Universal Enhancement & Store Guide (v1.2)

Preface

This guide is intended to place the answers to very commonly and frequently asked questions regarding enhancements, stores, availability, drops, and so forth in one hopefully easy to understand place. Almost all of this information is available (and probably duplicated) elsewhere in other posts on the CoH forums, but may not be as easy to find, or may be presented in a format that can be confusing.

At the time of writing, this guide is mostly accurate (I may goof up in a spot or two). If you find a discrepancy or inaccuracy, or have additional useful information, either PM me or respond to this thread. The information presented here is collected from various sources from the beta and release boards, as well as personal in-game investigation. I'm not citing sources for the information I'm borrowing for inclusion in this guide, because quite honestly I've lost track of the original posters for much of the information from the beta boards. Where possible, I've listed credits in the appendices - if you feel something you did that has made its way into this guide requires a nod, contact me and it'll probably be done.

I've split this guide into 5 sections, and 5 separate posts. The sections are:

Part 1: Basics - Enhancement Types, Combining, Stacking, & the Power 10
Part 2: Selling & Origins
Part 3: Store Locations
Part 4: High Level Store Mission Info
Part 5: Enhancement Drop Info
Part 6: Appendices & Credits



Part 1: Basics - Enhancement Types, Combining, Stacking, & the Power 10


Enhancement types:
There are 3 types of enhancements - Training (also referred to as Generic or TO), Dual Origin (DO) and Single Origin (SO). Well, technically, there's a 4th type, special enhancements that only drop from the Hamidon Trial, but as they're not available in stores, they won't be covered in this guide.

Training enhancements can be used by any origin. They offer a small boost (either 5% or roughly 8.33%) boost to an aspect of a power.

Dual Origin enhancements can be used by two origins (hence the name). As an example, Technology-usable DOs come in two flavors - Technology/Natural, and Technology/Science. DOs offer a moderate boost (either 10%, or roughly 16.7%) boost to an aspect of a power. This breaks down to, DOs are twice as good as TOs.

Single Origin enhancements can be used by only one origin (hence the name). SOs offer the best boost (either 20% or roughly 33.3%) possible to an aspect of a power. SOs are twice as good as DOs.

Here's a link to a handy Enhancement Chart that details which specific enhancements are which value (5/10/20 or 8/16/33).

Endurance Reduction Enhancements and Recharge Reduction enhancements reduce the cost of time of a power, rather than adding to its effects. On these type of enhancements, the bonus amount is added to 1 and then the endurance cost or recharge time of a power is divided by that number. The formula for that is: base / (1 + bonus) = new value. As an example, a power that takes 20 endurance to use and recharges in 20 seconds, if enhanced with 2 SO endurance reduction enhancements and 2 SO reload reduction enhancements (both even with your level) would work like this: 20 / 1.66 = 12.05. So, the power would then cost 12 endurance, and reload in 12 seconds. Interrupt Time Reduction enhancements -may- work the same way, I haven't seen a definite dev statement one way or the other.

The Devs themselves have made it clear - any currently usable SO is always better than a DO, and a DO is always better than a Training. More on that below.

Combining:
Enhancements of the same type and effect can be combined with one another to make a slightly stronger version of the enhancement. A combined enhancement will be listed as its level, with either 1 or 2 + signs after it. So, a level 10 enhancement that has been combined once, will be a 10+. That + means the enhancement functions as if it were 1 level higher, or a level 11. A 10++ would function as if it were a level 12. Enhancements can only be combined to end up with 2 +s. A 10++ is effectively a level 12, and cannot be combined to improve that, unless it's added to a level 12 or higher enhancement. A 10++ combined with a 12 will result in a 12+. This presumes that the combination succeeds - there is a chance that combinations will fail, and you'll just be left with the higher level enhancement in the slot. This chance of failure on combination increases with the difference in level between enhancements. You can also only combine enhancements if the result will not make the enhancement unusable to you.

With Dual Origins enhancements, you can combine different enhancements so long as they're usable by your character (as there are two kinds of DOs each origin can use, with different origin overlaps). If you're a Technology origin character, you could combine a Tech/Natural enhancement and a Tech/Science enhancement.

