Can Tatsuya use Material Burst in the tactical/strategic scale without the Third Eye CAD?


The "Third Eye" CAD is treated security-wise like a nuclear detonator, and
custom made by third division of FLT exactly for him use Material Burst
effectively.

Is it feasible for him to cast it at that scale/range without it?




**Yes, he can maintain strategic class levels of range and potency, even
without the _Third Eye_.**

* * *

There are two parts to strategic level magic - range, and strength.

Tatsuya can successfully cast [_Decomposition_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Decomposition) on objects with the size and mass of
[Armoured Personnel Carriers
(APC's)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier), and
material burst is merely an differentiation of that (the conversion of matter
to energy, rather than base elements). A flag of 1kg is the cause of the
destruction in Zhènhai Naval Port, so while he would find no trouble in
casting [_Material Burst_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Material_Burst) on something like a car, the
destruction caused would be far greater.

Being near the activation point of such a cast would be, as mentioned in
Saphiric's answer, suicide. But, this is just hypothetical - Tatsuya has the
_potential_ to cast that kind of magic if he wanted to, and that's all that
matters for the question.

**So his scale, naturally, is still of strategic class even without the _Third
Eye_**.

* * *

Range is a more awkward matter.  
While it's more difficult for him to activate magic on a strategic scale
without the _Third Eye_ CAD - mostly due to the necessity of finding a
suitable target - it is still possible for him.

It's important to remember that magic isn't bound to the physical plane,
instead using a separate dimension where trivialities like distance aren't
issues. Since magic is simply a phenomenon rewriting the data of a specific
[Eidos](http://mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Eidos) (information
body) that exists in the real world, as long an information body's coordinates
are known, it can be targeted.  
Only a very small number of spells (such as [_Gram
Demolition_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Gram_Dispersion#Gram_Demolition)) physically travel
through the real world, and therefore only those spells are restricted by
physical distance.

Most magicians can't perceive a target more than several hundred meters away,
simply due to the limits of the human body.  
But, this is Tatsuya. With his [_Elemental Sight_ ,](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Elemental_Sight) he can perceive things in the
information dimension, or the dimension of magic, where distance is no issue:

> This was not looking down from a bird’s eye view, he was looking at things
> from the point of view of the information dimension. It was not an
> elliptical sphere around the double focal points, it had nothing to do with
> physical distance[...]
>
> _Volume 10 - Visitor II, Chapter 12_

Even so, he can't just pick a random target to cast _Material Burst_ on - he
has to know the coordinates of the Eidos. This is the main purpose of _Third
Eye_ , to pick targets at huge physical distances, so Tatsuya can easily
manipulate them in the information dimension. However, this isn't the only way
he can find a target. If he picks out an information body he can perceive at
close range and follow it as it travels, he can cast magic on it at any
distance:

> By his own hands, using the magic he alone could wield, he had decomposed
> then rebuilt the bullets. However far away they flew, he would not lose
> sight of their information structure.
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence,Chapter 16_

As proof of this, the first time Tatsuya uses _Material Burst_ is without any
sort of CAD, and he casts it at a target 20km away, one of the aforementioned
bullets:

> Tatsuya stretched out his right hand towards the west, and forcibly
> unclenched his palm.
>
> The bullet broke down into energy.
>
> In that moment, the mass conversion magic ‘Material Burst’ was used in anger
> for the first time.
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence,Chapter 16_

Granted, it's not quite as far as the distance he casts it in Episode 26 of
the anime, but it's still a considerable distance that's far beyond the realm
of normal human perception. Furthermore, he states that he could cast it at a
greater range, but in this instance, he is limited by the range of the sniper
rifle's bullets he uses as a medium to cast _Material Burst_ on:

> Sanada’s murmur was drowned out by the boom of the sniper rifle.
>
> Tatsuya’s eyes seemed to chase that supersonic bullet which should never
> have been seen.
>
> At length he shook his head, disappointed.
>
> "……It’s no good. It could only reach 20 km."
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence, Chapter 16_

So although _practically_ very difficult to recreate without proper planning
and requirements, it is _theoretically_ possible in the right circumstances,
**meaning his range too, is still that of strategic class without _Third
Eye._**

* * *

In conclusion, yes, Tatsuya _can_ cast Material Burst unassisted at a range
and scale similar to that which he achieves in Episode 26 with the _Third Eye_
, but he would require a very specific set of circumstances, and would need to
rely solely on _Elemental Sight_ for targeting. That's the main reason for
that CAD - to make _Material Burst_ far more practical to cast.

