Well written! I always wondered what PB did and did not boost, and a definitive guide is an excellent resource for its potential users.
One thing to emphasize under Vanguard (and I know you mentioned, it, but it's a key difference) is that it's PB lite. As you said, it enhances mez, but not repel, end drain, tohit and defense buffs, tohit and defense debuffs, heals, speed buffs or slows, as per your guide and what little I can read and write whil at work. (It took me 5 mintues to write this)
I still refer to your previous version of this guide all the time. Thank you!
I haven't tested it properly, but it certainly seems like PFF - which has a resistance boost as well as a massive defense boost - should be mentioned in the "known exceptions" since I think power boost does affect it. I could be very wrong though.
Also, nofuture/CoD seems to be getting remodeled today - might want to check that link.
Question - I have a lvl 27.6 fire/energy Blaster, and I was wondering if Power Boost affected the DOT fire damage of some of my fire blast attacks.
If not, I don't see any reason to get it at lvl 28.
No, PB doesn't affect damage or damage buffs.
Some of those powers on the unaffected list are powers that are impossible to take with power boost, such as earth's embrace, thaw, etc, so how would you really know this? Not that it matters because it's impossible to have those two moves I'm just curious.
I think its because they theoretically could be affected by weaken/benumb (reverse power boost), but aren't.
Because the same rules apply for Power Boost as do Weaken/Benumb. So if Weaken/Benumb don't affect one of those powers then neither would Power Boost - they both use the same scale but where Power Boost increases effects, Weaken/Benumb decrease them.
gotcha, thanks. part of that though could be they were overlooked because those sets can't take power boost.
Some of them can be affected by Power Build Up, the Defender Ancillary power, which is almost identical to Power Boost, but contains +DMG and +ACC components.
And it seems that in at least one situation, PBU gives a better boost to powers than PB. The case I'm referring to is Heal amounts. PBU seems to have a ~1.76x modifier while PB gives a ~1.56x-ish modifier of Heal Other (on the Defender) and Aid Other (on the Blaster) slotted identically at lvl50. Seems counterintuitive that a Power Pool power gives a better boost to powers than a Secondary power. However, I asked _Castle_ about this and his initial response was that it was probably related to Defenders being better at buffing than Blasters.
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Question - I have a lvl 27.6 fire/energy Blaster, and I was wondering if Power Boost affected the DOT fire damage of some of my fire blast attacks.
If not, I don't see any reason to get it at lvl 28.
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Do you plan on blapping at all? If so, get PB. PB + Aim + Build Up + Bonesmasher + Total Focus = goodness. 
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Some of them can be affected by Power Build Up, the Defender Ancillary power, which is almost identical to Power Boost, but contains +DMG and +ACC components.
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The list of strength modifiers from Power Boost and Power Build Up are identical. Which powers are you referring to?
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And it seems that in at least one situation, PBU gives a better boost to powers than PB. The case I'm referring to is Heal amounts. PBU seems to have a ~1.76x modifier while PB gives a ~1.56x-ish modifier of Heal Other (on the Defender) and Aid Other (on the Blaster) slotted identically at lvl50. Seems counterintuitive that a Power Pool power gives a better boost to powers than a Secondary power. However, I asked _Castle_ about this and his initial response was that it was probably related to Defenders being better at buffing than Blasters.
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PBU and PB have different modifiers. Read the highlighted table in the middle of the guide for numbers, but as far as balance goes look at the recharge of each power.
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The list of strength modifiers from Power Boost and Power Build Up are identical. Which powers are you referring to?
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Sorry, I was referring to Stasis_'s comment about some sets not being able to take Power Boost.
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PBU and PB have different modifiers.
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The problem I have with the modifiers is that an Ancillary power is giving a better boost than a Secondary power (again, the Heal example, someone provided numbers for Heal Other, I provided for Aid Other, I can't test anything else since I don't have a Defender that high of level). An Ancillary/Power Pool power should always, IMO, be lesser in every respect to something that can be obtained in a Secondary powerset. Even if it takes a longer recharge and has a shorter duration, the benefit provided, while it is active, should not be better. And a person also has to factor in that PBU has +DMG and +ACC, while a Blaster has to take 3 powers, albeit powers gotten at a much lower level, to do what PBU does. I'm not conversant on the buff numbers though. Honestly, if I could take one power in the place of three, even if it has a lesser effect, I'd probably be willing to, if only to get a more concept-y build.
