Seems like you are referring to iddhi powers which are extremely important in achieving arahantship.
Developing the four bases of iddhi seems to refer to developing concentration founded on desire, persistence, intent, and discrimination (SN 51.20).
It says in SN 51.7:
“Monks, all the monks in the past … future … present who realize the
undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life,
and who live having realized it with their own insight due to the
ending of defilements, do so by developing and cultivating the four
bases of iddhi power." (SN 51.7)
This means it's impossible to achieve arahantship or the ending of mental fermentations without developing a certain degree of iddhi.
It's not the superhuman powers themselves that are important but the well-developed concentration ability required to achieve those powers which is important which is required for achieving arahantship.
Now I understand why my own personal progress in achieving arahantship is halted I'm only a little skilled in iddhi development though I've achieved higher states and have experienced some effects of iddhi development here and now.
Originally desire and enthusiasm was viewed as important and beneficial in Buddhism for achieving arahantship even though now the popular media portrays
the opposite (I think this is in part because of the disappearance of arahants).
Right Effort is part of the Noble Eightfold Path:
"And what, bhikkhus, is right effort? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu
generates desire for the nonarising of unarisen evil unwholesome
states; he makes an effort, arouses energy, applies his mind, and
strives. " (SN 45.8)
Sariputta took a week longer than Moggallana to achieve arahantship perhaps because Moggallana was much more skilled in iddhi development than Sariputta.
With developed iddhi powers one can do nearly anything.
Moggallana boasts:
"Sāriputta, the monk who has crossed over, may be supreme in respect
of his wisdom, ethics, and peace.
But in a moment I can create the likenesses of ten million times
100,000 people! I’m skilled in transformations; I’m a master of
psychic powers." (Thag 20.1)
Based on the suttas looks like it's necessary to develop a certain level of concentration to achieve arahantship.
In general things can be beneficial if it leads towards arahantship, but maleficial if it leads away from arahantship.
Iddhi development is necessary for achieving arahantship, easing doubts, perceiving the truth, and especially useful if one decides to become a teacher.
What type of teacher would The Buddha have been if he hadn't developed supernormal powers to a very high degree? It would've been extremely difficult to teach and know certain things.
"It is because he has developed and cultivated these four bases of
iddhi power that the Realized One is called ‘the perfected one, the
fully awakened Buddha’" (SN 51.8)
Remember The Buddha used his power to avoid the serial killer Angulimala, who He converted into a monk who eventually achieved arahantship and also used it constantly for teaching (like looking into someone's past existences to see what teachings would trigger unconscious memories that lead towards arahantship).
Iddhi development was encouraged for monks but displaying iddhi powers became viewed as a negative thing after the arahant Pindola Bharadwaja started flying in public to take down a bowl. Now in modern times it seems because of frauds, imposters, non-arahants, the faithless, and other incapable people iddhi powers are viewed as even more negatively even though a very positive thing for achieving arahantship.
Iddhi development may be viewed as more negatively now probably because of the disappearance of real arahants existing in the world but it is still extremely important for those desiring to achieve arahantship.
"Monks, whoever has missed out on the four bases of iddhi power has
missed out on the noble path to the complete ending of suffering." (SN
51.2)