Question for those who know

[Bob Schroeck]

I've never bothered with respeccing any of my characters, but I've just realized that I have a power or two in Eva's assortment that I don't ever use, and I should probably respec to get rid of them. And I've had one free respec for months now that I've never used.
The question is, how do I trigger a respec, and how does it work?
-- Bob
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...The President is on the line
As ninety-nine crab rangoons go by...

[Logan Darklighter]

To start the process, type "/respec" (without the quotes) and hit enter.
You'll be in a screen very similar to the one in the character creation process and/or level up screen where you choose powers.
Remember - you're doing this sequentially from level 1 up. So it's like you're doing the level up procedure all over again! It's a good idea to take notes about when you took certain powers and when you added slots to them. Keep careful track of levels as you go. It's easy to lose your place and forget where you are. As an extreme example, you could make the mistake of choosing your travel power LAST. Which would mean that every time you exemplered down below your current level you'd lose the travel power, and not just at below level 14.
There are a couple of different free downloads of programs that allow you to plan out your leveling, too. Can't remember where they are right now and don't have the time to look. Maybe someone else has that info.
-Logan
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"This kind of thing tends invariably to devolve into the kind of "No, Nakajima, THIS is true power!!" argument that only really works if you're yelling it from the cockpit of a giant robot . . ."
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[Mekadave]

IMO, this builder is the best one. I use it constantly.
Sherksilver's CoX Character Builder
Like Logan said, re-select the powers in the order you'd take them if you were leveling up.
A *VERY* good idea is to copy your character to Test and try out the respec there first before you do it on Live. You can keep re-copying and trying them out there over and over again, too, if you want.
If you earn a respec through one of the respec trials or Veteran Rewards, you have to go to the Respec contact (Jack Wolfe in Galaxy City (in the building behind Back Alley Brawler) or Arbiter Lupin in Nerva). The /respec command only works for the free respecs given out.
Global: @Jimmy Amp
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow's too lazy to form an opinion." -- Will Rogers

[Acyl]

Note:
The respec makes you choose powers first, and then slots.
Meaning, you choose your initial level one powers. Then you hit "next". Then you choose your level two power. Then you hit "next". Then you choose your level four power...
And so on.
Then you go to enhancements. Choose your level three slots. Hit next. Choose your level five slots...
As I said, heed Logan's advice. Make sure you get your Travel Power by 14, and your Stamina by 20...and so on. You don't wanna suffer when you exemplar, because you took things in a bad order when you respecced. =)
As for build planners...
The most common CoH/CoV build planner is SherkSilver's. It's a downloadable program. The interface may take some getting used to, but once you got the hang of it, it's one of the more useful ones.
There's also a web-based online build planner that I'm fond of. It's not as robust as the desktop download planners, but...hey, you don't need to run another program or install anything. Just hit the webpage, and off you go.
-- Acyl

[Drenivian]

If your using the Respec from the Vetrans Rewards you need to talk to to Jack Wolfe. He's on the 1st floor of the Galaxy City Freedom Corps (IE 1st Contact) building.
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In the epic rage of furious thunder
legends create their tales
when the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
our glory will prevail

[jpub]

People have covered this, but I'll summarize.
There's two types of respecs:
1) Free respecs, which they often give with a new issue. Those you trigger by going /respec.
2) Earned respecs, given by either going through a respec trial OR through a Vet reward. For those, you have to go to Jack Wolfe in Galaxy, or...damnit, some Arbiter guy in Nerva, I think. Near the trainer.--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel
"Camaraderie, adventure, and steel on steel. The stuff of legend! Right, Boo?"

[Bob Schroeck]

I've got one Free, and one of whatever the Veteran's reward respec is.
Thanks for the info, people. I see this is not something I should jump into lightly. Fortunately, I do have the recommended build program, so if I get some time this weekend, I will try to work out what I want to do with her.
-- Bob
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...The President is on the line
As ninety-nine crab rangoons go by...