Power Classifications

Since parahumans began to appear in the 1980s and following the arrival of threats like the Endbringers, the Siberian and other villains, the need for a system of power classifications to be used by law enforcement, government and the media became clear. While initially used only for classifying Villains, this classification soon became used to gauge the parahuman capabilities of all capes - whether hero, Villain or Rogue.

When a new parahuman reveals their presence they are identified with one or more of twelve categories and a number in each one (usually between 1 and 10) to express the level of threat they offer to a PRT team. The scale does go beyond ten but that appears to be reserved for particularly dangerous or powerful threats. It should be clearly stated that ratings are subjective abstractions largely based on danger to the citizenry <ref name = "CM1">Private message by Wildbow, archived on SpaceBattles</ref>. Baring some objective measure from an ability, a individual para-humans rating may be, too low, too high or fail to account for other aspects of the para-human's abilities all together.

The categories are: Mover, Shaker, Brute, Breaker, Master, Tinker, Blaster, Thinker, Striker, Changer, Trump and Stranger.

Weld theorizes that the powers may have been named the way they were to facilitate memorization using the following rhyme: <poem> Mover, Shaker,

  Brute, Breaker, 

Master, Tinker,

  Blaster, Thinker, 

Striker, Changer,

  Trump and Stranger.</poem>

Powers which are inextricably linked, such as Dauntless' ability to empower objects (Trump) by touching them (Striker), are indicated with a slash ("Striker/Trump")<ref name = "PM1">Private message by Wildbow, archived on SpaceBattles</ref>.

Mover

A mover has the ability to transport themselves and/or others to other locations, by means of enhanced speed, teleportation, flight, vehicles or the like. PRT typically appends the mover classification with the specific type of capability, eg Mover: Teleporter.<ref name="PRT">PRT Quest document</ref>

Known Movers

Cape	Classification	Power Description
Acidbath	Breaker/Changer (Blaster, Striker, Mover)<ref name="list"/>	Acid manipulation: can turn into, sling, and move as acid
Aegis	Mover ?,<ref name="PRT"/>  Brute ?	Flight, Extreme personal Biokinesis
Alexandria	Mover ?, Brute ?, Thinker 6 <ref name="14.y">14.y - Interlude: Alexandria</ref>	Extremely rapid flight, super strength, increased durability
Bambina	Mover/Shaker 6<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref>	Ricochets off hard surfaces at will, creating explosions at each point of contact. Can protect teammates from her own power.
Black Kaze	Mover/Striker<ref name="list"/>	Teleport/speedster hybrid, telefragged anyone in-between departure and arrival
Burnscar	Mover ?,<ref name="PRT"/> Blaster ?	Extreme pyrokinesis, Teleportation through open flames
Chariot	Tinker/Mover?<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	High speed flying suit
Damsel of Distress	Shaker ?, Mover ?<ref name="16.x"/>	Gravity blasts, high recoil
Glory Girl	Mover ?,<ref name="PRT"/> Brute ?	Flight, some invincibility, super strength, aura of awe (allies)/terror (enemies)
Jouster	Trump?	variable power effects
Lady Photon	Blaster 4, Mover 3, Shaker 3<ref name="WoG1">Edit by Wildbow</ref>	Flight, light blasts, forcefields
Laserdream	Mover ?,<ref name="PRT"/> Blaster ?, Shaker ?	Flight, light blasts, forcefields (light blasts are stronger than Lady Photon's, while forcefields are weaker)
Legend	Breaker ?,<ref name="I14.5">Interlude 14.5 (Bonus Interlude)</ref> Mover?,<ref name="PRT"/> Blaster ?[citation needed]	Flight. Capable of attaining relativistic speeds when traveling in a straight line at the expense of conscious thought.
Leonid	Thinker ?, Stranger ?, Mover ?<ref name="29.6">Venom 29.6</ref>	Slow teleportation/phasing by becoming sound.
Oni Lee	Mover ?<ref name="PRT"/>	Duplication/Teleportation; teleports, duplicates are left behind, disintegrating in moments.
Purity	Blaster 8, Mover 4<ref name="9.6">Sentinel 9.6</ref>	Flight, absorb and emit light, fires destructive beams of light
Shadow Stalker	Breaker 3, Stranger 2, Mover 1<ref>Comment by Wildbow in Scourge 19.5</ref>	Shadow state, intangibility.
Shielder	Mover 3,<ref name="WoG1"/> Blaster ?, Shaker ?	Flight, same as Lady Photon, though with better forcefields
Squealer	Tinker 2, Mover 3<ref name="9.1"/>	Modified vehicles
Strider	Mover ?<ref name="PRT"/>	Mass teleportation
Trickster	Mover ?<ref name="PRT"/>	Teleportation. Can swap the locations of any two objects/people (including himself) within line-of-sight. The less similar in shape/mass/volume of the objects, the more difficult and slower the teleport.
Velocity	Mover ?,<ref name="PRT"/> Breaker ?	Superhuman speed inversely proportional to strength

