Explore Paragon City's Zones
The massive list you see below is a clickable list of all the zones available to heroes in Paragon City. Each zone listing tells you what levels of bad guys are in them, as well as what kinds of features, such as Wentworth's, Base Portals, level-up trainers, etc., are in the zone. The zones are listed from lowest level to highest level. Each zone description also comes with advisories on hazards in the zone, as well as the perks of being in that zone. These tips come from my extensive research on Paragon Wiki, as well as my experience playing in City of Heroes. I also talked with other heroes about their experiences in each zone.
Feel free to leave me a comment on the Heroes' Gaming Experience Requested thread if you see anything that needs to be added, expanded, corrected, or deleted!
Quick Click List
Atlas Park
- Enemy Levels: 1-6
- Features: AE Building, Base Portal, City Hall, Hospital, Tailor, Rikti War Zone Entrance, Longbow Stores, Vault Reserve, Wentworth's, Paragon Monorail, Police Station, Fort Trident Entrance
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Ms. Liberty & Back Alley Brawler
- Hazards: Lots (and I do mean LOTS) of server lag because of many people hanging out in this zone, selling stuff at Wentworth's or looking for teams. (Traveling by Wentworth's is often an adventure in rubberbanding.)
- Perks: It is a central hub of activity for most servers because it is fairly safe for all levels and has a lot of the main services most heroes need to access. Thus, if you're looking for a team, you'll most likely find takers in Atlas Park.
- Zone Gates: Steel Canyon, Perez Park, The Hollows, Sewer Network, Skyway City, Recluse's Victory, Rikti War Zone
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: N/A
- Features: Task Force Contacts, Single-Person Store (Nurse Alexa), Reward Merit to Hero Merit Converter (B.O.T.L.E.R.), Special Store (box beside B.O.T.L.E.R.)
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Ms. Liberty
- Hazards: None
- Perks: Accessed through a rocky door in the shores of Prometheus Park (part of Atlas Park), this is the only place in the game where you can trade out your Hero Merits (received when you complete your second and subsequent Hero Morality Missions) for awesome in-game items. Plus, you can access the Task Force Contacts much more easily here!
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, plus teleports to Steel Canyon, Talos Island, Skyway city, Independence Port, Founder's Falls, and Brickstown through the Task Force contacts.
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 1-6
- Features: Freedom Corps Headquarters (functions like City Hall in Atlas Park), Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is now the site of the Primal Earth tutorial--the "new hero" training zone. It used to be a zone in and of itself in-game, but it was destroyed in Issue 21.
- Perks: This is where all new heroes begin their journey, with a moral choice to play as Hero or Villain instead of pre-determining themselves.
- Zone Gates: NONE, but Ouroboros lets you see how Galaxy City used to be (and lets you collect the badges from it).
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page on Echo of Galaxy City, ParagonWiki Page on Today's Galaxy City
- Enemy Levels: 3-10
- Features: Lots of bad guys to beat up on!
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: There are many spawn points for enemies, so be careful running through here by yourself, especially if you are on the low end of the level range (3-5). You can easily get yourself into a group of purples if you're not careful. Also, this zone opens onto the Abandoned Sewer Network, which is for levels 35-50--if you are level 3-10 and accidentally happen into such higher-level enemies, turn and run back the way you came to get back to the original Sewer Network.
- Perks: Lots of XP awaits you, especially if you are part of a team!
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, Abandoned Sewer Network, Boomtown, Kings Row, Skyway City, Steel Canyon
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 5-10
- Features: AE Building, Base Portal, Hospital, Pocket D Transfer Point, Vault Reserve, Wentworth's, Paragon Monorail, Police Station, Longbow Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Blue Steel
- Hazards: A good number of enemies roam the streets, but nothing much else should trouble you here unless you are below level 5 and trying to run through areas.
- Perks: This zone is a good alternative to Atlas Park if you are looking for a low-level zone with a Wentworth's and an AE Building. It's also the lowest-level zone that contains an entrance to Pocket D, a neutral zone that both heroes and villains can access and where no fighting takes place.