Just like Inv/* Tanks should have better resists, shorter recharge times, and longer durations than */Inv Scrappers and Brutes; just like Rad/* Defenders should have better buffs/debuffs, etc than */Rad Controllers. I really think the whole Primary > Secondary > Ancillary > Power Pool should really be reexamined to make that a heirarchy a reality.
Just my $0.02 on the matter.
Edit - Please don't take this as an insult to your guide. It's not. Thank you for providing the numbers. This is more an argument on the attributes of the powers themselves and some of the underlying philosophy of the game. 
Just wanted to clarify. If I'm a blaster and have fortitude on me already and I hit powerboost(since I'm /energy) will the + defense and to hit buff increase from fortitude for the duration of PB?
And another example if I'm getting tactics from a teammate not my own will PB affect that as well for me?
No. PB only affects powers that you activate, not powers that are used on you.
bummer
Looks like the CoD link has moved again, this should point to the Power Boost info:
City of Data's Power Boost Page
I am curious, +perception is not mentioned at all. Does PB affect perception?
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The problem I have with the modifiers is that an Ancillary power is giving a better boost than a Secondary power (again, the Heal example, someone provided numbers for Heal Other, I provided for Aid Other, I can't test anything else since I don't have a Defender that high of level).
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As you received in the letter previously, I think the difference of blaster and defender buffing strengths is the cause of this. One could also speculate that primary+app > secondary+pool in terms of balanced strength.
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I am curious, +perception is not mentioned at all. Does PB affect perception?
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Weird, I could've sworn I put that entry in the list at some point. It must've gotten lost during one of my revisions. No, PB does not affect perception buffs or debuffs, thanks for the catch.
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No, PB does not affect perception buffs or debuffs, thanks for the catch.
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Thanks for the guide.
Looks like Red broke your link again 
Here's the updated City of Data link for Power Boost.
I have had multiple people tell me in the last two days that they have noticed very clearly PBU effecting the +Regen and +Recovery of Regen and Recovery Aura and Adrenaline Boost. Obviously, this contradicts the information in this guide.
How can I go about testing these claims?
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
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I have had multiple people tell me in the last two days that they have noticed very clearly PBU effecting the +Regen and +Recovery of Regen and Recovery Aura and Adrenaline Boost. Obviously, this contradicts the information in this guide.
How can I go about testing these claims?
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Find a lowbie with hover and a safe spot. (Alternately, fly to the top of a building and use Recall Friend.)
Have them hover up to the flight ceiling and then turn off hover. They'll fall and splat down to 1 hp. Time how long it takes them to get back to full.
Repeat, but this time cast the regen-boosting power first.
Wait for the +regen power to wear off, then repeat again, this time with the Power Boosted regen power.
If power boost works on +regen, then the third time should be noticably shorter than the second which should be shorter than the first.
Try similar things with recovery.
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Try similar things with recovery.
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using Nova...
ok, I wil try this out and post my findings here
Wavicle, Energy/Energy Blaster, dinged 50 in Issue 4, summer of 2005.
@Wavicle, mostly on the Justice server.
A note for anyone interested, Power Boost does boost the EndDrain and Heal IO procs.
Some Dominator Analysis:
In PvE vs a +0 with no resistance/protection, a Domination + MM+ PB boosted hold will apply a Mag 3 Hold for 71.52 seconds and at the same time, an additional Mag 3 Hold for 107.28 seconds.
Level 50 Ice Dominator: Block of Ice
PvE Duration Scalar: 12 (8 in PvP)
Domination PvE Duration Scalar: 18 (12 in PvP)
Hold (Base): 12*1*1.49 = 17.88s
Domination Hold (Base): 18*1*1.49 = 26.82s
Hold (PB): 17.88 * (1 + 1.49) = 44.52s
Hold (MM): 17.88 * (1 + 1) = 35.76s
Hold (PB + MM): 17.88 * (1 + 1.49 + 1) = 62.4s
Hold (MM + PB): 17.88 * (1 + 1 + 1.49*[1+1]) = 17.88 * (4.98)[capped at 4] = 17.88 * 4.0 = 71.52s
Domination Hold (PB): 26.82 * (1 + 1.49) = 66.78s
Domination Hold (MM): 26.82 * (1 + 1) = 53.64s
Domination Hold (PB + MM): 26.82 * (1 + 1.49 + 1) = 93.60s
Domination Hold (MM + PB): 26.82 * (1 + 1 + 1.49*[1+1]) = 26.82 * (4.98)[capped at 4] = 26.82 * 4.0 = 107.28s
Phantom Rose: Ill / Kin / Psi
Soleau: Ice / Icy / Ice / Core: Ice / Fire / Pyre / Wind / Eclipse / Flare / Corona
---------------
Solo Space
Overview
The question of exactly what Power Boost does is a common one, so I put together this guide for easy reference. There are a lot of numbers and formulas here, but I've highlighted the important parts for what I hope is easy reference.
