Fear

What Is Fear?

Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. --Frank Herbert

Or, in terms of CoX game mechanics, Fear is a status effect, like disorient, or knockback. An enemy under the affects of a Fear power will cower. A player who is Feared is immobilized. NPC enemies sometimes run a short distance, but mostly stand still and cower. Fear also causes an accuracy debuff. Most importantly, while Fear is in effect, the target cannot attack unless it is attacted first. Then the target can perform one counter-attack, after which it will go back to cowering until the Fear effect wears off. Note that, unlike a hold, Fear does not detoggle its target.

Magnitude, Resistance, Protection

All status effects work the same way. The target has both Resistance and Protection. In order for the attack to take effect, it must have a big enough Magnitude to overcome the Protection. Once the Protection is overcome, the duration of the effect depends on the target's Resistance. Attacks can stack in order to overcome a target's Protection.

PVE: Minions have a Protection of 1. Lts are 2. Bosses are 4. Elite Bosses are 6. The Purple Triangles of Doom on an Archvillain add 50 while they are up. Some specific enemies are resistant to fear.

PVP: Players have a Protection of 2. Scrapper and Tank defenses add 16 to that number.

What Powers Cause Fear?

Anyone can obtain a fear inflicting power through the power pools, but there are also a few fear inducing powers scattered among the primaries and secondaries for scrappers, brutes, stalkers, defenders, controllers, and dominators.

The third and fourth powers of the presence pool are fear powers. Like with any Power Pool, players must take either the first or second power in the pool in order to have access to the third power, and must take two of the first three powers before taking the fourth.

Intimidate Ranged single target. Mag 2-3. The third power in the Presence power pool. Causes 8 seconds of mag 2 fear, plus a 30% chance of mag 3. Recharge time is 30 seconds.

Invoke Panic PBAoE. Mag 2. The fourth power in the Presence power pool. Causes 8 seconds of mag 2 fear. Recharge time is 60 seconds.

Touch of Fear Mag 3. Melee, single target. Scrappers, Brutes, and Stalkers have access to this power from the Dark Melee attack powerset.

Cloak of Fear Mag 2. PBAoE Toggle power Scrappers, Brutes, and Stalkers have access to the Dark Armor defensive powerset.

Terrify Mag 3. Ranged cone. Controllers and Dominators have access to the Terrify power through the Mind Control powerset. It inflicts minor damage as well as causing fear.

Fearsome Stare Mag 2. Ranged cone. This power is available to Defenders, Corruptors, and Masterminds through the Dark Miasma set, but not Controllers. Note that the Dark Servant pet in Dark Miasma can not cast Fearsome Stare. Also note that Petrifying Glare in the same powerset is not a fear power; it is a hold.

Spectral Terror Mag 3 Controllers, but not Dominators, have access to the Illusion powerset, which includes Spectral Terror. This power creates a ghastly apparition which projects Fear in a cone. The apparition does not move.

Tornado Mag 1? Storm Defenders can cast Tornado. One of the minor side-effects of this power is that it sometimes causes fear.

What Powers Protect Against Fear?

Clarity Ranged Resistance+Free, Ally Part of the Sonic Resonance powerset available to Controllers, Corruptors, and Defenders. Frees an ally from and provides resistance to Disorient, Hold, Sleep, Fear, Confusion, and Immobilize. Also increases Perception.

Clear Mind Ranged Resistance+Free, Ally Part of the Empathy powerset available to Controllers and Defenders. Frees an ally from and provides resistance to Disorient, Hold, Sleep, Fear, Confusion, and Immobilize. Also increases Perception.

Indomitable Will Resistance, Self Part of the Psionic Mastery Ancillary pool available to Controllers. Provides defense to Psionic damage and resistance to Sleep, Fear, Hold, and Disorient.

Kuji-In Rin Toggle Resistance, Self Part of the Ninjitsu powerset available to Stalkers. Provides resistance to Sleep, Fear, Hold, Immobilize, Confuse, and Disorient.

Obsidian Shield Toggle Resistance, Self Part of the Dark Armor powerset available to Brutes, Scrappers, and Stalkers. Provides resistance to Psionic damage, Sleep, Fear, Hold, and Disorient.

Shadow Fall Toggle PBAoE Resistance, Self+Ally Part of the Dark Miasma powerset available to Corruptors, Defenders, and Masterminds. Provides Stealth, minor Defense to all damage types, and Resistance to Psionic damage, Negative damage, Energy damage, and Fear.

Stimulant Ranged Resistance+Free, Ally Second power in the Medicine pool. Frees an ally from and provides resistance to Immobilize, Sleep, Disorient, Hold, Fear, and Confuse.

Tactics Toggle PBAoE Resistance, Self+Ally Third power in the Leadership pool. Provides a bonus to Accuracy, increases Perception, and provides resistance to Fear.

Break Free Resistance+Free, Self This inspiration frees from and provides resistance to sleep, hold, immobilization, disorient, fear, confuse, knockback, repel, taunt, and placate.

Emerge Resistance+Free, Self This inspiration frees from and provides resistance to sleep, hold, immobilization, disorient, fear, confuse, knockback, repel, taunt, and placate.

Escape Resistance+Free, Self This inspiration frees from and provides resistance to sleep, hold, immobilization, disorient, fear, confuse, knockback, repel, taunt, and placate.

Fear Resistance (Empowerment) Resistance, Self This Empowerment Buff provides resistance to Fear for an hour.