Signature Story Arc
Overview
Signature Story Arcs (SSA) are monthly arcs that allow players to make a difference in the City of Heroes universe. To access the various contacts that give SSA missions, one must purchase the particular episode from the Paragon Market or have an active subscription.
Story Arcs
Who Will Die? — The first SSA released, chronicling Darrin Wade's quest for power and the death of Freedom Phalanx members.
Pandora's Box — The second SSA released, which centers on mysterious powers being distributed and a group rising to rival Arachnos.
Rewards
Reward Options
The reward for completing each Episode of a Signature Story Arc is one of the following:
- One Alignment Merit (requires level 20+ and having affirmed hero or villain morality)
- 4 times the regular Reward Merits
- One Astral Merit (requires VIP subscription, level 50, and unlocked Alpha Slot)
- Ten Incarnate Threads (requires VIP subscription, level 50, and unlocked Alpha Slot)
Reward Timers
Each separate reward can be chosen once every 162 hours (6 days, 18 hours[1]), regardless of which episode is being played – all episodes use the same reward timer per reward choice, meaning four reward timers. (It's not exactly seven days to make it easier to obtain the same reward at the same time every week.)
However, each episode also grants one reward choice for free the first time it is ever played, which is outside the reward timer. Please note that the freebie choice is once ever, not once per reward type.
After a character selects their free and weekly reward, that option cannot be selected again until the weekly timer resets.
EXAMPLE: Let's say there are five episodes of Signature Story Arc "XYZ" available. A morality-confirmed hero could run all five of those episodes in a row and select the Alignment Merit reward for free on each arc; the character can then run any one of the five for a sixth Alignment Merit, which would be their weekly reward choice.
NOTE: There is no location or status window that keeps track of the reward timer; if a character runs a Signature Story Arc within the reward timer, they cannot choose any reward that has been obtained in the last 162 hours. However, leaving the reward choice window open without making a decision until the reward timer expires allows a character to choose their preferred reward, which will restart the weekly timer for that reward.