have now," it doesn't mean that I thought you were talking about jet planes. Currently, planes with jet engines can go much faster than prop planes. So when I'm explaining that jet planes--which can go much faster than prop planes--can't currently make that flight in an hour, then it implies that prop planes--which are much slower than jets--really have zero chance in hell of making that flight.

Just to reiterate, in case I'm being too subtle, I know you're not talking about magic. My point is that magic/fantasy/supernatural settings are generally less restrictive than more sci-fi settings in terms of world-building (you can always just say "magic did it" or "a god did it.") However, even in a setting where it's much easier to justify and to operate an ability in a way that's consistent with in-setting rules, your powers have serious challenges. Now, in a comic setting that's closer to very soft sci-fi, you face those same challenges as well as additional constraints based on the fact that you have to have plausible pseudo-science explaining everything.

And generally speaking, anything has to be consistent under its own rules to make for a decent story.

@OP,
One thing I'm unclear about in the thinking here - the immunity seems mainly to negative impact from biochemical effects, but not kinetic effects like bullets. But what about acids and alkalis? What about hot and cold? Oxygen deprivation? Total vacuum?And were you imagining a theoretical source of this superpower?

[BeerMug Paladin]

So, if you're subjected to a sudden accelerating force, you get the energy dissipated through your body (IE, you start moving or stop moving), but you don't get the negative effects of that dissipation?

I am... Pinball!

Actually, I guess you said already that the character could be injured, so I am uncertain what "negative effects" count and which ones don't? Chemistry/Nuclear interactions seem to be what you've specified, mostly. Then I suppose they would be able to walk around in toxic gas and work in irradiated areas. I don't think those things have any "positive" effects, but you could just ad-hoc some random tangible benefit from those things and say that most people don't notice them because they're usually too busy dying. Snooooooowflaaaaame!

[Vahnavoi]

Let's start with some basics:

One of your basic premises that the power works in a micro, chemical level, but not on macro, mechanical level. So a poison might be repelled but a bullet is not. This is principally the same as stabbing a normal person with a poisoned knife: their skin isn't strong enough to stop a knife, but their immune system might be strong enough to fight off the poison.

This causes problems with some proposed uses. Let's start with radiation.

Radiation is not a chemical effect, it's an electromagnetic force that causes chemical effects in the elements already present in a body. So your "goblin silver" body would not be much more impervious to radiation than a normal human body and sufficiently powerful radiation will just cut right through and kill, just like a bullet.

The power can vet changes caused by radiation. Primarily, this would just be expelling dead tissue and reprocessing toxins into energy etc., so it might make radiation sickness etc. more survivable. But when talking about mutations... where the governing intelligence of the power resides in becomes of vital importance.

If the power is directed from outside the body, there is no issue.

If the power is directed by the brain or some special gland, as long as that gland is undamaged, there's no issue.

But if it's directed on the cellular level, acting independently in each part of the body, now you have problems. Because the mutation can damage the programming of what does or doesn't "make you stronger", but still leave that tissue unaffected or invincible to the vetting of other, undamaged cells. This can lead to all kinds of issues, like a superpowered cancer (after all, cancer cells are pretty durable, wouldn't it make you stronger to be entirely made of them? ), localized mutations that are fighting for dominance inside your body (only your left arm thinks being blue and hairy is an improvement) or some superpowered version of an autoimmune disorder where your body just refuses to take in anything at all, because anything at all would detract from your current state that your power has already decided is perfect.

Various super serums and such might run into some of the same problems. The basic question is: what directs your power and from where and how does the serum interact with that? For example, if your "goblin silver" power is genetic, it might flatout reject any "gene therapy" or mutagenic retroviruses, because allowing those things to work would require writing over the "only take in things that make you stronger" part.

[hamishspence]

Actually there's a really famous ruler(and wouldn't you know it I don't remember his name or what country he's from) who is the poster child for poison immunity. He drank some bit by bit to build up an immunity, but then eventually his home was being stormed so he tried to commit suicide
With poison
The poison he was immune too
He drank a whole cup and nothing happened
So he had to kill himself with his sword. Very messy.
P.S when I say he's famous I mean famous for trying to kill himself using poison he had an immunity too.

