TOS-era Type-I phasers (remember, the Type-II unit was merely an additional power pack) had a dial going up to around 16, so maybe very little has changed. Perhaps the settings remain the same, while storable power levels and the efficiency of the discharge continue to improve. The 22^nd-century phase pistol, however, had only two settings, "stun" and "kill."

Discharge Energy Index: 15.75
Duration: 0.25 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio n/a
Damage Index: 0^*
Notes:

• This setting is calibrated for base humanoid physiology, and causes temporary central nervous system (CNS) impairment resulting in unconsciousness for up to 5 minutes
• Higher levels of reversible damage to the CNS result from repeated long exposures
• The discharge energy index is related to RNE protonic charge levels
• Standard composite structural materials of median-density (consisting typically of multiple layers of tritanium, duranium, cortenite, lignin, and lithium-silicon-carbon 372) are not permanently affected, although some warming (from vibration) will be detected

^*A standardized damage index is derived for setting comparisons; each whole number represents the number of centimetres of material penetrated or damaged at the molecular level.

Discharge Energy Index: 45.30
Duration: 0.75 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio n/a
Damage Index: 0
Notes:

• Base-type humanoids remain unconscious for up to 15 minutes
• Resistant humanoid types will be rendered unconscious for up to 5 minutes
• Long exposures produce low levels of irreversible damage to the CNS and epithelial layers
• Structural materials are not affected, though higher levels of vibrational warming are evident

Discharge Energy Index: 160.65
Duration: 1.025 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio n/a
Damage Index: 1
Notes:

• Deep sleep for up to 1 hour
• Resistant bioforms will be rendered unconscious for approximately 15 minutes
• Single discharges raise 1cc of liquid water by 100ºC
• Structural samples experience significant levels of thermal radiation

Discharge Energy Index: 515.75
Duration: 1.5 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio n/a
Damage Index: 3.5
Notes:

• Base-type humanoids experience extensive CNS damage and epidermal electromegnetic (EM) trauma
• Structural materials exhibit visible thermal shock
• Discharges of longer than five seconds produce deep heat storage effects within metal alloys

Discharge Energy Index: 857.5
Duration: 1.5 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 250:1
Damage Index: 7
Notes:

• Humanoid tissues experience severe burn effects but (due to water content) deeper epithelial layers will not char
• Simple personal forcefields are penetrated after five seconds
• Large fields as used by Away Teams will not be affected

Discharge Energy Index: 2700
Duration: 1.75 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 90:1
Damage Index: 15
Notes:

• Organic tissues and structural materials exhibit comparable penetration and molecular damage as high energy causes matter to undergo rapid dissociation
• The 'familiar' thermal effects begin to decrease at this level

Discharge Energy Index: 4900
Duration: 1.75 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:1
Damage Index: 50
Notes:

• Organic tissue damage causes immediate cessation of life processes as disruption effects become widespread
• In "The Vengeance Factor" (TNG) a two-second burst at setting 7 vapourises nuranium metal (requiring a temperature of 2314 degrees).

Discharge Energy Index: 15000
Duration: 1.75 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:3
Damage Index: 120
Notes:

• Cascading disruption forces cause humanoid organisms to vapourise, as 50% of affected matter transitions out of the continuum
• All unprotected matter is affected and penetrated according to depth and time of application

Discharge Energy Index: 65000
Duration: 1.5 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:7
Damage Index: 300
Notes:

• Medium alloys and ceramic structural materials (of over 100 cm thickness) begin exhibiting energy rebound prior to vapourisation

Discharge Energy Index: 125000
Duration: 1.3 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:9
Damage Index: 450
Notes:

• Heavy structural materials absorb or rebound energy; there is a 0.55 second delay before material vapourises

Discharge Energy Index: 300000
Duration: 0.78 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:11
Damage Index: 670
Notes:

• Structural materials utilising ultradense alloys absorb or rebound energy with a 0.20 second delayed reaction before vapourisation
• Light geological displacement, as approximately 10 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge

Discharge Energy Index: 540000
Duration: 0.82 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:14
Damage Index: 940
Notes:

• Structural materials utilising ultradense alloys absorb or rebound energy with a 0.1 second delayed reaction before vapourisation
• Moderate geological displacement, as approximately 50 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge

Discharge Energy Index: 720000
Duration: 0.82 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:18
Damage Index: 1100
Notes:

• Shielded matter exhibits minor vibrational heating effects
• Medium geological displacement, as approximately 90 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge

Discharge Energy Index: 930000
Duration: 0.75 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:20
Damage Index: 1430
Notes:

• Shielded matter exhibits medium vibrational heating effects
• Heavy geological displacement, as approximately 160 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge

Discharge Energy Index: 1.17 x 10⁶
Duration: 0.32 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:25
Damage Index: 1850
Notes:

• Shielded matter exhibits major vibrational heating effects
• Extreme geological displacement, as approximately 370 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge

Discharge Energy Index: 1.55 x 10⁶
Duration: 0.28 seconds
SEM:NDF Ratio 1:40
Damage Index: 2450
Notes:

• Shielded matter exhibits light mechanical fracturing
• Catastrophic geological displacement, as approximately 650 m³ of rock (of average density 6.0 g/cm³) is explosively decoupled by a single discharge