City of Heroes Badge Frequently Asked Questions

City of Heroes Freedom Badge Frequently Asked Questions by Snow Globe

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Badge FAQ Version 1
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General Badge Questions
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What are badges and what do they do?
Badges are a side quest in CoX. You can use them as a title under your character’s name. Special types of badges include:

• Accolades, which grant powers, costume parts, or special event gladiators.
• Veteran Rewards were recently added and with them come various rewards.
• Gladiators can be used in the Arena for pet/tactical fights.
• Super group

Super group badges are earned while in super group mode(sgmode), and give bases access to more things to build in them. These are not selectable as badge titles. You can see them by openning up the badge window, and pressing the “super group badges” button at the bottom.

How can I find out how many badges a character has?
If it is another character, right click on them and select “info”, click on the “badges” tab in the window that pops up, and the number is right at the top.

If it is a character that you are playing, select menu, personal info, and click on the “badges” tab in the window that pops up, and the number is right at the top.

How do I use a badge title?
To set your badge title, you open the badges window, which is located below the navigation bar, and find the badge you want and click on it. This doesn’t work for gladiators, but you can use the following guide to use the /settitle command to set them.

Do click badges count for teams?
No. Badges that you have to click the object (presents, bombs, heavy control panels, etc) only the person doing the clicking the object will get the badge credit. The only exceptions are the pillbox badges in RV.

How much is a “Tick” on a badge meter?
1/100th of the total needed. Of course, when the total is 1,000,000,000 you only get a tick with 10,000,000 credits.

Why are the badges out of order?
There is an order, but it is based on when the badge was added by issue, rather than alphabetically. No, we don’t know why there isn’t an option to sort them by name.

What are the most popular websites for badges?
The two most popular Badge Websites both have forums, badge lists, online badge tracking, and badge rankings both overall and per server for the characters tracked on their sites. Which you use is a matter of personal preference. I would suggest you try them both out. Now the differences:

www.badge-hunter.com
Has a mirror whose name gets hit with the censor stick, so use this one . It is a part of the vidiotmaps.com(now the other way around, but not when it started) group of websites, which hosts on-line maps for all the zones in CoH and CoV. Badge-hunter has a in-game replacement maps that will not overwrite any CoH/CoV map, but will display in game with more detail. This map-patch is not endorsed by Cryptic/NCSoft, but does not modify any of the files.

Other sources of badge information not found on these forums:
Paragonwiki is also an excellent source of everything related to the City of ___ Franchise.

What are badge channels, and how do I use of them?
A simple Global Chat guide (off-forums)

With Issue 7, there is also a Global Channel search feature. You might also want to try asking on your server’s help channel.

Some to get you started:
Public Channels:
Champion: Champion BMT
Freedom: Freedom TF / Freedom Monster / Freedom Badge
Guardian: Guardian (More of a General channel, not specifically badges.) / Guardian Watch
Infinity: Infinity CoV Badges
Justice: Justice Badge (Justice-Badge has no MOTD, and 1/10 the population of this)
Liberty: LB, Badgers, United Badgers, (there might be still some people on Liberty Badgers after it imploded.)
Pinnacle: PinnacleBadges / PinnacleMonsters / PinnacleBadgeHunters / City Info Terminal
Protector: Protector Watch / Badge Squad / TF and Badge / Villain Badges / Badge Squad / Jello Shooters(this is a general channel)
Triumph: Triumph Watch (See note in private channels section below) / Badge Hunter
Victory: Victory Monsters / Victory Badges
Virtue: I like badges, Virtue Badges
All Live Servers: vidiotmaps.com, City Info Terminal
Test Server: vidiotmaps.com

Private Channels:
Champion:
Freedom:
Guardian:
Infinity: Inf Badge Seeker (@greyGizmo, @starburster13, or @Epiyon)
Justice:
Liberty:
Pinnacle:
Protector:
Triumph: Triumph Watch
Victory:
Virtue: Belle’s Corner (@eviella or @drunkmoogle) / Virtue Watch
All Live Servers:
Test Server:

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Explore Badges
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What are explore badges?
Explore badges are for going to certain spots in the game. There are two exceptions to this: Multidimensional, and Shrouded(CoH)/Shady(CoV). These two badges are for being on certain mission maps, and there is no badge marker to go to for them.

