History VideoGame / ChampionsOnline

** Dr. Silverback is [[ComicBook/XMen Beast]], complete with his erudite speech patterns and, being a hyper-intelligent (albeit good) gorilla, takes influences from DC villain Gorilla Grodd .

** Volta is ComicBook/{{Storm}}, but she's a villainess...

** The robotic supervillain Mechanon is similar to Comicbook/{{Ultron}}

*** The Marksman = Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}}

*** The Specialist = Comicbook/{{Deadpool}}
*** The Behemoth = [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]]
*** The Grimoire = Comicbook/DoctorStrange

*** The Savage = Comicbook/{{Sabretooth}}
*** The Disciple = Comicbook/{{Psylocke}}

*** The Devastator = [[Comicbook/TheMightyThor Thor]]

*** The Fist = Comicbook/IronFist
*** The Master = Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}

*** The Cursed is actually just a color swap for The Scourge, which [[SarcasmMode coincidentally]] makes him look more like Comicbook/GhostRider.
*** The Soldier = Comicbook/{{Punisher}}
*** The Squall = Comicbook/{{Storm}}

*** The Radiant = Comicbook/TheSpectre

*** Kinetik is Comicbook/TheFlash, freak lab-accident and lightning-themed costume and all. He is also similar to Synapse from ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'', but Synapse is closer to Miles Teg of Dune, since his powers developed as a result of torture.

*** Amphibian is Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} (and he is just about as useless as he is in the ''{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}}'' cartoon). The only heroic action you will presumably ever see from him is to [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman keep a giant mutant shark from attacking you]] during the Lemuria Crisis. Mostly, he will only lament about his PsychoEx-Girlfriend Stingray.

*** Microman is Comicbook/TheAtom

* CanadaEh:
%% ** "It is a remote and lonely place, this frigid, frozen Canadian North." - Justiciar
** The real examples of this trope are the Hunter Patriots, an equally stereotypical and incompetent group of Anti-British terrorists. Their plans to take over Canada involve such things as bomb-laden Zambonis, questionite curling stone cannons, radioactive Loonie Coins, nanite-infused Poutine gravy and a maple-powered DeathRay.
** The title for one of the game's missions actually contains the name of this trope.

** Now Alert grinding allows one to reach the level cap and buy the best gear there is without leaving [[HubLevel Renaissance Center]], let alone ever doing a single mission.

** These are all unavailable now. But similar travel powers are purchasable from the Questionite Store, for relatively exorbitant amounts (depending on the exchange rate for quesionite at the time, the equivalent of roughly $10 each; travel powers in the C-store cost $5.25).

** What's more, players will often 'farm' these chairs to trigger Nemesis minion attacks, which happen anytime you're in combat (but don't differentiate between actual combat and attacks on destructible objects).

* EpisodicGame: The Aftershock Comic Series, which released one installment each week over the month of June, is free to play for all, as is the Whiteout comic series, which debuted in winter of 2011.

** Since Perfect World Entertainment took over as the game's publisher, serval meta examples requiring real life money have been introduced: Grab Bags (buy a bag, get a random item out of it), Lockboxes (Grab Bags you get for free, but you have to buy a Key to open them) and Drifter Kits (Grab Bags bought with Drifter Salvage which you can only get from Lockboxes).

** There are the "Crisis" mission arcs you need to complete to unlock the regular version of the zones. The tutorial is actually a "Millennium City Crisis". The base you start in is pretty much in shambles until you manage to defeat the first main boss of the respective area. Once you do this, the most pressing of the locals' problems have been dealt with, the base is repaired, and the rest of the area opens up.

** '''[[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Grond]]:''' ''You as uninteresting as [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes rival MMO]]! Grond leave now.'' Given the net effect CO has had on [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes CoX's]] subscription base (that is to say, none at all) this has become somewhat ironic. The player base on the forums at least seems to be welcoming to orphans from [=CoX=] now that their parent company made the decision to shut down the servers.

* AllegedlyFreeGame: Zig-zags a bit -- You can now play the entire game, including adventure packs, for free! However you can only do so using one of 10 pre-defined Archetypes (i.e., classes), which just by virtue of being rigidly defined will never be close to the power of a high-end freeform build (free-form builds also get to pick more powers over the same number of levels and get access to Tier 4 powers). For a while, there was a daily quest where you could win a freeform character slot, even as a Silver player, for nothing more than a short investment of time! It's over now, though; the only way to get a freeform slot for Silver is to buy the item from the C-store.
* BribingYourWayToVictory: You can get an edge in crafting by buying "rank up catalysts" for exorbitant amounts. You ''can'' play the entire game to the level cap for free without spending a dime; but to do anything beyond those basic archetypes and a tame selection of costume pieces, you're going to need to pony up or spend a ''lot''.

An adaptation of the [[TabletopGames Tabletop Game]] ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'', ''Champions Online'' is a 2009 SuperHero {{MMORPG}} offering a wide variety of power and costume customisation options. While the storylines and environments are usually an Homage to a [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] style, light-hearted and brightly-coloured, occasional [[UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]] consequences and morals are hinted at. Player characters display a range of styles, from TheCape through TheCowl to the NinetiesAntiHero.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: By the truckload. The ''Champions'' Universe used to be described as "[[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfcomicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel with the numbers filed off", adding "Not that it's a bad thing". Specific examples include:

* {{BFS}}: The Heavy Weapons Set lets you wield one. You can also DropTheHammer, or wield an axe, should you prefer those options.

As of January 2011 it is free to play, downloadable from [[http://www.champions-online.com/ its website]]; later in June it came to UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} along with a few other such games. Another fairly notable update came in the form of "On Alert" in April of 2012, which changed the logo, made more content available to everybody (and with it added more premium content) and added the titular alert system. The alert system is effectively a new type of mission, and one of several ways to gain the resource questionite, which can be used directly to buy some things, or traded player-to-player in an stock exchange type system for the cash store's currency, at this point Perfect World's ZEN.(In addition, several missions and bosses which were already present were edited to reward questionite--including the adventure packs, which as of that update became free for all.) In late 2012, vehicles were introduced, becoming a customizable feature in December with the Reloaded update.

** And one named [[Series/MythBusters Buster]] in Teleios Tower. [[spoiler:He is actually a BonusBoss. Attack him long enough and he eventually begin to fight back with completely random powers. His health is crazy high too. But if you manage to defeat him, he drops some great loot. Teams will often enter Teleios Tower just for a 'Buster Run']].

*** Red Dawn is [[Characters/IronManEnemies Crimson Dynamo]].

*** The Glacier = ComicBook/{{Iceman}}

** The breasts slider is a sign of FridgeBrilliance though -- the slider is set to max as default, but max is still a reasonable C-cup. Some fiddling with sliders can accentuate the size but for the most part GagBoobs are averted.

* EverythingsEvenWorseWithSharks: The Karkaradons are shark men, serving and created by Shadow Destroyer.
** Averted with Megalodon, a huge mutant shark, though. He only appears in the Lemuria Crisis, where he is friendly due to [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman being under the control of Amphibian]].

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs:
%%** Cloned, acid-spitting, armour-plated dinosaurs.
** The 'Teleosaurus Pheromones' device summons two Teleioraptors as pets. For a long time, it was possible to equip five of those items, resulting in ''ten'' automatically respawning dinosaurs. This was every bit as overpowered as it sounds, and fortunately one of the issues that actually got fixed. Only one device of the same kind can be used at a time now.

* {{BFS}}: The Heavy Weapons Set lets you wield one. You can also DropTheHammer, or have AnAxeToGrind, should you prefer those options.

** Since Perfect World Entertainment took over as the game's publisher, serval meta examples requiring real life money have been introduced: Grab Bags (buy a bag, get a random item out of it), Lockboxes (Grab Bags you get for free, but you have to buy a Key to open them) and Drifter Kits ([[UpToEleven Grab Bags bought with Drifter Salvage which you can only get from Lockboxes]]).

* ScreenShake: For earthquakes or particularly powerful attacks. Taken UpToEleven when volcanoes go off on Monster Island, almost to an annoying degree. Thankfully, the effect can be disabled in the options menu.

