New to Rebirth? Interested in checking out our server? Start here: https://play.cityofheroesrebirth.com/Need help? Join our Discord: https://discord.com/invite/mhkYg2sQPeTravel Pool Powersets RevampCity of Heroes Rebirth Issue 5 is around the corner. This update includes a comprehensive Travel Pool Power Set Revamp. We’re excited to share this detailed rundown of exactly what to expect!
Before we get to those details, I would like to share some of our thinking and process leading to these changes. Planning and staging for the Travel Pool Revamp began over a year ago. Our team set out priorities to encourage build diversity, to allow for depth of concept, to appropriately reward players for investing deeply in any particular pool, and to make certain that every power is worth taking while no single power is ever deemed so essential that it becomes ubiquitous.
In preparing for this revamp, we collected data on what powers players were selecting and in what combinations, we looked at both PvE and PvP play. We learned a lot while completing the code and power balancing of Gadgetry, Force of Will, and Experimentation origin pools. And we laid the foundation for this more significant role for pool powers, giving you all more slotting options via progressive leveling slots awarded to Health and Fitness with Rebirth Issue 3.
Our investigations lead to three key findings:
Finding one: Travel should be fun!
From launch, travel has been one of the basic joys offered by City of Heroes. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a firefarm in AE, we also want you all out there flying, leaping, porting, and dashing through the beautiful scenery of City of Heroes again like we all did during year 1. We don’t want your need to travel from one zone to another between door missions to feel like a drag. We wanted to bring the pleasure of travel back.
Since launch, when travel was new and exciting, a lot has changed. The game world has grown significantly. Train and ferry lines were consolidated. Universal and convenient means of fast travel were added, first for veterans and premium players, and then later for everyone. All trying to make it easier to get from A to B, without making travel itself significantly faster and enjoyable.
With this in mind, our team felt it was time to increase the caps for all movement types. We have done so with care and consideration. We felt so strongly about the importance of travel in City of Heroes, we decided that hitting the new caps itself should be woven into the metagame. If you want to hit any of those caps, you will need to work for it in your build.
Finding two: All powers should be desirable!
Whether it be via singular performance and utility or via shared synergy, every power choice should offer something to your build. We took a look at highly situational powers and explored creative means to give more function to those powers.
One design solution we’ve embraced is to reward players who decide to “build deep” into a pool. We want selecting 4 or 5 powers within a pool to effectively increase your character’s mastery over that pool. You will now find that many travel powers play some role in that meta-game of trying to hit those elusive speed caps.
We also took a look at monopolies that certain pools had on build choices, such as the need for many archetypes to seek defense and resistance via the fighting pool, and worked to build in balanced alternative routes to give you more options to reach the same goals. In the case of the fighting pool, leaping's Acrobatics and the new flight pool power Aerobatics have been added as new defense-granting options that are mutually exclusive with fighting's Weave, offering more varied thematic options to reach the same goal without increasing the maximum amount of defense stacking or forcing you to make cookie-cutter build selections.
Finding three: Damage matters!
Damage matters, even when it comes to pool powers. While this is arguably a subtopic of our second finding, we felt it was important enough to rise to its own listing. In part because it reverses some design decisions dating back to the Cryptic years.
Prior to this revamp, by design, many travel pool attacks suffered from chronic weakness and if selected as prerequisites are often left out of player attack chains. We have changed this. While primary and secondary attack powers will still outperform pool attack powers, all have been brought into much closer parity. From here forward, players should be able to integrate pool powers into their attack cycles without hindrance or regret.
This concludes our preamble of how we arrived at the changes detailed below. We hope you players are as excited to experience them in-game as we are! Please join us next week on our Public Test Server (PTS) in vetting the changes for bugs and balance concerns.
Running, 
Jumping, and 
Flying speed caps have all been raised by 400%! Speed
FlurryMelee (Cone), High DoT(Smash), Self +Def(Melee, Lethal), SpecialYou unleash a super fast Flurry of punches to pummel your foe, moving so quickly that you can dodge incoming melee attacks, thus boosting your Melee and Lethal defense briefly. Note: Activating Burnout will cause Flurry to instantly recharge for a brief time while Burnout Acceleration is in effect. Damage: High(DoT), Recharge: Moderate
- Attack type changed from single-target melee to narrow melee cone. It now accepts PbAoE enhancements instead of Melee enhancements.