Most importantly: Ignore Power Boost's in-game description. "Secondary effects" is a completely subjective and misleading term.
There are specific effects that PB enhances (list below). If a power has an effect on the list, then PB will affect it, as will all of the PB derivates (with the possible exception of Vanguard). Simple as that.
The actual modifier value varies with AT and level. It is not a simple "+100% to powers" (more on that later). As with nearly every enhancement effect in the game, it enhances base values only. Any toggle or passive power that you have running (that is affected by PB, obviously) will be boosted for the duration of PB. Any click used with PB active will be boosted for the duration of the click. Clicks used before PB is cast will be unchanged if you cast only PB. For example, if a Force Field Defender uses Power Build Up, his Dispersion Bubble will have increased defense and mez protection until PBU wears off, and any click ally shields (Deflection/Insulation Shield) he casts while PBU is up will have increased defense until they wear off four minutes later, or until he recasts them without using PBU beforehand.
Here's a list of all the effects that I know PB enhances as of Issue 8. I've tested out each of these personally.
What Power Boost Affects
Stun/Sleep/Hold/Immobilize/Confuse/Fear Duration
Knockback/up Magnitude (Both KB Distance* and ability to overcome KB protection)
Knockback Protection Magnitude
Mez Protection Magnitude
Mez Resist (Acro/AM/Vengeance)
Repel Strength (Hurricane, Telekinesis, Force Bubble)
Defense Buffs/Debuffs
ToHit Buffs/Debuffs
Heals (Direct heals only, not +regen or -regen)
Endurance Drain and "Heals" (Direct +end from powers like Transference, not +recovery)
Run/Fly Speed
Run/Fly Speed Resist
Movement Slow Powers (Not -recharge)
Also, here are some effects that I've tested that are specifically not modified by PB. Obviously, this is not a full list:
Some Things Power Boost DOES NOT Affect
Inspirations
Eye of the Magus/Demonic Aura Accolade
Domination
Mez Magnitude
Intangibility Magnitude/Duration (Sonic Cage, Dimension Shift)
Damage/Damage Buffs/Damage Debuffs
Resistance Buffs/Debuffs
Recharge Buffs/Debuffs
Recovery Buffs (Stamina, Recovery Aura)
Regen Buffs/Debuffs (Adrenaline Boost, Regen Aura, Lingering Radiation)
HP Buffs (Dull Pain, accolades)
Endurance Drain Resist
Conserve Power
Range Buffs/Debuffs (Boost Range/Hurricane)
Repel Protection Strength from Increase Density
Taunt Duration
Jump Speed/Height
Power Build Up's ToHit Buff
*Note on Knockback Distance: If you are attacking high-level targets, particularly in PvP, PB will often not seem to increase KB distance very much or at all. This happens because the target's KB magnitude cap, which determines max KB distance, is very low for high-level targets. The level 50 cap is actually so low that most KB powers are capped already before PB is even used.
PB will also increase Domination's long-duration mez effects since those are implemented as additional mezzes with higher duration scales.
There is another list of PB's effects at Red Tomax's Power Quantification guide (formerly City of Data). The two lists differ because CoD's list shows all the effects that the game engine uses, which can include seemingly unrelated in-game effects. For example, when the game engine adds a "Hold Enhancement" modifier, hold durations are obviously increased. But when this same hold modifier is applied to mez protection powers, they increase hold protection strength. The same goes for effects like Run Speed and Run Speed Resist: unless you know the connection between the various game effects, it is not obvious that some effects will be enhanced by PB.
