You can’t be a super hero or a mega villain without powers
(or a pimp set of tights) and
DC
Universe Online
gives players a plethora of ways to do some damage in the DC
gaming world. If you haven’t been
one of the lucky few to get into DCUO beta, you might be more than just a little
curious regarding what the power sets will offer at launch. To plan your role in game or get an idea as to what you can expect, we
have gathered a few details on each power set to prepare you for the action MMOG
experience of a lifetime.

Power skill points are awarded at certain levels throughout
your character's career. You may spend these points in either of the
specialization lines, mixing and matching from both lines or sticking primarily
with one line. It's up to you which skills you end up with but by the
time you enter into the higher levels, you'll likely have nearly everything.
It may seem overwhelming to have so many skills available to you, but you are
only actually allowed to have six active powers at any given time. The
game provides loadouts (saved ability bars) that lets you switch between
two ability sets so you can specify what powers you want for whatever role you
intend to play.

Each powerset has two roles that they can utilize.
All powersets can provide extra damage but each is also given a traditional role
to play: Control, Healing, or Tanking. These traditional roles are
important in group or PvP gameplay and need to be carefully considered when you
created your character. You'll see similarities between DCUO roles and
those of other MMOGs, but there is one big difference; ALL players will be
involved in combat. Your weapon attacks build your power bar so if you
aren't beating on the enemy, you won't be able to heal either. DCUO
developers were not kidding around when they said that this is an action game!

To give readers an idea as to what they can expect from each powerset, we
have an overview of each, along with the role they will play in game, a
description, and a sampling of their powers.
Be sure to keep this overview handy when you do finally get in game because
character creation, at this point, doesn’t offer a lot of guidance on the power
set options.

MentalMental Power

Role: Control - Damage

Specialization Lines: Telekinesis – Illusion

Who needs brute force when you can kill people with your
brain? The Mental power set features
ranged abilities that focus on crowd control (roots, stuns, etc), area effect,
and debuffs.Trick enemies into
believing that they are on fire or hide from your foes in plain sight.
You can choose to beat those enemies down quickly as a solo player or
provide excellent crowd control in group gameplay.

Level 3 Sample Power:
Psychic Blades – Shoot a trio of Psychic Blades dealing psychic damage to
enemies in their path. In the Controller role the enemy’s maximum health is
reduced.

Level 16 Sample Power: Mass Terror - Cause multiple enemies around the
target to recoil in fear. In the Controller role the enemy's defenses and
maximum health are reduced.

Sorcery

Sorcery Power

Role: Damage - Healing

Specialization Lines: Destiny – Summoning

Like most of the power sets, Sorcery allows for a nice
combination of damage and support that gives players the freedom to either be
strong soloers or a useful member of a group.
With damage over time skills, healing abilities, awesome polymorph skills
that you can amaze your friends with, and the cool bonus of being able to summon
creatures, this power set is very reminiscent of the druids from other games.

Level 3 Sample Power: Summon Guardian – Summon a defensive
guardian.

Level 16 Sample Power: Circle of Protection - Cast a field
to damage enemies or heal allies depending on your selected role.

Nature

Nature Power

Role: Damage - Healing

Specialization Lines: Plants – Shapeshifting

Summon the power of nature to kick some butt.
Plant life answers your call to cause damage, trap enemies, and heal
yourself and allies.The
Shapeshifting line provides tons of good fun with powers that allow you to take
on interesting forms to intimidate foes and gain special effects that add to
damage or healing powers.Much like
the Sorcery power set, this set also feels much like a druid Poison Ivy style.

Level 3 Sample Power: Vine Lash – Snatch up an enemy in a
thorny vine and drag them toward you.

Level 16 Sample Power: Swarm - Summon a swarm of ill-tempered insects to
attack enemies.

Fire

Fire Power

Role: Damage - Tanking

Specialization Lines: Immolation – Ignition

For players who enjoy being the first line of defense, the
Fire power set offers both substantial damage as well as the ability to take
damage, break through control skills, and boost personal stats to increase
survivability.This is a good
all-around power set that is useful in just about any situation.

Level 3 Sample Power: Immolation - Burst into flames,
causing damage to nearby enemies.

Level 16 Sample Power: Snuff Out - Blast the enemy with fire causing heavy
damage and knocking them down. If they are at 35% health or below, they will
take double damage.

Ice

Ice Power

Role: Damage - Tanking

Specialization Lines: Storms – Cryogenics

The Ice power set smacks down some great damage and
provides plenty of skills that freeze enemies to stun them, cause additional
damage, or debuff the heck out of them.
This is a very aggressive role that is especially nice for players who
want a very active role when they play in groups and excellent survivability
when they solo.

Level 3 Sample Power:
Cold Snap - Rapidly lower your body temperature damaging nearby enemies. Enemies
will take additional damage when they strike you.

Level 16 Sample Power: Resonating Gale - Unleash a blast of
wind causing highly destructive vibrations.

Gadgets

Gadgets Power

Role: Control – Damage

Specialization Lines: Tricks – Traps

Batman, watch out!
The Gadgets power set has all the best toys to lure enemies into
deviously planted traps and add battlefield advantage.
As a Controller, you can aid your group with debuffs, stuns, and knock
backs to give your allies a competitive edge. If all that wasn’t cool enough,
you also get stealth effects that are just plain fun.

Level 3 Sample Power: Taser Pull - Throw a taser line
around your target, stunning them and dragging them toward you. In the
Controller role the enemy's ability to heal and maximize health are reduced.

Level 16 Sample Power: Warden Turret - Deploy a turret
designed to neutralize enemy threats with a variety of arms, both lethal and
less lethal. While in the Control role, it will encase enemies in a detention
field and deploy a potent EMP.


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our DC Universe Online Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

Comments