Ranking and development

[Bob_stew]

Out of curiousity:

Without saying anything about Omnimancy itself (I don't want to be caught fishing for your secrets ), what are the ranks used, in what order are they achieved and how long time is usually spent on each rank?

You rate people after which amps they are able to handle, right? From "1" and upwards to "7", which is on "another level entirely" than the rest?

What's the deal with the U's? U4, for instance.. I don't want to know what the U amps *do*, just when they are learned relative to the non-U's.

Also, you have a power cap on students? As in, you won't hand out a 7a amp to *any one* student *ever*, or you won't hand out powerful amps (2,3,4.. maybe?) to *new* students?

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not asking this to make sure Omnimancy is the ultimate way to fast power before perhaps joining..

I *will* apply for joining you sometime in the future (maybe next time you're taking students), primarily because I'm a curious, ambitious person with a need to explore. ( ) I'm just curious about your ranking system.

[LordArt]

Well, the "ranking" system isn't too secret really. I mean, it's all over the place. If you wish to use the amps as ranking (which indirectly we do), then I guess you could call it a ranking system. I see it as more of personal skill and ability, but admittedly, there is a direct correlation between that and the amps because of the way things are taught within Omnimancy.

Students start in "public" stuff, get tested, and upon succeeding, get taught the G1 amp, and then start learning "G1 level" stuff. Then get tested again to get G2. This continues up to UG4/G6. (So yes it's Public, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, UG4/G6, G7a). There is a 6 month "waiting period" between UG4/G6 and G7a. This is to determine if a student is ready for G7a or not. Some refuse it (at least for a time), others never get it. There is such a thing as too MUCH power, and that's G7a.

Which brings up the other point about power caps. What that means is that as long as you pass the tests and show up to class, you keep progressing, however upon getting to the power cap of your group (G7a for Cyber), you are taught out what goes with that amp, but no more. Past that, the student has to earn further advancement. Normally this is done by their own research. The main reason for the cap is an individual REALLY doesn't need more power than G7a anyways (or even close). Many feel that UG4 should be the limit (which has it's own merits). Part of the reason is that as people are taught further out from Core, the chance that someone will get disgruntled and leave to form their own group gets higher. So anyone that would normally get disgruntled won't get that far anyways, but in case they do, the damage is more "minimalized" than having them taught up to where the higher members of Core are. The second thing is, OmniCore GOT what it has by blood sweat and tears. Not simply showing up to class. What took us "ten years" to research and discover, takes students 18 months to learn via weekly spoon-fed classes. (I remember when that ratio was a few years/4 weeks to learn...scary huh?) I have found a GREAT loss in quality of students that simply learn and not figuire out. We want to reward the intellgent and modivated, not the guy who just happens to show up to class.

As far as the "U" thing on UG4, as has been explained elsewhere, that designation was because of the inventor (LordFeh on the forums). U stands for Uber. So UG4 is Uber-G4, which if you know how UG4 works, you'll understand the name. There are only two other "U" amps, since we kept the moniker. UG7, which was more of a joke than anything else (Damn beenie), that was valid between G7b and G7c (Basically a rather embaressing way of squeezing out more power from G7b so it isn't taught). The last U amp, was UG9, which while really useful in itself, was just a stepping stone for G10. UG9 CAN be applied to G7 people but not lower than that without causing severe damage, and can be used temporarily, so it can be added and removed as needed.

As far as how long at each "rank", that depends on the individual. Generally speaking, I would say 5-7 weeks per amp. G3 has a LOT, so like 8-12 weeks there. Once you hit the cap, then it's up to the individual and what they do with themselves.

I hope I answered your questions.

[FireEssence]

Well, this is sort of a pointless question since I wouldn't be able to join Core even if they wanted me until after college and what not (since I don't plan on Rutgers or any other nearby Jersey-versity) but how high has Core gotten as far as their power cap? I was totally unaware that G8, G9, G10, even existed so I wonder now how far you guys have gone.

[LordArt]

The Official Power Cap of OmniCore is G7c (for OmniNorth it's G7b). Admittedly, we are more lapse in enforcing the cap too harshly in Core based on history. Ogre is having too much fun testing out the new G7e on "volenteers" that he invented, so so much for the power cap. (Things have been stopped at G7d4 for a very long time now for the G7 series. G7e is kinda wrong, but like anything else, he's is making something do what it's not supposed to be able to do, which is the Omni way, so I can't complain. "Take all the spacial dimentions you know, then turn 90 degrees from all of them". He's too big to try it on himself, so he gets volenteers.).

As far as how far Core has gotten, it really depends on the member in question. The people who are still actively/passively researching are still advancing. The "big four" are "plaid" (and I'll leave it at that in that case). Basically, more power than we know what to do with and therefore have stopped trying to get bigger and directed our creative energies elsewhere. There is such a thing as TOO much power (as I mentioned before, some have considered G7a TOO much power and refused it). There are two "borderline plaids", and the rest are just really tough of the "old school" omnis. The highest person SINCE the cap went into place is G7e. I find it likely that they will advance further eventually, but over the span of many months to years versus the breakneck speed things are taught at. Right now it's about experience versus acedemics for them. Experence is really what makes you ready to handle more power. The mechanics of getting yourself more powerful isn't the problem per se. It's a matter of not being so far out of your league that your a rank amatuer.

[Bob_stew]

Thank you for a detailed description of the development and ranking system.

Yes, I have heard some of this before, from the forums.. But I couldn't see the big picture.

How much time is usually spent between each time one moves on to a new amp, apart from the 6 month gap between G4U/G6 and G7?
Core of the question is: How much time does one normally invest in it before reaching the power cap?

[LordArt]

How much time does one normally invest in it before reaching the power cap?

About 18-24 months, and that's with showing up weekly. There is a LOT of stuff to learn, and that's just the "stock" stuff on the list.

[Obsidian]

A lot of the fun stuff is learned outside of the 'syllabus', too! All the silly, fun little, quirky spells that various mages have made up, that aren't 'necessary' for development but give you games to play...

Like the xenomorph someone showed me once. After encouraging me to just watch the egg as it hatched, I... Sorta decided that baby wasn't hugging MY face.

Ah, fun =)

24 months isn't a very long time, is it. Not when you compare this to martial arts. In most martial arts it takes a minimum of 5 years to get your Black Belt. At Black Belt you're assumed to be highly competent. Usually you'll be able to kill someone with finesse, by knowing the right spots to hit. You also know where it's applicable for use or not, the responsibility that comes with said power.

But that's at least 60 months. 24 months, and comparative power.. It almost seems like it's rushing people. I don't know what's actually 'covered' in the training (with any great detail), but getting a G6/UG4 in 18 months is a huge responsibility. I'm sure the training would prepare you, but I could understand why some people choose to wait for the G7a's, I think.

Of course, I'm in no position at all to judge. Just my theory =)