Notoriety

This article is about mission difficulty/notoriety. For Player Vs Player reputation, see Reputation.

Overview

In both City of Heroes and City of Villains, your character's Notoriety (also known as your Difficulty or Challenge Level setting; or Reputation) affects the size and makeup of the spawns in your missions. Unlike the pre-Issue 16 Notoriety system, there are several ways to adjust the diffuculty of instanced mission, described below. In addition, adjusting Notoriety settings no longer costs a character Influence or Infamy. Changing your setting will affect instance (door) missions that have not yet started.

City of Heroes

Issue 16 completely revamped the notoriety system by allowing players to fine-tune exactly how they want enemies to spawn in missions. In addition, Hero Corps no longer charges for this services.

When a Field Analyst is first approached, the player will be given the following dialogue:

Welcome to the new Hero Corps

Powered Personnel Power Profile, or 4XP as we like to call it. We have you listed on file Character:

-- Capable of fighting enemies at your current security level.
-- Combat equivalent of 1 standard hero.
-- Does not prefer fighting bosses when alone.
-- Does not prefer to fight Arch-Villains.

Does this sound correct?

I want to change the level I fight

I want to fight enemies that are -1 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +0 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +1 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +2 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +3 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +4 to my level.

We've updated our data files, you are now marked as wanting to fight enemies -/+X to your level.

I want to change the number of heroes to which I'm equivalent

I think I'm as good or better than 1 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 2 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 3 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 4 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 5 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 6 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 7 standard heroes.

I think I'm as good or better than 8 standard heroes.

We've updated our data files, you are now marked as equivalent to X standard heroes.

Hero Corps Field Analysts

Hero Corps Field Analyst found in Kings Row

The Hero Corps Field Analysts are the people who are responsible for changing your notoriety. They are at the following locations:

Zone	Location	Coordinates
Atlas Park	Behind and to the right (northeast) of City Hall	(-50, 16, -886)
Galaxy City	Just behind the Freedom Corps headquarters	(673, 64, -832)
Kings Row	Southwest of Blue Steel, just outside the Paragon City Police Department	(-602, 32, 1459)
Steel Canyon	Just south of the large statue where Positron and Valkyrie are located	(-3136, -80, -396)
Skyway City	In the western part of the grassy park area where Synapse and Mynx are located	(-74, -27, -5108)
Faultline	Near the Overbrook Medical Center	(-414, 0, -1579)
Independence Port	Between the Green Line monorail station and the hospital, just behind the base portal	(-1562, 6, -5511)
Talos Island	Just in front of the large statue of Talos	(1714, 13, 7752)
Croatoa	Just in front of the University building	(-1101, 38, 2016)
Brickstown	Just outside the hospital on the southern side	(265, 0, 1526)
Founders' Falls	Just west of the large fountain south where Numina and Infernal are located	(3887, 0, 605)
Rikti War Zone	In the southwest corner of the central platform in the Vanguard Base	(359, -1184, -2286)
Peregrine Island	Just beside the large Portal Corporation sign in the courtyard	(-1502, 0, -3470)
Cimerora	In the northwest corner of the entrance cave from the Midnighter Club	(-596, -40, 4899)

City of Villains

Issue 16 completely revamped the notoriety system by allowing players to fine-tune exactly how they want enemies to spawn in missions. In addition, Arachnos no longer charges for this service.

When a Fortunata Fateweaver is first approached, the player will be given the following dialogue:

Welcome to the new Arachnos

Strategic Rating of Superpowered Live Yield, or SRSLY as we like to call it. We have you listed on file Character:

-- Capable of fighting enemies at your current security level.
-- Combat equivalent of 1 standard villain.
-- Does not prefer fighting bosses when alone.
-- Does not prefer to fight Heroes.

Does this sound correct?

I want to change the level I fight

I want to fight enemies that are -1 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +0 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +1 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +2 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +3 to my level.

I want to fight enemies that are +4 to my level.

We've updated our data files, you are now marked as wanting to fight enemies -/+X to your level.

