Marvel Puzzle Quest

[Julio Riddols]

Oh, I see.. I can use either CP or covers to improve 3* and up. I thought I needed both for some reason. That's good. Here in a couple weeks I think I will feel worthy of joining an alliance.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

Oh, I see.. I can use either CP or covers to improve 3* and up. I thought I needed both for some reason. That's good. Here in a couple weeks I think I will feel worthy of joining an alliance.

Correct. The use of CP to add covers is analogous to how you used to be able to use Hero Points to do the same. Both are a "whale" function; it's just that you can't directly buy the CP you need to do that - at least not as 'cheaply' as you used to be able to buy 2500 coins to add a cover to a 4*.

It's a thing you can do if you're in a hurry to get a character up to full strength, but I generally do not recommend that.

The sooner you join an alliance, the better for your resource amalgamation. You'll get a daily ISO bonus (TROUT averages about 1200-1300, SQUID I run a tight enough ship that it's around 1800-1900) and, whenever anybody in the alliance spends $19.99 or more on a purchase (or buys/renews VIP), you'll get 1 CP just for being in the same alliance as them. It's not a gamechanger, but it's nice to have.

Also, alliance mates can send you teamups so you aren't just reliant on the teamups you earn from PVE/PVP.

[Toddzilla]

I joined a cash-club alliance for a weekend a few months ago. Everyone in was required to spend $20 or more that weekend so everyone would get a big boost of CP, then you leave and go back to your regular alliance. Some folks spent more and I think I cleared 55 CP that weekend. You can find them via reddit or the d3 boards.

[General Mike]

My 3* roster is really starting to come together, and they are actually getting to the point that they are useful. A handful are in that 8/9 cover, level 100-115ish range. Should I hold their level there, until they are really ready to be championed to keep from scaling issues?

[SackAttack]

Civil War tomorrow, peeps. Which side are we rocking? I vote Team Iron Man, and the (limited) discussion in alliance chat has leaned the same way.

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Civil War tomorrow, peeps. Which side are we rocking? I vote Team Iron Man, and the (limited) discussion in alliance chat has leaned the same way.

I'm good with Iron Man.

[ntndeacon]

As I said in the alliance, I'm down with both. If we are leaning Iron Man Let's go! (We did go with Cap last time so there will be fun going with the other this time! )

[Umbrella]

I'm good with either, so IM it is.

[General Mike]

I didn't mind either way cause I could use either sets of covers, but looks like it's iron man

[SackAttack]

FYI, folks, the way "Strange Sights" is set up, because there are branching paths, you'll get alliance rewards for all three subs each of the three days of the event.

It's basically my favorite event for that reason, because it just RAINS tokens.

The first time it ran, I want to say I wound up with my 3* Doctor Strange half-covered just from the Strange Sights tokens earned through my play and alliance finish. That's not going to happen with Mordo, because there's only one Mordo cover per vault, but it's still one of the more generous events as tokens go.

[Umbrella]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

FYI, folks, the way "Strange Sights" is set up, because there are branching paths, you'll get alliance rewards for all three subs each of the three days of the event.

It's basically my favorite event for that reason, because it just RAINS tokens.

The first time it ran, I want to say I wound up with my 3* Doctor Strange half-covered just from the Strange Sights tokens earned through my play and alliance finish. That's not going to happen with Mordo, because there's only one Mordo cover per vault, but it's still one of the more generous events as tokens go.

I didn't notice at first, so maybe you all are more observant than me, but the really big button on the top is another thing you can play. The dude is pretty tough since the only way you can deal damage is matching his strike tiles.

[General Mike]

I'm in a weird spot where I don't know who to roster next. Have a Spider-Woman, XForce Deadpool and Hulkbuster Iron Man waiting in my queue plus Mordo soon. Have enough HP to roster one now, but does it matter what order I go in?

[Umbrella]

Originally Posted by General Mike

I'm in a weird spot where I don't know who to roster next. Have a Spider-Woman, XForce Deadpool and Hulkbuster Iron Man waiting in my queue plus Mordo soon. Have enough HP to roster one now, but does it matter what order I go in?