- Added a short duration +Def(Melee, Lethal) similar to Parry. Flurry now accepts Defense enhancements.
- Increased damage from .143 to .2695 per tick
- Increased endurance cost from 5.46 to 14.01
- Increased recharge time from 3s to 14s
- Removed chance for stun
- Burnout Special Effect: Flurry instantly recharges for 10s immediately after Burnout is activated
HastenSelf +Recharge, +SPDYou can reduce the recharge time of all powers and gain increased run speed for 2 minutes. Although Hasten does not cost any Endurance to activate, you can tire easily since your Endurance does not recover more rapidly. After Hasten wears off, you become tired and will lose some Endurance. This crash can be avoided by training Unrelenting from the Presence pool.
- Added moderate move speed increase. Hasten now accepts Run and Universal Travel enhancements.
WhirlwindToggle: PBAoE, Moderate DMG(Smash/Energy), Foe Attract, Knockback, Stun, (Special)You spin around at an amazing speed to create a Whirlwind around yourself. Any foes that enter Whirlwind's radius will be pulled towards its center, and upon reaching the center will be pummeled and tossed into the air, leaving them very briefly stunned. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Speed Powers before selecting Whirlwind and not have trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, or Spring Attack. Note: Activating Burnout will cause Whirlwind to instantly recharge and cost no endurance per foe hit for a brief time while Burnout Acceleration is in effect.
- Expanded PBAoE radius to 25 and added Attract to pull enemies into the center
- In PBAoE center added Moderate Smashing/Energy damage
- Foes that enter the center will also be Knocked back and be very briefly stunned (~2s)
- Reduced additional endurance cost per foe hit from 1.5 to 1.0
- Whirlwind now automatically shuts off when your endurance reaches 25% or less
- Recharge Time increased to 105s
- Burnout Special Effect: Whirlwind costs no endurance per foe hit for 10s immediately after Burnout is activated
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, or Spring Attack
BurnoutSelf +Recharge, +SPD, Res (Slow), +DEF(All), SpecialBurnout allows you to instantly recharge Flurry, Whirlwind, and all of your Primary and Secondary powers, as well as resist slow effects for 60 seconds. Additionally, your running speed and jump height will greatly increase, while also providing a high amount of defense for 60 seconds. This power places the Burnout Acceleration effect on you. While this is briefly in effect, Flurry will recharge instantly and Whirlwind will cost no endurance per foe hit. Burnout is very expensive in terms of endurance and reduces your maximum endurance slightly for 60 seconds after use. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Speed Powers before selecting Burnout. Recharge: Very Long
- Added a large move speed and jump increase for 60sec. Burnout now accepts Run and Universal Travel enhancements. The jump height increase is not enhanceable.
- Added 40% resistance to slow effects for 60sec
- Added moderate Defense(All) for 60sec. Burnout now accepts Defense enhancements
- Reduced recharge time from 1800s to 600s
- Added Special effect: Burnout Acceleration. This effect grants brief bonuses to Flurry and Whirlwind for a short time immediately after Burnout is activated.
Leaping
Jump KickMelee, High DMG(Smash), Foe Knockdown, Stun Self TeleportA good jumping-kick attack that may knock foes down or stun them. Using this power allows you to jump to a nearby foe to deal heavy smashing damage.
- This power can now be used slightly out of melee distance. When activated while out of melee you'll leap toward the target while attacking.
- Range increased from 7 to 30. TPs to target when distance is further than 7 ft.
- Now has a 20% chance for a Mag 2 Stun
- Increased damage from 1 to 1.64
- Increased endurance cost from 5.46 to 10.66
- Increased recharge time from 2.8s to 8s
Combat JumpingToggle: Self +Jump, +Def(All), Res(Immobilization)While active, Combat Jumping increases your Defense to all attacks and adds resistance to Immobilization. Moderately increases your jump height and distance while providing good air control. While Hover is active, Combat Jumping will suppress.
- This power now stacks with other Jump powers
- Increased endurance cost from 0.07/s to 0.16/s
- Effects will suppress while Hovering or Flying
Super JumpToggle: Self Long Jump- New fast travel switching mechanic: Activating this power automatically switches off Fly and vice versa
AcrobaticsToggle: Self +Jump, +DEF(All), +Res(Knockback, Hold)While this power is active, you are very nimble and Acrobatic, increasing your Defense to all attacks. Your jump height and distance become moderately increased, and you can avoid most Knockback effects and are resistant to Hold effects. While Aerobatics is active, Acrobatics will suppress. While Acrobatics is active, Weave will suppress. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Leaping Powers before selecting Acrobatics.
