NightErrant

And now! The Archetypes:

All Archetype Attributes are given a ranking 1 through 5.
5 means the Archetype is the best there is at that particular aspect of gameplay.
4 means the Archetype is very good at that aspect of gameplay, and can stand alongside those with a ranking of 5 in all but the most extreme situations.
3 means the archetype is good at this aspect of gameplay, but not particularly good. There may be a better choice for you if you want to focus on this aspect.
2 means the archetype is bad at this particular aspect of gameplay. An Archetype with a 2 in an attribute isn't designed to excel at that aspect without a lot of work.
1 means an archetype either lacks the ability to contribute to that aspect of gameplay without pool powers, or they're simply weaker than the other archetypes in that regard.


Blaster
The best defense is a good offense.
Primary: Ranged Damage
Secondary: Mixed Offense
Inherent: Defiance
If you're familiar with gaming, you might have heard of the term Glass Cannon. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a glass cannon is a character with a massive offensive output, but minimal defense. If you understand that term, you're pretty much 3/4th of the way to understanding the Blaster.
Blasters have a blend of face melting ranged attacks, hard hitting melee attacks, mixed buffs that can pump their damage output even higher, and the occasional soft control power.

Blasters have the highest damage output of any Archetype, and are capable of (quite literally, in some cases) RAINING DEATH UPON THEIR FOES. Anything in front of a blaster won't last very long. Period.

However, Blasters lack a means of defending themselves. Blasters instead rely on the concept of Active Defense. Rather than relying on the passive abilities of their powers to survive, a blaster has to individually freeze, fry, puncture, melt, or irradiate every single threat to their person. As a result, Blasters tend to die more often than other archetypes.

The Blaster inherent is Defiance. This allows you to continue to use your first two primary powers, as well as your first secondary power, even while mezzed. This means the first two primary powers on the list, not the first two primary powers that you choose. In addition, Blasters have a stacking damage buff built into each power. As long as you keep attacking, your attacks will do more and more damage!

Blaster Breakdown

• Survivability: 1. Blasters can be made durable, but it takes a considerable amount of work. Expect to be defeated often early on.
• Melee Damage: 4. A blaster is just as good as dealing death up close as they are from a distance, though their lack of durability hurts them a bit in this regard.
• Ranged Damage: 5 Blasters are the masters of ranged damage, and work best when raining death upon their foes from a distance.
• Crowd Control: 1. For a Blaster, defeat is the ultimate form of crowd control. They lack the more powerful controls of the other ranged classes.
• Support: 2. Blasters have some debuffs in their attacks, and may have some support powers from pools or Incarnate Abilities later in the game, but they're primarily a pure damage dealing Archetype.
• Pets: 1. Again, Blasters can pick up pets late in the game, but they aren't typically known for having them.

The Blaster Archetype is best suited to gunslingers, energy projectors, and other characters who are known more for sheer firepower than durability.

Brute
You wouldn't like me when I'm angry...
Primary: Melee Damage
Secondary: Defense
Inherent: Fury
Have you ever wanted to play an unstoppable engine of destruction? You know, the one who can rip cars apart with their bare hands? You know the one. The big, hulking green guy in comics who can punch through steel walls. And no matter how hard the army tries to stop him, all they can do is make him more angry...

That's the Brute in a nutshell.

A Brute's job is pretty simple: Hit stuff hard, and outlive the stuff you're hitting. As a result, they're good at pumping out damage, and surviving it. Before Tankers were allowed in the Rogue Isles, many a Brute was the designated meatshield for their villainous co-patriots. Today, Brutes are just as likely to fill the Tank Role as the actual Tanker archetype.

A fresh Brute (or BROOOOOT, as some people like to shout when diving face first into a pile of Freakshow) is slightly tougher than a scrapper out of the gate. However, with smart power choices and good slotting, you can rival tanks in terms of toughness.

Brutes are often hyped as having THE HIGHEST DAMAGE CAP IN THE GAME OMG. This is true. As a Brute, you enjoy immense strength, and perhaps the ability to launch Hellions into low earth orbit with your fist. However, your base damage is actually fairly low. To get those deliciously high orange numbers popping up, you need to build Fury.

Brutes have a third bar on their UI, under their endurance bar, that fills up as they fight. This is their fury bar. Every time they launch an attack, or are targeted by an attack, this bar fills up a bit. The higher the bar, the more damage it can pump out. As a result, a Brute will typically want as much enemy attention as it can survive. To help them out, the devs have added a small taunt effect to each of their attacks. This taunt is weaker than the Tanker Inherent, as it only affects one target at a time, and doesn't trigger in PVP. It does help keep people focused on hitting you, however. Assuming a Tanker isn't around, that is.

