OE Universe 21C Setting Sidebar: Psionic Classifications...
Johnny1a
and compare the abilities of individual psions and categories of
psions is the one established by the United States Federal Patrol's
Special Abilities Corps, more commonly referred to as the Patrol
Espercorps. The metric is commonly used even by non-American and
private groups because of its convenience.
The first set of metrics divides Homosentients (including such special
cases as Avatars) into five broad categories. It is not impossible
for a being to move from one to another (except Class Omega).
Class Alpha - Homosentients with no active or latent psionic Power,
other than Antipsi which cancels out all other abilities. (Normal
Homosentients, in essence.)
Class Beta - Homosentients lacking any active of latent psionic Power,
but _lacking_ the self-nullifying Antipsi faculty. (A relatively
small category.)
Class Gamma - Homosentients with latent psionic Power, needing only
appropriate training to realize these abilities as active talents.
Class Delta - Homosentients whose psi faculty has taken or been guided
into an ‘unusual’ form, beings such as psychonulls and other special
cases.
Class Omega - Avatars and ‘race-specific’ psions such as H. darvi. [1]
Class Alpha and Class Beta are not subdivided. Class Gamma, on the
other hand, is extensively subdivided into several categories and
classifications.
Additionally, the Patrol divides the _strength_ of psionic Power into
‘ranges’ for convenience. Any given individual has a ‘normal maximum
strength’ at any given time, that determines where he or she falls
into the Ranges.
First Range:
Power 1 through 10 for most purposes. The vast majority of
Homosentients with active psionc Power fall into this Range, with
genetic limitations preventing the development of Power beyond it.
Second Range:
Power 11 through Power 15. This is the Range occupied by
exceptionally powerful ‘normal’ psions. Few individuals have more
than one Power with a theoretical ceiling in this Range, and even
fewer more than one. This was also a ‘typical’ Atlantean in the
Antediluvian Age.
Third Range:
Power 16 through Power 20. This is the range where most of the
‘typical’ _H. atlanticus_ will be found, as well as most _H. darvi_ as
well as the _very rarest_ of normal psions.
Fourth Range:
Power 21 through 25. This is the power range of Avatars and their
ilk, and a _very_ few exceptional _H. darvi_ and similar ‘race-based
psions’.
Fifth Range:
Power 26+. Only a handful of Avatars and such like beings, among
‘human-like beings) possess any native psionic Power in this scale.
Note that the most powerful ‘normal human’ psion had his strongest
Power in the Third Range. That does not mean that stronger Power in a
normal human is theoretically _impossible_...but it is improbable.
MORE LATER.