Durability was the ability to resist physical attacks against one's own body. Such power was notable when the being was at some level impervious to them without having an intangible constitution.
The resistance to certain harmful effects referred to a being's immunity, while the ability to rapidly recover injuries referred to regeneration powers instead.
Examples[]
Invulnerability[]
After Illyria's return in a human shell, the axe with which Wesley hit her over the head shattered in contact without a reaction from the Old One.[1] With her powers diminished with the Mutari generator, Illyria was still invulnerable from being stabbed with a sharp knife and a dragon's blast of fire at close range.[2]
Twilight's empowerment made Angel's body invulnerable to physical harm, including not feeling pain when Faith kicked him in the groin. When Buffy threw a tree carved into a stake at him, the tree shattered with the impact against Angel.[3]
Glorificus appeared to absorb Buffy's blows without taking any damage, however she staggered back whenever she was hit. Even a building collapsed on top of her,[4] despite momentarily imprisoning her, did not harm the hell-goddess.[5] Shattered glass ripped Glory's dress but did not pierce her skin.[6]
Keiko, as part of the Magic Council, gained the ability to counter physical assaults by absorbing and redirecting the kinetic energy of an attack.[7] D'Hoffryn inherited this power when he assassinated all members of the Magic Council,[8] and he was unharmed when Buffy attempted to cut his head off with the mʔ.[9] He was rendered vulnerable again when Anya granted Buffy's wish to undo D'Hoffryn's powers, and the Slayer cut his hand then his head off, killing him.[10]
Unique weaknesses[]
The Lorophage demon known as the Highgate Vampire resisted being staked, the wood breaking in contact with its chest, and its skin was unaffected by an attempt of cutting the head with a dagger.[11] A sword aimed at its chest also shattered in contact with it. Only the demon's claws were known to penetrate its skin, being killed when inserted into its head.[12]
The Beast possessed a rock-like hide; despite feeling the impact from being shot at close range, bullets did not hurt his skin.[13] Only a dagger made of his bone was capable of penetrating it, killing him. He was unaffected when Faith punched his abdomen, but his head staggered back each side when she punched his face.[14]
The exoskeleton of the Morituri demon species was thick enough to resist blade cuts. The Scooby Gang defeated one when it trespassed a protective spell and caught on fire, so they were able to behead the demon.[15]
It was said that the Judge was impervious to wounds caused by forged weapons, in accord to the era humans first fought him in the 14th century. However, an explosion caused by a rocket launcher managed to separate him back to pieces.[16]
As a magic-infused cyborg, Joanna Wise had enhanced defense and durability from the inorganic constitution, resisting impact, sword cut, and vampire bite.[17]
Resistance[]
Adam was able to withstand without reaction a punch to the abdomen from Spike[18] and any attempt of unharmed fighting from Buffy.[19] Only empowered by an enjoining spell the Scoobies penetrated Adam's abdomen and removed his uranium 235 core, disabling him.[20]
Marcus Hamilton was able to effortlessly resist Harmony's attempt to snap his neck.[21] He also withstood a punch to the stomach from Angel, hurting only a "little bit." However, the vampire could still bite his neck; Angel eventually defeated Marcus by drinking from his blood and sharing the same strength as him, hurting and breaking Marcus' neck with powerful punches.[22]
New vampires were harder to stake than the older breed, requiring more effort from a human to stake them.[23] Lavinia described their skin as being hard as elephant hide.[24]
A Slayer's body was substantially more resistant to blunt force trauma than of an ordinary human's, so it was difficult, though not impossible, to bruise them.[25] Buffy survived contact with a live electrical wire, which melted her shoe soles; Giles noted that she would not have survived if she was anyone but the Slayer.[26] Faith crashed through a window and landed on a car; while the car's roof was severely damaged, she walked away unharmed.[14]