Issue 28 Page 1

See also: Issue 28

July 23rd, 2024

General

Marquee Features

• New Raid Zone: The Labyrinth of Fog
• New Story Arc: Ashling Corlett - 'Only Love Can Hurt Like This'
• New Powerset: Marine Affinity
• Enemy Group Revamp: The Warriors

Powers & Gameplay Adjustments

• New Power Customization Options

Various Adjustments, Improvements & Fixes

• New Left/Right Eye Auras
• New Aether Shop Rewards + WST Aether at all levels
• New Pocket D Friend: Blarf
• New vanity pet Recipe drops
• New Badges; Four New Accolades + Powers
• Numerous bug fixes and improvements

Marquee Features

New Raid Zone: The Labyrinth Of Fog (Level 45-50)

The secret vault of the Midnight Club is a vast trove and holds countless artifacts, most kept locked away for the safety of the world.

One artifact the Midnighters have utilized for many years in the training of their new magicians: A pocket dimension contained within an ancient cube created by the Cimeroran inventor Daedalus known only as The Labyrinth of Fog.

This labyrinth was a place constructed by the tools of the divine, housing an endless maze filled with visages of nightmare, borne from the memories of those who entered, and hunted by a monstrous beast that roamed its endless halls. It was a place where intelligence, strength, and wit could be tested to ensure the Midnighters who make rank can control the vast magics they command.

However, with the whole of humanity's safety at risk, the Dream Doctor has vowed to strengthen Earth's defenders by any means, and to this end sought to see the Labyrinth of Fog opened to any powerful hero or villain, to allow them to test themselves against superior versions of their greatest foes with no risk of death, a metaphysical danger room sustained by the arcane.

This would be the most promising method they had in their arsenal towards quickly building champions who could defend their world, and the need had never been greater. Any risks pertaining to the Labyrinth's original purpose would have to be dismissed in favor of the benefits it could provide to the world's strongest, after all, the Dream Doctor had himself trained in this Labyrinth.

Now, with the doors to this ancient dungeon opened to all, the Midnighters are providing support to those who are willing to face the worst of themselves and humanity's nightmares. Much hope was placed on those entering the Labyrinth of Fog and conquering its dangers that they might emerge as great champions.

"Imagine the birth of an army of heroes... Where each carried the might of Perseus, amongst history's strongest. Earth would be secure."

"...If you truly believe that the benefits outweigh the risks, let us test humanity's champions of today."

What new adventures lie in store?

Like The Hive and The Abyss, The Labyrinth of Fog is a raid zone with a low player cap (50), therefore any multi-boxing will not be allowed within. Homecoming's Code of Conduct will be updated to state clearly that any multi-boxing within this zone is not allowed.

An Artifact In The Midnighter Club?

• This new co-op raid zone is accessed via an artifact cube found in the Midnighter Club.
  • All players are automatically set to Level 50 while in the zone.
• An info NPC ghost found near the zone's entrance provides additional information on the specifics of the zone.

Touch the artifact cube and enter The Labyrinth of Fog!

• A trainer, merit vendor, nurse, and buff crafting station have been added to the Midnighter Club zone to help facilitate adventuring activities within the Labyrinth of Fog.
• The Midnighter Club has been added to Long Range Teleport unlocked by owning the Midnight Squad badge.
• The Labyrinth of Fog added to the LFG queue where it's found under the 'Trials & Raids' tab if you can access the Midnighter Club and are over Level 45.
• The zone has a 50-player population cap. Additional instances will generate if one fills.

Many Floors & Corridors!

