This is a "nice" guide but you probably should include information about the Temp powers you receive for completing them successfully.
Centinull
Honestly, didn't want to detail the temp rewards given in the mayhem missions because it's detailed far better then I could do it in the free prima guide.
If I get more requests too, I'll do it though.
:-|
Mayhem missiones have been a debt fest for me *grin*
Those longbow flame throwers are wicked. I've now actually started taking the mission and waiting till I've raised a level before actually going on it ^_^.
But yes, I was one of those that make a beeline for the bank. There was one time when I aggroed so many longbow that someone could have been forgiven for thinking it was I4 again and I had a tanker, herding.
I think even if you do take your time, it's easy to get overwhelmed both by opposition in the form of the cops, as well as teh suddenly appearing longbow. If they turn up whilst you are in the process of mopping up 5 PPD...well...things can get ugly ^_^
Mayhem Missions aren't all nice and easy fun and games (though they are Fun!Woot!). If you don't know what you're doing, you can get Team Wiped quickly.
-Jentia Argool(Bostic)
Freedom Server
Spines/Regen I5 Guide!
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4. Side Missions are your Friend.
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I've completed mayhem missions with 18 minutes left at level 5. At level 30, I have 25 minutes left. I hope when I hit 50 to have over an hour. :P
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Mayhem Missions aren't all nice and easy fun and games (though they are Fun!Woot!). If you don't know what you're doing, you can get Team Wiped quickly.
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When Mayhem's first came out, this was me as well. I couldn't complete one to save my life, literally. I spent the entire mission in the jail, only to break out and get put right back in. I think I failed about a dozen before I had a successful one, all thanks to the Roach man up top. 
After that, I haven't ever failed one, and consistently complete the bank job with at least as much time as I started with.
In my experience, there is one great AT to bring with on these: a Mastermind. Come on in, spawn their pets, and let them go freaking beserk destroying everything. You'll have those Mayhem Mission badges in no time. 
Main Character: Ice/Storm/Ice Controller (Justice, 1340 badges)
Yeah, Brutes and Masterminds do well in Mayhems. Brutes can get their Fury pretty high from just SMASHing things left and right. 
Dungeoncleaners! (ID#125715): Slay the Adventurers! Rescue the Monsters! Return the Treasure!
Peppermint Cat-- Lv50 Mewtant Ice/Eng Bls
Out of curiosity, if you reset a Mayhem mish and re-enter, do you get the timed bonuses again for those first defeats? (i.e., first Bus Stop, first PPD Van, etc.)
I understand that the side missions do not reset, but was wondering if you can build up a lot of time just resetting.
I find your lack of signature disturbing.
Interesting idea, I'll have to test that.
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Just bear in mind this as well, once you get a bonus for a type of thing, stop breaking that same thing, you only get ONE time bonus per type of thing, but Paragon is a target rich environment, so break a different thing.
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I'm sure I've gotten a second bonus for an item before. It may only be certain items will let you have a second bonus. I'll try to look into this. Specifically I recall getting 2 time bonuses on parking meters or cars.
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There was one time when I aggroed so many longbow that someone could have been forgiven for thinking it was I4 again and I had a tanker, herding.
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Me and a friend both agree that longbow ambushes are bugged, and sometimes spawn many more longbow than they should. This is (we believe) caused when you use super movement powers to move quickly, most notably using superjump or fly. However we haven't really gotten further than hunches. One time the group we had rushed the bank, and the longbow ambushes swarmed in, about 8 or so per wave every couple seconds for maybe 3 or so minutes. Funny thing was, almost all of them were Eagles. Now this was in a group, however the amount of longbow we fought would have devastated us easily if we hadn't been in the bank. Also everyone rushed the bank going the same path; so it's not like there were a bunch of different ambushes, just maybe 2 or 3. And in case you're curious we had lots of aoe so all the longbow went bye-bye 
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Out of curiosity, if you reset a Mayhem mish and re-enter, do you get the timed bonuses again for those first defeats? (i.e., first Bus Stop, first PPD Van, etc.)
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Yes, on live and test you can currently reset and get bonuses for items again, (which are also reset if you destroyed them)
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4. Side Missions are your Friend. You will see some local bad guys in your trip to Paragon, those posers are NOT your buddies, but your key to further potential for fun. When you take out those locals you will find a key that will unlock a door. If you have problems finding that door check
your clue file or map. You will see a side mission on it. The different side missions can be anything from a hostage rescue, to an arson. These just arent fun but further time bonuses. The hostage rescue, some have said, take too much time, but if you have been breaking things and clearing the longbow ambushes, you will find that it is extremely easy, and those 6 minutes will go a long way.