- Zone Gates: Galaxy City, Independence Port, Pocket D, Sewer Network, Skyway City, Warburg
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 5-15
- Features: Hospital (resuscitation area beside Atlas Park gate)
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Foreshadow
- Hazards: There are LOTS of bad guys everywhere, so don't run around this zone heedlessly if you are at the low end of the zone's level range. Take your time and scan through enemy groups with the Tab key to locate where reds and purples are before running through an area. There are also tunnels under the Hollows, called Tunnels of the Trolls, which have even more bad guys (and a Hero Trial) for your pwning pleasure.
- Perks: There are lots of easy missions here (defeat 10 Outcasts, defeat 10 Trolls, etc.), which can be done in minutes by just going along the streets and killing off the random gangs of enemies (this activity is also called "street sweeping"). It's good experience for low-level characters--just don't stray too far into the zone until you have leveled closer to 10!
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, Skyway City, The Tunnels
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 7-14
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is labeled a Hazard Zone because of the giant monster Kraken that spawns here on occasion. Be careful taking a level 7 through here solo!
- Perks: There are lots of enemies roaming the streets here, as well as a giant park surrounded by high stone walls in the middle of the zone, where higher-level enemies are settled. Good amounts of XP and good chances for low-level invention salvage, recipes, and enhancements if you're interested in a bit of street-sweeping!
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, Galaxy City, Skyway City, Steel Canyon
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 10-19
- Features: AE Building, Base Portal, Hospital, Icon (Tailor), Midnighters' Club, University, Vault Reserve, Wentworth's, Paragon Monorail (2 locations), Police Station, Origin Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Valkyrie
- Hazards: Northern Steel Canyon, especially close to where the Tailor is, has many, many higher-level enemies that will have no mercy on a low-level character coming to change his or her costume. If you have a traveling power, such as Flight, Combat Jumping/Super Jump, or Super Speed, use it to get past these high-level bad guys, or postpone your visit to the Tailor until you get closer to level 20. Also, Burning Building events happen every so often, and if the building is not saved from the fire, it can explode and deal a lot of damage to passing heroes. You can help put out the fires by talking to the Fire Chief, usually located across the street from the burning building.
- Perks: This zone is often the place where most Enhancement crafters hang out, because of the proximity of the University and Wentworth's. You can easily buy Invention Salvage and Recipes at Wentworth's, go to the University and use one of their Enhancement Tables to put it together, and then go straight back to Wentworth's and sell the Enhancement you made! The Base Portal is also located pretty centrally to the zone, so it is easy to get to. This zone is also one of the three in which you can get your Midnighter Day Job badge by signing off in the Midnighters' Club, located in a separate building within the campus of the University.
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, Perez Park, Boomtown, Independence Port, Sewer Network, Siren's Call
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 10-19
- Features: AE Building, Base Portal, Hospital, Paragon Monorail (2 locations), Police Station, Origin Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Mynx
- Hazards: Since Skyway City has many different levels of interconnecting roads, it can be easy to get lost here. Staying on the same elevation is tough, and finding mission entrances can be even tougher. Watch your map carefully and use camera angles to see where waypoints may be located. You can also easily blunder into a higher-level area than you intended--use your Tab key to search through areas, or use a traveling power to get through areas more quickly.
- Perks: Since this zone, like Steel Canyon, connects to both Yellow and Green Lines, it is easily accessible from many different zones. This zone also connects to Faultline, a zone with two really neat mission arcs that eventually help you get the Ouroboros portal when you hit level 25.
- Zone Gates: Faultline, Atlas Park, Bloody Bay, The Hollows, Kings Row, Perez Park, Sewer Network, Talos Island
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 10-19
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: The giant monster Babbage appears occasionally in the northern part of the zone. Also, there are LOTS of bad guys everywhere. Don't use this zone for leveling up if you are playing solo, especially as a Controller or Defender--there are way too many bad guys for these archetypes to handle effectively.
- Perks: Teams of heroes work very well in this zone, since there are enemies everywhere--means lots of XP for everyone!
- Zone Gates: Sewer Network, Steel Canyon
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 12-15
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is a Hazard zone, meaning there are lots of bad guys and not a whole lot of backup--no places to buy Inspirations, Enhancements, or anything else to boost you up.
