Item from Iron Prince by Bryce O\
The seven stats that define a CAD User's capabilities — ranked F through S, publicly displayed, and the reason Rei Ward was the most dismissed and the most watched cadet at Galens.
Every CAD User is defined by seven specs: Speed, Strength, Endurance, Cognition, Offense, Defense, and Growth. Each is ranked F through S. Together, they determine a User's combat classification, training program, team placement, and social standing. Six of these specs measure current capability. The seventh — Growth — measures potential. And this is where Rei's situation becomes extraordinary: F-rank in everything that matters right now, S-rank in the only thing that matters long-term. The spec system is the series' core mechanic and its core metaphor. It's a system that measures what you ARE and what you COULD BE with different metrics — and the culture built around it values the former while the plot demonstrates the importance of the latter. For most cadets, specs improve gradually through training. For Rei, they improve at a rate that breaks every prediction model. The gap between where he started and where he ends up — tracked in explicit numerical terms — IS the progression fantasy. Every point gained is a battle won against the system's expectations.
Displayed as holographic readouts — seven stats, each with a letter grade, publicly visible and constantly updated. The ranking boards at Galens show every cadet's specs for anyone to see. There is no privacy in the spec system. You are your numbers.
Also known as: Specs, The Ranking System, CAD Stats