 The Paragon Wiki Archive documents the state of City of Heroes/Villains as it existed on December 1, 2012.
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Flashback
Overview
The flashback system lets heroes and villains run through Story Arcs and badge missions they may have missed earlier or simply want to experience again. These operate like Task Forces as there are minimum and maximum level requirements, other contacts are unavailable, only the team leader can initiate a flashback and once started the team can not add new members. Flashbacks involve Time Travel, which is initiated from the Pillar of Ice and Flame in the Ouroboros Enclave or the equivalent base item in a Supergroup Base.
Story Arcs involve a series of missions, often 8 to 12 or more, involving a given enemy group or story line. Badge Missions are short, usually just a single mission, which awards its own badge.
If starting from Ouroboros then everyone on the team has to be level 25 or higher, just to be in the zone, but from a base only the team leader has to be 25+. Each mission has a minimum level, required of all members, and a maximum level that characters will Examplar (malefactor) down to as needed. The minimum levels for each mission are not shown when accessing the mission list.
The in-game introduction to the flashback system is provided by the missions of The Pilgrim in Ouroboros.
The popularity of the Flashback System is due, in part, to its 75 Achievement Badges and the roughly 15 Accomplishment Badges that can be obtained from its badge missions.
How It Works
To do a Flashback mission or Story Arc, click on an Aspect of the Pillar. A dialog box will appear with a list of Story Arcs and Badge Missions, sorted by level range. Arcs you have already completed will have a star next to them.
When you pick one, the box displays the introductory mission description from that arc's contact. Accept the mission, and you're given another dialog box filled with buttons and dropdown menus. These are a selection of optional challenges. If you're looking to test your might, or hunting for badges, these options are a treasure trove.
Once you accept a mission you are directed to click on the crystal to teleport to the mission's contact, but you need not do that if you prefer to go a more direct route to the first mission. Throughout a story arc the crystals, either in Ouroboros or a base, can be used when needed to teleport back to the contact again.
Quitting Flashbacks
Because the Flashback system uses the Task Force/Strike Force mechanic, a character is locked out of any other content in the game, including teaming with others outside their Flashback team, talking to contacts, buying enhancements and inspirations from contacts, and everything else that TFs/SFs restrict. If the character gets exemplared, the character will stay exemplared through the duration of the Flashback.
In order to quit a Flashback, a player must open up their Team Window and select "Quit TF". They must then acknowledge that they want to quit the "task force" (Flashback) before it goes into effect.
NOTE: A player will lose all progress on that Flashback when they quit.
Badges
A total of 75 Ouroboros Badges are unique to the flashback system. 10 are awarded for completing a certain number of flashbacks — both story arcs and badge missions count. 65 are awarded for successful completion of story arcs (not badge missions) using challenge settings.
Some arcs have missions that can be failed. Failing those missions may result in failing the arc, which means that the badges will not be rewarded. (An example is the mission "Stop 30 Fir Bolg entering door" from Skipper LeGrange. Failing it immediately ends the arc, without badge credit.)
Total Completed
Complete a number of Flashback Story Arcs or Badge missions.
- 5 - Troubleshooter
- 10 - Adjuster
- 15 - Calibrator
- 20 - Alterist
- 25 - Balancer
- 30 - Correctionist
- 35 - Repairman/Repairwoman
- 40 - Overhauler
- 45 - Time Fixer
- 50 - Ouroboros Mender
Time Limit
Complete a Flashback Story Arc within a certain time limit. Different arcs have different time limits. (30, 60, 120 minutes is a pretty common setup, though). The timer begins at the moment of accepting the story arc. When the time limit is set, the arc must be completed in the amount of time specified in order to earn the associated badge. If you log out or are disconnected during the course of the mission, the timer will still be active.
- Fastest - Gold Medalist
- Second-Fastest - Silver Medalist
- Third-Fastest - Bronze Medalist
Limited Lives
Complete a Flashback Story Arc with a limited number of team member deaths.
