History Main / PowerHarness

* ''Literature/InfiniteStratos'': The IS units consist of bulky mechanical armor for the forearms and lower legs (making the wearer taller and allowing them to wield [[{{BFS}} massive weapons]]), along with some kind of wings, JetPack or {{Shoulder Cannon}}s (which float disconnected from their body). Aside from that, users wear only a [[LeotardOfPower sleeveless leotard]] which offers little protection. With the exception of TheProtagonist, IS units [[GirlPowered can only be operated by women]], and their overwhelming power has had enough impact on society to rapidly turn Earth into a {{Matriarchy}}.

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%% This list of examples has been alphabetized. Take care to put your example in its proper place in accordance with Administrivia/HowToAlphabetizeThings!

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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/powered_harness.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Top: [[Literature/InfiniteStratos Cecilia Alcott]] in her IS "Blue Tears" \\
Bottom: [[Film/IronMan2 Ivan Vanko]] in his first Whiplash suit]]

* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

* ''Film/ThePumaman'': The IdiotHero of this film gets most of his powers from a belt given to him by his [[{{Mayincatec}} Aztec]] mentor Vadinho who comes from the Andes Plauteau.

* In ''VideoGame/StarCraftII Co-op'', Arcturus Mengsk's army consists of citizen-soldiers who can be equipped with work frames (a set of clawlike grippers and a skeletal frame of struts and hydraulics to give them the strength to carry them) for resource harvesting. The whole thing resembles a Hardiman man-amplifier.

Often, especially if flight-capable, this equipment is [[WeaponOfXSlaying designed for fighting a particular type of enemy]] against whom conventional [[ImmuneToBullets weapon]] and[=/=]or [[ArmorIsUseless armor]] designs are ineffective; in many cases it explicitly needs to be worn by some SuperSoldier, RidiculouslyHumanRobot or [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual otherwise-gifted person]] who has the RequiredSecondaryPowers to operate such a barebones "combat vehicle". That is, faced with a {{Kaiju}} who can easily shoot fighter jets out of the sky, any military would ''love'' being able to forgo building a complete jet and just strap the engines and armaments directly to a soldier's body... if they could only find a soldier who can pull off high-speed maneuvers in such a rig without simultaneously suffocating and snapping in half.

Compare ArmorIsUseless, JetPack, MechaExpansionPack and SmallGirlBigGun. For protective gear which functions like armor but looks like [[SuperheroesWearTights spandex]] or regular clothing, see ImpossiblyCoolClothes. For PoweredArmor which protects everywhere except the head, see HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic. For outfits which lack the [[TechnologyPorn overt mechanical look]] of this trope but still make the wearer stronger, see ClothesMakeTheSuperman.

* The ''Manga/WorldWitches'' franchise is set in an AlternateHistory where AlwaysFemale "Witches" based on famous pilots defend Earth against AlienInvasion. Aside from firearms their main combat gear is the Striker Units -- magic-amplifying armour which covers only the user's legs, styled after a real-life tank or fighter plane (the latter type allowing the wearer to fly).

* ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow'': The "Jackets" used by the humans fighting the Mimics grant the wielder greatly enhanced strength and come with several heavy duty weapons (including machine guns, explosives, and shoulder-mounted turrets), but don't come with any armor beyond their frame and [[HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic sometimes]] a helmet -- either because the things were expensive enough as is or simply because most armor you could fit on them wouldn't be strong enough to stop a Mimic's attacks in the first place. This is one of the many changes from the book ''Literature/AllYouNeedIsKill'', where Jackets fully covered the user's body.

* ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex'': The "Anti-Art Attachment" is a set of thrusters and weapon modules designed for [[AntiMagic fighting mages]], which can assemble into various vehicles or strap themselves directly to the user's body. Misaka Mikoto gains ownership of the gear during the ''New Testament'' arc by hacking it with her [[ShockAndAwe Electromaster]] abilities. While Mikoto has used the [=AAA=] to achieve high speed flight, it's explicit that [[RequiredSecondaryPowers this would not be possible for a normal wearer]], and that she can manage only by using her powers to shield herself and filter out extra oxygen from the air.

* ''VideoGame/CosmicBreak'' features a cast of [[CharacterCustomization customisable mecha]] ranging from blocky faceless machines, to RidiculouslyHumanRobots with bulky mecha parts slapped on their limbs.

