Regenerative Healing Factor

For a gallery of examples for Regenerative Healing Factor, see here.

The ability to heal rapidly from any physical injury.

Also Called

Accelerated Healing/Regeneration
Cellular Regeneration
Enhanced Healing
Enhanced Healing Factor
Enhanced Regeneration
Epithelial Cell Regeneration
Healing Factor
High Speed Regeneration
Instant Regeneration
Molecular Regeneration
Rapid Cell Regeneration
Regeneration
Regenerative Healing
Spontaneous Regeneration
Superhuman Healing
Superhuman Healing Factor
Superhuman Regeneration
Tissue Regeneration

Capabilities

The user can rapidly regenerate, in other words, they recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs, sometimes slowing, or even stopping, aging. The rate and amount of healing varies widely (see Levels of Regeneration), some can regrow missing limbs, others must put the limb back in place for rapid regeneration. They are generally in very good physical shape as their bodies are constantly reverting to healthy state.

Applications

Methods

Biological Manipulation: repair/regenerate one's own damaged cells.
Body Shedding: leave all wounds behind.
Event Negation: negating injuries to "regenerate" wounds.
Infinite Supply: provide oneself with an infinite energy supply to constantly repair damage.
Molecular Manipulation: repair oneself at a molecular level.
Nanite Manipulation: utilize nano-machines to repair bodily damage.
Subatomic Manipulation: repair oneself at a subatomic level.
Telekinesis: induce biological/molecular manipulation via psychic powers.
Temporal Healing: return one's own body to a state before it suffers any damage.
Wound Transferal: transfer sustained damage to another, while healing oneself.

Variations

Absorbing Regeneration is a version of Regeneration in which the user absorbs either matter or energy to empower their regeneration process or is able to directly transform matter/energy into their own mass.
- Consumption Healing: repair oneself by eating anything.
- Elemental Regeneration: repair oneself by absorbing elements.
- Organic Regeneration: repair oneself by absorbing living or non-living organic material.

Accelerating Regeneration is a version of Regeneration in which the user increases the speed of regenerative power each time they are wounded.

Ample Regeneration, also called Surplus Regeneration or the Hydra Effect is a version of Regeneration in which the user grows back extra of whatever body parts are lost or lethally injured. One with this ability may lose an arm, and grow back two, or the like.
- The user’s body will only grow back two limbs or organs at a time; and the body can subliminally intuit when not to grow back extra parts (so the user doesn’t end up with eight heads or the like, which will actually impair function instead of helping it).

Anatomical Recall is the ability to "re-collect" one's body parts after said parts have been dismembered or removed from the body. This ability makes being dismembered and vaporization impossible, as the body will simply pull itself back together.

Haemopotent Regeneration is the ability to regenerate using blood.

Healing Trance is the ability to undergo a trance, allowing the user’s body to heal without danger. One with this ability may generate an aura of healing energy, a psychic aura which accelerates the healing process, or a defensive aura to prevent further damage. In the first case, the life energy required may be absorbed from outside areas. In the second case, the energy comes from the mind. In the third case, the aura levitates the user and matches any outside force so as to be impenetrable by potentially-harmful outside forces.

Nerve Regeneration, also called Neural Regeneration or Nervous System Regeneration is the ability to regenerate one’s nerves (which usually are incapable of regeneration) and to return them back to their original state after harm. The user could use this ability to resist being stunned, going unconscious, going into shock from intense pain or permanently losing sensation in any part of the body.
- This ability may even grant the user immunity to paralysis, stroke, mental disability or the like, if the entire nervous system can regenerate.

Reforming, also known as Reconstitution, is the power to pull oneself back together after being blown up.

Levels of Regeneration

Unstable Level (example: Motoharu Tsuchimikado)

Healing may be unreliable, either failing or have a limit on how many times it can be used.
May come at a cost, such as accelerating cellular division and aging to close up the wound.
May require a certain condition to activate regeneration, such as the consumption of blood.
Regeneration may be limited to a certain part of the body, instead of the whole.

Basic Level (example: Taisuke Kano)

Minor wounds such as cuts, bruises and light burns heal faster than normal..
Recovering from minor to moderate blood loss.
Critical wounds such as lost of limbs, damaged nerves, and internal organs cannot be regenerated, as wounds would simply close up faster and lost organs remain lost.
Cells that are fatally damaged, such as by burning, cannot be regenerated, resulting in permanent scarring.