Shaker

A Shaker can affect a broader area, asserting some degree of control over the battlefield. May include gas, explosions, forcefields, and ambient or radiated effects.<ref name="PRT"/> Most wide-area-effect, forcefield and spacetime manipulation powers fall under the Shaker classification.^{[citation needed]}

Considered a "mental" power, and tends to arise from psychological stress rather than violence.<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>

Known Shakers

Cape	Classification	Power Description
Annex	Shaker ?, Breaker ?<ref name="24.1"/>	"Enters" surfaces and permanently distorts them
Arbiter	Thinker, Blaster (low), Shaker (low)<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref>	Unknown
Bambina	Mover/Shaker 6<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref>	Ricochets off hard surfaces at will, creating explosions at each point of contact. Can protect teammates from her own power.
Barrow	Shaker <ref name="21.7">Imago 21.7</ref>	Similar to Labyrinth, but cannot leave effected area.
Damsel of Distress	Shaker ?, Mover ?<ref name="16.x"/>	Creates poorly controlled storms of unevenly altered gravity, time and space
Golem	Shaker, Striker[citation needed]	Inserts appendages into surfaces of a given material, corresponding replicas emerge from other surfaces of the same material with their speed of emergence inversely proportional to chosen size.
Labyrinth	Shaker 12<ref name="19.7"> Scourge 19.7</ref><ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Can exchange her surroundings for alternate dimensions
Lady Photon	Blaster 4, Mover 3, Shaker 3<ref name="WoG1"/>	Forcefield bubble and shaped forcefields
Laserdream	Blaster, Mover, Shaker<ref name="WoG1"/>	As Lady Photon, weaker forcefields
Marquis	Shaker, Changer<ref name="cast">Cast Page</ref>	Reshapes bone very rapidly
Mockshow	Master/Shaker 6<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Animates inanimate objects into rhino-like constructs under her control.
Shatterbird	Shaker?	Large scale manipulation of silicon, allowing her to telekinetically control every piece of glass in a city.
Shielder	Blaster 3,<ref name="WoG1"/> Mover, Shaker	As Lady Photon, stronger forcefields
Starlet	Blaster/Shaker 4<ref name="23.2"/>	"Darts" of light which explode, then implode.
Skidmark	Shaker 2<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Creates a layer of effect on flat surfaces that create a push towards one direction and corresponding resistance towards the other. Can be stacked repeatedly on the same spot(s) for increased intensity/magnitude of effect.
Tecton	Tinker ? (Shaker ?)<ref name="24.1"/><ref name="18.5"/>, Thinker ?<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Architecture Tinker<ref name="18.5"/>.
Topsy	Shaker	Alters the direction but not magnitude of gravitational pull over a wide area
Vista	Shaker 9<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Can bend, stretch, or compress space
Wanton	Shaker<ref name="18.5"/><ref name="24.1"/>, Breaker,<ref name="24.1"/> Stranger<ref name="18.5"/>	Transforms into a telekinetic whirlwind
Winter	Shaker	Wide area effect that sapped heat from the environment, kinetic energy from moving objects and volition from biological life forms
Unnamed	Shaker<ref name="30.2">30.2</ref>	telekinetic with an emphasis on small objects
Unnamed	Shaker <ref name="30.2">30.2</ref>	created superheated "lasers" between two objects

Brute

A Brute classification typically indicates enhanced strength or durability.<ref name="PRT"/>

Breaker

Breakers have the ability to alter themselves to a different state in which they maintain different abilities.<ref name="PRT"/>

Master

A cape whose powers allow them control others or the minions they create (be they humans, parahumans, animals, or specific objects).<ref name="PRT"/>

Considered a "mental" power, and tends to arise from psychological stress rather than violence.<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>

