I'm looking for suggestions on PVE speed runs

GronkSmash

I've been consistently placing top 5 in level 7 (and occasionally level 8) for the better part of a year. My process is no different than the norm and the daily clear times are between 30-35 minutes. This is not to brag but to set the atmosphere - the problem lies in not finishing 1st enough to validate the "Maximum Effort" being put in. Maybe once a month the king of the hill spot is realized but something is missing which is why I'm looking for suggestions...

Ahem

Each chapter starts as usual - Characters first (4 clears) ranging from most points to least 4 to 2 and then 5. Followed by the climb up the ladder (1 of) and then steadily playing the remaining clears down the ladder. By the end I'm 1st or 2nd depending on if I stalled on bad boards, npc catching a cascade, etc. The end of the chapter I jump on and reverse the process by climb in the ladder doing clears to 0 ending with the characters 2, 5, 3, 4 and with the remaining 5 minutes sweep back for scrap points that built up or the main chapter clear where applicable. As a rule of thumb if it took 35 at the start of the chapter I start 35 before the chapter ends. I will even wait for the person in 1st to play ahead as to gain an advantage of 4-16 points at the end. 

Now that I've explained the process here's the outcome - I am leapfrogged every time by the same usual suspects. I've checked the rosters not very different from my own. Sometimes the player that leapfrog me will finish upwards of 20 minutes at the start of the event so in theory their points would take too long to past mine. If I start at 35 minutes they may start at 30 or under and yet when the dust settles at the end of the chapter I am 50-100 points behind them in 3rd place WITH OUT FAIL. 

I have no idea how its being done. I have tried different slices and at time different levels and the top spot has eluded me so much despite my best effort. I need suggestions "Git Gud" comments aside real feedback is appreciated.

Teams used:
Character, 5* Thanos (2/5/2), 4* RnG (3/5/5)
Low tier ladder:
Strong 5*, Main Even Hulk (4/5/4), 3* Thanos
Upper tier ladder:
5* Thanos, 4* RnG, 4* or 3* Guardian of Galaxy

I'm sure it isn't the team as this set up has helped me create the fastest clears. I'm looking for how to recover the points at the end of the chapters or close the gap. I am befuddled at how players who take longer to do 4 clears and closes out the chapter slightly after can gain such an advantage but the goal is to place 1st overall more often and consistently.

Tl:Dr -- Is there any technique in PVE that will result in more 1st place finishes not listed above?

HoundofShadow

The answer you are looking for is called "tapping".

Dartmaster01

Gronk Smash said:

Tl:Dr -- Is there any technique in PVE that will result in more 1st place finishes not listed above?

How optimally you play has been devalued greatly by the devs for not fixing the tapping problem. Sounds like you are doing it right but what is most likely going on is that some players are repeatedly tapping the 5* essential node a couple hundred times per sub. Easily gaining 200-500 points extra per sub. Optimal play can not keep up with this. The first 20-50 clears are to repay the points you would lose for playing it early and after that it's all profit. This play style is extreme and I would not recommend it but you won't beat it without doing it yourself.

Daiches

A 2 black Thanos does less damage than a well champed 3Thanos, no?

cpeyton3535

HoundofShadow said:

The answer you are looking for is called "tapping".

Yup.  Likely they are finishing early and then tapping until event end.  Gains them more points than waiting for the timers to recharge until the last possible moment and you never run the risk of running out of time b/c of a bad board.  That's just a guess, but 25 clears gets you 100 points.

If that is what's happening, there's really only one way to keep pace and that's to tap along with them.

GronkSmash

Daiches said:

A 2 black Thanos does less damage than a well champed 3Thanos, no?

My 266 3* Thanos does 52xx while my 390 5* Thanos does 67xx and has more HP for the repeat matches

GronkSmash

That's an unfortunate playstyle that realistically I dont have time for daily. I've moved past 7 to level 8 just so I don't miss out on that 3rd cover that comes with 1st in level 7 and it provides a fresh crop of opponents but I'm sure this "Tapping" mechanic is unavoidable regardless of the playlist. 

bluewolf

Consider that there are probably 40-50k players per event, maybe a few thousand more, playing in scl 7-9.  So 40-50 brackets at the top.  That means that 80-100 people willing to tap will occupy the top 2 places every event.

Dormammu

If you are getting top 5 every event you really don't need any help - you know what you are doing and what it takes to be competitive in PvE. As others have stated above, you are getting beat by the tappers and you don't want to go down that hole. Make T5 your goal and if you hit that consistently be proud that you are in the top 0.25% of all players at your SCL.

Dogface

I agree with Dormammu. If you can get top 5 with 'reasonable' effort as opposed to those that tap, i consider you the true winner. 

GronkSmash

Dormammu said:

If you are getting top 5 every event you really don't need any help - you know what you are doing and what it takes to be competitive in PvE. As others have stated above, you are getting beat by the tappers and you don't want to go down that hole. Make T5 your goal and if you hit that consistently be proud that you are in the top 0.25% of all players at your SCL.

Fair enough. I'm consistently in the top 5 in PVE events and the logic behind the top spot being more than likely a "Tapper" is plausible. It's frustrating getting 1st once a month (at best) even though nothing in my process changes and the same questers keep leapfrogging off a technicality. Thanks for your time and attention players

broll

Dormammu said:

If you are getting top 5 every event you really don't need any help - you know what you are doing and what it takes to be competitive in PvE. As others have stated above, you are getting beat by the tappers and you don't want to go down that hole. Make T5 your goal and if you hit that consistently be proud that you are in the top 0.25% of all players at your SCL.

This. I’d love to regularly even get T10 but the time slices won’t allow it. Count your blessings. 

Pongie

I used to be top 2-5 in scl8. When scl 9 got introduced, I was one of the few that moved up instead of down. Was getting top 10 (barely) for a while before tappers became mainstream. Then I dropped and dropped till I'm pretty much outside top 25 now. May consider dropping down to scl8 or even scl7 going forward.