I don't have a ton of covers for those. I have black and purple for Spider Woman, Red and Purple for Deadpool, and all three colors for Iron Man. Of these limited experiences, I like Spider Woman the best. Her black color can extend the game for a bit, while her purple gives you options depending on your opponents. I can never seem to get Deadpool's purple to match, so you are at the mercy of the board. His red is nice though. My red for Iron Man isn't high enough yet to be useful as my other players reds are, his black self damages, which I hate, and his blue is kind of a niche power. Granted, that niche is very useful against people like Daken.

But as I said, my covers aren't real high, so take this with a grain of salt.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by Umbrella

I didn't notice at first, so maybe you all are more observant than me, but the really big button on the top is another thing you can play. The dude is pretty tough since the only way you can deal damage is matching his strike tiles.

do you have to match, or can you just clear them off the board with someone like Storm and it still counts?

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by General Mike

I'm in a weird spot where I don't know who to roster next. Have a Spider-Woman, XForce Deadpool and Hulkbuster Iron Man waiting in my queue plus Mordo soon. Have enough HP to roster one now, but does it matter what order I go in?

Mainly it matters in terms of which cover expires first.

Spider-Woman is a good character, but she needs more than one cover to be useful.

Deadpool is one of my favorites. He's not as inside-jokey as his 3* variant, but so so useful. I love his red at 5 covers because he can soak up some damage and then heal right back up. And when he's boosted? Oh man. Oh man.

Hulkbuster is phenomenally fun as well; his black self-damages, yes, but it's a red battery (which you might find useful) and he can be a bit of a meat shield. His blue turns green tiles on the board red and plops some protect tiles, and his red is punchy fun.

If they're all pretty close to one another in terms of expiration I'd probably flip a coin between Deadpool and Hulkbuster, but that's me.

Originally Posted by General Mike

do you have to match, or can you just clear them off the board with someone like Storm and it still counts?

Gotta be matched. Destroying them doesn't work. So someone like Quicksilver who can manipulate the board into matches? Useful. Someone like Scarlet Witch who can shake the board with her passive? Useful, but less so since it isn't as predictable. Someone like Wolverine who can create purple strike tiles? If the board is heavy in purple and you can match them right off, that's useful.

People like Jean Grey, 3* Cap, or Loki, who overwrite or steal tiles? Less useful. Of the three, Loki probably has the MOST utility because he could, in theory, gin you up some protect tiles, but Kaecilius' match damage is high enough that Loki may or may not still be around by the time his black would be ready for use.

Umbrella - other thing to be aware of is that if you win the fight in a sub that pulls you back to where you can fight Kaecilius, don't freak out - the sub is still there so you can do your clears. The game doesn't do a good job of telling you that. You just have to back out of the main hub after you beat Kaecilius and you'll see the sub still there for play.

[ntndeacon]

I've just got to the place that I'm recruiting 4*. I've only 8 so far. And only XForce Wolverine has more than 3 covers.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by ntndeacon

I've just got to the place that I'm recruiting 4*. I've only 8 so far. And only XForce Wolverine has more than 3 covers.

I spent 2 1/2 years with only 7 characters having more than 7. That number has exploded in the last six months. This is the best time in the game's history to be recruiting 4*.

[ntndeacon]

plus I have 3 awaiting enough hp .
Spiderwoman purple
Riri red
X23 red
Hopefully ill add a mordo soon

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Mainly it matters in terms of which cover expires first.

Spider-Woman is a good character, but she needs more than one cover to be useful.

Deadpool is one of my favorites. He's not as inside-jokey as his 3* variant, but so so useful. I love his red at 5 covers because he can soak up some damage and then heal right back up. And when he's boosted? Oh man. Oh man.

Hulkbuster is phenomenally fun as well; his black self-damages, yes, but it's a red battery (which you might find useful) and he can be a bit of a meat shield. His blue turns green tiles on the board red and plops some protect tiles, and his red is punchy fun.

If they're all pretty close to one another in terms of expiration I'd probably flip a coin between Deadpool and Hulkbuster, but that's me.