Known Masters

Cape	Classification	Power description
August Prince	Master/Stranger 3<ref name="23.2"/>	Cannot be deliberately harmed by anyone within range of his power
Bitch	Master<ref name="I15"/>	Transforms dogs and wolves into strong monsters the size of vans, brain altered so she can naturally understand and communicate with dogs instead of with humans
Blasto	Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y"/>	Botany/cloning tinker
Canary	Master 8<ref name="I6">Interlude 6</ref><ref name="28.2"/>	Voice lets her command humans
Cherish	Master ?	Emotional control. Can sense and control others' emotions on a city-wide range
Crusader	Master 6<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Creates ghostly replicas of himself
Echidna	Master/Striker 10, Brute 8, Changer 2,<ref name="18.4">Queen 18.4</ref> Thinker<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Clones living creatures for duration of physical contact. Copies are hostile, retain memories, possess similar variations on powers.
Edict	Master (low)<ref name="16.x">Interlude 16.x</ref>
Felix Swoop	Master/Blaster	Controls birds, grants them fire powers
Glaistig Uaine	Master 10+, Trump 10+,[citation needed]	Can claim the powers of recently killed parahumans, then summon up to three "spirits" under her command, that are able to interact with the world and allow her to use their powers
Goddess	Trump, Master, unknown others<ref name="30.4">Speck 30.4</ref>	Similar to Canary's power, but presence-based rather than voice-based
Heartbreaker	Master ?	Emotional manipulation with potentially permanent effects
Mockshow	Master/Shaker 6<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Animates inanimate objects into rhino-like constructs under her control.
Moord Nag	Master ?	Controls a giant shadow-monster that grows stronger by feeding on living things
Nilbog	Master<ref name="16.x">Interlude 16x (Donation Bonus)</ref> (>7)[citation needed]	Creates life, creations can reproduce and/or have other capabilities
Parian	Master 6<ref name="8.5"/>	Telekinesis with a cloth specialization. Uses powers to animate cloth minions.
Prism	Master ? Brute?	Creates duplicates of herself that can be condensed back into one, giving the remaining one (the original) a temporary surge of superhuman strength and speed
Regent	Master<ref name="I15">Interlude 15</ref> (>8)	Can manipulate nervous systems. Limited to humans. Only minor movements initially, but with time may gain complete motor control over a victim
Skitter	Master 5,<ref name="8.5">Extermination 8.5</ref> Thinker 1<ref name="16.2">Monarch 16.2</ref> (initial), Master 8, Thinker 1<ref name="22.1">Cell 22.1</ref> (later)	Arthropodokinesis, arthropodovoyance
Teacher	Master? Trump?	Bestows tinker and thinker talents on chosen volunteers at the expense of their free will.

Tinker

Tinkers can intuitively create or alter many devices beyond the usual restrictions of knowledge, resources and physics. Tinkers are less dangerous when removed from their gear, but should not be assumed to be harmless.<ref name="PRT"/>

Blaster

A cape with ranged, offensive attacks of some form. Can include blasts, thrown or moved objects, grenades. Not always damaging, but generally deleterious.<ref name="PRT"/>

Known Blasters

Cape	Classification	Power Description
Acidbath	Breaker/Changer (Blaster, Striker, Mover)<ref name="list"/>	Could turn into, sling blasts of, & move as tidal wave of acid
Allfather	Blaster ?<ref name="list">Wildbow's Parahuman List</ref>	Created mid-air portals from which to launch volleys of weapons
Arbiter	Thinker, Blaster (low), Shaker (low)<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref>	Unknown
Blasto	Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y"/>	Botany/cloning tinker
Codex	Blaster/Thinker[citation needed]	"steals" intelligence
Felix Swoop	Master/Blaster[citation needed]	Controls birds, grants them fire powers
Flechette	Striker, Blaster (low)<ref name="I14.5"/>	enhanced aim, imbues weapons so they penetrate anything
Geomancer	Blaster <ref name="list">Wildbow's Parahuman List</ref>	Created streams of rubble
Jouster	Blaster/Striker,<ref name="23.1">Drone 23.1</ref> Mover<ref name="PRT"/>	Lance lengthens, applies elemental power
Lady Photon	Blaster 4, Mover 3, Shaker 3<ref name="WoG1">Edit by Wildbow</ref>	Fires hard light blasts
Laserdream	Blaster ?, Mover 3, Shaker ?	Same as Lady Photon with more emphasis on offense
Legend	Breaker ?,<ref name="I14.5"/> Blaster ?, Mover ?[citation needed]	Shoots beams of light that he can bend and split, with variable effects of his choice, e.g. freezing
Lightstar	Blaster<ref name=":4">Edit by Wildbow</ref>	Creates slow moving projectiles (around half the speed of a thrown basketball) that he could detonate concussively at will.<ref name=":4" />
Lung	Brute 4-9, Blaster 2-6 <ref name="I6">Interlude 6</ref>	Pyrokinetic. Becomes progressively more powerful as the fight goes on
Purity	Blaster 8, Mover 4<ref name="9.6">Sentinel 9.6</ref>	Fires beams of light
Scrub	Blaster 8+<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Uncontrolled "matter-annihilation" bursts in his immediate vicinity
Shielder	Blaster ?, Mover 3, and Shaker ?	Same as Lady Photon with weaker blasts, more focus on shields.
Starlet	Blaster/Shaker 4<ref name="23.2"/>	"Darts" of light which explode, then implode.

