Issue 11

Overview

Issue 11, titled A Stitch in Time will be the next major update to City of Heroes and City of Villains. Initially, a small "tease" wallpaper was released of issue 11 on Thursday, September 20th, 2007, and can be viewed here

Confirmed Content

New Power Sets

It has been confirmed in an interview at PAX that the new powersets in issue 11 will include Dual Blades and Willpower, these sets will be available for Brutes, Scrappers, Stalkers and Tankers. The secondary effect of the Dual Blades powerset has been described as a chaining effect, where the order in which specific attacks are used will add different additional effects. Willpower has been described as a "Tough Guy" defensive set with a balance of Resistance, Defense, and Regeneration, a number of passive powers, and a minimum of visual effects.

Weapon Customization (Drawn weapons only)

Main Article: Weapon Customization

Several of the weapons that can be changed are Assault Rifle, Mercenaries(Assault Rifle), Battle Axe[1], Bow used in Archery & Trick Arrow, Broad Sword, Claws (Hero & Villain), Dual Blades, Katana, Ninja Blade, War Mace, Robotics (Pulse Rifle), and Thugs (Dual Pistols).

All weapons will be selectable individually, including any dual-handed weapon sets being able to select different weapons in each hand. This goes to the point of a Thugs/Trick Arrow Mastermind being able to select left hand pistol, right hand pistol, and bow separately.

There will be many, many available choices for individual weapon selections, including a number taken from the various in-game NPCs. The majority of possible selections will be available to the appropriate Archetypes at creation time. Many selections will need to be unlocked before they can actually be used. These unlockable ones will primarily be weapons linked to particular NPC groups. Unlockable weapons have the potential to be unlocked by any method that can currently unlock costume pieces, including as recipe drops. However in this initial release unlockable weapons are being linked to existing faction badges[2], with the exception of a couple of Vanguard related weapons that will be craftable at the Vanguard Invention Tables with Vanguard merits.[3]

Ouroboros System/Flashback

Heroes and Villains can use the Ouroboros System to return to story arcs that they may have missed and replay hundreds of missions from earlier in the game. Players will even get to set mission parameters for these missions to earn special badges. Heroes and Villains will be auto-exemplared to the appropriate level for each story arc to ensure the challenge level remains constant.

Through the Menders of Ouroboros players become able through time and relive major events from the history of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. Heroes who travel back in time will embark on missions such as preventing the Circle of Thorns from unleashing a powerful demon, a story originally presented in the City of Heroes comic book. Villains who journey through time will get the chance to assist Lord Recluse in his initial campaign to conquer the Rogue Isles, as well as other unconfirmed missions.

New Invention Sets (Including Rare Sets)

Issue 11 brings with it new invention sets including “Very Rare” Purple sets, as well as brand new invention sets for Taunt, Buff and Debuff powers, among others.

New general sets

New Invention Origin Enhancement sets will be made availible for the following types of powers:[4]

• Taunt
• Knockback
• Endurance Modification
• To Hit Buff
• To Hit Debuff
• Defense Buff
• Defense Debuff

Rare Purple Sets

Question: I don't suppose I could get one of you nice devs to explain how the very rare enhancements work? How do you get them? What is special about them (like values we can get, set bonuses, ect).

Positron Says: They have better than normal bonuses (think in the range of 125% of what they “should be” – but this is all pending continued balance testing). They only come at level 50, and you need to be level 50 to slot them. However, they “work” all the way down to level 1, so exemplar to any level and you will still get your Set Bonuses from them. Also they are ALL “unique” so you can only ever have 1 of any of them slotted (so only one “Armageddon” set, even though you might have several powers that can take it).[5]

Confirmed NOT Included

Issue 11 will not have a space station or moon base. Citation

Designer interview with Positron:

Interviewer: "When will players be seeing epic villain archetypes?"
Positron: "We want to try to squeeze those in early next year (2008), but it’s still up in the air."

In a later letter from Posi, he says they will NOT be including Nictus and other archetypes for Issue 11, because the new powersets are enough.

Possible Content

• New zones, trials.

• Return of the Cathedral of Pain Trial
• Archnemesis System
• Supergroup Base improvements
• Villains coming into Paragon City's Hazard Zones.