Enhancements and Inspirations fill the role of items in City Of Heroes, with enhancements being permanent and inspirations being temporary. The game diverges from many other in the genre here in that they follow a strict pattern of statistics.

Enhancements

At certain levels a character is given new enhancement slots to attach to a power. Every power comes with one slot, and can have up to six slots attached to it. Each slot can hold exactly one enhancement. Once an enhancement is put in, it can never be taken out. All enhancements have the following characteristics:

• Origin Type is the type of enhacement as follows:
  • Training enhancements can be used by any origin and give about an 8.3% boost.
  • Dual Origin enhancements can be used by only two origins and give about a 16.5% boost.
  • Single Origin enhancements can be used by only one origin and give about a 33% boost.
  • Hamidon enhancements can be used by any origin and give a 50% boost.
• Applicable Origin(s) are labeled on the enhancement and show what origin a character can be to use it.
• Stat Affected is labeled on the enhancement, and shows what stat of a power it will enhance. This can either increase or decrease the affected stat. For example, the damage enhancements increase damage, but the endurance cost enhancements decrease the endurance cost. Hamidon enhancements affect two stats. It is important to note that the stat affected is that of the power, not of the character.
• Level is a number on the enhancement that determines what security level a character can be to use it. The level of the enhacement and the character must be within 3. For example, a level 6 character can use enhancements level 3 through 9. The effectiveness of an enhancement drops 1% for every level below the security level of the character using it, and increase 1% for every level above. Hamidon enhancements are only level 50.

Inspirations

Inspirations are quick powerups that many enemies drop randomly. Characters gain the ability to hold more inspirations as they gain in level. Inspirations can be used quickly and it is common to store some for more difficult battles. They can also be given, which is fairly common, and bought, which is rare. They are very common drops and thus used somewhat lightly.

There are 7 types of inspiraitons. The types are generally referred to by the color they are represented by in the interface: blue (endurance), green (health), red (damage), yellow (accuracy), and purple (defense). There is also a type that gives resistance to many status effects, usually referred to by the name of the weakest version, clear mind, and a type that resurrects a fallen hero, usually just called a rez or awaken. In each of these types there are three specific inspirations, which help the affected area by 25%, 33%, and 50% (with rez, this refers to the amount of hp they have upon resurrecting). The more powerful versions are less common. There is also another inspiration, called ambrosia, used only for the Eden Trial.