5* as F2P is possible...but ends the game?

scottee

Got my 13th Phoenix cover this week. I've been completely F2P. OML has 7 covers. GG has 3.

Not sure if any other F2P's have made it this far, but after getting the 13th Phoenix cover, I find myself much less motivated to play anything.

-4* covers don't really matter.
-The only choice in game is do I max Phoenix from lvl 405 to mess my MMR even more. Because then PVP only sees champed 5*s or boosted 4*s. (which is close to what I'm seeing anyways)

There's nothing really excited in the game. Chasing OML seems boring, as he's not very fun to play. I actually have way more fun with Phoenix because at least I can pair with Prof X for tiles boosting shenanigans.

I can earn more iso and keep maxing out 4*s? I don't really need more. I haven't even maxed Iceman yet, as I just got his 13th cover a few weeks ago, but I realized, I don't even need him. I've been fine without him.

TLDR- Once you hit the endgame, there's nothing left to do. The fun in the game is striving for the endgame, not actually getting there.

It's like scaling the highest summit and realizing there's no view and it smells like bird poop. The fun was the hike, not the result.

We_are_Venom

scottee wrote:

TLDR-
Once you hit the endgame, there's nothing left to do.

>_>

Polares

I think you are exagerating a little bit. If we follow your same reasoning then when anybody covered xforce or 4hor when they were the best players that was the endgame. Or when IMHB was, etc. etc.

You have just maxed one 5, and not even the best one, so I dont see that as the endgame. If you had OML, GG and IM46 then maybe, but even then new chars will be addeded that will be fun to play (lets hope). So, as long as you have fun, and new chars are added that are exciting to play there will be no endgame.

It is true though that after you have maxed a 5, 4s doesnt seem to matter as much (but it it similar to what happened when we maxed some 4s, and we stopped using 3s most of the time).

Iso draught or crazy scaling are for me a much bigger problem than 'getting to the endgame'

Quebbster

I'm mostly F2P (I bought HP twice, mostly as a thank you to the devs) and I have 12 covers for both Phoenix and OML. I have also sold half a dozen extra Phoenix covers and a few extra OML yellows.
Phoenix is still at base level though and OML is level 330. Once I get the thirteenth cover for one of them, I am planning to max the two together. I am not really looking forward to that though, I remember how rough it was to move from threestars to fourstars, and the gap is even wider for fivestars.
In the meantime, I am maxing as many fourstars as I can. I probably won't use them much once I am in fivestar land, but I am enjoying the wide roster. I am making the most of the journey, I think.

babinro

I can't really argue with the OP.

I've been free to play since 5*'s were announced and lucked out on finishing both OML and Phx much earlier than most. My PvP experience for every event in 2016 has been Phx/(featured)/OML out of necessity. Choosing any other duo means that my team looks weak to other people in my MMR.

Effectively, the game is over until you cover more 5*'s which will take a long time by design unless your great luck lasts forever.

I really look forward to finishing Goblin (0/4/1) or Black Suit Spidey (2/2/3) but neither of these will happen any time soon. What's worse is that the champion cover benefits on a 5* character means that in time we'll reach a point where simply having 13 covers on a 5* isn't enough because your level 450 will melt against the level 480+ out there.

The solution to endlessly playing the team before was PvE but now that the scaling cap has increased the game lends very few opportunities to play a unique team. You still have the 'weak' nodes but how satisfying is it really to send 4*'s or 3*'s against level 50's?

It's my hope that we see some balance changes come into the game soon. Preferably a change to 4* championing that sees the characters power skyrocket with the first 30 covers so that they can be more competitive against 5*'s and open up play options. The alternative is to make 5*'s easier to obtain but seeing as they are supposed to be a super long term end game to keep people on the treadmill I understand why that request isn't realistic.

dr tinykittylove

I had similar feelings when I got the first 3 fully covered. I heard the stories about the scaling and mmr changes and didn't care for the idea. I didn't like the lottery or purchaseable aspect, I wanted to play with all the shiny new things but there is no reasonable way to cover either new 5*s or 4*s. The game was getting stale.

But, having bitten the bullet and maxed OML/PHX, it makes pvp faster and less resource intensive. Forget the cc hunt, back to playing real teams. Jury is still evaluating new pve - I'm not hopeful, especially as I haven't maxed SS and only expect it to get worse.

I'll hold out until at least anniversary and hope they have some new and fun things. Last year they promised quality of life changes and they have delivered, though kind of a mixed bag. At the least, I haven't found an alternative time waster yet.

Orion

I spent $25 on HP for roster slots 2 years ago and have been f2p ever since. I have a maxed OML, 12-cover SS and Spidey has 10 covers. I don't think I've reached the endgame at all.

I do think it's a little dumb to chase 4* covers for characters I'll probably never use though. I'm working on champing Quake right now, and even as good as she is I doubt she'll ever see my lineup. After that I may focus on 5*s for a few seasons to get them to their level caps.

carrion_pigeons

The problem with the game is that there are only a few different levels of play at which there's a real metagame. Players at the 3* level with a good selection of champions have it, and super whales with all the 5*s maxed have the beginnings of one, and that's about it. There isn't a 4* metagame because it runs into 5*s too easily (and the same is true for 2*s running into 3*s).

They could fix it by manually separating the tiers, which I think is a good and fun solution to the problem, but if they haven't done it by now they presumably never will.

Regardless, there is a 5* meta, so all you need to do is get there. Develop about 4 more max champions in that tier and I bet you'll find that the game doesn't end nearly as simply as you might think.

SnowcaTT

Like others here I'm mostly FTP, bought VIP once as the only thing since 5*'s were announced (more out of guilt for never buying than anything else). A little HP to finish off HB and a little more for JG way back when - characters I never use now (but maybe got me to where I am?)

Right there with you OP.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45391

End-game is incredibly boring. Must use same character always (horrible scaling). Can only see a very limited number of players (horrible MMR). No new game-play types or styles to help either of those problems.

Oh, and also right with you there OP...having -one- max 5* that isn't OML is annoying, since The Only Character That Matters is in 85% of the matches I see: having anyone else is just inviting attacks no matter what. I see the other old high level to max 5*'s (SS/PH) regularly benched for great boosted 4*'s.

I know some say "This will be fixed with time! Diversity eventually!" - how can lower % draw rates of any given character (apparently happening as they go into classics) ever make players have more 5*'s, much less -different- 5*'s? I expect a year from now I'll be seeing 85% of matches against You Know Who.

OneLastGambit

I'm gonna get philosophical now and say that as with almost everything in life the journey IS the reward. The goal is never the reward it's always the motivator which pushes you to fully experience the journey.