With or without _Third Eye_ , he's still very much [_"Strategic
Class"_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Strategic-
Class_Magician)




**Yes, he can maintain strategic class levels of range and potency, even
without the _Third Eye_.**

* * *

There are two parts to strategic level magic - range, and strength.

Tatsuya can successfully cast [_Decomposition_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Decomposition) on objects with the size and mass of
[Armoured Personnel Carriers
(APC's)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_personnel_carrier), and
material burst is merely an differentiation of that (the conversion of matter
to energy, rather than base elements). A flag of 1kg is the cause of the
destruction in Zhènhai Naval Port, so while he would find no trouble in
casting [_Material Burst_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Material_Burst) on something like a car, the
destruction caused would be far greater.

Being near the activation point of such a cast would be, as mentioned in
Saphiric's answer, suicide. But, this is just hypothetical - Tatsuya has the
_potential_ to cast that kind of magic if he wanted to, and that's all that
matters for the question.

**So his scale, naturally, is still of strategic class even without the _Third
Eye_**.

* * *

Range is a more awkward matter.  
While it's more difficult for him to activate magic on a strategic scale
without the _Third Eye_ CAD - mostly due to the necessity of finding a
suitable target - it is still possible for him.

It's important to remember that magic isn't bound to the physical plane,
instead using a separate dimension where trivialities like distance aren't
issues. Since magic is simply a phenomenon rewriting the data of a specific
[Eidos](http://mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Eidos) (information
body) that exists in the real world, as long an information body's coordinates
are known, it can be targeted.  
Only a very small number of spells (such as [_Gram
Demolition_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Gram_Dispersion#Gram_Demolition)) physically travel
through the real world, and therefore only those spells are restricted by
physical distance.

Most magicians can't perceive a target more than several hundred meters away,
simply due to the limits of the human body.  
But, this is Tatsuya. With his [_Elemental Sight_ ,](http://mahouka-koukou-no-
rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Elemental_Sight) he can perceive things in the
information dimension, or the dimension of magic, where distance is no issue:

> This was not looking down from a bird’s eye view, he was looking at things
> from the point of view of the information dimension. It was not an
> elliptical sphere around the double focal points, it had nothing to do with
> physical distance[...]
>
> _Volume 10 - Visitor II, Chapter 12_

Even so, he can't just pick a random target to cast _Material Burst_ on - he
has to know the coordinates of the Eidos. This is the main purpose of _Third
Eye_ , to pick targets at huge physical distances, so Tatsuya can easily
manipulate them in the information dimension. However, this isn't the only way
he can find a target. If he picks out an information body he can perceive at
close range and follow it as it travels, he can cast magic on it at any
distance:

> By his own hands, using the magic he alone could wield, he had decomposed
> then rebuilt the bullets. However far away they flew, he would not lose
> sight of their information structure.
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence,Chapter 16_

As proof of this, the first time Tatsuya uses _Material Burst_ is without any
sort of CAD, and he casts it at a target 20km away, one of the aforementioned
bullets:

> Tatsuya stretched out his right hand towards the west, and forcibly
> unclenched his palm.
>
> The bullet broke down into energy.
>
> In that moment, the mass conversion magic ‘Material Burst’ was used in anger
> for the first time.
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence,Chapter 16_

Granted, it's not quite as far as the distance he casts it in Episode 26 of
the anime, but it's still a considerable distance that's far beyond the realm
of normal human perception. Furthermore, he states that he could cast it at a
greater range, but in this instance, he is limited by the range of the sniper
rifle's bullets he uses as a medium to cast _Material Burst_ on:

> Sanada’s murmur was drowned out by the boom of the sniper rifle.
>
> Tatsuya’s eyes seemed to chase that supersonic bullet which should never
> have been seen.
>
> At length he shook his head, disappointed.
>
> "……It’s no good. It could only reach 20 km."
>
> _Volume 8 - Reminiscence, Chapter 16_

So although _practically_ very difficult to recreate without proper planning
and requirements, it is _theoretically_ possible in the right circumstances,
**meaning his range too, is still that of strategic class without _Third
Eye._**

* * *

In conclusion, yes, Tatsuya _can_ cast Material Burst unassisted at a range
and scale similar to that which he achieves in Episode 26 with the _Third Eye_
, but he would require a very specific set of circumstances, and would need to
rely solely on _Elemental Sight_ for targeting. That's the main reason for
that CAD - to make _Material Burst_ far more practical to cast.

With or without _Third Eye_ , he's still very much [_"Strategic
Class"_](http://mahouka-koukou-no-rettousei.wikia.com/wiki/Strategic-
Class_Magician)

