Playing from SCL 7 to SCL 9

First21

I’ve have been playing scl 7 for a long time for placement but now I am thinking of moving to 9 just for progression. How many of you are playing 9 for progression, does it take longer then 7, do you get more cps form the whole event as much as if you where to place 1 on 7 and iso and hps? I like to know befor I move up thanks

Phumade

First21 said:

I’ve have been playing scl 7 for a long time for placement but now I am thinking of moving to 9 just for progression. How many of you are playing 9 for progression, does it take longer then 7, do you get more cps form the whole event as much as if you where to place 1 on 7 and iso and hps? I like to know befor I move up thanks

Regardless of what nodes your play in scl7,  the same amount of nodes will take about 10-15m longer and it will cost 3-5 more hps on avg.

TPF Alexis

OJSP said:

Phumade said:

Regardless of what nodes your play in scl7,  the same amount of nodes will take about 10-15m longer and it will cost 3-5 more hps on avg.

Does it not depend on their roster?

Yeah, there are definitely rosters (early 4* transitioners, for instance) that can handle SCL7, but will have real trouble in SCL9. Even being solidly in 4* land, if I try SCL9 on a week with a bad boost list, it can end up taking twice as long as SCL7 would.

Phumade

OJSP said:

Phumade said:

Regardless of what nodes your play in scl7,  the same amount of nodes will take about 10-15m longer and it will cost 3-5 more hps on avg.

Does it not depend on their roster?

not really,  I'm sure you can nit pick some edge case to make your point, but in general.  If you only do 4x at scl7,  doing the same 4x at scl9 will take about 10-15m extra and cost 1-2 extra hps.

The difference is effectively 2 extra levels of enemy health.

shardwick

I think you should try cl8 first and if that's not a problem for you then try cl9.

broll

It really depends. I only do SCL9 when I have the 5E champed or at least to ~350. I find the difference between 8 & 9 is pretty big in those cases 20-40 minutes. Outside that with my roster (all champed 5*s low level 450-460). It takes 10-20 extra and is worth it for getting the 4* even if you only make T50. I wouldn’t recommend going up there at all if you have no 5*s champed. 

Rod5

To be honest, there’s a super easy way to find out...try an event. Make sure the boost list is reasonable for you and have a go.

It will be much more of a challenge no doubt, and likely take a bit longer but it’s also more rewarding than just steamrolling CL7.

It depends how much time you want to spend also, some people want to minimise PvE time, others are more motivated by rewards.

Find your balance, the best way to find out if it’s doable is to just have a go.

Dogface

For me it's purely time invested vs reward. I could manage SCL 8 and perhaps 9, but the extra time it would take vs the rewards i would get isn't worth it imo. 

Borstock

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

TPF Alexis

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Pants1000

Give it a try!  You can always switch back the next event if you don’t like it.

It will depend on your roster, your expectations, and the boosted list.  Also some 5* essential nodes are nasty (ex. Inhumans) and you may not be able to do full clears, while others are easy with a decent team.

AardvarkPepper

TPF Alexis said:

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Stage 1:  Player in 2*-3* transition gets Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, then can handle non-character goons and strike/protect/attack tile generators at PvE SCL 7 (the minimum SCL to get 4* covers as a progression reward).  Takes time to clear.  Time improved with particular 3*s, e.g. Scarlet Witch, Iron Fist, Kamala Khan, but the damage doesn't scale out of 3*.  Player may also play PvE SCL 4-6 for the 3* cover, as they may not be able to accommodate assorted 4*s, but do best to play SCL 7 when a good 4* is the rewards.  I'd say PvE SCL 7 takes around 3-4 hours daily depending on the particular event (for both slice open and close).  In particular, events like Danger Room (is that the name?  I forget - anyways stuff that doesn't have non-character enemies usually requires different setups and takes longer).

Stage 1.5:  (Theoretical only) I think boosted 3*s have a boost in effective hit points and something on the order of a 30% damage boost?  I forget, but the math should be done if anyone wants to make a serious study of timing.  At any rate, IN MY OPINION the damage boost from boosted 3*s is not sufficient to really cut times in PvE significantly, because by the time a player has a diversified 3* roster that can meaningfully benefit from both boosts and synergy (which WOULD cut times), by that time a player's already in the 3*-4* transition and benefiting from 4* characters.  In other words, I don't think there really is a Stage 1.5 except for players that generally don't play events (i.e. getting mostly 3* covers from Deadpool Daily Quest so getting a disproportionate number of 3*s compared to 4*s) - and since such players wouldn't worry about clear times anyways, that means - in my opinion there IS no Stage 1.5.

