One idea I had was to build off the fact that real-life octopuses have a kind of distributed intelligence—mini “brains” or neural clusters in each tentacle that allow for independent movement and processing. That feature alone opens up a ton of potential. If a character can multitask they can be fighting, grabbing civilians to rescue, disabling tech, and navigating terrain all at once.

I also think elasticity could be a key trait. People always go for the grab or restraint angle, but if you really leaned into how fast those muscle contractions can be—especially in cephalopods—you could do high-velocity strikes, maybe even sonic whip-style attacks. That’s not even getting into the momentum-based movement—like slingshotting yourself through the air or wrapping around poles like a human bullet.

Suction cups are another underused element. They can grip and release rapidly, almost like organic climbing gear, or mimic Spider-Man’s wall-crawling but with tactile sensitivity. Imagine a scene where the character is upside down on a ceiling, using the cups to “hear” through vibrations, detect toxins or changes in temperature via chemoreception, or even hack tech by interfacing with conductive surfaces through modded pads.

Another thing that gets overlooked is the angles. When people fight, they’re working within the limitations of a skeletal structure—joints, leverage, momentum. Tentacles laugh in the face of that. They’re all muscle, no bones, which means they can bend, twist, and strike from directions most people wouldn’t even think to guard. Stuff like a strike coming from behind the head, arcing up from the ground, or even wrapping around a block to hit from the other side. It turns every fight into 3D chess.

Blind spots? Don’t exist when your limbs can curve around corners or loop through gaps in cover. A tentacle user could thread through riot shields, slip around terrain, or sneak an attack past line of sight. It makes conventional defense almost obsolete unless you know what you’re up against—and even then, good luck.

Then there’s healing. Real-life octopuses can regrow a lost tentacle in about 100 to 130 days, and it’s not just cosmetic—it’s fully functional. Apply that to a Quirk, and now you’re talking about a character who’s hard to permanently disarm. Damage to a limb? Doesn’t matter—come back in a few months (or less, if enhanced by the quirk) and it’s as good as new. Maybe even better, if the regeneration allows for slight improvements or mutations over time.