History Main / WeakerInTheRealWorld

If the creature relies mostly on its powers and is naturally physically weak, it's UnskilledButStrong. If the creature is still able to cause trouble even without its god-like abilities, that's BroughtDownToBadass.

** This is what happens to Neo when he's disconnected from the Matrix and wakes up in the real world for the first time.

* ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork 6'': Net Navigators, normally cyber-entities, can manifest in the real world through the newest technology called Copybot; the Navi is uploaded into the bot, which then shifts shape into the Navi in question. The uploaded Navi is limited to their most basic of abilities while inhabiting a Copybot; its operator cannot "feed" them Battle Chips.

* In the ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' series, this is one of Freddy Krueger's {{Achilles Heel}}s. Within the dream world, he's pretty much a fear-empowered god. Outside of it, he's only a guy with a bladed glove that is somewhat harder to kill than a normal man, but die he does... until the SequelHook appears, that is.

* '''Humans''' in ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' are weaker in real life than dreams: Bill Cipher usually interacted with the world through the mindscape, [[DreamWeaver which he has endless influence over]], but people can fight him back by controlling their own dreams. Upon entering the real world, Bill's powers evolve to full-fledged [[RealityWarper reality warping]] levels, while others are no more powerful than normal. [[spoiler:Despite his newfound ultimate power, however, he cannot leave the magical boundaries of the titular town.]]

* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'' has the Dream Beavers, nearly invincible when inside the dream world, but reduced to cute [[EverythingsBetterWithPlushies plushies]] when they're forced into the real world.

* The titular ''VideoGame/{{Omori}}'' is a standard RPG hero within [[MentalWorld Headspace]], and has access to a wide array of moves, higher attack and defense, and the [[StatusBuff emotion-manipulating mechanic]], among other things, as do the three dream versions of his friends. Sunny and the real-life counterparts of his friends, on the other hand, are severely restricted in real-life battles, with less moves, lower attack and defense, no ability to change emotions using skills, and basically none of the extra things Headspace combat has.

* In a heroic example, the Sleepwalkers in ''LightNovel/SideBySideDreamers'' are just ordinary high school girls in the real world but are able to fight to protect humanity while dreaming. In particular, Saya notes that it's surprising to see Hitsuji so intense while fighting Suiju in the Nightland when she seems so delicate and aloof in the waking world.

* Within a dream, Yuko from ''Manga/TheDemonGirlNextDoor'' can [[ImaginationBasedSuperpower conjure into being]] anything her imagination can come up with -- unfortunately, with her being a bit of an airhead with an extremely sheltered upbringing (somewhat justified for being an IllGirl most of her life), her imagination has trouble coming up with very much. Her [[MorphWeapon Whatever Staff]], already capable of defying the laws of nature in the real world, is practically a RealityWarper when she brings it into the dream world. Screw entropy, screw probability, screw thermodynamics, screw logic, if Yuko ''thinks'' it'll work, ''it'll work'' -- the only catch being that doing the impossible in a dream is incredibly taxing on her very limited magical power and it quickly runs out; doing such things in reality is completely beyond her capacity. [[spoiler: For now.]]

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', John Dee is a shriveled, malnourished old lunatic in the waking world, but when he got his hands on the Materioptikon, enabling him to tap into The Dreaming, he became powerful enough that he not only drove a whole diner full of people insane, but he also caused a wave of homicidal madness to spread out over the world. Even Dream, who ''created'' the Materioptikon, nearly died at Dee's hands, surviving only because Dee destroyed the Materioptikon in the mistaken belief that doing so would kill Dream.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' and ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia'' crossover ''Fanfic/AFoolsStudyIntoWitchcraft'', Akko ''can'' summon her Personas in reality, but it takes more out of her than in the Cognitive World. Being around a Ley Line helps significantly.

* PlayedForDrama on the protagonist's side in the fifth ''Anime/YokaiWatch'' movie. The animated yokai world is being turned into the real world by a mysterious force. The yokai find in this new reality that their powers are weaker. Jibanyan's RapidFireFisticuffs become a much more realistic speed and end up underwhelming.

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', John Dee is a shriveled, malnourished old lunatic in the waking world, but when he got his hands on the Materioptikon, enabling him to tap into The Dreaming, he became powerful enough that he not only drove a whole diner full of people insane, but he also caused a wave of homicidal madness to spread out over the world. Even Dream, who ''created'' the Materioptikon, nearly died at Dee's hands, surviving only because Dee destroyed the Materioptikon in the mistaken belief that doing so would kill Dream.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', Doctor Destiny is omnipotent when operating in people's dreams, but he is easily taken out by Batman in the real world, who has taken three cups of coffee (among [[HeroicWillpower other things]])to avoid falling asleep.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', Doctor Destiny is omnipotent when operating in people's dreams, but he is easily taken out by Batman in the real world, who has taken three cups of coffee to avoid falling asleep.

