Inherent Powers

Overview

Inherent powers are permanent powers that a hero or villain automatically has without having to select them during training. There are inherent powers that are archetype specific, origin specific, and powers that all heroes have.

Origin Specific Powers

Every hero receives a minor power that is dependent upon their origin. For more information, see Origin Powers.

Archetype-Specific Powers

The following are inherent powers are specific to the archetypes available in City of Heroes and City of Villains.

Assassination

A stalker does his best work whem attacking from ambush. When properly 'Hidden', a Stalker can pull of Critical hits with his attacks, and even land a massive 'Assassins Strike' with an Assassins power. Additionally, the Stalker has a chance to land a Critical hit with most of his attack powers when attacking Held or Slept foes.

Type Archetype-Specific (Stalker) Effects Always criticals from hide 20% critical on held or slept opponents

Combat Flight

For hovering and aerial combat. This power is much slower than Energy Flight, but provides some Defense, offers good air control, costs little Endurance, and has none of the penalties associated with Energy Flight. Switch to this mode when fighting other flying foes.

Type Archetype-Specific (Peacebringer) Effects Self: Fly, + Defense

Containment

Controllers are the masters at locking down and controlling their opponents. Few can escape their will. Controllers do extra damage to any target that is already Held, Immobilized, Slept, or Disoriented.

Type Archetype-Specific (Controller) Effects Self: Critical Damage (Special)

Cosmic Balance

Kheldians naturally thrive off the energy and essence of their teammates. Peacebringers' metamorphic nature allows them to bring balance to their team. Your Damage will increase for each nearby Tanker or Defender teammate. Your Damage Resistance will increase for each nearby Scrapper or Blaster teammate. Finally each nearby Controller teammate will grant you limited Protection from Control effects. You cannot put Enhacements in this power.

Type Archetype-Specific (Peacebringer) Effects Auto: Special

Critical Hit

The Scrapper is a fierce melee combatant. In hand to hand, no other hero can compare. All Scrapper melee attacks have a chance to land a Critical Hit for up to Double Damage. The higher the rank of the target, the greater the chance for a successful Critical Hit.

Type Archetype-Specific (Scrapper) Effects Critical Damage

Dark Sustenance

Kheldians naturally thrive off the energy and essence of their teammates. Warshades' absorbing nature allows them to draw on the power of their teammates' power to increase their own. Your Damage Resistance will increase for each nearby Tanker or Defender teammate. Your Damage will increase for each nearby Scrapper or Blaster teammate. Finally each nearby Controller teammate will grant you limited Protection from Control effects. You cannot put Enhacements in this power.

Type Archetype-Specific (Warshade) Effects Auto: Special

Defiance

As a Blaster loses health, he begins to unleash his true power in a last ditch display of Defiance. The less health he has, the more damage he deals, and the more accurate his attacks become.

Defiance is a feature that was introduced upon the release of Issue 5 and is exclusively for blasters.

When a blaster’s health drops, they will begin to see an increase in his or her damage output. It is a small increase at first, but the lower the blaster's health gets, the bigger the damage increase will become. An icon for defiance will appear under the experience bar once a blaster enters a defiant stance.

The chart below demonstrates just how much of a bonus to base damage a player will see when his or her health is low:

Health Percentage Bonus to Base Damage
70% health +4% damage bonus
50% health +18% damage bonus
40% health +35% damage bonus
30% health +70% damage bonus
20% health +140% damage bonus
10% health +280% damage bonus
1% health +500% damage bonus (maximum allowed damage buff for blasters)

The lower a blaster's health gets, the more defiant they becomes. The defiance feature allows blasters some rather exciting strategy abilities. If you are teamed with a Empath Defender or Controller and would like to stay in defiance mode, group communication is key.

Type Archetype-Specific (Blaster) Effects Special: Self, +Damage, +Accuracy

Domination

Nothing delights a Dominator more than inflicting pain. Once a Dominator attacks, his sadistic nature grows. When your Domination bar is over 90% you can activate this power to unleash his true potential. Your control powers will typically last 50% longer and will more easily Dominate stronger opponents. Additionally, you will fully recharge your Endurance and increase the damage to all your attacks. Recharge: very long.