He's been mentioned:

The practice of ingesting small amounts of poison to gradually acquire immunity has been around since at least Ancient Greece [see "Mithridataism"]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithridates_VI_of_Pontus

[Ibrinar]

(after all, cancer cells are pretty durable, wouldn't it make you stronger to be entirely made of them? ),

Not really, they refuse the self kill command but that is only more durable if the enemy is your own body working properly. And they tend to split more often but it isn't that normal cells don't do that because they are worse at splitting it is just that cancer cells aren't following the proper commands guiding growth.

[Vahnavoi]

All of that is irrelevant; what matters is the power guiding those cells thinks it's making you stronger.

[Ibrinar]

Yeah and it is relevant because there is no reason to think so. Some of your examples are more "what if whatever decides is pretty stupid."

[Vahnavoi]

Well duh. I was specifically talking of scenarios where there's a breakdown in the ability's decision making process. Furthermore, I disagree that "there's no reason to think so". You yourself said cancer cells replicate faster than normal; well that's a vector of improvement a faulty algorithm could fixate on.

[moonfly7]

Umm, I can't speak for the other guy, but I never "assumed this was magic based." I don't know how familiar you are with things like conditional statements, arguing in the alternative, the subjunctive tense, and all that good stuff, but sometimes when you're talking about something, it makes sense to explore slightly outside the parameters of the original topic in order to make a point about the original topic.

As an illustration, if you said, "I think that a propeller plane could fly from Beijing to New York in an hour," and I responded "Even with a jet plane, it might be plausible eventually, but it's certainly not possible with the technology we have now," it doesn't mean that I thought you were talking about jet planes. Currently, planes with jet engines can go much faster than prop planes. So when I'm explaining that jet planes--which can go much faster than prop planes--can't currently make that flight in an hour, then it implies that prop planes--which are much slower than jets--really have zero chance in hell of making that flight.

Just to reiterate, in case I'm being too subtle, I know you're not talking about magic. My point is that magic/fantasy/supernatural settings are generally less restrictive than more sci-fi settings in terms of world-building (you can always just say "magic did it" or "a god did it.") However, even in a setting where it's much easier to justify and to operate an ability in a way that's consistent with in-setting rules, your powers have serious challenges. Now, in a comic setting that's closer to very soft sci-fi, you face those same challenges as well as additional constraints based on the fact that you have to have plausible pseudo-science explaining everything.

Honestly I was just making sure I hadn't confused anyone. I tend to ramble so it was a distinct possibility. Glad that's not the case, although a simple "no we weren't confused just using another way to explain it" or other such thing would've been just as effective and saved you some trouble. Although I suppose I can't say anything really. I've never been one to say a word when a 5 page essay would do.

And generally speaking, anything has to be consistent under its own rules to make for a decent story.

One thing I'm unclear about in the thinking here - the immunity seems mainly to negative impact from biochemical effects, but not kinetic effects like bullets. But what about acids and alkalis? What about hot and cold? Oxygen deprivation? Total vacuum?And were you imagining a theoretical source of this superpower?

So I don't know anything about acids and alkalis so, put that down on the list of things you can enlighten me on to hopefully further the use of this power. As for the others:
Extreme hot and cold conditions affect him normally. He can still suffocate in every conceivable way, and he would definitley not survive a vacuum.
As for the source of his power I'm still getting there. I've always been partial to just having my heroes be born with their abilities but I don't want every character to be so, and honestly the more others share the more I'm thinking some kind of outside force is at play. But the short of it is I haven't decided yet.

He's been mentioned:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithridates_VI_of_Pontus

Ah. Must have missed that then. Thanks for the catch.

Let's start with some basics:

One of your basic premises that the power works in a micro, chemical level, but not on macro, mechanical level. So a poison might be repelled but a bullet is not. This is principally the same as stabbing a normal person with a poisoned knife: their skin isn't strong enough to stop a knife, but their immune system might be strong enough to fight off the poison.

This causes problems with some proposed uses. Let's start with radiation.

Radiation is not a chemical effect, it's an electromagnetic force that causes chemical effects in the elements already present in a body. So your "goblin silver" body would not be much more impervious to radiation than a normal human body and sufficiently powerful radiation will just cut right through and kill, just like a bullet.

