DCUO Storyline Continuity Guide

Discussion in 'Oracle’s Database (Guides)' started by Captain Hideous, Nov 5, 2022.

  1. Captain Hideous New Player

    This guide was made for those who would like to experience the episodic content of DCUO in terms of continuity. The game itself has a long history and any help would be appreciated! I personally have been playing this game for 11 years and have six alts that have been brought up to 300+ CR. This guide will be updated as new episodes are created.

    LEVELING

    First things first, DCUO initially starts from the Brainiac Ship in which your character is imprisoned. This kicks off the Brainiac Arc and branches out to multiple other arcs that you will experience throughout the leveling phase and endgame content. Leveling in the game pretty much outlines the continuity and lore for you by the levels of the missions you are partaking in. Do the Booster Gold missions in order to familiarize yourself with the game's lore and background. This will give the player insight as to why the environment of Gotham and Metropolis are in their state (South Gotham Bottles, Bottled Daily Planet, Ruins of Metropolis City Hall, etc).

    From what I have seen, transitioning from level 30 to endgame content is very confusing for new players as the storylines are not clearly outlined from this point on (Took me a minute to figure out too!). However, I have created these outlines to assist anybody who wants to familiarize themselves with the story, replay some of the storylines in their entirety, or prepare themselves for future content!

    It is important to note that the original five alerts (Area 51, Gorilla Island, HIVE Moon Base, Oolong Island, and Bludhaven) were in the leveling part of the game before they were made T1 altogether. Some of the DLC will be required to play in a certain order as noted

    Be aware, there is a lot of overlap between some of the missions. The continuity has some inconsistencies and branches off into other timelines quite a bit. This makes it very difficult to group all of the content into one single timeline but I'll work on getting around to it and adding it to this guide later on!

    UPDATE 1/12/23 - Fitted the 2023 Anniversary update to some of the storylines. The 2023 update of the anniversary event involves throwbacks to a lot of older DCUO content and DLCs.
    SPOILER: The original Brainiac raids like Batcave: Inner Sanctum, FOS: Power Core, and Gates of Tartarus are traveled back to by the players thus connecting those to the event. The 2023 update also includes directly connected content from Earth 3, Atlantis, Wonderverse, and Flashpoint DLCs through open-world bosses and missions. (Shout out to the devs for giving older content some love!). SPECIAL THANKS: Henoshock

    UPDATE 2/18/23 - Did some playing through old content and decided some storylines can be separated as their own thing. Added some storylines that needed to be separated from others (Teen Titans, Exobyte, Black Adam/Isis, Flashpoint arcs). Also added a standalone section as you'll find below. These stories aren't reliant on the events of others so you can pretty much play those whenever. It's still recommended to play them in order of release :)

    UPDATE 3/2/23 - Separated some more stories and added a few minor ones like the Catwoman arc and The Last Laugh. Some corrections on a few timelines at the suggestion of other member. Also added scenarios where LPVE could be canon. SPECIAL THANKS Catastrophic Repercussion

    UPDATE 3/5/24 - Update with the addition of the Justice League Dark Cursed DLC.

    STANDALONE STORIES (UNCONNECTED TO ANY OTHER STORY)
    Toyman Missions (Solo) - Was meant to serve as a bridge between leveling missions and endgame content and only gave now-defunct Marks of Allegiance in the early years of the game. Fits in at practically any point of the game.

    Saint Patrick's Day Event (Mxyzptlk's Mischief) - Kind of a yes/no situation. At least takes place before the Legion of Doom episode as it is implied Mxyzptlk is familiar with the player in the "The One Who Waits" alert. This connection isn't direct, however. Can take place at any point in the DCUO timeline.

    Any PvP missions with the exception of Belle Reve and The Last Laugh-related content - The 8v8s are almost impossible to run nowadays. I wouldn't bother with them.

    Any Legends PvE missions - You can run these instead of the regs. If you want to shove them into the timeline, these missions can either take place in three different scenarios:

    LPVE Scenario 1. An alternate universe where Brainiac's exobytes didn't give people powers so the iconic heroes/villains do the missions.

    LPVE Scenario 2. During the Save The Universe arc as heroes and villains are unified in completing missions in the past. In this instance, iconic heroes/villains will be sent to the past to do them.

    LPVE Scenario 3. As computer simulations.

