History Main / SelfHarmInducedSuperpower

* In ''Film/EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce'', activating universe shifts and accessing the abilities of your other selves is done by taking "statistically highly improbable" actions. This involves doing something uncomfortable at best or downright harmful at best, such as giving yourself a bunch of really awful papercuts between your fingers or using a stapler on your own forehead.

** Ninja activate magic scrolls by biting or cutting the skin at the tip of their finger (usually the thumb) and touching it to the scroll because they require the user's blood to activate.

Superpowers are awesome; however, many writers tend to give said powers some sort of [[PowerAtAPrice tradeoff]] or necessitate an unconventional way of triggering them in order to keep things interesting. One way to do this is to require someone to injure themselves or directly inflict self-damage in order to use/activate their powers. This makes it so one may only use their powers out of desperation; after all, if someone is willing to hurt themselves in order to gain power every time, then surely they mean business, and requiring injury could prevent the powers from being used too liberally. Perhaps the abilities are fueled via ThePowerOfHate or UnstoppableRage, and injuring oneself is the easiest way to fill oneself with the necessary emotions. It could also hint at some darker or sinister nature behind said powers ([[BadPowersGoodPeople though not necessarily the people using them]]), since they require a literal flesh and/or blood sacrifice in order to use.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'':
** Ripper Mode is unlocked when Raiden is pierced by a sword and decides to disable pain inhibition in his cyborg body.

* ''ComicBook/CivilWar2006'': The trigger for the creation of the Superhuman Registration Act that would become the cornerstone of the conflict is the rash actions of the ComicBook/NewWarriors, who attacked a group of villains hiding out and triggered an explosion that killed hundreds of civilians (including a large number of children). The SoleSurvivor is Speedball, whose power is based on kinetic energy. After the explosion, he learns that his powers are now activated by pain and so fashions a new suit with [[DeliberatelyPainfulClothing sharp spikes fastened on the inside]] (so almost every move he makes will draw blood), renaming himself [[ThePenance "Penance"]]. It's one of the more infamous examples of {{Wangst}} in modern comics.

* ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'': Every Contractor has a specific Remuneration that they're compelled to perform after using their powers. The GravityMaster Louis has to [[{{Fingore}} break his own fingers]]. November 11 sees his remuneration as this trope: he's a [[StraightEdgeEvil straight-edge villain]] who has to smoke cigarettes.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'': The Stand called Highway To Hell inflicts any lethal damage done to the User on another person in proximity. [[BigBad Father Pucci]] used Whitesnake to impart its Stand DISC onto [[VillainOfTheWeek Thunder McQueen]], a clinically depressed, pathologically suicidal inmate who takes every chance he gets to kill himself such as by hanging with a belt, drowning in a bathroom sink, and even electrocuting himself. Several times, McQueen comes close to committing an unorthodox murder-suicide on Ermes Costello as a result.

* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean'': One of the Stands [[BigBad Pucci]] keeps as a disk is Highway To Hell, which allows its user to attack opponents by injuring themself. The Stand's recipient, [[VillainOfTheWeek Thunder McQueen]], then tries to kill himself, thus taking down his target with him.

** Many meta-strategies also invoke this, such as putting a Toxic/Fire Orb on a Guts Pokémon to force a status ailment on it and get the attack-buff, or having a Fighting Pokémon learn Reversal, which does more damage the less HP the user has.

SubTrope of PowerAtAPrice and SelfHarm. Compare BloodMagic, where spilling blood, especially if it's the user's own blood, is used to work magic. May overlap with TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening, though not necessarily if the injury or trauma is only required to use or activate the power for the very first time. Can overlap with CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. In games, it is often [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration integrated into the game mechanics]] via CastFromHitPoints. Often pairs well with HealingFactor so the injuries don't catch up to you in the long run. Compare PainfulTransformation, for a power (shapeshifting) that is itself painful rather than being triggered by pain, and SelfMutilationDemonstration, for a power (immortality) that can be demonstrated by self-harm but is not reliant on it.

* ''Manga/SoulEater'': Crona has to bleed to use his Black Blood [[BloodyMurder as a weapon]].

* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'': The Razor Blade is an item that grants a power boost for the room, provided that Isaac harms himself and give up half a heart of red health to the item.

SubTrope of PowerAtAPrice and SelfHarm. Compare BloodMagic, where spilling blood, especially if it's the user's own blood, is used to work magic. May overlap with TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening, though not necessarily if the injury or trauma is only required to use or activate the power for the very first time. Can overlap with CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. In games, it is often [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration integrated into the game mechanics]] via CastFromHitPoints. Often pairs well with HealingFactor so the injuries don't catch up to you in the long run. Compare PainfulTransformation, for a power (shapeshifting) which is itself painful rather than being triggered by pain, and SelfMutilationDemonstration, for a power (immortality) which can be demonstrated by self-harm but is not reliant on it.

