Title

New to this game, so I want to know what my future character is going to look like down the line.

Do you need to have a solid foundation from the start in order to maintain a strong character as the state ages, or are you still able to catch up as the generation goes by by the virtue of mildly spending later on even if your character is just average in terms of power now?

Let's say I am like rank 180-200 in terms of individual power in Gen 1. Will I be able to jump at least rank 60-80 in Gen 2, 3, or 4 later on if I spend mildly? I don't intend to be super strong, but at least somewhere in that range.