Golden Rules of Power Scaling

Power Level Guy

High Class Warrior
Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2023
Messages
4,630
You can argue that scene was just to create tension. As Goku before it without Kaioken was dancing around Nappa.
Yeah, that's a total misinterpretation of the narrative lol.

Nappa was displayed as only being inferior due to his raged status, once he calmed down, Goku wasn't an opponent Nappa couldn't beat.

The worst thing is the guidebooks have completely brainwashed smart people like yourself to where basic reading comprehension becomes an impossible task to ask of someone.

This is the dumbest, most easiest story to interpret, you can either trust me here or I can walk you step by step where we detail the underlying narrative each panel, each picture, each speech bubble if we need to. But it would save us a lot of time if you can just say, "Yeah, I bet this guy knows what he's talking about."
 

GSM123

Super Elite
Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
15,895
Age
24
He shouldn’t be, but if he is it’s because of evidence suggesting he has to be.

That’s the bending. We assume he’s suppressed because it’s beneficial to the narrative.

If we can pick up based on just context, without the need to a direct statement, the rule is moot.
 

Power Level Guy

High Class Warrior
Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2023
Messages
4,630
That’s the bending. We assume he’s suppressed because it’s beneficial to the narrative.
No, that isn’t bending lol. That’s the rule being applied properly. If there’s substantial evidence to suggest the fighter isn’t at full power, then the rule is working as intended.


If we can pick up based on just context, without the need to a direct statement, the rule is moot.
Negative, the narrative, visual cues, verbal cues are all evidence. To disregard evidence would defeat the purpose of the rules. The rules are in place to provide logical starting points for our decision tree process of elimination.
 

GSM123

Super Elite
Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
15,895
Age
24
No, that isn’t bending lol. That’s the rule being applied properly. If there’s substantial evidence to suggest the fighter isn’t at full power, then the rule is working as intended.



Negative, the narrative, visual cues, verbal cues are all evidence. To disregard evidence would defeat the purpose of the rules. The rules are in place to provide logical starting points for our decision tree process of elimination.

It’s a very general rule that ends up being vague and unespecific. If context always shows us whether a character is at FP or not, then we don’t even need to assume anything.
 

Power Level Guy

High Class Warrior
Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2023
Messages
4,630
It’s a very general rule that ends up being vague and unespecific. If context always shows us whether a character is at FP or not, then we don’t even need to assume anything.
No, it’s what I said before lol.

It’s a starting point. It’s the first assumption you make prior to assuming other things. And then via the process of elimination you can come to a different result but you need hard evidence.
 

ahill

Super Elite
Donor
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
15,191
I’ve gone through your Nexus Framework Laws (1–23), and I’ve gotta say—this is one of the most thoughtful attempts I’ve seen at trying to impose structure on Dragon Ball’s notoriously chaotic power scaling!!! Overall, I agree with the core principles and the intent behind these rules, but a few could use refinement to avoid rigid thinking or contradictions that the franchise naturally throws at us.

The idea of “Always Assume Full Power” is a smart default. Unless stated otherwise, assuming characters are going all out keeps debates from spiraling into speculation. Likewise, treating fights as subject to a percentage gap system matches how Dragon Ball often shows minor differences leading to major outcomes. That rule, paired with “Narrative First, Then Numbers,” really nails the fact that DB is a story-first universe, and trying to brute-force logic without respecting narrative intent just leads to nonsense.

I respect the emphasis on eliminating bias, maintaining power chains over arbitrary numbers, and insisting that all comparative matchups be analyzed with the chain of feats in mind. That’s what separates actual analysis from fan headcanon. Your point that “Power Chains Come Before Numbers” is especially important—if Goku beats Jiren, and Jiren beat everyone before, the chain matters more than whether someone “should” be stronger based on old multipliers.

I’m slightly torn on “Multipliers Must Be Treated as Consistent.” In theory, yes—it gives a baseline. But Dragon Ball repeatedly contradicts itself with new forms and “X times” boosts that behave inconsistently. Super Saiyan was once a clean 50x, but now with God ki, Ultra Instinct, and “limit breaking” forms, multipliers get fuzzier. Consistency is good, but too much rigidity doesn’t account for DB's evolving system.

You say “Power Level Is King”—and that’s mostly true early in Z, but becomes less useful in the God era. Post-Battle of Gods, things like technique (e.g., UI’s dodge mechanic) and ki control often trump raw strength. I’d tweak that rule to account for relative strength + skill + mechanics, not just pure “power.”

I like the focus on visual cues as real data points—completely agree there. Aura intensity, damage output, panel framing—they’re not just fluff, they’re part of how DB conveys power. Also, “Showings > Hype” is an underrated truth. Just because a character is hyped as “the strongest ever” doesn’t make it true unless the feats back it up. See: Gohan in many arcs.

A couple of your rules could use rethinking. “Maintain the Status Quo” seems like it could hinder evolving interpretation. The Dragon Ball power scale is constantly shifting—Vegeta being “elite” meant something in Saiyan Saga, but now Goku and others operate on entirely different rulesets. Preserving old chains blindly might clash with new canon.

Also, being a strict “Manga Purist” limits analysis too much. There are valuable anime-only showings and supplemental materials that fill in gaps. If you’re doing manga-only scaling, fine, but for broader debate, both versions should be valid sources—with context, of course.

The rule “All Character Statements Are True Unless Proven Wrong” is a bit dangerous. Characters often overstate or misunderstand situations. Piccolo saying Gohan was “weak now” in RoF, for example, wasn’t fully accurate when Gohan later performed well. It’s better to say character statements are evidence, not law.

I do appreciate the logic behind “Reverse Scaling Must Be Possible.” That’s a key test of a good model—if you can’t scale backward and have it hold, your system breaks. That rule keeps everything honest and internally consistent.

In summary, I think your Nexus Framework is an excellent structure—probably one of the best I’ve seen, P!!!!—but it benefits from flexibility. Dragon Ball is part logic puzzle, part narrative chaos. The best system is one that seeks consistency without becoming dogmatic.

Refining a few rules for nuance—especially on multipliers, the role of skill/technique, and narrative shifts—would take this from great to elite.
 

Power Level Guy

High Class Warrior
Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2023
Messages
4,630
@ahill

Awesome response dude. Those are a rough draft. Eventually I will go over one by one and revise them. Would love you to come on the Discord and get your input on them. This could be something of interest for you, what do you say?
 

GSM123

Super Elite
Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
15,895
Age
24
Also, “Showings > Hype” is an underrated truth. Just because a character is hyped as “the strongest ever” doesn’t make it true unless the feats back it up. See: Gohan in many arcs.

What about SSJ Gotenks? He’s all hype, no feats.
 

Power Level Guy

High Class Warrior
Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2023
Messages
4,630
What about SSJ Gotenks? He’s all hype, no feats.
Sure but he has lots of supporting evidence. The rule is to highlight false hype can be a thing.

Things like Cell being confident against SSJ2 Gohan and so on.
 

Latest profile posts

Very fast Coconut wrote on camdudetenger2018's profile.
Don't react to my comments either.
Ohhhh just sayin it could even make it happen
I have to say : this website is pretty good. No wonder 5 people use it now and then.
Top