Stage 2:  Player in 3*-4* transition (not necessarily having collected all the 3*s) gets 4* Rocket and Groot, Medusa.  Now 3* Strange's yellow is boosted in strength effectively because of Strike tiles.  Medusa punishes strike/protect/attack tile generators even more than 3* Hawkeye.  I'd say times are cut from around 3-4 hours to 2-3 hours, with again time slightly improving with a few additional key 4*s.

Stage 2.5:  Player in 3*-4* transition builds up a diverse 4* roster and gets to the point that they can decide whether to push particular characters to 270 rather than 209.  (209 being what's needed for best rewards with SHIELD training events, and also sufficient to doing Deadpool Daily Crash of the Titans, at least usually anyways).  If I remember right, the difference between level 209 and 270 without boosts is on the order of 30% hit points and damage, but if boosted, the 270 ends up with 100% more hit points and damage.  Or something like that.  So at the point that a player has multiple 4* champions and can field them in synergistic teams, then there is some time improvement

Stage 3:  Players with fully covered 5*s, preferably synergistic.  Well 5*s have 5* tier damage so . . . yeah, times get cut even more..

If a poll were set up - well, there's different players with different play styles (some more relaxed, some less so), various rosters (some only have a few 3*s championed or others only a few 4*s championed but it makes a big difference if you have 3* Iron Man / 3* Strange championed as opposed to 3* Punisher and 3* Psylocke).  Then there's differences between events, like "Welcome to Earth" vs "Danger Room" vs other stuff.

AardvarkPepper

First21 said:

I’ve have been playing scl 7 for a long time for placement but now I am thinking of moving to 9 just for progression. How many of you are playing 9 for progression, does it take longer then 7, do you get more cps form the whole event as much as if you where to place 1 on 7 and iso and hps? I like to know befor I move up thanks

If you're placing #1 in PvE SCL 7, I read that as you have a developed 5* roster and do optimal clears.

If you were going for top 50 in PvE SCL 7 with a 3*-4* roster, then SCL 9 would take a lot longer.  Multiple sessions, 5-6 hours or more.  With a developed 5* roster though?  I'd guess a single session (close/open of slice) and not more than 3.5 hours.  Very possibly less.

As to iso and HP - the general deal is, SCL 4 is where you start getting 3* covers, SCL 7 where you start getting 4* covers, each SCL offers better iso rewards than the level before it, and more CP as well.

As I see it, if the OP goes from SCL 7 to SCL 9 he'll maybe earn a few less Elite tokens and a bit less HP, but will get more CP.  And since I'm guessing a player with a developed 5* roster isn't hurting for HP, and won't care too much for a couple Elite tokens, the CP difference is where it's at.

Waddles_Pines

Pants1000 said:

Give it a try!  You can always switch back the next event if you don’t like it.

It will depend on your roster, your expectations, and the boosted list.  Also some 5* essential nodes are nasty (ex. Inhumans) and you may not be able to do full clears, while others are easy with a decent team.

The next event is 7 days long, so you might want to wait until the next 3 day event so you're not stuck for a full week...

TPF Alexis

AardvarkPepper said:

TPF Alexis said:

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Stage 1:  Player in 2*-3* transition gets Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, then can handle non-character goons and strike/protect/attack tile generators at PvE SCL 7 (the minimum SCL to get 4* covers as a progression reward).  Takes time to clear.  Time improved with particular 3*s, e.g. Scarlet Witch, Iron Fist, Kamala Khan, but the damage doesn't scale out of 3*.  Player may also play PvE SCL 4-6 for the 3* cover, as they may not be able to accommodate assorted 4*s, but do best to play SCL 7 when a good 4* is the rewards.  I'd say PvE SCL 7 takes around 3-4 hours daily depending on the particular event (for both slice open and close).  In particular, events like Danger Room (is that the name?  I forget - anyways stuff that doesn't have non-character enemies usually requires different setups and takes longer).