* ''VideoGame/MarvelsAvengers'': The Makeshift armour suit, in reference to the ''Film/IronMan1'' example above sees Tony wearing a gauntlet and boots from one of his suits. As it is only cosmetic, it offers as much protection as the normal suits.
* ''VideoGame/TriggerheartExelica'' is a ShootEmUp series starring female {{Artificial Human}}s with combat equipment which [[MoeAnthropomorphism makes them resemble]] the {{Space Fighter}}s more common of the genre -- largely consisting of a LeotardOfPower, JetPack and leg armour.

** ''Film/IronMan1'': During Tony's first flight test, he is wearing a skelatal for of the gloves and boots of what would become the MRK 2, along with a harness over his arc Reactor.

* ''Film/ThePumaman'': The IdiotHero of this film gets most of his powers from a belt given to him by his [[Mayincatec Aztec]] mentor Vadinho who comes from the Andes Plauteau.

* ''Film/ThePumaman'': The IdiotHero of this film gets most of his powers from a belt given to him by his Mayincatec mentor Vadinho.

Armor plating [[NecessaryDrawback has tradeoffs]] -- it's expensive, slows you down and makes you a bigger target -- so when [[ArmorIsUseless it can't actually block common enemy weapons]] it's just dead weight. Dreadnoughts have proven to be more survivable with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_or_nothing_(armor) "all or nothing"]] designs which armor the vital areas but leave the remainder of the ship largely unprotected (at the cost of [[CripplingOverspecialization being hobbled even by vessels with weak guns]]). A Power Harness is this principle applied to PoweredArmor -- keeping a basic shell with [[UnusualWeaponMounting mounted weapons]], [[JumpJetPack thrusters]], servos, etc., but [[{{Stripperiffic}} dropping the actual "Armor" part]]. Most suits fall between two extremes of design: the ''Infantry''-style harness is a single unit which mostly follows the shape of the user's body, while the ''Cavalry''-style harness is worn as multiple protruding components which give it a non-human silhouette.

Armor plating [[NecessaryDrawback has tradeoffs]] - it's expensive, slows you down and makes you a bigger target - so when [[ArmorIsUseless it can't actually block common enemy weapons]] it's just dead weight. Dreadnoughts have proven to be more survivable with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_or_nothing_(armor) "all or nothing"]] designs which armor the vital areas but leave the remainder of the ship largely unprotected (at the cost of [[CripplingOverspecialization being hobbled even by vessels with weak guns]]). A Power Harness is this principle applied to PoweredArmor - keeping a basic shell with [[UnusualWeaponMounting mounted weapons]], [[JumpJetPack thrusters]], servos, etc., but [[{{Stripperiffic}} dropping the actual "Armor" part]]. Most suits fall between two extremes of design: the ''Infantry''-style harness is a single unit which mostly follows the shape of the user's body, while the ''Cavalry''-style harness is worn as multiple protruding components which give it a non-human silhouette.

* The ''Manga/WorldWitches'' franchise is set in an AlternateHistory where AlwaysFemale "Witches" based on famous pilots defend Earth against AlienInvasion. Aside from firearms their main combat gear is the Striker Units - magic-amplifying armour which covers only the user's legs, styled after a real-life tank or fighter plane (the latter type allowing the wearer to fly).

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/{{Aliens}}'': The P-5000 Powered Work Loader, better known as the "Power Loader", falls somewhere between Power Harness and MiniMecha - a 3m (9'10") humanoid forklift whose operator is strapped in front with no protection other than a rollcage over their torso. Its arms (ending in clamps and an optional blowtorch) follow the operator's movements only when gripped by an external control stick, letting them easily free their hands when needed. While not designed for combat, Ripley [[ImprovisedWeapon makes use of]] its incredible strength to manhandle the Alien Queen in the climax of the movie.
* In ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfWater'', the RDA have started equipping their troops with "skel suits" - essentially a set of long mechanical limbs that a soldier straps into to make them about as tall, strong, and fast as a Na'vi, though without offering significant protection.
* ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow'': The "Jackets" used by the humans fighting the Mimics grant the wielder greatly enhanced strength and come with several heavy duty weapons (including machine guns, explosives, and shoulder-mounted turrets), but don't come with any armor beyond their frame and [[HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic sometimes]] a helmet - either because the things were expensive enough as is or simply because most armor you could fit on them wouldn't be strong enough to stop a Mimic's attacks in the first place. This is one of the many changes from the book ''Literature/AllYouNeedIsKill'', where Jackets fully covered the user's body.

