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Power Icons Legend

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Overview

Many video games which give the player a variety of abilities will use icons or symbols to allow players to identify individual powers at a glance, City of Heroes included. However, unlike many of these games, City of Heroes not only uses these icons to quickly denote individual powers, but also to convey the effects and usage of the powers.

A power icon in City of Heroes has three important components: the inner symbol, the border, and the color. The inner symbol indicates one or more of the powers' effects. The border indicates whether the power requires a target to use and whether it affects an area or a single target. Most powers' borders do not, unfortunately, indicate whether the power affects teammates or enemies; this information must be extrapolated by looking at the inner symbol (i.e. if the inner symbol denotes a positive effect, the power most likely affects allies or the caster) The color of an icon indicates the power set that the power belongs to; every power set has its own unique combination of background and foreground colors, although some colors are shared between primary or secondary power sets and Ancillary Power Pools with similar themes, though never within the same archetype. This is done to reduce the footprint of the City of Heroes installation; by having Frozen Armor use the exact same icon in the Ice Armor, Cold Mastery, and Ice Mastery sets, one icon file provides the art for 3 powers, reducing the size of the City of Heroes install.

Borders

Border Description Example
NoBorder.png An icon without a border indicates that the power only affects the caster. Reconstruction, Unyielding
STBorder.png The power is single target; it will only affect the currently targeted entity. Deflection Shield, Power Blast
ConeBorder.png The power affects the target, as well as every valid target (up to the target's target limit) within a conical area in front of the caster. The exact dimensions of the cone area depend on the power. Shadow Maul, Breath of Fire
PBAoEBorder.png The power does not require a target; it affects every valid target (up to the power's target limit) within a spherical area centered on the caster. The exact radius of the sphere depends on the power. Inferno, Healing Aura
TAoEBorder.png The power affects the current target, as well as every valid target (up to the power's target limit) within a spherical area centered on the target. The exact radius of the sphere depends on the power. Exploding Arrow, Snow Storm
TPBAoEBorder.png The power does not require a target; it affects every teammate within a spherical area centered on the caster, including the caster itself. Assault, Group Invisibility
AllyTAoEBorder.png The power affects every target (up to the power's target limit) in a spherical area centered around the targeted teammate. The targeted teammate may or may not be affected, depending on whether the power's effect is a positive or negative one. Disruption Field
SummonBorder.png The power summons a separate entity at a selected location. Some powers allow the caster to choose the location, while others simply summon the new entity at the caster's feet. Animate Stone, Summon Striker
LAoEBorder.png The power affects every valid target (up to the power's target limit) within a spherical area centered around a location. Some powers allow the caster to choose the location, while others automatically set the location to be the same as the caster's at activation. Spirit Tree, Burn

Inner Symbols - Buffs

The following inner symbols denote powers that grant the caster or his allies buffs to various attributes.

Symbol Description Example Notes
Buff, Accuracy.png Increases accuracy or tohit. Aim Most powers that buff tohit also buff damage, so the use of this symbol normally means that the power is either an accuracy buff, or the tohit buff is particularly large.
Buff, Damage.png Increases damage. Build Up
Buff, Defense.png Increases defense. Dispersion Bubble
Buff, Defense, Melee.png Increases defense against powers typed "melee". Ninja Reflexes
Buff, Defense, Range.png Increases defense against powers typed "ranged". Combat Training: Defensive
Buff, Defense, AoE.png Increases defense to powers typed "area of effect" (AoE). Evasion
Buff, Defense and Accuracy.png Increases defense and tohit. Invincibility
Buff, Hit Points, Timed.png Increases maximum hit points Dull Pain Would seem to indicate a healing over time effect (HoT), but is normally used to indicate a buff to maximum HP. In Issue 13 a power was finally added that actually was a HoT, but only when used by one archetype, and then only in PvE.
Buff, Hit Points.png Healing power; restores lost hit points Heal Other
Buff, Endurance.png Restores lost endurance. Transference Also used in the icon for Conserve Power, which reduces the endurance cost of all powers while active.
Buff, Mega.png Large buff to defensive attributes. Light Form Typically used for tier 9 powers in defensive power sets. Powers that use this symbol generally grant such a large buff to defenses that the affected character is effectively undefeatable under normal circumstances, hence the colloquial term "god mode power."
Buff, Multiple.png Increases both offensive and defensive attributes. Vengeance
Buff, Range.png Increases the maximum activation range on non-melee powers while active. Boost Range Boost Range is the only power that uses this symbol, and indeed that has this effect.
Buff, Recharge.png Reduces the recharge time of all powers while active. Hasten
Buff, Regeneration.png Increases the rate at which lost hit points are naturally recovered over time. Instant Healing
Buff, Recovery.png Increases the rate at which spent endurance is naturally recovered over time. Stamina
Buff, Secondary Effects.png Increases the duration or strength of mez effects and most buff and debuff effects. Power Boost
Buff, Run Speed.png Increases the running speed of the target. Speed Boost
Inherent Sprint.png Increases running speed and jump height Sprint This is the Sprint symbol; the only powers that use the symbol are Sprint and its Prestige variations.
Buff, Jump, Height.png Increase to jump height and speed. Inertial Reduction
Jump, Distance.png Increase to jump height and speed. Super Jump The only power that uses this symbol is Super Jump.
Flight.png Grants the target the power of Flight. Fly

