Power Respecification

This article is about ways to acquire a respec and how to use them. For the slash command, see respec (Slash Command).

Overview

A Respecification (a.k.a. "Power Respecification, "respec") allows a player to respecify a character. This allows Primary and Secondary Powers, Power Pool Powers and Enhancement Slot assignments to be changed. Power set selections (both Primary and Secondary) cannot be changed.

Respecs can be gained from a number sources, including various actions taken in-game, the Paragon Market, the Paragon Rewards Program, during some special events, and finally from the developers. These are described in detail below.

Respecs are often used to trade unwanted powers for more useful ones; rearrange hard-to-obtain Enhancements between powers; and to optimise a character once they have reached level 50. Respecs are started by visiting a specific contact (in most cases), or sometimes by using the /respec command (for "free respecs").

Types and Sources of Respecs

Respecs fall into two categories: earned respecs that a character receives due to some action they choose to take; and free respecs (known as a 'freespec') awarded by the development team or certain in-game action.

Earned Respecs

A character may accrue quite a number of earned respecs. Available respecs are shown when a character logs on. A system (green) message is displayed in the chat box stating, "You have x unclaimed respecs available," where x is the number of available respecs. In addition to this, a player may have also have number of respecs they may claim for a character from their in-game mail.

Summary

An earned respec can be earned the following ways:

1. Completing a Terra Volta Respecification Trial for heroes, or a Tree of Thorns Respecification Trial for villains. A maximum of 3 respecs can be earned by a character in this way.
2. By placing a reward token in various slots in assorted tiers within the Paragon Rewards Program. Up to six respecs may be earned this way, and they are claimed from Account Items in-game email.
3. By purchasing a Character Respec Token from the Paragon Market. These are claimed from Character Items in-game email.
4. For villains and rogues only, by completing the first Patron arc and unlocking a Patron Power Pool.
5. For Soldier of Arachnos only, by reaching Threat Level 24. This respec is mandatory and must be taken the next time that character trains.

Respec Contacts

An earned respec is used by visiting a special contact.

• Heroes: Jack Wolfe, located in City Hall in Atlas Park; and James Frost in Fort Trident.
• Villains: Arbiter Lupin, located next to to the AE Building in Nerva Archipelago; and Arbiter Sawyer, standing near the Pocket D entrance in Port Oakes.
• Praetorians: John Snow, in Imperial City, inside Studio 55. He is on the third floor of the club past the gambling area.

Free Respecs

A free respec is obtained the following ways:

1. Often called a "freespec", these may be granted by the development team during special events or when patches significantly change the way multiple powers or power sets function.
2. Crafting a Respec Recipe.
3. Purchase from Candy Keeper using Candy Cane Salvage, during Winter Events. One respec per character per event can be earned.

Summary

• No more than one freespec can be available at any given time. If a character has an unspent freespec, and another is awarded, they will not receive the new freespec.
• If a character has an unspent freespec, the character cannot craft a Respec Recipe, nor can they claim a Holiday Respec from the Candy Keeper.
• For the above reason, players should choose to use a freespec (if one is available), before spending an earned respec. That way they will receive another, should it be awarded.
• A freespec can be used with the /respec command, without needing to visit a special contact.

Limitations and Respec Failures

Respecs are subject to a number of limitations and possible failures.

Limitations

• A character must be at least level three.
• A character cannot be in strike force or task force mode. This includes all trials, strike forces, task forces, signature story arcs, mission architect missions and flashback missions,
• A character's Origin, Archetype, primary powerset, secondary powerset, or Paragon Rewards Program power selections cannot be changed.
• A power or enhancement slots cannot be taken in an order that isn't possible for a character levelling normally. An exception to this is Warshades and Peacebringers who, during a respec, may add slots to their Nova- and Dwarf-form-specific powers before the Nova and Dwarf forms themselves are available.
• Changes are permanent! For this reason, it's often wise to plan your new build in advance. (Note: Tools such as Mids' Hero Designer can be useful here.).

Respec Failures

Sometimes, a player may receive a 'respec failed' message. These may occur for any number of reasons. The most common reasons include:

• Not training up to the character's effective level before starting a respec
• Being in Task Force/Strike Force mode, including Flashback and Architect missions.

If there were any un-slotted enhancements in the character's tray before the respec began, they might appear to have vanished after a respec failure. Once the respec has been successfully completed, they will be made available again.

If this occurs, players should still have a respec token, and should be able to use it after the character moves to a new zone, or if the player logs out of City of Heroes and log back in. If your character has recently advanced to a new level, you're encouraged to visit an NPC trainer before trying a new respec.

• See also the official Knowledgebase article Respec Failed.

How to Respec

The process of completing a respec occurs in several stages. These are Power Selections, Enhancement Slot Selections, Slotting Enhancements, and finally Confirming. These stages are outlined below in brief.