The power can vet changes caused by radiation. Primarily, this would just be expelling dead tissue and reprocessing toxins into energy etc., so it might make radiation sickness etc. more survivable. But when talking about mutations... where the governing intelligence of the power resides in becomes of vital importance.

If the power is directed from outside the body, there is no issue.

If the power is directed by the brain or some special gland, as long as that gland is undamaged, there's no issue.

But if it's directed on the cellular level, acting independently in each part of the body, now you have problems. Because the mutation can damage the programming of what does or doesn't "make you stronger", but still leave that tissue unaffected or invincible to the vetting of other, undamaged cells. This can lead to all kinds of issues, like a superpowered cancer (after all, cancer cells are pretty durable, wouldn't it make you stronger to be entirely made of them? ), localized mutations that are fighting for dominance inside your body (only your left arm thinks being blue and hairy is an improvement) or some superpowered version of an autoimmune disorder where your body just refuses to take in anything at all, because anything at all would detract from your current state that your power has already decided is perfect.

Various super serums and such might run into some of the same problems. The basic question is: what directs your power and from where and how does the serum interact with that? For example, if your "goblin silver" power is genetic, it might flatout reject any "gene therapy" or mutagenic retroviruses, because allowing those things to work would require writing over the "only take in things that make you stronger" part.

As mentioned above I've yet to decide what the powers source is. So I can't answer the issue of Why the power works. It's definitley a question that needs to be answered, but this thread isn't about figuring out why it works, it's about brainstorming uses. So for now let's work under the assumption that it does work, and we'll come back to that.

Now before anyone says we have to know why it works to be able to offer suggestions and discuss them, we really don't. We just need to know How it works. And thanks to you ladies, gentleman, and horse beast's from apocalypse 8 and a half, I have a pretty decent grasp on that.
The ability is all internalized for one thing, it stops the alteration of things like your brain chemistry, gut biom, blood stream, organs, and bacteria. And it only allows those changes that are "positive" to occur, once again assume the ability knows what is and isn't positive for now and we'll puzzle about it later.
Here's a few examples of the trickier things to give us a good benchmark: the power does effect things like poison, mutations, drugs, other outside chemicals, and metals.
It doesn't effect things like:
Physical attacks(being stabbed, punched, shot), electricity, suffocation or other forms of oxfixiation, falling, burning, or melting(I dunno, acid melts right?)
Now there would be a bit of overlap, in that electricity could harm you and even kill you, but couldn't cause damage to your brains pathways like it does with electro shock therapy.

[Vahnavoi]

Corrosion and dissolution are chemical effects, as is oxidization (burning), so as long as the power extends to skin, this "goblin silver" body should be pretty resistant to acid and fire. Once we're talking of enough thermal energy to cause a phase change - that is, your skin or other parts melting or evaporating due to heat - the power would likely be overwhelmed.

So, one application of this power could be for handling chemical reactants. You could also use it to turn a person into efficient plaguebearer - infect them with viral and bacterial agents which are harmless to them, but will be dangerous to desired target group.

[moonfly7]

Corrosion and dissolution are chemical effects, as is oxidization (burning), so as long as the power extends to skin, this "goblin silver" body should be pretty resistant to acid and fire. Once we're talking of enough thermal energy to cause a phase change - that is, your skin or other parts melting or evaporating due to heat - the power would likely be overwhelmed.

So, one application of this power could be for handling chemical reactants. You could also use it to turn a person into efficient plaguebearer - infect them with viral and bacterial agents which are harmless to them, but will be dangerous to desired target group.

Hadn't considered either angle there. You could even take it one further though. Because the body completely ignores ill effects from a disease you could load up on dozens at a time. Goodness could you imagine a sneeze charged with the common cold, swine flu, covid, avian flu, influenza, strep throat, hepatitis B and C. And that's just from your saliva flung from a sneeze. Forget super serums man. Just cultivate as many diseases in your body as you can. Your blood could probably kill someone just from the sheer number of ailments it carried.

[Ibrinar]

That would strain my suspension of disbelief pretty hard. Virus multiply by turning your cells into virus factories, that in itself is an ill effect. The power not just preventing that entirely is rather weird.