Stop pulling buffs out of a hat

simonsez

If the idea of the weekly buffs is help 4* players keep up with 5* opponents, this week's buff list fails miserably. Please put some thought into the weekly buffs so we don't end up with weeks where everything is either a pve specialist or trash tier. The Cage PvP is comparatively unplayable for someone without two 5*s.

jffdougan

I did perfectly fine in my slice with loaner Power Man, Champed Magneto and Champed switch.

CT1888

Don't know, if anything the weak line up of 4's made it easier for me, as I had none of them at a decent level.
Jean and Scarlet Witch took me up to 900 (twice; hit it for progression, let it fall over night then back up over to shield out for 942 and top 25 in slice 1) and I suspect the 4* boost list was why I saw lots more 3*s in my queue than normal (lots of Magnetos, Witches and Deadpool out there, as well as an assortment of non boosted 3*s) in amongst the Ice/Ironman and Thor/Ironman teams.
9 of the top 10 had at least one championed 5*, the other had 2 12 covered ones at 435. I'm totally OK that they are ahead and I'm where I am. Even with decent boosted characters, at best it's a slog going through all that health

BariusRad

I easy get 900 points in Cage Match with iron fist+luke cage+blade

Pylgrim

I killed it with my champed Quake and level 200 Flaptain.

cyineedsn

Were you guys able to climb to 1.2k with this buff list?

GrumpySmurf1002

cyineedsn wrote:

Were you guys able to climb to 1.2k with this buff list?

Yes, though Quake-PX got me killed. OML-PX got me 3 defensive wins out of 5.

CT1888

Never tried to go for 1200; shield hopping to 1300 didn't feel worth it in the old set up, still doesn't.

areacode212

Had no problem getting 1st shield at 1k using OML/Quake and throwing in PX & Cho for variety.

But I haven't gotten 1.2k yet in the new carb-free world we now live in.

wymtime

I saw quite a bit of OML quake/Pro X in PVP. Unless you had a championed Drax the 4* buff list is fairly weak for PVP. Here is the good news and that is the next 2 events black vortex and earths mightiest heroes have their own buff list so the weaker 4* buff list is only for 1 event.

rkd80

Love these responses. We are delighted that 3*/4* land is still great.

However anyone with a decent roster and a high 5* is simply getting creamed by the MMR. I think OP is right in the sense that the buffs need to focus specifically on bridging the gap between 4* and 5* - however I really don't think that the buff plan is to achieve that, but simply make characters usable.

As much as I hate nerfs with all my life, the only way to balance this game would be to bring back down to earth the current 5* du jour.

Just for example, 99% of all matches that I saw while climbing in cage pvp had (someone) + OML. Some have made an argument that because OML is the oldest everyone has him, but at this point in time we should see a larger number of SS, PHX and BSS. We do not. It is OML, ALL the time. A very slight and gentle adjustment is in order.

amusingfoo1

rkd80 wrote:

As much as I hate nerfs with all my life, the only way to balance this game would be to bring back down to earth the current 5* du jour.

Just for example, 99% of all matches that I saw while climbing in cage pvp had (someone) + OML. Some have made an argument that because OML is the oldest everyone has him, but at this point in time we should see a larger number of SS, PHX and BSS. We do not. It is OML, ALL the time. A very slight and gentle adjustment is in order.

At the risk of thread-jacking, I just wanted to say that, with his buff, I'm seeing a lot more Surfer lately. Granted, some of that is for grills, but I'm seeing him on considerably more A teams as well. And I've actually replaced OML with Surfer on my main PvE team; lacks the "I will end this now" of OML, but generally speeds things up better with his charged tiles.

simonsez

How is it I post a thread about how this week's buff list is less than helpful to 4* players trying to compete against 5* players, and half the responses are from people saying they're having no problems using their 3*s vs other 3*'s?

BearVenger

rkd80 wrote:

However anyone with a decent roster and a high 5* is simply getting creamed by the MMR. I think OP is right in the sense that the buffs need to focus specifically on bridging the gap between 4* and 5* - however I really don't think that the buff plan is to achieve that, but simply make characters usable.

As much as I hate nerfs with all my life, the only way to balance this game would be to bring back down to earth the current 5* du jour.

Just for example, 99% of all matches that I saw while climbing in cage pvp had (someone) + OML. Some have made an argument that because OML is the oldest everyone has him, but at this point in time we should see a larger number of SS, PHX and BSS. We do not. It is OML, ALL the time. A very slight and gentle adjustment is in order.