• See also the official article Respecs in City of Heroes, on which this section is based, which includes a pictorial guide.

Power Selections

Select all of your character's powers. All powers will be chosen in the order that they are available, level by level. Progress as your pick each power is shown in red at the bottom of the screen.

This stage mimics the normal training the character receives, with more powers available at later levels. The first choice mimics level 1 (character creation screen), the next choice level 2 (the first power received from a trainer), and so on.

For example, when the sixth power is selected, the powers available will be the powers available for selection with the character attained security level 10 (i.e. when he or she selected his or her sixth power).

When a respec is used, a character will be presented with the power selection screen to select his or her powers. The choice will be limited to the powers available when he or she first selected powers at level 1. After selecting a power, the character will be asked to select another power, this time with the powers available when he or she selected powers at level 2. For each subsequent power selection, the powers available will be the powers available for the next progressive level of the character.

Keep on selecting powers until no powers remain, and the respec then moves onto the next stage.

• For a chart showing at what levels new powers become available, see Leveling Chart

Enhancement Slot Selections

In this stage, all enhancement slots are placed. Again, progress is shown in red at the bottom of the window. This reflects the training a character receives at levels where no power is granted.

At each step of this stage, either two, three or six enhancement slots are placed, depending on the effective level. Higher level powers are greyed out and cannot be slotted until the effective level they were chosen is passed.

After all enhancement slots have been placed, the respec moves to the next stage.

• For a chart showing at what levels enhancements are slotted, see Leveling Chart

Slotting Enhancements

This stage shows a window labelled "Place Enhancements". All of the character's enhancements (slotted and unslotted) are automatically placed in the "unassigned" section.

Click and drag the desired enhancements into their respective slots. Unlike normal training, you can move slotted enhancements freely into and out of powers and slots during this stage.

You can also keep (but not slot) enhancements; just put them back into your inventory. When the respec is completed these will be available to your character in the Inventory tray.

This is the last formal stage of the respec process. It is worthwhile double-checking that you have slotted and placed all enhancements correctly before proceeding.

Click "Finish" to proceed to the final stage.

• Note: Enhancements that remain unassigned will be lost forever once the respec is completed.

What happens to unassigned enhancements?

• All Single Origin, Double Origin and Training Origin enhancements are sold for their full purchase cost.
• Invention Origin enhancements are sold for the crafting cost only; not including any purchase cost.
• Hamidon Enhancements and Synthetic Hamidon Enhancements are not assigned any value.
• Enhancements combined with another of the same type(+ or ++) can be put in the tray but cannot be sold or traded.

Confirming

The player is asked to confirm and finish the respec. A dialog box appears, and this is the last chance to change any aspect of the respec.

WARNING!

At this point all slotted enhancements will become locked in. All unassigned enhancements will be refunded for their sell-back price in Influence. Are you sure you wish to proceed?

Yes/No

Click No to return the the previous stage, and Yes to complete the respec.

When you click "Yes", you will not be able to go back. Any changes are now permanent, and powers, enhancement slots, and enhancement placements are locked in place.

Rolling Back During a Respec

At any time during the respec, clicking the "Back" button at the bottom left of the window will take you back one step, even to previous stages.

Even at the final slotting stage, clicking back enough times will eventually bring you right back to the very first step taken in the respec.

Clicking "Next" advances the respec to the next step.

Obtaining respecs: Details

This section provides more information on each type of respec found in-game.

Trial Respecifications

There are two sets of trials, which upon completion will allow an eligible character to choose a respec from a reward table:

• The Terra Volta Respecification Trial for heroes, and
• The Tree of Thorns Respecification Trial for villains

Each trial has three similar but versions, each with a different minimum level. These are a levels 24, 34 and 44. Throughout a character's life in the game, they may earn no more than three respecs from these trials, no matter how many or in what order they do these trials.

From levels 24-33, a character can receive one respec from completing the first trial. From levels 34-43, a character can receive another respec from completing either of the first two trials. From levels 44 and up, a character may receive their third respec from completing any of the three trials.

A character can continue to participate in as many trials as they like, and will only be able to will only be able to choose the other other rewards from the reward table at the end.

• See also the official article Tree of Thorns Respec Trial
• See also the official article Terra Volta Trial

Paragon Rewards Program Respecifications

The Paragon Rewards Program grants a respec up to six times, by placing a Reward token in a specific slot. These are then found in the in-game Account Items email, and can be claimed by all current and future characters on the player's account. Once claimed, the respec will disappear for that character, but it will still be available for other characters on the account.

For more information, see:

• Paragon Rewards Program
• The official article Claiming Paragon Purchases and Rewards

Patron Power Respecifications

Each villain character that completes the first Patron arc and unlocks a patron power pool will also receive an earned respec.