• The raid zone begins with the labyrinth's entrance lobby.
  • Reviving at the hospital while in this zone will return you to the entrance lobby.
  • Idle players are returned to the Midnighter Club after 15 minutes of inactivity.
  • Logging out while in the zone will return you to the entrance lobby upon login.
• There is no mini map in the labyrinth except for the entrance lobby.
• The entrance lobby contains four color-coded portals that each are used to enter into the labyrinth.
• Each goes to a color-coded floor. There are six floor colors total: Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Violet, Orange
• The color of the floor determines what set of grouped enemies populate that floor.
  • Violet Floors contain the most dangerous groups and Giant Monster event channel spawns.
  • Orange floors contain completely randomized enemies.
• Here is a complete list of the various enemy groups that populate the labyrinth and their floor color:
• Blue:
  • Arachnos
  • Council
  • Freakshow
  • Gold Brickers
  • Hydra
• Green:
  • Devouring Earth
  • Drudges
  • Imperial Defense Force
  • Nemesis
  • Rikti
• Yellow:
  • Carnival of Shadows
  • Circle of Thorns
  • Cimeroran Traitors
  • Malta Operatives
  • Tsoo
• Red:
  • Crey
  • The Family
  • Praetorian Resistance
  • Psychic Clockwork
  • Sky Raiders
  • Snakes
• Violet:
  • The Awakened
  • Arachnoids
  • Nictus
  • Void Hunters
  • Soldiers of Rularuu
  • Talons of Vengeance
  • Vanguard Sword

Fight For Rewards & Gain Level Shifts!

• Experience & Influence earned in the zone increased by 25%
  • This stacks with other power such as Experience Boosters or Windfall.
• Labyrinth of Fog is an extremely vast (40+ floors) mission-style zone filled with Level 54+1 enemies to battle for increased rewards.
  • It is intended this zone be tackled with a Team or League.
• All enemies in the zone are Rank Shifted (Minion -> Lieutenant, etc.) up to a maximum rank of Elite Boss.
• Enemies behave identically to standard content and drop all the same rewards they would normally.
• As Elite Bosses are defeated, a meter on your navigation will fill up, eventually granting a zone-wide Level Shift buff!
  • Elite Bosses have a foggy aura to make them easier to identify as the targets in the zone.
  • Elite Bosses increase in Level Shifts alongside the players.
  • Pets (including Mastermind and Lore) also receive the zone-wide Level Shift buffs.

Fear The Minotaur!

Avoid the Minotaur until you've got a team or league that can coordinate gathering Level Shifts to take him down!

• While in The Labyrinth of Fog, players are hunted continuously by The Minotaur In The Fog, a Monster that's Level 54+(5 to 10) and periodically (every 2-3 minutes) moves to the location of a player on the map (higher odds for the zone's oldest occupants, excludes those in the entrance lobby which is always safe), navigating the labyrinth's maze at inhuman speeds to find prey.
• For every 8 players in the zone after the first, the Minotaur will gain another +1 Level Shift (min +5, max +10).
• The navigation window will display the Minotaur's current level, or, if they're currently dead, will show a timer to their next respawn time:

• 1-8 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+5)
• 9-16 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+6)
• 17-24 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+7)
• 25-32 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+8)
• 33-40 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+9)
• 41+ players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+10)

• Defeating the Minotaur will award the new Slayer of the Minotaur badge and the Minotaur will vanish from the zone for one hour, allowing people to adventure and battle enemies within without danger.
  • The Minotaur rewards a choice table with 5 Prismatic Aether + 10 Monstrous Aether to all who participated in the defeat on an 18 hour cool-down. Additional defeats within that time will only reward half the payout.
  • Alternatively, can select 3 Draught of Fog inspirations with no cool-down.
• The Minotaur will spawn with one of five different weapon power sets; All weapon powers deal 100% Negative Energy damage exclusively.
  • All variants of the Minotaur come with the Unholy Plague Howl, Netted Pilums, Hoof Stomp, Trial By Combat, and Fog Given Form powers.

Search for Malevolent Fog!

