Pull or hoard?

VizMantis

So I recently pulled a hoard and I’ve now got champed DD, Gambit, and GThor.  Hoarding was boaring, but it did the job.  Now the question is, do I go back to pulling or go back to hoarding?  

I’ve heard from some that I should be able to complete 5*s as they come by pulling latest.  I’ve also read that Archangel sucks, so why bother?  Then again, I’ve also heard that champ levels of 5*s are especially valuable, so I should go for Gambit and Thor while I can.  Then again, it’s been suggested that Gambit’s gonna eat the heavy nerf bat as soon as he hits classics.  Lots of pros and cons, what to do, what to do?

Pongie

If you pull enough latest before the 5* rotates, you probably end up covering them as if you were to hoard anyway. The only difference then becomes the 4* covers. Are these going to be wasted if you pull them as you go? If yes, then hoarding allows you to save iso and hopefully makes them useful later on. Especially if more are going to feed 5*s

VizMantis

I guess the difference is that I could potentially hoard through Archangel’s time in latest and ensure I get a better 5* down the road.  Of course, that also means Gambit and Thor stay at their current lvl455/458 respectively.

I’m also not totally convinced I have enough pulls on a regular basis to cover 5*s naturally.  I was going to test the theory by pulling through Archangel’s run, but I was saving up a bit of iso before I started.  Now that I have a little mini-hoard of pulls, I’m having second thoughts.

Magic

As it stands I would hoard (as I am doing myself). Archangel is rubbish (like Banner level rubbish). And I fear that Gambit nerf is inevitable and as ever with D3 - he will be nerfed to the ground.

So what you lose here if you haord is the Thor champ levles as the real value. I would wait till Gambit is out of the Latest and see the next one. If it's good - pull the hoard and follow with daily pulls. You will get some covers for Archangel but might fully cover the new one and also get the Thor levels. If you decide not to pull with the next one - wait till Thor is soon to go out - you will see the next one at the time and can decide if you want champ levels for Thor or Archangel plus the new Duo (or even all new 3 when Archangel rotates out in 3-4 months).

Either way - I suggest to hoard.

Warbringa

I am going for one more Thor cover and then back to hoarding, at least until AA rotates out.  I have no reason to believe that they will significantly boost him since they haven't done it to any other 5* that have needed it.  While I go for that last Thor cover, I can also still get champ covers for Gambit.

In addition, I don't have any reason to believe that they will further "nerf" 5* Gambit since they just adjusted him.  At this point the backlash will probably be too much as many more people have him champed and covered now and he will always be a cover that people will be willing to spend resources on when they offer him in specials. He also doesn't have the OML issue of significantly changing a low level roster with just a few covers.  What is more likely than a further Gambit nerf is newer 5* that are closer to his power level being released in the future (just look at the 4* tier evolution).   

STERLING21JJ

I suggest hoard also, AA atm is underwhelming to say the least.

VizMantis

With only three 5*s to my name, it does seem unreasonable to pursue a low tier fourth.  I didn’t really enjoy hoarding the first time, but at least I’m still used to it.  Waiting another 4-6 months or so to grow my roster is a bit of a bummer though

Dormammu

The title of this thread is a question that plagues this game at almost every level.

When you are a new player its detrimental to chase after the 4-stars and 5-stars because if you don't have a decent roster of threes, those 1-cover fours and fives aren't doing you any favors and just taking up precious roster slots that lower-starred characters could use and actually help. But they look impressive compared to 1-star Venom so new players keep them. They also don't know any better, so they cash in their CP and LTs hoping to get more, thinking they can skip to the higher tiered characters sooner, or that having them will make their roster stronger (which they won't).

When you are a mid-tier player, those 3-stars start to drag on and on and on... it takes forever to fully cover them all, much less champ them all. Most newish players that I see are willing to skip the bulk of the 3-stars to try and get into 4-star land ASAP. But roster slots are probably still an issue and they find out quickly that having one or two champed 4-stars without a large stable of champed 3-stars to back them up is no picnic. They should have continued hoarding, finished the 3-star tier, and have a batch of fully covered 4-stars to move into. But its too late.

Then of course, there's the question of moving into 5-star territory. That's a move I have yet to make myself, but I'm well aware of the pitfalls. When do I make my move? How many 4-stars should I have champed before I go? Can I get there with classics? Are the current latest legends adequate to make me competitive? How many LTs should I have? How much ISO? What is my MMR going to look like after champing one? Two? Three? What happens if I have a champed Ock/Banner/Archangel and I hate my life because Gambit exists? Should I champ Gambit if they are going to nerf Gambit? How can I compete without him? Maybe I should just keep hoarding...

The illusion with this game is that having rarer tiered characters will make you stronger. (These 1-stars suck, I can't beat anyone. I need 5-star characters, then I can win.) But it's just that - an illusion. You're actually far more competitive by picking a tier as your end goal and staying there. For me, currently, that's the 4-star tier. Having all the 4-stars and 3-stars champed will give me the greatest roster flexibility and most rewarding play experience. I can easily succeed at SCL 7 or 8 and I'll be at the top of my MMR, able to counter any team I see in PvP.

But you know what? I still have to manage my hoard... 

gmtosca

I need 5-star characters then I can win

*

I thought that and learned the hard way when I started playing the game.  This game rewards moderation and control, especially at the start.  It took me a long time for my roster to be strong and competitive.

VizMantis

Definitely true.  As far as PVP is concerned, moving to 5* has only made things worse.  Life was certainly easier when I just had most of the 4*s champed.  Luckily, I’ve never enjoyed pvp, no matter my in game progress.  I’m a pve player, so my progression equations are a bit easier.

For me, I started hoarding because vaulting was in full effect and I had acquired the full set of latest 12.  I like the variety of new characters, building champ levels isn’t my jam.  By the time the 12 has rotated out and vaulting was gone, I had a large enough hoard that I figured I should just go for some 5’s.  At the time, I planned to build them to 13 covers and not level them.  But by the time I had 300 pulls, pve had moved to level by SCL instead of level by roster, so I figured I’d champ my 5s.  It wasn’t too tough a decision to move up, since I can still stick to SCL7/8 in pve and use my 4*s.  It has ruined the season sim, but slogging through unending grocket/gamora/medusa teams wasn’t that much better.

Copps

Wait until aa cycles out. Ghost rider looks worthwhile so far so hopefully he gets 2 more good partners. I'm just going to pull enough latests to get a cover for each new five and keep holding until aa is gone. 

As for where here I am in the game 7 fives champed including the top 3 and I only have 7 fours that need ISO. 

VizMantis

Copps said:

As for where here I am in the game 7 fives champed including the top 3 and I only have 7 fours that need ISO. 

That’s awesome that you included this!  Whenever I ask for advice around here, I often wonder what the status is of those giving it.  Obviously I appreciate all input, but it’s nice to know where the advice is coming from.