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,
Blaster, Thinker,
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>
| 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"/> 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>
| 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, capes who are most dangerous in a melee and are typically very difficult to put down. While the execution may remain fairly stable, the source of this power can vary.<ref name="PRT"/> It includes some parahumans with enhanced senses, although that is more typically classed as Thinker.<ref name="RPG1">Wildbow on Rpg.net</ref>
| Cape | Classification | Power Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aegis | Brute ?, Mover ? | Redundant body and has a never ending supply of adrenaline |
| Alexandria | Brute ?, Mover ?, Thinker 6<ref name="14.y">14.y - Interlude: Alexandria</ref> | Super strength and invulnerability |
| Blasto | Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y"/> | Botany/cloning tinker |
| Crawler | Brute<ref name="I12">Interlude 12</ref> | Extremely rapid regeneration; adapts to any injury with permanent physical changes that render him increasingly resistant and increasingly monstrous |
| 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> | Strength, healing factor at near-Endbringer levels. Near-normal durability. |
| Glory Girl | Brute ?, Mover ? | Super strong with a forcefield constantly surrounding her |
| Hatchet Face | Brute, Trump | Superhuman strength and durability |
| Hookwolf | Changer 4, Brute 7<ref name="9.1"/> | Surrounds himself with shifting armor of metal blades |
| King | Brute, Striker ? | Superhuman strength, automatically transfers all damage received to everyone he has touched in the previous 24 hours |
| Lung | Brute 4-9, Blaster 2-6 <ref name ="I6">Interlude 6</ref> | Regeneration. Becomes progressively bigger, stronger and faster-healing as the fight goes on |
| Weld | Brute, Changer<ref name="9.1"/> | Made of metal |
Breaker
The ‘breaker' classification was used to mark those powers which were limited to one's own body and their immediate vicinity.<ref name="I14.5">Interlude 14.5 (Bonus Interlude)</ref> Breakers have the ability to alter themselves to a different state in which they maintain different abilities. Appends other powers, but only in this state. This classification can also include general altered states.<ref name="PRT"/> A breaker is generally one who has some ability to ‘break’ the natural laws of the universe as far as those laws apply to them.<ref name="9.2">Sentinel 9.2</ref> This is frequently a side effect of powers to prevent them from harming their owners.<ref name="I14.5"/>
| 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 |
| Annex | Shaker ?, Breaker ?<ref name="24.1"/> | "Enters" surfaces and permanently distorts them |
| Ash Beast | Breaker ? | Keeps his body in good physical condition. Described as "matter to energy and energy to matter". |
| Fenja& Menja |
Breaker<ref name="9.6">Sentinel 9.6</ref> ? | Warps space so she is simultaneously bigger and attacks against her are weaker, increased durability and strength while larger |
| Grumman | Breaker<ref name="SBx">Wildbow on Spacebattles</ref> | Can toggle between to separate breaker states. |
| Legend | Breaker ?,<ref name="I14.5"/> Blaster ?, Mover ?[citation needed] | Light form that absorbs energy to heal, with reduced mental activity |
| Night | Breaker 9<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref> | Becomes an inhuman monster when out of sight |
| Scion | Breaker ?,<ref name="9.2"/> Unknown others | |
| Shadow Stalker | Breaker 3 (Stranger 2, Mover 1)<ref name="9.1"/> | Transforms into a shadow state |
| Velocity | Mover ?, Breaker ? | Is accelerated in relation to the world, but proportionally loses his ability to affect it |
| 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 |
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>
| 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"/><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.y">Interlude 16 (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
Full Article: Tinker They 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"/>
Most tinkers have a specialty, something they’re particularly good at or something that they can do which other Tinkers can’t.<ref name="16.5">Monarch 16.5</ref><ref name="1.6">Gestation 1.6</ref> A typical tinker can artificially assume any number of other classifications, depending on their specialty. PRT tries to append specialty to the classification whenever possible.<ref name="PRT"/>