• Special 'Malevolent Fog' pinata enemies (no attacks, no regeneration) can be found in the labyrinth that, when defeated, increases the zone's Level Shift navigation bar meter by 50 points and grants 1 Reward Merit to all players in the zone who meet the following conditions:
  • Cannot be dead.
  • Cannot be in the entrance lobby, the Core, or a secret area.
• A single player who participated in the defeat will receive a Draught of Fog inspiration.
  • These special inspirations provide the user with 15 minutes of a single Level Shift stack exclusive to them and their pets, as well as immunity to the Diseased debuff.
  • These Inspirations are not bound and can be freely traded or stored in Super Group bases.
• Malevolent Fog are most commonly found in rooms that are dead ends, and their FX makes them stands out in the foggy environment.
  • Once defeated, another Malevolent Fog will spawn somewhere else in the labyrinth to take its place. This should naturally filter them down to lesser visited places over time while ensuring there is always some to be found.

Find & defeat Malevolent Fog to earn Reward Merits + Level Shifts!

• The zone-wide buff grants +1 Level Shift, +DMG/ToHit/Recharge/Recovery for each stack. It can be stacked up to ten times from either Malevolent Fog defeats or cumulative Elite Boss defeats. The current Level Shift total can be seen on your buff bar as a black icon with a white number:

The Labyrinth's Level Shifts stack up to a max of 10!

• The Level Shift buffs decay at a rate of once per 5 minutes, each decay will reduce the total stack of Level Shifts by 1.

But Not Without Assistance!

• Players are given two pop-tray powers while in the labyrinth to assist them:
  • Escape From Fog: Teleports yourself back to the entrance lobby of the labyrinth. 1 second cool-down.
  • Follow Through Fog: Teleport yourself to a target Team or League mate. May fail if the target does not have space nearby or is going through a door. Intended to help teams stick together. 1 second cool-down.

Gladiators In The Fog?

• Throughout the colored floors, players can encounter Gladiators In The Fog.
• Standing next to one will prompt the Gladiator to respond.
• Depending on how many badges from the Labyrinth you currently have, the Gladiator will do one of the following:
  • Respond with hints/tips/lore dialog about the Labyrinth.
  • Gift a Draught of Fog inspiration.
  • Become hostile and attack the player. (More Labyrinth badges = higher chance of attack)
• Each Gladiator will only interact with the same player once ever.
• Defeated Gladiators drop a single Draught of Fog inspiration to one participating player.

Blood and strength unseen, Gladiator!

Explore the Labyrinth!

• There are many secrets and prizes to be discovered within the Labyrinth of Fog.
  • Including many not detailed at all in the patch notes!
• Finding a secret area will reward the Hidden in Fog exploration badge.
  • Secret area doors have a confirmation box when clicked to enter them.
• Some secret areas are easy to find, others more difficult. All secret areas reward the same exploration badge.
• The secret areas show up as '???' locations and immediately grant the badge upon discovery.

New Story Arc

'Only Love Can Hurt Like this' - Ashling Corlett (Level 41-49)

Ashling Corlett is a veteran of Paragon City, even if you've never heard of her.

When the Shivan attack hit Galaxy City she was in the thick of the Hero Corps rescue detail, only leaving after directly ordered to despite suffering serious injury. As a result she moved to the Hero Corps reserves, but she hasn't been idle.

There's things left undone and she means to finish them, even if it means crossing a few lines to do it.

Reach out to Ashling and her Hero Corps reserves, there's work to be done!

• CONTACT: Ashling Corlett
• LOCATION: Steel Canyon (/thumbtack -4736.0 0.0 395.4)
• ALIGNMENT / LEVEL: Hero - Level 41+
• OUROBOROS / ARC: Captain (40-49) - 28.01

New Support Powerset

Marine Affinity - Defender, Controller, Corruptor, Mastermind

Marine Affinity allows players to command the power of the Oceans to buff their friends and wash away their enemies. This set focuses on turning the tides of battle with several area-based buffs and debuffs, specifically bolstering ally damage while dampening enemy damage potential. Thematically, the set's area coverage allows you to either spread out areas of effect in a wide but shallow pool, or dive deep in one spot to bowl over enemies.

