The Hunt - Oct. 24-28

loroku

It's interesting to hear the different perspectives.

For one: "using different teams" is something that as a 2* transitioning player, I don't do. My "team" is the boosted team, period - every event. And that's if I'm lucky enough to have some guys who are boosted. Otherwise there's just no point. So doing an event where I don't get to switch teams isn't a bad thing - that's the only way I can play. Interesting to know that some people don't have to play that way - I had no idea.

The whole "just join right before the end and clear it twice and you'll get top 10!" thing is obviously wrong. I mean, clearly it's worked once - for one person - but generally speaking, like ALL OTHER EVENTS it's 100% random chance if you get into a good bracket or not, and that's the #1 factor in whether or not you rank. Effort, skill, team comps - all pale in comparison to the almighty RNGesus of bracket placement. So glad it worked once for someone. The next 10 people to try probably won't be so lucky.

Again: I actually like this event. Relatively low scaling, LOTS of subs - which means lots of potential for tokens - and an interesting story to boot (sadly you can't see all of it, but what bits and pieces I can piece together seem cool). Plus there's basically no pressure to get the top progression reward (please don't kill yourselves for that!) and the "yet another new character" syndrome is so disgusting I don't even care about Blade (although some people will kill themselves for that). Definitely not a bad one to take easy.

Pwuz_

loroku wrote:

It's interesting to hear the different perspectives.

For one: "using different teams" is something that as a 2* transitioning player, I don't do. My "team" is the boosted team, period - every event. And that's if I'm lucky enough to have some guys who are boosted. Otherwise there's just no point. So doing an event where I don't get to switch teams isn't a bad thing - that's the only way I can play. Interesting to know that some people don't have to play that way - I had no idea.

The whole "just join right before the end and clear it twice and you'll get top 10!" thing is obviously wrong. I mean, clearly it's worked once - for one person - but generally speaking, like ALL OTHER EVENTS it's 100% random chance if you get into a good bracket or not, and that's the #1 factor in whether or not you rank. Effort, skill, team comps - all pale in comparison to the almighty RNGesus of bracket placement. So glad it worked once for someone. The next 10 people to try probably won't be so lucky.

Again: I actually like this event. Relatively low scaling, LOTS of subs - which means lots of potential for tokens - and an interesting story to boot (sadly you can't see all of it, but what bits and pieces I can piece together seem cool). Plus there's basically no pressure to get the top progression reward (please don't kill yourselves for that!) and the "yet another new character" syndrome is so disgusting I don't even care about Blade (although some people will kill themselves for that). Definitely not a bad one to take easy.

Honestly I find that getting the final progression reward in most events is simply a matter of time. On those events I had the time to, I've been able to more than triple the final progression reward score. Playing as infrequently as I have been, I'm on track to hit the final progression later on today (probably by the end of the next sub.)

Unknown

Also maybe people with 3* rosters forget how effective the mnmags+cstorm combo actually is. If you just add your 166 Patch to it and use red/green to tank the non-aoe hits you can finish a TON of nodes without ever taking any damage. Someone called it "Team white" in another thread, I use it constantly.

Seasick Pirate

Anyone willing to share bracket population/sub end time info?
I'm back from a busy weekend and want to start this event today but don't want to join a backet late. Thanks!

Pwuz_

Seasick Pirate wrote:

Anyone willing to share bracket population/sub end time info?
I'm back from a busy weekend and want to start this event today but don't want to join a backet late. Thanks!

Next sub (#4 if you're counting) ends in 13 hours and 45 minutes... or Midnight EST.

vudu3

I joined about 2 hours ago and my bracket size at the time was 440. Now it's up to 596. One clear of every Alaska node and most of the Florida nodes has put me in 12 place.

If you have time to play now it's not a bad time to join. The bracket should fill within the next 6 hours or so assuming things don't slow down. I'll try to post again when it does fill but I'm traveling for work this afternoon so there may be a delay.

Unknown

So I have something weird about my Alaska sub, My essential nodes are not showing up. Neither are the first two one-time nodes you need to do before unlocking the rest of the nodes. Is anyone else encountering this? Not being able to essentials is kinda bad if I want to place, anyone else encounter this?

Seasick Pirate

Thanks for the updates. I'll check back later on and hopefully get into a fresh bracket. That'll allow me to make more time to devote to the end of the sub.

Unknown

What nodes can you possibly use Storm + Magneto + Patch on that aren't already trivial? It's not possible to use this team for Captain Marvel essential nodes, and the 'hard' nodes are generally level 200+ and you're looking at a range they can one shot both of your support with most moves. Sure just because they can one shot you doesn't mean you can't beat it, but it's hardly a reliable way to approach level 200+ enemies. I see some borderline high 100 nodes early in the event but those can be handled by a standard mix of 3* as well. This event is difficult because the support you're counting on has a high chance of getting taken out by an Onslaught or Chemical Reaction. Even Gravity Warp can do 3K. I had a fight where the enemy took out The Hood with match damage on first turn (I think they had Bullseye who had a 4.5X modifier on crits), and while that's exceptionally bad luck, taking half of that damage sure is not unusual.