You can only use enhancements that are + or - 3 levels of your present level (including equal level). A level 10 can use enhancements levels 7 through 13. A level 10 will not be able to combine any level 13 enhancements (or 12+s, etc.). To combine an enhancement that is 3 levels above your current level, you need to level so it's only 2 levels above your level (and thus combinable).

Why combine enhancements? Enhancements provide the above listed boost values when they are equal to your level (white). Enhancements that are yellow (lower than your level) provide a slightly lesser boost with each level below your level. Enhancements that are green (higher than your level) provide a slightly greater boost with each level below your level.

The formula for determining exactly how much boost an enhancement at a specific level is as follows:

+3 = *1.15
+2 = *1.10
+1 = *1.05
0 = *1.00
-1 = *.90
-2 = *.80
-3 = *.70

So, say you're level 31. You have a level 29 SO, and a level 34 SO. The level 29 SO gives you a 26.6% boost, and the level 34 gives you a 38.3% boost. This works the same, whether that 34 is a plain 34, or a 32++.

Perhaps a better explanation, with a handy chart of boost amounts by level relative to your own, can be found in this thread by Katspaws.

Stacking:
"Stacking" enhancements refers to putting multiple enhancements of the same type in more than one slot on a power. Enhancement bonuses are additive - meaning that the more enhancements of the same type you have in a power, the more that aspect of that power is going to be enhanced. Sometimes people ask if stacking or combining is better; if you have the slots for it, stacking is almost always better.

Let's take the basic Ice Blaster power, Ice Bolt. Let's say that you have 3 slots in the power, and you add 2 more, for a total of five. Before, when you had 3 slots, you had a training endurance reduction enhancement, a training accuracy enhancement, and a training damage enhancement. Presuming they're even level enhancements, you'll get an 8.33% bonus to accuracy and damage, and your Ice Bolt will only cost you roughly 5.5 endurance to use, rather than the base cost of 6. Now, with the two new slots, you could put in something else like Range or Recharge Reduction, or you could put in more Damage or Accuracy. Most Blasters and Scrappers slot 1 accuracy, and then primarily damage (with occasionally endurance reduction or reload) on their primary attacks. Let's say you add 2 more damage slots to your now 5 slotted Ice Bolt - you'd have 3 damage enhancements, 1 accuracy, and 1 endurance reduction. That'd give you about a 25% bonus to your damage (8.33 * 3 = 24.99).

With DO and SO enhancements, stacking them adds up quickly, and can boost a power to being 3 times more powerful than it is unenhanced. As an example, 6 even-level SO damage enhancements would add 199.8% damage to an attack. With 6 SO +3 level damage enhancements, you can hit just shy of 330% total damage, before any debuffs, buffs, inspirations, or damage-enhancing skills such as Aim or Build Up are used!

Something to note when stacking, if you're a number cruncher or want to keep in the best shape as you can with your powers - the penalty for below-level enhancements is double the bonus for above-level enhancements. As an example, say you have 2 SO defense enhancements - at even level, they'd both provide 20% boost to a power's defense. Added together, that's 40%. Now, if you have one enhancement that's +1 level, and another that's -1 level, that is actually slightly worse than having 2 even level enhancements. The +1 level would provide 21% boost, and the -1 level would provide 18% boost, totaling 39% together. This is a small difference, but some people seem to care.

The "Power 10" Enhancements
The "Power 10" Enhancements are the set of the most commonly sold enhancements. The power 10 are:
<ul type="square">[*] Accuracy[*] Damage[*] Defense Buff[*] End Reduction[*] Healing[*] Hold Duration[*] Range Increase[*] Recharge Reduction/Increased Attack Speed[*] Damage Resist[*] Disorient Duration[/list]Power 10 Enhancements are sold in stores earlier in DO and SO forms than the other 18 enhancement types in the game. Power 10 DOs are available in stores beginning with level 15 forms (thus, usable at level 12). Power 10 SOs are available in stores beginning with level 25 forms (thus, usable at level 22). For non-Power 10 DO enhancements, you have to wait to purchase level 25 versions (usable at level 22, 10 levels later than the Power 10). Non-Power 10 SO enhancements are available in either level 30 or 35 versions, requiring you to wait until level 27, 30, or 32 to be able to buy and use them (depending on your Origin, and whether or not you have helpful higher level friends).

