Finally made it to 5* land...and it's horrible.

Jarvind

So despite my unwillingness to spend tens of thousands on a goofy tile swapping game, I managed to champion three five-star characters in one go - Logan, Spiderman, and Thanos. Hurray! I've moved up a tier! Sure, it'll be lame adjusting to the scaling and using the same team all the time, but surely I'll be able to go higher in PVP, earning more CP and placement rewards and enabling me to quickly cover a few more characters! Right?.....right?

Ah, wait, no, actually everything about it is terrible. Here's a list!

- Logan and Spiderman are way behind the 5* curve. Logan's nerf has been belabored to the point that it's no longer worth mentioning, but Black Suit is hilariously weak even compared to other early 5*s. His green does 15k and a stun for fourteen green AP; compare to Green Goblin's glider, which does over 20k for 8 black. His blue does a laughable 5k normally and goes allllll the way to, uh, 10k when invisible. Given how infrequent it is to see enemy Logans these days, his passive doesn't do him any favors either, so he just sucks.

- Well-documented, but WOW lack of diversity. 90% of teams have Thanos on them, and 90% of those have Panther as the other guy. There's a Hawkeye or a Phoenix here and there but good lord it's homogenous up in here.

- Oh em gee healthpack usage! And, honestly, it's not because I'm using Thanos and blowing up my own team. It's because every match-4 or 5 does extreme-to-downright-staggering damage. It's almost impossible to get through a PVP battle without blowing at least one pack. This same lousy reality of the 5* game also means that a single match-5 can cause your all-but-certain victory to turn into crushing defeat as the AI flattens a character with 30k health through pure lucky cascade nonsense. Not even counting the flurry of powers that come after, which will go ahead and cement the loss.

- PVP scoring is actually harder than it was with 4* MMR. At the 4* level, i could safely float at 600ish and then make an easy push to 900. Now I can barely get above 300 before the hits start pouring in, because everyone sees the same three targets and there are no "easy" teams to beat. 1200 is equally as impossible as it was before, if not more so, without blowing numerous shields.

- Also, that easy-to-beat 4* team you miraculously found? Yeah, check that guy's roster: he's got megachamped 5*s! What gives? Ah, yes, he's trying to bait you into hitting him so he can get an easy retal later. So now you have to inspect everyone's roster because any easyish team could be a "trapcake."

- Actually, the PVE scaling is the least horrid thing about it. Enemies have dumb health, but at least I can get Logan out front to eat the big hits because I know he won't get blown up by something as mundane as a match-4 on the next turn.


I know, I'm not special, boo-hoo for the guy with a handful of 5*s cuz most are still wallowing down here in the 3* muck. Still, it's incredibly disheartening to see how poorly-thought-out the late game is. I'd heard reports but figured they must be exaggerated - they are not. If you're on the cusp of moving to the 5* stage, I can honestly say I don't recommend it unless you have some of the very best characters (Bolt, Thanos, Panther, Hawkeye) and probably hate yourself a little. Or a lot.

Rant over. Has anyone heard of CS granting a request to simply lower the levels on a character? Because if I can't do that I'm seriously considering selling these goons and playing in the 4* pool until this tier is less horrid, if it ever gets that way.

dr tinykittylove

Seriously, Logan gets a lot of flack for the nerf, but he's still a game ender if you play him right. Just not as resilient as he used to be, but the nerfed healing still balances out his lower health to an extent. If a match goes reasonably well I still save a health pack on him.

Poor Emo Spidey was never that hot to me, as much as I whined about wanting him just because he's Spidey. For the same amount of ap he takes to do his thing OML or Phx will end you, no questions asked.

Also, stick with it a bit, it's a big adjustment to make but still more than playable. Consider joining a shield checkroom and generally 1.2k is not that hard on just one or two shields. 

Pongie

First time I've heard hawkeye is top tier. I agree with bolt, thanos and panther but surely strange and Phoenix are better. Maybe I shouldn't feel so about my hawkeye as my lone 5* champion then 

atomzed

Pvp, i agree with most of your points. BSS is behind the meta, as there are much fewer Oml-Phx teams, meaning his passive is not that useful now. Oml in pvp, you can not afford to just passively heal; you have to chase yellow and black and switch to offensive mode. Thanos is awesome, but he pairs poorly with BSS, and only slightly better with OML.