Mayhem and Safeguard Missions have a badge marker in them, as well as the arena map that looks like the Pocket D “Monkey Fight Club”. Also the Sewer Trial (levels 38-41 to start) has the “Head of the Hydra” badge in it (jump on it’s head).

Multidimensional, who gives this mission?
Both Tina Macintyre (twice), and Unai Kemen give the mission for the Multidimensional. Note: In CoV the exact same mission appears from Technician Naylor, but as the badge was retroactively removed from villains that got it and it was flagged hero-only (No, no explanation was given).

Shrouded(CoH)/Shady(CoV), how can I get this badge?
You get this badge for being on the instanced Kings Row map with the graveyard in the north end.

As a hero (Shrouded), numerous contacts still use this map. Originally it was for the “Disrupt the ritual (Defeat Nightstar & her guards)” mission from Maria Jenkins. There are two Preatorians that use this map: Nightstar, Diabolique, and one mission in the Hero’s Hero arc that use it.

As a villain (Shady), the two contacts that send you to this map are Dmitri Krylov (Bring citizens to Vahzilok surgeons), and the Television (Battle for Television).

How do I use the /loc command?
The loc command gives coordinates in a x (West-East), z (Vertical), y (South-North) fashion. Take multiple readings to go to locations from badge sites, as you cannot use the /loc command to set a waypoint.

How do I do multiple /loc commands?
To set the /loc command to a key (replace with the key you want to use, and without the quotes) “/bind loc”. You can also go to the options -> key mapping. If you scroll down to near the bottom, you will be able to change the key there as well.

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History Badges
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What are history badges?
History badges are ways to pass along some back-story to players via history plaques. You gain the badges by touching a certain group of plaques, usually in many different zones.

How do you select a plaque?
Get up close, move the cursor to the plaque location, and click on it.

Do I have to touch the plaques in a certain order?
No, they can be selected in any order to get the history badge.

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Accomplishment Badges
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What are accomplishment badges?
Accomplishment badges tend to be for doing specific missions or doing task forces.

What are the exceptions to the above statement?
The exceptions are the Recluse’s Victory badges for defeating Signature Villains, defeating pillboxes, and controlling heavies.

If I miss a badge mission can I get it again?
In all but one case, yes. All you have to do is find a character in the level range and team through the mission. The exception is the Efficiency Expert Badge.

Does it matter how long I am in a mission for a Strike Force/Task Force or other Accomplishment badge?
Yes, you have to be in the mission for the majority of the time to get the badge. For Strike and Task Forces, it means time spent in the last mission.

What if I’m the mission holder, and someone tries to do my mission without me, do I still get the badge?
Except in Strike and Task Forces, the mission holder should get the badge regardless of time spent in mission. Personally I suspect this was put in place to prevent griefing.

Does it matter if I am too high or too low a level for a mission badge?
Level doesn’t matter except for level restricted areas/mission, where you have to be at least a certain level to get.

Is there a list of mission accomplishment badges?

When someone takes over a pillbox in Recluse’s Victory, does the rest of the team get credit?
Yes. See “Do click badges count for teams?”

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Achievement Badges
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What are achievement badges?
Achievement badges require you to actively do something specific to earn them. Usually this means hunting a specific type of enemy, healing, taking damage, or reaching a certain level.

How long do I need to be in a zone for the zone time badges?

• Irradiated (Both) badge will award for 5 hours in Bloody Bay.
  Siren’s Song(CoH) or Raider(CoV) badge will award for 5 hours in Siren’s Call. Time dead on the ground counts to the time earned, but you still can be someone’s bounty target.
• Web Master (both) badge will award for 5 hours in Warburg
• Time Traveller (both) badge will award for 5 hours in Recluse’s Victory.
• The Trolls Task Force Reserve Member badge will award for 1 hour spent in the Hollows. This badge in not available in CoV.
• Firebase Zulu Security Detail badge is for spending under 10 minutes in the Shadow Shards, the zones not missions in CoV. This badge in not available in CoV.