Isn't this unfair to folks who need the other 18 enhancements for their powers who have to wait 10 levels to enhance them equally? I think so, but that's a discussion for another thread.

Part 2: Selling &amp; Origins



Selling Enhancements
Origin matters when selling enhancements. If you want to get the most influence for the enhancements you sell, you may need to visit multiple stores. Freedom Corps stores pay the most for Training Enhancements, and Origin oriented stores pay the most for enhancements of a type they deal in.

How much of a difference is this? If you sell a DO or SO enhancement at a non-optimal store, you'll get about 30% of its "Sale Price" value. If you sell at an optimal store, you'll get more - 50% or so. As an example, say you have a Science SO enhancement that can be bought at a store for 30,000 influence. Selling it at Orion Labs or Deimos Innovations (science-oriented stores) might get you 15,000 influence for it. Selling it at a non-science oriented store, you may only get 9,000 influence for it.

Training Enhancements seem to sell back with slightly better prices - around 59% or so at Freedom Corps stores, 47% at Field Trainers, and 35% at origin-oriented stores.

Stores may also pay more for enhancements that are a multiple of 5 - 15, 20, 25, 30, and so forth. This is presumed to simulate the greater "resale value" of an enhancement of the same level that is carried by stores. This used to be the case, but may have changed in the game fairly recently.

Origin-oriented stores will pay these better prices for both Single Origin enhancements of their origin type, and for any Dual Origin enhancements that have one of the origins as their type. Image Inc., and Future Dynamics, both Natural stores, will pay more for both Tech/Natural DOs and Natural/Magic DOs, as an example.

There is one exception to this: Ghost Falcon, who carries SOs of all 5 origins, seems to buy DO and SO enhancements back at the lowest prices for any origin.

A breakdown of store names by origin:

Science: Orion Labs, Deimos Innovations, Holsten Armitage. Science DO overlaps are Tech/Science and Science/Mutant.

Magict: Pandora's Box, Tabitha Fabish, Serafina. Magic DO overlaps are Mutant/Magic, and Natural/Magic.

Mutant: Subgenetics, Biotechnix, Penny Preston. Mutant DO overlaps are Mutant/Magic, and Science/Mutant.

Natural: Image Inc, Future Dynamics, Agent Six. Natural DO overlaps are Natural/Magic, and Tech/Natural.

Technology: Cooke's Electronics, Exarch Industries, Mark IV. Technology DO overlaps are Tech/Natural, and Science/Tech.

For very high level heroes, there's also Ghost Falcon, who handles SO enhancements for all 5 origins.

Part 3: Store Locations &amp; Availability



Levels Sold/Availability
There are 5 level ranges of stores in the game. I'll call these Newbie, Low Level, Mid Level, High Level, and Epic Level.

Newbie stores are the Superpowered Field Trainer NPCs that can be found in Atlas Park and Galaxy City, off to the sides near Miss Liberty and Back Alley Brawler, one inside Freedom Corps Headquarters in Galaxy City, and two in the "origin hall" inside Paragon City Hall in Atlas Park. There is also a Freedom Corps Basic Trainer in Skyway City near Synapse and Mynx.

Additionally, your very first contact in either Atlas Park or Galaxy City will carry level 1 enhancements, which some people like to buy to "play the odds" for combining inexpensively with higher level training enhancements.

Low Level stores carry level 15 and 20 enhancements - all 28 Training enhancements, and Power 10 DOs. Low Level stores are Freedom Corps Basic Training, Cooke's Electronics, Image Inc., Orion Labs, Pandora's Box, and Subgenetics. Low Levels stores are located in Steel Canyon and Skyway City. Most characters in this level range will find Steel Canyon to be the most convenient for shopping.

Mid Level stores carry level 25 and 30 enhancements - all 28 Training and DO, and Power 10 SOs. Mid Level stores are Freedom Corps Special Forces, BioTechnix, Deimos Innovations, Exarch Industries, Future Dynamics, and Tabitha Fabish. Mid Level stores are located in Independence Port and Talos Island. Talos Island is by far the most conveient zone for shopping in this level range, with the exception of Science origin stuff (Deimos is practically across the street from the Tram in IP) and perhaps Mutant.

