Issue 22

Overview

Issue 22, Death Incarnate, will be a major revision to City of Heroes and City of Villains. The title references the Dilemma Diabolique Trial, one of the major features of the issue.

This article summarizes some of the major features in Issue 22. For more complete details, see the release date's patch notes.

• Closed Beta testing on the Training Room for Issue 22 started on XXXX.
• On Wednesday, January 11, 2012, the Beta Server was opened up for Issue 22 VIP Open Beta.
• Issue 22 was released to the Live Servers on Tuesday, March 3, 2012.

Mission and Story Content

Dark Astoria Zone Revamp

Dark Astoria is the decayed, urban epitaph to the dark god Mot. Largely unbeknownst to the original founders of this doomed city, a terrible being was entombed here in ages past. The death of the city has been steady, inexorable and irreversable. In recent years, Dark Astoria has been a dangerous place but now that the last remnants of Mot's bindings have begun to erode, the city exerts its mysterious pull, drawing the doomed to its streets to struggle or serve. At long last, Mot has been freed. His minions flock to Dark Astoria in greater numbers than ever before to revel in his power and witness as he devours all life on Primal Earth.

• Dark Astoria has been repopulated with Incarnate level enemies from the Banished Pantheon, Tsoo, Talons of Vengeance, Circle of Thorns and the new Knives of Vengeance, ranging in level from 50 to 54.

• The Banished Pantheon, Tsoo and Talons of Vengeance also feature new members to be fought at these level ranges. Lower levels are unchanged, except as noted below in the section for Villain Group Adjustments.

• Malta, Arachnos, 5th Column, Paragon Police and Knives of Artemis will also appear at Incarnate levels in missions only.

• New zone art: Moth Cemetery has been completely revamped from its original appearance and layout, the warwalls have taken a distinctly menacing hue and the fog has been lifted.

• New portal connects to Peregrine Island and Grandville to give access to both Heroes and Villains.

Dark Astoria Story Arcs

• Heroes
  • The Dark Astoria arc begins when Captain Nolan of the PPD contacts heroes who have unlocked their Alpha Incarnate slot about an odd series of cases that have been occurring in Peregrine Island. He believes they may be linked to the events of Dark Astoria.
  • Ephram Sha of the Midnight Squad has tasks befitting Incarnate-level Heroes in Dark Astoria. Help him push back the forces of Mot! Ephram Sha offers repeatable missions.

• Villains
  • Villains who have unlocked their Alpha Incarnate slot will receive a threatening Arachnos message from a deranged member of the organization. This man's madness may either be an intricate plot from Arachnos or an indication of something far more powerful that seeks to exact justice upon villains.
  • The Circle of Thorns has an interest in the dark magics swirling around Dark Astoria. They have sent Maharaj, a powerful Madness Mage, to help Incarnate-level Villains sow chaos in the ranks of their foes. Maharaj offers repeatable missions.

Mid-Level Story Arcs

• Steel Canyon
  • The 5th Column have mounted a counteroffensive against the Council, with Steel Canyon as the battlefield. Laura Lockhart, professional deprogrammer and 5th Column propaganda expert, is recruiting heroes to help investigate this recent surge of violence.
  • The Steel Canyon Asian Art Museum's Grand Opening is underway, and the main exhibit has a hidden connection with the Tsoo... but with a death warrant out on your head, that may be the least of your concerns!

• Cap au Diable
  • A mysterious man named Baron Zukor has arrived in Cap au Diable, and has put out a call to the Destined Ones... to turn to heroism? Infiltrate his strange cult of villains-turned-heroes and turn Zukor's game against him!
  • The Luddites have been blathering on about the evils of technology for ages, but a new prophecy has given you some inspiration. Brother Hammond is convinced that you are the Chosen One... and who are you to argue, when a free army of followers has just fallen into your lap?

Drowning In Blood Trial

In the aftermath of Galaxy City, all eyes have turned to Bloody Bay. For the past twenty years the small island has been the home of the Shivans, ever since the Shivan Comet almost collided with Earth. In recent days, though, all communication with the island has mysteriously stopped. Traveling along side either Longbow or Arachnos reinforcements, venture back to the island to uncover the events that transpired and search for insight into the Shivans.

The event takes place in an instanced outdoor mission version of Bloody Bay. Players will venture through the streets and wilderness of the island, facing Freakshow, Circle of Thorns and Shivans. The event is available via the Team-Up Teleporter and accommodates 4 to 8 players, level 15+.

Adamastor Zone Event

• Adamastor has broken free of Dark Astoria, lying in wait beyond its walls until his summoning rituals are completed by cultists of the Banished Pantheon. Prevent this Giant Monster from going on a rampage in Talos Island and Sharkhead Isle by finding the Ritual of Summoning: Adamastor and using it to summon and defeat the creature. Players may acquire the Ritual of Summoning: Adamastor as a random recipe drop from any Boss level or higher Banished Pantheon enemy, at any level the Banished Pantheon can be battled. It can then be converted into the Ritual of Summoning power at any Invention Worktable for 500 Influence.

• New Zone Events have been added in Talos Island (at the former doorway to Dark Astoria) and in Sharkhead Isle (in the sunken portion of Potters Field).