* Husk from ''ComicBook/GenerationX'' tears her own skin apart to grant herself temporary super-powers based on the material of the skin underneath. It's [[PowerIncontinence often a crapshoot]] (and she's been known to molt past her control), but with concentration, she can influence what she gets.
* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'': Thor's enemy Mr. Hyde uses a potion to add muscles and additional cells to his non-expanding skin; the result is like cramming 10 pounds of stuff into a 5-pound bag (that won't break). Extremely painful, but the result is strength enough to take on Thor.

* In ''Film/EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce'', activating universe shifts and accessing the abilities of your other selves is done by taking "statistically highly improbable" actions. This involves doing something uncomfortable at best or downright harmful at best, such as by giving yourself a bunch of really awful papercuts between your fingers or by using a stapler on your own forehead.

* ''Literature/{{Worm}}'': Marquis, a bone manipulating supervillain, has to have his bones burst out from his body and break them in order to use his powers offensively, which causes him agony despite his minor healing factor, but he's trained himself enough to not show any signs of physical pain.

* In ''Series/{{Misfits}}'', a supernatural event happens where a storm imbues people with superpowers that are based on a person's personality and personal characteristics. Everyone finds their superpowers apart from Nathan, who is confused why he doesn't have any superpowers despite being in the storm, spends the first season and the web series trying to find his powers which largely involves injuring himself to test which power he might have. [[spoiler:At the end of season 1, he discovers that he has ResurrectiveImmortality.]]

** Played with in ''VideoGame/Persona3''. The Evokers which members of S.E.E.S. use are not real guns, but the characters using them by pointing one at their head triggers their [[DieOrFly fight-or-flight survival instinct]] that is required for one to summon their Persona.
** In ''VideoGame/Persona5'', Persona are summoned by ripping off masks affixed to the face, which seems to peel the skin off and releases a lot of blood. However, the masks only harm the characters the first time they summon their Persona, all subsequent times cause no injuries.

** When used by Ghost types, Curse is a move which halves the Pokemon's HP by half in exchange for the target Pokemon getting cursed and losing some health every turn. In some games, the move's animation even depicts a nail being driven into the Pokémon using it.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' supplement ''Magic in the Shadows''. A magician can use BloodMagic techniques to enhance their magical abilities. One way to do so is for the magician to injure themselves and spill their own blood.

** Played with in ''VideoGame/Persona3''. The Evokers members of S.E.E.S. use are not real guns, but the characters using them by pointing one at their head triggers their [[DieOrFly fight-or-flight survival instinct]] that is required for one to summon their Persona.
** ''VideoGame/Persona5'': Persona are summoned in this game by ripping off masks affixed to the face, which seems to peel the skin off and releases a lot of blood. However, the masks only harm the characters the first time they summon their Persona, all subsequent times cause no injuries.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': When used by Ghost types, Curse is a move which halves the Pokemon's HP by half in exchange for the target Pokemon getting cursed and losing some health every turn. In some games, the move's animation even depicts a nail being driven into the Pokémon using it.

* ''Franchise/TheIncredibleHulk Questprobe #1'': The game requires biting one's own lip to transform into the Incredible Hulk.

* Husk from ''ComicBook/GenerationX'' tears her own skin apart to grant herself temporary superpowers based on the material of the skin underneath. It's [[PowerIncontinence often a crapshoot]] (and she's been known to molt past her control), but with concentration, she can influence what she gets.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** When used by Ghost types, Curse is a move which halves the Pokemon's HP by half in exchange for the target Pokemon getting cursed and losing some health every turn. In some games, the move's animation even depicts a nail being driven into the Pokémon using it.

* Husk from ''ComicBook/GenerationX'' tears her own skin apart to grant herself temporary super-powers based on the material of the skin underneath. It's [[PowerIncontinence often a crapshoot]] (and she's been known to molt past her control), but with concentration, she can influence what she gets.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': When used by Ghost types, Curse is a move which halves the Pokemon's HP by half in exchange for the target Pokemon getting cursed and losing some health every turn. In some games, the move's animation even depicts a nail being driven into the Pokémon using it.

* ''Literature/BeyondTheBoundary'': Mirai Kuriyama can use her blood to form weapons. It has a disadvantage, as well. If she overuses her powers, she can become anemic.

Superpowers are awesome; however, many writers tend to give said powers some sort of [[PowerAtAPrice tradeoff]] or necessiate an unconventional way of triggering them in order to keep things interesting. One way to do this is to require someone to injure themselves or directly inflict self-damage in order to use/activate their powers. This makes it so one may only use their powers out of desperation; after all, if someone is willing to hurt themselves in order to gain power every time, then surely they mean business, and requiring injury could prevent the powers from being used too liberally. Perhaps the abilities are fueled via the PowerOfHate or UnstoppableRage, and injuring oneself is the easiest way to fill oneself with the necessary emotions. It could also hint at some darker or sinister nature behind said powers ([[BadPowersGoodPeople though not necessarily the people using them]]), since they require a literal flesh and/or blood sacrifice in order to use.