- Added moderate Defense(All) on par with Weave. Acrobatics now accepts Defense enhancements.
- Added moderate Jump height/speed. Acrobatics now accepts Jump and Universal Travel enhancements.
- Increased endurance cost from 0.26/s to 0.33/s.
- Effects will suppress while Aerobatics (Flight) is active.
- While Acrobatics is active, Weave will suppress.
Spring AttackPBAoE High DMG(Smashing), Foe Knockdown; Self Teleport, +JumpYou leap into the air and smash down among ranks of foes in the blink of an eye. Using this power allows you to jump to a selected area to deal significant smashing damage to all foes near the location you teleport to, most foes that are struck by your Spring Attack will be knocked down. The impact of this power launches you for a short time which significantly increases your Jumping Speed and Jump Height. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Leaping Powers before selecting Spring Attack and not have trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, or Whirlwind. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow.
- Using this power significantly increases Jumping Speed and Jumping Height for 30s.
- Reduced recharge time from 120s to 34s
- Increased endurance cost from 13.52 to 14.352
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, or Whirlwind
Flight
HoverToggle: Self Fly, +DEF(All)For hovering and aerial combat. This power is much slower than Fly, but provides some Defense to all attacks, offers good air control, costs little Endurance, and has none of the penalties associated with Fly. Switch to this mode when fighting other flying foes. While Hover is active, Combat Jumping will suppress.
- This power now stacks with other Flight powers
- Added the original Fly pose as a power customizable option.
- The Hover pose will always show over the default fly pose due to having a higher priority.
- Decreased endurance cost from 0.19/s to 0.16/s
- While this power is active Combat Jumping will suppress
Air SuperiorityMelee, High DMG(Smash), Foe -FlyThis two-handed overhead melee attack can knock a flying target to the ground.
- Increased damage from 1 to 1.64
- Increased endurance cost from 6.5 to 10.66
- Increased recharge time from 4s to 8s
FlyToggle: Self FlyFly allows you to travel large distances quickly. If you attack a target while this power is on, your flight speed will be temporarily reduced to Hover speed. Your top Flight speed increases with your Level.
- New fast travel switching mechanic: Activating this power automatically switches off Super Jump and vice versa
Aerobatics (formerly Group Fly)Toggle: Self +FlySpeed, Res(-Fly), +Def(All), +Flight ControlAerobatics moderately increases your flight speed and provides a high amount of defense, flight protection, and additional flight control. If however, you are not flying, you will lose some of your Defense bonus. If you have also trained Fly, this power unlocks Group Fly, a power that endows your nearby teammates with Flight when active. While Aerobatics is active, Acrobatics and Weave will suppress. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Flight Powers before selecting Aerobatics. This power only grants flight protection while Hover or Fly is active.
- Aerobatics now occupies the former Group Fly power in the Flight pool.
- While Aerobatics is active, Acrobatics and Weave will suppress.
Group Fly- Obtaining Aerobatics now unlocks Group Fly mode for Fly.
- If you previously had Group Fly you will now have both Aerobatics and Group Fly powers.
Dive Attack (formerly Afterburner)PBAoE Superior DMG(Smashing), Foe Knockdown; Self TeleportYou dive in the air and smash down among ranks of foes in the blink of an eye. Using this power allows you to dive to a selected area to deal significant smashing damage to all foes near the location you teleport to, most foes that are struck by your Dive Attack will be knocked down. If you have also trained Fly, this power unlocks Afterburner, a power that greatly increases your maximum fly speed. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Flight Powers before selecting Dive Attack and not have trained Blink Blitz, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow.
- Dive Attack now occupies the former Afterburner power in the Flight pool.
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Blink Blitz, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind.
Afterburner- Obtaining Dive Attack now unlocks Afterburner for Fly
- Transferred defense to Aerobatics and while not quite as high it can now be used in combat
- Removed Only Affect Self
- Afterburner toggle now has a 30s duration and 120s cooldown
- If you previously had Afterburner you will now have both Dive Attack and Afterburner powers.
