Power Pools
Overview
Power Pools are supplemental powersets available to all archetypes, beyond the primary and secondary powersets selected during character creation. A character may select powers from up to four power pools per build. Unlike primary and secondary archetype powersets, a character may change their power pools during a respec. Each power pool has either four or five powers, which are unlocked at various levels, as described below.
Pool powers aren't as effective as their cousins in primary and secondary powersets. However, they can be used to cover a weakness in your power sets (Aid Self for a Blaster), provide support abilities to your team-mates (Maneuvers for a Defender), or have a surprising twist or contradiction on your Archetype and power sets (Provoke for a Mastermind). The Travel Powers also come from the power pools. Utilizing power pools may require skipping one or more powers in the primary or secondary powersets of the character.
Power Pools
Free Pools
NOTE: Peacebringers and Warshades do not have access to the Flight or Teleportation pools.
Purchased Pools
Selecting Pool Powers
Upon training to level 4, you will receive the following message on the power selection screen:
IMPORTANT!
You have unlocked access to new power sets!
To select a Power Pool power instead of a regular power, click the Power Pool Sets button in the right hand column.
At level 4, you may choose one of the first three powers in any Power Pool set. The fourth and fifth power in a set will become available at level 14, but only if you chose two of the first three powers in the set earlier.
You can choose a Power Pool power instead of a normal power from this point forward.
| First power | Level 4 |
| Second power | Level 4 |
| Third power | Level 14, and at least one other power from this pool |
| Fourth power | Level 14, and at least two other powers from this pool |
| First power | Level 4 |
| Second power | Level 4 |
| Third power | Level 4 |
| Fourth power | Level 14, and at least two other powers from this pool |
| Fifth power | Level 14, and at least two other powers from this pool |
Historical
This section contains information about changes that took place in City of Heroes/Villains. It is provided for historical purposes.
- Prior to Issue 19, the Fitness pool was a selectable power pool instead of an inherent powerset. Characters created prior to Issue 19 will still have the non-inherent Fitness Power Pool if they had selected any powers from that pool prior to its removal. However, the pool no longer appears in the list of power pools for characters reaching level 6 either through normal play or by performing a respec.
- Issue 21 reduced the unlock level of all power pools from level 6 to level 4. Issue 21 also reduced the level to choose a travel power to level 4 as well, and requires no prerequisite.
- The Travel Power pools (Flight, Leaping, Speed, Teleportation) allowed selection of the travel power at level 6 without a prerequisite if the player had the 60 month veteran reward. This veteran reward was removed with the level changes in Issue 21.
See Also
- Ancillary Power Pools, available for Heroes and Villains starting at Level 35
- Patron Power Pools, available for Villains starting at Level 35 after a Story Arc