Ranks & Measures

This game uses the term rank when talking about the value of a game trait. So you might say a hero has "rank 8 Strength" or simply "Strength 8" (which mean the same thing), or that an effect is rank 5, 9, 15, or what have you. Every quantifiable trait in the game has a rank assigned to it.

The game also uses a system of measures, real world values like pounds, seconds, minutes, hours, feet, yards, and miles, to name a few. There is a direct relationship between rank and measure, as shown on the Measurements Table.

Things to Know About Measurements

When using the Measurements Table, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

Each rank represents a range of measures. Time rank 4 is actually all measures between 0.8 and 1.6 minutes, and time rank 16 is everything between 2.3 and 4.6 days! So if you're looking for a measurement that's not on the table, pick the next highest one that is; so 12 hours is a time rank of 13 (more than 6.8 hours, but less than 14), and 6 miles is a distance rank of 11 (more than 5.8 miles, but less than 12).

Like abilities, measures can have negative ranks. In the time rank example, the time it takes a Speed 14 hero to cover 30 miles (distance 13) is rank -1, or 3 seconds. You can extend the negative side the Measurement Table just like you can the positive side, with each lower rank halving the previous measurement. So rank -6 is 0.8 pounds, 0.095 seconds, and 5.625 inches, for example.

Don't directly add ranks. Putting rank 4 distance together with rank 6 distance is not rank 10 distance! Rank 4 is a distance measurement of 480 feet. Rank 6 is 1,900 feet. Adding the measurements, you get about 2,400 feet. 2,400 feet is distance rank 7 but rank 10 distance is 4 miles! If you have different ranks, it is best to either handle them separately or convert them to measurements, add the measurements together, and convert them back to a rank.

Measurements are approximate. Especially at the higher end, where each rank represents a wide range of measurements, the Measurements Table isn't intended to provide precise values; it's just a ballpark estimate so you have an idea of how things work in the context of the game. Don't focus too heavily on precise answers, just use the table for general guidelines.

Mass, Weight, Force, and Strength

Weight is the amount of force an object applies based on its mass and the amount of gravity it is under. Strength is the ability to exert force. Weight and strength ranks are equal to force ranks. Mass can be easily converted to weight (if under Earth's gravity then the value is equal) however they are not the same thing since mass is the amount of substance that makes up an object (the number of neutrons, protons, and electrons). In order to lift an object you must be able to exert more force than the object's weight. Examples involving heavy objects will generally use the object's weight (rather than mass) in order to remind everyone that objects may be under different amounts of gravity (particularly in space where nothing has weight).

Using The Measurements Table

The relationship between rank and measure has a number of uses in this game.

First, the capabilities of many traits are translated from their rank into a measurement. So the amount of weight a Strength rank of 3 can lift is determined by finding the equivalent weight measurement (force rank) on the table, or 400 lbf. Similarly, the mass, distance, or time affected by various other traits, especially powers, is determined on the Measurements Table.

Also, because the measurements on the table operate at the same scale (roughly doubling every rank), it is possible to use it to quickly figure out relationships between things like mass, distance, speed, and time:

Distance Rank = Time Rank + Speed Rank

To determine the distance a hero covers in a given amount of time, add the rank of the time to the rank of the hero's speed, with normal human ground speed being rank 0. So a normal person can cover 3 miles in an hour (time 9 + speed 0 = 9, the rank for 2.9 miles). In fact, with normal human speeds, you can just directly compare the time and distance columns of the table! As another example, a hero with Flight 12 can cover 12,000 miles in an hour! That's 12 (speed) + 9 (time) = 21, the rank for 12,000 miles. The same character can go an amazing 23 miles in just 6 seconds (the time of one action round)!

Time Rank = Distance Rank - Speed Rank

Reversing the previous formula, we can also figure out how long it takes someone at a particular speed to cover a given distance, by subtracting the speed rank from the distance rank to get a time rank. So a normal human (speed 0) walking 47 miles (distance 13) takes about 14 hours. A hero with Speed 14 covers the same distance in (13 - 14 = -1) just 3 seconds!