** Many of these ridiculous cases of censorship have been fixed by now. But others remain, especially when it comes to the word ''ass'', which is taken UpToEleven, to the point were even NUMBERS get filtered. Just try typing 'as 5', 'a 55' or '455' and you'll see. Although, the filter still seems to be somewhat sporadic. A specific example being that ''Grasshopper'' is rejected, but ''The Grasshopper'' is accepted just fine, despite both containing the word ''ass''.

* MacrossMissileMassacre: The Micro Munitions power. Used a lot by ARGENT cyborgs and VIPER powered armor soldiers. Add a pair of rank 2 Munition Bots to [[NoKillLikeOverkill triple the fun!]] Mega Destroids in Resistance have an UpToEleven -- or rather "actual Anime/{{Macross}}-level" -- version of this!

** Grond is [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk/The Abomination]].

* HulkSpeak: [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]][[{{expy}} -expy]] Grond, many of the evil Manimals, and the Irradiates speak like this. The latter even [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] it in-game: "Grrr... Why radioactive mutants talk with poor syntax?"

** '''[[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Grond]]:''' ''You as uninteresting as [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes rival MMO]]! Grond leave now.'' Given the net effect CO has had on [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes CoX's]] subscription base (that is to say, none at all) this has become somewhat ironic. The player base on the forums at least seems to be welcoming to orphans from [=CoX=] now that their parent company made the decision to shut down the servers.

** PSI: Parapsychology Studies Institute

-->''"How many times have you saved the world today?"''

%%** Teleios. The majority his Mook are cloned from his own "superior" DNA.

** ''The Jack'' - The Specialist was intended to be this, but fails terribly, ending up as more of a SpoonyBard. The Unleashed, however, does a much better job at this. And Freefoms, of course, which require the player to choose their powers and stats focus carefully to make the most of their potential. Indeed, with free-form, you can combine some of the basics of a DPS build with a mix of heals and defense buffs, or even [[GameBreaker use unorthodox methods]] such as Aura of Primal Majesty + Strength + Enrage, and you get a flat out LightningBruiser.

* BigBad - Dr. Destroyer is behind quite a lot of things, or at least making them worse. [[spoiler:Later on, however, it's revealed that the "Destroyer" who's making the world panic at the thought of his return is actually ''Shadow'' Destroyer, a sorcerer from the local MirrorUniverse... and then, as part of that storyline, you end up freeing the ''real'' Destroyer.]]

** Nemesis mission arcs ''always'' end with your arch-enemy building a DoomsdayDevice called a Death Ray - and you having to trash it.

* DifficultySpike: When soloing, it's not uncommon to mop the floor with minions (such that you'll begin to wonder if you've found some sort of ''exploit'') only to have the final boss ignore your most powerful attacks like they were made of butterflies and smiles and proceed to ''one-shot'' you at will.
** Sometimes, the [[DifficultySpike spike]] will be delayed until roughly halfway through the fight with the aforementioned boss, at which point, they will declare IAmNotLeftHanded or go OneWingedAngel and proceed to hand you your rear in ''two'' pieces (one on a silver platter, one in a doggie bag for you to take home).
** Due to a design flaw that is still waiting to be fixed, the [[WarmUpBoss tutorial boss Black Talon]] has become a subject to this a while ago. His initial AI, which had him fight with an easily predictable pattern, has been overwritten with the Alert Black Talon's AI, making him a serious boss and allowing him to wipe the floor with unexpecting newbies via rapid spamming of powerful attack.
** Newbies who didn't ragequit before getting past Black Talon will soon find their patience challenged once again by the bosses in Westside. Yes, the earliest bosses in the game are actually among the cheapest:
*** Wayland Talos - Spams a surprisingly strong Point-Black-Area attack. Depending if you play a melee or a ranged character, he is either extremely tough or a complete pushover.
*** Kevin Poe - At level 9, he sports an arsenal of powers a player couldn't have before at least level 30; including Life Drain, Fear damage debuff, paralysis and a very annoying backwards lunge.
*** Zoe Loft - Not so cheap on her own, but she and the mooks in her lair are scripted to always have the same level as the player. This feature is not seen again until much later in the game. Fortunately, if you play your aggro correctly, you can beat the mooks in groups of three with a few seconds of resting between attacks to restore health, and defeat them all before reaching Zoe. This approach makes the fight really easy, only longer.
*** Frank Zaretti - Supervillains with the Might set can be a pain to solo for non-tanks.
*** "Ludwig" - His room is full of traps that spawn enemies if you get too close to one, requiring to pull him out.
*** Hi-Pan and the Death Dragon - They will double-team you if you aggro them both at once.

*** Rakshasa has a power that summons a Mind Worm for every character (including pets) on the heroes' side - and also causes them to lose their target lock on him, for some inexplicable reason. It was handwaved.
*** Ao'Qephoth is nearly invincible due to his ridiculous regenerative abilities. These are the result of a passive power that heals 1.8% of the user's maximum HP per tick. Not much for player characters or regular bosses, but Alert bosses have ''over two million HP!'' Unsurprisingly, his alerts often sit unplayed at the top of the queue until they are randomly cycled out - and should players accidentally join due to inattentiveness, they usually all drop team the moment his name is announced during the preamble. He can be beaten, but doing so requires requires such careful timing, precision and powers, that in the "random PUG" setup of alerts it usually makes more sense just to quit and wait for a different boss.

* FunWithAcronyms - The dev team sure has it.

** Partially because of how many there are, it's a rather common thing among supergroups.
* UsefulNotes/FurryFandom: There are a lot of players for whom cat ears and a tail just aren't enough. There is a wide variety of animal heads, skins, and tails for different creatures. Not to mention Monster Island where you have Manimals both good and evil. The amount of beast-like options within character customisation is high, including some fur textures for skin, and a whole body pack dedicated to werewolves.
** In-game, the not-quite-villainess Lynx only turned to crime because she wanted to become a CatGirl, and Overbrain was the only person who would do it. [[LampshadeHanging She complains about this while fighting you]].
** The Devs must have known how important this would be to players. There are TWO slider bars just for a tail - width and length. And furthermore, you have to pay for a lot of the animal options.

* FromBadToWorse: [[spoiler:Vibora Bay Crisis: It starts with you helping to cause the Apocalypse. Yes, the "end of the world as we know it", "final battle between Heaven and Hell" Apocalypse... And by the time it's over: all of the Champions are dead, Amphibian has been mutated into a bizarre homicidal fish-creature, and it's revealed that Shadow Destroyer helped engineer the whole thing to screw Therakiel out of his EvilPlan. Yikes!]]
* GangOfHats: The Westside gangs, which include the purple wearing [[TheMafia Mafia]] New Purple Gang, the Cobra Lords [[AllBikersAreHellsAngels Biker Gang]], the [[TheQuincyPunk Quincy Punk]]/MonsterClown themed Maniacs, the ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' inspired Black Aces and the Chinese mystical Cult of the Red Banner.
** Lampshaded, like so much else, with a mission to literally collect hats (well, bandanas, actually) from each of these local gangs.

* GeniusBruiser - It is entirely possible to make your Nemesis this by giving him/her any physical powersets (especially any of the Brick powersets), a tough/bulky looking appearance and the Mastermind personality.
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* GhostTown - Not one but two of them on the Southwest Desert map: Burnside and the remains of an unnamed town on the eastern slopes of Atomic Wastelands.

* GlobalCurrency - Pretty much like in VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft; but named Global, National and Local resources. One guess at the colors. On the other hand:
* GlobalCurrencyException - In addition to Resources, players can earn Snakebucks (for the Snake Gulch amusement park), Acclaim (gained in [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]], used to buy items and rewards), UNITY and Nemesis Tokens (gained by completing UNITY and Nemesis missions, respectively, used for very high level, exorbitantly priced rewards), Recognition (randomly dropped by monsters of an appropriate level), Drifter Salvage (from Lockboxes), Questionite ore...there's a lot of alternate currencies, is what we're saying.
** YourMoneyIsNoGoodHere - Naturally, for every currency, there are vendors that will accept no other.
* HarmlessVillain - Foxbat, most of the time. His ''[[{{Mooks}} Fanboys]]'' and ''[[MechaMooks Foxbattle Bots]]'' are way fiercer than he is ("Foxbat says we're not to hurt you, but when the Fox is away, the Foxbattlebots will play!") and his actions are more public nuisance than super-crime. He steals ping-pong balls pretty early on. And Bluejay, who has absolutely no intention of harming people, but unfortunately happens to be terribly accident prone. And Lynx, who only works for Overbrain to pay her debts and quits the fight once you get her down to 1/3 HP. But despite them all lacking evil intentions, they can still be challenging opponents in battle.

