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FREE INFLUENCE USING RESPECS 

This guide isn't a cheat or a hack.  It isn't an exploit, it is merely using a little utilised ability granted you by acquiring a respec. This guide is aimed primarily at players that do not have a level fifty character yet, as players with 50's tend to have more influence than they can ever use and this is easily transferred from their "main" to any low level alts they may have using an intermediary.  It is also of use for players of characters such as empathy defenders (that tend not to die much) and so will lack influence due to faster levelling without debt.

The Terra Volta Trial/Respec 

When a player reaches level twenty-four many rush to complete the Terra Volta trial so that they may respec their character.  Often players have chosen a power or two that they wish they hadn't, or maybe they have read a guide that tells them how their build can be "uber" and so they think that the changes must take place immediately. 

Would it make any difference if I told you that by waiting until lvl 27 (or better yet level 32) to carry out your respec you will never have a shortage of influence again? 

The reason for this is simple.  Enhancements bought from the various shops in the game only come in blocks of five (5,10,15,20 etc).  So at levels 2, 7, 12, 17 etc you can use the next higher level of enhancement.  This means that dual origin (DO) enhancements become available (from shops) at level 12 and single origin (SO) enhancements at level 22. 

Single origin enhancements are expensive and this causes a problem for characters that do not have excess influence from another source.  You simply do not earn enough influence by level 22 to fully enhance your character with SO's.  This was a design consideration by the games developers.  Originally they thought that players would not want to use the most powerful and expensive enhancements on all powers for their characters (no comment!).

Normally a character will add enhancements as influence becomes available, for example, over writing their level 25 enhances with level 30s.  Some players will wait the extra level and hope for the 30+ by adding a level 30 enhance to a 25 at level 28. 

Using either of these methods ensures that you get nothing for your existing enhancements though. In the first case you get absolutely nothing.  The existing enhancement is overwritten and is gone, poof! In the second case you get a 75% chance that the two enhancements will combine to give you a plus one bonus. 

There is a better way!

When you use a respec, your characters power choices, slots and enhancements are reset.  First you set your power choices. Then you set your slots.  The third part is where you reapply your existing enhancements as best you can to your new power choices.  However, there is an option at the bottom of the screen to sell all enhancements back to the shop!  Now, some critics will point out that you don't get full price, but if you are at level 27 or 32 you were about to overwrite these enhancements and get absolutely nothing for them! 

Anything is better than nothing right?

If you only respec your powers and slots and then sell all your enhancements (assuming you have SO's) you should get well over one million influence absolutely free.  If you do this at level 32 you will get far more (2-3 million).  This influence can then be added to your existing pool and you should have more than enough for a new set of 3+ (maximum) enhancements from the shop with influence left over.  By the time you get your next five levels you should have made more than enough (added to your existing pool) to fully enhance to plus threes again and on right up to level 50.

If for some reason you are running short of influence again there are another two respec missions available at level 34 and level 44, plus the developers give out free respecs from time to time (usually with the release of a new Issue).

Have fun, and never be short of influence in City of Heroes again!

OK, so I admit it, the influence isn't totally free, but it sure got your attention didn't it?

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