Mass Rank = Force Rank for weight under Earth's gravity

To make things easy the mass and force ranks match so that any object's weight rank when on Earth is equal to its mass rank. Calculating the weight of objects under different amounts of gravity is more complex than it's worth. Instead decide how many times stronger the gravity is compared to Earth, if it is twice as strong then add 1 to the weight rank etc.

Throwing Distance Rank = Strength Rank (force rank) - Weight Rank (force rank)

As another example, the distance rank a hero can throw something equals the hero's Strength rank minus the weight rank of the object. So a hero with Strength 10 (able to exert 26 tons-force), picks up a 5 ton-force weight truck (force rank 8). Since 10 - 8 = 2, the hero can then toss the truck rank 2 distance (120 feet)!

Units And Accuracy

The first table below uses United States customary units and the one below that uses the Metric system. WARNING: the two tables are incompatible. All positive and negative ranks are based on rank 0 values and usually have 2 significant digits. The cubic feet and inches values are based on 10 gallons rather than 1.3 cubic feet. But as described in the side bar above they are not supposed to be accurate. They are designed to be convenient and to counteract the law of diminishing return.

Measurements Table (US Customary Units)

Rank	Force	Mass	Time	Distance	Volume
Rank - 1	Force / 2	Mass / 2	Time / 2	Distance / 2	Volume / 2
-5	1.6 lbf	1.6 lb	0.19 seconds	11.25 inches	5 cups (72 in³)
-4	3.1 lbf	3.1 lb	0.37 seconds	1.9 feet	10 cups
-3	6.25 lbf	6.25 lb	0.75 seconds	3.75 feet	1.25 gallons
-2	12.5 lbf	12.5 lb	1.5 seconds	7.5 feet	2.5 gallons
-1	25 lbf	25 lb	3 seconds	15 feet	5 gallons
0	50 pounds of force	50 pounds	6 seconds	30 feet	10 gallons (1.3 ft³)
1	100 lbf	100 lb	12 seconds	60 feet	20 gallons
2	200 lbf	200 lb	24 seconds	120 feet	40 gallons
3	400 lbf	400 lb	0.8 minutes	240 feet	80 gallons
4	800 lbf	800 lb	1.6 minutes	480 feet	160 gallons
5	1,600 lbf	1,600 lb	3.2 minutes	960 feet	320 gallons
6	3,200 lbf	3,200 lb	6.4 minutes	1,900 feet	640 gallons
7	3.2 short tons-force	3.2 tons (short ton)	13 minutes	0.73 miles	1,300 gallons
8	6.4 tons-force	6.4 tons	26 minutes	1.5 miles	2,600 gallons
9	13 tons-force	13 tons	0.85 hours	2.9 miles	5,100 gallons
10	26 tons-force	26 tons	1.7 hours	5.8 miles	10,000 gallons (1,400 ft³)
11	51 tons-force	51 tons	3.4 hours	12 miles	20,000 gallons
12	102 tons-force	102 tons	6.8 hours	23 miles	41,000 gallons
13	205 tons-force	205 tons	14 hours	47 miles	82,000 gallons
14	410 tons-force	410 tons	1.1 days	93 miles	160,000 gallons
15	820 tons-force	820 tons	2.3 days	190 miles	330,000 gallons
16	1,600 tons-force	1,600 tons	4.6 days	370 miles	660,000 gallons
17	3.3 million tons-force	3.3 million tons	1.3 weeks	740 miles	1.3 million gallons (170,000 ft³)
18	6.5 million tons-force	6.5 million tons	2.6 weeks	1,500 miles	2.6 million gallons
19	13 million tons-force	13 million tons	1.2 months	3,000 miles	5.25 million gallons
20	26 million tons-force	26 million tons	2.4 months	6,000 miles	10.5 million gallons
21	52 million tons-force	52 million tons	4.8 months	12,000 miles	21 million gallons
22	105 million tons-force	105 million tons	9.6 months	24,000 miles	42 million gallons
23	210 million tons-force	210 million tons	1.6 years	48,000 miles	84 million gallons
24	420 million tons-force	420 million tons	3.2 years	95,000 miles	170 million gallons
25	840 million tons-force	840 million tons	6.4 years	190,000 miles	340 million gallons
26	1.7 billion tons-force	1.7 billion tons	13 years	380,000 miles	670 million gallons
27	3.4 billion tons-force	3.4 billion tons	26 years	760,000 miles	1.3 billion gallons (180 million ft³)
28	6.7 billion tons-force	6.7 billion tons	51 years	1.5 million miles	2.7 billion gallons
29	13 billion tons-force	13 billion tons	102 years	3 million miles	5.4 billion gallons
30	27 billion tons-force	27 billion tons	205 years	6.1 million miles	11 billion gallons
Rank + 1	Force * 2	Mass * 2	Time * 2	Distance * 2	Volume * 2