* [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything The Heroes Who Don't Do Anything]] - You have beaten up cultists and found a valuable amulet? Return it to the leader of the premier super team of the city and he'll... tell you to go off and stop someone else. Defender also has a habit of strolling in just ''after'' you've defeated a supervillain building a DoomsdayDevice.
** To be fair, they sometimes show up to help in the endgame UNITY missions.
** Also show up in force to help take down the Kings of Edom in [[EpisodicGame Aftershock]]. Given that both them and the enemies in this sequence are several magnitudes more powerful than you, they are legitimately helpful here.
** The Backup devices (a rare drop from the Anniversary Event) allows you to summon one of the Champions as a "pet". And they are every bit as powerful as one should expect.
* HeartbeatSoundtrack - A similar, chilling soundtrack while in the indoor areas of Whiteout.
* HerrDoktor - Doctor Ohm and Doctor Von Schultz both speak with a thick, stereotypical accent. And of course, Doctor Destroyer, though he lacks the accent.
* HighlyVisibleNinja - Lampshaded the hell out of with Black Mist. He wears a black suit in the ''white'' wilderness of Canada and keeps loudly "whispering" to his underlings to be "Silent! And stealthy... Like the ninja..." [[HypocriticalHumor while they don't say anything at all.]]
* HomingBoulders - Inevitable, as nearly all ranged attacks are homing, although at least you can block between the throw and the impact.
* HulkSpeak - [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Hulk]][[{{expy}} -expy]] Grond, many of the evil Manimals, and the Irradiates speak like this. The latter even [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] it in-game: "Grrr... Why radioactive mutants talk with poor syntax?"
* HundredPercentHeroismRating - Civilians will approach and mention your exploits. Sadly, this means thanking you for finishing the tutorial until the very end of your days. Over. And over. Again. Still, how would ''you'' react if you met someone who saved the world?
* HurricaneOfPuns - ''Champions Online'' is a category 5! (see Pun below)

* ImpossibleItemDrop - "Hey, this radioactive shark dropped a combat vest upgrade!"
** Sharks eat anything. Now, when a school of pirahna drop a large intact item of any sort...
* InNameOnly - The game mechanics are almost, but not quite, entirely unlike the original PNP game, having a fraction of its versitility and content. Only the [=NPCs=] are directly from the Champions tabletop RPG.
* InstantRunes - Magic practicioners can create these.
* InterfaceScrew - Some instances add a creepy border around your field of vision or other effect. Suitably atmospheric.

* InvincibleMinorMinion - The Qularr Assault Ships in the tutorial. They can attack, but do it aimlessly and are no real threat.
* InvulnerableCivilians - Usually played straight but very occasionally averted (sometimes by mistake - Hotdog Vendors seem to be at considerable risk.)
** Antagonistic [=NPCs=] can hurt civilians, but usually only do it as part of an EscortMission...or if certain civilians attacked them first!
* KnightOfCerebus - Similar how to [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes the other game's]] later expansions had more mature plotlines, Vibora Bay has a pair of genuinely scary (and epic) villains: [[FallenAngel Therakiel]] and [[MultiversalConqueror Shadow Destroyer]].
** Even Monster Island and Lemuria Crisis are considered dark compared to the typical arcs in the game. [=NPCs=] you have met die, there are implications of cannibalism, and major betrayals occur.
* LargeHam - Foxbat, and he revels in it.
** Also Rocket Hawk and, even more, Lady Rocket Hawk, to the point where many players rather leave them tied up in a cell than teaming up with them.
** Most of the voice acting lends itself to this, but a special note for Doctor and Shadow Destroyer, who are like this even in the source RPG.
** HamToHamCombat - [[spoiler:When you have both Doctor Destroyer and Shadow Destroyer fighting each other in Resistance]]
* LawyerFriendlyCameo - Many. [[Film/BigTroubleInLittleChina Burt Jackson]], [[Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy Rob Mahogany]] and his co-workers, [[Film/NationalLampoonsVacation Clayton Griswald]] and [[Series/{{Lost}} Oceanica Airlines]], just to name a few.
* LightIsNotGood - The local KnightOfCerebus, Therakiel and his Nephilim minions, are certainly a bit uglier then typical examples of this trope... but otherwise fit completely, with Therakiel calling himself "The Bright" and all of them using light-based powers.

* LittleGreenMen - The Gadroon are green, frog-like aliens whose clothing and technology design couldn't scream 'RaygunGothic' any louder.
* LovecraftLite - ''All'' over the game. Aftershock, Demonflame, any DEMON mission, and the Lemurian Crisis are all tied to the Lovecraftian horrors, the Kings of Edom.
* MadScientist - Teleios, Dr. Moreau, [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Destroyer]], Dr. Talos, Several Viper leaders and many others. In some missions there are even 'evil scientists' as enemies.
* MagicalNativeAmerican - Ravenspeaker.
* ManaDrain - Tasers and Neutralizer Gas grenades, merrily abused by ARGENT and Security Guards.
* MeaningfulName - The comic series Aftershock deals with the aftermath of both the Serpent Lantern and Demonflame adventure packs.
* MeatMoss - All over the floor in Aftershock #4's second nightmare sequence.
* MiniBoss: The master-villains, they are not as strong as a Super-villain but they can represent a threat for a solitary player.
* MirrorUniverse - [[spoiler:The Multifarian Earth, with everyone who's villainous in our world being heroes, and everyone who's heroic in our world being villains. Its version of Destroyer (a.k.a. Shadow Destroyer) is the equivalent of the evil villain that destroyed Detroit, but in this world he took it over instead, and he relies more on arcane sorcery than his power armor. Oh, and underneath that costume is James Harmon IV, who is Defender in the Champions' Earth! However, Dr. Destroyer is a subversion, for he is the one and SAME Destroyer from the Champion's Earth, instead engaging in an EnemyMine with the player]].
* MoneySink - Costume changes, extra bank or equipment slots and a variety of consumable devices...and, of course, the retcon system.

* {{Mooks}} - Supervillains need them, therefore most supervillains have them. Mooks are the majority of enemies in this game, reaching from ordinary street thugs over terrorist, mercs and evil cultists to MechaMooks, [[OurZombiesAreDifferent Zombies]] and various kinds of mutants, aliens and demons.

* MyBrainIsBig - The supervillains Menton and Brain Drain have both abnormaly large, partly exposed brains and PsychicPowers. But they also subvert this trope; being actually not as smart as they think.
* MyRulesAreNotYourRules - While it hardly makes them unfair in terms of enemy strength or general difficulty, players can only envy the [=NPCs=] for their exclusive powers--and costume pieces. However, the cases that really matter in terms of gameplay are the following:
** [=NPCs=] tend to have powers that don't match their level or power set. For example: the DEMON Maleficias, dark magicans, have the Chest Beam power from the Power Armor set and the aquatic Lemurian Broodmother can shoot Fireballs.
** In some cases, a power works very different depending on if a player or a NPC uses it. For example, an NPC's Lightning Arc stuns the target, Mighty Leap becomes chargable and Hurl goes as far as having even a different animation, in addition to gaining a knock back effect. The NPC version of life drain, [[CallingYourAttacks helpfully lead into with the user yelling]] [[BigHam "Your soul will be MINE!"]], is a ''lot'' more powerful than the version players get; if unblocked, it can easily take out more than half of your health. ARGENT Cyborg chest beams restore their health if you don't block...the list goes on.