High Level stores carry level 30, 35, and 40 enhancements - all 28 DOs and SOs. The High Level stores are actually NPCs that are just standing around - in a courtyard, in a tunnel, on the street, whatever. They require you to complete a mission for them before you can buy their wares. To get their mission, you must be level 30. High Level Store NPCs are located in Founder's Falls (Mark IV, Agent Six, Penny Preston) and Brickstown (Serafina, Holsten Armitage).

Epic Level players have one store NPC, called Ghost Falcon. Ghost Falcon carries level 40, 45, and 50 SO enhancements for all 5 origins, with the possible exception his not seeming to stock L40 Magic SOs (unconfirmed, I couldn't seem to get any helpful 40+s when I tried to check this myself in game). Ghost Falcon also requires that you complete a mission for him before you can buy from him, like the High Level Store NPCs.

Your contacts also sell enhancements. At present in game, this isn't very useful, as they only offer Training enhancements until you read Founders Falls and Brickstown contacts, which offer DO enhancements for their origin of specialty*. They'll offer one specific level when you first meet them, and then as you progress on their relationship bar, they'll add more enhancements (I think just the Power 10, as well) 5 and then 10 levels higher. Enhancements from Contacts are probably only useful at very low levels.

Some of the Dual and Single Origin enhancement names can be somewhat confusing. To find out exactly what an enhancement effect for your origin type is named, I suggest consulting Warcry's Enhancement Compendium.

Store Locations

Low Level stores
<ul type="square">[*] Freedom Corps Basic Training - Generic (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[*] Freedom Corp Basic Trainer - Generic (Skyway City )[*] Image Inc. - Natural (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[*] Cooke's Electronics - Tech (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[*] Orion Labs - Science (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[*] Subgenetics - Mutant (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[*] Pandora's Box - Magic (Steel Canyon and Skyway City )[/list]Mid Level stores
<ul type="square">[*] Freedom Corps Special Forces - Generic (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[*] Future Dynamics - Natural (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[*] Exarch Industries - Tech (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[*] Deimos Innovations - Science (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[*] BiotechniX - Mutant (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[*] Tabitha Fabish - Magic (Talos Island and Indepence Port )[/list]High Level Store NPCs
<ul type="square">[*] Agent Six - Natural (Founders' Falls)[*] Mark IV - Tech (Founders' Falls)[*] Holsten Armitage - Science (Brickstown)[*] Penny Preston - Mutant (Founders' Falls)[*] Serafina - Magic (Brickstown)[/list]Epic Level Store NPC
<ul type="square">[*] Ghost Falcon - All Origins (Peregrine Island) - Ghost Falcon is just a bit East-southeast of the Ferry boat that you enter Peregine Island from.[/list]
Another player has started something of note that can make finding stores much easier, a patch that replaces the in-game map image files with ones edited to show the enhancements stores and special NPCs. If this is of interest to you, check out CoH Map Patch @ Project Eva.

Part 4: High Level Store Mission Info



*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING! ***
Do NOT continue reading this post unless you want to know specific information, including tips on how to complete the missions, for the high level Store NPC missions. Some of the information in this post may "spoil" story elements of the game.

Any origin can take and complete the missions (and then use the store) for NPC Stores. You don't have to JUST do your own origin store. If you want to be able to buy from other stores - maybe to help out needy level 27s, or just for the story, or for the mission and bonus XP, whatever, you can.



Penny Preston, Mutant Store NPC
Penny Preston is a cute little mutant girl wearing a Statesman t-shirt, standing on a dock in Founder's Falls.

The Devouring Earth want Penny for some nefarious purposes. She asks you to simply go and kill all the Devouring Earth in some warehouse. The mission is very straightforward - it is a "Defeat All" type mission, and you simply must defeat all the Devouring Earth in the mission instance. If you solo, and don't have some way to resist sleep, stun, and hold effects, you'll probably want to load up on Discipline inspirations from one of your contacts. You'll want to take out the Fungoids and Herders first, and then handle the Bladegrass and Granite mobs after those are out of the way.

Mark IV, Technology Store NPC
Mark IV is an escaped cyborg created by Crey. They did a bit too good a job on him, and he's out and trying to help the heroes of Paragon City, and wants nothing to do with Crey now (rather amusing, as high level Crey mobs spawn with relative frequency yards away from Mark IV). Mark IV is getting nervous about Crey, as they're getting close to finding him, and he wants you to erase the records of his existence from their computers. He gives you a device which he wants you to go attach to one of their mainframes, and it'll do the rest.