Stage 1.5:  (Theoretical only) I think boosted 3*s have a boost in effective hit points and something on the order of a 30% damage boost?  I forget, but the math should be done if anyone wants to make a serious study of timing.  At any rate, IN MY OPINION the damage boost from boosted 3*s is not sufficient to really cut times in PvE significantly, because by the time a player has a diversified 3* roster that can meaningfully benefit from both boosts and synergy (which WOULD cut times), by that time a player's already in the 3*-4* transition and benefiting from 4* characters.  In other words, I don't think there really is a Stage 1.5 except for players that generally don't play events (i.e. getting mostly 3* covers from Deadpool Daily Quest so getting a disproportionate number of 3*s compared to 4*s) - and since such players wouldn't worry about clear times anyways, that means - in my opinion there IS no Stage 1.5.

Stage 2:  Player in 3*-4* transition (not necessarily having collected all the 3*s) gets 4* Rocket and Groot, Medusa.  Now 3* Strange's yellow is boosted in strength effectively because of Strike tiles.  Medusa punishes strike/protect/attack tile generators even more than 3* Hawkeye.  I'd say times are cut from around 3-4 hours to 2-3 hours, with again time slightly improving with a few additional key 4*s.

Stage 2.5:  Player in 3*-4* transition builds up a diverse 4* roster and gets to the point that they can decide whether to push particular characters to 270 rather than 209.  (209 being what's needed for best rewards with SHIELD training events, and also sufficient to doing Deadpool Daily Crash of the Titans, at least usually anyways).  If I remember right, the difference between level 209 and 270 without boosts is on the order of 30% hit points and damage, but if boosted, the 270 ends up with 100% more hit points and damage.  Or something like that.  So at the point that a player has multiple 4* champions and can field them in synergistic teams, then there is some time improvement

Stage 3:  Players with fully covered 5*s, preferably synergistic.  Well 5*s have 5* tier damage so . . . yeah, times get cut even more..

If a poll were set up - well, there's different players with different play styles (some more relaxed, some less so), various rosters (some only have a few 3*s championed or others only a few 4*s championed but it makes a big difference if you have 3* Iron Man / 3* Strange championed as opposed to 3* Punisher and 3* Psylocke).  Then there's differences between events, like "Welcome to Earth" vs "Danger Room" vs other stuff.

Thanks, but I was actually referring to more or less just within the 4* and 5* tier. Are there newer combos that are always better, or is the old saw that you should always just go for the boosted characters still true*? Just how much of a difference does Thano5 and the willingness to feed his teammates health packs make? That sort of thing. I'll try to remember do a more thorough write-up of all the aspects I can recall wondering about at some point here.

*This was actually the specific point that brought it to mind right now, since I blew through Savage Land using Grockitty in half the time, and with a quarter of the health packs, as it took me to do Florida using 4* boosted to almost a hundred levels higher than I have them at.

Daredevil217

TPF Alexis said:

AardvarkPepper said:

TPF Alexis said:

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Stage 1:  Player in 2*-3* transition gets Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, then can handle non-character goons and strike/protect/attack tile generators at PvE SCL 7 (the minimum SCL to get 4* covers as a progression reward).  Takes time to clear.  Time improved with particular 3*s, e.g. Scarlet Witch, Iron Fist, Kamala Khan, but the damage doesn't scale out of 3*.  Player may also play PvE SCL 4-6 for the 3* cover, as they may not be able to accommodate assorted 4*s, but do best to play SCL 7 when a good 4* is the rewards.  I'd say PvE SCL 7 takes around 3-4 hours daily depending on the particular event (for both slice open and close).  In particular, events like Danger Room (is that the name?  I forget - anyways stuff that doesn't have non-character enemies usually requires different setups and takes longer).

Stage 1.5:  (Theoretical only) I think boosted 3*s have a boost in effective hit points and something on the order of a 30% damage boost?  I forget, but the math should be done if anyone wants to make a serious study of timing.  At any rate, IN MY OPINION the damage boost from boosted 3*s is not sufficient to really cut times in PvE significantly, because by the time a player has a diversified 3* roster that can meaningfully benefit from both boosts and synergy (which WOULD cut times), by that time a player's already in the 3*-4* transition and benefiting from 4* characters.  In other words, I don't think there really is a Stage 1.5 except for players that generally don't play events (i.e. getting mostly 3* covers from Deadpool Daily Quest so getting a disproportionate number of 3*s compared to 4*s) - and since such players wouldn't worry about clear times anyways, that means - in my opinion there IS no Stage 1.5.

Stage 2:  Player in 3*-4* transition (not necessarily having collected all the 3*s) gets 4* Rocket and Groot, Medusa.  Now 3* Strange's yellow is boosted in strength effectively because of Strike tiles.  Medusa punishes strike/protect/attack tile generators even more than 3* Hawkeye.  I'd say times are cut from around 3-4 hours to 2-3 hours, with again time slightly improving with a few additional key 4*s.

