History Main / FixedRelativeStrength

* Watch any Asian WireFu film, early on there will be a ranking established with who is how powerful. Expect a low level hero to make a SenselessSacrifice by [[OnlyICanKillHim attacking the]] BigBad [[OnlyICanKillHim alone]]. JackieChan's ''Film/{{Myth}}'' is pretty much like this, with BigBad > Jackie > Everyone else.

** [[spoiler:''Gon > Killua > Kurapica]] [[OvershadowedByAwesome > Leorio]]'' in the most recent chapters.

* Season 1 of ''Series/AgentsOfShield'' had a pretty steady set up, with May and Ward being orders of magnitude more {{Badass}} than anyone else, and May slightly tougher than Ward, the next toughest was Coulson, who was more skilled than Skye but not by a huge degree. Fitz and Simmons were the [[NonActionGuy Non-Action Guys]], though Fitz was slightly more collected and effective in a combat situation than Simmons. This rough distribution was maintained in Season 2. Though several new agents were added who were all roughly as good in a fight as Coulson, but nowhere close to May and Ward. Skye got more skilled as time went on, but was still the rookie among the field agents, and Fitz lost whatever combat effectiveness he had as a result of [[spoiler: Brain Damage]].

Sometimes, both of these combine in the form of Fixed Relative Strenght. When a group, cast, or faction is subject to Fixed Relative Strength, the total amount of fighting ability is more or less constant but unevenly distributed, establishing a ranking of who's stronger than who. These ranks tend to stay constant even after characters get stronger. Why is this done? To avoid having everyone be so awesomely powerful no one stands out. It's much like limiting a character type or trait to avoid over saturating the setting.

* Franchise/{{Digimon}} tends to have a pretty easily broken down power scaling among the main characters through the seasons. TheHero and TheLancer are generally the ones who's partner Digimon reach one evolution level higher than the rest of the group. However, there are notable subversions and outright aversions in certain cases.
** In DigimonAdventure, Tai and Matt's Digimon are consistently the ones who are the first to reach a new evolution stage and are the ''only'' digimon to reach Mega Level among the eight Chosen children. However, before said highest evolution, their younger siblings partner Digimon were by far the strongest and the most effective against the villains. This is because Kari and TK's digimon were Angelic in nature and naturally effective against evil and wicked digimon.
** The aversion comes in DigimonSavers. All four main characters reach the same level of power, even if one of them temporarily outpaces the other, said person will quickly close the gap. This is the ''only'' series where the supporting cast is able to keep up with and fight on the same level as TheHero.

** Though with the right technology, Robin can actually solo the rest of his team even when they ARE trying to bringing him down. Though admittedly, most of the team had [[StrongAsTheyNeedToBe moments when they overshadow the rest of their team singlehandlely]].

* Franchise/{{Digimon}}tends to have a pretty easily broken down power scaling among the main characters through the seasons. TheHero and TheLancer are generally the ones who's partner Digimon reach one evolution level higher than the rest of the group. However, there are notable subversions and outright aversions in certain cases.

* Franchise/Digimon tends to have a pretty easily broken down power scaling among the main characters through the seasons. TheHero and TheLancer are generally the ones who's partner Digimon reach one evolution level higher than the rest of the group. However, there are notable subversions and outright aversions in certain cases.

Sometimes, both of these combine in the form of Distribution of Ninjutsu. When a group, cast, or faction is subject to Distribution of Ninjutsu, the total amount of fighting ability is more or less constant but unevenly distributed, establishing a ranking of who's stronger than who. These ranks tend to stay constant even after characters get stronger. Why is this done? To avoid having everyone be so awesomely powerful no one stands out. It's much like limiting a character type or trait to avoid over saturating the setting.

** Applied with increasing consistency as the series goes on, and even becomes a major plot point. Goku is the strongest, followed by Vegeta, then Gohan, Piccolo and the other half-Saiyan children, and lastly the human fighters, Tenshinhan, Krillin, and finally Yamcha. Vegeta's seemingly eternal role as second fiddle to Goku becomes an increasingly sore point for him as the series goes on; after his moderate HeelFaceTurn, no matter how hard he trains he is never able to catch up to Goku, despite both of them becoming insanely powerful compared to everyone else. This eventually boils over into a temporary FaceHeelTurn after his indignation at still being inferior to Goku after 7 years of TrainingFromHell following the Cell Saga causes him to allow wizard Babidi to reawaken the evil in his heart and bring out his potential, allowing him to fight evenly with Goku.

** It is pretty consistent this way despite the insane power increases they get later. Goku is the strongest, followed by Vegeta, their various children, Piccolo, Android 18, Tenshinhan, [[OvershadowedByAwesome Krillin]], and finally, Yamcha.

Compare CantCatchUp.

Another possibility is that the FiveManBand may sometimes have a near equal distribution of Ninjutsu among its members, with the leader being a well balanced JackOfAllStats while the rest have a specialty. This explains why the MonsterOfTheWeek usually has more raw oomph than any 2 or 3 heroes, but falls when they make a CombinedEnergyAttack or use ThePowerOfFriendship, or form a giant robot. (I'm looking at you, ''PowerRangers.'') It's also worth noting that each side does not necessarily have the same ''total'' Ninjutsu to distribute, no one said fiction was fair after all.