I want to change the number of villains to which I'm equivalent

I think I'm as good or better than 1 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 2 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 3 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 4 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 5 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 6 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 7 standard villains.

I think I'm as good or better than 8 standard villains.

We've updated our data files, you are now marked as equivalent to X standard villains. Hail Recluse!

Fortunata Fateweavers

Fortunata Fateweaver found in Mercy Island

The Fortunata are the people who are responsible for changing your notoriety. They are at the following locations:

Zone	Location	Coordinates
Mercy Island	Under the clocktower right by the Darwin's Landing marker	(-1853, 96, -1539)
Port Oakes	Just southeast of the Arena, which is northwest of the Mercy Island ferry	(-1090, 160, 1314)
Cap au Diable	Just southwest of Arbiter Howe in the Aeon City neighborhood	(-351, 151, -222)
Sharkhead Isle	On the dock just northeast of the Ferry	(-1193, 0, -776)
Nerva Archipelago	On the dock with the Mutant and Magic Stores	(2280, 11, 8429)
St. Martial	Just east of Arbiter Hayes on the north side of the Golden Giza	(-2229, 128, 1456)
Grandville	Just east of the Elite Quartermaster in the central plaza	(2718, -392, 1894)
Rikti War Zone	In the southwest corner of the central platform in the Vanguard Base	(342, -1184, -2287)
Cimerora	In the southwest corner of the entrance cave from the Midnighter Club	(-595, -40, 4971)

Spawns

The primary factors affecting the spawn size and makeup include the experience level of the character when the mission was assigned, the notoriety of that character when the mission is first entered and the number of players on the team when the spawn is, well, spawned. Mobs are spawned throughout a mission as characters approach spawn points.

Generally speaking, a Spawn Point in a solo mission at the lowest notoriety will generate either three Minions or a Minion and a Lieutenant. Two players will generate five Minions, or three Minions and a Lieutenant, or three Minions one level higher, or a Minion and a Lieutenant one level higher. More players or a higher notoriety will produce greater numbers of enemies, sometimes producing Bosses over and above the number placed by the mission designer.

In addition, missions attempted by a solo player on the lowest notoriety level will spawn Lieutenants where the mission designer placed Bosses. Missions that call for a "signature character" such as (say) Aurora Borealis or Anti-Matter will spawn that character as an Elite Boss or Archvillain depending on real (not adjusted) team size, as listed below. N.B.: Archvillain or Hero characters in Task or Strike Forces will always spawn as such regardless of team size or notoriety.

Finally a note to players of Kheldian archtypes: Void Hunter and Quantum mobs spawn in addition to the number normally generated by a spawn point. Increases in team size can cause Void Hunter and Quantum mobs to spawn at Lieutenant and even Boss strength as well. For this reason, Kheldian players should exercise caution in raising their notoriety.

Task Forces/ Strike Forces/ Trials

Currently Notoriety settings do not affect Task Forces, Strike Forces, or Trials, due to a bug that allowed players to spawn the Archvillains and/ or Heroes in these tasks below their minimum level, making them easier to defeat than designed. Notoriety may affect these tasks in the future once the code is adjusted for them, in a future patch.

Architech Entertainment

Notoriety settings affect spawns in Architect Entertainment (Mission Architect) missions in the same manner as standard instanced missions. For example, if the character has opted to fight Archvillains or Heroes at Elite Boss difficulty, Archvillains and Heroes in Mission Architect missions will spawn at the Elite Boss rank instead.

Pre Issue 16 Notoriety System

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

The below information describes the Notoriety system prior to Issue 16. It had fewer options than the post-Issue 16 system.

Overview

In both City of Heroes and City of Villains, your character's Notoriety (also known as your Difficulty or Challenge Level setting; or Reputation) affects the size and makeup of the spawns in your missions. There are five Notoriety levels to choose from when visiting a Field Analyst or Fateweaver and paying a modest fee (influence or infamy). Changing your setting will affect instance (door) missions that have not yet started.