JessicaDrew is 8 and a half days, Hulkbuster is 9 and a half, Deadpool is 13 days from expiring. I'll probably just wait til I'm closer to the first 2 expiring and see where I'm at with hero points, since I'll probably add another 4* cover to unlock with the weekend event.

[SackAttack]

Solid plan.

I got my 2nd Mordo cover from Strange Sights tonight (on top of the one cover I got for placement in Unstable ISO-8). The first one, I spent 1000 HP on a 5x pull from the Agamotto vault and it came up. Second one was the Watoomb vault, and the only pull from that was the token for defeating the final node in the Watoomb sub.

So he's got three covers now, and a fourth coming probably later Wednesday from progression. That's the fastest I'll have ever gotten to 4 covers on a new release 4*.

[Umbrella]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Umbrella - other thing to be aware of is that if you win the fight in a sub that pulls you back to where you can fight Kaecilius, don't freak out - the sub is still there so you can do your clears. The game doesn't do a good job of telling you that. You just have to back out of the main hub after you beat Kaecilius and you'll see the sub still there for play.

I found that my team of 3* Captain America (high HP, shields), Hulk (high HP, board shakeup ability), and 3* Storm (massive shakeup) worked pretty good for taking care of him.

[SackAttack]

Yeah, if shake lines up the board so you can match off his strike tiles, that's useful. Problem is, if Storm destroys the strikes through her shake, you don't get any benefit. So that's going to be a volatile team against him.

Fortunately you only have to fight him 3x total during the event instead of 5-6x every 8 hours as with Civil War.

[SirFozzie]

Useful characters:

4* Elektra's Purple (Double-Double Cross (takes away one of his big strikes, gives you two small purple strikes to match away)

3* Wolvie (two create strike abilities for opponent)

4* Scarlet Witch (Her Blue, combined with Elektra's purple above? Say hello to purple Match-a-mania!)

[General Mike]

Valentine's Day bonus helped. Pushed Storm3 and BlackPanth3r closer to champion level. Soon my friends.

[Swaggs]

Mini-rant: Sometimes I think the game is purposely messing with me when I get 4* covers. I currently have:

Cyclops (5 (red)/4/2) - This is the biggest offender -- I think I have probably gotten 4-5 red covers since I hit five.
Elektra (5 (pink)/4/2) -- Ditto with the pinks.

Starlord (5/5/1) has been a lesser offender, but I haven't gotten quite as many. It doesn't help that it seems like the 3* rewards seem to always match up with the covers that I always have five of already.

At least my Professor X is 4/4/4 right now. He's a rockstar with GS Black Widow and Scarlett Witch.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Mini-rant: Sometimes I think the game is purposely messing with me when I get 4* covers. I currently have:

Cyclops (5 (red)/4/2) - This is the biggest offender -- I think I have probably gotten 4-5 red covers since I hit five.
Elektra (5 (pink)/4/2) -- Ditto with the pinks.

Starlord (5/5/1) has been a lesser offender, but I haven't gotten quite as many. It doesn't help that it seems like the 3* rewards seem to always match up with the covers that I always have five of already.

At least my Professor X is 4/4/4 right now. He's a rockstar with GS Black Widow and Scarlett Witch.

I've got a few cats like that.

I've lost count of how many pinks my Professor X has gotten. He's 5/5/0 right now. I have literally never pulled a yellow for him. I've pulled three blues, gotten two from other sources, and every other Professor X cover I've ever seen has been pink.

I pulled a yellow Quake today (she's 2/5/1, so I couldn't use it), and the free Cyclops red was unusable (5/2/3). Iceman FINALLY got his first green a few weeks ago after 7 or so blues and 4 pinks.

[Umbrella]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Mini-rant: Sometimes I think the game is purposely messing with me when I get 4* covers. I currently have:

Cyclops (5 (red)/4/2) - This is the biggest offender -- I think I have probably gotten 4-5 red covers since I hit five.
Elektra (5 (pink)/4/2) -- Ditto with the pinks.