Soldiers of Arachnos Respecifications

A Soldiers of Arachnos respec is used upon a Villain Epic Archetype reaching Threat Level 24. When visiting a trainer for the first time after reaching level 24, the player will immediately be taken to the respec screen due to the extra powersets being unlocked.

Purchased Respecifications

Character Respec Tokens are available in the Paragon Market for 800 Paragon Points.

Starting on July 31, 2008 and until City of Heroes Freedom, players could purchase a respec from the Character Select screen. It cost $9.99 US. Players selected the character they wanted to respec, then selected the "Enter Store" icon in the lower right, and followed the prompts.

Purchased respecs are earned respecs and are claimed the same way as trial respecs. Is this still true? Or are the tokens claimed via email then the same way as trial respecs?

Free Respecifications

If a character receives a power respecification due to having one given to him or her, it is a free respec. A character may have only one free respec available at any given time. If a character has a free respec when another respec is given out, he or she will not receive the new respec.

Free respecs are usually given out after significant changes to game mechanics involving powers. For example, when Enhancement Diversification was released on the live servers, a free respec was given to all heroes due to a significant change in the effects of enhancement slotting.

This type of respec is commonly known as freespec (free + respec).

Respecification Recipes

As of Issue 11 characters may buy Respec Recipes from other players or find them as rare drops from defeating enemies. Crafting this recipe awards the crafter with a free respec. These cannot be crafted if the character already has a free respec available.

Holiday Respecification

As of 2009, the Candy Keeper sells a respec option. It costs 500 Candy Cane Salvage and 5000 influence/infamy per level of your character. It cannot be purchased if the character is holding a free respec and each character can only purchase one per event.

Notes

• Important! Keep in mind that unless a character finds or purchases a Respec Recipe on the Consignment House, or a player spends $10 on a purchase recipe, earned recipes are finite and free respecs are somewhat rare. If a character runs out of earned respecs, bad choices are semi-permanent!
• Because the maximum number of respecs available is limited and the time between gaining respecs is typically very long, it is highly suggested to test new builds on the Training Room server before actually committing to the respec on the live server.
• Because a character may have a maximum of one free respec at a time, it is highly suggested that these respecs be used before earned respecs by typing the /respec command on the chat command line.
• A player may see how many unclaimed respecs his or her character has at the time of logon. A system (green text) message is displayed in the chat box stating, "You have x unclaimed respecs available," where x is the number of available respecs.
• Remember that the order in which a character's powers are selected determines which powers are available when that character is exemplared or malefactored with lower-level heroes and villains. In general, the most wanted or most often-used powers should be selected first.
• The word "respec" is often misspelled "respect" by those unfamiliar with the term, by speed touch-typists, or sometimes even by some in a deliberate satirical manner. The word is an abbreviated form of the word respecification, however, and "respec" is the correct spelling. In addition, "respec" is sometimes incorrectly expanded in-game to "respecialization", such as in the badge text for respecs given as Veteran Rewards, leading to further confusion among players as to what "respec" is actually short for. Upon completion, your character has been "respecified" or "respecced" (some players also use the term "respec'd").
• The names of the villain respec trial contacts, Sparcetriel, Trepsarciel, and Ractespriel, are all anagrams of "respec trial."
• After using a respec, using the /clear_tray command will clear all power trays of powers, as they will all fill up with random powers. This allows easier power placement onto the power trays.

Historical

This section contains information that no longer applies to the current version of City of Heroes/Villains. It is provided for historical purposes.

• The Veteran Rewards Program program was removed from the game with the release of City of Heroes: Freedom. It was replaced by the Paragon Rewards Program. While it was available, the Veteran rewards program awarded one respec to each character on a player's account at varying intervals. Respecs were awarded for 9, 21, 33, 45 and 69 months of membership.
• Purchased Respecifications. Prior to the introduction of City of Heroes: Freedom, players could purchase a respec from the Character Select screen. Players selected the character they wanted to respec, then selected the "Enter Store" icon in the lower right, then followed the prompts. Cost was US$9.99. After the release of City of Heroes: Freedom, this was removed and players instead purchase a Character Respec Token from the Paragon Market.
• Respec Recipes were added to the game with Issue 11.
• Holiday Respecifiations were added to the game with the Winter Event 2009.

See Also

• Respec (Slash Command)
• Terra Volta Respecification Trial
• Tree of Thorns Respecification Trial
• Jane Hallaway, the contact for first hero power respecification trial
• Captain James Harlan, the contact for second hero power respecification trial
• Major Richard Flagg, the contact for third hero power respecification trial
• Sparcetriel, the contact for the first villain power respecification trial
• Trepsarciel, the contact for the second villain power respecification trial
• Ractespriel, the contact for the third villain power respecification trial
• Respec Recipe
• Post-respec build
• Candy Keeper
• Candy Cane Salvage