Buffs and Debuffs

Extremely rough draft, I'm reasonably certain this is correct but don't take my word for it until the page has been reviewed.

Overview

Buffs and Debuffs are Strength Modifiers that effect both the target's Attributes and their associated Resistances. Buffs change them for the better, making the target stronger in some way. Debuffs change them for the worse, making the target weaker in some way. Most Buffs and Debuffs have a Duration that determines how long the effect will last, and a Strength Modifier that determines how much of an effect the buff or debuff will have. Some Buffs and Debuffs are instant effect and only have a Strength Modifier. All Buffs are un-resistible, while most (but not all) Debuffs are resistible.

Persistent Buff and Debuff Effects

These attribute alterations are always accompanied by a duration.

+/- ToHit

ToHit Strength Modifiers effects the target's ability to hit its target. ToHit is the opposite of Defense.

+/- Accuracy

Accuracy Strength Modifiers effect the target's ability to hit its target. Accuracy is the opposite of Elusivity.

+/- Damage

Damage Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to deal damage and to resist damage dealt to it. It is always paired with a Damage Type, and each damage type is affected independently of the others.

+/- Healing

Healing Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to Heal themselves and their allies.

+/- Defense

Defense Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to avoid or dodge an attack. Defense Strength modifiers are always paired with an Attack Tag.

+/- Elusivity

Elusivity Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to avoid or dodge and attack. Elusivity Strength modifiers are always paired with an Attack Tag. Currently, Elusivity is only used in PvP.

+/- Recharge

Recharge Strength Modifiers affect the refresh rate of the target's powers.

+/- Recovery

Recovery Strength Modifiers affect the rate at which the target's endurance bar refills.

+/- Regeneration

Regeneration Strength Modifiers affect the rate at which the target's health bar refills.

+/- Perception

Perception Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to detect stealthy foes.

+/- Stealth

Strength Modifiers affect the target's ability to hide from foes.

+/- Max Health

Max Health Strength Modifiers affect the target's maximum hit point level.

+/- Max Endurance

Max Endurance Strength Modifiers affect the target's maximum endurance level.

+/- Range

Range Strength Modifiers affect the range of the target's powers.

+/- Endurance Discount

Endurance Discount Strength Modifiers affect the endurance cost of the target's powers.

+/- Status Effect Enhancement

Status Effect Enhancement Strength Modifiers affect the duration (or in some rare cases the Magnitude) of the target's Status Effect powers. It is always paired with a Status Effect type, and each type is affected independently of the others.

+/- Run Speed

Run Speed Strength Modifiers affect the target's run speed.

+/- Max Run Speed

Max Run Speed Strength Modifiers affect the target's maximum possible run speed. This attribute cannot be higher than the Run Speed Limit.

+/- Max Jump Height

Max Jump Height Strength Modifiers affect the target's maximum possible jump height. This attribute cannot be higher than the Jump Height Limit

+/- Jump Speed

Jump Speed Strength Modifiers affect the target's speed while falling and jumping.

+/- Flight Speed

Flight Speed Strength Modifiers affect the target's speed while flying.

+/- Threat Level

Threat Level Strength Modifiers affect the target's ranking in NPC Threat lists.

Snare

Snares are sometimes referred to as a Status Effect. In reality, Snares are simply powers that Debuff any combination of these Attributes: Run Speed, Max Run Speed, Jump Speed, Jump Height, and Fly Speed. Occasionally Snares provide -Fly (a true status effect) and/or -Recharge (another Debuff). Snare enhancements affect Run Speed, Fly Speed, and Jump Speed.

Powerboost

Powerboost is labeled as a +Special power, however there is no Special Attribute. What Powerboost does is provide a positive Attribute Modifier to a large list of Attributes. These attributes are: Stun Strength, Sleep Strength, Confuse Strength, Terrorize Strength, Immobilize Strength, Held Strength, RunSpeed Strength, FlySpeed Strength, Heal Strength (A positive Hit Point Attribute Modifier), ToHit Strength, Endurance Strength, Defense Strength (All).

Resistance

+/- Resistance <Attribute/Status Effect Type>

Resistance Strength Modifiers don't strictly exist. Rather, a target's Attribute's Resistance values are modified by the Attribute Strength Modifier that it is associated with. Resistance buffs and debuffs provide a Resistance Strength value that can be modified by the caster's associated Attribute Strength Modifier. A character's base Resistance is zero and therefore the base Resistance cannot be modified by Attribute Strength Modifiers. Although the game does not use all of them, every Attribute has a linked Attribute Resistance. Also: Resistance is a convoluted mess that makes my head hurt.

Instant Buff and Debuff Effects

These attribute alterations do not have a duration, they apply an instant effect.

+/- Hit Points Yes, Damage and Healing belong here. In their simplest form they are merely buffs and debuffs to the Hit Point Attribute.

Hitpoint Strength affects the target's ability to influence a hitpoint bar. Positive values are always typed with the Heal Damage Type and refill the health bar. The Heal Attribute is modified by the Heal Strength Modifier and is resisted by the character's Heal Resistance Strength. Negative values are always paired with a Damage Type and empty the health bar. Damage Strengths are modified by the associated Damage Strength Modifiers and are resisted by the associated Damage Resistance Strengths.

+/- Endurance

Endurance Strength affects the target's ability to influence an endurance bar. Positive values refill the bar. Negative values empty the bar and are commonly referred to as Saps or Drains.

Historical

This section contains information about changes that took place in City of Heroes/Villains. It is provided for historical purposes.

At inception, most buffs were single target, with a few PBAoE buffs. In Issue 20.5, many single-target buffs were changed to a targeted-AoE style buff. Most of the buffs changed are the ones referred to as "bubbles":

• Cold Domination (Defenders, Controllers, Corruptors): Ice Shield and Glacial Shield
• Force Field (Defenders, Controllers, Masterminds): Deflection Shield and Insulation Shield
• Kinetics (Defenders, Controllers, Corruptors): Increase Density and Speed Boost
• Sonic Resonance (Defenders, Controllers, Corruptors): Sonic Barrier and Sonic Haven
• Thermal Radiation (Controllers, Corruptors, Masterminds): Fire Shield and Plasma Shield

Alongside these changes came Null the Gull, a contact where characters can specify whether to accept or reject the movement-affecting part of buffs such as Speed Boost. Additionally, the change to Kinetics' Increase Density was slightly different: the Status Effect protection is still single-target, while the Damage Resistance part was made into a targeted-AoE.