Mark IV's mission takes place in the Tech Lab mission tileset, with a bunch of even-level Crey mobs around in various areas. They shouldn't present too much of a problem if you just want to fight your way through and find the glowy computer. However, there's a simpler and faster way to complete the mission (2 or 3 minutes) if you have some form of stealth (Steamy Mist, Stealth, Cloaking Device, Invis) or know someone who does. A stealthed person can simply run or fly around and past all the Crey mobs quickly, bypassing them without having to defeat a single mob to get to the computer and erase Mark IV's records from it.

Agent Six, Natural Store NPC
Agent Six has gotten wind of some sort of plot by Nemesis, and wants your help to get photos of the plans. She gives you a little digital spy camera, and tells you that Nemesis dislikes computers, so the records will probably be in a file cabinet somewhere.

The mission is a warehouse map filled with a bunch of Nemesis, no surprise there. You can either fight through them all, clicking on the various file cabinets (there are several) until you find the right one (usually in the room farthest in, of course) . . . or, you can stealth your way through the mission sneaking around just hitting the glowy file cabinets until you get the one with the plans. This mission, like Mark IV's, can be accomplished solely with stealth, and without defeating a single villain - if you want.

Once you get photos of the plans, Agent Six congratulates you for getting the information without disturbing them (so that Nemesis will go ahead with them and can be stopped cold), and you can take pride in knowing that you've thwarted a plot to assassinate Statesman!

Serafina, Magic Store NPC
Serafina is a former Genie, now stripped of much of her powers. Somehow the Circle of Thorns has gotten Serafina's bottle, and she'd like you to get it back for her.

Serafina's mission takes place in an Oranbega underground city/cave map. Mmmmm, Oranbega. Like all the missions, you can simply fight your way through if you wish. This mission can also -mostly- be accomplished by stealth. Depending on the mob spawns, there may be a couple of narrow spots where you simply can't sneak past the mobs (unless you're fully invisible) and you have to fight your way past those. Most of the mission can be snuck through with stealth however, if that is your desire. You're looking for glowy treasure chests - there will be a couple of decoys along with the one with Serafina's bottle.

Holsten Armitage, Science Store NPC
Holsten Armitage is from the future - 20 years in the future, where the Rikti have destroyed mankind. Or, he's crazy. Nutters. A loon. Dropped his beaker. At any rate, he tells you about a plot to kidnap and kill some politician (A Senator? I've spaced on the details of the name) . . . by the Rikti. He tells you it's happening right now, that they have him in the sewers, and to go and rescue him.

Holsten Armitage's mission is a typical "rescue the hostage" mission in the sewers. There are lots of Rikti in there, of a few different types. On a solo run of the mission, there were Infantry, Gunners, Guardians, Rikti Monkeys, and a Communications Officer. If you fight through the mission, try to make a point of taking out the Guardians first, else they'll toss those blasted force fields on the other Rikti. If you'd prefer to try to sneak your way through the mission with stealth, you can avoid most of them, but will have to fight at least the Communications Officer and the other Rikti very near the hostage at the end room.

Ghost Falcon, Epic Level All Origin Store NPC
Ghost Falcon's mission is a portal mission to a Paragon City that was overrun by the Rikti. The zone resembles Crey's Folly -- lots of industrial structures, pipes, and walkways -- and is crawling with Rikti. Not the massed packs of NPCs you see in the hazard zones, but a smoother distribution that means that you won't be able to sneak up and drop an AoE attack to waste a dozen targets at once. All the Rikti in the zone are level 40 (at least when this mission is taken at level 40 - they likely scale to the character's level).

This mission is another Stealth-solvable task. In that world, the Rikti succeeded with their invasion, and are now preparing to invade our world. Your objective is to go in and dismantle a field stabilizer device; with this destroyed, they won't be able to direct or open their portals. The field stabilizer looks like a computer console from the 'high-tech lab' indoor mission object set, and will be outside on the ground near one of the industrial buildings; if you can sneak past the Rikti, you can destroy the device without having to engage any of them.

