Power Pools
Overview
Starting from level 6, your hero or villain can choose new abilities from Power Pools rather than their primary or secondary Powersets. You may choose abilities from up to four power pools. Each pool has four abilities:
| First power | Level 6 |
| Second power | Level 6 |
| Third power* | Level 14, and at least one other power from this pool |
| Fourth power | Level 20, and at least two other powers from this pool |
* Travel powers can be available at level 6 for some players; see below.
Upon training to level 6, you will receive the following message on the power selection screen:
IMPORTANT!
You have unlocked access to new power sets!
To select a Power Pool power instead of a regular power, click the Power Pool Sets button in the right hand column.
At level 6, you may choose one of the first two powers in any Power Pool set. The third power in a set will become available at level 14, only if you chose one of the first two powers in the set earlier. The fourth power will become available at level 20, only if you chose the third power in the set earlier.
You can choose a Power Pool power instead of a normal power from this point forward.
Uses
Pool powers aren't as effective as their cousins in primary and secondary powersets. However, they can be used to cover a weakness in your power sets (Aid Self for a Blaster), provide support abilities to your team-mates (Maneuvers for a Defender), or have a surprising twist or contradiction on your Archetype and power sets (Provoke for a Mastermind). Utilizing power pools may require skipping one or more powers in the primary or secondary powersets of the character.
The Travel Powers come from power pools; the interesting travel-only ability is the third power in its pool, so characters typically only need to choose one of the first two powers. With 60 months of veteran rewards, players with the City Traveler Badge unlock their travel powers at level 6 instead of 14. This does not affect the last power in the pool, which still requires level 20 and two other choices.
It is possible to forgo taking a travel power, especially for characters with Kinetics or the Super Booster Martial Arts pack using Ninja Run.
Power Pools
In Issue 19, the Fitness power pool was made inherent to all characters. It no longer appears in the list of power pools for characters reaching level 6 either through normal play or by performing a respec.
See Also
- Ancillary Power Pools, available for Heroes starting at Level 41
- Patron Power Pools, available for Villains starting at Level 41 after a special mission