Powerscaling

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Powerscaling refers to estimating a character's abilities by comparing them to others within the same series. This logic operates on the principle of transitive relation: if A > B and B > C, then A > C. For example, if Character A is stronger than Character B, and Character B is stronger than Character C, it follows that Character A is also stronger than Character C.

Another approach involves attributing the feats of one character to others of equal or greater power. For instance, if Character A can lift cars and Character B is demonstrably stronger than Character A, it’s reasonable to conclude that Character B can also lift cars.

While excessive or poorly applied powerscaling can lead to inaccurate results, when used logically and moderately, it is a vital tool for determining a character's power. Relying solely on direct feats without powerscaling often leads to inconsistent or undervalued ratings. For example, ignoring powerscaling could result in scenarios where Whis is weaker than Piccolo or Sosuke Aizen weaker than Ulquiorra Cifer, which contradict their narrative portrayals.

Guidelines for Powerscaling

  1. Tiers and Scaling: A character depicted as significantly stronger than another may surpass their tier if the latter is close to the next one. However, this requires careful, case-by-case analysis.
  2. Consistency: Powerscaling should align with the broader narrative and avoid contradictions or outliers.
  3. Case-by-Case Evaluation: The validity of powerscaling depends on the internal consistency of the franchise in question.

Viable Powerscaling Examples

  1. Direct Comparisons:
    • If Character A destroys a city and has City-level durability, and Character B defeats Character A, then Character B is likely also City-level in attack potency and durability.
    • If Character C surpasses Character B, who in turn overpowers Character A, Character C can also be scaled to City-level potency.
  2. Speed Comparisons:
    • If Character A performs a faster-than-light (FTL) feat, and Character B blitzes them, Character B can also be classified as FTL.
    • If Character C outpaces Character B, they too can be scaled to FTL speeds.
  3. Combat-Dependent Scaling:
    • If Character A defeats Character B in a close fight, even if they ultimately lose, Character B’s stats can be scaled similarly to Character A’s, assuming no significant gap in their performance.

Nonviable Powerscaling Examples

  1. Durability Negation:
    • If Character A is harmed by Character B using an ability that bypasses durability (e.g., hax), it doesn’t prove that Character B’s attack potency equals Character A’s durability.
  2. Weakened States:
    • If Character A is significantly holding back or weakened during their fight with Character B, scaling Character B to Character A’s full capabilities is invalid.
  3. Inconsistent Feats:
    • If Character B defeats a superior Character A but is otherwise consistently portrayed with much lower stats, this is likely an outlier or plot-induced inconsistency.
  4. Selective Ability Use:
    • If Character A’s telekinesis is Building-level, but their physical stats are Human-level, and they lose a physical fight without using their telekinesis, scaling Character B to Building-level is invalid.

Powerscaling Using In-Universe Ratings

When applying powerscaling via in-universe rankings:

  1. Consistency is Key: If the ranking system reliably correlates with character feats, it can support scaling. For example, a character rated 4.5 in a system outmatching a 3-rated character suggests comparability among similarly rated individuals.
  2. Avoid Linear Assumptions: A rating of 1000 isn’t automatically 20 times stronger than a rating of 50 unless the system explicitly states such proportionality.

By adhering to these principles, powerscaling remains a robust and reliable method for evaluating fictional characters’ abilities.

Notes

In fiction, Attack Potency—the measure of energy a character's attacks can output—does not always equate to the destruction caused or the area affected by their attacks. Many fictional works separate the scale of destruction from the energy required to harm characters with comparable durability.

For example, a character capable of tanking the explosion of an entire planet can still be injured by being punched through a building if the attacker outputs energy surpassing the defender's durability threshold. Similarly, a character with City-level Attack Potency doesn’t necessarily need to obliterate a city with their attacks. Instead, their strikes carry enough energy to harm individuals with City-level durability, regardless of the actual visible damage caused.

This distinction highlights the importance of differentiating between raw destructive capacity (area of effect) and the energy output associated with a character's attacks.

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