- Perks: Teams work well here, since there are so many baddies to take down. Also, you can get to the Cavern of Transcendence by traveling to the center of the zone.
- Zone Gates: The Hollows (this zone is actually located within the Hollows)
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 15-25
- Features: AE Building, Pocket D Transfer Point, Hospital, Single-Person Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Mirror Spirit
- Hazards: Many enemies spawn here, but they shouldn't be too troublesome as long as you're not too far below their levels.
- Perks: Several very cool story arcs, like the Jim Temblor arc, are set in Faultline, so check it out to experience some very unique storylines! Also, one of the arcs in this zone gives you the Ouroboros Portal if you are level 25!
- Zone Gates: Skyway City, Pocket D
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 20-27
- Features: Vault Reserve, AE Building, Hospital, Pocket D Transfer Point, Ferry to Striga Isle and Peregrine Island, Wentworth's, Arena, Paragon Monorail, Base Portal, Origin Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Luminary
- Hazards: The Ghost Ship can sometimes be spotted here, dropping level 25 ghosts wherever it flies over land. Also, within the different neighborhoods on the island, it is easy to blunder into a much higher-level zone without knowing it. Keep tabbing through the enemies on the streets as you walk, fly, jump, or run through, so you aren't surprised by a random purple shooting at you!
- Perks: In this zone, the Wentworth and AE Buildings are fairly close together, and the Base Portal is practically out the back doors of Wentworth's. This is a great zone for playing a couple of quick AE Missions, buying salvage with the tickets, and either going back to your base with them or going and selling it at Wentworth's.
- Zone Gates: Dark Astoria, Founders' Falls, Peregrine Island, Pocket D, Skyway City, Striga Isle
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 20-29
- Features: Graveyard, Ferry System, Single-Person Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Ravenstorm
- Hazards: There are no Stores and no Hospital here, so if you die on a mission in Striga Isle and choose to "Go to Hospital," you will be transported to Talos Island's Hospital. Also, there are a good number of bad guys around the island, so be careful where you wander!
- Perks: It's pretty easy to street-sweep your way to another level around this island, since there are many bad guys spawning here. Also, this is one of the very few zones in which you can get the Mortician Day Job Badge (by logging off in the Graveyard, near the contact Tobias Hansen on your map). Using the Ferry System to get around between Striga Isle, Talos Island, and Independence Port can sometimes be a faster way to travel than using the Green Line, by the way.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 20-29
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is a Trial zone, meaning that this zone has a specific mission to complete (in this case, to get a free respec for your character). There are also many bad guys here. If you are trying to get to the respec trial gate, you will most likely want to use Flight or a Jump Pack to get there rather than just running or jumping there--this is one place where Super Speed will not serve you as well.
- Perks: You can get a respec for your character through doing a specific task force mission in this zone--that's pretty much the only reason Terra Volta exists! Getting to the respec trial can be tricky--see DestineeFable's advice on getting there safely here. You can also farm for Lost, Sky Raider, and Freakshow bosses here if you're looking for those defeat badges.
- Zone Gates: Independence Port (this zone is actually within Independence Port, at nearly the center of the zone--it's also called “Power Island”.)
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill, DestineeFable, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 22-29
- Features: AE Building, Icon (Tailor), Base Portal, Hospital, Paragon Monorail, Police Station, Single-Person Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Aurora Borealis
- Hazards: Sometimes the Ghost Ship flies over, dropping ghosts as it flies over land; also, Lusca the Octopus can be found near the Brickstown gate or in the neighborhood of Liberty Quay--be careful!
- Perks: This zone has a Tailor, and is also the only way you can get to Terra Volta if you want to get a free respec for your character. You can also venture along the long bridge in this zone to get your required Tsoo and Family kills for the Numina Task Force.
- Zone Gates: Brickstown, Kings Row, Steel Canyon, Terra Volta
- Contributors to This Article: DestineeFable
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 25-34
- Features: Hospital (resuscitation area near University), Paragon Monorail, University, Midnighters' Club, Base Portal
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; War Witch
- Hazards: There are several giant monsters that spawn throughout this zone, like Eochai, Jack in Irons, and Sally. There is also a Croatoa War that happens between Jack in Irons and Eochai occasionally in this zone as well.
