Patron Power Pools
Overview
Patron Power Pools are the villain equivalent of Ancillary Power Pools, although they are available to all non-Praetorian alignments (heroes must temporarily change alignment to earn them). They attempt to balance the Archetypes' builds. Unlike Ancillary Powers, Patron Powers must be earned by completing the final mission in a story arc that becomes available for a villain at Level 35. The villain can see Arbiter Rein, who then outlines the gravity of the situation in choosing an Arachnos Patron: Black Scorpion, Captain Mako, Ghost Widow, and Scirocco. Once selected, the story arc leads the Villain on a quest to become a true disciple of the Patron, with an Accolade rewarded at the end and all four Patron Power Pools being unlocked within the level selection screen. Any character who gets the badge at the end gets access, so one villain running the arc could unlock the powers for a full team of players (some of whom could be vigilantes). You retain access to the pools even if you later change alignment, even to Hero.
The powersets also have the same name for each patron, regardless of Archetype. There are only four Patron Powersets to choose from with any Archetype; however, the powers within them are complementary to the Villain's Archetype, similar to Ancillary Power Pools.
You must select a Patron before you can take any Patron Power Pools powers. Also note that it is possible to play without choosing a Patron Power Pool. The power-enabled levels (35, 41, and 44) will still present the available legal choices from your primary and secondary sets, general Power Pools, as well as the Ancillary Power Pools (excluding Arachnos Soldiers and Arachnos Widows) from City of Heroes (which can be chosen without having to become a hero). A character can only select one Ancillary Power Pool or Patron Power Pool on a particular build.
- Arachnos Patron Power Pools
History
- Prior to Issue 13, Patron Power Pools were locked in after selection. A villain could not respec into and out of a patron at will. If a villain took Mace Mastery, the villain could never choose anything from another mastery. Issue 13 updated the Patron Pools to act similar to Ancillary Pools. Villain characters still only have access to one Patron Badge, but are no longer restricted to only that Patron's pool, allowing Patron Pool changes during respecification.
- During Issues 14 to 16, the Patron Pools were opened up to have five powers available, two at level 41, two at level 44, and one at level 47.
- Issue 18 unlocked Patron Power Pools for the City of Heroes archetypes.