Surf & Turf is on the menu this Page!

Powers:

• Shoal Rush - By sensing the water in an area, you can direct a shoal of marine life to harass your foes. This lowers the defense and movement speeds of all enemies struck.
• Soothing Wave - Send forth a calming wave of water, washing over friend and foe alike. Allies will be healed by this power, while enemies will have their offensive power watered down.
• Toroidal Bubble - You create a ring of Bubbles that encase your allies, constantly hydrating them to replenish endurance and reducing the effects of endurance drain. The bubble also reduces all incoming damage, providing extra resistance to Fire and Smashing damage, and also increases jump height thanks to added buoyancy.
• Whitecap - Summon and ride a wave of water towards your target, crashing down to knock over all enemies in the radius and staggering them, lowering their damage resistance! Enemies close to where you crash will receive harsher debuffs and damage.
• Tide Pool - Create a large pool of water at a targeted location to swell the damage that your allies deal, while reducing the damage , movement speeds, and stealth of enemies within the Tide Pool. If an enemy is defeated in the pool, or they are targeted by Shoal Rush or Whitecap, the marine life present will be thrown into a frenzy!
  • Tide Pool Frenzy - While frenzied, the Tide Pool has a chance to knock over enemies and the damage buff and debuff is stronger.
• Brine - You coat an enemy in an extremely salinated layer of deep-sea brine that reduces your foe's maximum hit points, and resistance to damage. This power may consume up to 3 stacks of Shifting Tide's buff in order to recharge much faster per stack.
• Shifting Tides - Select a target to create a field of shifting waters around them. Enemies within the shifting waters have a chance take bonus damage when any power hits them, as well as provide you and your allies a stacking Rising Tide buff that increases ToHit, Damage, and Recharge time. The more stacks of Rising Tide, the higher the odds to proc bonus damage!
• Barrier Reef - Create a Barrier Reef teeming with life at your target location. The Barrier Reef will emit an aura that washes over allies in range, providing them with a defensive cover of water that will absorb and deflect some damage.
• Power of the Depths - Becoming a conduit of the ocean itself, you boost the max hit points and endurance of allies within range. This power will also increase the Regeneration rate of all nearby allies, while also increasing the Range of all of their powers. A portion of these effects will decay over time.

Unleash the power of the ocean!

Enemy Group Revamp: The Warriors

Warriors, come out and play!

All

• New costumes and visuals for all Warriors enemies except Odysseus.
• Standardized melee range to 7ft.
• Base accuracy for weapon attacks increased from 1.0x to 1.05x.
• Base accuracy for Bow/Crossbow attacks increased to 1.2x.
• Warriors with Hand Crossbows levels 20-39 replaced with Aimed Shot at 40+.
• Warriors with Bow levels 20-39 replaced with Blazing Arrow at 40+.
• Warriors with Crossbow levels 20-39 replaced with Crystal Arrow at 40+.
• Warriors with Exploding Bolt levels 20-39 replaced with Explosive Arrow at 40+.
• Updated critter names to follow traditional Warrior naming conventions.
• Added Archery minion/lieutenant/boss critters.
• Created new base Warrior resistance scaling by critter rank.
• Updated descriptions and help text for all new Warriors powers.
• Updated legacy missions and spawndefs with Warriors to use New Warriors.
• Created new custom spawndefs for Warriors.

Crushers

• Bash animation reduced from 1.37s to 1.33s, disorient increased from 5% chance to 10%.
• Pulverize animation reduced from 1.83s to 1.5s.
• Clobber animation reduced from 1.83s to 1.23s, damage scale increased from 0.25 to 2.92, recharge decreased from 20s to 16s, disorient decreased from scale 10 duration to scale 5.0.
• Shatter damage scale increased from 1.96 to 2.28, increased arc from 10 to 45 degrees.
• Crowd Control added to bosses levels 40+.
• Custom Willpower auto power added to minions/lieutenants/bosses levels 40+, custom Willpower toggle for lieutenants/bosses levels 40+.