Some powers are exempt from the PB/Weaken strength modifiers by design. Often if a power has a damage resistance component, it will ignore the PB variants, although there are a few exceptions. Here's a short list of powers known to be unaffected by PB:
Antidote
Earth's Embrace
Essence Boost
Frozen Armor
Glacial Armor
Healing Flames
Hoarfrost
Increase Density
Kuji-In Sha
Obsidian Shield
Plasma Shield
Reconstruction
Static Shield
Thaw
Unstoppable
Unyielding
Here's some known exceptions to the above rule. These powers have damage resistance but are affected by PB/Weaken:
Alkaloid
Deflection Shield
Kuji-In Rin
Wet Ice
Amount of PB's Boost
A common misconception is that Power Boost provides a flat modification value (i.e., +100% for Blasters, +150% for Defenders). This is incorrect; PB's actual modifier varies by Archetype and Level. For numbers people, PB follows the mez duration formula (which Iakona explains in his excellent Power Data Standardization v2.0 guide). Thanks to gSolo and Peritus for pointing this out. The formulas are:
Power Boost: Melee_Stun * (1 + 0.01*[Level - 1])
Weaken/Benumb: -0.5 * Ranged_Stun * (1 + 0.01*[Level - 1])
The Melee/Ranged_Stun terms in the above equation are the AT mods that PB uses. The actual numbers from Iakona's guide are:
<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>Mod Blaster Contrlr Defendr Scrappr Tanker Khldian Brute Stalker MasterM Domnatr Coruptr
M_Stun 0.8 1.25 1 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 1 1 0.8
R_Stun 0.8 1.25 1 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 1 1 0.75</pre><hr />
For example, a level 31 Blaster would have a PB modifier of 0.8*(1 + .30) = 1.04.
Here are the values of the Power Boost derivates at level 50, along with the recharge and duration of each power:
<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre>Power AT Lvl 50 Modifier Recharge Duration
---------------------------------------------------------------
Power Boost Blaster 1.192 60 15
Power Boost Controller 1.8625 120 15
Power Boost Dominator 1.490 120 15
Power Build Up Defender 1.490 240 12.5
Weaken Mastermind -0.745 16 30
Benumb Corrupter -0.55875 120 30</pre><hr />
Note, this is a straight percent increase to all effects, no matter what enhancement schedule they use.
I personally love examples, so here are a few to make this more concrete:
Level 50 Radiation Controller: Radiant Aura (PBAoE Heal)
Heal Scalar: 1.0
Heal (Base): 117.80
Heal (3 +0 SOs): 117.80 * (1 + 0.9493) = 229.63
Heal (3 +0 SOs + PB): 117.80 * (1 + 0.9493 + 1.25*1.49) = 449.03
Level 50 Blaster: Aim (Self +ToHit, +Dmg)
ToHit Scalar: 5.0
ToHit (Base): 37.50%
ToHit (3 +0 SOs): 37.5% * (1 + 0.560) = 58.5%
ToHit (3 +0 SOs + PB): 37.5% * (1 + 0.560 + 0.8*1.49) = 103.2%
Weaken/Benumb
These two powers essentially work as inverse Power Boosts, affecting the same attributes as PB but weakening them instead of enhancing them. Taking the above example of a level 50 Radiation Controller and applying a level 50 MM's Weaken:
Heal (Base): 117.80
Heal (Weaken): 117.80 * (1 - 0.5*1.0*1.49) = 30.04
Weaken and Benumb cannot stack with themselves from the same caster. When used from different casters however, they will stack, adding together. There is a 0.10 floor for most effects. Example with the above heal:
Heal (Two Weakens): 117.80 * (1 - 0.745 - 0.745) = 117.80 * (-0.49)[floored at 0.10] = 117.80 * 0.10 = 11.78
Power Boost and its derivates all modify each other: if activated when Weaken is on the caster, Power Boost will have a lower effect than it otherwise would. In other words, Weaken and Benumb reduce PB's modifier. For the same reason, if you can get the recharge on Blaster's PB down far enough, you can see that PB will boost itself when it stacks. Pulling out the Rad heal once again:
Heal (Base): 117.80
Heal (PB only): 117.80 * (1 + 1.8625) = 337.20
Heal (Weaken only): 117.80 * (1 - 0.745) = 30.04
Heal (PB first, then Weaken): 117.80 * (1 + 1.8625 - 0.745) = 249.44
Heal (Weaken first, then PB): 117.80 * (1 - 0.745 + 1.8625*[1-0.745]) = 85.99
Heal (Weakened PB only): 117.80 * (1 + 1.8625*[1-0.745]) = 173.75
That last number is the heal when only PB is active, but PB was activated just before the Weaken debuff dropped.
Mez Protection
A nifty feature of PB is that it increases the level of mez protection a power provides. This is occasionally useful for unbuffed squishes in PvP, as the combination of PB+Acro will protect against a Controller/Dominator mag 4 hold (but only one). The Vanguard accolade will do the same thing, though not quite as effectively as the PB derivatives. By the same token, Weaken and Benumb will lower the affected player's mez protection.