Expert Level (example: Ulquiorra Cifer)

External wounds, including fractured bones and deeper burns, may heal at a much more accelerated rate, disregarding of severity.
Cellular and genetic damage is reduced, greatly extending the user's lifespan.
Lost limbs may be regenerated quickly or can be reattached.
Can survive severe blood loss.
Minor damaged internal organs may heal, but more severity may be beyond repair and may take more time to heal.
Nerves may remain damaged.

Advanced Level (example: Creed Diskenth)

Minor to moderate wounds heal near-instantaneously, to the point of as though they never happened.
Lost limbs and internal organs may be completely regenerated.
Damaged nerves can be healed to a certain extent.
Cellular Senescence is completely halted, eternal youth is achieved
Critically and fatally damaged cells can regenerate, preventing scars.
User can regenerate as long as the head/brain is damaged to no more than a certain level.
Disease Immunity
User is near-completely unaffected by toxin or drugs
Destruction of the head is one of the few sure methods to ensure the user of this level's death.

Master Level (example: Madara Uchiha)

Cellular regeneration and rejuvenation would be so powerful, the user would be close to true immortality.
Brain cells and nerves can be completely repaired, to the point of keeping the mind intact.
Decapitation would be pointless as user can regenerate a head, or the head can regenerate a whole new body.
Contaminant Immunity
User is forever in their optimal health and physical prime.
The only way to inflict long term exhaustion and injury on the user is to use attacks faster than the speed of regeneration at a repeated rate.

Absolute Level (example: Pokey Minch)

User may regenerate completely as long as one cell or even molecule remains intact.
Impossible to exhaust or permanently injure, regardless of attack speed.
Removal of soul or temporal erasure are the only methods of killing the user.

Associations

Limitations

Instantly lethal attacks are likely un-recoverable.
- Complete Disintegration or Incineration may kill the user permanently.
- Decapitation and distancing of the head away from the body may kill the user, as it prevents the brain from sending signals to the body to regenerate, with the exception of those with Cephalophore or those who can regenerate a whole body via the head.
- Destroy the head and brain for the same reason.
- Destruction as a whole will all but negate any chance of self-recovery period.
Wounds of extreme depth or those carrying deep emotions may not completely heal, resulting in scars.
Brain cells can be repaired, but if the cerebral cortex (where information, memories, awareness and consciousness are processed) is damaged, unless the user is at least master-level, complex issues may arise:
- Since the information transmittance ceases, it stops telling the body to regenerate, killing the user.
- Even if it does repair, damaged memories may not regenerate, causing the user to have nothing more than primal instincts at best.
- As long as the cerebral cortex remains unharmed, the user is practically immortal, being able to regenerate pretty much from that one portion alone.
If the weapon used stays on the wound, regeneration may be slowed or stopped.
Pain Suppression may not be included.
Some forms of regeneration simply forces cell division to occur faster, rather than repairing/reviving damaged cells, and thus this actually speeds up aging shortening lifespan.
May still be vulnerable to disease.
Depending on injuries, regenerating abilities may change.
May not be able to regenerate internal organs.
Destabilization of users molecular or atomic structure may interrupt their recuperative capabilities, disrupting the reintegration or new fabrication of biological matter temporarily due to lack of structural cohesion.
Removal of ability may cause the user to age rapidly by the amount that the regeneration had held off all the time.
User is still vulnerable to suffocation or asphyxiation if they are dependent on oxygen or a source of respiration.
Users of Healing Factor Nullification can prevent the user from healing.
User may have a certain spot that kills them/nullifies their healing factor (Ex: Heroes).

