Power ranks or tiers are expressed by letter grades, with some changes above A rank. Each stands for at least one word, which the System will frequently use.

These can be modified by + or – appearing afterwards, e.g. D+ is higher than D.

There is no E rank. D+ marks someone who is elite by modern human standards. Someone who is world-renowned in a field might almost push toward C-. At his peak, Usain Bolt would have been C- in sprinting.

Those of you who have read many other litRPGs will notice a little less power scaling here than in some other stories. That’s because Archangels of Phobos isn’t designed to go on forever.

F (Farcical/Frivolous): Typical skill level of an ordinary untrained person. Note that the terms are more hostile than is fair, as the ‘System’ is comparing to supernaturally enhanced people. Eating F rank food will not make you ill, it will just not be memorably good.

D (Developing): Typical skill level of a respected career expert. A career soldier may be D rank in firearm use, a decorated sniper or competition shooter D+.

C (Competent): Don’t let the term ‘competent’ fool you – that’s competent compared to supernaturally enhanced people. Examples: 8 second 100 metre dash, 90 minute marathon. Sinking 90% from the free throw line… while aiming at the basket on the other end of the court. Deadlifting a car. Punching through bricks. C rank tasks are beyond human limits, but not beyond what humans with futuristic tools might achieve.

B (Brilliant): Shattering windows from a kilometre away with a shout. Leaping from the ground onto a 33rd story balcony. Surviving a direct hit from a cruise missile.

A (Astral), S (Sublime) or M (Mythic): Beyond human comprehension. Astral entities should survive being point blank at a nuclear detonation, Sublime entities may survive the destruction of their planet, and Mythic entities may survive a star going supernova at point blank.