* In ''Fanfic/MaxLandisSuperMarioWorld'', humans have extraordinary strength and durability in the Mushroom World and other dimensions, giving them a huge advantage over the inhabitants. The climax of the script involves [[spoiler:Wario being dragged to the real world, as it's the only way to inflict damage that sticks]].

->''That's the door to Earth. Go through there, you'll be wherever you need to be. You won't have any other powers though. You wanna get around, you're just gonna have to take a bus or something.''
-->--'''The Doorman''', ''Series/TheGoodPlace''

* This applies to most protagonists in the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' series. In metaphysical environments like the [[VideoGame/Persona3 Dark Hour]], [[VideoGame/Persona4 TV World]] or [[VideoGame/Persona5 Metaverse]] they have access to a powerful FightingSpirit that also boosts their physical abilities, but in mundane reality it takes a lot of focus and experience to manifest a persona. Most don’t realize it’s possible at all.

In the event the creature ''does'' manage to bring its omnipotent powers with it into the real world, be prepared for the EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt.

Subtrope of YourMagicsNoGoodHere. For other cases where beings are stripped of their powers, see BroughtDownToNormal. See also DimensionLord. A common weakness for creatures that normally live in DreamLand or have power there, such as the DreamWeaver and NightmareWeaver.

Subtrope of YourMagicsNoGoodHere. For other cases where beings are stripped of their powers, see BroughtDownToNormal. See also DimensionLord. A common weakness for a DreamWeaver or NightmareWeaver.

Subtrope of YourMagicsNoGoodHere. For other cases where beings are stripped of their powers, see BroughtDownToNormal. See also DimensionLord and DreamWeaver.

* PlayedForDrama on the protagonist's side in the fifth ''Anime/YoKaiWatch'' movie. The animated yokai world is being turned into the real world by a mysterious force. The yokai find in this new reality that their powers are weaker. Jibanyan's RapidFireFisticuffs become a much more realistic speed and end up underwhelming.

* Both played straight and subverted in ''Film/LastActionHero''. When both ActionHero Detective Jack Slater and ProfessionalKiller Benedict escape the FilmWithinAFilm and reach [[KidHero Danny's]] "real world" they both have to get used to the fact that SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome occurs and the real world is very different from the over-the-top action movie universe they've inhabited. Jack is somewhat dismayed to learn that a lot of his tried and true techniques don't work; in real life [[EveryCarIsAPinto cars don't explode when you shoot them in a random spot]], and trying to [[SoftGlass punch out a glass window]] hurts like hell and is likely to injure you. Combined with him being stripped of his PlotArmor, this makes Jack considerably weaker in the real world than he is in the movie. Benedict, on the other hand, is ''delighted'' to learn that some of the tropes that work against the bad guy in movie world, such as InstantEmergencyResponse, don't happen in the real world and ApatheticCitizens in a rundown part of town don't care when you kill somebody for no reason. If anything, Benedict has the advantage over Jack in the real world, a fact which Benedict gleefully boasts about in their final confrontation.

An extremely literal case of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome. If the creature relies mostly on its powers and is naturally physically weak, it's UnskilledButStrong. If the creature is still able to cause trouble even without its god-like abilities, that's BroughtDownToBadass.

An extremely literal case of RealityEnsues. If the creature relies mostly on its powers and is naturally physically weak, it's UnskilledButStrong. If the creature is still able to cause trouble even without its god-like abilities, that's BroughtDownToBadass.

* Both played straight and subverted in ''Film/LastActionHero''. When both ActionHero Detective Jack Slater and ProfessionalKiller Benedict escape the FilmWithinAFilm and reach [[KidHero Danny's]] "real world" they both have to get used to the fact that RealityEnsues and the real world is very different from the over-the-top action movie universe they've inhabited. Jack is somewhat dismayed to learn that a lot of his tried and true techniques don't work; in real life [[EveryCarIsAPinto cars don't explode when you shoot them in a random spot]], and trying to [[SoftGlass punch out a glass window]] hurts like hell and is likely to injure you. Combined with him being stripped of his PlotArmor, this makes Jack considerably weaker in the real world than he is in the movie. Benedict, on the other hand, is ''delighted'' to learn that some of the tropes that work against the bad guy in movie world, such as InstantEmergencyResponse, don't happen in the real world and ApatheticCitizens in a rundown part of town don't care when you kill somebody for no reason. If anything, Benedict has the advantage over Jack in the real world, a fact which Benedict gleefully boasts about in their final confrontation.

** In ''Literature/TheWeeFreeMen'', the Grim Hounds are instantly incapacitated when they cross over from the fairy realm to reality, because [[RealityEnsues their razor teeth start cutting the insides of their own mouths.]]

** This is extended further to [[VideoGame/Persona5 Persona 5's]] Phantom Thief attire. In addition to looking cool, the Phantom Thieves are also gifted with superhuman agility and dexterity, allowing them to perform daring acrobatics. It's noted that they do not have this same level of athleticism outside of the Metaverse.