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Just to add from my personal experience on this topic. Sides are not only your friend, they are a Godsend. Destroy everything in your path as you work toward the bank, and as mentioned take it SLOW so you never find yourself dealing with more than one Longbow attack at a time. Now ... Don't go completely out of your way searching for the side missions but when you get one DO IT immediately! That added time bonus for setting a fire, or kidnapping the witness from the Police just gives you even longer to run around destroying things before or after you complete the bank mission.
I've run a host of successful mayhems with my Masterminds and actually got to the point where I knew exactly where the villians were located that unlocked the keys. I'd blow up everything from cars, to mailboxes as I worked my way to them. Then do each side mission adding to the time I had in city (On one particular night I actually got to a point where I had almost 40 minutes on my timer .. and that was after spending maybe 9-10 minutes running around destroying the stuff I needed to get those bonuses). Needless to say I finished the bank job and destroyed EVERYTHING that could be destroyed in the entire city .... with time left over to run around looking to be sure I hadn't missed anything.
I actually prefer to solo Mayhems because the larger the group the more of each item you need to destroy to get a time bonus (so while solo I need to destroy 5 cars if I'm on an 8 man team we may need to destroy 35-40) Also. of course, you encounter a lot more Paragon City Police on teams and wading through their roadblocks slows a big team down. But I have run sucessful team missions too. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember on a mayhem team is STAY TOGETHER! I've been on teams where everyone splits up and just starts going crazy as they seach for stuff to blow up. Well each one of those PPD roadblocks and each Longbow attack now has X number of more personnel based on your team size. If you've broken off into 2-3 smaller groups and run into a longbow ambush team they could care less that there are only 2 of you in that zone.. they still send 10,12, or 14 attackers. Then you wind up dead and spend the rest of your dwindling time trying desperately trying to break out of jail (which also has X number of extra guards based on your team size
Play smart, keep teams smaller so the bonuses come quicker, and stay together and you can have a lot of fun destroying one city block after the other
�We�re always the good guys. In D&D, we�re lawful good. In City of Heroes we�re the heroes. In Grand Theft Auto we pay the prostitutes promptly and never hit them with a bat.� � Leonard
�Those women are prostitutes? You said they were raising money for stem cell research!� � Sheldon
The Brotherhood of DOOM presents
Mayhem Missions and You!!
Hi evil doer. Bot Queen here, just did 3 newspaper missions and your contact is ready to have you bump off a bank in good ol Paragon? Itching to crack a safe and some heroes head? Well my little one, this is just one method to getting the most out of your trip to hero land. This by no means is the only way to do a Mayhem Mission but it is A way to do them.
1. Break things. Yes, as soon as you find yourself on the streets of Paragon, you need to start breaking things, boxes, cars, crates, anything that you can target and has a level, you can break. Bear this in mind though, the easier it is to break the faster it will. Those grey conning boxes are worth it even at high levels, the time bonus doesnt change. That purple large crate might not be worth it though, because it gives the same time bonus for a level 5 that it does a level 30, only the 30 can take it out in 5 seconds and the level 5 will take 5 minutes. So, break the easy stuff. Just bear in mind this as well, once you get a bonus for a type of thing, stop breaking that same thing, you only get ONE time bonus per type of thing, but Paragon is a target rich environment, so break a different thing.
2. Take your time. Fifteen minutes might not seem like a long time, but, with breaking things your timer will constantly be added to. Dont panic, break enough things and soon you will have more time then when you started.
3. Watch your warnings! Longbow are on notice that a villain is in the area and when you draw enough attention to yourself, they will come hunting for you. If you get a 30 sec bonus for evading arrest, the bow are on their way. Be ready for them. The typical bow patrol is 2 minions per party member, and is triggered by entering new areas, so if you have a party of 8 and are running right to the bank, you can find yourself quickly outnumbered. If you take it easy and bunker down when you see the warning, you will have no problem taking out the good doers.
4. Side Missions are your Friend. You will see some local bad guys in your trip to Paragon, those posers are NOT your buddies, but your key to further potential for fun. When you take out those locals you will find a key that will unlock a door. If you have problems finding that door check your clue file or map. You will see a side mission on it. The different side missions can be anything from a hostage rescue, to an arson. These just arent fun but further time bonuses. The hostage rescue, some have said, take too much time, but if you have been breaking things and clearing the longbow ambushes, you will find that it is extremely easy, and those 6 minutes will go a long way.
5. Have Fun. These missions are not intended to be frustrating, or debt-fests, they dont have to be either. Yes your under pressure for completing the objective, but rushing though the mission is what is causing that. Break things, take your time and do the side missions, and youll be on your way to a lot more fun, then breaking out of the jail for the 20'th time because you ran right to the bank.
Just my 2 cents worth. Hope this helps.