- Perks: This zone is another of the three with a University, so if you are a little higher-level and don't want to muck around Steel Canyon, you can come to Croatoa instead to get your Professor Day Job, build Enhancements, etc. And just like in Steel Canyon, the Midnighters' Club is located in a separate building very close to the University building.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 25-50
- Features: Hospital (resuscitation area behind the main building), Inspiration Store, Portal to Atlas Park, Founders' Falls, Independence Port, Peregrine Island, and Talos Island
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: None! Not even falling off the side of the world (since Ouroboros kinda floats in midair)--you just get splashed back into the pond that's in the middle of the zone.
- Perks: This zone allows you to play missions on a time-travel basis--for instance, as a level 50, you can go into Ouroboros and play missions as if you were level 30, with all the powers you had back then, much like playing through AE missions when the level cap is lower than your current level.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 30-38
- Features: AE Building, Hospital, Paragon Monorail, Police Station, Base Portal, Origin Stores
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Swan
- Hazards: This zone contains the Zigarsky Penitentiary, making in the only zone in the game where you can find Prisoner bad guys. If you're not high-level enough and are trying to traverse this zone, be careful--Prisoners are able to go out the front gate of the prison and come after you! Also, some mission waypoints seem to be somewhat underground--this is because there is an underground labyrinth in Brickstown. Explore (carefully) around to find the entrances to this maze.
- Perks: If you haven't gotten your Ouroboros portal yet, go by the Science Store and talk to the contact there to get a special mission. This is also the zone where you can get Manticore's Task Force.
- Zone Gates: Independence Port, Crey's Folly
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill, DestineeFable, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 31-40
- Features: AE Building, Hospital, Pocket D Transfer Point, Paragon Monorail, Rikti War Zone Entrance, Icon (Tailor), University, Midnighters' Club, Vanguard Building
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Infernal
- Hazards: The Malta's Chronos Titan often spawns here as a result of a mission set in this zone. Rikti also spawn here in some prevalence.
- Perks: Like Steel Canyon and Croatoa, this zone also has a University and a Midnighters' Club, so getting your Professor and Midnighter Day Jobs are easy in this zone. You can also find Paragon Protectors in the Gaspee neighborhood of this zone. The Numina Task Force is based here, as well as the higher-level version of the Kahn/5th Column task force.
- Zone Gates: Eden, Pocket D, Talos Island, Rikti War Zone
- Contributors to This Article: DestineeFable, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 31-39
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is labeled a Hazard zone because of the giant monster Jurassik that spawns here occasionally. Also, there are a few higher-level Crey enemies that can snipe at you from rooftops, so be careful running/flying through here. There is no Hospital in Crey's Folly, so if you are defeated in this zone, you will be ported back to the Brickstown Hospital (luckily, the Hospital is located only a few hundred yards from the Crey's Folly gate).
- Perks: If you're doing your Aura mission (through the City Representative at City Hall), this zone has all the bad guys you need to kill in order to get the different parts of the mission finished. This zone is also the first time you can see groups of Nemesis enemies actually spawned in the streets. You can farm Rikti Monkeys for the defeat badge pretty easily here as well, and there are higher-level Freakshow spawn points in the back of the zone, appropriately called "The Circus."
- Zone Gates: Brickstown (the door to the Rikti War Zone is closed)
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill, DestineeFable, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 33-39
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is a Trial zone; here are some Crey and Nemesis bad guys here, but mainly this zone is centered around the Hamidon, a very high-level and powerful giant monster.
- Perks: This zone is great for higher-level teams looking for large amounts of XP—-the Hamidon is very tough to beat, but very much worth it in terms of experience. Bring your best! The Eden task force is also a lot of fun if you're looking for cool maps. The Numina Task Force also sends you to this zone for the last mission--be careful running through the maze of trees due to Devouring Earth roaming around!
- Zone Gates: Founders' Falls, The Hive
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 36-40
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: There are many sectors in this network, and enemy levels vary somewhat between each sector. Be careful wandering, as you can easily get yourself into a way higher-level confrontation than you might have meant to! This zone is basically about the Rikti trying to suck power from the Hydra (which, according to one of the contributors, resembles a "giant sentient booger"). This event makes this area a Trial zone, and a difficult Trial at that!