** [=NPCs=] also get to wear a number of costume pieces - and even ''colors'' - that are not unlockable for players, and can combine them without the limitations of the player character editor. Most infamously, ''four arms''.
* NebulousEvilOrganisation - Typified by VIPER, who hang around anywhere and everywhere.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero - The player might feel this way after [[spoiler:releasing Dr. Destroyer]] in Resistance. Granted, it's the lesser of two evils, but you're basically releasing a German Osama Bin Laden to fight an American Hitler.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain - A combination of [[spoiler:Shadow Destroyer's {{Magitek}} and Therakiel's own mystical energy was the key to avert the Vibora Bay Apocalypse]]. Pure irony!
* NightmareSequence - The player must save two [=NPCs=] from one in [[EpisodicGame Aftershock #4]]. Unlike a lot of missions directly linked to a main quest in the game, [[spoiler:you can fail and condemn them to a FateWorseThanDeath...and [[MyGreatestFailure the main mission will continue]]]]. Also, the players are thrown into one in Demonflame.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot - RuleOfCool applies: Radioactive Communist Zombies, Radioactive Sharks, Robot Sharks, Robot Pirates, Ghostly Pirates, Lizard-man Wizards, Demonic Fish-people... and that's all in one map!
** Another map contains both Cowboy Robots and Cowboy Ghosts.
** And yet another map contains Ninja Vampires and Two-gun rapid firing Werewolves.
* NoHeroDiscount - {{Averted}}: Currency isn't the traditional gold/silver/bronze fantasy coin, but instead Resources--[[WeirdCurrency which represent a character's influence on a global, national and local scale]]. [[FridgeBrilliance A player character literally never pays for anything they get, instead trading favours and contacts for the goods or materials they need]]. However, since costs incurred by military operations are described in dollars, it seems {{muggles}} have to deal with paying the old-fashioned way.
** On the other hand, donating to charity means your reputation isn't as good.
* NoOSHACompliance - In the Lemurian Submarine area there is a glowing green radiation dump... surrounded by a number of important, unshielded contacts. A few metres away, the submarine bay doors have no safety rails.
** Handwaved by one of the contacts, who mentions the radiation dump has an invisible force field over it.
* NoticeThis - Mission items in ''Champions Online'' flash brightly. When they're not hidden in a corner that you miss.
* OneWingedAngel - [[spoiler:The Roin'esh General in the final issue of Whiteout.]]
* OnlySixFaces - While averted (for the most part) with the males, due to the highly versatile creator, many female faces unfortunately tend to look alike without drastic measures. Barring the inhuman ones, of course. Though this is as much a result of BeautyIsNeverTarnished as anything else, as everyone will happily make ugly males and handsome males alike but everyone wants only beautiful females.

* OurDemonsAreDifferent - There are Ice Demons, classic Fire Demons, Lava Demons, Water Demons, Chaos/Darkness Demons and Infernal (toxic) Demons, working for seemingly unconnected factions. Players can summon some of them via summon powers, items and devices.
** To be fair, most of those demons are enslaved by either DEMON or the Crowns of Krim. Or straight up serving the Kings of Edom.
* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent - Transmitted [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]] in the Bloodmoon event.
* PaintedOnPants - It's a superhero game, remember?
* PerpetuallyStatic - After all, StatusQuoIsGod
** Except for when you first enter a new zone: There are the "Crisis" mission arcs you need to complete to unlock the regular version of the zones. The tutorial is actually a "Millennium City Crisis". The base you start in is pretty much in shambles until you manage to defeat the first main boss of the respective area. Once you do this, the most pressing of the locals' problems have been dealt with, the base is repaired, and the rest of the area opens up.

* PlayerVersusPlayer - Combat between Heroes can be in the form of 'duels' or as part of organised 'Hero Games' team battles.
* {{Precursors}} - The Bleak Ones and the Elder Worms.
* PreOrderBonus - Costume pieces, action figures and special 'minor' devices.
* {{Pun}} - The names of many characters and roughly 90% of the missions you're asked to undertake.
* PurelyAestheticGender - Aside from costume options, it matters not a jot.
* RandomlyDrops - Some missions require something which every enemy in an area will drop. Others require something which only some of them may happen to have.
** It gets ridiculous as one of the missions asks you to pick up a hat, a shirt and pants off a particular enemy group to use as a disguse... only to be handed a hologram device for the next mission involving DressingAsTheEnemy.
* RedSkyTakeWarning - For the 'Bloodmoon' event.
* RecurringBoss - The player-created Nemesis.
* ReligionOfEvil - The DEMON cult, which seems self-consciously devoted to all things dark, fiery and evil.
** Even better, they ''think'' they're worshipping the equivalent of Satan. [[spoiler:They're actually worshipping the anticreator.]]
* {{Retcon}} - The comic-book-appropriate term applied to the respec system for changing powers.
** Sadly changed though perhaps understandably so as non-comic book fans were getting really confused.
*** And then (ahem) retconned back in, with helpful little hints on the loading screens.
* SendInTheClones - Teleios. The majority his Mook are cloned from his own "superior" DNA.
** [[spoiler: Mr. Gemini]] uses his duplication power for the same purpose.
* TheRoleplayer - The game has a surprisingly active and well-organized roleplaying community, and non-roleplayers tend not to mind roleplayers and vice-verse unlike [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes a certain other game]] with a divided fanbase. Roleplaying hotspots include Sherrera's Bar, Carl's Gym, and Club Caprice, though it happens most anywhere.
** Roleplaying is even a preset Super Group (read: guild) description.
* RunDontWalk - Can be bypassed by using a slash command or setting a key for walking, but player characters do run by default.
* SchizophrenicDifficulty - The newly added alerts suffer from an instanced version of this. Since alerts choose the members of a given team randomly from all the players queued, it's entirely possible to play the same alert multiple times with the same character and be curbstomped half the time - and risk falling asleep at the keyboard the other half.
* ScreenShake - For earthquakes or particularly powerful attacks.
** Taken UpToEleven when volcanoes go off on Monster Island, almost to an annoying degree. Thankfully, the effect can be disabled in the options menu.
* ScunthorpeProblem - A game about superheroes won't let you use the fragment "hero in" in your biography because it spells "heroin".
** Also, the language filter censors "puta", because it is apparently a rather rude Spanish term for a prostitute. Which seems reasonable until an NPC runs up to your hero and exclaims, "The city owes [[HelloInsertNameHere YOUR NAME HERE]] a debt of gratitude after he %$&@ stop to the alien invasion!"
*** Many of these ridiculous cases of censorship have been 'fixed' by now. But others remain, especially when it comes to the word ''ass'', which is taken UpToEleven, to the point were even NUMBERS get filtered. Just try typing 'as 5', 'a 55' or '455' and you'll see.
*** A bizarre addendum to the above is that even with the ''ass'' issue above, the filter still seems to be somewhat schizophrenic. A specific example being that ''Grasshopper'' is rejected, but ''The Grasshopper'' is accepted just fine, despite both containing the word ''ass''.
* [[EnergyWeapon Robot Sharks with Frickin Laser Beams]]
** There is even a mission named ''Sharks with Frickin' Laser Beams'' involving shark men firing laser cannons at the [[DoomsdayDevice WORLD'S BIGGEST FRICKIN' LASER CANNON]]!
* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong - [[spoiler:The conclusion of the Vibora Bay Crisis has you go back in time to before you [[NiceJobBreakingItHero started it.]]]]
* ShinyLookingSpaceships - The Gadroon have them.
* ShouldersOfDoom - Many options; displayed on many enemies.

* SpecialEffectBranding: It uses this trope where it can - the ships of the alien enemy Qulaar are insectile and highly organic, while the ships of the froglike Gadroon are sleek, shiny, have no visible engine or thruster, and apparantly BiggerOnTheInside - a cruiser large enough for a full terraforming force with dozens of Gadroon is barely half again larger than an F-22. On the other hand, player characters have a huge variety of armor, weapon, and even jetpack styles to choose from, and many will mix and match.
* StatusEffects - And, at launch, only half-documented.
* StarshipLuxurious - Averted with the ''Cherenkov'' and the ''Nautilus'', which are suitably cramped and claustrophobic. Played so straight it hurts with the ''Aegir'', which is the size of a skyscraper. And we only get to see a small part of its interior.
* {{Stripperiffic}} and MostCommonSuperPower: Inevitable with a game whose level of character customization is equal to ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes.''
** Choosing the same color and texture for both a character's skin and [[SuperheroesWearTights Spandex]] can result in outfits so skimpy they barely pass as outfits - as well as fully "nude" characters, which are usually removed quickly.