Hero	Villain	Level	Size	Challenge Level	Notes
Heroic	Villainous	+0 or +1		Challenge Level 1	Bosses downgraded to Lieutenants when solo, Heroes/Archvillains downgraded to Elite Bosses in teams of 5 or less
Tenacious	Malicious	+0 or +1	larger spawns	Challenge Level 2	Heroes/Archvillains downgraded to Elite Bosses in teams of 4 or less
Rugged	Vicious	+1 or +2		Challenge Level 3	Heroes/Archvillains downgraded to Elite Bosses in teams of 3 or less
Unyielding	Ruthless	+1 or +2	larger spawns	Challenge Level 4	Heroes/Archvillains downgraded to Elite Bosses in teams of 2 or less
Invincible	Relentless	+2 or +3		Challenge Level 5	Heroes/Archvillains remain even when solo

Hero Difficulty Levels

There are five levels of notoriety. In order from easiest to hardest, they are:

Heroic

At the Heroic level, enemies will typically be equal to or a level above your character's level and the number of enemies will be at a base number. If you are attempting missions by yourself, bosses in the missions will instead be lieutenants with reduced hit points and power effectiveness, though they will retain the same powers as a normal boss. Similarly, Archvillains will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than six players.

Tenacious

At the Tenacious level, enemies will still typically be equal to or a level above your character's level, but the number and rank of enemies will be calculated as if there was an additional person on your team. Enemies may therefore be more numerous and there may be more lieutenants and bosses. If you are attempting missions by yourself, bosses can spawn in them when set to this difficulty level or higher. Archvillains will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than five players.

Rugged

At the Rugged level, enemies will typically be one to two levels above your character's level and the number of enemies will be approximately the same as the base number at the Heroic level. Bosses will spawn in missions normally, but Archvillains will be Elite Bosses when there are less than four players on the team.

Unyielding

At the Unyielding level, enemies will typically be one to two levels above your character's level, but the number and rank of enemies will be calculated as if there was an additional person on your team. Enemies may therefore be more numerous and there may be more lieutenants and bosses. Archvillains will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than three players.

Invincible

At the Invincible level, enemies will typically be two to three levels above your character's level and the number of enemies will be approximately the same as the base number at the Heroic level. Bosses will spawn in missions normally and Archvillains will be Archvillains, even if the missions are attempted by a single character (i.e. they will not be reduced to Elite Bosses).

Villain Difficulty Levels

There are five levels of notoriety. In order from easiest to hardest, they are:

Villainous

At the Villainous level, enemies will typically be equal to or a level above your character's level and the number of enemies will be at a base number. If you are attempting missions by yourself, bosses in the missions will instead be lieutenants with reduced hit points and power effectiveness, though they will retain the same powers as a normal boss. Similarly, Archvillains and Heroes will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than six players.

Malicious

At the Malicious level, enemies will still typically be equal to or a level above your character's level, but the number and rank of enemies will be calculated as if there was an additional person on your team. Enemies may therefore be more numerous and there may be more lieutenants and bosses. If you are attempting missions by yourself, bosses can spawn in them when set to this difficulty level or higher. Archvillains and Heroes will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than five players.

Vicious

At the Vicious level, enemies will typically be one to two levels above your character's level and the number of enemies will be approximately the same as the base number at the Villainous level. Bosses will spawn in missions normally, but Archvillains and Heroes will be Elite Bosses when there are less than four players on the team.

Ruthless

At the Ruthless level, enemies will typically be one to two levels above your character's level, but the number and rank of enemies will be calculated as if there was an additional person on your team. Enemies may therefore be more numerous and there may be more lieutenants and bosses. Archvillains and Heroes will be Elite Bosses when the team has less than three players.

Relentless

At the Relentless level, enemies will typically be two to three levels above your character's level and the number of enemies will be approximately the same as the base number at the Villainous level. Bosses will spawn in missions normally and Archvillains and Heroes will remain Archvillains and Heroes, even if the missions are attempted by a single character (i.e. they will not be reduced to Elite Bosses).