Question Energy Absorbers powering themselves up

On paper it looks like absorbers like Slingshot should be able to power themselves up by stamping their feet or hitting themselves. Am I wrong?

Cryptic wrote: On paper it looks like absorbers like Slingshot should be able to power themselves up by stamping their feet or hitting themselves. Am I wrong?

They have to expend slightly more than the same energy to stamp their feet or hit themselves so hard.

Edit: There could be a mystical kata or devisor workout that might make it a net gain.

You run into the 'trying to lift yourself into the air by stepping into a bucket and pulling it up' thing

A better method for someone like Slingshot is to jump off the roof of a building and absorb the impact energy.

Slingshot would have to get onto the building in the first place: that would probably take more energy than he'd gain by jumping off of it - at least if he took the stairs. Taking an elevator would probably be a net gain, but I don't really see that as a viable method of powering up at the beginning of a fight. A concussion grenade might be an option.

For someone who absorbs electrical or similar energy (energizers, etc.) there are these things called batteries.

So maybe they have a captive bolt gun powered by CO₂ as a holdout? Then hit themselves in the thigh with it.

Katssun wrote: So maybe they have a captive bolt gun powered by CO₂ as a holdout? Then hit themselves in the thigh with it.

Or a gun loaded with blanks

The two kinetic energy absorbers I'm familiar with are Buster and Slingshot.

Regarding Buster I agree that the strength boost he might gain by running into things probably isn't worth the effort of doing so as it wears off fast.

Slingshot on the other hand seems to store up energy and then release it as a blast so I feel that for her self-powering her ability is similar to someone else using a bow and arrow. It doesn't need to provide a net gain of energy in order to be useful.

Bek D Corbin wrote: You run into the 'trying to lift yourself into the air by stepping into a bucket and pulling it up' thing

Unless this is supposed to mean that stopping "yourself" moving doesn't absorb energy the same way that stopping something else does.

mhalpern wrote:

Katssun wrote: So maybe they have a captive bolt gun powered by CO₂ as a holdout? Then hit themselves in the thigh with it.

Or a gun loaded with blanks

This seems like a good idea but assuming it's an emergency option I'd go with spring-powered, no ammo limitations and the ability to claim that "it's not a weapon".

Energy density of springs isn't great.

Doesn't mean that every year they have kids hurt themselves trying. And this is Whateley we're talking about, I'm sure there are dozens of ways the bucket thing can be accomplished.

But I get what you're say.