** There are less heroines walking around in their skivvies than one would expect, but they're still pretty common.
** The breasts slider is a sign of FridgeBrilliance though - the slider is set to max as default, but max is still a reasonable C-cup. Some fiddling with sliders can accentuate the size but for the most part GagBoobs are averted.
* SuperNotDrowningSkills - Every hero can breathe underwater. The soldiers with wetsuits, flippers and oxygen tanks on their backs often have no mouth-pieces. This is [[{{Handwave}} handwaved]].
** Taken even further in the sewer escape in Resistance. Your in a lower level of a sewer thats gets completly filled with water while your being attacked by shark-people and have to fix the pump to drain the water.The civillians are fine after, even though you spend more time fighting and fixing than most regular humans can hold their breath.
*** Justified by Griz being a superhuman and the others being [[spoiler: Destroids in disguise.]]
* TakeThat
-->'''[[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk Grond]]:''' ''You as uninteresting as [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes rival MMO]]! Grond leave now.''
** Given the net effect CO has had on [[VideoGame/CityOfHeroes CoX's]] subscription base (that is to say, none at all) this has become somewhat ironic.
*** Depends on how seriously you think the TakeThat was really meant. Given that the team that many of those who created CO also worked on [=CoX=], it's probably meant primarily as a friendly jab. Of course players can take ANYTHING to SeriousBusiness levels, so there's that too.
*** The player base on the forums at least seems to be welcoming to orphans from [=CoX=] now that their parent company made the decision to shut down the servers.

* ThrowingDownTheGauntlet - [[spoiler:Doctor Destroyer, in Resistance]]: "JAMES HARMON! FACE ME!"
* TimedMission - The boss battle with [[spoiler:Luther Black]] at the end of Demonflame. Thankfully, you can't really lose, as TimeTravel means that you can just keep trying until you win.
** Also some other missions, especially open missions which take some time until they restart.

* TowerDefense - Two episodes of [[EpisodicGame Aftershock]] run on this in the climax.
* TrainingDummy - Found in the Powerhouse.
** And one named [[Series/MythBusters Buster]] in Teleios Tower. [[spoiler:He is actually a BonusBoss. Attack him long enough and he eventually begin to fight back with completely random powers. His HP are crazy high too. But if you manage to defeat him, he drops some phat loot. Teams will often enter Teleios Tower just for a 'Buster Run'.]]
* TransformationTrinket - You can buy Devices that allow you to transform into werewolves, vampires, demons, robots, djinns ect., which swap all your powers with specific new ones, some of which are unique and not - yet - available for player characters to learn.

* TreacherousQuestGiver - [[spoiler:Valerian Scarlet]].
** There's also [[YouDirtyRat Professor Ratso]], a questgiver you meet in Monster Island. He sends you out to a chemical lab owned by Moreau to gather some mutagenic chemicals so that he can start reversing Moreau's work, only for it to turn out that he wants to ''continue'' it instead by using the chemicals in question to devolve humans into more manimals. He promptly turns on you immediately after the quest has been completed, and in the quest immediately following, appropriately titled "I Smell a Rat", you have to take him down along with every one of his allies.
* UnblockableAttack - You can block all kinds of attacks to lower the damage and prevent side effects like Knockback - except grenades! Their knockback is unblockable! You cannot block off their knock! It is unknown if this is a case of FakeDifficulty or just a glitch, but it makes fighting certain grenade-spamming ARGENT {{Mooks}} horribly tedious.
** Some players love to exploit this with the Frag Grenade power in [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]].
*** As of November 2011, ARGENT and Viper grenades now only cause pushback, rather than knocking you off your feet.
** A more intentional example of this is the VIPER [[DemonicSpiders Brickbuster's Cannon]], which severely stunts the effectiveness of healing on yourself and reduces your defenses, even if you do block the damage burst. Best thing to do is to knock them down or out before they fire it off!
* UnderwaterCity - [[UnderTheSea The city of Lemuria]], surrounded by UnderwaterRuins. It seems that many players are not fond of this zone, making it subject to 'DownTheDrain'.
** Mostly caused by A: the constant need to watch out for enemies floating just above and just below you, B: the difficulty of finding what door on a reef wall a vertical marker points at and C: the lag partially caused by mob density mentioned in A.
*** Also, most travel powers are useless while underwater, since to move you're relegated to either swim or swim a little faster. Running powers retain their high speed, even while swimming instead of running. Dark Speed and Light Speed even retain their aura. The best example, however, would be teleport, which works exactly like it does above-land.
* UnwittingPawn - [[spoiler:The leadup to the Vibora Bay Apocalypse arc has ''you'' as one of these. And Valerian Scarlet wastes no time in rubbing it in when her EvilPlan (see above) comes to fruition.]]
* VaporWare - Almost 20 years passed between the development of the never-released first computer game adaptation of ''Champions'' and ''Champions Online''.
* VirtualPaperDoll
* VoluntaryShapeshifting - The Roin'esh is an alien race with this power. There's also two human shapeshifters in the desert that uses it to hide among Qularr.
* WeBuyAnything - Arcane, three-eyed crafting vendors will happily buy any science and arms items that you wish to get rid of.
* WeirdCurrency - Resources, a measure of a character's influence on a local, national and global scale. [[FridgeBrilliance You may not get money from the psychotic insectoid alien you just defeated, but it does wonders for your reputation.]]
* WellIntentionedExtremist - Quite surprisingly, this seems to be avoided. Enemies seem to ''acknowledge'' their villainy and often revel in it.
** A rare example is Floodgate, discribed as a violent eco-terrorist with [[MakingASplash 'hydrokinetic' powers]]. She is never fought or even shows her powers in-game, but becomes an ally and contact to the player instead, in order to protect her beloved ocean from reckless Lemurian rebels, the Karkaradons and the Bleak Ones.
* TheWorldIsNotReady - Subverted. Impossible architecture exists in the centre of the re-built Detroit, and one of the splash screens explains that super-science has eliminated many diseases and greatly boosted technology.
** Played straight with the acceptance of artifical and especially mechanical lifeforms as equal to humans. To blame is [[MasterComputer Mechanon]].
* WrittenSoundEffect - Above the heads of enemies about to pull off a powerful move.
** In addition, during the anniversary events you can get presents that give you a device which will create sound effect bubbles when your powers hit an enemy for five minutes.
* ZombieApocalypse - The 'Bloodmoon' Halloween event. Also featuring werewolves.
** That's not to mention the Hero Games Zombie Apocalypse map. A cabin, heroes and a whole lotta zombies. Oh, and player zombies. With all their powers.

