The Essential Checklist: UPDATED 9/30/15

Unknown

After griping about the sequence of 4 stars and how it seemed the same batch keep getting repeated, I decided to track back to when the 2 star essentials started, (to my knowledge) for the 234 essential format, which was Thick as Thieves on 5/7/15. They list as follows.


05/07/15-05/12/15 Thick As Thieves 4 3 2
05/11/15-05/14/15 Dark Avengers 4 3 2
05/14/15-05/21/15 Hulk 4 3 2
05/21/15-05/24/15 Simulator 4 3 2
05/24/15-05/28/15 Deadpool V MPQ 4 3 2
05/28/15-06/04/15 Gauntlet 4 3 2
06/01/15-06/04/15 Juggernaut 4 3 2
06/04/15-06/12/15 Brotherhood 4 3 2
06/11/15-06/19/15 Prodigal Sun 4 3 2
06/18/15-06/22/15 Unstable Iso 4 3 2
06/22/15-06/25/15 Oscorp 4 3 2
06/25/15-06/29/15 The Hunt 4 3 2
06/29/15-07/03/15 Venom 4 3 2
07/02/15-07/06/15 Simulator 4 3 2
07/06/15-07/10/15 Meet RG 4 3 2
07/09/15-07/17/15 EOTS 4 3 2
07/16/15-07/21/15 Thick As Thieves 4 3 2
07/20/15/-07/24/15 DA Heroic 4 3 2
07/23/15-07/31/15 Hulk 4 3 2
07/30/15-08/06/15 Brotherhood 4 3 2
08/06/15-08/10/15 Deadpool 4 3 2
08/10/15-08/13/15 Juggernaut 4 3 2
08/13/15-08/21/15 EOTS 4 3 2
08/20/15-08/25/15 Unstable Iso 4 3 2
08/25/15-08/29/15 Oscorp Heroic 4 3 2
08/29/15-09/06/15 Prodigal Sun 4 3 2
09/06/15-09/10/15 The Hunt 4 3 2
09/07/15-09/14/15 The Gauntlet 4 3 2
09/10/15-09/18/15 The Hulk 4 3 2
09/17/15-09/22/15 Meet Rocket 4 3 2
09/21/15-09/25/15 Venom Heroic 4 3 2
09/24/15-09/28/15 Simulator 4 3 2
09/28/15-10/2/15 TaT 4 3 2
Unknown Date Brotherhood 4 3 2
Unknown Date PVE Anniversary 4 3 2

Notably, the 4 star repeats are 3 for Iron Man, Invisible Woman, and Fury, with 2 for Wolverine, Elektra, Professor X, and Kingpin.

The 2 star Repeats are 3 for Thor, Marvel, and Torch, with 2 for Cap, Wolverine, Mags, Storm, Hawkeye, and OBW. Notably, Daken's shut out, and the only time Bullseye and Moonstone appeared was after recent changes to their powers, and Ares fell in to the villain set for the latest Deadpool round.

There were, for obvious reasons, no 3 star repeats.

Unknown

Updated with the most recent and upcoming event info available. Worth noting is several things. Daken finally gets his shot at being the 2 star essential, leaving only bagman as not having been used. And chances of that are, well, nil. (unfortunately )

Carnage is also the first new 4 star since the 2-3-4 format to get a repeat essential performance.

Given the lineup of essentials for the unknown event, I highly suspect it will be Prodigal Sun, but there are outside chances it will be Simulator or Gauntlet as well.

Finally, there seems to be a definitive pattern that villain characters are only essentials during DP V MPQ, Simulator, Gauntlet, and Prodigal Sun, so far. For roster slot concerns this info might be worth noting.

teef1

Looks like there is an alphabetic pattern being used to select boosted 4-stars, with Carnage and Kingpin being used for "villain events" and the others for "hero events". The pattern seems to hold since the May Deadpool vs. MPQ event, with allowance for debut 4-star characters. Assuming the pattern continues and the next event after the boosted Carnage event is a "hero event", I would expect the boosted 4-star to be Star-Lord.

teef1

The event where Carnage first appears as boosted is the one that directly followed his debut event. I think the two consecutive "villain events" where Kingpin was boosted is explained by D3's tendency to allow a small period after debut where they don't feature new characters as boosted or awards.

But, yes, I agree, the pattern does get interrupted by new characters showing up as boosted in the events that follow their debut.

Interestingly, there's a similar pattern in PVP events. I just recently started winning the 1k progression 4-star covers regularly and noticed that I won Kingpin, Nick Fury, Professor X, Deadpool, Star-Lord, Thing and Thor, in that order. And now Wolverine is the 1k reward. All alphabetical with the exception of the debut of 4-star Deadpool in PVP.

Unknown

I thought it was notable how many 4 star releases are followed by heroics. The only exceptions were Carnage, Jean Grey, and Ant Man.

Unknown

It appears Teef was correct, the next event will be Starlord in the 4 star slot.

This is the first time GSBW has been an essential since the 234 cycle, and we have yet to have a 3 star repeat. We're nearing a point where if this pattern continues, the available choices will be reduced, unless the pattern breaks. There's still quite a few options available.

Mags is now in the "3 time" tier for 2 star appearances. This is a general "hero" line up, so no surefire way to predict the event in advance, as 2 star mags is considered a hero.

