Question regarding the FAQ

[ThatBoiRick]

For those of you who’re aware, recently a post was made amongst the staff discussing the possibility of a 3D entity having the physical stats of a 1-A being. The conclusion of this is as followed in the FAQ

Broadly: No. The crucial thing to note about 1-A and above is that these tiers, in the relevant respect here, are completely discontinuous with lower ones. Therefore, no extension or add-ups of things from a lower reality (i.e. No quantitative increases) can measure up to a qualitatively greater plane of existence, and this applies to physical strength no less than it does to size. Thus, even if they are being boosted by a force from the corresponding level, a character from a lesser reality can't have qualitatively greater physical strength. The entity could not produce such a thing in the same way it could not produce a spatial object that is larger than.

Basically a 1-A entity doesn’t share any form of continuity to lesser things, and thus, an expression of them in a lesser form would similarly be impossible. However, there exists an outlier to the rule that I feel needs clarification, as many verses could be affected. Namely, there could be instances of a verse with a 1-A force or realm that is naturally dispersed throughout lesser worlds while simultaneously offering no resistance to being utilized in any way. Which is also supported in the FAQ

On the matter of power sources: That would depend on the nature of the power source itself. For example, a common trope in fiction is power sources that, so to speak, are "for the taking," meaning they are naturally self-diffusive and don't offer any resistance whatsoever to being tapped into, as being utilized in such a way is in their nature. Drawing power from such sources is obviously not actually an anti-feat for them being 1-A, especially so if they are depicted as naturally connected to, and united with, the beings that tap into them.

For instance, imagine a verse where all things, physical and metaphysical, are sprouted from the same source and essence that exists all throughout reality extending into any ontologically higher state of existence. Naturally this force doesn’t “reject” anyone nor does it have any innate resistances to being tapped into. Let’s also say that each and every character in this verse holds an aspect of this power within themselves that connects to the root of the 1-A force itself.

The issue lies with the fact that because the 1-A in question is diffused throughout all levels of existence, both physical and metaphysical, we could then argue a possible connection it has to lesser things due to the fact that all things share within themselves an aspect of the same 1-A, that is to say, its connection to lesser things is itself.

Let’s then say a 3D character within this verse exerts a power so great (using the essence inside him and all other things.) that he ended up blowing up an entire building! An impressive feat for a normal human, however utterly laughable to the second 3D character who shook the entire cosmology by punching really really hard. Both characters are using the power from a 1-A that naturally diffuses itself throughout lower levels of existence. In this instance, the distinction between an individual’s essence and the 1-A simply doesn’t exist. As even physical matter and any application of “quantity” would be considered a subset and/or facet of the 1-A that anyone can utilize or transcend, even 3D beings.

Would it then be possible for a 3D being to exert 1-A power? If not, would we then get to a point where characters of similar situations obtain a level that can only be described as “Beyond N” where N represents quantities even beyond Low 1-A?

I should also clarify that this isn’t simply a case where someone is “drawing power from” a 1-A, because that same essence is completely native to everyone and everything, are we as humans drawing power from our muscles the same way an entity in fiction could draw power from deity? We wouldn’t consider blowing up a building with such power a 1-A feat of course, but feats where a character can use enough of said essence to, lets say, shake a 1-A world, or effect it significantly with raw force, wouldn’t constitute an anti feat for the verse would it? the idea of a 1-A not being expressed by lesser things doesn’t exist here, so would a 3D being now be capable of 1-A physicals?

Conclusion/TL;DR: can a 3D character have 1-A physicals in a verse with a naturally diffusive 1-A force?

 

[Ultima_Reality]

It's a good question, yeah. The main thing that concerns me in your particular scenario is that it looks like you basically have a resource that can be tapped into, and then different amounts of that same resource can be either 1-A or below 1-A (Hence one character using that force blows up a building and another character shakes the entire cosmology); that would indicate quantitative continuity between the two levels, so that arguing it's 1-A at all becomes way less tenable. Unless the use of this force doesn't have anything to do with amounts and quantities at all and is more complicated than that, or something of that nature.

Is this a hypothetical you made up on the spot? Or is it a particular concrete case? Working with the latter tends to be a lot more productive, so, asking just in case.

 

[ThatBoiRick]

Is this a hypothetical you made up on the spot? Or is it a particular concrete case? Working with the latter tends to be a lot more productive, so, asking just in case.

It’s basically a dumbed down version of the system we’re trying to work with. Although in our case, it’s a conceptual duality that serves as the basis for all things.

 

[ThatBoiRick]

Bump

 

[Bobsican]

Well, it doesn't seem there's much to add here without going further into context IMO.

 

[ThatBoiRick]

True, sorry for the late response.

For context, we have reason to believe a certain part of a verse pertaining to a duality that encompasses everything that defines the verse (even down to the metaphysical and conceptual levels) is a naturally diffusive transphysical 1-A force.

I should mention that the power in question and the feats that it allows for aren’t directly dependent on “how much” power you use in the slightest. As they operate on levels that don’t really align with physicality. (People aren’t attacking each other per se, but are attacking their conceptual existences.)

The problem lies with a certain man in the verse who had the capacity to remake the entire cosmology using an almighty entity that shaped and formed the theoretical 1-A duality in the first place.

Then there are the characters capable of fighting said man, even holding back his power using the same power that lies within them.

Would these be instances of 3D characters having 1-A physical stats? Especially considering the fact that within cases like these there does contain a continuity with a greater ontological force and a lesser one, that being itself.