Thinker

Thinkers possess enhanced knowledge, skills and/or perceptions beyond any reasonable norm.  Includes clairvoyance, precognition, skill acquisition, enhanced hearing and enhanced sight.<ref name="PRT"/>

Striker

A cape with the ability to apply some effect by touch or at point-blank range. Has a power that applies on physical contact. Often applies a changed state, like the breaker classification, but isn’t personal. Melee range, but not strength or durability, else it is classified as a Brute power.<ref name="PRT"/> The striker classification could include certain breaker effects if they applied to things other than the cape themselves. Other strikers included those who used energy weapons, and those with pyrokinesis or such that didn’t extend more than a foot around them.<ref name="I14.5"/>

Flechette believed that certain kinds of superstrength (those that weren't accompanied by durability) were considered Striker powers,<ref name="I14.5"/> but PRT files stated that strength should always be classed as a Brute ability.<ref name="PRT"/>

Known Strikers

Cape	Classification	Power Description
Acidbath	Breaker/Changer (Blaster, Striker, Mover)<ref name="list"/>	Could turn into, sling blasts of, & move as tidal wave of acid
Assault	Striker 7<ref name="I12½"/>	Absorption and redirection of kinetic energy, momentum and inertia on physical contact.
Black Kaze	Mover/Striker ?<ref name="list"/>	Teleport/speedster hybrid, telefragged anyone in-between departure and arrival
Brandish	Striker 5,<ref name="WoG2">Edit by Wildbow</ref> Changer 1<ref name="WoG2">Edit by Wildbow</ref><ref>Comment by Wildbow</ref>	Able to deal powerful strikes that can shear through steel
Clockblocker	Striker 7<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Can freeze anything he touches in time; no control over duration of effect
Dauntless	Trump ?/Striker (?, low)<ref name="PM1" />	Can slowly "charge" objects with different powers
Echidna	Master/Striker 10, Brute 8, Changer 2,<ref name="18.4">Queen 18.4</ref> Thinker<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Copies parahumans she touches
Flechette	Striker, Blaster (low)<ref name="I14.5"/>	Imbues objects with breaker-like effects
Grace	Striker, unknown others<ref name="18.5"/>	Selective invulnerability & enhanced impacts for body parts
Jouster	Blaster/Striker,<ref name="23.1">Drone 23.1</ref> Mover,<ref name="PRT"/>	Bursts of superspeed
Licit	Striker (low)<ref name="16.x"/>	Creates forcefields
Madcap	Striker 7<ref name="I12½">Interlude 12½ (Donation Bonus)</ref>	point-blank kinetic manipulation
Watch	Striker, Mover, Thinker[citation needed]	Intangible hands used to cause internal injuries.

Changer

Can alter their form, appearance, and/or natural abilities through some manipulation of their bodies. Does not include new powers beyond natural weapons, armor, or durability.<ref name="PRT"/>

Known Changers

Cape	Classification	Power Description
Acidbath	Breaker/Changer (Blaster, Striker, Mover)<ref name="list"/>	Could turn into, sling blasts of, & move as tidal wave of acid
Biter	Changer<ref name="R2"/><ref name="list"/>	Can increase the size of body parts, clothing
Blasto	Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y"/>	Botany/cloning tinker
Brandish	Striker 5,<ref name="WoG2">Edit by Wildbow</ref> Changer 1<ref name="WoG2">Edit by Wildbow</ref><ref>Comment by Wildbow</ref>	Can transform into an immobile ball of hard light<ref>Comment by Wildbow</ref>
Echidna	Master/Striker 10, Brute 8, Changer 2,<ref name="18.4">Queen 18.4</ref> Thinker<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref>	Grows larger/stronger/additional limbs by feeding
Fog	Changer 8, Stranger 3<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref><ref name="10.3C1">Comment by Wildbpw on Parasite 10.3</ref>	Transforms into a living mist with varying solidity that erodes living matter
Genesis	Changer 9 (misclassified)<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>	Creates a single solid image that has powers of their own
Hookwolf	Changer 4, Brute 7<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Transforms into a giant wolf made of whirling metal
Marquis	Shaker, Changer<ref name="cast">Cast Page</ref>	Reshapes bone very rapidly
Mush	Changer 4<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref>	Can change absorb loose matter to grow
Nilbog	Changer 7, Trump 4 (misclassified)<ref name="16.x"/>	Displayed different powers and shape in every appearance
Skinslip	Changer<ref name="26.5"> Sting 26.5</ref>	Regenerator, can manipulate his skin. Healing allows him to transplant flayed skin to himself, increasing his reach.
Weld	Brute, Changer <ref name="9.1" />	Can change the shape of his body parts to form weapons