Teleportation
Recall (formerly Recall Friend)Teleport TargetYou can Teleport your target, be they friend or foe, to yourself. You can also rescue a fallen teammate who may be in a hostile location, as long as they are on the same map. Range is not infinite, but it's long and can be enhanced. Allies can be teleported from near Zone-Range distances. However, foes must be much closer. This power can be interrupted.
- This power has been renamed Recall. It can teleport either an ally or an enemy to you.
- Depending on whether your target is a friend or foe this power will either function as Recall Friend or
Teleport Foe. - Training both Recall and Blink will enable you to teleport NPC foes without any interruption window.
- If you previously had Recall Friend you will now have Recall
Blink (formerly Teleport Foe)Ranged, High DMG(Smash), Self Teleport, +DEF(All)You can Teleport nearly instantly to a single foe and launch a surprise attack on them for minor Smashing damage. Blink is so quick that your enemies will find you harder to hit, thus boosting your defense briefly. Damage: Minor, Recharge: Moderate
- This power has been replaced with Blink. An extremely quick teleportation power that attacks the foe in the blink of an eye.
- Damage Scale 1
- Endurance Cost from 6.5
- Recharge Time 4s
- This power also grants a short-duration Defense(All) buff.
- If you previously had Teleport Foe you will now have Blink
TeleportRanged (Location), Self TeleportYou can Teleport long distances. Teleport has no recharge time, and can be reactivated without pause, as long as you have Endurance.
- Added a passive Endurance Discount if you have trained Team Teleport
- Added a passive Range buff if you have trained Long Range Teleport
Blink Blitz (formerly Team Teleport)PBAoE High DMG(Smashing); Self Teleport, +DEF(All)You Teleport yourself to a targeted foe and launch a barrage of attacks on any foes near the target's location. You teleport around the area so quickly that your enemies will find you harder to hit, thus boosting your defense briefly. If you have also trained Teleport, this power unlocks Team Teleport, a toggle power that expands the capabilities of your Teleport power allowing you to Teleport yourself and your nearby teammates when active. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Teleportation Powers before selecting Blink Blitz and not have trained Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow
- Blink Blitz now occupies the former Team Teleport power in the Teleportation pool.
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind.
Team Teleport- Obtaining Blink Blitz now unlocks Team Teleport mode for Teleport.
- This power has become a toggle. While toggled on it that turns Teleport into Team Teleport. Enhancing Teleport also enhances Team Teleport power.
- Team Teleport also provides a passive Endurance Discount to the solo Teleport power mode.
- If you previously had Team Teleport you will now have both Blink Blitz and Team Teleport powers.
Mass Translocate (formerly Long Range Teleport)Ranged (Targeted AoE), Foe TeleportMass Translocate allows you to teleport a group of foes in close proximity to each other to your location. If you have also trained Teleport, this power unlocks Long Range Teleport, a toggle power that expands the capabilities of your Teleport power when active. You must be at least level 14 and have two other Teleportation Powers before selecting Long Range Teleport. Recharge: Long
- Mass Translocate now occupies the former Long Range Teleport power in the Teleportation pool.
Long Range Teleport- Obtaining Mass Translocate now unlocks Long Range Teleport.
- Long Range Teleport also provides a passive Range buff to the normal teleportation range of Teleport.
- If you previously had Long Range Teleport you will now have both Mass Translocate and Long Range Teleport powers.
Peacebringer
Combat FlightToggle: Self Fly, +DEF(All)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. While Combat Flight is active, Combat Jumping will suppress. This power can be used while in Bright Nova or White Dwarf form. However, activating it while in either Bright Nova or White Dwarf will transform you back into your original form.
- This power now stacks with other Flight powers, sans Hover
- Added the original Fly pose as a power customizable option.
- Combat Flight's hover pose will always show over the default fly pose due to having a higher priority.
- Decreased endurance cost from 0.19/s to 0.16/s
- While this power is active Combat Jumping will suppress
Energy FlightToggle: Self FlyEnergy Flight allows you to travel large distances 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. This power can be used while in Bright Nova or White Dwarf form. However, activating it while in either Bright Nova or White Dwarf will transform you back into your original form.
