If you're holding this guide, one of three things is true:
- You're in law enforcement or security and just realized your standard training is woefully inadequate for cape encounters
- You recently had your first cape encounter and it went poorly
- You want to sound knowledgeable at briefings without reading the 600-page NSRA Tactical Response Manual
Whatever your reason, congratulations on taking the first step toward not becoming another statistic in the quarterly "Metahuman Incident Resolution Failures" report. This guide won't make you a superhero, but it might keep you alive long enough to call someone who is one.
Because "I see a guy doing weird stuff" isn't helpful to anyone
Remember: The official PERKS classification system is for the nerds at NSRA with PhDs. You need something you can yell over radio while ducking energy blasts. Enter the T-CAST system (Tactical-Classification And Signaling Terminology).
"DISPATCH, THIS IS UNIT 14. WE HAVE A BRICK-TWO-HARD PROCEEDING WEST ON MAIN STREET." Translation: Strength/durability metahuman, moderate threat level, appears combat-trained, heading west.
"BE ADVISED: BEAM-THREE-HOT WITH ECHO EFFECT REPORTED AT CITY CENTER." Translation: Energy projector affecting multiple targets/wide area, significant threat, poor control.
The following protocols represent field-tested methodologies for engaging various metahuman archetypes utilizing standard-issue equipment and training. While superhuman abilities may appear to transcend conventional tactical paradigms, empirical evidence suggests that fundamental physiological and physical constraints remain universally applicable.
Applicable to: Regenerators, High-Durability BRICKS
Notwithstanding the extraordinary reconstitutive capabilities manifested by some exceptional regenerators, contemporary field research has conclusively demonstrated that oxygen deprivation remains singularly effective against such individuals. The theoretical underpinning is elegantly simple: even invincible people usually need to breathe.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Deploy riot foam or industrial fire suppression systems
- Utilize sealed containment protocols
- Commercial-grade plastic wrap applied to facial apertures (extreme situations only)
- Water-based immersion when environmentally available
CASE STUDY: The notorious "Meatman" incident of 2018, wherein Officer T. Martinez successfully neutralized a Level Three regenerator utilizing nothing more sophisticated than industrial plastic wrap and considerable determination, remains the textbook illustration of this methodology's efficacy.
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FIELD NOTE: Remember the Cedar Rapids Clause - once they're unconscious, remove the source of deprivation. Take the time to position yourself. If they get back up, re-apply, but not sooner.
Applicable to: BEAMS, Energy Projectors, -Kinetics
THEORETICAL BASIS: Energy manipulation, regardless of its phenomenological manifestation, remains subject to fundamental thermodynamic principles. By facilitating rapid energy dissipation through conductive mediums, tactical personnel can effectively neutralize otherwise formidable offensive capabilities.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Standard fire extinguishers (CO2 preferred for electrical manifestations)
- Water deployment for thermal projectors
- Reflective surfaces for light/radiation-based abilities
- Grounding chains for electrical manipulators
FIELD NOTE: The "Foam First" rule has saved more lives than bulletproof vests. When in doubt, CO2 extinguishers disrupt most energy projectors' concentration even when they don't directly counter the power.
Applicable to: Telekinetics, Gravity Manipulators
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Chain down critical equipment
- Overwhelm with multiple small targets
- Sustained engagement to force metabolic burnout
- Strobe lights to break concentration
FIELD NOTE: Remember the "Penny Defense" - throwing handfuls of coins, paperclips or other small objects can overload some telekinetic's ability to track multiple objects simultaneously. Sounds stupid until it saves your life.
Applicable to: MOVERS, Speedsters
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Industrial lubricants deployed at choke points
- Caltrops or equivalent area denial tools
- Strobe lighting configurations
- Sound-based disorientation (120+ dB if available)
FIELD NOTE: Every speedster has to touch the ground eventually. The moment they do, they usually obey the same laws of friction as the rest of us. One well-placed oil slick has ended more high-speed pursuits than all the roadblocks in NSRA history.
Universal Application
The most sophisticated metahuman abilities remain contingent upon basic biological functions. Exploit these universal vulnerabilities when power-specific countermeasures prove inadequate.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
- Temperature manipulation (extreme heat/cold)
- Sleep deprivation through sustained harassment
- Operations timed to biological low points (0300-0500 hours)
- Sensory overload techniques
FIELD NOTE: Even teleporters need to sleep. The 72-Hour Rule: no known metahuman has demonstrated the ability to maintain offensive capabilities after 72 hours without sleep. When containment is impossible, harassment becomes strategic.
- Fire Extinguishers: The unsung hero of metahuman engagement
- Riot Foam: Especially effective against mobility-dependent powers
- Flashbangs: Disrupt concentration regardless of power type
- Zip Ties: Still work on 90% of unconscious metahumans
- Duct Tape: For when you run out of official solutions
- Tasers: Useless against 40% of metahumans due to resistance variations
- Pepper Spray: Completely ineffective against respiratory-adapted individuals
- Standard Cuffs: Defeated by even low-level enhanced strength
- Verbal Commands: Compliance rates 70% lower than with baseline humans
The most effective tool remains preparation. Documented intelligence on specific metahumans is more valuable than any specialized equipment. The NSRA Metahuman Database is accessible to all officers with Level 2 clearance or above. USE IT.
INCIDENT: Pittsburgh, 2019 - "The Furnace" (BEAM-THREE-HOT) OUTCOME: Successful containment by SWAT with zero casualties KEY TAKEAWAY: Officer J. Rodriguez's creative application of standard fire suppression systems, coupled with well-timed deployment of riot foam during the subject's documented "cooldown period," effectively neutralized a potentially catastrophic situation.
INCIDENT: Austin, 2020 - "Roadrunner" (MOVER-TWO-HARD) OUTCOME: Successful capture following 47-minute pursuit KEY TAKEAWAY: Strategic deployment of environmental obstacles forcing the subject into increasingly restricted movement pathways, culminating in a prepared containment area featuring industrial-grade adhesive surfaces.
INCIDENT: Detroit, 2018 - "Mindmelt" (MIND-FOUR-BLACK) OUTCOME: Three officers permanently disabled, suspect escaped FAILURE POINT: Centralized command structure allowed the superintelligent subject to extract the entire operation plan from a single commanding officer.
INCIDENT: San Diego, 2021 - "Titanium" (BRICK-THREE-HARD) OUTCOME: Seven injuries, $2.4M property damage FAILURE POINT: Overreliance on conventional firepower despite documented ineffectiveness against the subject's specific durability profile.
The hard truth: most of you reading this aren't equipped to handle anything above a Level Two threat. Your job isn't to be a hero—it's to contain the situation, minimize casualties, and hold the line until:
- Licensed Vigilantes arrive
- NSRA Rapid Response deploys
- The threat exhausts itself
Remember the First Responder's Prayer: "Not dead is good enough."
- Rule #1: If they're wearing a costume, they've done this before. You haven't.
- Rule #2: Powers don't make people evil, but they do make evil people more dangerous.
- Rule #3: If you can't see their hands, assume the worst.
- Rule #4: When a cape says "stand back," the correct response is always "how far?"
- Rule #5: No matter what the regulations say, property is replaceable. You aren't.
Compiled by the National Association of Metahuman Response Officers (NAMRO) This document is NOT an official NSRA publication and should be used for supplementary training purposes only.
Remember: Having a gun doesn't make you a superhero. Following protocol makes you a survivor.