Shifter

The Shifter classification was discontinued shortly before the start of the story<ref>Wildbow on Reddit</ref> and folded into Changer.<ref name="R1">Wildbow on Reddit</ref> However, it is still occasionally used by capes and outdated files<ref name="19.x">Interlude 19 (Donation Bonus 1)</ref><ref name="9.1"/><ref name="10.2"> Parasite 10.2</ref> as a synonym for "Changer".<ref name="R1"/>

Shifter referred to someone who could alter their appearance to look like another person or alter their human features, as opposed to a Changer, who could physically take on another form. Biter<ref name="R2">Wildbow on Reddit</ref> and Oliver would have been examples of a Shifter.

Trump

Trumps can manipulate powers in some capacity, altering, granting, strengthening, weakening or removing them entirely.<ref name="PRT"/> It also covers capes that can either acquire new powers on the fly, or have an interaction with other powers that can't be categorized.<ref name="21.1">Imago 21.1</ref>

Stranger

Stranger powers predominantly lend themselves to infiltration. The ability might bypass defenses, mislead, or help to avoid notice or otherwise affect a person's mind.<ref name="PRT"/>

Powers Not Classified Yet

Some Characters have been clearly stated as parahumans and their powers have been described, but have yet to be clearly classified.

If their classification is revealed in the story or stated elsewhere by Wildbow please remove them from here and put them where they belong.

Unknown Classification

Cape	Possible Classification	Power
King	Brute, Striker ?	Superhuman strength, automatically transfers all damage received to everyone he has touched in the previous 24 hours
Newter	Striker ?	All bodily fluids contain hallucinogens, stuns at contact.
Panacea	Striker? Master? Trump?	Can manipulate biology of others with a touch.
Rune	Striker? Shaker? Master?	Touching an object lets her control it telekinetically
Faultline	Striker? Shaker?	Can "slice" through inorganic material
Flashbang	Blaster ?	Creates light grenades
Ballistic	Blaster ?, Striker ?	Can accelerate an object to a set, bullet-like speed with a touch
Gregor	Blaster? Shaker?	Can manipulate his body to produce various chemicals
Lustrum	Breaker?	Saps energy sources to form a hard light body which is unaffected by gravity
Satyrical	Changer? Master? Stranger?	Shapeshifting self-duplicator whose copies can also change shape
Butcher	Thinker?, Mover/Shaker?, Brute?, Trump?	Danger sense, sees circulatory systems through walls, explosive teleportation, super-strength; enhanced durability; healing factor; pain-negation; powers transfer on death
Butcher	Thinker?, Mover/Shaker?, Brute?, Trump?	Danger sense, sees circulatory systems through walls, explosive teleportation, super-strength; enhanced durability; healing factor; pain-negation; powers transfer on death
Rosary	Shaker ?, Mover ?	Deconstruction and reconstruction of matter in thin, leaf-like sheets
Battery	Mover, Breaker, Brute	Short intervals of extreme speed and strength. Must charge between intervals and must not personally move while charging.
Burnscar	Blaster ?	pyrokinesis
Shamrock	Thinker,<ref name="I18.4"> Interlude 18 (Donation Bonus #4)</ref><ref name="11c">Interlude 11c (Anniversary Bonus)</ref> Shaker	Very weak telekinetic and clairvoyant, creates effects that resemble 'luck'
Jack Slash	Thinker,<ref>Interlude 26b</ref> Trump, Master, Blaster	impossibly lucky/skilled with regard to capes, blade projection
Floret	Thinker ?, Shaker ?	Create and manipulate crystalline "buds," enhanced awareness and processing ability regarding fine detail.
Glaistig Uaine	Master, Striker, Trump, Thinker	can resurrect twisted "ghosts" of dead capes, kill capes with a touch, sense details regarding powers

Links

(Detailed power classification breakdown direct from Wildbow)

Parahuman List edited by Wildbow

References

<references/>