Death from Below

Death from Below
Team Size	4-8 players
Badge	Cadaver Counter; The Cleanser; Hydra Stomper
Enemy Groups	Hellions; Vahzilok; The Lost; Hydra;
	v • d • e

Incomplete

This article was incomplete at the time of City of Heroes' shutdown. You can help the Paragon Wiki by helping us complete it. The editor who marked this article as incomplete added the following note:

This article has some editing notes indicated in red in the text. It is also worth making sure any notes about the actual strategy and mechanics of the trial are separated or at least delineated from the story / objectives. This page is also lacking pictures, although they may be more suited to a separate strategy page, since a mission of this type doesn't have a standard place in the format for adding pictures.

Overview

Death from Below (DfB) is a "sewer trial" introduced in Issue 21 available to both Heroes and Villains, but not Praetorians. This trial can be run at any level and provides exceptional rewards, including experience point bonuses and Single Origin Enhancements, making it an excellent and popular tool for players looking to level new characters quickly.

This trial in some ways replaces the Sewer Network, which was similar but completely unstructured. The Sewer Network is still available for players who wish to adventure there. Players can queue individually or in groups for Death from Below via the Team-Up Teleporter in the LFG Window, a selection on the Chat Window.

When enough players are queued, they will be teleported to the beginning of the trial, which begins with defeating Hellions. Characters are exemplared to level 2 initially, which increases with each cleared section, to a maximum of level 6.

At the beginning of each section, a Longbow Hazard Trainer is present to provide training to heroes, and a Recon Arbiter for villains. It is very common for a low level character to gain several levels from one run of Death from Below. Defeated heroes and villains show up at the beginning of the first section. Additionally, after defeating a boss, a portal opens up between the entrance and the beginning of the next section, allowing any defeated heroes or villains to teleport to that section instead of having to run through each of the segments to get to where their team is fighting. With each boss defeat, the portal changes to drop characters at the section after the last boss defeat.

While not technically cooperative play, the trial is the same for both heroes and villains except for who assists by caption popups. Note that vigilantes may not participate in villain sewer trials, and rogues may not participate in hero sewer trials.

Missions

Defeat the Hellions in the sewers!

Positron's assistance

Positron here. I'm monitoring your current progress in the sewers.
We need all the help we can get in getting to the Hydra that are nesting deep beneath the sewer system.
If you can stop the Hydra, SERAPH can use the chemicals from these particular Hydra to enhance your abilities. We need all the help we can get after the destruction of Galaxy City.
To get to these Hydra Heads, you'll have to go through three levels of sewers. Unfortunately, they're filled with all sorts of criminals that have fled the surface.

I'll keep in touch, good luck down there. Positron out.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

Arbiter Sands contacts the members of a villain team via caption popups with flavor text and suggestions.

Arbiter Sands here. I've been chosen to help you all out with this 'recon' mission.

So, let's go over the schedule that's been set up here. You're after these things call 'Hydra Heads' that live in the bottom of Paragon's sewer system.

These Hydra have some sort of chemical that can be powerful in the right hands. Surprising, right? Powerful monster has powerful chemical.

To get to these Hydra Heads, you'll have to go through three levels of sewers, which, from my readings, show that they're packed full of all of Paragon's little problems.

I'll call you all back once you've made some headway. Have fun in the sewers, I'll be sipping some coffee here in my office.

Mission Objective(s)

Defeat the Hellions in the sewers!
- The Burners 0/11
- Inferno Gang 0/11
- Burst Boys 0/11
- The Heaters 0/11

The Hellions spawn in groups of eleven; the boss will not spawn until all 44 are defeated. Due to the fast pace of the trial, it can be easy to miss one or two enemies; keep an eye on the enemy counter and make sure it's divisible by 11 before starting a new group. If it is not, an enemy was missed.

Mission Objective(s)

Defeat the Hellion gang leader

The Hellions boss, a Damned, will be an archvillain if team size is large enough and/or notoriety is high enough. As no minions spawn alongside the boss, there is no badge for defeating him.

Positron's assistance

Blue Steel will handle the interrogations with those Hellions. We'll see if they can get us any information about what the gang is up to.
A member of Longbow will meet you at the next level to help you train your abilities, if you need it.

And trust me, you will need it. The Vahzilok have made the next area of the sewers their home.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

Not too surprising, the Hellions were never any sort of real threat to a group with your power. That was a compliment, by the way, I threw it out there, it's up to you to catch it.

We'll send an Arbiter to meet you at the next level, he'll help you train your powers and all that good stuff.

From what my dossier says, you'll be going up against the Vahzilok next. Sounds like fun, I really wish I could be there, but this coffee isn't going to drink itself, you know.

Proceed through the sewer grates in the room behind the boss to continue to the next section.

Defeat the Vahzilok in the sewers!