Unknown

Ice IX dropped a Gauntlet spoiler in the 5 star thread, revealing that Goddess Thor will be the essential for Hulk.

This means the alphabetical pattern continues, it will be curious to see if Thing will follow her up or if we'll be moving on to Wolverine and Thing will have to wait for another cycle.

Hawkeye joins the 3 time club for 2 star essentials.

Possible avengers reference on those Gauntlet Essentials, if predictions hold. Hawkeye + Quicksilver "You didn't see that coming?" rivalry bros unite!

There is no apparent pattern to me on who gets chosen as a 2 star essential still, and I think the Dark Avengers are a huge part to blame for that.

Quebbster

Haetron wrote:

Ice IX dropped a Gauntlet spoiler in the 5 star thread, revealing that Goddess Thor will be the essential for Hulk.

This means the alphabetical pattern continues, it will be curious to see if Thing will follow her up or if we'll be moving on to Wolverine and Thing will have to wait for another cycle.

Hawkeye joins the 3 time club for 2 star essentials.

Possible avengers reference on those Gauntlet Essentials, if predictions hold. Hawkeye + Quicksilver "You didn't see that coming?" rivalry bros unite!

There is no apparent pattern to me on who gets chosen as a 2 star essential still, and I think the Dark Avengers are a huge part to blame for that.

Alphabetically, Thing comes before Thor... So I wouldn't hold my breath, unfortunately.

Unknown

Updated: The somewhat alphabetical 4 star pattern continues, with the exceptions being new character releases. There are still no 3 star repeats. I could have sworn 3cap had showed up, but apparently not. 2Torch is up to 4 appearances.

The pattern of "villains" only being used for Simulator, DPvsMPQ, Prodigal Sun, and Gauntlet continues, with Doc Ock making a simulator appearance.

Unknown

New Update:

We are approaching 3 star repeats. Storm and Torch have had previous rotations, and are in the upcoming 2 events.

This means that the following characters were excluded before repeats occurred.

Ragnarok
Loki
Hood
Deadpool
Punisher
Luke Cage

Now, Rags, Loki, and Hood, fit the pattern of being held back for Sim, Gauntlet, DPvsMPQ, and Prodigal Sun, so no surprise there. DP, Pun, and LC? No clue what happened. We're also not following any obvious cycle on the 3 stars as Storm started the new essential format, but Torch didn't show up till much later.

Finally, CONSPIRACY NOTE: Jean Grey is the active essential for the "Galactic" PVE anniversary event if the pattern holds.

Subtle Phoenix hint?

Malcrof

Haetron wrote:

New Update:

We are approaching 3 star repeats. Storm and Torch have had previous rotations, and are in the upcoming 2 events.

This means that the following characters were excluded before repeats occurred.

Ragnarok
Loki
Hood
Deadpool
Punisher
Luke Cage

Now, Rags, Loki, and Hood, fit the pattern of being held back for Sim, Gauntlet, DPvsMPQ, and Prodigal Sun, so no surprise there. DP, Pun, and LC? No clue what happened. We're also not following any obvious cycle on the 3 stars as Storm started the new essential format, but Torch didn't show up till much later.

Finally, CONSPIRACY NOTE: Jean Grey is the active essential for the "Galactic" PVE anniversary event if the pattern holds.

Subtle Phoenix hint?

Rags, Loki, Hood.. aren't those the LRs? I know Pun is as well.. maybe that is why they were excluded?

Unknown

Malcrof wrote:

Rags, Loki, Hood.. aren't those the LRs? I know Pun is as well.. maybe that is why they were excluded?

To my knowledge, PVP/Versus doesn't affect essentials at all. However, there is a definitive pattern in 4, 3, and 2 star essentials of villains not being used outside those 4 events, possibly for lore/conflicting opposition reasons. IE, it'd be pretty rotten to have Mystique as the essential in Meet Rocket and Groot.

slidecage

there isnt a 4 star needed in ultron events so why would there be one for the annivery pve since its an ultron type event

Unknown

slidecage wrote:

there isnt a 4 star needed in ultron events so why would there be one for the annivery pve since its an ultron type event

You have confirmation that it's following the ultron format? Source please?

Punisher5784

Haetron wrote:

slidecage wrote:

there isnt a 4 star needed in ultron events so why would there be one for the annivery pve since its an ultron type event

You have confirmation that it's following the ultron format? Source please?

Don't question slidecage, he knows everything.

rossmon

Isn't squirrel girl missing too? I've had a list going for awhile in Event forum.

Unknown

rossmon wrote:

Isn't squirrel girl missing too? I've had a list going for awhile in Event forum.

You're right. My bad. Knew I was missing someone.

TLCstormz

I have a sneaking suspicion that REED will be needed or at least boosted or something for the big space anniversary stuff.

I mean, it makes sense, especially if it's the big purple people eater.

And why else would they PURPOSELY withhold him from being an essential, directly after his release?

Something smells fishy here, and it ain't my tin foil hat.....

Unknown

TLCstormz wrote:

I have a sneaking suspicion that REED will be needed or at least boosted or something for the big space anniversary stuff.

I mean, it makes sense, especially if it's the big purple people eater.

And why else would they PURPOSELY withhold him from being an essential, directly after his release?

Something smells fishy here, and it ain't my tin foil hat.....

Reed was an essential for the Gauntlet following his release.

It was only one node, but he was part of the next round's essentials.