When you play a Brute, your first instinct is to rush from spawn to spawn, keeping that fury bar nice and high. While this is possible on higher level teams, it's best to play a bit more conservatively at the lower levels, until you and your teammates are capable of handling multiple spawns without rest.

When gathering enemy attention, it's also a good idea to share aggro with the other designated meatshields on your team. A character in City of Heroes can only hold the attention of so many enemies at once. Other enemies will either just stand around (if you're alone), or peel off and start attacking another target. If you're not holding the boss's aggro, try to focus on harvesting DELICIOUS FURY from the minions instead by keeping them from eating the Blaster. It's good for you, and for your blaster.

Brute Breakdown

• Survivability: 4 Brutes are almost as durable as tanks, though they get defensive powers at a slower rate.
• Melee Damage: 4. Brutes with enough
  Fury are unstoppable engines of destruction, though they lack the consistency of some other melee archetypes.
• Ranged Damage: 1. A Brute does have access to some range, depending on pool selections, but they do most of their work up close.
• Crowd Control: 3. A Brute is designed to be a center of attention. Though they aren't as good at taunting as the Tanker, they can still hold aggro with the best of them.
• Support: 2. Brutes are a very self sufficient Archetype, and their powers are mostly focused on self improvement over amplifying the power of a team.
• Pets: 1. Brutes don't typically have many pets, unless they're a Stone Armor Brute and have a Kinetics Defender on a leash or something. They can get pets through temporary powers, Paragon Rewards, and late game content, however.

The Brute Archetype is best for strong, tough characters capable of outputting immense melee damage.

So what are the Archetypes?

Alright, time to get to the meat of this guide.

In total, there are 14 archetypes in all.

• 8 Basic Archetypes
• 2 Premium Archetypes
• 4 Epic Archetypes

Basic Archetypes are available to everyone, regardless of VIP Status or Reward Tier. They can also begin in any of the three starting zones (Atlas Park, Mercy Island, or Nova Praetoria).

The Basic Archetypes are:

• Blaster
• Brute
• Defender
• Corruptor
• Scrapper
• Stalker
• Tanker
• Dominator

Premium Archetypes are available to VIPs, Premium Players who have reached Reward Tier 5, or those who purchase them in the Paragon Market. Like Basic Archetypes, they may be started in any of the three starter zones.
(Atlas Park, Mercy Island, or Nova Praetoria, just in case you forgot.)

The Premium Archetypes are:

• Controller
• Mastermind

Epic Archetypes are the odd ducks in the system. These archetypes are only available to VIPs, or those who purchase them in the Paragon Market. An Epic Archetype is a character with a strong connection to the City of Heroes universe(s). They are limited in their power selections, but have access to story arcs that no other archetype has access to.

Unlike the other Archetypes, however, Epic Archetypes must begin on a specific side.

The Heroic Epic Archetypes are collectively referred to as Kheldians; symbiotic energy beings embroiled in an ancient war, who grant those they merge with incredible power. Kheldians begin in Atlas Park.
The Kheldian Archetypes are:

• Peacebringer
• Warshade

The Villainous Epic Archetypes are collectively referred to as Soldiers of Arachnos; the former minions of Lord Recluse who combine advanced training with boundless ambition to become Supervillains (or Heroes) in their own right.
Soldiers of Arachnos begin on Mercy Island.
The Arachnos archetypes are:

• Arachnos Soldier
• Arachnos Widow

Before We Begin: A Glossary of Vital Terms

Mez: Short for Mesmerize. A Mez is any effect which hinders a target's ability to act. Mezzes come in two forms.

• Hard Control: A Mez which prevents a target from acting entirely.
• Soft Control: A mez which allows the target to act in a limited way, or which can be broken by being hit by a subsequent effect.

Aggro: Short for "Aggression", Aggro represents a computer controlled enemy's desire to send you to the Hospital. To "Hold Aggro" is to keep enemy attention on you.
Power Pool: Special tertiary powers available at level 4. Power Pools allow you to choose powers that supplement your character concept and playstyle.
Epic Pool Also known as Ancillary or Patron pools. Epic Power Pools are special powers made available at level 35. They are more powerful than normal pool powers, and are designed to grant abilities not normally related to your archetype.
Incarnate: VIPs who reach level 50 may enter the Incarnate System. By completing Incarnate Content, level 50 characters can craft powerful abilities they might not normally have access to, like controllable pets or AOE Buffs.
Slotting: Enhancement Slotting. CoH's version of equipment, how you slot your powers determines their effectiveness. Certain Enhancements (Invention Origin, and Store Bought Enhancements) offer additional benefits.
Invention Origin Enhancements: Enhancements crafted through the Invention System. VIPs and Players who have reached Reward Tier 7 have automatic access to the Invention System. Premium Players below Tier 7 may purchase a 30 day access pass to the Invention System. Invention Origin Enhancements are the most powerful kind of enhancement, and offer powerful bonuses when multiple IOs from the same set are slotted in a power.
Hit Points: The green bar on your UI. Hit Points or HP represent the amount of damage you can take before being defeated. The higher your hit points, the more punishment you can withstand. Characters recover hit points at a constant rate due to their Regeneration value. The inherent power Health can boost your health regeneration.
Endurance: The blue bar on your UI. Similar to Mana or MP in other RPGs. Each power you use costs a bit of endurance. If your endurance runs out, your powers shut down. Endurance Costs can be reduced with "End. Reduction" buffs, and endurance is recovered at a rate determined by your "Recovery" Value. The Inherent power "Stamina" can boost your Endurance Recovery.