Stage 2.5:  Player in 3*-4* transition builds up a diverse 4* roster and gets to the point that they can decide whether to push particular characters to 270 rather than 209.  (209 being what's needed for best rewards with SHIELD training events, and also sufficient to doing Deadpool Daily Crash of the Titans, at least usually anyways).  If I remember right, the difference between level 209 and 270 without boosts is on the order of 30% hit points and damage, but if boosted, the 270 ends up with 100% more hit points and damage.  Or something like that.  So at the point that a player has multiple 4* champions and can field them in synergistic teams, then there is some time improvement

Stage 3:  Players with fully covered 5*s, preferably synergistic.  Well 5*s have 5* tier damage so . . . yeah, times get cut even more..

If a poll were set up - well, there's different players with different play styles (some more relaxed, some less so), various rosters (some only have a few 3*s championed or others only a few 4*s championed but it makes a big difference if you have 3* Iron Man / 3* Strange championed as opposed to 3* Punisher and 3* Psylocke).  Then there's differences between events, like "Welcome to Earth" vs "Danger Room" vs other stuff.

Thanks, but I was actually referring to more or less just within the 4* and 5* tier. Are there newer combos that are always better, or is the old saw that you should always just go for the boosted characters still true*? Just how much of a difference does Thano5 and the willingness to feed his teammates health packs make? That sort of thing. I'll try to remember do a more thorough write-up of all the aspects I can recall wondering about at some point here.

*This was actually the specific point that brought it to mind right now, since I blew through Savage Land using Grockitty in half the time, and with a quarter of the health packs, as it took me to do Florida using 4* boosted to almost a hundred levels higher than I have them at.

Dang. What levels are your Grocket and Kitty at?

TPF Alexis

Daredevil217 said:

TPF Alexis said:

AardvarkPepper said:

TPF Alexis said:

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Stage 1:  Player in 2*-3* transition gets Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, then can handle non-character goons and strike/protect/attack tile generators at PvE SCL 7 (the minimum SCL to get 4* covers as a progression reward).  Takes time to clear.  Time improved with particular 3*s, e.g. Scarlet Witch, Iron Fist, Kamala Khan, but the damage doesn't scale out of 3*.  Player may also play PvE SCL 4-6 for the 3* cover, as they may not be able to accommodate assorted 4*s, but do best to play SCL 7 when a good 4* is the rewards.  I'd say PvE SCL 7 takes around 3-4 hours daily depending on the particular event (for both slice open and close).  In particular, events like Danger Room (is that the name?  I forget - anyways stuff that doesn't have non-character enemies usually requires different setups and takes longer).

Stage 1.5:  (Theoretical only) I think boosted 3*s have a boost in effective hit points and something on the order of a 30% damage boost?  I forget, but the math should be done if anyone wants to make a serious study of timing.  At any rate, IN MY OPINION the damage boost from boosted 3*s is not sufficient to really cut times in PvE significantly, because by the time a player has a diversified 3* roster that can meaningfully benefit from both boosts and synergy (which WOULD cut times), by that time a player's already in the 3*-4* transition and benefiting from 4* characters.  In other words, I don't think there really is a Stage 1.5 except for players that generally don't play events (i.e. getting mostly 3* covers from Deadpool Daily Quest so getting a disproportionate number of 3*s compared to 4*s) - and since such players wouldn't worry about clear times anyways, that means - in my opinion there IS no Stage 1.5.

Stage 2:  Player in 3*-4* transition (not necessarily having collected all the 3*s) gets 4* Rocket and Groot, Medusa.  Now 3* Strange's yellow is boosted in strength effectively because of Strike tiles.  Medusa punishes strike/protect/attack tile generators even more than 3* Hawkeye.  I'd say times are cut from around 3-4 hours to 2-3 hours, with again time slightly improving with a few additional key 4*s.

Stage 2.5:  Player in 3*-4* transition builds up a diverse 4* roster and gets to the point that they can decide whether to push particular characters to 270 rather than 209.  (209 being what's needed for best rewards with SHIELD training events, and also sufficient to doing Deadpool Daily Crash of the Titans, at least usually anyways).  If I remember right, the difference between level 209 and 270 without boosts is on the order of 30% hit points and damage, but if boosted, the 270 ends up with 100% more hit points and damage.  Or something like that.  So at the point that a player has multiple 4* champions and can field them in synergistic teams, then there is some time improvement

Stage 3:  Players with fully covered 5*s, preferably synergistic.  Well 5*s have 5* tier damage so . . . yeah, times get cut even more..

