Talk:Esper/@comment-38876330-20190705215132/@comment-121.200.7.24-20200226060508

The reasoning is fairly straight-forward. Esper's power level is generally proportional to their supernatural ability to subconsciously process data/perform numerical calculations. The propositition by the author is that: If someone really had the power to change reality, but only using a specific method such as the manipulation of electric currents, or the vectors of moving particles/objects, they would have to know very accurately what they were actually intending to change. For example, Mikoto's Railgun would be incredibly difficult to pull off since for her railgun to be accurate, the electric current has to travel through the air in very straight and perfectly parallel lines. Once an esper's ability is used to change something, the laws of 'normal physics' take over. In order to get the current to move in a straight line (and not deviate in different directions like a lightning bolt), she has to be aware of all the movement of the air, its charge, the electric potentials, and micro-manage the application of her power to force reality to do what she wants. Essentially, she needs the power of a super-computer (and supernaturally accurate senses) in order to simulate the environment, then determine all the changes she needs to make - this is why she's classed as a Level 5.

If a lower level electromaster, like one of the Sisters (original batch), tried to use Railgun, it would not work at all / they wouldn't be able to control it because they don't have the same computational ability as Mikoto.