Most Tinker devices require regular maintenance and can be controlled only by a Tinker (often the original creator), often prohibiting their creations from entering common use by society. It's usually impossible for a non-tinker to copy the process of creating tinkertech without shard guidance.[citation needed]
Considered a "mental" power, and tends to arise from psychological stress rather than violence.<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>
| Cape | Classification | Power Description |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Richter | Tinker<ref name="I10.5">Interlude 10.5</ref> |
Computer programming and AI development |
| Bakuda | Tinker 6<ref name="I6"/> | Explosives, ranging from standard ordinance to weapons that can have parahuman-like effects |
| Bauble | Tinker<ref name="22.2">Cell 22.2</ref> | Glassworking and glassworking tools |
| Big Rig | Tinker<ref name="22.2"/> | Designing drones that fabricate large construction machinery |
| Blasto | Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref name="19.y">Interlude 19.y - Blasto</ref> | Botany, with a focus on hybridization with animal life and cloning |
| Bonesaw | Tinker ? | Human anatomy and modification |
| Cask | Tinker 5 (Blaster 1, Brute 2, Master 1, Trump 2)[citation needed] | Produces chemical mixtures with a range of healing, transformative, deleterious and physical/mental altering qualities. Limited amounts at a time restricted by available space. |
| Chariot | Tinker/Mover?<ref name="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref> | Devices that help with mobility and/or rapid transit |
| Clay | Shaker 4 (Tinker 1, Striker 1) | Creates a spray of liquid force-field that quickly hardens and can be formed into rough shapes. |
| Colin Wallis | Tinker<ref name="cast">Cast page</ref><ref name="1.6"/> | Hyper efficient miniturization, and combination of existing technology |
| Cranial | Tinker ? | Neurology<ref name="22.2"/> |
| Dodge | Tinker ? | Pocket dimensions<ref name="22.2"/> |
| Glace | Tinker ?<ref name="26.3">Sting 26.3</ref> | Ice based effects including Cryogenics, Cryonics and stasis<ref name="22.2"/> |
| Hero | Tinker ? | First Tinker, part of the original Triumvirate. Power believed to be manipulating and enhancing wavelengths and frequencies. |
| Kid Win | Tinker 4<ref name ="9.1">Sentinel 9.1</ref><ref name="cast"/><ref name ="3.3">Agitation 3.3</ref> | Modular equipment |
| Lab Rat | Tinker<ref name="27.3"/> | Specializes in tinker drugs that turn subjects into monsters while storing their original state for when the transformation ends. |
| Leet | Tinker 2[citation needed] | Can create anything, but rate of failure increases if the object is too similar or identical to one he's created before |
| Mannequin | Tinker<ref name="12.6">Plague 12.6</ref> | Formerly biome, terraforming and ecosystems. Currently used for body modifications, turning various body parts into self-contained systems.<ref name="12.6"/> |
| Ogun | Tinker/Shaker | Shaker ability 'upgrades' existing technology into physics breaking science fiction technology<ref name="WDH">Wildbow's Weaver Dice: Helena document</ref> |
| Pyrotechnical | Tinker<ref name="22.2"/> | A tinker focusing on flame manipulation, special effects, guns. |
| Saint | Tinker 0<ref name="28.2">Cockroaches 28.2</ref> | Use of Dragon's tech |
| Squealer | Tinker 2 (Mover 3)<ref name="9.1"/> | Modified outsized vehicles with numerous differing effects |
| String Theory | Tinker<ref name="27.3">Extinction 27.3</ref> | Tinker favoring macro-scale doomsday devices, created objects had timers built in from start of creation process, with catastrophic misfires if interrupted. |
| Tecton | Tinker (Shaker)<ref name="24.1">Crushed 24.1</ref><ref name="18.5"/>, Thinker<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref> | Architecture and geology sense<ref name="18.5"/> |
| Toy Soldier | Tinker<ref name="22.2" /> | A powersuit user with a suit the size of a small building. |
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"/>
| 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 |
| 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