    BRAINIAC ARC
    HIVE Base duo > OMAC Base duo > Area 51 > HIVE Moon Base > Watchtower Containment/HOD Armory > Batcave raids > Fight for the Light DLC > Fortress of Solitude raids > Battle for Earth DLC

    EXOBYTE/POST-BRAINIAC ARC
    Origin Crisis DLC > Return to the Nexus alert > Brainiac's Bottle Ship > Flashpoint DLC

    KRYPTONIAN ARC
    University of Metropolis solo > Meta Research Wing solo > Area 51 > Smallville > Fortress of Solitude raids (major event) > Science Spire > The Phantom Zone > Brainiac's Bottle Ship > Kandor Central Tower > Death of Superman event > The Last Son of Krypton

    APOKOLIPS ARC
    Halls of Power I/II DLCs > The First Piece > The Will of Darkseid > Darkseid War Factory

    METAL ARC
    Metal I/II DLC > Save The Universe Update > Legion of Doom DLC > Dark Knights DLC

    RIP HUNTER ARC
    The First Piece > A Rip in Time > Prison Break > Age of Justice DLC > Save The Universe Update

    LANTERN ARC
    Metropolis City Hall Duo > (Heroes) Lair of the Spectre solo or (Villains) JSA Metropolis Wing > Fight for the Light DLC (Oan Sciencells > Coast City > Ferris Aircraft duo > Star Labs Research Facility) > Christmas Seasonal Event > War of the Light DLC I/II > Valentine's Seasonal > Corrupted Zamaron > Oa Under Seige > Blackest Day > Blackest Night

    SPEED FORCE TIMELINE ARC
    Lightning Strikes DLC (Central City open-world missions > Flashback duo) > Origin Crisis DLC (major event) > DCUO Anniversary Update > World of Flashpoint

    GRODD ARC
    Grodd's Lab duo > Gorilla Island > Old Star Labs solo > Stryker's Island alert

    FLASHPOINT ARC
    2021 Anniversary Event > World of Flashpoint DLC

    AMAZONIAN ARC
    Oblivian Bar/Shadowlands duo > Battle for Earth DLC (major event) > Amazon Fury I/II/III > Wonderverse DLC > Justice League Dark Cursed

    ATLANTIS ARC
    Summer Seasonal Event > Deluge DLC > Atlantis DLC > DCUO Seasonal Anniversary Event

    GOTHAM GANG WAR ARC
    Gotham Warehouse solo > Cape Carmine solo or duo > Monarch Playing Card Company solo > Intergang missions (Intergang Penthouse > Mysterious Warehouse > Temple of Crime) > Old Gotham Subway duo > Riddled with Crime DLC

    THE LAST LAUGH ARC
    Police Station PVE Alert and any TLL PvP mission. (If you're not interested in PvP, it's okay to just do the PvE Alert!)

    CATWOMAN ARC
    Provisional Aerial Movement Challenge: Tail Catwoman > Gotham University Warehouse

    LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS ARC
    League of Assassins Stronghold > Bombshells Paradox > The Flash Museum Burglary > The Demon's Pit > The Demon's Plan > Riddled with Crime DLC

    BIRDS OF PREY ARC
    Belle Reve 4v4 PvP (can take place any time during this arc) > Iceberg Lounge > Harley's Heist > Wayne Manor Gala > Birds of Prey

    T.O MORROW ARC
    Oolong Island > Bludhaven > Gotham STAR Labs/STARLabs Satellite > Ace Chemicals > Arkham Asylum > Home Turf DLC

    EARTH 3 ARC
    Earth 3 > Anti-Monitor Anniversary Event > Return to Earth 3 > DCUO Seasonal Anniversary update

    TRIGON ARC
    8th Precinct solo > Sons of Trigon DLC > Desecrated Cathedral > Unholy Matrimony > Deep Desires > Wastelands Wonderland

    TEEN TITANS POST-TRIGON ARC
    Teen Titans: The Judas Contract DLC > Homecoming Seasonal Event > Long Live The Legion! DLC

    BLACK ADAM & ISIS ARC
    Mannheim's Chinese Theatre solo > Gotham University duo > Khandaq raid > Sins of Black Adam DLC > Justice League Dark Cursed (Isis being alive being the primary connection).

    MAGIC ARC
    Mannheim's Chinese Theatre solo > Ellsworth Memorial Hospital solo > Sentinels of Magic Citadel solo > Sentinels of Magic base solo > Hand of Fate DLC > Halloween Seasonal Event > Justice League Dark > Long Live the Legion! DLC > Justice League Dark Cursed
    • Like x 4
  2. Henoshock Well-Known Player

    Thanks for putting this together.

    I'll say I'm not sure I'd agree with all of your classifications and arcs. For example, most of the base game belongs to the same arc, which basucally ends in Battle for Earth with Prime Battleground. The DLCs after that are fairly separate stories. This Brainiac arc sets them up, but I'd consider them separate "arcs". Origin Crisis + Return to the Nexus were some time traveling shenanigans. Science Spire + BBS + KCT + Death of Superman was its own arc.

    World of Flashpoint should pretty much just be self-contained. I don't think there was a prior Flash DLC, maybe Lightning Strikes which was fairly generic IIRC and set up for time traveling overall.

    I'm not sure I'd include anything from the base into any of the later arcs TBH. They give some context but the storylines are pretty different. E.g. AF 1 + 2 + 3 was its own story.