Player attacks are designed to emulate many offensive superpowers including:
* BarrierWarrior - [[PureEnergy Force]], featuring EnergyAbsorption.
* BeehiveBarrier - The 'Power Armour' block power.
* {{BFS}} - The Heavy Weapons Set lets you wield one. You can also DropTheHammer, or have AnAxeToGrind, should you prefer those options.
* BreathWeapon - Fire, Ice, Poison and Wind.
* [[HolyHandGrenade Celestial powers]] - Damage and healing in one!
* [[DarkIsNotEvil Darkness]]
** featuring CombatTentacles
* DualWielding - Pistols and whatever melee weapon you chose.
* ElementalPowers, or more simply FireIceLightning. See also.
** AnIcePerson
** PlayingWithFire
** ShockAndAwe
** BlowYouAway - Seems to be the InfinityPlusOneElement due to wielding [[AllYourPowersCombined Cold, Electrical and Crushing (kinetic force) damage combined]].
** DishingOutDirt - This powerset is different from the other elemental powersets in that it is in the brick framework instead of energy projector framework.
* GadgeteerGenius
* HealingFactor - The 'Regeneration' defensive power.
* InstantRunes - created with the sorcery powerset 'circles' and 'rituals'
* {{Invisibility}} - The Night Warrior passive, which allows you to go invisible when you go into Stealth mode, and to unleash a devastating melee strike from stealth that does very heavy damage - enough to one-shot most players and single-player mobs and bosses. The word "{{Ninja}}" comes to mind when picturing this in action.
* KillSat - The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Orbital Cannon power.]] Can be further improved with the [[VideoGame/GearsOfWar Anvil of Dawn]] upgrade.
* [[LaserBlade Laser Blades]], [[EnergyWeapon Lasers]], and [[EnergyWeapon Energy Weapons]] in general.
* NighInvulnerability
* PoweredArmor
** BeamSpam
** ChestBlaster
** EyeBeams
** MacrossMissileMassacre - The Micro Munitions power. Used a lot by ARGENT cyborgs and VIPER powered armor soldiers.
*** Add a pair of rank 2 Munition Bots to [[NoKillLikeOverkill triple the fun!]]
*** Mega Destroids in Resistance have an UpToEleven - or rather "actual Anime/{{Macross}}-level" - version of this!
** ShoulderCannon
* PoisonousPerson - The Infernal Supernatural powerset contains a lot of toxic abilities.
* PsychicPowers
** HealingHands
** [[MindOverMatter Telekinesis]]
* [[{{Sizeshifter}} Size-changing]], using some powers and devices.
* [[FunctionalMagic Sorcery]]
* SuperStrength (the 'might' framework, which features ShockwaveStomp and GroundPound powers.
** Also features gratuitous use of the MegatonPunch.
** And you can hurl cars if the mood strikes you.
* SuperheroPackingHeat: Combining the munitions powersets.
** GatlingGood - Munitions characters can field a portable gatling gun!
** GunsAkimbo and GunKata: Characters that primarily use dual pistols are all about this, with Lead Tempest being probably the ultimate expression and looking like something out of ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}''.
** GunFu: A combination of the munitions powers and the Acrobatic travel ability leads to this, especially since you can fire your guns while running and jumping.
** TheGunslinger: As well as all the gun attacks, there are a whole load of ammo belts and holsters to choose from. Also, you can strap various guns to your back. There's also an AT called this that primarily uses stylish Munitions attacks like Bullet Ballet/Beatdown and Lead Tempest.
** ShotgunsAreJustBetter: The shotgun, when fully charged, does fairly heavy damage, is an AOE, and knocks enemies down, making it a favorite power for Munitions players.
** SniperRifle: One of the most devastating Munitions powers in the game, which can hit for massive damage from farther away than other Munitions powers. Its main flaw is that you have to charge it up all the way before it can be used, and if it's interrupted, it doesn't work and the energy you devoted to it is wasted, making it undesirable for a heated battle. Its primary use is as an alpha strike to begin a major battle, major damage during boss battles, or to drop one or more tough enemies to make things easier on the rest of your party.
* [[SummonMagic Summoning Powers]] - Demons, angels, animals, magical creatures, psionic constructs, golems, robots, toys and [[AnimateDead zombies]].
* TrickArrow and RainOfArrows - Featured in the Archery powerset.

Travel Powers include:
* {{Flight}}, as VideoGameFlight. Leads to many FlyingBrick chracters.
** There's also [[IncendiaryExponent Fire Flight]], the rather comical Rainbow Flight (leaving a rainbow trail), the Phoenix Flight (having the user grow fire wings and a huge blast-off effect), the Tornado Flight (having the user floating on a whirlwind) and the not chargable ones; the slow starting but in the end really fast Jet Boots and the average fast but good at cornering Jet Pack.
* NotQuiteFlight - There is a number of flight powers that have the character "surfing" on flying objects. These are usually faster than the VideoGameFlight powers, but tend to have bad cornering.

** For a purely magical variety, there is the MagicCarpet.
** And for a purely technological variety, the Hover Disk.

* SuperSpeed
** Now there's a Light Speed variety, complete with [[Franchise/{{Tron}} light trails]] and the rare and hard to get device-based Dark Speed. Burning Speed leaves a trail of flames and fire off your body.
** Ü Contrary to WordOfGod, they are all equally fast.
* GrapplingHookPistol - The 'swinging' power. It attaches to... [[FridgeLogic thin air, apparently.]] It has also been suggested that there are simply a lot of invisible helicopters in the Champions universe. Considering not all zones are major metropolis' with an abundance of tall buildings to swing from, this is perhaps an Acceptable Break from Reality, but though the launcher resembles the one used by Batman, the 'swing anywhere' effect is a MythologyGag homage to Spider-Man, who's been infamously noted in earlier years to webswing where there is ''nothing'' to snag on.
* InASingleBound - The Acrobatics, Swinging, and Superjump powers let you jump over large items of varying height... and to survive the subsequent fall. Usually.
* CombatParkour - What Acrobatics can feel like. It's a bit of SuperSpeed and Superjump combined, and is the easiest power to just leave on all the time. True, you can't get away from enemies as easily. Instead, you get infinitely more interesting visuals.
* [[TeleportersAndTransporters Teleportation]], sometimes leading to a certain amount of TeleportSpam fighting to escape tricky situations.
* [[TunnelKing Tunnelling]], leaving a {{Wormsign}} behind you. Strangely, you can't tunnel upward or under ABOVE GROUND obstacles with it, but easily throuth thin platforms and glass while being not visible at all, except for a trail of rocks you leave behind regardless of the material you're digging through.
** Oh, and if you move over an edge you could safely jump down above ground, you'll take a ridiculous amount of fall damage WHILE STILL BEING SUBMERGED!
*** It gets better. Popping the Ascension power- which is an ability that temporarily boosts your other powers and gives you flight- while digging allows you to dig through the skies at ridiculous speed. While remaining completely invisible to anything not explicitly anti-air.
*** Considering the illogical flaws and the fact that you can't use it to escape from fights, because it takes to much time to burrow into the ground and you're defenseless while trying, it is not a surprise that Tunneling is the [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway 'Heart']] amongst the travel powers.
*** However, it can be usefull at times, being the only 100% save stealth ability in the game.
*** And, with the addition of the [[TheWormThatWalks Scarab Tunneling]] power during Halloween 2011, [[GameBreaker there is now a tunneling power]] [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower with no activation period before vanishing.]]
* There is a set of three special device-based travel powers you can craft, depending on the crafting profession you have. In any case, the components needed to craft them are hard to get and in masses you would never even get to see if you don't go hardcore farming for them - or buy them for horendous amounts of Global resources (i.e. Gold) you won't get an eye on without hardcore farming either.

** Mysticism gaves you 'Etheric Flight'; another VideoGameFlight power that has you surrounded by magic circles and leaving a trail of runes behind.
** And Arms let you craft the 'R.A.D. Sphere' that allows your character to curl up and roll around. This is essencially SuperSpeed, but also grants a defense boost.
*** PunnyName: "Rad" is German for "wheel".
** These are all unavailable now. But similar Expy travel powers are purchasable from the Questionite Store, for relatively exorbitant amounts (depending on the exchange rate for quesionite at the time, the equivalent of roughly $10 each; travel powers in the C-store cost $5.25).

* FiveManBand:
** The Champions themselves.
*** TheHero / TheSmartGuy - Defender
*** TheLancer - Kinetik
*** TheBigGuy - Ironclad
*** TheSmartGuy - Witchcraft
*** TheChick - Sapphire
*** TheSixthRanger - Night Hawk. Though he is more of an outsider, since he's not on the team in-game.
** The Conquerors, ThePsychoRangers of the Champions from [[MirrorUniverse Multifaria]].
*** The BigBad / TheEvilGenius - Citizen Harmon [[spoiler:a.k.a. Shadow Destroyer]]
*** TheDragon - Arcana
*** TheBrute - Drogen Lar
*** TheDarkChick - Lapis Lazuli
*** The SixthRangerTraitor - Black Mask. Even in Multifaria, all Black Masks were heroes. All except him.
*** It's hard to tell which role Oubliette plays. She is a ''[[GenderBender female]]'' version of Kinetik and apparantly mute. Might be something in between a Brute and a Dark Chick.
*** Some people see her as a {{Woobie}} who is forced to fight for Citizen Harmon after he killed her parents, erased her memories and gave her superpowers through cruel experiments. However, the fact that she gets beaten up over and over by players (in hope of her dropping the rare Dark Speed travel power device) alone makes her quallify as a ButtMonkey.
** And the bad guys of Vibora Bay:
*** The BigBad - Therakiel
*** TheDragon - [[spoiler:Valerian Scarlet]]
*** TheBrute - Black Fang
*** TheEvilGenius - Vladic Dracul
*** TheDarkChick - Baron Cimitiere
** The Red Winter team might also be worth mentioning.
*** The BigBad - Soviet Guard
*** CoDragons - Hammer and Sickle
*** TheBrute - Red Dawn
*** TheEvilGenius - Drago
*** The TeamPet - White Wolf
** While the Westside Gang Leaders aren't exactly... friends, they fit the team dynamic of this trope.
*** The BigBad - Hi Pan
*** TheDragon - Ludwig [[spoiler:Until the Death Dragon is summoned.]]
*** TheBrute - Frank Zaretti
*** TheEvilGenius - Kevin Poe
*** TheDarkChick - Zoe Loft