Known Users

Comics

Deathstroke (DC Comics)
Vandal Savage (DC Comics)
Flash (DC Comics)
Kryptonians (DC Comics); provided they are exposed to or possess a charge of energy from a yellow sun or similar forms of energy
Lobo (DC Comics)
Wolverine (Marvel Comics)
Groot (Marvel Comics)
Martian Manhunter (DC Comics)
Miss Martian (DC Comics)
Solomon Grundy (DC Comics)
Spawn (Image Comics)
Abomination (Marvel Comics)
Absorbing Man (Marvel Comics); provided he is in a non-human state
Blade (Marvel Comics)
Daken (Marvel Comics)
Deadpool (Marvel Comics)
Herr Kleiser (Marvel Comics)
Hulk (Marvel Comics)
Aldrich Killian (Iron Man 3)
Extremis users (Marvel Comics)
Iron Man (Marvel Comics); only with the help of the Extremis Virus
Lady Deathstrike (Marvel Comics)
Mallen (Marvel Comics); with the aid of the Extremis Virus
Drax The Destroyer (Marvel)
Sabertooth (Marvel Comics)
Spider-Man (Marvel Comics)
X-23 (Marvel Comics)
Ciem (Dozerfleet Comics)
Emeraldon (Dozerfleet Comics)
Gray Champion (Dozerfleet Comics)
Mukade (Dozerfleet Comics)
Mapacha (Dozerfleet Comics)
Verdecent (Dozerfleet Comics)
Ciem II (Dozerfleet Comics)
Extirpon (Dozerfleet Comics)
Swamp Thing (DC)
Red She Hulk (Marvel Comics)
She Hulk (Marvel Comics)
Doomsday (DC)
Sunspot (Marvel)
Venom (Marvel Comics)
Carnage (Marvel Comics)
Anti-Venom (Marvel Comics)
Scream (Marvel Comics)
Agony (Marvel Comics)
Riot (Marvel Comics)
Phage (Marvel Comics)
Lasher (Marvel Comics)
Nightblade, aka Nik Mayak (DC Comics)

Video Games

Little Sisters (Bioshock)
Hunter (Dead Space)
Ubermorph (Dead Space 2)
Regenerators (Dead Space 3)
Infectious beings: including Necromorphs and Flood (Dead Space, Halo, Paradox Saga)
Jack Carver (Far Cry Instincts); to a limited affect
Jenova (Final Fantasy VII)
Cole MacGrath (Infamous)
John White/The Beast (Infamous 2)
Hades (Kid Icarus Uprising)
The Doctor (Paradox Saga)
Puppetmaster (Paradox Saga)
Alex Mercer (Prototype)
James Heller (Prototype)
Albert Wesker (Resident Evil)
Sherry Birkin (Resident Evil)
Nemesis (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Rick Taylor (SplatterHouse); while wearing the Terror Mask
Mario (Super Mario)
Luigi (Super Mario)
The Imprisoned (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
Pokemon with Regenerator (Pokemon Series)
Delsin Rowe (InFamous: Second Son)
All Conduits (InFamous series)
Queen (Lost Planet 2)
Akrid X (Lost Planet 2)
Snow Pirates (Lost Planet) via Harmonizer Device
Dante (Devil May Cry)
Vergil (Devil May Cry)
Nero (Devil May Cry)
Donte (Dante) (DmC: Devil May Cry)
Virgin (Vergil) (DmC: Devil May Cry)
Most deities (Asura's Wrath)

Manga/Anime

Sachiel (Evangelion)
Nagate Tanikaze (Knights of Sidonia)
Tsuchimikado Motoharu (A Certain Magical Index); very limited, as it could fail anytime due to his low level
Comrades (Alive: The Final Evolution); i.e. anyone who had gained powers
Titans (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Eren Jaeger (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Creed Diskenth (Black Cat)
Genji Ikusambe (Buso Renkin)
All Homunculus (Buso Renkin)
The One Being Sought (Code: Breaker)
All Namekians (Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z); as long as head is unharmed.
- Piccolo (Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z)
- Nail (Dragon Ball Z)
- Lord Slug (Dragon Ball Z)
Garlic Jr. (Dragon Ball Z); due to immortality
Cell (Dragon Ball Z); as long as a single living cell remains.
Majin Buu in all forms (Dragon Ball Z)
Hollows (Bleach)
Hollow Ichigo (Bleach); when fully possessing Ichigo
Kaname Tōsen (Bleach); via Resurrección or Hollow mask
Muramasa (Bleach); via Hollow form
Nnoitra Gilga (Bleach); via Resurrección, only his severed limbs
Sōsuke Aizen (Bleach); with Hōgyoku merged into him
Ulquiorra Cifer (Bleach); provided his internal organs are not damaged
Wonderweiss Margela (Bleach); via Resurrección
Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Father (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Gluttony (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Greed/Ling Yao|Ling Yao (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist)
King Bradley (Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 anime); aka Pride
Pride (Fullmetal Alchemist manga/2009 anime)
Sloth (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Wrath (Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 anime)
Elg (Toriko)
Alexander Anderson (Hellsing)
Alucard (Hellsing)
Daisy (Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)
Mana (Mermaid's Saga)
Masato (Mermaid's Saga)
Yuta (Mermaid's Saga)
Himuro Genma (Ninja Scroll)
Marco (One Piece); via Devil Fruit
Chuck (Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt)
Kazuma (S-cry-ed)
Waspinator (Transformers: Beast Wars)
Roxanne Elipton (Freezing)
Inuyasha (Inuyasha) (His CLOTHES even regenerate according to Rumiko Takahashi)
Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto/Naruto Shipuuden)
Madara Uchiha (Naruto Shipuuden)
Danny and Mr Goldo (Zatch Bell)
Akihito Kanbara (Kyoukai no Kanata)
Biological Teigus (Akame Ga Kill)
Leone (Akame Ga Kill); via Lionelle
Kuromaru Tokisaka (UQ Holder); via his 'cursed' body
Ibara Naruse (Coppelion)
Shido Itsuka (Date A Live)
Kotori Itsuka (Date A Live)
Kazehaya Kamito (Spirit Elementalist's Blade Dance)
Kojō Akatsuki (Strike the Blood)
Utsutsu Hasegawa (Pupa)
Several Characters (Bastard!!)
USBM (Bio-Meat: Nectar)
Titans (Attack on Titan)
Yuki Nagato (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Zeiram (Iria: Zeiram the Animation)
Titans (Saint Seiya)

