5* Feeder Discussion - Apparent Rules/Theories

bluewolf
bluewolf Posts: 5,722 Chairperson of the Boards
edited May 2018 in MPQ Tips and Guides
Players have determined that - apparently - the 4E is in large part the driver of the feeder announcements and who 

4E’s follow a rotation with three conditions:
1.  Latest, Latest, Vintage, repeat
2.  The next Essential is the Latest/Vintage character that was longest-ago run
3.  New releases interrupt this schedule but do not replace it.  So if we had L, L, then a New release essential (ex:  BWIW), the next 4E will still be Vintage.

Quick aside:  the Classic 4E pool is so large, and they are run so infrequently, that the current rotation schedule is 16 months between runs and counting.

Today, 5/22/18, we are 2 weeks from the last feeder (Peggy to Cap) but still two weeks from the mostly followed 4 week schedule of feeder changes.

We had an off cycle (2 week) announcement with BP.  Note that 4BP feeds 5BP, which is the blindingly obvious choice, although they could have stretched and picked an FF member since BP appeared in FF first.

We do not yet know if BP was the start of a 2 week announcement schedule or a one-off.  The past few feeders have been announced on Monday with the change occurring on the following Wednesday at data push, but obviously that could be altered.  On a two week schedule, we could see all 5’s fed within a year; otherwise it is somewhere around 2 years.

Anyway, it appears that the next essential in the rotation in large part drives who is the next feeder, based on the schedule of feeder announcements/changes.

And so:  while people keep pointing to 4SL not feeding 5SL as an example of nonsensical choices (I thought so too), it was Drax’s turn to be an essential at the time of the feeder change and the most logical - most canon appropriate - choice for him to feed is 5SL.

The question is less “who should feed this 5?” and more, “Who should this 4* feed?”

Lastly, recently the following 4’s were skipped as essentials, even though they were due to be run:  Professor X and Ghost Rider.  Ghost Rider has an obvious 5 to feed; Professor X probably has the strongest lore connection to either Phoenix or Archangel, either one could be argued successfully, although Teen Jean seems like an obvious Phoenix feeder.

Hopefully the apparent logic behind the decisions might help players understand some past feeders while allowing us to better predict future feeders.

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Comments

  • Basepuzzler
    Basepuzzler Posts: 180 Tile Toppler
    Interesting.  Is there a thread somewhere with upcoming expected 4E listed?  Have the past 4E that turned into feeders been on schedule?  Or were they also withheld then reinserted in the schedule?
  • ZeiramMR
    ZeiramMR Posts: 1,357 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited May 2018
    @bluewolf

    According to the News and Announcements forum, some of the 5* Feeder threads were created on Tuesdays. So it is not too late to rule out one for this week based on the off-cycle Black Panther (not that you had done so yet).
  • Basepuzzler
    Basepuzzler Posts: 180 Tile Toppler
    BW to BW would make sense today if any
  • HoundofShadow
    HoundofShadow Posts: 8,004 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited May 2018
    1) Did the first three feeders have a similarity? They were not featured in the upcoming pve essentials when they were announced as 5* feeders, but they had their PvPs instead.

    Characters: Date of feeding
    Vulture: 20 Nov 2017 
    Medusa: 28 Nov 2017
    Gamora: 30 Nov 2017

    2) Kingpin's PvE essential was 5 days late when he was announced as a feeder.

    3) Beginning from Sandman to Peggy Carter, all the 5* feeders had their PvE essentials 1 day after they were officially 5* feeders.

    4) 4* Feeders became regular(exactly every 4 weeks) beginning from Sandman (20 Dec 2017).

    5) Black Panther broke the pattern either due to his Blu-Ray coming out or Infinity War tie-in.

    If there's no feeder on 23 May, then I think bluewolf might be able to figure out who the 4* is on 7 June?