* AscendedMeme - The beacons in the tutorial. You have to shut them down because they are driving the Qularr crazy. Defender explains this over and over again in his [[LargeHam hammy speech style]], while you do the work. Hilarity ensued amongst the player community. About a year and a half later, the Resistance adventure pack was introduced, in which you travel to the MirrorUniverse of Multifaria. Your first mission there is to ''activate'' four beacons to drive the ''Karkaradons'' crazy. And there is also a single Qularr beacon in that room. Activating it gives you the "Beaconizer" perk with the message; "The Qularr are already crazy!"
* AbandonedWarehouse and AbsurdlySpaciousSewer - Many, often taken over by Gang Members and other evil organisations.

* AllegedlyFreeGame / BribingYourWayToVictory - Zig-zags a bit - You can now play the entire game, including adventure packs, for free! However you can only do so using one of 10 pre-defined Archetypes (i.e., classes), which just by virtue of being rigidly defined will never be close to the power of a high-end freeform build (free-form builds also get to pick more powers over the same number of levels and get access to Tier 4 powers). For a while, there was a daily quest where you could win a freeform character slot, even as a Silver player, for nothing more than a short investment of time! It's over now, though; the only way to get a freeform slot for Silver is to buy the item from the C-store. But you can earn questionite, which you can trade in the auction house for Zen! But there are other uses for questionite, too, and the exchange rate is dismal. On the other hand, most of your usual consumables that are practically required in other [=F2P=] games aren't really necessary in CO, and the death penalty is so light that you don't need to buy health restoration items, self-rezzes or 'star refills' (death penalty eliminators)! (For that matter, you can use in-game currency to buy back stars, though not on the fly!) But you can get an edge in crafting by buying "rank up catalysts" for exorbitant amounts. So, to sum up: you can play the entire game to the level cap for free without spending a dime (averting the trope); but to do anything beyond those basic archetypes and a (relative to the paid version) tame selection of costume pieces, you're going to need to pony up (playing it straight) or spend a ''lot'' of time grinding.
* AlienInvasion - Quite a few, from the tutorial onwards. One of the loading screens helpfully points out that some alien races have made contact peacefully.
** However, another loading screen mentions that Earth has successfully repelled several invasions, from as early as ''1938''.
*** [[Radio/TheWarOfTheWorlds Does that date sound familiar?]]
*** Ironic, then, that 1938 also saw a different kind of [[Franchise/{{Superman}} alien]] invasion.
* AlternateCompanyEquivalent - By the truckload. The ''Champions'' Universe used to be described as "[[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfcomicBooks Silver Age]] Marvel with the numbers filed off", adding "Not that it's a bad thing". Specific examples include:

*** Or possibly Rhino, backgroundwise.

* AnAdventurerIsYou - Not nearly as strict as in other [=MMORPGs=], but technically, every power set or archtype is made for a certain playing style and/or role on a team:
** ''The Tank'' - The Behemoth archetype and the "Brick" sets (Might and Heavy Weapons) are mostly made for this. The Darkness set with its life draining block and the Bestial set with its passive defense ''[[HealingFactor Regeneration]]'' allow them to become 'Reg Tanks', healing faster than enemies can damage them (doesn't always work, though, especially not in [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]]). The Master archetype and the Martial Arts sets, especially Unarmed, have the passive power ''Lightning Reflexes'', which can make them 'Dodge Tanks'. And asside from absorbing large amounts of damage, they all can dish out a lot too. The [[DishingOutDirt Mountain]] is something of a StoneWall, with the ability to reduce the damage output of its enemies.

*** Though through the magic of specialization trees you can inflict a debuff to resistance on anything you try to control, succeed or fail. Take three such specializations and you can keep a pretty consistant -30% resistance on a boss by spamming otherwise ineffectual control moves. Great for maximizing team DPS in those timed alerts. And just as importantly, just because ''the Boss'' is immune to your toys, doesn't mean his backup is quite so resilient.

** ''The Jack'' - The Specialist was intended to be this, but fails terribly, ending up as more of a SpoonyBard. The Unleashed, however, does a much better job at this. And Freefoms, of course, which require the player to chose their powers and stats focus carefully to make the most of their potential. Indeed, with free-form, you can combine some of the basics of a DPS build with a mix of heals and defense buffs, or even [[GameBreaker use unorthodox methods]] such as Aura of Primal Majesty + Strength + Enrage, and you get a flat out LightningBruiser.

* AndYourRewardIsClothes - Costume unlocks (account-wide now, for all costumes) are one of the main draws of the game. You can also get little 'action figures' (think [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft WoW's]] vanity pets) to follow you around (account wide).
* AnimalMotifs - Many, players and [=NPCs=] alike. And, of course, VIPER.
* ArchEnemy - The nemesis system allows heroes to create a recurring enemy whose schemes they can foil again and again. However, with the current system this nemesis can suffer from VillainDecay, not growing significantly in power as the player does and merely sending occasional {{Mooks}} to annoy the player before having yet ''another'' plot foiled.
** It's also worth noting that each character on an account can have ''eighteen'' separate Nemeses with only one active at any given time, meaning that each hero can have a fully fleshed out RoguesGallery of their own to ''prolong'' villain decay, if only because the player isn't necessarily beating the ''exact same'' villain over and over again in rapid succession.

* AWizardDidIt / {{Ghostapo}} - The very reason why superpowers exist in the ''Champions Universe'': Durring UsefulNotes/WW2, Nazi mysticans tried to summon demons to help them win the war. But the ritual failed and caused reality-altering magical energy to leak into this dimension. This event is remembered as The Return of Magic. Not only can magic be controlled by gifted humans, it can also cause a human to survive exposure to usually lethal materials, energies and radiation, granting them related or sometimes unrelated powers. But since uncontrolled magic is unpredictable, it won't always save you, or may even transform you into an insane monstrosity in the process. This is not explained in detail in the MMORPG, but in [[AllThereInTheManual the Pen&Paper RPG's lore]] instead.
** Uncontrolled magic is also the source of totally random supernatural incidents, such as the dead rising or extradimensional creatures (demons) entering this world through dimensional rifts. This is often caused by the mere presence of a powerful magical beeing, as they tend to unconsciously draw energy to them.
*** Therakiel actually does it consciously. He is making Vibora Bay a Mecca for magic users and supernatural creatures, causing the energy level in the area to rise continuously in preparation for the apocalyptic final battle between Heaven and Hell.
* AwesomeButImpractical - Vehicles. They can potentially deal more damage than a character, but are rather squishy and far less versatile; requiring special "gear" and weapons, for which they have fewer slots than characters. They also have trouble dealing constant damage, due to their weapon's slow charge and reload mechanics.
** To be fair, they are good for moving long distances quickly.
* BadassNormal - Depending on the player's vision for the character; other examples may include many of the security, police, and military service members seen throughout the game.

* BadGuyBar - Leo's Bar, in Millennium City, which is a hangout for the Maniacs gang. You can enter in disguise and quietly speak to your contacts, or simply pick up the pool table and beat up the patrons with it.
** And the Dog Pound in Vibora Bay. It's a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] bar.
* BearsAreBadNews - Several of the Manimals, including one [[ADogNamedDog named Bear]] who's causing trouble in the park.
* BeePeople - The Qularr.
* {{BFS}} - The Heavy Weapons powerset includes a couple of them. They're not quite as huge as some of the more ridiculous [=BFSes=], but they're still pretty weighty.

* BrainInAJar - Several.