Type Archetype-Specific (Dominator) Effects Self: Critical Control

Energy Flight

Energy Flight allows you to travel large distancies quickly. If you attack a target while this power is on, your flight speed will be temporarily reduced. Your Energy Flight speed increases with your Level.

Type Archetype-Specific (Peacebringer) Effects Toggle: Self Fly

Fury

As a Brute engages in combat, it unleashes his Fury. The longer he remains in combat, attacking and being attacked, the more damage he deals.

Type Archetype-Specific (Brute) Effects Self: +Damage (Special)

Gauntlet

Although many try, few can withstand the irresistible force of the Tanker. Each time a Tanker attacks, he enrages the target, and those around him, enticing them to attack the Tanker. Each punch continues to provoke your enemies and allows the Tanker to do what he does best.

This power is also referred to as "Punch-voke".

Type Archetype-Specific (Tanker) Effects Taunt

Scourge

The Corruptor is a dastardly villain indeed. As a Corruptor's foe health wanes, the Corruptor can start to land Scourge hits with his attack powers for up to double damage. The weaker the target is, the greater chance the Corruptor has of landing Scourge. Once a foe is weak enough, ther is no escaping the Corruptors wrath. The Corruptor shows no mercy.

Type Archetype-Specific (Corruptor) Effects Critical Damage

Shadow Recall

You can Teleport one of your teammates to yourself. The target must be a teammate and can be selected from the Team Window. You can also rescue a fallen teammate who may be in a hostile location, as long as he is on the same map. Range is not infinite, but extremely long and can be enhaced. This power can be interrupted.

Type Archetype-Specific (Warshade) Effects Zone Range Teleport Teammate

Shadow Step

You can Teleport long distancies. Shadow Step has no recharge time, and can be reactivated without pause, as long as you have Endurance.

Type Archetype-Specific (Warshade) Effects Self Teleport

Supremacy

A good Mastermind knows how to manage his Henchmen. The Mastermind imparts a bonus to his Henchmen's Accuracy and Damage only if he is nearby.

Type Archetype-Specific (Mastermind) Effects Point Blank, Henchmen bonus, + Accuracy, + Damage

Vigilance

The Defender primary focus is to protect the team. When his allies are in danger, the Defender is able to look deep within him or herself and rise to the occasion. As a Defender's teammates are in danger of being defeated, the Defender gains an endurance discount and can activate their powers at a reduced cost. The more teammates in trouble, the greater the discount.

Vigilance is a defender archetype feature that was introduced on 09/20/05. As a defender's teammates lose health, the defender gains an endurance discount. This power does not need to be activated: an icon for vigilance is automatically displayed under the hero's health and endurance bars. The percentage of this endurance discount is calculated by the number of teammates and the average percentage of the teammates' health points. To increase this endurance discount, the teammates will need to have a low health percentage average. The larger the team, the larger the endurance discount.

Any teammates who are too far away from the defender will not have any effect on the defender's vigilance status. Any teammates who are not on the map will not count towards this vigilance scale, as the range for vigilance is quite similar to the range one would use for sidekicks.

Type Archetype-Specific (Defender) Effects Endurance Discount

Universal Inherent Powers

Brawl

When all else fails, you have only your two fists to depend on.

Damage Minor Recharge Fast Effects Foe Minor Smashing Damage Enhancements Reduce Endurance Cost Enhance Recharge Speed Enhance Damage Enhance Accuracy

Rest

Activate Rest to heal Hit Points and recover Endurance. While Resting you cannot attack, and you are extremely vulnerable to attack and damage. Activatation of Rest can be interrupted, and the power must be active for a few seconds before you start to recuperate.

Heroes and villains receive this ability on advancing to Level 2.

Minimum Level 2 Effects Self Heal Recover -Defense Enhancements Enhance Endurance Modification Reduce Interrupt Time Enhance Recharge Speed Enhance Heal

Sprint

Sprint allows you to travel, or run away, slightly faster than normal, while slightly draining your Endurance.

Effects Boost Run Seed Enhancements Reduce Endurance Cost Enhance Running Speed Enhance Jump