When do YOU use boosts?

y2fitzy

Been playing for three weeks now so have built up a nice little pile of boosts, which I haven't touched yet. Just thought I'd pick the brains of those far more experienced than me on exactly when they start to use them, what situations?

HairyDave

For PVP, I generally don't use them at all until the last 6-8 hours and then it's usually Patchneto shield-hopping time. +3 blue/purple and +3 rainbow and then just match enough green to fire Berserk Rage. The idea is to finish two (maybe three if you're feeling lucky) fights AS FAST AS POSSIBLE before re shielding to minimise any potential points loss. The same is true for Sentry based teams, but even faster.

For PvE, I don't use them unless there's one of the one-time, high value nodes that I just cannot get past with the characters I have available (the big ISO blobs at the end of ISO-8 Brotherhood sub nodes for example). The risk in doing that is that it could potentially drive scaling even higher and make things a lot more difficult later.

GothicKratos

HairyDave wrote:

For PVP, I generally don't use them at all until the last 6-8 hours and then it's usually Patchneto shield-hopping time. +3 blue/purple and +3 rainbow and then just match enough green to fire Berserk Rage. The idea is to finish two (maybe three if you're feeling lucky) fights AS FAST AS POSSIBLE before re shielding to minimise any potential points loss. The same is true for Sentry based teams, but even faster.

For PvE, I don't use them unless there's one of the one-time, high value nodes that I just cannot get past with the characters I have available (the big ISO blobs at the end of ISO-8 Brotherhood sub nodes for example). The risk in doing that is that it could potentially drive scaling even higher and make things a lot more difficult later.

This is practically it. Though, being in 2* Land, I use them on occasion if I am feeling froggy, and close to a progression reward in PvP, I'll use some to take down a team I would otherwise be unable to (this usually happens to me when I get close to 500 - so if I want the cover at 500, I usually try to bite the bullet).

GrumpySmurf1002

End of events.

Mostly if I'm trying to clear a difficult node/opponent quickly (3purple/blue + 3 All + Crit Damage + Mags/cStorm).

I'll use the match damage ones sometimes if I'm struggling with PvE scaling, but they mostly just sit around.

Houtro

I'm mostly in 2* land, and use especially in PVE blue/purple boosts because of OBW increase in countdowns it's really useful.

HailMary

y2fitzy wrote:

Been playing for three weeks now so have built up a nice little pile of boosts, which I haven't touched yet. Just thought I'd pick the brains of those far more experienced than me on exactly when they start to use them, what situations?

This isn't really going to be helpful for a three-week-old player, but I use AP boosts only when Sentry bombing. Damage boosts and the occasional AP boosts only for highly scaled, valuable PVE nodes.

mohio

In PvP when you get near your natural point threshold and just start to see attacks I would sometimes use the single color AP boosts to just finish a couple quick matches before shielding. Don't really need to do that these days, although I sometimes will anyway just cause it can be fun to get to your awesome abilities that much quicker. I save the rainbow ones for shield hopping as others have said, since you have to be super fast.

Unknown

Just for a quick win near the end of PvP. And then against 1 or 2 seed teams in a lightning round because I forget to remove them...

Unknown

Sometimes, when I'm grinding up the ladder with Punisher, I use 2 Green/Black AP boosts in every fight for a long stretch. Makes fights go a lot quicker. Also anytime an event is about to end, to speed up matches.

y2fitzy

Really interesting stuff, thanks all!

squirrel1120

If I'm at work on a break and need to clear pve nodes as quick as possible, I'll often use 3x blue/purple stockpile on each node with Marvel Now Magneto and classic storm (stormneto!). Its about the only way I can clear all nodes on a 15 min break. The other time is when a node has scaled up toward the end of the event, and adding that boost is the best viable option to be able to get all the nodes cleared on a pass without running out of health packs. The latter case is where I'll usually add +50% critical damage boost also, as creating criticals is very easy with Mags polarity shift. Otherwise, I try not to use them, as draining your iso stores on boosts only hurts in the longrun.

As a new player, if you start getting a cache of near 30 of a particular boost, start using it when you see a tougher fight that completing will benefit you. Once you get to 30, anymore you find are just lost, so not ever using them is less efficient than using them occasionally.

SnakesArrows

The majority of the time for me are stated above. However, note that you can only hold 30 of each boost. Sometimes when i get maxed out i am more likely to pull out some boosts even if not absolutely necessary. May end a match earlier allowing longer play.

HairyDave

I should probably also point out that apart from rainbow and critical damage boosts, none are dropping for free at the moment so if you want to boost you'll need to be paying for them.

Unknown

HairyDave wrote:

I should probably also point out that apart from rainbow and critical damage boosts, none are dropping for free at the moment so if you want to boost you'll need to be paying for them.

For newer players, they should still be dropping in the prologue.

Marty17

I only use boosts (now that they're limited) in PvE one off hard node. PvP when faced EXTREMELY challenging opposition (when they have maxed/high level required character than mine).

Pwuz_

I'll use boosts if I'm limited on time in the real world to play. I tend to only use those boosts that I have maxed (30), as I can't seem to part with them otherwise (what if I REALLY NEED THEM LATER?!)

The one thing I would be careful of is using boosts in PvP matches to win matches you wouldn't normally be able to win. As you win, your MMR rises, and you will see more and more difficult opponents, thus forcing you to use boosts more often to win, and it just spirals away from there.

I intentionally try not to fight ANY teams that I'm worried about winning with boosts. If you lose, your MMR drops, easier teams AHOY! If you win, well, good for you, you're stronger than you thought, now go lick your wounds and get back to grinding!

Cabol

Only time I typically use boosts are when I need a little extra power to take down an opponent or if i'm short on time and want to play a few matches really quick (i've got 25+ of all the boosts stored up so you can tell how often I use them, haha)

Unknown

Marty17 wrote:

I only use boosts (now that they're limited) in PvE one off hard node. PvP when faced EXTREMELY challenging opposition (when they have maxed/high level required character than mine).

It isn't rocket surgery but something like this.