Part 5: Enhancement Drop Info



Drop Levels
<ul type="square">[*] Generics that drop from level 1 to 19 mobs will be Villain Level, VL-1, or VL-2.[*] Generics that drop from level 20 to 29 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL-1.[*] Generics that drop from level 30 to 40 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL+2.[*] Dual Origins that drop from level 15 to 29 mobs will be Villain Level, VL-1, or VL-2.[*] Dual Origins that drop from level 30 to 40 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL-1.[*] Single Origins will always be Villain Level, VL-1 or VL-2.[*] Task Force rewards, Trial rewards, and Archvillain Drops may not fit these critera.[/list]Known Drops by Villain Group
<ul type="square">[*] Training (Generic) Enhancements drop exclusively in levels 1 to 14.
[*] Level 15 to 19 Clockwork have a very rare chance of dropping a Gadget (Tech/Natural).[*] Level 15 to 19 Vahzilok have a very rare chance of dropping a Genetic Alteration (Mutant/Science).[*] Level 15 to 19 Tsoo have a very rare chance of dropping a Focusing Device (Mutant/Magic).[*] All other Level 15 to 19 villains have a very rare chance of dropping any Dual Origin Enhancement
[*] Level 20 to 24 Banished Pantheon occasionally drop a Relic (Magic/Natural).[*] Level 20 to 24 Freakshow occasionally drop a Gadget (Natural/Tech).[*] Level 20 to 24 Sky Raiders occasionally drop an Invention (Tech/Science).[*] Level 20 to 24 Tsoo occasionally drop a Focus (Mutant/Magic).[*] All other Level 20 to 24 occasionally drop any Dual Origin Enhancement.
[*] Level 25 to 29 5th Column occasionally drop a Focus (Mutant/Magic) and a very rare chance of dropping any Single Origin Enhancement.[*] Level 25 to 29 Devouring occasionally drop a Genetic Alteration (Science/Mutant) and a very rare chance of dropping any Single Origin Enhancement.[*] All other Level 25 to 29 are the same as 20 to 24, except for a very rare chance of dropping any Single Origin Enhancement.
[*] Level 30 to 34 Freakshow occasionally drop a Gadget (Tech/Natural) or a Cybernetic (Tech).[*] Level 30 to 40 5th Column occasionally drop a Genetic Alteration (Science/Mutant) or a Secondary Mutation (Mutant).[*] Level 30 to 40 Circle of Thorns occasionally drop a Relic (Natural/Magic) or a Dimensional Entity (Magic).[*] Level 30 to 40 Crey occasionally drop an Invention (Tech/Science) or a Technique (Natural).[*] Level 30 to 40 Devouring Earth occasionally drop a Focus (Mutant/Magic) or an Experiment (Science).[*] Level 30 to 40 Nemesis occasionally drop a Gadget (Tech/Natural) or a Cybernetic (Tech).[/list]Precise drop rates haven't been listed by the devs, but during beta, numbers listed on unformatted patch notes with the above information would seem to indicate that "very rare" is about 1 in 200 chance, "occasionally" ranges from about 1 in 40 chance to 1 in 5 chance, depending on level.

Part 6: Appendices &amp; Credits


Appendix 1: Revision History
1.0 - First posting

1.1 - Added initial changes for Through the Looking Glass Update, including Ghost Falcon &amp; changes to Serafina. Additional information added on FF and Brickstown contact enhancement stock. Added section on Stacking. Revised selling section. Added information on combining different overlap DOs. Added link to CoH Map Patch site. Revised bulleted sections to hopefully render better in Mozilla-based browsers. Added appendices.

1.2 - Updates for change of image hosting, added information on Ghost Falcon mission, revised section on Penny Preston. Revised section on selling enhancements. Listed both names for recharge reduction/attack speed enhancements in Power 10 section.



Appendix 2: Notes

* Brickstown and Founder's Falls contacts offer DO enhancements (at levels that everyone is pretty much using all SOs) of the two overlap types that correspond with their specialty origin. They all seem to offer the same 6 enhancement types - Accuracy, Damage, Range, Endurance Reduction, Reload Reduction, and Damage Resistance (the old beta "Power 5" plus Damage Resistance).