Unknown

Spiderhunter wrote:

So I have something weird about my Alaska sub, My essential nodes are not showing up. Neither are the first two one-time nodes you need to do before unlocking the rest of the nodes. Is anyone else encountering this? Not being able to essentials is kinda bad if I want to place, anyone else encounter this?

Same here. Essential nodes gone, except it's the Florida sub for me.

russreid91

Phantron wrote:

What nodes can you possibly use Storm + Magneto + Patch on that aren't already trivial? It's not possible to use this team for Captain Marvel essential nodes, and the 'hard' nodes are generally level 200+ and you're looking at a range they can one shot both of your support with most moves. Sure just because they can one shot you doesn't mean you can't beat it, but it's hardly a reliable way to approach level 200+ enemies. I see some borderline high 100 nodes early in the event but those can be handled by a standard mix of 3* as well. This event is difficult because the support you're counting on has a high chance of getting taken out by an Onslaught or Chemical Reaction. Even Gravity Warp can do 3K. I had a fight where the enemy took out The Hood with match damage on first turn (I think they had Bullseye who had a 4.5X modifier on crits), and while that's exceptionally bad luck, taking half of that damage sure is not unusual.

I am facing the high level 100s and using mMags, cStorm and Hulk with a fair amount of success I am also using the purple/blue boost but I could probably do it without them, with Moonstone present there seems to be more purple on the board. I have even been able to toss Spidey in there a few times and his protect tiles and temp healing have gotten me through it.

That being said I don't think there is a way to reliably beat those nodes, once you are up that high you have only a couple of options, either skip it or keep trying till something works. Bad boards or cascades will take anybody down. I'm using Patch, LDaken, Falcon on as many nodes as I can then sub in MM for the essentials and Psylocke for LDaken when I can't use him. Then when I come to those really tough nodes I'll try it with my standard team and if that doesn't work I start looking for another combo.

I think that is the balance for players in the 3* range, roster diversity. 1* and 2* benefit more from the boosted levels and 3* (hopefully) have a deeper stronger roster that they can throw at the nodes. I'm not bothered by throwing all of my 2* at it hoping one of them can pull it off because I don't need to use them for anything else and they at least get some use then. Pretty much one team per node and then they are all healed up by the next refresh.

Unknown

Being gone from this game and coming back once again without an alliance to be with, I hope I can do well. Luckially enough from coming back I obtained ms marvel from the last PvP. Too bad I only have one color and its only level one and I'm sure I can manage.

russreid91

Moon Roach wrote:

Wolveroach has pretty much given up. Even with an extra day (Monday is Labour Day in NZ, a holiday) he's managed only 26k so far.

The essential nodes are lower level and worth more points than the normal nodes. For example, Jump Jets II is level 129 and worth 555 points, Stragglers is the highest level essential node at 81 and is worth 600 points.

Moon Roach has reached 53k and is just hitting essential nodes and the easy/normal non-essential nodes when he feels like it.

I'll say it again, without the essential character you stand no chance at all, if you're a transitioning player and don't spend HP on tokens in an attempt to get a cover.

Here's a challenge for those with rosters both diverse and mighty: play the next PvE event without using the essential character and without using characters above 2*. Walk a mile in the shoes of those wearing the shoes you threw away 7 miles back. I'd be very interested in success stories and how it was done.

If you don't have the essential then you are not going to do well that's just the way it is, but I'm pretty sure we have all been there. When I first started out I didn't have the roster to get Psylocke or LCap when they were released, which then hurt me in the next PvEs as they were essentials. Took awhile but finally started getting a deep roster which allowed me to place high enough to start getting those new characters so that I would be able to do well the next PvE.

I'm not trying to be dismissive because it is frustrating to see those nice juicy easy nodes that are worth more points then all the others put together but you will get there. It just takes time.

lukewin

loroku wrote:

It's interesting to hear the different perspectives.

For one: "using different teams" is something that as a 2* transitioning player, I don't do. My "team" is the boosted team, period - every event. And that's if I'm lucky enough to have some guys who are boosted. Otherwise there's just no point. So doing an event where I don't get to switch teams isn't a bad thing - that's the only way I can play. Interesting to know that some people don't have to play that way - I had no idea.

The whole "just join right before the end and clear it twice and you'll get top 10!" thing is obviously wrong. I mean, clearly it's worked once - for one person - but generally speaking, like ALL OTHER EVENTS it's 100% random chance if you get into a good bracket or not, and that's the #1 factor in whether or not you rank. Effort, skill, team comps - all pale in comparison to the almighty RNGesus of bracket placement. So glad it worked once for someone. The next 10 people to try probably won't be so lucky.

