Special Enhancements
Overview
Special Enhancements are usable by all character archetypes and origins, but are only obtainable by completing some very difficult-to-accomplish tasks.
Currently, Special Enhancements include
- Hamidon Origin Enhancements
- Crystal Titan Origin Enhancements
- Hydra Origin Enhancements
- D-Sync Origin Enhancements
- Talisman Enhancements.
Benefits
Special Enhancements provide benefits much like Single-Origin Enhancements, but provide benefits to more than one aspect at a time. For example, a Special Enhancement may affect both the damage and accuracy of a power, instead of a just damage or just accuracy.
A Special Enhancement may be added to a power if any portion of the enhancement can apply to the power. However, any aspects which do not apply to the power will be ignored. For example, a Damage/Accuracy Special Enhancement may be added to Envenom, but because Envenom does no damage, the damage portion of the enhancement will be ignored. The accuracy portion, however, will function perfectly.
Special Enhancement Progression
When City of Heroes was first released, the maximum level was 40, and the Hamidon Raid (where masses of players defeat a super-Giant Monster Hamidon) was a level 40 event. The level cap was raised to 50 in Issue 1, and the Hamidon Raid was also raised to level 50. However, the Abandoned Sewers Trial (introduced in Issue 1, awarding Hydra Origin Enhancements) and the Eden Trial (introduced in Issue 2, awarding Crystal Titan Origin Enhancements) replaced the Hamidon Raid with level 40-43 Special Enhancements.
Because these Special Enhancements respect the character's level just like normal enhancements, the Hydra and Titan enhancements can be outleveled. While the Hamidon enhancements function the same way, since the Hamidon raid is now designed for level 50 characters, they can't technically be outleveled since the level cap is 50.
Additionally, Hamidon enhancements offer a higher bonus than the Hydra or Titan enhancements do. Each aspect of a +0 Hamidon enhancement offers the same bonus as a +0 SO. Hydra and Titan enhancements offer a bonus that is between a -2 and a -3 SO. (Just like normal enhancements, a difference in level between the character and the Special Enhancement, or stacking Special Enhancements, will affect the exact bonus conferred to the character's power.)
Homecoming Changes
As of Homecoming, Special Enhancements (excluding Talismans) now can be merged together with other Special Enhancements with the same effects to increase the level of the higher one. This means, for example, Hydra Origin Enhancements can be used to increase the power of Hamidon Origin Enhancements, which has led to Hydra and Titan Enhancements serving primarily as power boosters for Hamidon Origin and D-Sync Origin Enhancements.
Also added in Homecoming, enabling traditional Master Of challenges and successfully completing the Abandoned Sewers Trial, Eden Trial, Ms. Liberty Task Force or Lord Recluse Strike Force will now cause any Special Enhancements awarded to be granted at their maximum possible level, level 53. As Dr. Aeon's Strike Force has no such setting, the unique effect combinations from that Strike Force are even more valuable as a result, since they cannot be granted at maximum power immediately and must be merged to achieve that level.
Talisman Enhancements
- Main article: Talisman Enhancements
Talisman Enhancements only enhance a single aspect of a power like Single-Origin enhancements, but are usable by any origin or archetype. One can be acquired during Tutorials, and the rest are sold by Mr. Yin in Faultline for a lower price than their Single-Origin equivalents.
Comparison
Below is a listing of each Special Enhancement matching with their effects. In the table below, the "Hold" icon (
) stands in for: Confuse, Stun, Fear, Hold, Immobilize, Intangibility, and Sleep ("Mez Duration"). The "Run Speed" icon (
) stands in for: Flight Speed, Jump Speed, and Run Speed ("Movement Increase").
| Hydra Enhancement | Titan Enhancement | Hamidon Enhancement | D-Sync Enhancement | Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti Proton Exposure | Zeolite Shard | Enzyme Exposure | D-Sync Marginalization |   
|
| Delta Particle Exposure | Gypsum Shard | Lysosome Exposure | D-Sync Obfuscation | 
|
| Electron Exposure | Peridont Shard | Ribosome Exposure | D-Sync Fortification | 
|
| Gluon Exposure | Amethyst Shard | Peroxisome Exposure | D-Sync Containment | 
|
| Graviton Exposure | Calcite Shard | Endoplasm Exposure | D-Sync Binding |
|
| Neutrino Exposure | Diamond Shard | Nucleolus Exposure | D-Sync Empowerment |
|
| Neutron Exposure | Quartz Shard | Centriole Exposure | D-Sync Extension | 
|
| Positron Exposure | Kyanite Shard | Golgi Exposure | D-Sync Reconstitution | 
|
| Proton Exposure | Tanzanite Shard | Cytoskeleton Exposure | D-Sync Elusivity |  
|
| Quark Particle Exposure | Citrine Shard | Membrane Exposure | D-Sync Shifting | 
|
| Theta Exposure | Selenite Shard | Microfilament Exposure | D-Sync Acceleration |
|
| D-Sync Conduit | 
| |||
| D-Sync Deceleration | 
| |||
| D-Sync Drain |
| |||
| D-Sync Efficiency |
| |||
| D-Sync Guidance |
| |||
| D-Sync Optimization |
| |||
| D-Sync Provocation | 
| |||
| D-Sync Reconstruction |
| |||
| D-Sync Siphon |
|
Other than enhancement value (Hamidon enhancements provide a larger bonus than the other two) and level when the enhancement is usable (Hydra and Titan enhancements are level 40-43, while Hamidon enhancements are generally level 50), all three types of Special Enhancement are identical.
Historical
This article contains information that no longer applies to the current version of City of Heroes/Villains. It is provided for historical purposes.
Multiple Types Exploit
It was possible to achieve enhancement values unintended by the developers by exploiting the way in which the powers system handles enhancements, and the way in which Special Enhancements were permitted to be added to a given power. More information can be found at the Hamidon Origin Enhancements page. Although the exploit and quote from Castle normally pertain to Hamidon enhancements, the exploit was viable with any Special Enhancements.
Much to the astonishment of the playerbase, this long-standing exploit was fixed without any prior warning in a patch during Issue 22 beta, and went live with the issue release.