Known contacts and their DO enhancement types:
<ul type="square">[*]Jenny Firkins, FF - Sci/Mut and Tech/Sci[*]Phillipa Meraux, FF - Tech/Nat and Nat/Magic[*]Neal Kendrick, Brickstown - Tech/Nat and Tech/Sci[/list]
I need the help of other players - next time you hit a higher level (30+) contact, check their store, and see if they sell DO or SO enhancements. If so, if you can take a few moments to note what specific enhancement types they sell, what origin(s), and the contact name and zone, and either respond to this thread or PM me, I'd be most appreciative. With your help the guide can be more accurate and helpful (credit will be given where due, of course).



Appendix 3: Credits and Thanks
Specific thanks to: Katspaws, Weap0nX, incandenza, Massive_Jotun, Mr_IronSamKidd, srmalloy, Stopman01, Meiyen,

Thanks to Curveball for his monumental guide to /bind, which inspired this guide.

Thanks to seretogis and no frills coh for hosting of the images of store locations.

Thanks to Sica Caeca for the original Paragon City Illustrated Shopping Guide for his efforts and screenshots.

Thanks to all the various folks during beta and release who compiled and posted the information used in crafting this guide.



Appendix 4: Reuse and Redistribution
If you find this guide to be of a lot of use and want to reprint it, turn it into a pdf file, a web page, include it in your web site, or whatever, feel free - so long as you credit me for the work put into this guide (Electric Tears, of Synergy on the Freedom Server), and post a link to the forum thread that this guide's original form is in. I'd prefer to be asked if it's ok to use this information elsewhere as a courtesy (and so I can see where it's getting around to), but it's not a requirement. Like I could stop you anyway.

Awesome work as usual! The only enhancement-related info I can think of that's not there (unless I missed it) is stuff about what Hamidon drops. I've caught bits and pieces, but a full list (or at least what people have gotten so far) would be cool. Again, great work.

[ QUOTE ]
Awesome work as usual! The only enhancement-related info I can think of that's not there (unless I missed it) is stuff about what Hamidon drops. I've caught bits and pieces, but a full list (or at least what people have gotten so far) would be cool. Again, great work.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wanna go kill it a few times and collect that information for me?

I don't have the specifics on the Hydra Trial enhancements either.

Love this guide

This is an excellent guide. I've got to comment though that a couple of weeks ago, I saw behavior that doesn't fit in with this guide, and I thought I'd share it.

I was playing an Emp Defender and had just reached lvl 13. I had Heal Other with 3 TO Heal enhancements in it. At the time, I had two 12++ and one 15. In my inventory was a lvl 16 Heal, and I bought a lvl 15 from a store. I tried the Heal Other and saw how much it did (I want to say something like 60.67, but I don't remember the value now for sure). Then I combined one of the 12++ into the 15, dropped the 16 into that now-open slot, then failed to combine the new 15 with the other 12++. Basically, I went from 14, 14, 15 to 16, 15, 16. When I tried the Heal Other again, the amount of healing I did was actually 0.3 points less! (I do recall that number clearly!) Following the formulas/values you've posted here, I went from having a 26.57% bonus to a 28.21% bonus, but the amount of healing dropped.

This behavior didn't make sense to me before I read your guide, and it doesn't make sense to me now. Does this make sense to anyone out there? I don't play the numbers game in CoH, but I was just puzzled by this behavior.

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Most characters in this level range will find Steel Canyon to be the most convenient for shopping.


[/ QUOTE ]
Just a heads up.
For ppl wanting to sell training enhancement, I often find the Freedom Corp npc in Skyway to be the fastest to get to.
She's in the park next to the station along with a trainer and Synapse!

There is also another weird behavior is when you make level and when you actually make security level: When you make a level, your base healing point will go up, so your enh bonus will apply accordingly but to your last level. For example, when you made level 16, your level 15 healing enh will not decrease in level, it will count as you are still level 15, even level. After you go for trainer, the actual security level goes up, the level 15 healing enh will count as a -1 enh, so your total healing point will drop compare to when you just leveled up.

Another anomaly is when you died and have been revived, your enhancement will not work for about 1~2 minutes.

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Most characters in this level range will find Steel Canyon to be the most convenient for shopping.


[/ QUOTE ]
Just a heads up.
For ppl wanting to sell training enhancement, I often find the Freedom Corp npc in Skyway to be the fastest to get to.
She's in the park next to the station along with a trainer and Synapse!

