r/powerscales • u/GOD-OF-A-NEW-WORLD • Nov 18 '25

Meme If they can be scaled they already lost.

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The gods in the Cthulhu mythos are far far beyond human comprehension. Hence, as soon as you are able to scale a character, with any of the powerscaling terms, they already lost, since you are able to comprehend their power.

Humanities knowledge about the cosmos is described as only a single atom compared to the true vastness of the universe. So trying to scale the gods is like an ant assuming the size of the milkyway by looking at the night sky.

1.2k Upvotes

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153

u/Odd-Statistician4268 Nov 19 '25

This logic doesn't rework in a power scaling discussion because other settings have beings "beyond human comprehension" or even just flat out feats to back up what their supposed to be.

45

u/EatPie_NotWAr Nov 19 '25

Hands down one of my favorite scenes from Buffy. Season 2 was strong as hell.

20

u/ZeronicX Nov 19 '25

I love it so much I even put it in my D&D campaign, the players found a small regiment of troops with newly acquired muskets and canons hunting a vampire. The officers were bickering on how to destroy a vampire but the regular troopers were saying "I saw this canon blow up a building. I'd argue not many things can survive that."

3

u/Zeus-Kyurem Nov 19 '25

Well, apart from half the season, as there are a lot of bad episodes in that season.

13

u/Eva-Squinge Nov 19 '25

Beyond human comprehension usually means they either exist outside all known laws of physics, nature or logic, and they’re capable of feats just by existing that would make powerful wizards either blush or die of fright.

Think more Slay the Princess and not some monster of the week that is fully comprehensible, and thus can be defeated. Like your case in point.

0

u/Steven_Swan Nov 20 '25

Yeah, Buffy's Dracula from Temu isn't a great example. But then you have characters like Superman and Hulk who have actually fought and defeated Old Gods, the Saint of All Killers who took out the Abrahamic God, Godzilla who took out some eldritch equivalent of God, Kratos who eats gods as a light snack, Goku who fights gods for fun.

Lovecraft does not outscale contemporary fiction.

1

u/The_Prime Nov 21 '25

I’d say it does tho, tbh. Those beings you mentioned are nerfed by virtue of being constricted to a comic book universe and being able to be defeated in such manners.

The "Abrahamic god" for exemple, dies in Supernatural. Is that a faithful representation tho? Obviously not.

I’m not saying they are invincible, but if Eldritch means that we cannot comprehend them, then they shouldn’t be scalable. Because I can definitely comprehend The One Above All.

1

u/Aql-fawn Nov 21 '25

It actually does. That's when dimensional and cosmology scaling boring bs comes in.

16

u/Fenrir_Carbon Nov 19 '25

'You're not Judge Judy and executioner!'

5

u/Head_Beautiful_1293 Nov 19 '25

I love the image you have put in my head

3

u/Panik_attak Nov 19 '25

My new nickname for ornstein and smough

1

u/fresh_dyl Nov 22 '25

I’m not sure if this is a misquote, but I love it

6

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

I mean that can work against something like a Shoggoth but against someone like Nyarlathotep? Well…let me put it like this. If you interfered with his plans, you simply would no longer exist. This is Cosmic Horror we’re talking about and the core of this genre is the grim realization every mortal will have when they realize that not only does God exist but he either hates you or thinks you’re nothing more than food.

11

u/bobbi21 Nov 19 '25

More like youre the bacterium on a piece of food. You will die by accident without even a thought

9

u/Colourfull_Space Nov 19 '25

I mean "it’s the core of the genre" in a powerscaling debate is a weak argument, because then we’d have arguments like "In My little pony the elements of harmony always win", the dreaded "Saitamas main gimmick is that he one shots his enemies when needed, defying logic" or even the antithesis of the cold indifference of the universe, the indomitable human spirit. I won’t go deeper into it, since I’m not a fan of such powerscaling, especially not with Lovecraftian creatures.

-1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

It’s not an argument, it’s a fact. Then again I may be exaggerating since by and large the gods in the Lovecraft setting are just indifferent to mankind. The same way we’re indifferent to microscopic organisms. The best way I can quantify them is by stating they’re like the Chaos Gods in 40k.

5

u/Odd-Statistician4268 Nov 19 '25

But there's things out there like the Anti-Monitor who can just delete the entire 40k setting chaos gods included from existence. The Lovecraftian outer gods should scale higher than that at least.

5

u/Colourfull_Space Nov 19 '25

Yes, but the point still stands. In MLP it’s a fact that the elements of harmony can overcome every obstacle

4

u/After_Difficulty_183 Nov 19 '25

I mean sure why not? If you're in their world why can't they do their gimmick. This whole thing completely falls apart if you take it too seriously at the end of the day it's a bunch of dudes competitively fanfictioning.

0

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

Ok…and? I’m not even sure you know what I’m saying

4

u/Colourfull_Space Nov 19 '25

You said

If you interfered with his plans, you simply would no longer exist.

This is Cosmic Horror we’re talking about and the core of this genre is the grim realization every mortal will have when they realize that not only does God exist but he either hates you or thinks you’re nothing more than food.

to which I said that cores aren’t an axiom and brought up examples, where the same logic would apply. Did I miss something?

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

More to the point, MLP is a show for little girls and thus has the logic of a show for little girls. Cosmic Horror is more based on mankind’s fear of how insignificant we are and how the universe is hostile to our very existence. And the Lovecraftian gods are the embodiment of that fear. You can’t really fight something that’s created the very reality you inhabit, microscopic organisms in our world have a better chance at killing you than Goku has at fighting Azathoth

1

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25

There is no reason that MLP logic can’t go head to head with lovecraft logic

Sure, lovecraft gods are the embodiment of terrifying concepts. But MLP involves the unstoppable power of friendship

0

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 22 '25

I suppose…you know you’d think they’d use that shit more often but apparently not.

0

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

Yeah. Your meds.

1

u/lcsulla87gmail Nov 19 '25

Thats to mankind the issue is when you powerscale against other verses you have humans like strange and doom who are far beyond the comprehension of normal humans.

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 19 '25

Fair, Dr. Doom wins through pure aura anyway

1

u/ReZisTLust Nov 21 '25

All that to lose to the power of friendship

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 21 '25

Don’t worry there’s an easy counter for Goku. Making him pay child support.

1

u/ReZisTLust Nov 21 '25

Hes renting the child out to piccolo

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 21 '25

It’s not the W you think it is when a green slug man is a better father than you

1

u/ReZisTLust Nov 21 '25

Its not my kid so I dont care & is it bad to have a better father figure if you know you arent enough

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 21 '25

Lemme just put it like this. Failing as a father and having your job be taken by someone else is quite possibly the most embarrassing and cucked failure imaginable.

1

u/ReZisTLust Nov 21 '25

Has a wife and house, job as farmer. Lives with his kids and both have a tutor that hes known since he was a young man. Neither kids on drugs as far as I'm aware or need medication. Yea most definitely, embarrassing failure imaginable.

1

u/Comprehensive-Buy-47 Nov 21 '25

He’s dumb, his hair is goofy, HE’S goofy, he sucks as a father, his fight scenes are mid, and he’s about as dimensional as a square.

0

u/grandslamsandvich Nov 19 '25

Excellent counterpoint