- Reduced endurance cost from 1.0/s to 0.36/s
- New fast travel switching mechanic: Activating this power automatically switches off Super Jump and vice versa
Solar Glide (formerly Group Energy Flight)Toggle: Self +FlySpeed, Res(-Fly), +Def(All), +Flight ControlSolar Glide moderately increases your flight speed and provides a high amount of defense, flight protection, and additional flight control. If however, you are not flying, you will lose some of your Defense bonus. Taking this power also unlocks Group Energy Flight, a power that endows your nearby teammates with Flight when active. This power only grants flight protection while Combat Flight or Energy Fly is active. While Solar Glide is active, Acrobatics and Weave will suppress.
- Solar Glide now occupies the former Group Energy Flight power.
- While Solar Glide is active, Acrobatics and Weave will suppress.
Group Energy Flight- Obtaining Solar Glide now unlocks Group Energy Flight.
- If you previously had Group Energy Flight you will now have both Solar Glide and Group Energy Flight powers.
Starfall (formerly Quantum Acceleration)PBAoE Superior DMG(Smashing), Foe Knockdown; Self TeleportYou dive in the air and smash down among ranks of foes in the blink of an eye. Using this power allows you to dive to a selected area to deal significant smashing damage to all foes near the location you teleport to, most foes that are struck by your Starfall will be knocked down. This power also unlocks Quantum Acceleration, a power that greatly increases your maximum fly speed. You may not take this power if have trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow.
- Starfall now occupies the former Quantum Acceleration power.
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind.
Quantum Acceleration- Obtaining Starfall now unlocks Quantum Acceleration
- Transferred Defense to Solar Glide
- Removed Only Affect Self
- Afterburner toggle now has a 30s duration and 120s cooldown
- If you previously had Quantum Acceleration you will now have both Starfall and Quantum Acceleration powers.
Warshade
Starless Recall (formerly Shadow Recall)Teleport TargetYou can Teleport your target, be they friend or foe, to yourself. You can also rescue a fallen teammate who may be in a hostile location, as long as they are on the same map. Range is not infinite, but it's long and can be enhanced. Allies can be teleported from near Zone-Range distances. However, foes must be much closer. This power can be interrupted.
- This power has been renamed Starless Recall. It can teleport either an ally or an enemy to you.
- Depending on whether your target is a friend or foe this power will either function as
Shadow Recall or 
Starless Step. - Training both Starless Recall and Starless Charge will enable you to teleport NPC foes without any interruption window.
- If you previously had Shadow Recall you will now have Starless Recall
Starless Charge (formerly Starless Step)Ranged, High DMG(Negative), Self Teleport, +DEF(All)You can Teleport to a single foe through a dark matter wormhole directly and launch a surprise attack on them for high Negative Energy damage. Starless Charge is so quick that your enemies will find you harder to hit, thus boosting your defense briefly. Damage: High, Recharge: Moderate
- This power has been replaced with Starless Step. An extremely quick teleportation power that attacks the foe in the blink of an eye.
- Damage scale 1.64
- Endurance cost from 8.528
- Recharge time 8s
- This power also grants a short-duration Defense(All) buff.
- If you previously had Starless Step you will now have Starless Charge
Shadow StepRanged (Location), Self TeleportYou can Teleport long distances. Shadow Step has no recharge time and can be reactivated without pause, as long as you have Endurance. This power can be used while in Dark Nova or Black Dwarf form. However, activating it while in Dark Nova will transform you back into your original form.
- Added a passive Range buff if you have trained Shadow Slip
Extinguish Light (formerly Shadow Slip)PBAoE High DMG(Negative); Self Teleport, +DEF(All)You can Teleport to a targeted foe through a dark matter wormhole and launch a barrage of attacks on any foes near the target's location. This teleports you around the area so quickly that your enemies will find you harder to hit, thus boosting your defense briefly. Training this power unlocks Shadow Slip, allowing you to Teleport yourself long distances. You may not take this power if have trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind. Damage: High, Recharge: Slow
- Extinguish Light now occupies the former Shadow Slip power.
- You may not train this power if you have already trained Blink Blitz, Dive Attack, Spring Attack, or Whirlwind.
Shadow Slip- Obtaining Extinguish Light now unlocks Shadow Slip.
- Shadow Slip also provides a passive Range buff to the normal teleportation range of Teleport.
- If you previously had Shadow Slip you will now have both Extinguish Light and Shadow Slip powers.
Look for all these and many more features this week on the Public Test Server (PTS) when we unveil the full Rebirth Issue 5 Clockstoppers.