From Iakona's guide, the mez protection formula for a given power can be written:
Protection Magnitude = (AT ResBool Mod * Level ResBool Mod * Power Scalar) + AttribBase
Power Boost effects this equation as a multiplier, much like the AT modifier. Taking Power Boost into account, the equation looks like:
Protection Magnitude = (AT ResBool Mod * Level ResBool Mod * Power Scalar * [1 + PB mod]) + AttribBase
Here's an example with a level 50 Empath Defender and Clear Mind. CM has a scalar of -30, Defender Ranged ResBool modifier is 1.25, and the Level 50 ResBool modifier is 0.346. AtrribBase for players is -1.
CM (Base): (1.25 * 0.346 * -30) - 1 = -12.975 - 1 = -13.975
CM (PBU): (1.25 * 0.346 * -30 * [1 + 1.49]) - 1 = -32.308 - 1 = -33.308
CM (L50 Weaken): (1.25 * 0.346 * -30 * [1 - 0.745]) - 1 = -3.309 - 1 = -4.309
Acrobatics is an exception to this equation, as it's a straight -2 Hold protection regardless of AT or level. PB still multiplies the -2, however, so in Acro's case the equation changes to:
Acro Magnitude = -2 * (1 + PB mod) - 1
Repel Powers
There are currently three powers in the game that do Repel: Hurricane, Telekinesis, and Force Bubble. For Hurricane and Telekinesis, PB will modify the rate of the repel "pulse." The easiest way to observe this is with stacked Weaken/Benumb on the caster. For example, with two Weakens on a Storm Controller, Hurricane only repels roughly once every 9 seconds. With two Weakens on a Mind Controller, the Telekinesis pulse rate drops to the point where there are gaps between pulses: the red "Held" text blinks on and off and the target can slowly advance against the repel. This is similar to what happens when TK is used against very purple NPCs.
According to my tests, Force Bubble works differently from the other two repel powers. PB/Weaken do not seem to modify the pulse rate, even when stacked. Instead, they change the magnitude of repel protection (i.e., number of IDs) required to overcome FB. So far I've not been able to determine the exact mechanics of repel, but here are a few examples of the number of IDs required to get through FB in several scenarios:
<font class="small">Code:[/color]<hr /><pre> #IDs required to get through L50 Defender Force Bubble
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ID AT Base PBU Weaken PBU+Weaken Weaken+PBU PBU+2Weakens
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Defender 2 5 1 4 2 3
Corrupter 3 6 1 5 2 3
Controller 3 7 1 5 3 3</pre><hr />
Stacked Weakens allow a player with no repel protection to stand in Force Bubble without getting repelled.
Most of the tests using Weaken were done with a level 31 MM. Note that these numbers are for a Defender's FB; although FB magnitude does not seem to differ across ATs or levels, these numbers might vary depending on the level and AT that uses Power Boost and Weaken. For example, if Controller Power Boost was used instead of Defender PBU, more IDs would probably be required to break FB than shown. For a slightly more involved discussion of this issue go here.
Vanguard/Megalomaniac
Vanguard/Megalomaniac is a Hero/Villain accolade respectively with a 1 minute duration and a 25 minute base recharge that is a flat +100% boost to mez durations, mez protection, mez resists, knockback mag, and knockback protection. Unlike the other PB derivates, this power does not scale with level or AT, and is not affected by other strength modifiers (meaning Weaken/PB will not change the +100% boost value). However, if Vanguard is cast first, it will boost the mez strength modifiers of PB.
This is subject to a 400% mez duration/protection cap, which anybody with PB and Vanguard can hit.
Example:
Level 50 Fire Controller: Char
PvE Duration Scalar: 12 (8 in PvP)
Hold (Base): 12*1.25*1.49 = 22.35s
Hold (PB): 22.35 * (1 + 1.8625) = 63.98s
Hold (VG): 22.35 * (1 + 1) = 44.7s
Hold (PB + VG): 22.35 * (1 + 1.8625 + 1) = 86.33s
Hold (VG + PB): 22.35 * (1 + 1 + 1.8625*[1+1]) = 22.35 * (5.725)[capped at 4] = 22.35 * 4.0 = 89.4s
Thanks to Iakona, Peritus, and gSolo for helping me get a handle on the numbers and mechanics, and many thanks to my SG mates for being very patient with me while helping me test some very bizzare situations.