Inner Symbols - Control

The following inner symbols denote powers that have control effects.

Symbol Description Example Notes
Hold.png Afflicts the target with a Hold control effect. Dominate Held targets cannot use powers or move.
Disorient.png Afflicts the target with a Disorient control effect. Screech Disoriented targets cannot use powers, but can still move, albeit at an extremely reduced rate. Also known as "Stun."
Immobilize.png Afflicts the target with an Immobilization control effect. Web Grenade Immobilized targets cannot move, but can still use powers as normal.
Sleep.png Afflicts the target with a Sleep control effect. Salt Crystals Sleeping targets cannot use powers or move, but will immediately awake if damaged, healed, or moved.
Confuse.png Afflicts the target with a Confuse control effect. Deceive
Fear.png Afflicts the target with a Fear control effect. Feared enemies cannot use powers or move unless they are attacked.
Force Bubble.png Repels affected targets away from the caster. Force Bubble
Slow, Movement.png Reduces the movement speed of the target. Caltrops
Slow, Recharge.png Increases the recharge time of all the target's powers. Poison Trap
Slow, Recharge and Movement.png Reduces the target's movement speed and increases the recharge time of all its powers. Shiver "Slow" can refer to a power that reduces movement speed, increases recharge time, or both. "Snare" is used for powers that only reduce movement speed. There is no generally agreed upon term for powers that only increase recharge time.
Taunt.png Afflicts the target with a taunt control effect. Taunt Taunted targets can only use powers to attack the entity that taunted them. In the event that more than one entity uses a taunt effect on the same target, the target will only be able to attack the entity with the stronger taunt effect.
Knockback.png The power can knock down the target, leaving them unable to act until they regain their footing. Some powers are strong enough to send the target flying away from the caster instead of just knocking them off their feet.

Power Thrust

Knockdown is just low-grade knockback. A power that normally does knockdown can cause knockback if used on a sufficiently weak target or if slotted for knockback, and a power that normally does knockback can cause knockdown if used against a sufficiently strong target.
Knockdown.png The power can cause the target to fall down where they stand, unable to act until they regain their footing. Energy Torrent Same notes from above apply.
Knockup.png The power can send the target flying straight up in the air. Stronger enemies may only fall down where they stand. Lift Same notes as above two symbols apply, with the exception that the target can be sent flying straight up into the air instead of away from the caster.

Inner Symbols - Damage

The following symbols denote powers meant primarily for dealing damage.

Symbol Description Example Notes
Damage.png Generic damage power Fire Ball A generic symbol, can indicate a melee or ranged power.
Damage, Melee, Minor.png A melee attack that deals minor damage. Beheader
Damage, Melee, Over Time.png A melee attack that does damage over time. Flurry
Damage, Melee, Moderate.png A melee attack that deals moderate damage. Punch
Damage, Melee, Heavy.png A melee attack that deals heavy damage. Eagle's Claw
Damage, Assassination.png An interruptible melee power that does extra damage when hidden. Assassin's Blade This symbol is used for Assassin's Strike powers.
Damage, Ranged, Minor.png A ranged attack that deals light damage. Psionic Dart
Damage, Ranged, Minor, Very Fast.png A fast ranged attack that deals light damage. Neutrino Bolt Apparently used interchangeably with the above symbol.
Damage, Ranged, Moderate.png A ranged attack that deals moderate damage. Slug
Damage, Ranged, Short.png A ranged attack that has a shorter-than-normal range, though usually with high damage. Blaze
Damage, Ranged, Heavy.png A ranged attack that does heavy damage. Bitter Ice Blast
Damage, Sniper.png A "snipe" attack. Zapp Snipe attacks are interruptible, very high damage attacks with nearly double the range of normal ranged attacks.
Damage, Chaining.png A power that does damage to one target and has the chance "jump" to do damage to another target. Chain Induction
Damage, Defeated.png A damage dealing power that deals damage in an area around a defeated target Fallout Powers with this symbol are colloquially known as "corpse bomb" powers.
Damage, Extreme.png Extreme damage. Nova Can be used to denote melee or ranged attacks.
Damage, Over Time.png A power that does damage over time. Night Fall
Damage, Weapon.png A moderate damage melee attack with a (most often elemental) weapon. Fire Sword Only used in sets that aren't weapon sets.
Damage, Weapon, Greater.png A high-damage melee attack with a (most often elemental) weapon. Only used in sets that aren't weapon sets.