Starlord (5/5/1) has been a lesser offender, but I haven't gotten quite as many. It doesn't help that it seems like the 3* rewards seem to always match up with the covers that I always have five of already.

At least my Professor X is 4/4/4 right now. He's a rockstar with GS Black Widow and Scarlett Witch.

It must by a Cyclops thing. I am currently 5/0/0 with him. Yep, 5 reds, no other covers.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

I've got a few cats like that.

I've lost count of how many pinks my Professor X has gotten. He's 5/5/0 right now. I have literally never pulled a yellow for him. I've pulled three blues, gotten two from other sources, and every other Professor X cover I've ever seen has been pink.

I pulled a yellow Quake today (she's 2/5/1, so I couldn't use it), and the free Cyclops red was unusable (5/2/3). Iceman FINALLY got his first green a few weeks ago after 7 or so blues and 4 pinks.

Same. Got 7 covers for 3*s that I can't use right now.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by General Mike

Same. Got 7 covers for 3*s that I can't use right now.

That's marginally less annoying because alliance rewards yield elite tokens most days, and you're guaranteed a shot at a cover for the 3* you have once every 42 days.

4* covers for a specific character can take aaaaaaaaaaaages to come around again!

[SackAttack]

Just looked at DDQ. What in the actual fuck?

[SirFozzie]

it may be because I'm tired, weird, in pain, on pain killers or some combination of all four, but I like the phrase what in the actual fuck? I know it's a variant of what the fuck.. but is there a what in the the theoretical fuck?

[General Mike]

tapped out on the gauntlet. Didn't get very far either.

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by General Mike

tapped out on the gauntlet. Didn't get very far either.

yeah, for some reason I don't find the gauntlet very fun

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

it may be because I'm tired, weird, in pain, on pain killers or some combination of all four, but I like the phrase what in the actual fuck? I know it's a variant of what the fuck.. but is there a what in the the theoretical fuck?

I think it has to exist, if nothing else, as an in joke for physicists.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

yeah, for some reason I don't find the gauntlet very fun

I just get frustrated easily. I did a few more missions, but I'm not even close to being at the level where I can knockout three 100 level board movers easily. Maybe I can hold on and survive, but it's a grind.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by General Mike

tapped out on the gauntlet. Didn't get very far either.

I cleared the first leg. I'm working my way through the second but (actual) work has prevented me from playing it much. I feel like I MIGHT be able to get through now that I have 9'ish 4* champions, and now that Nodes of Death can't lock me out from using my best champions.

But I don't know if I care enough to try, either. :-D

[General Mike]

Interesting changes they made to the DDQ. Increased rewards across the board and made the Big E easier. I approve. The Behemoth Burrito is gonna be an issue for some time though.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by General Mike

Interesting changes they made to the DDQ. Increased rewards across the board and made the Big E easier. I approve. The Behemoth Burrito is gonna be an issue for some time though.

No more so than the Big Enchilada was. Just more tiers to juggle. And the Behemoth Burrito is 'only' 2 CP/day, so while that is progress lost if you can't play it, it's not like TBE where that's a whole COVER lost, or Crash of the Titans, where if you can't complete it, that's an LT lost.

[General Mike]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

No more so than the Big Enchilada was. Just more tiers to juggle. And the Behemoth Burrito is 'only' 2 CP/day, so while that is progress lost if you can't play it, it's not like TBE where that's a whole COVER lost, or Crash of the Titans, where if you can't complete it, that's an LT lost.

It's not just the CP reward though. The 8000 points for finishing the Burrito push you up to a third Taco token on the progression. We'll see how well my 1 cover 4*s can do on the days that I can play it, but over time those 2 CPs and a token add up

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by General Mike

It's not just the CP reward though. The 8000 points for finishing the Burrito push you up to a third Taco token on the progression. We'll see how well my 1 cover 4*s can do on the days that I can play it, but over time those 2 CPs and a token add up

They do. If it helps, the new progression rewards include an extra two tokens/day even if you can't reach the third taco right off. The Elite will help your 2/3's, and the Standard will periodically do the same. The 3's, as you champion them, will gift you CPs and 4* covers, which will help you do the BB.