Hewers

• Gash animation reduced from 1.83s to 1s, damage scale decreased from 1.16 to 1.0, recharge decreased from 5s to 4s.
• Chop animation reduced from 1.83s to 1.2s, damage scale decreased from 1.96 to 1.64, recharge decreased from 10s to 8s.
• Beheader animation reduced from 1.37s to 1.27s, damage scale decreased from 2.28 to 1.96, recharge decreased from 12s to 10s.
• Pendulum converted from 5ft radius/180 degree cone to 7ft radius melee TAoE, animation reduced from 2.27s to 2s, damage scale decreased from 1.9 to 1.35.
• Swoop added to bosses levels 40+.
• Custom Willpower auto power added to minions/lieutenants/bosses levels 40+, custom Willpower toggle for lieutenants/bosses levels 40+.

Slashers

• Hack animation reduced from 1.83s to 1.33s, damage scale increased from 0.84 to 1.64, recharge increased from 3s to 8s, defense debuff duration increased from 6s to 10s.
• Slash animation reduced from 2.27s to 1.33s, damage scale decreased from 1.32 to 1.0, recharge decreased from 6s to 4s, defense debuff duration decreased from 10s to 6s.
• Parry animation reduced from 2s to 1.33s, added lethal defense to self defense buff.
• Whirling Sword animation reduced from 2.87s to 2.67s.
• Minion Hack replaced with Slash.
• Head Splitter added to bosses levels 40+.
• Custom Willpower auto power added to minions/lieutenants/bosses levels 40+, custom Willpower toggle for lieutenants/bosses levels 40+.

Brawlers

• Added 10% chance for recharge and tohit debuff to Brawl.
• Boxing damage scale increased from 0.76 to 0.874, disorient increased from 5% chance mag 2 to 35% chance mag 3.
• Kick damage scale increased from 0.84 to 0.966, knockdown chance increased from 20% to 40%.
• Added Lieutenant and Boss critters with Street Justice attacks.
• Minions levels 40+ have Fighting suite replaced with Street Justice.
• Bosses levels 40+ gain Crushing Uppercut.
• Custom Super Reflexes auto power added to minions/lieutenants/bosses levels 40+, custom Super Reflexes toggle for lieutenants/bosses levels 40+.

Staff Fighting

• Created new class for Staff Fighting users with Pilum ranged attacks; use Super Reflexes at high levels.

Powers & Gameplay Adjustments

Power Customization

Energy Mastery:

• Laser Beam Sweep alt animation/fx for Energy Torrent (only applies to versions of Energy Mastery with Laser Beam Eyes).

Teleportation:

• The following customization options have been added to the Teleport / Combat Teleport customization offerings:
  • Goop (Tintable)
• Customization Adjustments: Added ability to color the power customization of the following Teleport / Combat Teleport options:
  • Smoke Bomb (Tintable)
  • Rikti (Original + Tintable)
  • Tornado (Tintable)
  • Murder of Crows (Tintable)

Character Customization Improvements

New Costume Parts

Auras

• The following customization options have been added to costume aura offerings:
  • Alpha (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Atomic (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Battle Fury (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Beastly Rage (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Binary (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Cryo (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Electricity (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Fairy Dust (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Fire (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Fire Flies (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Gaseous (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Glow (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Omega (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Pixels (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Smouldering (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Snow (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Sparkle (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Sparks (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Starburst Glow (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Tendrils (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Thunderhead (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)
  • Volcanic (Right Eye, Left Eye, +Combat)

Aether Shop Rewards

Prismatic Aether salvage now drops from the Weekly Strike Target at all levels, no longer requires being Level 50.