* BreakingTheFourthWall - Numerous examples.
** Foxbat thinks he's in a comic book, TV show or Video Game. When saved in the tutorial he asks the player to talk to the GM about changing his spawn point, while one of the loading screens rambles on about how Foxbat is the 'best supervillain ever', with a bit at the end about how he's smart enough that he could hack into an online game's database and change around the profile information... "Not that he would ever do so, of course."
* CanadaEh - "It is a remote and lonely place, this frigid, frozen Canadian North." - Justiciar
** The real examples of this trope are the Hunter Patriots, an equally stereotyptical and incompetent group of Anti-British terrorists. Their plans to take over Canada involve such things as bomb-laden Zambonis, questionite curling stone cannons, radioactive Loonie Coins, nanite-infused Poutine gravy and a maple-powered DeathRay.
** To show how intentional this is, the title for one of the game's missions actually contains the name of this trope.
* TheCape - Many player characters. Enemy [=NPCs=] will often refer to your character as a "Cape", even if that character isn't really an example.
** Ironically, villians, especialy most of the really high-ranking VIPER officers, tend to wear capes more frequently than heroes in the Champions universe.
* CardboardPrison - Both the main city prison and the super-prison Stronghold have 24-hour breakouts.

* CatGirl - Lynx and many players.
* CherryTapping - Enforced. When your strong attacks exhaust your energy bar (which will happen quickly), you are forced to rely on your BoringButPractical "energy builder" attack to replenish it. Pick an energy builder you like, because you're going to be seeing it a whole lot.

* ChurchOfHappyology - Mind Inc. is a self-help organisation which tests every new member with an electronic reader. This is so that they can pick up on any latent PsychicPowers to exploit. Them being actually [[spoiler:just a front for the psychic villain organization PSI, which is planning to TakeOverTheWorld]] certainly doesn't make it better.
* CityOfAdventure - Millennium City. Seriously, you can just be standing around doing nothing and a civilian will run up with a mission for you.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}} - Foxbat. Dear god, Foxbat! Described as "an evil version of Adam West Batman". Sometimes LaughablyEvil, sometimes an amazingly effective DiabolicalMastermind, [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the writer]].
* CreateYourOwnVillain - Literally. At level 25 you can make your character's first [[ArchEnemy Nemesis]]. Up to 17 more may follow.
* ControllableHelplessness - At the end of Aftershock, [[spoiler:you and up to four friends get to briefly play as a King of Edom as they [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomp]] Defender and Witchcraft, though if there's only one or two of you it's more of a fair fight. Don't worry, they get better.]]
* CosmeticAward - Costume pieces and Action Figures.
* CosmicHorrorStory - The Harrowing.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist - The loss of one of five 'stars', which can, at 5 stars, give about a 15% boost to healing and damage, in total.
* DeathRay - The fitting name of an advantage (i.e. upgrade) for the 'Experimental Blaster' power, giving it a 1% chance to one-shot enemies not labeled 'supervillain', 'legendary' or 'cosmic' (i.e. bosses). It can affect even other players in [[PlayerVersusPlayer PvP]].

* DeepSouth: Vibora Bay, one of the major quest hubs, is of the swampy, HollywoodVoodoo-steeped variety.
* DemonicPossession - Happens to a group of UNTIL troopers at the start of the Aftershock mission pack. [[spoiler:Happens to ''you'' at the end, in a much bigger way.]]
* DieChairDie - Lots and lots of destructible items, which can be [[CarFu picked up and used as weapons]] or thrown if you have a high enough Strength statistic (or the Telekinesis power and high enough Ego).

* DifficultySpike - When soloing, it's not uncommon to mop the floor with minions (such that you'll begin to wonder if you've found some sort of ''exploit'') only to have the final boss ignore your most powerful attacks like they were made of butterflies and smiles and proceed to ''one-shot'' you at will.

* DirtyCommunists - Red Winter was formerly the Soviet Union's official super team. Now they are mercs, selling their superpowered service to various villains, especially the players' [[ArchEnemy Nemeses]].
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything - Defender's most famous quote:
** "I've penetrated the other side of the building! Let's trap these miscreants between us!"

** Doctor Destroyer's Meteor Magnet

** The Ultra Coruscator. Never seen, but is said to come close to the Mandragalore.
** Your [[ArchEnemy Nemeses']] recurring Death Rays. See 'Death Ray' above.
** The Nemesis mission in which you [[spoiler:catch your Nemesis and send them to jail for the first time]] is explicitly called "Doomsday device!" [[spoiler:The actual device you catch them with couldn't even blow up your Nemesis, never mind the world.]]
* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette - Demoiselle Nocturne. She is also a StringyHairedGhostGirl with a disturbing backstory.
** Sammie Croix, to a lesser extent. She's creepy, but friendly.
* ElaborateUndergroundBase - The world is riddled with them. [[spoiler:Dr Destroyer]]'s base in Millennium City is particularly impressive.
* EleventhHourSuperpower - The player gets to [[spoiler:pilot a [[HumongousMecha Mega Destroid]]]] just before the final battle]] in Resistance.

* EliteMook: Tough units.
* EmoteAnimation - [=NPCs=] have some that are unavailable for player chars though.
* EpisodicGame - The Aftershock Comic Series, which released one installment each week over the month of June, is free to play for all, as is the Whiteout comic series, which debuted in winter of 2011.
* EscortMission - Ranging from tagging along while a robot dinosaur rips the enemy to shreds to desperately trying to distract gang members away from the fragile little policeman.

* EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs - Cloned, acid-spitting, armour-plated dinosaurs.
** Kinda subverted with the Zilla-expy Teleiosaurus. She is a BonusBoss, and one of the toughest in the game. Her [[BreathWeapon Atomic Breath attack]] is the single most powerful attack in the game, strong enogh to one-hit level 40 characters and hitting an area big enough to possibly kill a dozen of them at once! Oh, and she heals herself with every kill, so summoned pets are like pickup heals for her. Good luck. You'll need it.

* EverythingsEvenWorseWithSharks - The Karkaradons are shark men, serving and created by Shadow Destroyer.

* EvilIsNotAToy - In one of the Nemesis missions, your Nemesis releases [[SealedEvilInACan Ghost Veil]] and attempts to bargain with her. Needless to say, it doesn't work.
* EvilPlan - [[spoiler:Valerian Scarlet, herald of Therakiel, tricks you into bringing her the items she needs to start the Apocalypse, beating up the one person who might have been able to stop it and puts her in a position to steal his Flame Gem. NiceJobBreakingItHero indeed!]]

* ExperiencePoints - The majority of which are awarded for quest completion, with relatively piddling rewards for fighting minions.

* EnemyMine - [[spoiler:Doctor Destroyer (the original one) in Resistence]]
** [[spoiler:Very briefly Ripper and some VIPER soldiers in Aftershock, if you want to.]]
* FakeDifficulty - A rather ridiculous case: All [=NPCs=], even civilians and mooks which are supposed to utterly lack superpowers, were given the Super Jump travel power, so players can't escape a battle by knocking them over the edge of a building or taking refuge on higher ground. Fortunately, Cryptic realized that this was not a good idea and removed the Super Jump shortly after. (Wolves (and a few other enemies) still do that; in their case, it's a jump attack, not a travel power.)

* FromBadToWorse - [[spoiler:Vibora Bay Crisis: It starts with you helping to cause the Apocalypse. Yes, the "end of the world as we know it", "final battle between Heaven and Hell" Apocalypse... And by the time it's over: all of the Champions are dead, Amphibian has been mutated into a bizarre homicidal fish-creature, and it's revealed that Shadow Destroyer helped engineer the whole thing to screw Therakiel out of his EvilPlan. Yikes!]]
* GangOfHats - The Westside gangs, which include the purple wearing [[TheMafia Mafia]] New Purple Gang, the Cobra Lords [[AllBikersAreHellsAngels Biker Gang]], the [[TheQuincyPunk Quincy Punk]]/MonsterClown themed Maniacs, the ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' inspired Black Aces and the Chinese mystical Cult of the Red Banner.

* VendorTrash - Drop rates for the least-useful equipment were significantly increased as a solution to complaints about the expensive respec system.

* {{Mooks}} - Supervillains need them, therefore most supervillains have them. Mooks are the majority of enemies in this game, reaching from ordinary street thugs over terrorist, mercs and evil cultists to MechaMooks, {{Zombies}} and various kinds of mutants, aliens and demons.