** The Power Assistance Field (PAF) takes this to its LogicalExtreme - a modified [[DeflectorShields personal forcefield generator]] small enough to wear clipped to a belt, which projects an invisible skintight field that incorporates the strength-enhancing functions of PoweredArmor. While originally designed as a mobility tool for the elderly and infirm, its various models quickly develop a wide market as everything from search-and-rescue equipment, to a wearable forklift, to a spacesuit for the fashion-conscious, to a more portable alternative to conventional military PoweredArmor.

* ''VideoGame/DensouTenshiVALFORCE'' is a ''VideoGame/VirtualOn'' clone featuring {{Bishoujo}} characters in this style - ranging from leotard-clad [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of the ''VideoGame/TriggerheartExelica'' cast, to Hokyou Mei's heavy gear which more resembles an open-cockpit MiniMecha or CoolChair.

* ''VideoGame/TriggerheartExelica'' is a ShootEmUp series starring female {{Artificial Human}}s with combat equipment which [[MoeAnthropomorphism makes them resemble]] the {{Space Fighter}}s more common of the genre - largely consisting of a LeotardOfPower, JetPack and leg armour.

* The Hardiman was a 1960s prototype "man-amplifier" that the user strapped on - including blocky mechanical legs fitted to the sides of the wearer, and a pair of {{Power Fist}}s ending in crab-like claws. It was purported to make a construction worker strong enough to one-hand a bundle of I-beams, but the power requirements were never solved, causing it to be abandoned.

Armor plating [[NecessaryDrawback has tradeoffs]] - it's expensive, slows you down and makes you a bigger target - so when [[ArmorIsUseless it can't actually block common enemy weapons]] it's just dead weight. Dreadnoughts have proven to be more survivable with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_or_nothing_(armor) "all or nothing"]] designs which armor the vital areas but leave the remainder of the ship largely unprotected (at the cost of [[CripplingOverspecialization being hobbled even by vessels with weak guns]]). A Power Harness is this principle applied to PoweredArmor - keeping a basic shell with [[UnusualWeaponMounting mounted weapons]], [[JumpJetPack thrusters]], servos, etc., but [[{{Stripperiffic}} dropping the actual "Armor" part]]. Most suits fall between two extremes of design: the ''Infantry''-style harness is a single unit which mostly follows the shape of the user's body, while the ''Cavalry''-style harness is worn as multiple disconnected components which give it a non-human silhouette.

Armor plating [[NecessaryDrawback has tradeoffs]] - it's expensive, slows you down and makes you a bigger target - so when [[ArmorIsUseless it can't actually block common enemy weapons]] it's just dead weight. Dreadnoughts have proven to be more survivable with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_or_nothing_(armor) "all or nothing"]] designs which armor the vital areas but leave the remainder of the ship largely unprotected (at the cost of [[CripplingOverspecialization being hobbled even by vessels with weak guns]]). A Power Harness is this principle applied to PoweredArmor - keeping a basic shell with [[UnusualWeaponMounting mounted weapons]], [[JumpJetPack thrusters]], servos, etc., but [[{{Stripperiffic}} dropping the actual "Armor" part]]. At the two extremes of design, an ''Infantry''-style harness is a single unit which mostly follows the shape of the user's body, while a ''Cavalry''-style harness has multiple bulky disconnected components which give it a non-human silhouette (with most suits falling somewhere between the two).

Armor plating [[NecessaryDrawback has tradeoffs]] - it's expensive, slows you down and makes you a bigger target - so when [[ArmorIsUseless it can't actually block common enemy weapons]] it's just dead weight. Dreadnoughts have proven to be more survivable with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_or_nothing_(armor) "all or nothing"]] designs which armor the vital areas but leave the remainder of the ship largely unprotected (at the cost of [[CripplingOverspecialization being hobbled even by vessels with weak guns]]). A Power Harness is this principle applied to PoweredArmor - keeping a basic shell with [[UnusualWeaponMounting mounted weapons]], [[JumpJetPack thrusters]], servos, etc., but [[{{Stripperiffic}} dropping the actual "Armor" part]].

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]