** DBZ does subvert this trope in the later story arcs. Gohan surpasses Goku and Vegeta in power to challenge Cell and save the world only to fall behind in his training later on. However, an UpgradeArtifact granted by the Elder Kai soon re-establishes him as one of the most powerful fighters. But it doesn't help that Adult Gohan is a fairly consistent Jobber, meaning that even when he's the Ultimate Fighter that SUPPOSEDLY surpasses any Super Saiyan, he still comes off as weaker then Goku and Vegeta. Somehow. Of course, in GT and canon movies set after Z, Goku and Vegeta naturally get even better power ups.

** DBZ does subvert this trope in the later story arcs. Gohan surpasses Goku and Vegeta in power to challenge Cell and save the world only to fall behind in his training later on. However, an UpgradeArtifact granted by the Elder Kai soon re-establishes him as one of the most powerful fighters. But it doesn't help that Adult Gohan is a fairly consistent Jobber, meaning that even when he's the Ultimate Fighter that SUPPOSEDLY surpasses any Super Saiyan, he still comes off as weaker then Goku and Vegeta. Somehow. Of course, in GT and non-canon movies set after Z, Goku and Vegeta naturally get even better power ups.

** WordOfGod states that Ussop will always be the weakest member of the crew, since he's meant to be closest to a normal human. To put it in perspective, at the moment the man is able to snipe someone from several miles away, during a windstorm, with a ''slingshot''. And yet compared to anyone else in the crew, he's just [[CantCatchUp not able to catch up]].

''For any group of ninjas, the ninjitsu in that group will not be evenly distributed; some ninja will be in a more powerful class than others. Which ninja are more powerful will stay constant even when the group as a whole gains ninjitsu.''

Fiction has interesting parallel tropes to the laws of thermodynamics. For example, a given group of Ninjas is subject to ConservationOfNinjutsu, so the more there are the weaker each is. Groups are likewise subject to ConservationOfCompetence, if one person is very competent their supporters will be very incompetent, and vice-versa.

* ''DragonBallZ'' is pretty consistent this way despite the insane power increases they get later. Goku is the strongest, followed by Vegeta, their various children, Piccolo, Android 18, Tien, [[OvershadowedByAwesome Krillin]], and finally, Yamcha.
** DBZ does subvert this trope in the later story arcs. Gohan surpasses Goku and Vegeta in power to challenge Cell and save the world only to fall behind in his training later on. However, an UpgradeArtifact granted by the Elder Kai soon re-establishes him as one of the most powerful fighters.
*** But it doesn't help that Adult Gohan is a fairly consistent Jobber, meaning that even when he's the Ultimate Mystic Fighter that SUPPOSEDLY surpasses any Super Saiyan, he still comes off as weaker then Goku and Vegeta. Somehow. Of course, in GT and other movies set after Z, Goku and Vegeta naturally get even better power ups.

** WordOfGod states that Ussop will always be the weakest member of the crew, since he's meant to be closest to a normal human. To put it in perspective, at the moment the man is able to snipe someone from several miles away, during a windstorm, with a ''slingshot''. And yet compared to anyone else in the crew, he's just not able to catch up.

* In R.A. Salvatore's ''ForgottenRealms'' novels, his favorite group, the [[TheLegendOfDrizzt Companions of the Hall]], generally follow the following distribution; [[OurElvesAreBetter Drizzt]] > [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Bruenor]] > [[BarbarianHero Wulfgar]] > [[ActionGirl Catti-brie]] > [[{{Hobbits}} Regis]]. Being that this is based off of DungeonsAndDragons, actual stats do back this up.

* Torg in ''SluggyFreelance'' is arguably the lead, and is pretty much the weakest character on the strip until he got a demon slaying sword and TookALevelInBadass (which means he's still clumsy, but slightly less so). Riff, Aylee, Bun Bun and Gwynn are all far more combat capable, Zoë being the weakest character at this point.

*** But it doesn't help that Adult Gohan is a fairly consistent Jobber, meaning that even when he's the Ultimate Mystic Fighter that SUPPOSEDLY surpasses any Super Saiyan, he still comes off as weaker then Goku and Vegeta. Somehow. Of course, in GT and other movies set after Z, Goku and Vegeta naturally gets even better power ups.

** WordOfGod states that Ussop will always be the weakest member of the crew, since he's meant to be closest to a normal human.

** Though with the right technology, Robin can actually solo the rest of his team even when they ARE trying to bringing him down. Though admittedly, most of the team had moments when they overshadow the rest of their team singlehandlely.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'' the Straw Hat Pirates generally all undergo [[TookALevelInBadass badass level-ups]] at around the same time every other arc or so. Despite this, [[AuthorityEqualsAsskicking Captain Luffy]] and Zoro are always at the top, followed closely Sanji, and the three of them are consistently considered to be leagues above the rest of the crew.

** [[spoiler:''Gon > Killua > Kurapica]] [[LateArrivalSpoiler > Leorio]]'' in the most recent chapters.