Mission Objective(s)

Defeat the Vahzilok in the sewers!
- Heads of Research 0/11
- Medical Testers 0/11
- Surgeon Squads 0/11
- Disease Control 0/11
- Corpse Handlers 0/11

The Vahzilok spawn in groups of eleven; the boss will not spawn until all 55 are defeated. Due to the fast pace of the trial, it can be easy to miss one or two enemies; keep an eye on the enemy counter and make sure it's divisible by 11 before starting a new group. If it is not, an enemy was missed.

Mission Objective(s)

Defeat the Vahzilok leader!

Dr. Meinst will be an archvillain if team size is large enough and/or notoriety is high enough. Defeat Dr. Meinst before defeating any Cadavers to receive the Cadaver Counter Badge.

Cadaver Counter

You took out the mad Vahzilok doctor in the sewers beneath Paragon without killing any of of the Cadavers it was controlling.

Positron's assistance

If only Dr. Vahzilok used his talents for good... perhaps things would have turned out much differently.

Longbow has sent another one of their men out to assist you all down below.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

Did you know Dr. Vahzilok considers himself to be one of the good guys? I've heard about delusional, but he takes the cake.

Like last time, we'll be sending an Arbiter down to the next level to assist you.

Proceed through the sewer grates in the tunnel behind the boss to continue to the next section.

Clear out the Lost!

Positron's assistance

There are reports of psychic disturbances below. No doubt it's the Lost. Be extra careful, many heroes have gone after the Lost only to never be heard from again.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

This report says the Lost have some sort of shanty town down below. Although, the operative spelled 'shanty' wrong. Sigh... do you see how hard it is trying to be an Arbiter when someone can't even spell shanty?

Mission Objective(s)

Clear out the Lost!
- Clear the Lost out of the caverns! 0/66

The Lost spawn in groups of eleven; Prophet will not spawn until all 66 are defeated. Due to the fast pace of the trial, it can be easy to miss one or two enemies; keep an eye on the enemy counter and make sure it's divisible by 11 before starting a new group. If it is not, an enemy was missed.

Mission Objective(s)

Defeat the Lost Leader, Prophet!

The Prophet will be an archvillain if team size is large enough and/or notoriety is high enough. Defeat all the Lost worshipers before defeating the Prophet to receive The Cleanser Badge.

The Cleanser

You defeated all of the Lost worshipers before tackling their leader, ensuring he had no followers to fuel his power.

Positron's assistance

Good work. We'll see if we can't help any of the Lost you brought in.

A representative from Longbow will meet you down below.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

Good job kicking those mutated homeless out of their homes.

You know the drill, Arbiter, next level, etc. etc.

Proceed through the tunnel behind the boss to continue to the next section.

The Hydra Nest

Positron's assistance

All that's left now is to deal with the two Hydra heads. Be extremely careful down there, you're entering its domain now!

Arbiter Sands' assistance

You'll be down in the belly of the beast, or whatever sort of intense metaphor you want to associate with the bottom of sewers. All that's left is to take down those hydras. For the glory of Arachnos, or whatever glory you'd rather associate with this whole thing.

Mission Objective(s)

The Hydra Nest
- Defeat the Hydra Heads 0/2

The Hydra heads are always archvillains, regardless of team size and notoriety. The Hydra heads have no attacks themselves; however, they are protected by Spawns that randomly spawn. Additionally, occasionally the sewer water will erupt in damaging geysers. There are two types of geysers: one that starts out as a swirling, which results in a geyser that does a small amount of damage, and another that starts out as a small bubbling, followed by a giant geyser that can kill nearly anyone standing in or near it. confirm which pre-geyser animation matches which damage amount

Defeat the two Hydra heads to earn the Hydra Stomper Badge.

Hydra Stomper

You went into the depths of the sewers beneath Paragon City and took down two monstrous Hydra heads!

Positron's assistance

You did it! That should stop the Hydra from infecting the sewers beneath Paragon, at least for now.
The scientists at SERAPH will work on the samples you've collected to see if we can come up with a more permanent solution.

In the meantime, you can use some of the chemicals they developed to increase your own powers. Oh, and when you've reached Security Level 11, come see me some time in Steel Canyon. I could always use more help in defending our city. Positron out.

Arbiter Sands' assistance

Well, that does it. Arachnos will happily take a portion of what you find, not a large amount, though.

We might be an all-seeing organization bent on world domination, but we're not inconsiderate.

Our scientists will whip up something interesting for you all to use, but you'll have to just pick one so there's enough to go around. Share and share alike, that's how I see it.

Rewards

Improved experience rewards from critters in the Trial, large chunks of (amount?) XP for completing each section of the trial, and archvillain XP for at least the two Hydra heads, if not the previous three bosses (depending on team size).

At least two Single Origin Enhancements around the level of the character, which can be well below level 22, when the standard store-purchased SOs can be slotted. If team size is big enough, a character can get at least five SOs from the four bosses. (Mid to high level characters may see SOs drop from the standard critters, as in normal content.)

Your choice of one of four temporary powers. The powers last for one week in-game or until level 22:

Death from Below

Overview

Contents

Missions

Defeat the Hellions in the sewers!

Defeat the Vahzilok in the sewers!

Clear out the Lost!

The Hydra Nest

Rewards

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