- Perks: You can reach this zone by entering the low-level Sewer Network from any of its connecting zones--the door to the Abandoned Sewer Network is on the right when you first enter the sewers. Also, don't forget to search for an exploration plaque in this zone.
- Zone Gates: Sewer Network
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 35-50
- Features: Pillar of Ice and Flame (portal to Midnighters’ Club), Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Proximo
- Hazards: Not many--this zone is basically repeatable missions, fun story arcs, and a task force.
- Perks: This zone is all based on Ancient Rome, so if you’re a history buff or just like the ancient Roman culture, this is a very fun zone! This zone is a special zone only reachable through the Midnighters' Club and is still playable even after you hit Level 50. This is also the home site of the Imperious Task Force, one of the most difficult task forces in the game.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- Contributors to This Article: EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 41-50
- Features: AE Building, Hospital, Rikti War Zone Entrance, Arena, Base Portal, Portal Corporation, Ferry System
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Castle
- Hazards: Unless you want to travel back to Talos Island, don't fly too far south--there is no "wall" between Talos and Peregrine on that side. Also, there are snipers (especially at night), and there are fairly large groups of enemies that spawn here, consisting of Carnies, Malta, and some bad guys that look a lot like twisted Freedom Phalanx.
- Perks: Peregrine Island holds the only entrance to the Shadow Shard (through the Portal Corporation building).
- Zone Gates: NONE
- Contributors to This Article: EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 48-50
- Features: NONE
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is a Trial zone, meaning that it exists only for a single type of mission. There are lots of Devouring Earth enemies, and the single-cell monster Hamidon lurks at the center of the zone if you defeat a number of the Devouring Earth's giant monsters.
- Perks: This zone is basically a Hamidon run, so if you're looking for the highest-level Hamidon killing spree, this is where you head to! (Bring a team!)
- Zone Gates: Eden
- Contributors to This Article: EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 21-29
- Features: Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; Midnighter Loremaster
- Hazards: This is an Incarnate Zone now, meaning that it's all post-level 50 content. Here, even Level 50s will be greeted with enemies that con orange, red, and purple; any hero can come in, but you'd better be Level 50 if you want to survive.
- Perks: This Zone's groups of roaming baddies, as well as its missions, will give you access to Incarnate Threads and Shards, for building your Alpha Slot enhancements; completing all the story arcs in Dark Astoria will give you a special reward, as well.
- Zone Gates: Peregrine Island and Grandville; also, you can use the TUNNEL portal to get into Dark Astoria.
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
The Shadow Shard Zones
The following four zones are part of the Shadow Shard, another dimension within Paragon City. These are still PvE zones, but they are harder to get to and are extremely high-level. You get to the first zone of the Shadow Shard through Peregrine Island. Read DestineeFable's excellent advice on traveling in the Shadow Shard for more on getting around in these four high-level zones.
- Enemy Levels: 40-44
- Features: Hospital (small resuscitation area), Single-Person Store (mission contact), Enhancement Buyer (Dr. Scott Wachhorst), Jetpack Supplier, Portals to Cascade Archipelago, The Chantry, The Storm Palace, and Peregrine Island, Vine Transport to Cascade Archipelago
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Here, like in the rest of the Shadow Shard, normal walking and running is impossible due to the shattering of the zone’s ground. Thus, flight or jetpacks are preferred methods of getting around. Combat Jumping and Super Jump can work in very rare instances, but you'll probably want a jetpack for faster travel. Rushing around this zone with really fast travel powers can often be dangerous, as it can hurl you off the zone's broken terrain into the abyss below. Zooming in the map helps navigation tremendously.
- Perks: This is one of only four zones in which you can get the Dimensional Explorer Day Job badge. You can also get to the other Shadow Shard zones from here using the teleporters. There are Gravity Geysers everywhere, which help you navigate the distances between rocks more easily if you don't have flight or teleportation abilities.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- Contributors to This Article: Chompie, Adeon Hawkwood
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 40-44
- Features: Jetpack Supplier, Enhancement Buyer (Kallam), Vine Transport to Firebase Zulu and The Chantry, Teleporter to Firebase Zulu
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Here, like in the rest of the Shadow Shard, normal walking and running is impossible due to the shattering of the zone’s ground. Thus, flight or jetpacks are preferred methods of getting around. (Flight or Teleport is pretty much necessary here, because of the steep and tiered nature of the zone's terrain!) Combat Jumping and Super Jump can work, but not often.