[/ QUOTE ]

She'll pay less than the actual Freedom Corps stores, though. Not a LOT less, but less still (unless this has again recently changed).

[ QUOTE ]
Another anomaly is when you died and have been revived, your enhancement will not work for about 1~2 minutes.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is a BUG that sometimes occurs when characters are defeated. Zoning or relogging will usually fix this.

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Most characters in this level range will find Steel Canyon to be the most convenient for shopping.


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Just a heads up.
For ppl wanting to sell training enhancement, I often find the Freedom Corp npc in Skyway to be the fastest to get to.
She's in the park next to the station along with a trainer and Synapse!

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She'll pay less than the actual Freedom Corps stores, though. Not a LOT less, but less still (unless this has again recently changed).


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I have just checked.
Training: Range Increase (14)
@ Superpowered Fieldtrainer, Galaxy: 448
@ Freedom Corp shop, Steel Canyon: 560
@ Freedom Corp npc, Skyway: 560

Training: Damage (12)
@ Superpowered Fieldtrainer, Galaxy: 480
@ Freedom Corp shop, Steel Canyon: 600
@ Freedom Corp npc, Skyway: 600

Even a 1% increase would have changed the result, so I guess it's safe to say they pay the same.

OK I have some confusion and maybe someone has the key since it doesnt seem apparent to me. although i can figure out the transition name from training to DO in most cases. damange range endurance recycle there are some like the defense and hold ones that i have bought thinking they are the ones and oops no doesnt work. this is me being tech and buying at the science tech store. Is there a key somewhere that says this training defense buff is called X in the duals and this in the singles?

My best advice would be to check the info, if in doubt.

Plus, the backgroundcolor of the enh can also tell you the type (although I still get that method wrong from time to time as some of them are close)

Thanks BeKay. One more inconsistency . . . I guess she counts as a full Freedom Corps store, rather than the GC/AP field trainers.

A note on combining (which I've never seen anywhere else, and discovered by accident) -- you can not only combine slotted enhancements with unslotted ones (the 10 you have at the bottom), but you can combine slotted enhancements with other slotted enhancements (in the same power).

This can help greatly when going from one level of enhancements to another (15-&gt;20) or from one group of enhancements to another (DO-&gt;SO). For instance, at L17 when you can buy your L20 enhancements, instead of replacing all the old L15-ish enhancements (since you cannot combine them with the L20s yet), combine enhancements to free up a slot for the L20, and wind up with an improved enhancement in the non-replaced slot. Ditto for training-&gt;DO-&gt;SO (particularly the latter, which is hideously expensive).

Concrete (if stupid) example:
You have Brawl 6 slotted, all L20 DO damage enhancements. You've just reached L22 and want to start replacing the DOs with SOs. You can afford only 2 SO damages though. Enter the enhancement screen, click on Brawl to get the combine screen. Click on one DO that is slotted already, and then another DO that is also slotted. They'll combine and you'll have an empty slot. Repeat that again and you'll have two empty slots, 2 L20+ DO enhancements, and 2 L20 enhancements. You can now slot your SOs without overwriting the DOs.

Excellent guide as usual, Zealot!

Aye!

Agree to a great post. Is it possible to get this sticky since it will help alot of new players?.

Niding

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Drop Levels
<ul type="square">[*] Generics that drop from level 1 to 19 mobs will be Villain Level, VL-1, or VL-2.[*] Generics that drop from level 20 to 29 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL-1.[*] Generics that drop from level 30 to 40 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL+2.[*] Dual Origins that drop from level 15 to 29 mobs will be Villain Level, VL-1, or VL-2.[*] Dual Origins that drop from level 30 to 40 mobs will be Villain Level, VL+1, or VL-1.[*] Single Origins will always be Villain Level, VL-1 or VL-2.[*] Task Force rewards, Trial rewards, and Archvillain Drops may not fit these critera.[/list]
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Most Useful post i've read. Thank you for your work.

Question, what does the VL-1 and VL-2 signify? How does that translate into level and type of villian, such as a level 30 boss, or a level 31 minion, etc.?

Ignore this

VL=Villian Level.

Damn fine guide. Thanks!

great post! thanks for helping out this n00b

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