    I also think some instances you have misplaced, and maybe some you're missing. I guess overall it'd be

    Brainiac Arc (base game): base game + Battle for Earth, except Kahndaq and anything that's *missing* Brainiac

    Kryptonian Arc: to me this should be FoS 3 > Phantom Zone > Science Spire > BBS > KCT > Doomsday > Last Son of Krypton

    Lanterns: pretty much anything with lanterns goes heere, starting with Fight for the Light > War of the Light > .... And ending at Blacknest Night.

    Speed Force: would scrap this and move into other arcs

    Amazonian: AF 1 + 2 + 3 is honestly just most of it

    Gotham Gang War: would scrap this, lots of base game separate stories here, and the rest are a mostly independent storyline

    LoA: add in Flash Museum Burglary

    TO Morrow: unimportant storyline so far tbh

    Trigon arc: seems about right

    Magic Arc: not really an arc, some interconnected stories

    Now for new arcs I'd identify. I will say that much of T5 has some new storylines starting or are (for now) mostly self-contained.

    Earth 3: Earth 3 > Annuversary Event > Return to Earth 3

    Atlantis: really just Deluge + Atlantis for now

    Rip Hunter: I'm.not sure what to call this since I don't know much about him. But Rip Hunter shows up in like all of these, and there's time traveling. The First Piece, A Rip in Time, Prison Break, Age of Justice, and I guess Save the Universe. In whatever ordered they released in.

    Birds of Prey: Iceberg Lounge > Harley's Heist > Wayne Manor Gala > Birds of Prey

    Metal: this is pretty big, and is fairly chronological just T5 content starting from Metal 1 > Metal 2 > BoP (F&B) / Wonderverse (concurrent, splitting off to another arc) > Legion of Doom > Death Metal

    JLD, Titans, LLL, Flashpoint are pretty self-contained for now I'd say. You meet the characters earlier, but no recurring plot points.

    Honestly, I'd just play through everything by release date. Some storylines will be going on at the same time, but you'll still get everything in the right order.
    • Like x 1
  3. Henoshock Well-Known Player

    Oh, I forgot about Fourth World. That should include anything with Darkseid. HoP 1 + 2, Will of Darkseid, DWF, and a bit of Wonderverse. I think Intergang Crime Wave was its own little thing though.
  4. Captain Hideous New Player

    Thank you for the feedback! I do plan to condense some of the storylines in accordance to some of your suggestions.

    I would say the Lightning Strikes DLC is indirectly connected to Origin Crisis DLC due to paradox demons and introduces the player to Central City and the Rouges, which is the basis for some of the DLCs outlined later in that line. A Rip Hunter timeline will replace some of the entries for the Speed Force timeline. Great suggestion!

    I think seeing the Titans grow into their future roles in that DLC was a huge part of the presentation for it. I'd say it is important to connect that all the way from the beginning in order to establish them and for the player to feel attached to their growth.

    I didn't know how to shove in the Metal storyline to some of these as I agree it could be its own thing.

    The placement of the Legion of Doom DLC in the Lantern storyline was pretty much due to the Lantern's involvement in that DLC and the Ultraviolet Lanterns.

    During the Atlantis DLC, there is some implication that Aquaman/Ocean Master have combatted with the player before. The Summer Seasonal Event was the only time prior to that where Ocean Master was in the game so I included it. Flashpoint was a bit of a stretch due to the Atlantis segment in the alert. It could do without it.

    As a longtime player, I have been gone from this game with absences going months, which is what made me create the guide. Some players may want to pick up where they left off but forgot their placement. It's a lot of missions to play consecutively and I applaud anyone who manages it without breaks!

    Also, I happen to like the T.O. Morrow plotline ;)
  5. Omega91 Well-Known Player

    Good job!
    • Like x 1
  6. Captain Hideous New Player

    Recently updated with new timelines! Still working on a single, unified timeline. I will probably have to run another play through of the game or just watch it on Youtube.
  7. Catastrophic Repercussion Dedicated Player

    It's nice to see someone put in effort in this! I'd just like to add:
    Intergang Crime Wave is part of HoP, PvPs do have continuity i.e. Belle Reve takes place after the Gotham City Sirens saga, Toyman is the only real standalone and talking about lpve kinda distracts from the picture.
    There are lots of details that needs adjusting as well, i.e. It appears to neglect the classic villain arcs, Love Conquers All directly follows WoTL2, Starro and Deluge canonically have a year between those 2 event/episode, Bombshell really can't count as part of League of Assassins, Speed Force Flux is actually 2021 and is the prequel to only Flashpoint, Save the Universe is part of the Metal saga etc.
    I have an incomplete and abandoned project documenting the DCUO continuity as well, based on the old official storyarcs (you can still find those names in briefings). Instance order should be correct (based on the old order that the new UI basically erased), a lot left out are the related missions and collections, maybe you'll find this helpful.
    • Like x 1
  8. Captain Hideous New Player

    Thank you very much! This is so helpful. I’ll be updating the guide with this info later! :D
    • Like x 1