I think MMR is painful for everyone. When I was primarily 3*, I got a lot of high 4* teams. When I champed my low-level 4*s, I suddenly started getting paired with teams whose 5*s were about 100 levels higher than my highest unboosted character. The complaints I hear from the 5* users is they see a nonstop parade of OML.The matchmaking is pretty cruel for everyone.

BearVenger

cyineedsn wrote:

Were you guys able to climb to 1.2k with this buff list?

I did most of my climbing with the Homecoming Court (4Clops/JG), but I finished my last 2-3 matches with Quake/RHulk. All four freshly champed.

I don't find it personally reassuring that one can still make do as long as one still has a 360+ OML.

As a new 4* transitioner, I find the climbing was easier, but I still hit a pretty challenging wall before I get to the 4* cover prize.

BatteryHorse

This thread is getting a little off-track, but I agree with OP.

Regardless of how I or anyone else did in one event or another, sometimes the choice of buffed characters is confusing. If it's simply randomly-chosen that's a really stupid way to do things, and if it's deliberately chosen it feels like a real missed opportunity.

To the devs/demi, these characters and these events are your product. Events where they're boosted are your advertisement and your endorsement. The point of the game from the developer end is to increase player engagement and encourage players to invest in their roster. Showing off how fun and desirable a character is to play is a great way to get players either buying packs to get more covers, or buying roster slots to roster them, or to grind out missions and buy health packs for a chance to get them.

What is the point of making Mr Fantastic an essential character when you pair him with characters he has no synergy with? I know he sucks, but give the man a chance. They made Squirrel Girl an essential character and in her loaner node there were no enemies that made special tiles. They released Luke Cage with a specific power that benefits from having Iron Man on his team and then didn't make Iron Man part of his team.

This should be a no-brainer. You're requiring players to use these characters, you should be showing them off. Put a little thought into it.

El Satanno

simonsez wrote:

How is it I post a thread about how this week's buff list is less than helpful to 4* players trying to compete against 5* players, and half the responses are from people saying they're having no problems using their 3*s vs other 3*'s?

I'm so upset right now that you mentioned this before I could. Reading comprehension skills not topping the list of many of our fellow forum-goers.

CT1888

El Satanno wrote:

simonsez wrote:

How is it I post a thread about how this week's buff list is less than helpful to 4* players trying to compete against 5* players, and half the responses are from people saying they're having no problems using their 3*s vs other 3*'s?

I'm so upset right now that you mentioned this before I could. Reading comprehension skills not topping the list of many of our fellow forum-goers.

Or it could be that people were refuting the last point of the original post as, for many people, it was not comparatively unplayable.

Ding

First off I would guess the buffed characters are on a rotation, so no thought is given. Seems like the only fair way.

For those saying they're having no problem, perhaps it's a matter of expectation. You're having no trouble reaching your goal, while the OP's goal could be much higher, so it's not comparable to say that it's a good list.

And lastly, oml IS seen the most because he's one of the oldest. Just like every other *, there's a hierarchy of best of tier vs worst, and many players that have multiple champed 5* rate him third behind bolt and goblin.

shadowyoshi

CT1888 wrote:

El Satanno wrote:

simonsez wrote:

How is it I post a thread about how this week's buff list is less than helpful to 4* players trying to compete against 5* players, and half the responses are from people saying they're having no problems using their 3*s vs other 3*'s?

I'm so upset right now that you mentioned this before I could. Reading comprehension skills not topping the list of many of our fellow forum-goers.

Or it could be that people were refuting the last point of the original post as, for many people, it was not comparatively unplayable.

Correct. For those of us in the 3-4 transition this was far more playable without strong boosted 4s. I have one champed 4 (Hulkbuster) and spent all of last week seeing nothing but IM40/4Thor because of the buff list. When it's Red Hulk or Iceman or 4Clops it is the same (and also when it's Hulkbuster of course). Having a **** buff list was a nice breath of fresh air for those of us who play to a mid level area of progression (like say the new 575 10 cp spot). I know I saw a ton of variety from unboosted 3's to champed 4's and everything in between climbing to 575 in the last 2 hours and then dropping out.

And also for those complaining, this **** buff list of 4s is only for one event given off season events for the rest of the week.

Quebbster

I really enjoyed trying out my newly maxed Quake this weekend. Particularly when I ran across Jean Grey teams...