Possesses enhanced knowledge, skills and/or perceptions beyond any reasonable norm. Includes clairvoyance, precognition, skill acquisition, enhanced hearing and enhanced sight.<ref name="PRT"/> A frequent drawback for thinkers is that overuse of their abilities leads to severe migraines.<ref name="I28"/>
Thinker powers usually interfered with each other, making prediction impossible;<ref name="24.2">Crushed 24.2</ref><ref name="17.8"> Migration 17.8</ref><ref name="I18.4"> Interlude 18 (Donation Bonus #4)</ref> possibly as a result of the recursion involved in predicting someone who is predicting you predicting them predicting you etc.<ref name="20.y">Interlude 20</ref> However, some rare powers could work around this.<ref name="24.2">Crushed 24.2</ref><ref name="17.8"/><ref name="I28">Interlude 28</ref>
Considered a "mental" power, and tends to arise from psychological stress rather than violence.<ref name="9.3">Sentinel 9.3</ref>
| Cape | Classification | Power Description |
|---|---|---|
| Accord | Thinker<ref name="17.8"> Migration 17.8</ref><ref name="20.1">Chrysalis 20.1</ref><ref name="20.y"/> | Superhuman problem-solving, intellect scales with the complexity of the problem |
| Alexandria | Thinker 6, Mover, Brute <ref name="14.y">14.y - Interlude: Alexandria</ref> | Perfect memory, heightened cognitive speed and planning |
| Appraiser | Thinker<ref name="18.4">Queen 18.4</ref> | "Rates" situations using colors and textures |
| Arbiter | Thinker, Blaster (low), Shaker (low)<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref> | Senses danger from the associates of those around her |
| Chevalier | Thinker,<ref name="24.x">Crushed 24.x</ref> Striker[citation needed] | senses properties and sees phantom images of objects he targets, sees illusions surrounding parahumans |
| Codex | Blaster/Thinker<ref name="21.6"> Imago 21.6</ref> | "steals" intelligence |
| Coil | Thinker<ref name="17.8"/> | Views visions of worlds where he made different decisions, can choose between them |
| Contessa | Thinker 12+<ref name="23.2">Drone 23.2</ref><ref name="27.4">Extinction 27.4</ref> | Can instantly determine the exact steps needed to accomplish any task and perform them accurately |
| Dinah | Thinker<ref name="17.8"/> | Can calculate the probability of any event to an exacting degree and express it as a percentage |
| Eleventh Hour | Thinker,<ref name="18.4"/> Brute, Master, Trump[citation needed] | Provides numerical threat ratings |
| 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> | "Smells" parahumans |
| Hunch | Thinker<ref name="18.4"/> | Provides very vague info |
| Kismet | Thinker<ref name="24.3"> Crushed 24.3</ref> | Unknown |
| Leonid | Thinker, Stranger, Mover<ref name="29.6">Venom 29.6</ref> | Sound detection and manipulation, teleportation via sound waves |
| 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, so effects resemble luck |
| 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 |
| Tattletale | Thinker 7<ref name="8.7">Extermination 8.7</ref><ref name="I10.5">Interlude 10.5 (Bonus)</ref><ref name="15.6">Colony 15.6</ref> | Can obtain information by making connections, essentially making superlatively good guesses that build on each other. (Intuition) |
| Tecton | Tinker ? (Shaker ?)<ref name="24.1"/><ref name="18.5"/>, Thinker ?<ref name="18.5">Queen 18.5</ref> | Architecture and geology sense<ref name="18.5" />. |
| Uber | Thinker[citation needed] |
Mastery of any one skill as long as he concentrates on it. |
| Watch | Thinker, Mover, Striker[citation needed] | Short-duration 360-degree X-ray vision uninhibited by shadows, walls or skin |
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"/>
| 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"/>
| 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.y">Interlude 16 (Donation Bonus)</ref> | 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
Can manipulate powers in some capacity, altering, granting, strengthening, weakening or removing them entirely, or has powers that interact solely with the powers of others.<ref name="PRT"/> It covers capes who can either acquire new powers on the fly, have an interaction with other powers that can't be categorized or they nullify powers.<ref name="21.1">Imago 21.1</ref> Some trumps could boost powers.<ref name="I28"/> Can have different powers or effects based on circumstances.[citation needed]
| Cape | Classification | Power Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bonesaw | Tinker ?