If a poll were set up - well, there's different players with different play styles (some more relaxed, some less so), various rosters (some only have a few 3*s championed or others only a few 4*s championed but it makes a big difference if you have 3* Iron Man / 3* Strange championed as opposed to 3* Punisher and 3* Psylocke).  Then there's differences between events, like "Welcome to Earth" vs "Danger Room" vs other stuff.

Thanks, but I was actually referring to more or less just within the 4* and 5* tier. Are there newer combos that are always better, or is the old saw that you should always just go for the boosted characters still true*? Just how much of a difference does Thano5 and the willingness to feed his teammates health packs make? That sort of thing. I'll try to remember do a more thorough write-up of all the aspects I can recall wondering about at some point here.

*This was actually the specific point that brought it to mind right now, since I blew through Savage Land using Grockitty in half the time, and with a quarter of the health packs, as it took me to do Florida using 4* boosted to almost a hundred levels higher than I have them at.

Dang. What levels are your Grocket and Kitty at?

Kitty's at 290, 3/5/4. Grocket at 283 with a level 100 2* Milano Support. I tried various combinations of Ghost Rider (383), Fury (384), and Invisible Woman (276) (along with boosted max-champed Strange on the appropriate nodes). I know none of those are top tier 4*, but it really feels like with ~100 extra levels each, they should be doing at least as well, and probably better. IDK what's going on there.

Rod5

AardvarkPepper said

If you were going for top 50 in PvE SCL 7 with a 3*-4* roster, then SCL 9 would take a lot longer.  Multiple sessions, 5-6 hours or more.  With a developed 5* roster though?  I'd guess a single session (close/open of slice) and not more than 3.5 hours.  Very possibly less.

5-6 hours per day...yuck - I’d like to think that no-one would actually do that.

Depending on the event/sub/mood I’m in I’ll take anywhere up to 1.5 hours to grind/clear in front of the TV. Many folk in my alliance do both in under an hour. 

Big 5* Thanos with a lvl 370 Grocket, as well as having most/all of the 5E champed makes a very big difference.

sambrookjm

TPF Alexis said:

OJSP said:

Phumade said:

Regardless of what nodes your play in scl7,  the same amount of nodes will take about 10-15m longer and it will cost 3-5 more hps on avg.

Does it not depend on their roster?

Yeah, there are definitely rosters (early 4* transitioners, for instance) that can handle SCL7, but will have real trouble in SCL9. Even being solidly in 4* land, if I try SCL9 on a week with a bad boost list, it can end up taking twice as long as SCL7 would.

In SCL8, even a highly boosted 3-star can make a difference.  My son usually does SCL7, as he's in the early 4-star category.  However, 3-star Strange was boosted, and that's easily his highest 3-star.  He entered SCL8 this last time, and did surprisingly well.  His 5-star Thor is a 0/2/2, so he doesn't get to hear any Zeppelin while playing either.

Waddles_Pines and wait until a 3-day event before you try SCL9, with the caveat that you don't want to experiment with Deadpool vs MPQ either.  Almost every node has a tile mover, (they make life far more difficult when you get to that high of a level) and has two absolutely brutal five-star nodes.

Rod5

sambrookjm said :

Waddles_Pines and wait until a 3-day event before you try SCL9, with the caveat that you don't want to experiment with Deadpool vs MPQ either.  Almost every node has a tile mover, (they make life far more difficult when you get to that high of a level) and has two absolutely brutal five-star nodes.

True dat. Hearts of Darkness has a pretty nasty one too, barely doable without having the 5E champed, and some horrible waves. 

Daredevil217

TPF Alexis said:

Daredevil217 said:

TPF Alexis said:

AardvarkPepper said:

TPF Alexis said:

Borstock said:

Only takes me an extra 15 minutes or so, but I have Thorkoye. Easy clears. 

I've actually been wondering a lot lately about just how much impact roster strength has on the various numbers that get tossed around as clear times, and some of the associated truisms. I should maybe set up a poll or something.