- No deaths - All For One, One For All
- One death - Divided Mastery
- Three deaths - Proportional Supremacy
- Five deaths - Shared Victory
Power Challenges
Badges are awarded in each level range for various adjustments to player or enemy powers.
| Level | Players are DeBuffed |
Enemies are Buffed |
AT Powers only |
No Travel Powers |
No Temp Powers |
No Epic/ Patron Powers |
No Inspirations |
No Enhancements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 - 15 | Venturous | Audacious | Contributor | Refrained | Diminished | N/A | Cliche | Lessened |
| 16 - 19 | Headstrong | Courageous | Vocational | Shut Down | Curtailed | N/A | Unimaginative | Debilitated |
| 20 - 24 | Adventurous | Bold | Professional | Desisted | Capped | N/A | Flat | Anemic |
| 25 - 29 | Daredevil | Fearless | All Business | Barred | Inhibited | N/A | Unoriginal | Weakened |
| 30 - 34 | Rash | Valiant | Archetypical | Still | Hindered | N/A | Dull | Deflated |
| 35 - 39 | Venturesome | Stalwart | Obligated | Stalled | Bound | N/A | Phoned it in | Decreased |
| 40 - 45 | Reckless | Lionhearted | Missionary | Stemmed | Limited | Cut-Off | Indifferent | Devalued |
| 46 - 50 | Temerarious | Intrepid | Undertaker | Suspended | Demarcated | Marginalized | Uninspired | Unenhanced |
Hero Flashbacks
- See: Hero Merit Rewards
Villain Flashback Story Arcs
- See also: Villain Story Arcs
Soldier (Level 1 - 15)
Malcontent (Level 16 - 19)
| Arc Name | Level | # Missions | Enemies | EBs/AVs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Down the Aeons | 19 | 3 |  Shivans Wyvern |
1 EB | |
| The Aeon Conspiracy | 19 | 5 |  Arachnos Clockwork Gold Brickers Shivans Wyvern |
The first mission will give you the Goldbricker Rocket Pack | |
| High-Tech Gold | 19 | 3 | Arachnos The Lost Crey |
||
| Breakout at the Zig | 19 | 3 |  Longbow Security Guards |
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| Master of Destruction | 19 | 3 | Longbow Outcasts Wyvern |
||
| There's a Sucker Born Every Minute | 19 | 3 | Arachnos Longbow |
Ace McKnight (EB) | 12 Merits
It is not noted, but this will include Willy's Badge mission for Paragon of Vice. |
| Oh Wretched Man! | 19 | 7 | Arachnos Legacy Chain The Lost |
Insider (Level 20 - 24)
| Arc Name | Level | # Missions | Enemies | EBs/AVs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Widow | 24 | 6 |  Council The Family Freakshow Scrapyarders |
Spinnerette (EB) | 3 merits |
| Kings of the Sky | 24 | 3 | Longbow Wyvern |
Ballista-1 | |
| Operation Skyhook | 24 | 3 | Arachnos Council Wyvern |
The second mission gives you the Holographic Projector, Nictus Gravitic Emanation, Nictus Shadow Step and Nictus Absorption | |
| Coral Bonanza | 24 | 3 | Arachnos Cage Consortium Circle of Thorns |
Silver Mantis (EB) | |
| Breaking the Cage | 24 | 3 | Cage Consortium Circle of Thorns Legacy Chain |
||
| Any Body Will Do | 24 | 3 | Circle of Thorns Scrapyarders |
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| Disturbing the Dead | 24 | 6 | Arachnos Circle of Thorns Freakshow Legacy Chain |
||
| Carpe Diem | 24 | 3 | Legacy Chain Scrapyarders |
Sea Witch (EB) | |
| A Web of Intrigue | 24 | 6 | Arachnos Council Freakshow Longbow Sky Raiders |
Leoknight (EB) |