5* MMR is strange because the climb from 0-400 is worse than 4* MMR. however when you climb higher it gets better. don't worry about the hits across the days, as now as you can make one extended climb, you can get up to 900 easily. 

pve, i agree with the insane scaling but i think there's no need for you to keep using 5*. pair them up with your boosted 5*, and he will be fine. 

Phumade

Gotta step up your strategy.  There are no noob players in 5* pvp.  Knowing when to climb, when to shield, who to hit, and who to fight are 3/4s of 5* success.

The game morphs and changes at the 5* tier.  its less about your team and roster and much more about your understanding on how the other 5* players in your shard will react to whatever move you make.

I enjoy 5* pvp more than any other game mode precisely because your fighting with other meta savy players who also have access to the same tools you have.

To get to T5 in competitive brackets with 1500+ scoring is really a statement on how well you leverage your allies to boost your score and how effectively you impede the process of your enemies.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice your placements, points, resources, preferred play style to help your alliance partners with an eye towards long term success. 

Dragon_Nexus

Jarvind said:

- Also, that easy-to-beat 4* team you miraculously found? Yeah, check that guy's roster: he's got megachamped 5*s! What gives? Ah, yes, he's trying to bait you into hitting him so he can get an easy retal later. So now you have to inspect everyone's roster because any easyish team could be a "trapcake."

Oh my God, I didn't even know that was a thing...
Ugh...see, this is why I haven't poured one single iso into any of my 5*s.

They came out when I was still trying to make a 4* roster. By the time I get to where I am now, I've heard enough horror stories that I don't want to use my 5*s. I don't even use them on PvE easy nodes now. Can't be bothered.

It's even at the point where opening a legendary and getting a 5* is less exciting than opening a heroic and getting a 2*. At least the 2* earns me some champ rewards. Opening a legendary and getting a 5* feels like a waste. Like...there's one less 4* cover I could be utilising.

Calnexin

Thanks for sharing.  I'd already made the decision not to start trying to champ any 5's but the validation makes me feel confident about my choice.

If you cheat they might roll back your roster.  Apparently it's worked for other people.

nitefox1337

my VIP subscription has ended, and I am not renewing it just because of this reason. I realized fast enough that you do not improve nor advance in this game.

Whatever step you take is into an even harder environment.

And, btw, off topic, heroic and elite tokens are rigged. I opened a thread about getting only wolverine astonishing etc... and since then I got 4 more.

This said, as a free to play, the game is fun. As long as you just play it when you really have nothing else to do. But don't let it get it to your head.

notamutant

Phumade said:

Gotta step up your strategy.  There are no noob players in 5* pvp.  Knowing when to climb, when to shield, who to hit, and who to fight are 3/4s of 5* success.

The game morphs and changes at the 5* tier.  its less about your team and roster and much more about your understanding on how the other 5* players in your shard will react to whatever move you make.

I enjoy 5* pvp more than any other game mode precisely because your fighting with other meta savy players who also have access to the same tools you have.

To get to T5 in competitive brackets with 1500+ scoring is really a statement on how well you leverage your allies to boost your score and how effectively you impede the process of your enemies.

Sometimes you have to sacrifice your placements, points, resources, preferred play style to help your alliance partners with an eye towards long term success. 

While everything you said is accurate, it is still complete and total **** to have to do this. You shouldn't need to put so much consideration into who to hit in PvP. You shouldn't need to use check rooms, get boosts, have enforcers, or any of that stuff. It is ridiculous. Forget cupcakes, outside communication to manipulate scores like this is far worse. People shouldn't be dumping points to keep the overall points in a slice down and secure top 5 for their alliance. This is the type of stuff that ruins a game long-term.

Dragon_Nexus

Simple solution. Each time you get a reward, your points then cannot drop below that mark.

Just his 725? You can be hit a hundred times, but you'll never drop below 725. As long as you can crawl to the next point mark, you'll be fine.