Does this time reset or count while you are in missions in those zones?
The time does not add while you are in a mission in one of these zones. In the early months of Issue 6 the time would reset if you left the zone. Now your time will not reset when you zone to missions or to another zone.

What Heroes count to the Hero Slayer badge?
Heroes with the faction of , , , or all count to the Hero Slayer, other factions like do not count to the badge.

Do they have to be Hero rank to get credit for the badge?
No. They can be Lt. (for solo mayhems), Boss, Elite Boss, or Hero rank.

Do bosses of a group count more than Lt. or minion ranks?
No a defeat is a defeat each is worth 1. If you don’t want to believe me, Positron speaks on the matter!

Do arch-villains (that have a badge linked to them) that due to difficulty or team size get turned into elite bosses count to the badge?
Yes. If you don’t want to believe me, Positron speaks on the matter:

What is the difference between the Gangbuster and Untouchable badges?

• Hunt Family bosses (Consigliere and Underbosses without Marcone in the name or description) in Sharkhead and Nerva for the Untouchable badge.
• Hunt Marcone Family bosses (Marcone Consiglieres (St. Martial) and Marcone Capos (Port Oakes)) for the Gangbuster badge. This badge is not available at the time of this writing to heroes.
• To make things difficult, family bosses (Consiglieres and Underbosses) with Marcone name in their descriptions seem to count to the Ganbuster badge, not the Untouchable. These are found in Sharkhead and Nerva, mixed in with the first group above.
• Mooks have their own faction, and have no badge to go with them.

Why are there two types of Consiglieres and Underbosses?
Speculation form the players seems to be along the lines that there were a few new behaviours for these family. The person that duplicated the old ones forgot or did not know to set the counter to Untouchable. This leads to the further speculation that the Untouchable family bosses were misplaced into CoV, and should have been just the new types to count to the Gangbuster badge.

Is there a level restriction on Dimensional Warder?
No, no level restriction. Tina Macintyre is level 40-45, Maria Jenkins is 45-50, but you can sidekick up with friends and others to get in on the arch-villains pummelling. Tina also has the multi-dimensional badge mission twice.

How come I can’t get the “A Hero’s Hero Arc”?
You have other contacts with open arcs. With Issue 8 there has been an addition to the contact list: the book icons. Open your contact list, and look for the yellow/golden books. Do missions from one of those contacts until the story arc completes. Yes, the villains in those missions will most likely be much lower than you are. When you finish an arc, call Maria. You should get missions from her again.

How do I find Anti-Matter for the Dimensional Warder badge?
Anti-Matter is in several missions from Tina Macintyre, including her story arc. Note: Make sure it isn’t the Anti-matter that teleports away, because that one doesn’t count (Self-defeats).

The mission that is good is the very last in the The Praetorian War story arc:

According to the data, there are overwhelming forces in that lab. I’d take a full team long, if I were you.

Also this mission has Anti-Matter (Upsilon Beta 9-6):

You’ll be going to dimension Upsilon Beta 9-6. Not much is known about it yet.

I’ve defeated all the arch villains in Maria’s arc including Tyrant, why do I not have the Dimensional Warder badge?

• Tyrant isn’t needed.
• Anti-Matter from Tina Macintyre is needed, but he does not show up in any of Maria’s missions. The mission at the end of the Arc or the Upsilon Beta 9-6 missions will give the correct Anti-Matter. The one in the middle of the arc teleports away at the last second, and does not count towards the badge.
• There are some reports that with Marauder and Bobcat when they activate their god mode power that they do not count for that duration.
• Make sure you’ve defeated Black Swan. You do not have to fight her to complete the mission she is in.