- Perks: This is one of only four zones in which you can get the Dimensional Explorer Day Job badge.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- Contributors to This Article: Chompie, Adeon Hawkwood
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 44-47
- Features: Jetpack Supplier, Enhancement Buyer (Slarrah), Vine Transport to Cascade Archipelago and The Storm Palace, Teleporter to Firebase Zulu, Task Force Entrance
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Here, like in the rest of the Shadow Shard, normal walking and running is impossible due to the shattering of the zone’s ground. Thus, flight or jetpacks are preferred methods of getting around. Combat Jumping and Super Jump can work, but not often.
- Perks: This is one of only four zones in which you can get the Dimensional Explorer Day Job badge.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Enemy Levels: 48-53
- Features: Enhancement Buyer (The Nameless Mystic), Jetpack Supplier, Vine Transport to The Chantry, Teleporter to Firebase Zulu
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Here, like in the rest of the Shadow Shard, normal walking and running is impossible due to the shattering of the zone’s ground. Thus, flight or jetpacks are preferred methods of getting around. Combat Jumping and Super Jump can work, but not often.
- Perks: This is one of only four zones in which you can get the Dimensional Explorer Day Job badge. According to some heroes, you can also get a few more arcane salvage and recipe drops in this zone if you play it right. See how to do that here.
- Zone Gates: NONE
- Contributors to This Article: DestineeFable
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
PvP Zones
The following zones are where human heroes and villains can battle each other. While in these zones, heroes and villains can also work cooperatively to defeat the bad guys in each zone, but this is pretty rare. Since you will be coming across other human players in this zone, remember to be polite when possible. Sometimes tempers can flare here, especially during PvP battles--if all else fails, run or fly off rather than stand there and have a chat fight. Sounds like rules of the playground, but hey, if it works, use it!
Radium_NA, a fellow member of the CoH Forums, submitted a very complete article on the PvP zones, which I have posted on this site and titled "PvP Zone Primer". Check that article out for additional information!
- Available At: Level 15
- Level You Play At: Level 25
- Features: Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Banished Pantheon, Circle of Thorns, Freakshow, and Spectral Pirates spawn here, so be careful wandering around! Also, some temporary powers in this zone will hurt your attack and defense.
- Perks: You will gain a few positive temporary powers, like having attack and defense boosted, while you are in this zone. This zone is also one of the ones in which you can get the Predator and Pilot day job badges. This zone also has an actual inspiration vendor! Villains also can come through here to search for masks in order to get certain badges.
- Zone Gates: Skyway City (hero side) and Cap Au Diable (villain side)
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill
- Bloody Bay Primer
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Available At: Level 20
- Level You Play At: Level 30
- Features: Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Tsoo, Warriors, and Sky Raiders spawn here, so be careful wandering around! Clockwork are here too, but they will be gray to you, as they are all level 20 and you will be bumped to level 30 as soon as you enter this zone. Also, some temporary powers in this zone will hurt your attack and defense.
- Perks: You will gain a few positive temporary powers, like having attack and defense boosted, while you are in this zone. This zone is also one of the ones in which you can get the Predator and Pilot day job badges. This zone usually has more people playing in it, so if you're looking for a good chance at getting a PvP battle going, try here first.
- Zone Gates: Steel Canyon (hero side) and Sharkhead Isle (villain side)
- Contributors to This Article: Memphis_Bill
- Siren's Call Primer
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Available At: Level 30
- Level You Play At: Level 38
- Features: Hospital
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: Arachnos and Arachnoids spawn here, so be careful wandering around! Also, some temporary powers in this zone will hurt your attack and defense.
- Perks: You will gain a few positive temporary powers, like having attack and defense boosted, while you are in this zone. This zone is also one of the ones in which you can get the Predator and Pilot day job badges.