It's just like it used to be with The Big Enchilada - at the start, you won't be able to participate every day, but over time, you will be.

[Toddzilla]

I've never even come close to winning a Crash, so thats no loss anyways

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

I've never even come close to winning a Crash, so thats no loss anyways

Looking at your roster, honestly, you should be able to win a Crash here and there.

Having 5 red covers for Sam Wilson (Captain America) is very nearly a must to be able to win that Crash, and you've got that. What you're lacking is a yellow cover that feeds the red bonus damage (and dovetails with the tile buffing that his blue passive does), but if you level FalCap to 168 for some more survivability and collect enough red to drop on Captain Marvel twice, you can win that Crash with the build you've got.

Jean Grey, same deal. Not saying it's an "easy" fight, but if you give her some levels to boost her health, people with essentially that same build have beaten Moonstone.

Invisible Woman can win it where she's at right now. You can win the Crash with a single yellow cover from her if you can get her invisible, protect the tile or even get more invisible tiles on the board so that one bad match doesn't screw you. She and Professor X were my first Crash wins for exactly that reason. It took tenacity because all I had going for me was match damage and I had to stay invisible at all costs, but I got it done. Your IW is in much better shape than mine was, and you could still level her for added health.

Your Drax has more covers (both overall and in black - his big damage power) than mine had this past run, and I was able to win the Crash with my Drax at 3/2/1 (yours is 4/1/2). Primary difference? Levels.

Your Elektra is right about where mine was in terms of covers when I first beat her Crash (mine was 2/2/2, yours is 3/3/1). Winnable if you give her some levels.

Your Professor X can win the Crash. Like, you don't even have to give him any levels, but a little more health in case he gets boardfucked and needs time to collect 7 purple wouldn't be the worst thing.

Your Miles Morales can win the Crash! Like, same boat as Prof X and IW in that he needs to get lucky and get an invisibility tile out and protect that fucker for all it's worth, but he can win the Crash with a single purple cover.

Deadpool can win the Crash if you give him some levels. It won't be a cakewalk because 4* Wolvie is a stronger opponent heads-up than people realize, but Deadpool can win the Crash if you give him some levels.

The common thread here is that most of your decently-covered 4*, you haven't been putting ISO into. You've been putting it into your 5* characters instead, and that's a valid choice, but that is directly responsible for why you haven't won the Crash yet.

Just at a glance you have 8 4* characters capable of winning that fight and getting you a Legendary token. Whether or not you put them in a position to succeed that way is up to you.

[SackAttack]

Dola,

My experience has been that in MOST cases, leveling a 4* character to 130 or so is sufficient to win the Crash.

There are exceptions. It's possible to have enough covers to level to 130 and have them be a poor configuration. For example, your Captain Peggy can get to 131, but those two blue covers do fuck all for the Crash besides allowing her to add levels (and, as a result, HP). Can she win at 131? Maybe. But 3/3/0 or 5/1/0 would be more likely to get it done.

Your Hulkbuster can get to 131, but with 0 red, ain't winning that Crash.

But all of the cases I listed in my previous post, the configuration is a winnable one, lacking only the ISO to get to 130+.

Hell, X-Force Wolverine belongs in the list in my last post. Give him levels and he'll win that Crash easily. Nova probably has a good case. X-23 isn't a slam dunk, but she has covers in a damaging skill and has multiple covers in her healing ability. Mine is 2/5/2, and won it at (I think) 1/5/2. Less damage ability than you've got, but more healing. It's a tradeoff, but I think the added damage yours brings balances out.

So, really, that's 11 characters you have who should, IMO, be capable of winning the Crash for you if you're willing to invest resources in them. And they'll repay that over time by earning you additional 4* covers to help make your other 4* Crash-viable (and, yes, even some 5* covers with lucky LTs).

[Swaggs]

Also, always use boosts during Crash.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

Also, always use boosts during Crash.

I typically go in dry once if I think the character should be able to win. Health packs regenerate, so if I fail, I don't run the risk of 'wasting' boosts by forgetting to deactivate them.

