New 4*s are mostly overpowered

Calnexin

mega ghost said:

Mine has been a team of Medusa, Iceman, and 4* Deadpool. Rocket & Groot's strikes (boosted by Gamora) are devastating from the get-go, but this team uses it to its advantage: between match damage and the enemy Medusa's countdown, Deadpool's X-Enforcer will be triggered two to three times per enemy turn. The enemy Medusa will be downed in about two to three turns. 

I've been using the Fantastic Four (Thing, Sue, and Reed - sorry Johnny) to take down Gramora.  Thing puts out enough protect tiles right at the beginning that nullify the strikes for a few turns. Reed heals as they get matched, and the cycle repeats whenever Gamora fires her black.

Works pretty well against Cardusa, too, but you typically just play a waiting game until you've gathered enough AP to fire IW green twice to take out Medusa.  After that you ignore Carnage, healing every time he matches away the tiles he creates and blasting his partner with whatever becomes available first.

Warbringa

I think the biggest issue is that the passive abilities on newer characters have become too numerous and powerful compared to older characters. The nature of the game should make passive powers less powerful since well, they are passive and you don't need AP for them.  Many of the newer characters best powers are their passive powers. When the passive powers end up being far superior to activated powers, you get what we see now.   I think that is actually more of the root cause with other factors like vaulting allowing a quicker ability to champ the newer 4* etc. playing a factor as well.  The other thing about the preponderance of passive powers is that it simply makes the game even more mindless.

Calnexin

I don't know if the passives are more powerful or better than actives in terms of gameplay.  It's that they're idiot-proof on defense.  You don't have to rely on the dumb AI to put up a good fight when you've got 5-8 effects happening with no thought or rational input required.  We're seeing the passive-heavy teams because that's what people leave on defense, which aren't necessarily the teams they use to climb.

Jaedenkaal

I think the issue is that many of the new passives synergize pretty well with each other, which means that you're getting a better effect than you'd expect for the number of abilities involved, AND you're getting that effect without gathering or spending any AP, often from the beginning of the game. Carnage and R&G are probably the worst offenders as enablers here.

Compare to the passive abilities of previous 4* characters which can be powerful (although often aren't), but rarely if ever synergize with others, and can frequently be played around easily. Rock Solid, Psychic Feedback, Lunacy, etc...

mega ghost

Calnexin said:

mega ghost said:

Mine has been a team of Medusa, Iceman, and 4* Deadpool. Rocket & Groot's strikes (boosted by Gamora) are devastating from the get-go, but this team uses it to its advantage: between match damage and the enemy Medusa's countdown, Deadpool's X-Enforcer will be triggered two to three times per enemy turn. The enemy Medusa will be downed in about two to three turns. 

I've been using the Fantastic Four (Thing, Sue, and Reed - sorry Johnny) to take down Gramora.  Thing puts out enough protect tiles right at the beginning that nullify the strikes for a few turns. Reed heals as they get matched, and the cycle repeats whenever Gamora fires her black.

Works pretty well against Cardusa, too, but you typically just play a waiting game until you've gathered enough AP to fire IW green twice to take out Medusa.  After that you ignore Carnage, healing every time he matches away the tiles he creates and blasting his partner with whatever becomes available first.

I'll have to try them out! I have my Thing and Mr. F champed, but my Sue has been unchamped and at 13 covers since before vaulting. She was one of the first 4* characters I got to 13 covers, but I just haven't been pulling her since so she fell by the wayside. I also almost never get Dr. Doom covers, so he's only at lvl 208 — when he reaches 223 and gives me another Sue cover, I'll probably end up champing her then.

Qubort

Phillipes said:

I agree with OP completely. And he is right about vaulting. My highest champed is X-force, level 301. 2nd is Carol, level 298.
I also agree newer characters are mostly OP, or atleast very good. Simulators 2000 points are harder and harder to obtain with every season passed. It was easy 1 year ago, it is really hard for last 6 months. Even shield-hops were needed last season, for the first time for me in Sim.

The intention of vaulting was to help noobs and seals. You find sim harder because there aren't as many for you to pummel.