SubTrope of PowerAtAPrice. Compare BloodMagic, where spilling blood, especially if it's the user's own blood, is used to work magic. May overlap with TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening, though not necessarily if the injury or trauma is only required to use or activate the power for the very first time. Can overlap with CursedWithAwesome or BlessedWithSuck. In games, it is often [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration integrated into the game mechanics]] via CastFromHitPoints. Often pairs well with HealingFactor so the injuries don't catch up to you in the long run.

* ''ComicBook/CivilWar2006'': The trigger for the creation of the Super Human Registration Act that would become the cornerstone of the conflict is the rash actions of the New Warriors, who attacked a group of villains hiding out and triggered an explosion that killed hundreds of civilians (including a large number of children). The SoleSurvivor is Speedball, whose power was based on kinetic energy. After the explosion, he learns his powers are now activated by pain and so fashions a new suit with sharp spikes fastened on the ''inside'' (so almost every move he makes will draw blood), renaming himself "Penance". It's one of the more infamous examples of {{Wangst}} in modern comics.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Finder}}'', major character Jaeger Ayres has a HealingFactor. Unfortunately, this means that he has to self-harm every so often if he hasn't been injured some other way because with nothing to do his healing factor sends his immune system out of control and he gets auto-immune diseases.
* Husk (one of [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Marvel]]'s lesser-known X-Men) tears her own skin apart to grant herself temporary super-powers based on the material of the skin underneath, It's often a SuperpowerLottery (and she's been known to molt past her control) but with concentration, she can influence what she gets.
* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'': Nico initially uses a pocket knife to cut her arm whenever she has to summon the Staff of One (which only appears when she bleeds). After the first arc is over, she can't bring herself to use the pocket knife and instead resorts to more imaginative ways to bleed (including making use of that time of the month).
* The mutant power of [[Characters/XFactor Jamie Madrox]] (aka Multiple Man) is to create duplicates of himself (nicknamed dupes) by making use of kinetic energy. The simplest way for him to create dupes is to just slap or punch himself.
* Mr Hyde of Marvel Comics fame uses a potion to add muscles and additional cells to his non-expanding skin; the result is like cramming 10 pounds of stuff into a 5 pound bag (that won't break). Extremely painful but the result is strength enough to take on Thor.

* In ''Film/EverythingEverywhereAllAtOnce,'' activating universe shifts and accessing the abilities of your other selves is done by taking "statistically highly improbable" actions. This involves doing something uncomfortable at best or downright harmful at best, such as by giving yourself a bunch of really awful papercuts between your fingers or by using a stapler on your own forehead.

* Queenie in ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'' is a "living voodoo doll". She harms herself and an identical wound will appear on her target. She also recovers extremely quickly from such wounds.
* ''Series/{{Misfits}}'': In this TV series, a supernatural event happens where a storm imbues people with superpowers that are based on a person's personality and personal characteristics. Everyone finds their superpowers apart from Nathan, who is confused why he doesn't have any superpowers despite being in the storm, spends the first season and the web series trying to find his powers which largely involves injuring himself to test which power he might have. [[spoiler:at the end of season 1, he discovers that he has [[ResurrectiveImmortality resurrective immortality]].]]

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': The Blood Hunter class [[note]]originally created by Creator/MatthewMercer for ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', and remains unofficial content even though Exandria is part of the universe sanctioned by Wizards of the Coast[[/note]] relies on cutting themselves to gain power-ups, using their magical blood to amplify spells and curses. There are also subtypes: the Order of the Lycan transforms into werecreatures, the Order of the Ghostslayer studies deaths and combats undead, the Order of the Mutant enhances their bodies to become ultimate warriors, and the Order of the Profane Soul makes pacts with lesser evils to fight greater threats.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'': When used by Ghost types, Curse is a move which halves the Pokemon's HP by half in exchange for the target Pokemon getting cursed and losing some health every turn. In some games, the move's animation even depicts a nail being driven into the Pokémon using it.

[[folder:Web Video]]
* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'': Mollymauk Tealeaf of campaign 2 cuts himself to cast some terrifying spells and curses. Creator/TaliesinJaffe specified that, for Molly, cutting wasn't about self-harm but acts of sacrifice, since Molly never found any pleasure or relief from using his blood in this manner. He gives of himself to protect and maintain. [[spoiler:Upon Molly's death - caused when he cut himself too much in an attempt to blind an antagonist -, Lucien is resurrected. The trope ceases to be BadPowersGoodPeople and immediately went into BadPowersBadPeople.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'': In the Old Hunters one of the bosses the player faces is Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower. When a third of her health is gone, Maria will stab her sword Rakuyo into her chest coating the blade with her blood allowing her to increase the range with which she can attack and also allowing her to use a few AOE attacks as well.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'': In the Old Hunters one of the bosses the player faces is Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower. When a third of her health is gone, Maria will stab her sword Rakuyo into her chest coating the blade with her blood allowing her to increase the range with which she can attack and also allowing her to use a few AOE attacks as well.