Tier 1 Reward Additions

• New NPC costumes added to the Tier 1 Aether reward vendor offerings:
  • Costume: Banished Pantheon Totem
  • Costume: Luddite
  • Costume: Luddite Crusader
  • Costume: Malta Tac Ops Commander
  • Costume: Malta Hercules Titan
  • Costume: Rikti Ambassador
  • Costume: Rikti Scientist
  • Costume: Rikti Specialist
  • Costume: Talons Sibyl (Earth)
  • Costume: Talons Sibyl (Fire)
  • Costume: Talons Sibyl (Ice)
  • Costume: Talons Sibyl (Shadow)
  • Costume: Talons Sibyl (Storm)
  • Costume: Rogue Arachnos Blood Widow
  • Costume: Warrior Hewer Gladiator
  • Costume: Warrior Hoplite Gladiator
  • Costume: Warrior Pankratiast Gladiator

Tier 2 Reward Adjustment

• The following costume power is being moved from Tier 1 to Tier 2:
  • Costume: Legacy Warrior Thug

Tier 3 Reward Additions

• New cosmetic effects added to the Tier 3 Aether reward vendor offerings:
  • Effect: Vision Filter (Monochrome and Sepia Tone screen filters)
  • This power requires the game client's 'Desaturation Effects' graphic option be enabled in order to function!
  • Applies a screen filter to your game client:

Just like the old days... Wait, that doesn't seem right...

Tier 4 Reward Additions

• New premium costume added to the Tier 4 Aether reward vendor offerings:
  • Costume: Block Mode + Costume: Block Mini Mode
  • Grants both power regular and mini versions with singular purchase!
  • This power has five customization options:

Cutting-edge high-definition costumes, quality assured by GM_Bot itself!

Vanguard Merit Reward Additions

• New NPC costumes added to the Vanguard Merit worktable offerings:
  • Costume: Vanguard Shield HVAS
  • Costume: Vanguard Sword HVAS

Various Additions, Enhancements, & Fixes

New Pocket D Friend: Blarf

Abnormal or adorable? You decide!

After the infamously dubbed 'Pocket D Barfer' had been safely placed into in-hospice care, an unknown contamination emerged. Pocket D's official health & safety inspectors recommend caution when interacting with the contaminant as its chemical composition appears to be beyond mortal comprehension.

DJ Zero has dubbed this anomaly contaminant as: 'Blarf'.

• Blarf is a for-fun zone mini pet that spawns near the unique wet floor sign on the red-side ground floor where the former nauseous man used to be.
• Clicking on Blarf will engage in affection-giving physical contact.
  • WARNING: DJ ZERO & POCKET D ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INCIDENTS RELATED TO HEALTH DEGRADATION FROM CONTACT WITH UNIDENTIFIED MATTER, PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION AND RESTRAINT WHEN ENGAGING WITH BLARF! DO NOT FEED BLARF UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!
• Blarf's location within Pocket D is tracked on the mini-map with a blue-green dot, and updated in real-time.
• Blarf will become friends with the first person who clicks them, becoming attached and following them around anywhere they go within Pocket D for a while.
• Blarf has a short attention span. After 3-minutes it can be distracted and become attached to a new person who clicks on them.
• If you move too far away from Blarf for too long (>20ft, for 5 seconds), they will lose interest in their current friend.
• Blarf does not have any collision, but is fast and affectionate.
• Blarf doesn't like to go to the certain locations, and will return to their spawn if their current friend goes into any of the following places:
  • Architect Entertainment
  • Ski Chalet
  • VIP Lounge
  • Hospitals
  • Elevator Entrance Hallways
  • Blue-side Upstairs Bar
• Blarf can fly! Airborne friends are supported by Blarf.
• Blarf will give a "gift" to anybody who clicks them, even if they don't become their next friend.
  • These "gifts" are on a 10-minute cool-down timer.

External Links

• Issue 28, Page 1