Trump ? |
Biological/medical tinker. Trump rating for her ability to alter, suppress, and combine powers in her patients with varying degrees of success. |
| Citrine | Shaker ? Trump ? |
Can attune the laws of physics within a given area to arbitrary specifications. Given enough time, can thus dictate which parahuman powers will and will not work within her demesne. |
| Dauntless | Trump ?/Striker (?, low)<ref name="PM1" /> | Can slowly "charge" objects with different powers |
| Eidolon | Trump 12 | Can manifest virtually any power, but has only a limited degree of control over what it's going to be, has to wait for newly picked ones to power up to their full strength and can only manifest up to about three major powers or four minor ones at a time |
| Goddess | Trump, Master, unknown others<ref name="30.4">Speck 30.4</ref> | Ability to "tune" her own defenses, similar to Scion |
| Grue | Shaker ?, Stranger ?, Trump ? | Creates an area of darkness that inhibits breaker type abilities, disables normal senses, blocks radiation and later the ability to copy powers of others in a weaker form while the latter are in his darkness. |
| Hatchet Face | Trump ? Brute ? |
Can nullify the powers of other parahumans at short range. Is not immune to long-range powers (i.e. he affects the parahumans, not the effects) |
| Nilbog | Changer 7, Trump 4 (misclassified)<ref name="16.y">Interlude 16 (Donation Bonus)</ref> | Displayed different powers and shape in every appearance |
| Othala | Trump ? | Can grant a variety of powers to others (not herself) |
| The Clairvoyant | Trump ?, Thinker ? | Can grant the ability to perceive everything within the Earth's atmosphere, which even extends through dimensional portals. The person has to keep touching the Clairvoyant to hold onto the power and losing it is very unpleasant and confusing. |
| Victor | Trump ?, Thinker ? | Temporarily copies others' learned skills, while they lose them. If held long enough, the skills become permanent to him, though the victim may eventually regain them as well. |
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"/>
| Cape | Classification | Power Description |
|---|---|---|
| August Prince | Master/Stranger 3<ref name="23.2" /> | Cannot be deliberately harmed by anyone within range of his power |
| Custodian | Breaker ?, Mover ?, Shaker ?, Stranger ? | Made of air, invisible and almost completely incorporeal. Can create several temporary duplicates. |
| 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 mist that causes damage upon inhalation |
| Imp | Stranger 5<ref name="28.2">Cockroaches 28.2</ref> | Fades out of awareness and memory while her power is active |
| Leonid | Thinker ?, Stranger ?, Mover ?<ref name="29.6">Venom 29.6</ref> |
Ability to muffle sound, slow "teleportation" via becoming sound. |
| Miasma | Stranger, Shaker? | Invisible, inaudible and emits a colorless, odorless, poison gas |
| Nice Guy | Stranger | Becomes barely noticeable and cannot be perceived as harmful by anyone within range of his power and perception. |
| Othello | Stranger<ref name="21.1"/> | Has a mirror-self that travels in a parallel dimension yet retains the ability to perceive and act upon this one |
| Shadow Stalker | Breaker 3, Stranger 2, and Mover 1 | Transforms into a lightweight largely-intangible "shadow form" |
| 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 |
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.
| 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 |
| Lightstar | Blaster ? | Slow moving projectiles that he detonates at will |
| 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 |
| Dragon | Tinker? Thinker? | Understanding of other Tinkers' work |
| 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 |
| Number Man | Thinker | Complete mastery of numbers and probabilities. |
| 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 |
| Masamune | Tinker | Mass-reproduction of others' tech |
Links
(Detailed power classification breakdown direct from Wildbow)
Parahuman List edited by Wildbow
References
<references/>