Transitioning - I wish I could go back!

Druss

When the first Gauntlet was introduced, I thought that this was a very positive move - something different, not so grindy etc.

During this event I was getting towards the final stages of transitioning (had a few characters Lv 140+) and was able to clear the first 2 gauntlets & clear a few nodes of the hard one before I thought I had reached my realistic ceiling. I was happy with this, as I reasoned that: "why should I be able to reach every prize without a max roster - if I could, what is the point of striving for this maxed roster"

I would now consider myself out of the 2* transitioning phase (now 20 characters Lv 140+, 10 maxed) but instead of finding the gauntlet easier it is much harder. For illustration just beat the 4th node in the 2nd Gauntlet (Groot, Marvel & cant remember). This node was at level 171.

I do think some form of scaling is a good thing, however I think the issue is that; level for level, the 1 *& 2* characters are much stronger than their 3* counterparts. Is there a better 3* than a Lv 166 Ares, Juggs, 2* Daken for instance?
This same issue also affects PvE.

I think this is a good argument vs the "transitioning phase takes too long" issues as, personally, I found the game far more enjoyable during transitioning than after. Token pulls for golds were much more exciting when you aren't receiving your 49th LCap!

I'm not advocating any game changes, just sharing my experiences for those experiencing the "pain" of transitioning.

h4n1s

I agree some of the nodes in Gauntlet are extremely difficult, yet the gauntlet helped me realize that even without maxed 3* characters there are certain strategies and combos which work quite well even against much stronger opponents. The AI is just stupid, so you can use this as your advantage. And I am not sure if the opponents in gauntlet actually scale based on your roster, I thought the gauntlet is fixed difficulty for everyone (of course that would disqualify 2* and 1* players from the newly introduced top 10 standings )

Unknown

In past gauntlets, I was able to get through the first one with maybe 1 health pack used.

This time, I ended the first one with zero health packs remaining and a dead roster.

They have definitely scaled this one like crazy, compared to past gauntlets.

simonsez

onimus wrote:

They have definitely scaled this one like crazy, compared to past gauntlets.

I could wonder aloud if the speed runs had anything to do with them making this gauntlet tougher... but too many people get agitated when you point out these guys are in business to make money.

Arondite

My 2* roster is in the last gauntlet on the essential branch.

My paying account (4*) is struggling through the second gauntlet.

dider152

What it comes down to - what most every problem with the game comes down to - is scaling. But D3/Demiurge are unlikely to change it because it makes money for them. Plus, rather than promoting roster diversity it actually restricts it. For example, every fight basically just has me throwing Lcap, Daredevil, and Xforce at it. Sometimes I wish I had leveled every character to level 94 and just left them there, even the 3 and 4 stars, because scaling seems to get more and more insane the higher you level your characters.

Arondite

dider152 wrote:

What it comes down to - what most every problem with the game comes down to - is scaling. But D3/Demiurge are unlikely to change it because it makes money for them. Plus, rather than promoting roster diversity it actually restricts it. For example, every fight basically just has me throwing Lcap, Daredevil, and Xforce at it. Sometimes I wish I had leveled every character to level 94 and just left them there, even the 3 and 4 stars, because scaling seems to get more and more insane the higher you level your characters.

Play pvp then lol

Unknown

I feel you, and I know it's a lot harder now, but I have never looked back from my first 166. That first 13 cover and first 166 changed the way I play the game, for the better. Now I am this close to my first 270, and have XF and TGT 13 covered. Hitting 1000 in PvP for covers, making top 25s or top 5s if I push it, there is just no better way to cover guys and earn ISO than winning at PvP and that takes a 166 roster.

That said, it does take too long now, with vaulting and the growing ability to oppress the transitioners in PvP so they can't even get 1 cover. Hopefully the Daily PvE will change that, with Deadpool handing out 3* covers daily. 30 covers a month should max a few dudes. (Note: All rumor, don't believe until it's announced, but that's what I heard).

Unknown

I didn't find the scaling on this event to be higher than the ones in the past. It's still 395s about halfway through the last bracket and if it happened a node or two earlier I didn't pay attention. The general nerf to high level match damage as well as the absence of PvE all-stars like Juggernaut or Ares made this event way easier compared to the past.

_RiO_

Phantron wrote:

I didn't find the scaling on this event to be higher than the ones in the past. It's still 395s about halfway through the last bracket and if it happened a node or two earlier I didn't pay attention. The general nerf to high level match damage as well as the absence of PvE all-stars like Juggernaut or Ares made this event way easier compared to the past.

Funny...

My personal experience is that levels in the first tier of the event alone are 20+ levels higher than in the previous iterations of the Gauntlet at that same point, whereas my roster's max level has not risen and average level has gone down due to new acquisitions.

Also, both 2* opponents and grunts seem to hit roughly 1.25 times harder level-for-level since whatever tuning the devs performed on how 2*s scale above natural level, whereas my own partially finished 3*s (soft-capped at 120) and boosted maxed 2*s seem to be doing about 0.8 times the damage level-for-level since said tuning. So... did they adjust only the player scaling curve and left the AI scaling curves alone, or what?

Unknown

The scaling is so dumb. If there needs to be a way to level everyone's roster, then why not just boost all the characters to some arbitrary level and then the nodes can be balanced around knowing the levels. This would be similar to Balance of Power but in PvE.

The real kick in the teeth for this game is they more you advance the more nothing changes. Every advance is met with scaling. You literally accomplish nothing for your effort.

What is most frustrating is that the game scales on your best characters whether you can use them or not. I have 3 166s (Thor, Hulk, Daken) so this event scaled up as if I have 166s. That's all great until you run into the nodes with those characters and you cannot use them.

Its like giving someone a harder math test because they have a calculator and then taking it away from them.

Unknown

Charred wrote:

Its like giving someone a harder math test because they have a calculator and then taking it away from them.

This is a fantastic analogy...

Arondite

_RiO_ wrote:

Phantron wrote:

I didn't find the scaling on this event to be higher than the ones in the past. It's still 395s about halfway through the last bracket and if it happened a node or two earlier I didn't pay attention. The general nerf to high level match damage as well as the absence of PvE all-stars like Juggernaut or Ares made this event way easier compared to the past.

Funny...

My personal experience is that levels in the first tier of the event alone are 20+ levels higher than in the previous iterations of the Gauntlet at that same point, whereas my roster's max level has not risen and average level has gone down due to new acquisitions.

Also, both 2* opponents and grunts seem to hit roughly 1.25 times harder level-for-level since whatever tuning the devs performed on how 2*s scale above natural level, whereas my own partially finished 3*s (soft-capped at 120) and boosted maxed 2*s seem to be doing about 0.8 times the damage level-for-level since said tuning. So... did they adjust only the player scaling curve and left the AI scaling curves alone, or what?

2 stars went down across the board after level 94.
Grunts were unchanged.
3 stars were unchanged before 166.
Boosted 2 Stars were reduced after 94.

So, for the most part you're just experiencing a minor case of misjudgment or misappropriation and are feeling weaker across the board due to the reductions on your boosted 2 stars.

lukewin

Reports from the other threads on the Gauntlet, show people's levels on nodes rose without them playing it, so there might've been community scaling in effect. I have beat all 3 Gauntlets, and this one by far, was the roughest.

Oldboy

It seems to have gotten tougher for me as well. My highest level has remained constant at 132 but i have been bringing up the levels of other toons to sub 132. I'm not sure if it's due to more variety of 3* and 4* or scaling or both. Levels have also gone up higher than in previous Gauntlets. Also i can confirm there is community scaling but what i have seen is minimal (+1/2 levels over couple of hours).