The Players' Guide to the Cities/Fighting and Other Actions

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Combat and many other actions are controlled by using your powers. Your powers, in turn, are controlled from your Tray Window.

Before you can learn how to attack your enemies, you need to know how to keep track of your own condition in combat. This is done through the three status bars in the Status Window.

Using Your Powers

Most of the action in City of Heroes and City of Villains revolves around the ongoing battles between you, your allies, and the many super-powered villains and heroes that inhabit the world.

You conduct your battles by using your powers. Below is a general list of the broad effects of most of the powers in the game, and how they are used in combat. Note that some unique powers may fall outside of the categories below. Also note that powers may combine effects from more than one of these categories. For example, you might gain access to a vampiric attack that damages the enemy and heals you at the same time or an attack that stuns the enemy if it hits.

Attack Powers - Attack powers deal damage to an enemy. They may be single-target or area of effect (damaging all targets within a given area.) They can also be single-shot or damage-over-time (dealing damage to the enemy continuously for a certain amount of time.)

Buff Powers - Buff powers make you or your allies more effective in combat. Examples include:

• Defense Buff Powers - Defense powers prevent an enemy from damaging you or your allies, by making it more difficult for them to hit you.
• Resistance Buff Powers - Resistance powers reduce the amount of damage you or your allies take when hit by your enemies or reduce the amount of time it takes to break free from mezmerization effects.
• ToHit Buff Powers - ToHit buff powers increase the ability to successfully connect when using an attack power.
• Damage Buff Powers - Damage buff powers increase the amount of damage an attack power does when it hits an opponent.
• Recovery Buff Powers - Recovery buff powers increase the speed at which you are able to recover endurance.
• Regeneration Buff Powers - Regeneration buff powers increase the speed at which you are able to regenerate hit points.
• Speed Buff Powers - Speed buff powers increase the speed at which you are able to move or perform actions.
• Perception Buff Powers - Perception buff powers increase the ability to detect stealty or hidden opponents.
• Stealth Buff Powers - Stealth buff powers increase the ability to hide from a foe.

Debuff Powers - Debuff powers make your enemies less effective in combat. Examples include:

• Defense Debuff Powers - Defense debuffs make it harder for an enemy to dodge an attack.
• Resistance Debuff Powers - Resistance debuff powers increase the amount of damage an enemy takes when hit by you or your allies.
• ToHit Debuff Powers - ToHit debuff powers decrease your opponent's ability to successfully connect when using an attack power.
• Damage Debuff Powers - Damage debuff powers decrease the amount of damage a foe's attack powers do when they hits.
• Recovery Debuff Powers - Recovery debuff powers decrease the speed at which an enemy is able to recover endurance.
• Regeneration Debuff Powers - Regeneration debuff powers decrease the speed at which your foes are able to regenerate hit points.
• Slow Powers - Slow powers decrease the speed at which your opponents are capable of moving or performing actions.
• Perception Debuff Powers - Perception debuff powers decrease your opponent's the ability to detect stealty or hidden targets.
• Stealth Debuff Powers - Stealth debuff powers decrease the ability of a foe to hide from you.

Mezmerization Powers - Mezmerization powers prevent an opponent from performing certain actions in combat. Examples include:

• Sleep Powers - Sleep powers will temporarily put an enemy to sleep. A sleeping enemy will awaken if attacked or healed.
• Disorient Powers - Disorient powers cause an opponent to stumble aimlessly about, incapable of performing any other actions.
• Immobilize Powers - Immobilize powers prevent targets from moving, but not from attacking.
• Hold Powers - Hold powers will immobilize your foe and prevent them from performing any actions.
• Confuse Powers - Confuse powers will cause an enemy to temporarily switch sides and begin attacking his own allies.
• Fear Powers - Fear powers will cause a foe to cower in fear, unable to perform any actions. A terrorized opponent will, however, be able to react long enough to perform one action or run a short distance every time they are attacked.
• Intangibility Powers - Intangibility powers will temporarly prevent an opponent from either affecting or being affected by anyone else. Foes will still be able to affect themselves while intangible.
• Knockback/down/up Powers - Knockback powers will send an opponent flying away from you. Knockdown powers will knock an opponent to the ground. Knockup powers will send an opponent flying into the air before they come crashing back down to the ground. Any opponent that is knocked back, knocked down, or knocked up, will have to take the time to pick themselves back up off of the ground before performing any further actions.

Taunt Powers - Taunt powers compel your enemies to stop attacking someone else and turn their attention toward you instead.

Placate Powers - Placate powers compel your enemies to stop attacking you and turn their attention toward someone else.

Heal Powers - Heal powers restore hit points that have been lost in combat.

Movement Powers - Movement (or travel) powers increase your mobility and speed of movement.