What arch villains do I need to defeat for the Dimensional Warder badge?
Only 13 of the 16 Praetorians are needed. They are: Anti-Matter, Chimera, Nightstar, Siege, Bobcat, Neuron, Battle Maiden, Black Swan, Malaise, Infernal, Diabolique, Dominatrix, & Marauder.

Do I need to defeat the arch villains in order to get the Dimensional Warder?
No, any order will do, though Anti-Matter is in the 40-45 missions.

Do you have to complete the Preatorian missions, or just defeat the Preatorians themselves for the Dimensional Warder badge?
No, you have to defeat the arch villains, not the mission to get credit.

Is there a way to track your progress on the Dimensional Warder?
The Dimensional Warder will have a progress bar. Of course, it will not tell you which ones, so a pen and paper might be useful still . Others use their bio information section of the ID screen to record which defeats they have done.

How are Influence/Infamy (collectively INF) badges tracked?
You will get credit to the badges for all INF earned. Selling or being traded INF will not help your progress towards these badges.

How can someone have the Disruptor (and Longbow Warden 2) even though they lack the Forward Observer badge for 100 Reputation?
The pvp badge requirements were in a state of flux between CoV launch to around Valentines 2006.

They were given at the time for the same type of missions as the current ones:

• Patrol – Forward Observer (then) vs Risk Taker / Most Wanted (now).
• Your side damage buff – Reinforcement (then) vs Agent Provocateur (now).
• Opponents damage debuff – Disruptor (then) vs Vigilante / Wanted (now).

The badges were not retroactively changed for those that had them.

How does Reputation work in terms of getting the PVP badges?
You gain Reputation Points (Rep) for defeating player foes in PVP Zones. If you are on a team, the Rep will be divided amongst the team. If the foe defeated has a much higher Rep, you will get bonus Rep. If you or a team member defeat the same foe in a small amount of time, you will not get any Rep. If you have achieved the requirements for the badge, you do not lose it by having your reputation erode naturally. Rep erodes at 0.1 Rep an hour up to a maximum of 2 Rep points a day.

Can you get the Epic Heal or Damage badges through normal play?
Not a chance. The ONLY way to achieve Medicine Man/Woman, Empath, and (for most ATs) the top 3-4 Damage badges, you have to use missions, the arenas, or being in a task/strike force to prevent the autolog “feature” from coming into play. You have to then leave your computer on, and logged into the game for months on end to “achieve” the top Epic Badges. To get Empath by normal means would take around 27-28 years (at 100,000 hp healed a day 365 days a year).

Why are the Epic badges so high?
Positron has stated that he wanted a few badges that would take a few years to get. In other words, it was a design decision.

This is a very bad decision, in my opinion.

We the player community have time and again demonstrated the mathematical problems with earning these badges (in one case about 30 years of regular play), but nothing is being done about them. Only a “Well, people have earned it, so it must be achievable” response was ever given. Both sides of the AFK/Farming debates on the Epic Badges generally agree the requirements are out to lunch.

Are the regulars here tired of the endless debate on the merits of the Epic badges?
Both sides also agree that we’ve had enough discussion on them, and to bring it up again is only going to cause another flame war. This includes announcing that someone has “achieved” them. A lot of people in this section will see these as trolling at this point.

How much damage do I have to do to a Giant Monster for a badge?
Your team has to do at least 10% of the damage delivered to get the badge. This number includes the GM’s regeneration. So if Eochai and Jack in Irons beat on each other for 5 minutes (possible seeing that they now cannot defeat the other), no one is likely to get a badge from either. Cryptic seems happy with this situation, but the players are not.

I’ve just defeated a Giant Monster in a mission, why didn’t I get the badge?
If the monster is in a mission, they do not give out a badge. The 2 exceptions: Kronos Titan in or outside of any instanced mission grants the badge, and Babbage spawned by the Synapse Task Force counts to the badge. Other than those two, no mission spawned Giant Monster counts for a badge. This is because they are “Monster” or “Arch Villains” in the missions, not “Giant Monster” level. (in other words mission Monsters are designed to be taken out with only one team.

