Curly Goddess
The Dragon Ball example has two problems according to the description:
- Ki based abilities only count if ki grants the same exact abilities with no variation. That isn’t the case in DB. Ki gives healing abilities, allows for endless variations of energy attacks, grant speed, strength and toughness to varying levels, allows telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, flight, and tons of other powers.
- Even amongst Saiyans, rarely do they share the same set of abilities. They can transform into apes or Super Saiyans, but even then, the methods and forms are different. In the Buu Saga alone, Vegeta couldn’t go SS 3, Goku and Gotenks could, and Gohan never had the need. Gotenks also developed his own unique abilities ON PURPOSE.
As stated in the description, people with varied and diverse abilities that overlap in very specific applications is not this trope.
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So, I think there are a few questions here. Firstly, are specific transformations an ability. Secondly, if characters have the ability to use identical skills but choose not to learn or use them count as being identically powered.
Regarding the first question of whether specific transformations count as "ability" or not. Personally, I see it as more of a "trait" than an "ability." Even if it's an ability, I'd say the Saiyans would count. Yes, they all have access to different transformations at any given time but that's more an issue with Power Levels than anything else. They all are theoretically capable of the same transformations, which would fall under the "Everyone on the team has the same powers or skills, but with some able to use them better, or in different ways, than others." They all have the ability, some can just use them better than others.
Then you have the question "are various ki attacks the same thing?" It ties into the "chooses to learn them or not" because there doesn't seem to be any reason that they can't use others' techniques other than they just choose not to, until they do.
Basically, the combat cast in the Buu saga has the same powerset, but in my opinion they're simply trained in different ways. But if you consider "identically powered" to mean "at this moment, they are all capable of the exact same feats" then they definitely don't count.
Personally, I'd say that the Z-Fighters in the series as a whole would essentially boil down to an Identically Powered Team since they all share what boils down to a Flying Firepower set, if it weren't for Piccolo (with his Healing Factor and various Namekian oddities), Tenshinhan (with his Four Witches Technique that seems genuinely unique), and Gohan's potential for transformation. This is especially true because of all the weird and otherworldly ki techniques you mentioned. They fight enemies that can turn people into carrots, into candy, stone-turning spit, time stopping, mind-control, healing... but the main cast? Flying Firepower. But once it's whittled down to Saiyans? It's like a team of four Supermans but some know how to use their various abilities better. They all have access to the same abilities if they tried, but some can use them better right now.
So yes. If it's a question of potential abilities, they'd count. If it's a question of learned skills capable at the moment, then no. So it depends on the definition of the trope.
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My interpretation is that the rules of “ki only counts if it grants the same exact abilities” and “no overlapping solely on specific traits” were created to prevent exactly this type of issue. Namely, if you stretch the definition hard enough, entire casts from the same universe would technically count.
For example, a team of Superman, Icon, Captain Marvel, Steel, and Martian Manhunter would all technically qualify for this trope because they all have Combo Platter Powers that include being a superfast Flying Brick, even though they vary in origin and source. Magneto, Thor, Iron Man and Electro would qualify because they can all shoot electricity to one degree or another. It allows shoehorning to an insane degree. And speaking of Asgardians, all of THEM can lift at least 20 tons, are ageless (if they eat golden apples), are bulletproof, and are immune to earthly diseases. Several stories have even shown that Odin can change humans INTO Asgardians.
If a racial trait counts for the trope, and the ability to achieve an even set of powrs through application count, where are we drawing the line?
Edited by NubianSatyress
Should we remove Alliance of Alternates examples where team up with several Alternate Universe versions of themselves like the Superboy and Deadpool examples? Generally most cases of Alliance of Alternates would have every member having similar powers by default.
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