  • LeRoy1979
    LeRoy1979 Posts: 25 Just Dropped In
    edited May 2018
    Isn't this about the time for the obligatory post hoping that Rogue will lead to more (yet more) Gambit covers?
  • Steve111
    Steve111 Posts: 160 Tile Toppler
    I’ve been waiting forever for a Dr Strange feeder (cough Mordo)
  • kk3thess
    kk3thess Posts: 202 Tile Toppler
    LeRoy1979 said:
    Isn't this about the time for the obligatory post hoping that Rogue will lead to more (yet more) Gambit covers?
    I bet that someone like Cyke or Nightcrawler will do that instead of Rogue.
  • LifeofAgony
    LifeofAgony Posts: 690 Critical Contributor
    They also ran pvp events for the 3 initial feeders but suddenly scraped that after the initial batch.  Then it went 1 per season for a few seasons, then last one was an aberration with 2.

    Trying to pin down d3/Demi/devs to a pattern or predictable behavior is really a fools errand.  When they happen to release a new 5* feeder, great.
  • Pongie
    Pongie Posts: 1,411 Chairperson of the Boards
    OJSP said:
    I actually want IM46.. I’ll be getting a red cover in 6 days for my 5/2/5.. I’d really want to continue my streak of keeping all 5* covers I obtained from the Daily Resupply.. (not including the dupes)
    I’m in the same boat with IM46 at (5/2/3) and a dupe cover dropping in a month. Having a feeder would create another dupe and depending who is the feeder, may not get the 2nd or 3rd cover. No chance for 5th or 6th cover since none of my 4*s are that high (well Peggy and Medusa are but they feed someone else). Best case is I get 3 covers from feeder (imhb is high enough) and spend 720cp to buy the last cover to save a dupe and be ready for the dupe from resupply. 

    I was banking on ironspider being a 5* where his release store would be im46 and dr strange. These three were the ones who went to titan in the movie and would let me cover strange (only got 2 covers correctly). Okoye being a 5* was definitely a curve ball and unless they have quicken the 5* release, it does appear like ironspider will be a 4*. 
  • Daredevil217
    Daredevil217 Posts: 3,939 Chairperson of the Boards
    Let’s just do this and be done with it...

    Archangel (Classic)- Professor X/Iceman

    Black Bolt (Inhuman King)- Medusa/Lockjaw

    Black Panther (Civil War)- Black Panther/Shuri

    Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)- Black Widow/Nick Fury

    Captain America (First Avenger)- Peggy Carter/America Chavez

    Captain America (Infinity War)- Flaptain/Bucky

    Daredevil (Matt Murdock)- Kingpin/Elektra

    Doctor Octopus (Classic)- Miles/Spider-Gwen

    Doctor Strange (Sorcerer Supreme)- Mordo/Nico

    Gambit (Classic)- Rogue/Jubilee

    Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes)- Ghost Rider/Blade

    Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)- Kraven/Sandman

    Hawkeye (Clint Barton)- Kate Bishop/Mockingbird

    Iron Man (Mark XLVI)- Iron Man/War Machine (or Riri)

    Jean Grey (Phoenix)- Cyclops/Jean Grey

    Jessica Jones (Alias Investigations)- Luke Cage/Iron Fist

    Okoye (Warrior General)- ????

    Silver Surfer (Skyrider)- Captain Marvel/Nova

    Spider-Man (Back in Black)- Venom/Venom

    Spider-Man (Peter Parker)- Iron Spider/Vulture

    Star-Lord (Awesome Mix Volume 2)- Drax/Star-Lord

    Thanos (The Mad Titan)- Gamora/Grocket

    The Hulk (Bruce Banner)- TA Hulk/MEH Hulk

    Thor (Gladiator)- Thor/Valkyrie

    Wolverine (Old Man Logan)- Wolverine/X-23

  • pfarewell
    pfarewell Posts: 53 Match Maker
    Carnage would make a good feeder for doc ock
  • Bzhai
    Bzhai Posts: 488 Mover and Shaker
    Steve111 said:
    I’ve been waiting forever for a Dr Strange feeder (cough Mordo)
    I second that. His 3* should be changed to feed Mordo instead. 
  • Quebbster
    Quebbster Posts: 8,070 Chairperson of the Boards
    They also ran pvp events for the 3 initial feeders but suddenly scraped that after the initial batch.  Then it went 1 per season for a few seasons, then last one was an aberration with 2.

    Trying to pin down d3/Demi/devs to a pattern or predictable behavior is really a fools errand.  When they happen to release a new 5* feeder, great.


    Peggy also had a featured PvP when she became a feeder for CWCap.

    I Think the window for the announcement has been missed now as the new feeders usually come with the Wednesday patch, so I guess we will have to wait Another two weeks for next feeder.