Do the amount of defeats you have count for the epic debt badges?
Epic Debt badges award for paying back debt, not for the number of deaths.

Does it matter if I am too high or too low a level in relation to the enemies for a hunt badge?
As far as hunts you can at level 1 get hunts requiring level 50 mobs (or the other way around) if you or someone you team with can defeat them while in the same zone.

Are there any problems with +Hit Point(HP) powers relating to badges?
Yes, being under an effect of a +HP power (Accolade, buff power, kheldian dwarf form, etc) will slow progress of damage taken and healing badges. If damage is smaller than the combined +HP bonus you will get no “credit” for either badge type.

What are the best team size and difficultly settings for hunting badges?
If you are hunting enemies for badges that require Boss level enemies, getting a team of eight people and setting the difficulty to Tenacious/Malicious or Unyielding/Ruthless will increase the mission spawn size to include the maximum number of bosses.

If you are street hunting, the more players in the area will mean more bosses.

Where do you find paragon protectors on villains?
You should be able to find them in level 30+ Crey missions with the right settings and team size. There are not many Crey Missions in the 35-40 range, but things pick up again in the 40-50 range.

There are also Paragon Protector Elites in the Fab area (island north of the main land) of Grandville. Warning that they are usually around level 49-50 and really tough for some archetypes.

What counts for the Illusionist badge, and how do I earn it?
The three Illusionists that the Master Illusionist summons are the only pet type that count for the badge. They do not have to be defeated but you do have to do at least 1 point of damage while they are “in phase” (i.e. they can take damage) before their “lifespan” is over and they wink out of existence. You need 500 for the badge, and each individual Illusionist decoy that you hit counts for one.

Where do I find the enemies to get the Banisher badge?
First: Only Banish Pantheon “Spirits of” masks count for the badge. These are the floating Tiki heads. Totems do not count.

For heroes: There are Banished Pantheon missions (notably in the 20-25 range, the “Wheel of Destruction” arc comes to mind), there are a few good ones in the 40+ range now that the masks are fixed for those, street hunting in Dark Astoria (especially the South East corner in the park), Talos Island during game night cycle (Argos Highway to near the Dark Astoria gate), and Bloody Bay (North West corner of the main island).

For villains: Banish Pantheon missions, Sharkhead Isle (in and around Potters Field), and Bloody Bay (same area as the heroes).

What are the Fire badges and how do I earn them?
The Fire badges are not able to be achieved by villains. To earn them you have to help with the burning building event in Steel Canyon. You can get a extinguisher temp power from the fire chief waving frantically while blowing his whistle.

To earn the Volunteer Firefighter badge, you have to defeat hellions arsonists or fires
To earn the Firefighter badge, you have to defeat 25 hellion arsonists and 25 fires.
To earn the Fire Chief badge, you have to defeat 100 hellions arsonists and 100 fires

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Accolades
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What are Accolades?
Accolades grant powers/costume parts/special event gladiators. To get accolades you have to get other badges, or meet the event requirements (like logging into the game during the event).

Why are Accolade Powers lost when exempting or malefactoring while temp powers are still useable?
Official Response from Positron (eaten by forum purge): It would be unfair to those that didn’t earn them to face players that earned them in later levels.

Personal opinion: Bad design. Temp powers are generally more powerful, but do not last, at least until issue 8 with the Vet reward temp powers…. Also there is a notable problem with earning the accolades (especially the +HP and +End) before the level restricted PVP zones. A better solution would be to level limit the powers so that even with exempting/malefactoring both sides would be on an equal footing as far as the PVP zones, and still make the accolade powers more useful for players.

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Gladiators
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What are Gladiators?
Gladiators are used in the arena like pokemon. These can also be selected as a badge title.

Are there placeholders for kill-count Gladiators?
No, and while Positron said this was a development decision, and that he would look into it, he really never got back as to why this is the case. The closest was that the gladiators were not meant as badges.