Metric Measurements Table

Rank	Force	Mass	Time	Distance	Volume
Rank - 1	Force / 2	Mass / 2	Time / 2	Distance / 2	Volume / 2
-5	6.25 N	625 g	0.19 seconds	31.25 cm	1.25 L (1,200 cm³)
-4	12.5 N	1.25 kg	0.37 seconds	62.5 cm	2.5 L
-3	25 N	2.5 kg	0.75 seconds	125 cm	5 L
-2	50 N	5 kg	1.5 seconds	2.5 m	10 L
-1	100 N	10 kg	3 seconds	5 m	20 L
0	200 Newtons	20 kilograms	6 seconds	10 meters	40 L (0.04 m³)
1	400 N	40 kg	12 seconds	20 m	80 L
2	800 N	80 kg	24 seconds	40 m	160 L
3	1.6 kN	160 kg	0.8 minutes	80 m	320 L
4	3.2 kN	320 kg	1.6 minutes	160 m	640 L
5	6.4 kN	640 kg	3.2 minutes	320 m	1.3 kL (1.3 m³)
6	13 kN	1.3 Mg	6.4 minutes	640 m	2.6 kL
7	26 kN	2.6 Mg	13 minutes	1.3 km	5.1 kL
8	51 kN	5.1 Mg	26 minutes	2.6 km	10.25 kL
9	102 kN	10.2 Mg	0.85 hours	5.1 km	20.5 kL
10	205 kN	20.5 Mg	1.7 hours	10.2 km	41 kL
11	410 kN	41 Mg	3.4 hours	20.5 km	82 kL
12	820 kN	82 Mg	6.8 hours	41 km	160 kL
13	1.6 MN	160 Mg	14 hours	82 km	330 kL
14	3.3 MN	330 Mg	1.1 days	160 km	660 kL
15	6.6 MN	660 Mg	2.3 days	330 km	1.3 ML (1,300 m³)
16	13 MN	1.3 Gg	4.6 days	660 km	2.6 ML
17	26 MN	2.6 Gg	1.3 weeks	1.3 Mm	5.2 ML
18	52 MN	5.2 Gg	2.6 weeks	2.6 Mm	10.5 ML
19	105 MN	10.5 Gg	1.2 months	5.2 Mm	21 ML
20	210 MN	21 Gg	2.4 months	10.5 Mm	42 ML
21	420 MN	42 Gg	4.8 months	21 Mm	84 ML
22	840 MN	84 Gg	9.6 months	42 Mm	170 ML
23	1.7 GN	170 Gg	1.6 years	84 Mm	340 ML
24	3.4 GN	340 Gg	3.2 years	170 Mm	670 ML
25	6.7 GN	670 Gg	6.4 years	340 Mm	1.3 GL (1,300,000 m³)
26	13 GN	1.3 Tg	13 years	670 Mm	2.7 GL
27	27 GN	2.7 Tg	26 years	1.3 Gm	5.3 GL
28	54 GN	5.4 Tg	51 years	2.7 Gm	10.75 GL
29	107 GN	10.7 Tg	102 years	5.4 Gm	21.5 GL
30	210 GN	21 Tg	205 years	10.7 Gm	43 GL
Rank + 1	Force * 2	Mass * 2	Time * 2	Distance * 2	Volume * 2