Oh but then people won't buy shields. But even then I don't think that's an issue. HP is so easy to get now that I don't know if anyone actually spends money to get a shield. I certainly don't.

And this still keeps the top end competitive, since there's a big jump between 900 and 1200. There can still be plenty of fighting there.

MaxxPowerz

It's for this very reason I have no intention of levelling up my 5*s. Granted it sounds like you didn't pick the most ideal characters, but I'm in no hurry to break the game for myself. 

FokaiHI

I am kind of shocked with how much you participate in the forums that this would have caught you off guard. Did you just decide "I'm going 5*"? I am grateful with your post though. It reminds me why I remain in the 4* tier. There is no rush. 

jredd

damn. i've been hoarding in order to make the jump to 5* land. it only takes effect if you level your 5's though, right?

Bowgentle

Yes please, the jump to 5* land isn't worth it.

I'd avise everyone to never ever level their 5s.
In fact, you should all sell them as you pull them.

The less competition for T5 in PVP and T10 in PVE (once fixed levels finally become the norm), the better for the current 5* players.

UNC_Samurai

Pongie said:

First time I've heard hawkeye is top tier. I agree with bolt, thanos and panther but surely strange and Phoenix are better. Maybe I shouldn't feel so about my hawkeye as my lone 5* champion then 

5-Hawk/Coulson is the fresh new hotness.  It's incredibly frustrating to fight against.

Orion

I'm jealous of the people who stay in 4* land. I have 5 5* champs, including Thanos/Panther, so I'm doing just fine in 5* land. But I'd like to be able to use the new characters that are out. 4* Groot looks awesome, but I'll never be able to use him unless I'm fooling around in PvE.  Carol and Peggy are great too, but unless I get them up to level 340 or so, they'll never be better choices than my 5*s.

So until something drastically changes, there's still no reason to put ISO into your 5*s.

Bowgentle

UNC_Samurai said:

Pongie said:

First time I've heard hawkeye is top tier. I agree with bolt, thanos and panther but surely strange and Phoenix are better. Maybe I shouldn't feel so about my hawkeye as my lone 5* champion then 

5-Hawk/Coulson is the fresh new hotness.  It's incredibly frustrating to fight against.

Strange makes mincemeat out of Hawkeye.
Yes please, fire those arrows, multiples per round, please.

FokaiHI

@ Orion, 4*s champed at 330+ boosted are viable against a 5* team? I am just curious. 

Bowgentle

FokaiHI said:

@ Orion, 4*s champed at 330+ boosted are viable against a 5* team? I am just curious. 

Some are, against base level 5* champs.

At 350+ is where you can start trolling 455s.

Wumpushunter

Dragon_Nexus said:

nitefox1337 said:

And, btw, off topic, heroic and elite tokens are rigged. I opened a thread about getting only wolverine astonishing etc... and since then I got 4 more.

Flip a coin 10 times. 1 in 2 chance of heads. It comes up heads 8 times. Coin is rigged?



Too bad tokens don't have 2 options but dozens. So you example is meaningless. More like roll a 20 side dice a dozen times and it landing on 7 six times. And it is rigged both by color and by character. I have a two star farm I have never sold 2 star human torch, I sold 2 star storm twice over. Rigged or weighted their rng is not truly random.

jgomes32

Bowgentle said:

Yes please, the jump to 5* land isn't worth it.

I'd avise everyone to never ever level their 5s.
In fact, you should all sell them as you pull them.

The less competition for T5 in PVP and T10 in PVE (once fixed levels finally become the norm), the better for the current 5* players.

I could be wrong, but you make it sound as if people deliberately don't want to make the jump (sure there are some) as if there was no RNG, dilution or iso involved.

More on topic: I still have a long way to go before 5* land. Best i have is Cap at 9 covers with rest mostly at the 5-8 covers range. 29 champ 4*. To be honest i'm in no hurry to get there. Using the same characters in every match pvp/pve, fighting the same two characters in pvp and if this new scaling goes forward finishing pve clear and grind in 20min... Sounds like a boring game to me.