The Super Rough and Totally Unnecessary Guide to the Archetypes for New Players (i22)

Table of Contents
I: Introduction to the Archetypes (You Are Here!)
II: Archetype Rundown
III: Blasters and Brutes
IV: Defenders and Corruptors
V: Scrappers and Stalkers
VI: Tankers and Dominators
VII: Controllers and Masterminds
VIII: Kheldians: Peacebringers and Warshades
IX: Soldiers of Arachnos: Spiders and Widows
X: A Parting Note: Don't let your Archetype hold you down!

Introduction

Hello, potential new Hero and/or Villain! So, you're considering trying out City Of Heroes, huh? That's wonderful!

City of Heroes is a game that allows for a wide variety of character concepts, each with their own merits and flaws. Chances are, you might have a character concept in your head already. (I mean, come on, everyone has made up a superhero at some point. Otherwise you wouldn't be here, would you?)

But before you embark on your heroic (or villainous, or morally ambiguous) journey, you need to choose what archetype your character represents. The Freedom character creator does a pretty good job of breaking the archetypes down into different playstyles. But if you're like me, you like reading up on this stuff before you dive in. So let's get started.

What is an Archetype?

An Archetype is similar to a Class in other MMORPGs. They represent the classic roles filled by the comic book heroes and villains you're likely already familiar with: indestructible Tankers, high powered Blasters, stealthy Stalkers, and brilliant Masterminds.

In mechanical terms, an Archetype determines which powersets are available to you and how powerful those powers are in relation to one another. In addition, each Archetype has an Inherent Power that shapes their intended playstyle.

Wait, what do you mean by "how powerful"? Are some Archetypes more powerful than others?
Yes and no. You see, Archetypes are designed so that no one archetype holds any major advantage over the others. There is no "best" archetype. Instead, Archetypes are designed with a specific playstyle in mind. In this way, one archetype might be "better" at one task than another, even if they have the same powers.

All Archetypes have a Primary Powerset and a Secondary Powerset, which are chosen from two separate lists presented at Character Creation.

An Archetype's Primary is their main focus. They receive these powers sooner, and tend to have higher values in them than other archetypes with similar powers.

An Archetype's Secondary is their secondary focus. They get these powers a bit later than they gain their Primaries, and the numbers are slightly lower.

Take a look at Tankers and Brutes for example:

Tanker: Primary: Defensive, Secondary: Melee Damage
Brute: Primary: Melee Damage, Secondary: Defensive.

These Archetypes have almost identical powersets. However, a Tanker is better at holding aggro and surviving damage, while a Brute is better at outputting large amounts of melee damage. Both are capable of fulfilling either role, but are designed to excel in the one represented by their Primary.

But what about Archetypes with the same Primaries? Like Blasters and Corruptors?

Some archetypes have nearly identical primary lists, but different secondaries. In these cases, it's the Secondary that makes a lot of difference. Look at the following.

Blaster: Primary: Ranged Damage. Secondary: Mixed Offensive
Corruptor: Primary: Ranged Damage. Secondary: Support

Blasters get a mixed blend of powers designed to do more damage. Corruptors get team buffs and powerful debuffs. As a result, they lend themselves to vastly different playstyles.

Alright, but what about if they have the SAME Primary and Secondary, what then?

Scrapper: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor
Stalker: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor
Brute: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor

These archetypes have access to very similar powersets. It's perfectly feasible to make three Street Justice/Willpower characters, each of a different Archetype.

However, they won't play the same, thanks to Inherent powers.

Let's look at that list again, this time adding simplified versions of each Archetype's inherent.

Scrapper: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor. Inherent: Chance for Double Damage
Stalker: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor. Inherent: Stealth, Increased Damage when attacking from Stealth
Brute: Primary: Melee Damage. Secondary: Armor. Inherent: Increased damage as fight goes on.