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Veteran Rewards
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What are Veteran Reward badges?
They are badges given for every three months of play. Extra place holders in the badge list provide means to receive some of the bonuses (permanent temp powers, costume tokens, base items, etc). These extra placeholders do not count towards your badge total.

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Super Group Badges
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What are Super Group badges?
Super group badges are earned while in super group mode(sgmode), and give bases access to more things to build in them. These are not selectable as badge titles. You can see them by openning up the badge window, and pressing the “super group badges” button at the bottom.

Why does my Super group healing badges disappear?
At the time of this writing, the second and third SG/VG Healing badge bars will reset often but are still keeping track internally.

Can I get the SG Badge for the Fusion Generator?
Not at this time, it has been buggy since CoV was introduced.

If I am doing activities in SG mode, does it count towards both my personal badge and my SG badge?
Yes.

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Limited or Currently Unobtainable Badges
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What are the Tutorial Badges and can I go back and get them?
Isolator (CoH):
Isolator can be received for defeating 100 contaminated while in outbreak or more recently in Recluse’s Victory in/near the yellow line station. The ones in Recluse’s Victory are on a spawn timer, and only appear one at a time.
Isolator can NOT be acquired by a villain, as it is flagged as Hero-only. The INFECTED that spawn in Atlas Park and Galaxy City does NOT count toward the Isolator badge. The introduction to Ouroborus also gives the ability to get the Isolator badge.

Jailbird (CoV):
Go to Cell 15 and you can get the badge. The introduction to Ouroborus also gives the ability to get the Isolator badge.

Is there a list of limited and event badges?
The list of time limited/rare badges:

• Celebrant (year 1 badge May 2005), Reveler (year 2 badge May – June 2006) having both gave a 5th columist gladiator. Login badges.
• Pursuer(CoH)/Elusive(CoV). November 2006. Login badge.
• Frozen Fury: Winter Lords. Winter 2004 event, repeated for Winter 2006.
• Cold Warrior: Winter Hordelings. Winter 2004, 2005, 2006 events.
• Hallow Spirit, Hunter, Buster, Shifter, Dead Head, Malleus: The Halloween event 2004 & 2006.
• Iron Warrior, Ghost Touched: Halloween event 2006.
• Heart of Light(CoH)/Heart of Darkness(CoV): Valentines 2006 Event. Gave Toga costume option. Login badge.
• Hellfrost gladiator(CoH), Hordeling Lasher gladiator(CoH), Coldblooded(CoH), Weed Whacker(CoH), Beautiful / Handsome: Valentines 2006
• Toothbreaker (Gives rad cap gladiator), Cap Buster(CoV): Valentines 2006, Winter 2006 events.
• Toy Collector (gives Snowbeast gladiator), Longbow Reservist(CoH)/Jetsetter(CoV), Holiday Spirit(CoH)/Scrooge(CoV) were all winter 2005 event. Toy Collector repeated for Winter 2006 event.
• Cold Front: Winter 2006. Login badge.
• Joyful, Miraculous, Frosty, Crystallized, Bane of Dannon(CoV): Winter 2006 event.
• VIP(CoH)/Destined One(CoV): The CoH DVD edition or Hero Kit will get you this one for all your characters. *NOTE* CoV DVD edition does not have a badge with it.
• Pocket D Gold Card Member: Good vs Evil Edition.
• Sneak peek: Valentines 2007 will have a few limited badges as well. Partygoer, and the returning Heart of Light/Darkness (without the toga, you will have to earn it separately if you missed it in 2006) will be mission complete rewards.

How do I get Bug Hunter?
This is a special badge only granted specifically by the developers, for finding and reporting to either Cryptic or NCSoft directly major, serious and game breaking bugs. The amount of characters that have gotten this badge legitimately can be counted on one hand, with room left over. At one point a few characters got the badge through a bug in the system.

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Credits
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Thanks go to Madscientist for help with organizing and giving me some more questions (and answers) to put in here.
Thanks to all the regulars of the Badges and Gladiators section of the “City of” forums for not only asking but answering a lot of these on a regular basis.