Collected approaches/strategies for PvP

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There seem to be quite a few viable strategies for PvP events depending on roster status and goals. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a centralized repository for PvP strategies, so I was hoping to catalog as many PvP strategies as possible. This could be a double-edged sword since everyone will know what everyone else is doing, but I think it will also help people figure out reasonable goals and general approaches. The different tiers definitely necessitate different strategies, and I'm curious to see how other PvP players approach the events.

I'm far from an expert in PvP, but my most successful, if somewhat unreliable strategy is to join a few hours before the close of a bracket, which often means I'm in an underpopulated slice and can earn t100 rewards without having to compete with piles of 4* rosters that have had 2 days to club everyone else over the head. Unfortunately, this is a bit of an all-or-nothing gamble, especially for high-demand characters, because sometimes I run out of time and don't earn many progression rewards because I have less time to earn total points. Roster depth helps this approach a lot because it allows me to rotate through teams as they die without having to burn through health packs, which I generally save for PVE. Of course, the focus for this strategy is to earn 3* covers through placement rewards, so other strategies may be more useful for people trying to finish 2* rosters or earn iso/HP.

That being said, the more I try this approach, the less convinced I am that it's optimal because it's such a gamble and usually only rewards me with covers for mediocre or undesirable characters. Hopefully other people who are far more successful will be able to give better advice. I'll try to include the most common/viable strategies in the OP as they're detailed.