Films

Corwin (Chronicles of Amber)
Possible all royal family members of Amber (Chronicles of Amber)
Fu-Lum (Dragon Ball Evolution)
E.T. (E.T.: The Extraterrestrial)
Biollante (Godzilla)
Destoroyah (Godzilla); Destoroyah is mostly made up of microscopic crustaceans
Godzilla (Godzilla)
Headorah (Godzilla)
Orga (Godzilla)
Space Godzilla (Godzilla)
John Hancock (Hancock)
Mary Embrey (Hancock)
Immortals (Highlander)
Raizo (Ninja Assassin); via Kuji-in
The Meta (Red vs. Blue); can recover immediately from injury
Alice (Resident Evil)
Changelings (Star Trek)
The Crow (The Crow)
Universal Soldiers (Universal Soldiers)

TV Series

Mohra Demons (Angel)
Severin (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Slayers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Vampires (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel)
Jasmine (Angel)
Leviathans (Supernatural)
Archangels (Supernatural)
Scabbar Demons (Charmed)
Chameleon Demons (Charmed)
Whitelighters (Charmed)
Elders (Charmed)
Christene (Christene)
Melody Pond/River Song (Doctor Who)
Romana (Doctor Who)
The Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Master (Doctor Who)
The Time Lords (Doctor Who)
Adam Monroe/Takezo Kensei (Heroes)
Arthur Petrelli (Heroes)
Claire Bennet (Heroes)
Peter Petrelli (Heroes)
Sylar (Heroes)
Stanton Parish (Alphas)
Charles Marlowe (Mutant X)
Kit and Holly (Reaper)
Isabelle Tyler (The 4400)
Kevin Burkhoff (The 4400)
Albert Tanner (The X-Files)
Cecil L'Ively (The X-Files), from fire-induced injuries only; also possesses Fire Manipulation and Combustion Inducement
Wolfbloods (Wolfblood)
Tecton (Mighty Med)
Valeria (Ángel o Demonio)
Damian (Ángel o Demonio)
Graziel (Ángel o Demonio)
Iris (Ángel o Demonio)
Francesca Hagi (Los Unicos)
Koschie (Grimm)
- Grigori Rasputin (Grimm)
- Boris Myshkin (Grimm)

Western Animation

Snare-Oh (Ben 10)
Diamondhead (Ben 10)
Gluto (Ben 10)
Swampfire (Ben 10)
Diagon (Ben 10)
Summerween Trickster (Gravity Falls)
Prometheus (Hercules: the Animated Series)
Tendril (Inhumanoids)
Tech E. Coyote (Loonatics Unleashed)
Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
Retep (Family Guy)
Ernie the Giant Chicken (Family Guy)
Cosmo (Fairly Odd Parents)
Wanda (Fairly Odd Parents)
Fairy's (Fairly Odd Parents)
Cathulhu (Ghostbusters)

Novels and Literature

Prometheus (Greek Mythology)
Phoenixes (Harry Potter)
Fanoxean (The Young Guardians)
Mitch Baxter (The Young Guardians)
Parker (The Young Guardians)
Mason (The Young Guardians)
Carnifex (Wild Cards)
Shapeshifters (Shadow Falls); heal any wound while transforming
Vampires (Shadow Falls); blood consumption speeds up the healing process
Chameleons (Shadow Falls)
Werewolves (Shadow Falls)
Crawler (Worm)
Lung (Worm)
Armagi (Terminal)