• Using the Ritual of Summoning in the zone event area will bring forth Adamastor, allowing heroes and villains alike to defeat him and earn the Keeper of Secrets badge.

• The Ritual of Summoning recipe is tradeable, mailable and auctionable.

• Adamastor awards each character who receives credit for his defeat up to 5 Threads and 10 Reward Merits once every 20hrs. This is per character, not per account.

Incarnate Trial - Dilemma Diabolique

• After dealing with Mot throughout the course of the Dark Astoria story arcs, there is one thread left unresolved: what was Diabolique's purpose in coming to Dark Astoria? It isn't long before the Incarnates learn that she has come to claim Mot's power for herself, in an effort to become Death Incarnate. This stage is set for this new trial with a special introductory story arc, with the story continuing to unfold in the trial itself. Battle against the Banished Pantheon and Diabolique's Demons as you cross between the worlds of the living and the dead try to stop Diabolique from completing her plans to become Death Incarnate!

• This event is level 54+3, requires 8 to 16 players, and takes place in and around the former Moth Cemetery, where Mot has emerged from below the ground. Diabolique has set up a defensive barrier to the central plateau, which must be breached in order to recover the sources of power Diabolique is using for her ritual to become Death Incarnate. After the effort to recover all of the power sources ends, Diabolique will send forth her new "pet", the Sentinel of Mot, to deal with the invaders. When the monstrous creature is dealt with, it is simply a matter of descending into Mot himself and confronting Diabolique... though it quickly becomes clear that she has one more trick up her sleeve.

• Dilemma Diabolique will award both Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP. Additionally, on completion it will award 2 Empyrean Merits. During the 20 hour cooldown, Dilemma Diabolique awards 1 Empyrean Merit for each completion.

Incarnate Rewards Without Trials

• VIP Players who are level 50 can receive Incarnate Rewards outside of the trials through participation in Dark Astoria's zone and mission content.

• Defeating enemies within Dark Astoria and its missions will award both Physical and Psychic Incarnate XP. Additionally, defeated enemies have a chance to drop Incarnate Threads.

• Enemies in this zone and its missions range from level 50 to 54, with higher level enemies providing more XP and greater chance for Thread drops.

• Repeatable Missions within Dark Astoria will award their choice of Incarnate Threads, Reward Merits, and Super Inspirations.

• The first Daily Repeatable completed will award more threads than subsequent Repeatables completed the same day, but threads can always be earned for completing Repeatables.

• Story Arcs within Dark Astoria will award players with their choice of one randomly chosen Incarnate Component pool, a randomly chosen Incarnate Merit, Incarnate Threads, Reward Merits or Super Inspirations.

• There is a chance to earn a Common, Uncommon, Rare or Very Rare Component with the Incarnate Component selection.

• There is a chance to earn an Astral or an Empyrean Merit with the Incarnate Merit selection.

• The story arcs use a similar lockout mechanism to that used in Signature Story Arcs, except with a 20-hour lockout for the reward choices, rather than 1 week.

• Incarnate Shards will not drop in Dark Astoria or its missions.

• Additionally, sub-level 50 VIPs should feel free to join their Incarnate friends in Dark Astoria. These players gain regular XP up to level 50, at which point they will automatically begin to earn Incarnate Rewards and accumulate Incarnate XP for as long as they remain in Dark Astoria.

Other Content

• New Powersets:
  • Darkness Control (for Controllers and Dominators, free for VIP)
  • Dark Affinity (secondary power set for Controllers, based on Dark Miasma, free for everyone)
  • Darkness Assault (secondary power set for Dominators, based on Dark Blast and Dark Melee, free for everyone)
• Stalkers will be improved in this issue with the following changes:
  • Assassin's Strike will be buffed to have usage out of hide
  • a new inherent power called Assassin's Focus will be added to help compete for high DPS
  • HP Cap for Stalkers will be increased so that +HP powers like Regeneration's Dull Pain can have a greater effect
• Controllers will get some improvements:
  • A special tag will be added to incarnate trial bosses to allow Controllers to deal Containment damage to them, and on any big scary boss that is immune to control in the future.
  • Gravity Control:
    • Propel's animation will be reduced from the current 3.8 seconds to 2.07 seconds.
    • This will reduce its damage in PvP; PvE damage remains the same.
    • The speed of Propel's projectile will also be increased.
    • Lift for Controllers (and Singularity) will have its damage improved from 0.8 scale to 1.3 scale.
    • Wormhole will no longer notify affected mobs on activation
    • Dimension Shift is becoming a placeable AoE Toggle power lasting a maximum of 20 seconds
    • New mechanic called "Impact" added to the set. This adds bonus damage when using Lift or Propel on a target that's under the effects of Gravity Distortion because Gravity Distortion cancels the knock effects of Lift and Propel.
  • Ice Control
    • Jack Frost's AI has been tweaked: "he will be less derp."
• Peacebringer's Light Form "little wisp" appearance will return via powers customization.

External Links

• City of Heroes Issue 22 announced during Player Summit
• Staff Fighting Teaser
• Controller, Kheldian & Energy Melee discussed on December 7th "Coffee Talk"