- Zone Gates: Kings Row (hero side) and St. Martial (villain side)
- Warburg Primer
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Available At: Level 40
- Level You Play At: Level 50
- Features: Hospital (small resuscitation areas in hero base)
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: The zone event here is a fight between Good and Evil for the control of Primal Earth's future, and the surroundings change depending on whether Good, Evil, or Neutral forces are in control. Lord Recluse, Ghost Widow, Scirocco, Captain Mako, and Black Scorpion all spawn here as well, so be careful!
- Perks: You can get the Isolator badge here (albeit very slowly) if you didn't get it during the Outbreak tutorial mission--you have to defeat the single Contaminated baddie that spawns in the train station every two hours. There are also LOTS of PvP badges available in here!
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park (hero side) and Grandville (villain side)
- Recluse's Victory Primer
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
Hero/Villain Crossover Zones--Cooperative Play
The following zones are for heroes and villains to play cooperatively, whether that is chatting or destroying Rikti together. Unlike the PvP zones, heroes and villains cannot damage each other in these zones, but neither can you trade with each other--I found this out by unfortunate experience. (My villain could have really used that enhancement set piece, too...) These zones are pretty good for just hanging out in-game, or playing cooperatively with friends who are playing redside for a while.
- Available At: Any Level!
- Features: Hospital, Vault Reserve, Tailor (Trina the Body Sculptress)
- Level-Up Trainer? Yes; War Witch
- Hazards: None! There is no combat at all in this zone, so there's no danger, not even too much dancing and knocking back a few too many. :D (You do need the Good and Evil edition of CoH/CoV to get to certain places in Pocket D, like the Tailor, but this can be purchased and installed on top of your current edition, and you get a free month of play from it! Check out the CoH Buy Now page to order the Good and Evil edition, or check local game stores or discount chains.)
- Perks: This is a zone where heroes and villains can meet each other outside of combat. It can be reached from a few points in Paragon City, and if you got the Good and Evil Edition of City of Heroes/City of Villains, your install came with a Pocket D Teleporter in your Powers list.
- Zone Gates: Kings Row, Faultline, Talos Island, Founders’ Falls; the gates to Port Oakes, Sharkhead Isle, and St. Martial are only available for villains to go through.
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Available At: Level 10 (Steel Canyon), Level 25 (Croatoa), Level 31 (Founders' Falls)
- Features: Cimerora entrance (only one in the game!), Single-Person Store, University Campus exits
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: The Midnighters' Clubs are not necessarily zones of their own, but they are places where heroes and villains can meet up. Heroes may not enter the villain areas of the Midnighters' Clubs and vice versa, but like Pocket D, there are common areas where heroes and villains can chat.
- Perks: The Midnighters' Clubs are the only way to get to cool zones like Cimerora, and the only way to do certain interesting mission arcs as well.
- Zone Gates: Steel Canyon, Croatoa, Founders' Falls, Cap au Diable (for Villains), Cimerora (through clicking the stony-golden pillar)
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page
- Available At: Level 35
- Features: AE Building, Base Portal, Vanguard, Hospital, Teleporters to Atlas Park, Founders' Falls, and Peregrine Island
- Level-Up Trainer? No
- Hazards: This is a cooperative Trial Zone, because of the Rikti Ship Raid that happens here occasionally. Heroes and Villains can cross over and help each other fight the Rikti here. There are also a few spawns of Devouring Earth, Council, Crey, Arachnos, and Malta bad guys around.
- Perks: Because of the cooperative play, you can get a whole new feel for CoH here! Also, there are a LOT of exploration badges around in this zone. Don't forget to do the Rikti War Zone intro missions--if you complete these missions, you will then earn Vanguard merits for any Rikti you kill, anytime, anywhere! You can also team with villains in this zone to do AE missions, unlike any other zone in the game. The Rikti War Zone allows for the collection of lots of Vanguard Merits, as well as some great NPC fighting on the streets and inexhaustible radio missions.
- Zone Gates: Atlas Park, Founders' Falls, Peregrine Island (through teleporter from the Vanguard Building)
- Contributors to This Article: DestineeFable, EmperorSteele
- For More Info: ParagonWiki Page