Numbness (sometimes called Paralysis) is a status effect in Earthbound, where the affected character is unable to attack or use items (although PSI and Jeff's 'spy' command still work). Outside of battle, the affected character's animations play more slowly but the character still walks at a normal pace. Enemies like the Mani Mani and the Mechanical Octobots can cause this ailment. Ness and his friends would have to go to a healer at a hospital or a hot spring to get it lifted. In battle, it prevents the character affected from attacking or using items, replacing bashing with "Do Nothing", but outside battle it's completely harmless.