Insider (Level 25 - 29)
| Arc Name | Level | # Missions | Enemies | EBs/AVs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Fades | 29 | 3 | Longbow |
Aurora Borealis (EB) | |
| Power Mine | 29 | 3 | Longbow |
||
| Sabotage! | 29 | 6 | Longbow |
||
| Trust and Betrayal | 29 | 6 | The Lost |
Furious B(EB) | |
| Zag Breakout! | 29 | 3 | Arachnos |
||
| Forging the Blackwand | 29 | 6 | Legacy Chain |
||
| Die by the Freak! | 29 | 3 | Council |
t3h S00p4rFr34k! (EB) | 3 Reward Merits |
| Heavy Metal Doctoring | 29 | 3 | The Family |
3 Reward Merits | |
| The Cult of the Shaper | 29 | 6 | Freakshow |
2 EB, 2 AVs | 4 Reward Merits |
| On the Trail of the Leviathan | 29 | 3 | Circle of Thorns |
1 Reward Merit |
Wiseguy (Level 30 - 34)
| Arc Name | Level | # Missions | Enemies | EBs/AVs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taming the Tigress | 3 | Crey |
Mynx (Hero) | 3 Reward Merits | |
| Brawling with the Big Boys | 3 | Cage Consortium |
Back Alley Brawler (Hero) | ||
| Snuffing the Light | 3 | Longbow |
Luminary (Hero) | 4 Reward Merits | |
| Into Valhalla | 6 | Longbow |
Infernal(Hero) | 7 Reward Merits | |
| Nictus Dissection | 3 |  Rikti |
|||
| Psymon Says | 6 | Freakshow |
Ballista (EB), Aurora Borealis (Hero) | 5 Reward Merits | |
| Strange Memories | 3 | Rikti |
4 Reward Merits | ||
| Breaking the Streak | 3 | Freakshow Carnival of Shadows |
3 Reward Merits | ||
| Silver-Tongued Devil | 3 |  Wailers Circle of Thorns |
3 Reward Merits | ||
| Sold for a Song | 6 | Wailers Circle of Thorns Security Guards |
7 Reward Merits | ||
| Chaos Unbound | 6 | The Family Freakshow Devouring Earth Circle of Thorns Tsoo |
5 Reward Merits |
Criminal (Level 35 - 39)
| Arc Name | Level | # Missions | Enemies | EBs/AVs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No One Gets It | 3 | Longbow Arachnos |
Ice Mistral (AV)
Wretch (AV) |
3 Reward Merits | |
| Crossfire | 3 | Arachnos Longbow |
3 Reward Merits | ||
| A Traitorous History | 3 | Circle of Thorns Longbow |
Aurora Borealis(Hero) | 2 Reward Merits | |
| The Secret of the Circle | 6 | Circle of Thorns Longbow |
Infernal(Hero)
Lilitu(AV) |
6 Reward Merits | |
| Bravo for the Shadow Shard | 3 | Longbow Nemesis Soldiers of Rularuu |
1 EB | 5 Reward Merits | |
| Automatic Villainy | |||||
| Blurring the Lines | |||||
| Fat Cat City | |||||
| Pied Piper | |||||
| Chaos Affair | |||||
| The Missing Maidens | |||||
| Johnny's Squeeze | |||||
| Devil May Care |
Captain (Level 40 - 45)
Made (Level 46 - 50)
Villain Badge Missions
- See also: CoV Accomplishment Badges
Soldier (Level 1 - 15)
- Steal the Facemaker's Reanimation Chemicals
- Steal the Outbreak Virus (level 15)
- Hurt the Traitorous Vendetti (level 10)
- The Loa Bone (level 10)
Malcontent (Level 16 - 19)
Insider (Level 20 - 24)
- Ashley McKnight's The Origin of Power (level 20)
Undesireable (Level 25 - 29)
- Retrieve Crash's Shipments (level 25)
- Bust Up the Dockworker's Strike (level 25)
Wiseguy (Level 30 - 34)
Criminal (Level 35 - 39)
- The Unlucky Artifact (level 35)
Captain (Level 40 - 45)
- Party Crasher
- Selestar
- Attack Longbow Portal Base (level 40)
- B4nKbUsTah (level 40)
Made (Level 46 - 50)
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