Not so similar looking now, are they? The archetype you select will shape your playstyle for that character, so choose the Archetype that feels right for you.

See, I -haven't -tried many Support sets.

I have a level 27 Dark/DP Defender, a level 14 Ill/Kin Troller, and a Fort.

Pretty much everything else is defunct melee. And a Dominator, who is fun as long as I have a brute around.

I want to try something new! And come i21, I want to roll a 'Fender or Corr, because Fenders are getting FIRE and Corrs are available blueside.

So what's your opinion of Time Manipulation? Because I really liked it on Beta, and want to not suck.

So lately, I've been lonely.

Really lonely, because most of my old RP friends have scattered.

I want to have group focused RP that it's perpetually D based, and I need advice as to where I should look.

...So where should I look?

Power Pools for custom secondary powers would be really cool.

I know so many toons who could use a pistol, or a knife.

I want to try a dominator, and these are two power sets that really appeal to me for a concept. A power armored villain, with an electrical combat array and enhanced strength.

But I dunno what pool powers to take.

Hasten is a given. Not sure about a travel power though. I'd like flight so I can hover ominously, but I know it's not something good for combat.

I also don't know what patron pool to take. Elec matches the primary, but Mace has Scorpion Shield and Personal Force Field (Because if you haven't cackled madly at someone as they flailed against your impenetrable armor, you have not lived).

So, any suggestions?

Is the Haunted Mansion part of a Holiday Trial?

Did You Know? - The Power of the Mind

Psionic Damage is one of the most interesting damage types in the game.

• Psionic Damage is designed to be difficult to resist. In fact, many defensive sets have reduced effectiveness against psionics, or no psionic defenses whatsoever.
• Psionic Powers can also bypass positional defenses.
• To counteract this, Psionic powers are given a lower base damage than other blast powers.
• Psionics -also- suffer from a major weakness in the form of robots, who have an inherently high resistance to psionic damage.
• Clockwork (of both the Primal and Praetorian varieties), are one notable exception to the psionic resistance rule. Primal Clockwork are weak to psionics. Praetorian Clockwork lack resistances entirely, relying instead on their inherently high regen bonus.

I was trying to finish the Final Katie Douglas mission.

Make it so that friendly NPCs can still see you when you're hidden. You already have a -Stealth debuff on you, why should you be denied the ability to at least get a hide crit because the NPC you're escorting is a twit.

Also! Ambushes. One of the most annoying missions for any class with stealth is the "Break up the Destroyer's Meeting" mission from Luke Larson, where a Blast Master spawns every thirty seconds or so just to make your life miserable.

On my Illusion Controller (Who's stealth -does not- suppress), this was a pain.
On a stalker, however... not only does this minion know exactly where you are, it's main attack is an AoE DoT.

And a burning stalker is a visible stalker.

I had the benefit of having Superior Invisibility up. I stayed Invisible the entire mission.

If I were a stalker, I would have put my keyboard through the monitor.

I noticed something was off when my Globals spontaneously vanished.

And then I got the message while hosping. I have never completed a solo mission that fast.

It depends on what you want to play.

I know someone who plays a smooth talking villain all the ladies fall for.

That same person also plays a villainous mad scientist who utterly tortures his subjects, a wizard that wants to kill all Mu, and a sympathetic anti-villain who is still a total jackass.

My only villain is actually a Rogue, a Rikti who enjoys messing with people's heads and is generally comic relief.

I think Praetoria has a good model, as it offers multiple paths through the two sides.

Baaaaaark?

Oh, yes, Damage Procs are a good idea.

For lower levels, if you preordered Going Rogue at Gamestop, there are special enhancements you can use from level 1. (They wear out at 20 ish?) I also believe that they're a t8 Paragon Reward.

Otherwise, grab some temp damage powers to boost your attack chain until you're comfortable.

It's possible, but it takes a lot of work.

I would reccomend making an alternate pet build, just in case. Try them both, and see what you prefer.

Hellfire Whip is better than most MM weapons, but without your demons, you need friends to make good use of it. Look into stealth. Use a secondary that boosts your survival. (I reccomend Dark Miasma). And don't take pancake from anyone. This can work, but only if you make it work.

Let's see...

If I purchased...

CoH: Architect Edition
CoV Boxset
The Mac Pack (With Gametime, not just the booster)
And I preordered Going Rogue...

Where would that put me?

A repost!



Anti-Quark, my Time/Rad Defender! An experimental clockwork designed by Anti-Matter, with an integrated Dimensional Breach Device and Tachyon Manipulation Array, originally designed to be used as a relay/spy in Primal Earth Orbit.

Which worked great until he got smacked out of the sky by a Meteor.

Now he's rebuilding his programming from scratch, and fighting against the same forces that created him.