Stage 1:  Player in 2*-3* transition gets Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hawkeye, then can handle non-character goons and strike/protect/attack tile generators at PvE SCL 7 (the minimum SCL to get 4* covers as a progression reward).  Takes time to clear.  Time improved with particular 3*s, e.g. Scarlet Witch, Iron Fist, Kamala Khan, but the damage doesn't scale out of 3*.  Player may also play PvE SCL 4-6 for the 3* cover, as they may not be able to accommodate assorted 4*s, but do best to play SCL 7 when a good 4* is the rewards.  I'd say PvE SCL 7 takes around 3-4 hours daily depending on the particular event (for both slice open and close).  In particular, events like Danger Room (is that the name?  I forget - anyways stuff that doesn't have non-character enemies usually requires different setups and takes longer).

Stage 1.5:  (Theoretical only) I think boosted 3*s have a boost in effective hit points and something on the order of a 30% damage boost?  I forget, but the math should be done if anyone wants to make a serious study of timing.  At any rate, IN MY OPINION the damage boost from boosted 3*s is not sufficient to really cut times in PvE significantly, because by the time a player has a diversified 3* roster that can meaningfully benefit from both boosts and synergy (which WOULD cut times), by that time a player's already in the 3*-4* transition and benefiting from 4* characters.  In other words, I don't think there really is a Stage 1.5 except for players that generally don't play events (i.e. getting mostly 3* covers from Deadpool Daily Quest so getting a disproportionate number of 3*s compared to 4*s) - and since such players wouldn't worry about clear times anyways, that means - in my opinion there IS no Stage 1.5.

Stage 2:  Player in 3*-4* transition (not necessarily having collected all the 3*s) gets 4* Rocket and Groot, Medusa.  Now 3* Strange's yellow is boosted in strength effectively because of Strike tiles.  Medusa punishes strike/protect/attack tile generators even more than 3* Hawkeye.  I'd say times are cut from around 3-4 hours to 2-3 hours, with again time slightly improving with a few additional key 4*s.

Stage 2.5:  Player in 3*-4* transition builds up a diverse 4* roster and gets to the point that they can decide whether to push particular characters to 270 rather than 209.  (209 being what's needed for best rewards with SHIELD training events, and also sufficient to doing Deadpool Daily Crash of the Titans, at least usually anyways).  If I remember right, the difference between level 209 and 270 without boosts is on the order of 30% hit points and damage, but if boosted, the 270 ends up with 100% more hit points and damage.  Or something like that.  So at the point that a player has multiple 4* champions and can field them in synergistic teams, then there is some time improvement

Stage 3:  Players with fully covered 5*s, preferably synergistic.  Well 5*s have 5* tier damage so . . . yeah, times get cut even more..

If a poll were set up - well, there's different players with different play styles (some more relaxed, some less so), various rosters (some only have a few 3*s championed or others only a few 4*s championed but it makes a big difference if you have 3* Iron Man / 3* Strange championed as opposed to 3* Punisher and 3* Psylocke).  Then there's differences between events, like "Welcome to Earth" vs "Danger Room" vs other stuff.

Thanks, but I was actually referring to more or less just within the 4* and 5* tier. Are there newer combos that are always better, or is the old saw that you should always just go for the boosted characters still true*? Just how much of a difference does Thano5 and the willingness to feed his teammates health packs make? That sort of thing. I'll try to remember do a more thorough write-up of all the aspects I can recall wondering about at some point here.

*This was actually the specific point that brought it to mind right now, since I blew through Savage Land using Grockitty in half the time, and with a quarter of the health packs, as it took me to do Florida using 4* boosted to almost a hundred levels higher than I have them at.

Dang. What levels are your Grocket and Kitty at?

Kitty's at 290, 3/5/4. Grocket at 283 with a level 100 2* Milano Support. I tried various combinations of Ghost Rider (383), Fury (384), and Invisible Woman (276) (along with boosted max-champed Strange on the appropriate nodes). I know none of those are top tier 4*, but it really feels like with ~100 extra levels each, they should be doing at least as well, and probably better. IDK what's going on there.

Yeah it’s a really bad boost week unfortunately. Against goons, I too was rocking Grocket (mine is 303) and Kitty (4/4/2 level 320). 

But against tile movers-  which there are plenty this PVE- I can’t trust the strikes not to fall prey to bad cascades and get matched away. I used 1/2Thor (5/5/3 level 255) to fuel the otherwise slow Ghost Rider and Fury (when I can). Even lower tier/slower characters are made much much better with Thorbattery, but I understand that’s a rare thing for a 4* player to have at their disposal.