Inner Symbols - Debuffs

The following inner symbols denote powers that debuff enemy targets.

Symbol Description Example Notes
Debuff, Accuracy Debuff, Accuracy.png Accuracy or to-hit debuff.
Debuff, Damage Debuff, Damage.png Persistent damage debuff.
Debuff, Defense Debuff, Defense.png Persistent defense debuff.
Debuff, Endurance Debuff, End.png Endurance debuff.
Debuff, Hit Points Debuff, Hit Points.png Hit point debuff.
Debuff, Instant Debuff that has an instant effect.
Debuff, Mez Debuff, Mez.png Debuff to control-type powers..
Debuff, Multiple Debuff, Multiple.png Debuff to multiple attributes.
Debuff, Perception Debuff, Perception.png Persistent perception debuff.
Debuff, Persistent Debuff, Persistent.png A debuff with persistent effects.
Debuff, Recovery Debuff, Recovery.png Persistent recovery debuff.
Debuff, Regeneration Debuff, Regeneration.png Persistent regeneration debuff.
Debuff, Resistance Persistent resistance debuff.
Effect Over Time A power that has an effect over a period of time.
Endurance Endurance.png Endurance related power.
Exchange Exchange.png A power that exchanges the same attribute between caster and target..
Intangibility Intangability.png Intangibility related power.
Invisibility Invisibility.png Power that causes invisibility.
Mez Mez.png Control related power.
Placate Placate.png Placate related power.
Resistance Resistance.png Damage resistance related power.
Resistance, Cold Resistance, Cold.png Power that provides cold resistance.
Resistance, Energy Resistance, Energy.png Power that provides energy resistance.
Resistance, Energy and Negative Energy Resistance, Energy and Negative Energy.png Power that provides energy and negative energy resistance.
Resistance, Fire and Cold Resistance, Fire and Cold.png Power that provides fire and cold resistance.
Resistance, Negative Energy Resistance, Negative Energy.png Power that provides negative energy resistance.
Resistance, Mez Resistance, Mez.png Power that provides protection from control-type effects.
Resistance, Psionic Resistance, Psionic.png Power that provides psionic resistance. Obsidian Shield
Resistance, Smashing and Lethal Resistance, Smashing and Lethal.png Power that provides smashing and lethal resistance.
Resurrection Resurrection.png Power that revives a fallen character.
Shapeshift Shapeshift.png Power that shifts form. Granite Armor, Black Dwarf
Stealth Stealth.png Power that provides stealth to the target.
Summon Summon.png Power that summons a pet or henchman.
Summon, Buff, Multiple Summon, Buff, Multiple.png Power that provides a buff to multiple attributes of a pet or henchman.
Summon, Equip Summon, Equip.png Power that provides a moderate increase to the capabilities of a pet or henchman.
Summon, Extraction Summon, Extraction.png Summons one pet or henchman from a defeated target. Dark Extraction, Soul Extraction
Summon, Fear Summon, Fear.png Summons or upgrades a pet or henchman with fear abilities.
Summon, Multiple Summon, Multiple.png Summons a large number of pets. Gang War
Summon, One Ally Summon, One.png Summons one pet or henchman.
Summon, Placate Summon, Placate.png Summons a pet or henchman with placate abilities.
Summon, Taunt Summon, Taunt.png Summons a pet or henchman with taunt abilities.
Summon, Three Allies Summon, Three.png Summons three pets or henchmen.
Summon, Two Allies Summon, Two.png Summons two pets or henchmen.
Summon, Upgrade Summon, Upgrade.png Power that provides further increase to the capabilities of a pet or henchman.
Teleportation Teleport.png Power that teleports target from one location to another without physically touching the space in-between. Teleport
Teleportation, Group Teleport, Group.png Power that teleports a group from one location to another. Team Teleport
Teleportation, Target Teleport, Target.png Power that teleports a foe from one location to another. Teleport Foe

Comments

There are many internal inconsistencies within the game that makes some of this page guesswork rather than fact. If the power rings and the power symbols were consistent within the game, it would be easy to identify what a power does just by it's icon.