  • broll
    broll Posts: 4,732 Chairperson of the Boards
    Quebbster said:
    They also ran pvp events for the 3 initial feeders but suddenly scraped that after the initial batch.  Then it went 1 per season for a few seasons, then last one was an aberration with 2.

    Trying to pin down d3/Demi/devs to a pattern or predictable behavior is really a fools errand.  When they happen to release a new 5* feeder, great.


    Peggy also had a featured PvP when she became a feeder for CWCap.

    I Think the window for the announcement has been missed now as the new feeders usually come with the Wednesday patch, so I guess we will have to wait Another two weeks for next feeder.

    It's not like them to every fail to announce something on the forums before it make it in game...right... never happened...

    Anyway we'll see,but not holding my breath.
  • huktonfonix
    huktonfonix Posts: 214 Tile Toppler
    @bluewolf
    Do you have a list of who is due up as 4* essentials?  Is this posted somewhere?  I'm very intrigued by the patterns you've observed here, and would like to use this information to make informed decisions on my 4* bonus heroes.
  • ZeiramMR
    ZeiramMR Posts: 1,357 Chairperson of the Boards
    @bluewolf
    Do you have a list of who is due up as 4* essentials?  Is this posted somewhere?  I'm very intrigued by the patterns you've observed here, and would like to use this information to make informed decisions on my 4* bonus heroes.
    If I understand your patterns correctly, it would seem that after America Chavez we would have: a character not in the latest 12 (whoever that is), and then Latest #1 (Lockjaw?). Then, we almost certainly having a new 4* character since we just had 5* Okoye (presumably Iron spider based on the HR article) and Latest #2 (Valkyrie?).
  • bluewolf
    bluewolf Posts: 5,722 Chairperson of the Boards
    Yes, that’s the prediction.
  • bluewolf
    bluewolf Posts: 5,722 Chairperson of the Boards
    edited July 2018
    Here in order (oldest ago run to newest) is a list of all the current 4's, as of 6/2/18, based on when they were last essential.

    Ghost Rider (has been skipped over)
    Professor X (has been skipped over)
    Howard the Duck (who knows if he'll ever be essential again?)
    Spider-Woman
    IMHB
    Luke Cage
    Gwenpool
    Venom
    Agent Venom
    Mr. Fantastic
    Medusa (FEEDER for Black Bolt)
    Thor
    Miles Morales
    Winter Soldier
    Blade
    Iron Fist
    Iceman
    Captain Marvel
    Riri Williams
    X-23
    Carnage
    Mordo
    Cyclops
    The Punisher
    The Thing
    Jean Grey
    Moon Knight
    Nick Fury
    Sandman (FEEDER for GG)
    Spider-Gwen
    Cloak and Dagger
    Deadpool
    Kingpin (FEEDER for 5DD)
    Rocket & Groot
    Invisible Woman
    Gamora (FEEDER for Thanos)
    Black Panther (FEEDER for 5BP)
    Kate Bishop (FEEDER for 5HE)
    War Machine
    Vulture (FEEDER for SMPP)
    Drax (FEEDER for 5SL)
    Cho Hulk
    Mockingbird
    XF Wolverine (FEEDER for OML)
    Yondu
    Quake
    ME Hulk
    Star Lord
    Peggy Carter (FEEDER for CA:FA)
    Nico
    Shuri
    Sam Wilson
    Rogue
    America Chavez
    Red Hulk
    Spider-Man (Infinity War)
    Lockjaw
    Valkyrie
    Wasp
    Wiccan
    Jubilee (FEEDS Phoenix)
    Nightcrawler
    Kraven
    Ant-Man (FEEDS Wasp)
    Nova

    Again, about once every 2-3 weeks, a Vintage will be an essential.  So keep an eye on who's skipped for an idea of who might be a feeder in the (relatively) near future.  If Iceman gets run soon, he probably won't feed anyone for quite a while.

    Edit:  I will update this list about once a week.
  • huktonfonix
    huktonfonix Posts: 214 Tile Toppler
    We should be due for an announcement today, no?
  • bluewolf
    bluewolf Posts: 5,722 Chairperson of the Boards
    We should be due for an announcement today, no?
    Probably, based on the past few, yes.