How strong is strong?

I want to be clear right out hte gate, a stat system will not fix this problem. As I will explain shortly.

The power of ranks is not defined. That's the problem I am trying to address.

We know H is more then S and S is more then A and A is more then B and so on and so forth, all the way down to D. But how strong is D?

Now this is the part where people think "a stat system can fix this!" a stat system might help but let's look at a world with a stat system where 'power points' are the general indicator of power.

H-ranks have 9000 power points, S-ranks have 4500 power points, A-ranks have 2250 power points, b-ranks have 1125 power points, c-ranks have 562.5 power points, and d-ranks have 281.25 power points. How strong is 281.25 power points?

It needs to be set in stone somewhere, what is a good range for a LONG range H-rank spell, what is a good range for a SHORT range d-rank spell? What is the biggest thing an h-rank explosion can destroy? What is the most a d-rank one could destroy? How much force can 281.25 power points generate?

Why does this need to be defined?

Because there are d-ranks who think they can level buildings with one punch, where there are people who think that is an a-rank power.

Then when the d-rank puts that in his app and it gets approved by a 'power liberal mod' a mod who thinks mages should be really powerful even at a low rank and that a-rank gets approved by a "nerf mod" who wants to keep all magic fair/weak.

Poof the d-rank and the a-rank have the same level of power. An A-rank who is meant to be 8 times stronger then a d-rank is at the same level as the d-rank. Because of difference in opinions between mods.

Now mods will always have different views of what is 'strong' or not. So they can't be blamed for this issue. The only way to fix this is to have clearly defined measurements for how strong each rank is. People may complain that it infringes on their freedom as an rper, but if we are going to have ranks we should at least make them worth having. Without the power of ranks defined, there is no point in having ranks.

I guess it is possible for a stat system to address this problem. But for the people working on the stat system, please keep this in mind as you work on it. Putting numbers on our strength, speed and endurance won't be enough unless you give some form of measurement to those numbers.

The stat system as far as i am aware will not just be numbers. Instead it will have some definitions at various levels e.g. 1000 strength is enough to throw a car or something.

However, the stat system, as I am aware is mostly for PHYSICAL based stats and not magic. I don't know how it will take magic into account as of yet.

Just going through this to give my opinions,  to be used either as suggestions or a measurement.

Kirahunter wrote:
We know H is more then S and S is more then A and A is more then B and so on and so forth, all the way down to D. But how strong is D?

In my mind,  D-rank is the equivalent of a peak human.   Before I go any further lemme just say this for now and for the rest of this post:  All examples I give are a base example and do not factor specialties.  Everyone differs from the base in their own ways as relevant to Character and Magic.

That said.   D-ranks are capable of shattering brick walls with their magic,  or deal significant damage to the brick wall,  and are then in turn capable of taking such damage.
Against a D-rank mage,  that spell that shattered that brick wall only deals the equivalent damage to a stab wound.
This is for the same reason an H-rank stone wall is vastly superior to a d-rank stone wall-  magic.
Magic reinforces things just by it's presence.  The mage bearing the magic is no exception.

This is why even low rank magic is capable of doing extraordinary things yet damage can be pitiful when dealt to another mage.   You may notice that exposures to extremes rarely result in relevant damage.    A mage can get hit with searing flames capable of melting metal,  or frigged gusts of wind capable of freezing lakes.   Yet the mage doesn't have blackened skin peeling off their faces.   It's because they are reinforced.  Their body doesn't physically take all the damage,  but has it mitigated through magically reinforced endurance.

It needs to be set in stone somewhere, what is a good range for a LONG range H-rank spell,

A long range H-rank spell should be measured in miles.   An H-rank spell should at LEAST be able to accomplish what modern missiles are capable of,  which is measured in miles.   Air-to-Air missiles regularly travel dozens,  even a hundred miles.

But here,  for the heavy limitations on capability despite a world of magic,   H-rank spells are generally restricted to around 1,000 meters at most.

what is a good range for a SHORT range d-rank spell?

5-10 meters.   This doesn't account for less than "Short Range",  which is touch range or Personal.
"Long" range D-rank spells should be 40-70,  ideally.  Specialty magics should be capable of 100-150ish at long range if their magic is relevant to it.  

What is the biggest thing an h-rank explosion can destroy?

A maxed out H-rank explosion should be able to destroy half a town,  S-ranks destroying a segment of a town.

A maxed out and heavily limited H-rank explosion should be capable of destroying a full town given sufficient foreshadowing and difficulty in casting.

What is the most a d-rank one could destroy?

Brick walls/stone walls.    

Because there are d-ranks who think they can level buildings with one punch, where there are people who think that is an a-rank power.

This is painfully true.  I'm in favor of the first,  and I think the latter are w00sies.

Then when the d-rank puts that in his app and it gets approved by a 'power liberal mod' a mod who thinks mages should be really powerful even at a low rank and that a-rank gets approved by a "nerf mod" who wants to keep all magic fair/weak.

Nerf mods are evil and hold things too far back >,..,>  It's stifling. And very counter to the core foundation of a proper Fairy Tail setting.

The only way to fix this is to have clearly defined measurements for how strong each rank is. People may complain that it infringes on their freedom as an rper, but if we are going to have ranks we should at least make them worth having. Without the power of ranks defined, there is no point in having ranks.

They don't infringe on freedom at all.  They provide a baseline from which to work.
What infringes on freedom is if that baseline is rigged and unmovable,  unchanging,  and all-encompassing providing no room to work with.    If it is too strictly enforced,  as with anything,  it becomes a detriment to freedom and morale.

I'm gonna add some quick input on this before signing off.

In my opinion, H-Rank spells should be able to level up ENTIRE cities/towns. That's what I've been led to believe by many people, including some mods before my time.

Of course, S-Rank spells have half of that power, so they can level half of it.

A-Rank have a quarter of that power, which means they can take out a quarter of it.

B-Rank can level small villages... I dunno the size of an average town/city or a small village, but it seems reasonable so that's what I'm sticking to.

C-Rank can take out fairly large boulders and the likes, and should be able to reach 30-40 meters if shot from the mage... Unless, as Siren has stated, that's what your magic specializes in, which means it should increase

D-Rank can take out decently sized boulders and such, and should be able to reach 10-25 meters if shot from the mage... Same thing as above.

I think we need to set this in stone as well. Kira brings a good point; almost no one knows EXACTLY what each rank can do. I suggest not to make it too weak, because we're mages, we're capable of magic. We should be capable of highly destructive magic if we reach the level appropriate for it, especially, since, this is Fairy Tail.

Let's face it, Fairy Tail isn't a universe that has little to medium destructive power given to those that fight. If everyone is capable of similar things in terms of magical energy, power and output, it's not overpowering anything, it's our base power we ALL have.

That's just my opinion of how power works for each rank based on what I've seen. If our strictly power spells need to be weaker than the ones shown on the series, the "chart" I've given seems reasonable, at least to me.