Heaven's Wake Technology
Technology Basics: Technology starts at 1 (1970s-1980s) and ends up at 6 (posthuman). Apex technology is level 6, and most powers will have technology from 2-4 with very rare ones having a 5 in any category. Most enhancements require a combination of techs. A neural interface, for example, may require Medicine 2/Nanotech 3/Cognitech 3. All technical paths are renamed after Level 2, to reflect a paradigm shift in their goals and how they work.
The five technology branches are:
Life sciences-Medicine/Biotech
Mental sciences-Psychology/Cognitech
Societal sciences-Sociology/Metatech
Material sciences-Engineering/Nanotech
Physical sciences-Physics/Stringtech
Medicine
The art of medicine is one of healing, but not entirely. Plastic surgery and steroids are perhaps the first forays into human enhancement, and biological weaponry like anthrax and smallpox are harbingers of things to come.
Level 1
Early antibiotics have been developed, and human enhancement drugs are being tested. The primitive technology of the day means that the drugs brewed have horrific side effects, but for some performance is worth any cost.
At this level a power has no access to any sort of bioengineering, and many die from injuries when they could have been prevented. Similarly poor agricultural knowledge greatly increases the amount of organics needed to feed a population.
Level 2
With some knowledge about genetics and how to put lifeforms back together, it is possible to edit lifeforms to some extent. Screening for genetic diseases becomes common and increases
At this level a power can access the earliest and most primitive biological enhancements, and with sufficient Nanotech can also use many of the less intrusive cybernetic enhancements. Increased population health somewhat improves morale.
Biotech
Eventually with the cracking of the genetic code true bioengineering becomes possible and viable. New species can be engineered for the first time, and with extreme advancement the human condition can be greatly improved.
Level 3
The first keys to unlocking lifeforms have been found, and your scientists have engineered custom lifeforms for show, if not for actual use. Transgenic creatures, however, have become a mature and safe field-safe enough that humans are submitting to genetic modification to become faster, stronger, better-looking, and more interesting.
Level 4
With improvements in the sequencing of life, it is possible to, for the first time, create complex, useful custom life. Human enhancement has spiraled into full-blown posthumanism (small p, not large P), as citizens can now enjoy living and breathing underwater, becoming sentient trees, or otherwise living truly different lifestyles.
Morale improves, the habitability of worlds is increased, and radical morphological changes are possible. More exotic human enhancement technologies can be used, especially in combination with Nanotech or Cognitech.
Level 5
Living material can be twisted and bent by your hands to do just about anything-biomechanical weapons and starships are possible, and truly extreme modification of the human form can take place, even without advances in Nanotech.
A power at this level of life science is far more efficient in agriculture, has greatly improved morale boosts, and can save someone from just about any injury.
Level 6
At this point truly incredible structures like Dyson Trees can be built via biotech alone.
Psychology
At primitive technological levels the mind can only be understood by measuring its response to stimuli-the technology necessary to truly understand it has not been developed.
Level 1
Psychology is poorly understood, lobotomies have probably just gotten out of vogue, and the only way you can change the functioning of the human mind is electroshock or physical trauma. The human mind is, to you, another enigma among thousands.
A power at this level suffers major penalties to the effectiveness of their soldiers, as they are likely to rout, refuse to fire on another human foe, or do other unexpected behavior.
Level 2
The human mind's input-response methods are mostly mapped, and behavior of humans can be described accurately in general terms. However, the specifics of consciousness and cognition still escape your power.
Cognitech
With true understanding of the underpinnings of thought and consciousness comes the ability to alter it with a gentle hand. Mind control, neural interfacing, and cognitive enhancers are all now possible, as well as ever-more advanced AI.
Level 3
Although the precise niceties of consciousness are still not fully known it is known how to work with the human brain, how to enhance thought, how to modify the mind without resorting to primitive methods. Combined with Biotech and Nanotech it is possible to implant neural interfaces, wired reflexes, or skill chips in humans.
Level 4
A true understanding of consciousness has allowed safe and reliable improvement of general cognition and intelligence, instead of merely inducing savantism in subjects.
Level 5
The mind can now be mapped onto silicon, transferred via backups, or completely altered. Personality implants are safe, cheap, and reliable, groupminds are possible without permanently changing the subjects, and the human consciousness is as putty, to be molded as you see fit.
Level 6
You have stolen the fruits of divinity and created men like gods, beings who seem to be omniscient, who think so quickly and so well that baseline humanity is as ants under them.