Again: I actually like this event. Relatively low scaling, LOTS of subs - which means lots of potential for tokens - and an interesting story to boot (sadly you can't see all of it, but what bits and pieces I can piece together seem cool). Plus there's basically no pressure to get the top progression reward (please don't kill yourselves for that!) and the "yet another new character" syndrome is so disgusting I don't even care about Blade (although some people will kill themselves for that). Definitely not a bad one to take easy.

You could use different teams for the weaker nodes, that way, your go to team doesn't take damage that it doesn't need to. I am a transitioning 2* player too. None of my 3*s are really viable enough to play (except for Steve Rogers), and those that can be leveled up, wouldn't help me b/c they are badly covered (ex. my Hood is 2/0/5, so no blue, Hulk is 4/3/1, only 1 black, Magneto 4/0/3, no red). I tend to use my 3*s and even 4*s in the trivial / easier nodes, that even if some wipe out while I win the match, I'm not gonna miss the time it takes for them to truly heal, they've just taken a lot of damage that my go-to teams don't have to take and what fun is it to have 41 characters, but not get to use a lot of them?

Totally agree on your opinion of bracket joining. It's pure luck. I've entered subs at 800, but because I grind a lot more, I can make up for it. Unless you're a hardcore grinder, someone with 1 or 2 clears already, isn't gonna allow you to catch up. Joining brackets late worked well in the Anniversary Lightning Rounds, where there were 25 person brackets, but 1000 person brackets isn't gonna grant you the same success.

For those recommending the Storm / Mod Mag combo for the teams with 3*s, I think you're not taking into consideration scaling. I love the Storm/Mag/Hawkeye combo, but I don't have any characters leveled past 104, so at most, my opponents are gonna be level 200. I wouldn't take on a stronger team / Hard or Deadly node with them b/c unless I get a really good board, I'm gonna need 3 HPs afterwards.

Moon Roach

simonsez wrote:

Moon Roach wrote:

Here's a challenge for those with rosters both diverse and mighty: play the next PvE event without using the essential character and without using characters above 2*. Walk a mile in the shoes of those wearing the shoes you threw away 7 miles back. I'd be very interested in success stories and how it was done.

Would love to try, but they're still going to be throwing lv 395 opponents at me, so those old shoes don't come close to fitting.

I never said it would be easy

But you are right and have spotted the flaw in the challenge; the level of your opponents is based on the strength of your roster as a whole, not just the 2*. Wolveroach with his old shoes can't see what those with 7-league boots see.

:edit: Of course, it's only a flaw in part 2 of the challenge. Part 1 is still valid; see how competitive you can be when you don't play the essential nodes.

lukewin

Spiderhunter wrote:

So I have something weird about my Alaska sub, My essential nodes are not showing up. Neither are the first two one-time nodes you need to do before unlocking the rest of the nodes. Is anyone else encountering this? Not being able to essentials is kinda bad if I want to place, anyone else encounter this?

Did you go back into the main and replay the 2 or 3 nodes? I had to do that yesterday for my Alaska sub to show right.

Unknown

vudu3 wrote:

I joined about 2 hours ago and my bracket size at the time was 440. Now it's up to 596. One clear of every Alaska node and most of the Florida nodes has put me in 12 place.

If you have time to play now it's not a bad time to join. The bracket should fill within the next 6 hours or so assuming things don't slow down. I'll try to post again when it does fill but I'm traveling for work this afternoon so there may be a delay.

I am itching to join this joyous event. Does anybody have an open bracket update? Thanks.

Unknown

papa07 wrote:

vudu3 wrote:

I joined about 2 hours ago and my bracket size at the time was 440. Now it's up to 596. One clear of every Alaska node and most of the Florida nodes has put me in 12 place.

If you have time to play now it's not a bad time to join. The bracket should fill within the next 6 hours or so assuming things don't slow down. I'll try to post again when it does fill but I'm traveling for work this afternoon so there may be a delay.

I am itching to join this joyous event. Does anybody have an open bracket update? Thanks.

The bracket is @803 at the moment.

Unknown

Mr Stoat wrote:

papa07 wrote:

vudu3 wrote:

I joined about 2 hours ago and my bracket size at the time was 440. Now it's up to 596. One clear of every Alaska node and most of the Florida nodes has put me in 12 place.

If you have time to play now it's not a bad time to join. The bracket should fill within the next 6 hours or so assuming things don't slow down. I'll try to post again when it does fill but I'm traveling for work this afternoon so there may be a delay.

I am itching to join this joyous event. Does anybody have an open bracket update? Thanks.

The bracket is @803 at the moment.

Thanks, based on current pace, about 3 hours till full.

vudu3

I'm at 817, so probably the same bracket as Mr Stoat.