Also, I get a sense for how likely boosts are to help me. To use the Captain Peggy example, she's marginal in his build. She has the covers to get to the typical minimum viability range of 130, but as I mentioned, the blue does nothing for her in a heads-up fight, because she can't stun the target, and she has no allies to add damage to those countdowns (and I don't know if she counts as an 'active ally' for the purposes of the ability description).

So I wouldn't spend boosts on her until I got a sense of whether she could do any serious damage to Wasp. If my dry run got Wasp down to 50% health or lower, then I'd probably try with some red/yellow damage boosts and 'all' damage boosts and see if that got it done.

Deadpool, I honestly think just needs levels to win this Crash for Toddzilla. I don't think boosts would even be necessary, although +2 red/yellow AP, +2 blue/purple, and +2 all would get him closer to being able to collect enough red and purple to get Out of Bullets and Countdown for What off in a hurry.

It wouldn't HURT him. But the further past 130 he takes Deadpool, the less necessary those would be. Also, X-Force Deadpool is just a badass character who has no business languishing at level 70. He is seven kinds of awesome in combat.

[Umbrella]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Health packs regenerate, so if I fail, I don't run the risk of 'wasting' boosts by forgetting to deactivate them.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. I almost never use the boosts, so when I do, I always forget to turn them off, and burn through about 3 sets before I finally remember.

[ntndeacon]

So I can immediately add another 4* to my roster and I'm working to get the HP's to get the second....I have 4 covers waiting to choose from...
X23-red (3 days)
Kingpin yellow (5 days)
cyke red (6 days)
Mordo blue.( 6 days)

So at most I 'll be able to keep 2... What do y'all suggest on the 2?

[General Mike]

I've got Dak2n at 144, so I guess I can sell him and start my farm. Gonna wait until I can get a few covers for him in the queue before I sell though.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by ntndeacon

So I can immediately add another 4* to my roster and I'm working to get the HP's to get the second....I have 4 covers waiting to choose from...
X23-red (3 days)
Kingpin yellow (5 days)
cyke red (6 days)
Mordo blue.( 6 days)

So at most I 'll be able to keep 2... What do y'all suggest on the 2?

Cyclops is a top tier character. X-23's red makes her a useful damage soak as she gets covers and levels, since if she carries red, green, or purple - her primary colors - she gains health with any match of one of those colors.

Kingpin gets useful once he gets past 7 or 8 total covers, but as a single-cover cat, doesn't have a lot of utility.

Mordo's cool, but I haven't seen anything from him yet that makes me think he's on the same level as X-23 or Cyclops.

[SackAttack]

So I was browsing the Daily Resupply rewards on the wiki, and I hafta update my list of 'keeper' characters for new players.

To recap, characters who get three (or in the case of Star-Lord, two) covers from the resupply have been 4* I've said are worth rostering even if you're in early days, because the 1/1/1 is free growth, basically.

They got away from that for a while, but they appear to be getting back to it.

Day 1225 has Cyclops 4* blue, so I suspect 15 days from now will be either his red or his yellow, and whichever is left will be in 30 days.

Reason I suspect that is that Moon Knight has three covers listed in the drop (I'm on day 935, so this is still a fair bit ahead of me), as does War Machine before him.

Prior to those guys, you have to go back to the Star-Lord drop on day 700 to find a 4* with more than one cover in the resupply.

So the list of 4* with more than one cover as free drops:

Wolverine (149, 165, 180)
Invisible Woman (310, 340, 370)
Nick Fury (400, 429, 460)
Thor (490, 520, 550)
Elektra (580, 610, 639)
Star Lord (670, 700)
War Machine (1120, 1135, 1150)
Moon Knight (1165, 1195, 1210)
Cyclops (1225, 1240?, 1255?)

Cyclops miiiiiight end up being a one-off, but as he's a top-tier 4* you should probably be rostering him anyway.

Anyway, whether you're early days or, like me, a fair ways along (or later!) that's a list worth keeping an eye on as you grow your 4* roster. There are plenty of 4* who get at least one cover from the drop, but only those nine (go away, Devil Dinosaur, I'm not counting you) get multiples.