Hello everyone,
I’ve been playing the game for 2 years and 4 months as a complete FTP ($0 spent) and would like to share my experience with you. (There is a great thread here on 1 year FTP experience: Progress from One Year as a Free to Play (F2P) Player [MASTER]).
I was waiting to reach a certain milestone (e.g. level 70), but today I managed to finish 53rd in legendary of the Pirates Event and decided it’s a good moment for this post. I’d like to show you that it’s possible to be competitive on a high level without (over)spending.
Will FTP be able to make a run for top 10? No. The people who are there (@Uclapack, @Xero786, @kainboy) are experienced players who have better heroes, better troops, more items and more flasks. But top 100 is an achievable goal even for FTP.
***My biggest accomplishments***
Apart from finishing 53rd today, I finished 50th in legendary in Pirates last September. I’ve also been number 1 on the raid leaderboard.
***My Roster***
I have 50 maxed 4*/5* heroes:
Maxed 5*(16):
B: Isarnia, Miki, Richard
R: Azlar, Anzogh, Khagan, Marjana
G: Lianna, Kadilen, Margaret
P: Hel, Domitia, Sartana
Y: Vivica, Joon, Leonidas
Maxed 4*(34):
B: Kiril, Grimm, Triton, Sonya, Boril, Valeria, Agwe
R: Boldtusk, Wilbur, Scarlett, Colen, Gormek, Sumitomo
G: Kashhrek, Melendor, Little John, Jack O’Hare, Caedmon, Skittleskull
P: Sabina, Sabina, Rigard, Merlin, Proteus, Proteus, Tiburtus, Cyprian, Jabbar
Y: Wu Kong, Jackal, Jackal, Chao, Hu Tao, Li Xiu
***Struggles as FTP***
I got my first ever 5* hero from TC20 in March 2018 (9 months after I had started playing) and it was Elkanen…
It was another year until I got my first ever 5* in summons - Hel from a x10 pull in March 2019. It is still my happiest moment in the game. Afterwards, I got Anzogh, Margaret, Kadilen and Miki - these 5 are the only 5* heroes I have ever got from the summons gate.
The most painful moment was in August when after I had been saving gems for months to try for Falcon, I made 12 pulls and got Sonya, Chao and 10 3*. No Falcon . For a few seconds I wanted to quit the game. But a week later RNG gave me Miki whom I really wanted. I’ve noticed that good/bad luck comes in streaks. When you’re in the most terrible streak, RNG will make it up to you. For me it was 1 year 9 months without any 5* from pulls and then Hel - one of the best heroes in the game. My advice to everyone is not to be discouraged by a terrible streak because a great one will come to you sooner or later. Save your gems for x10 pulls rather than doing single ones. I used to do that in the past, but it didn’t work for me at all.
***TC20 - FTP's best friend***
I’ve received almost all of my 5* heroes from TC20 and strongly encourage all FTP/C2P to run at least two all the time. My data from 570 pulls shows that the percentages are: 6% for 5*, 17% for 4* and 77% for 3* (35 5*, 94 4*, 441 3*).
To all FTP, you need to find the balance between hoarding mats and playing the hand you’re given. Sometimes, it’s better to max that 5* hero everyone hates, but other times, hoarding your precious mats and working on 4* heroes instead is the better option.
***My inventory and thoughts on Alchemy Lab***
I have a lot of 3* mats I can’t possibly use and was really excited about the new building which would allow us to create 4* mats. However, AL is highly FTP unfriendly. I wouldn’t pay 150 gems to convert a 4* mat into another random 4* mat. Would I spend 150 gems to convert a tonic into a telescope if I know for sure I’d get a telescope? Maybe. But with the low odds and high gem fee, I’m not even going to build AL for now. I really hope that the Devs would add more/better options to it.
***Why am I FTP?***
To begin with, I can’t afford to spend $50+ every month on a mobile game (and it’s more expensive in Europe). However, the reason I’m a complete FTP is that I know the odds. I know that just few gems won’t make a big difference. If I spend and don’t get that 5* hero I want so much, I’d be devastated. I’ve seen a lot of people leaving the game after spending a lot and getting nothing. I’m sure that if I ever spend, I will quit the game soon afterwards because of the disappointment. I’d much rather be enjoying the game as a loyal customer, being FTP with low expectations.
***All the heroes I don't have***
Players in the top alliances are chasing every single 5* as they think they won’t be able to compete with everyone else if they don’t have that single shiny hero. Well, I’ve achieved top 100 in events twice without all these heroes:
B: Captain of Diamonds
R: Falcon, Lancelot
G: Hansel, Peters, Buddy, Gadeirus, Gobbler
P: Cheshire Cat, Jafar, Ameonna, Boomer
Y: Gretel, Danzaburo
B: Ariel, Frida, Athena, Finley, Alasie, Arthur, Misandra, Aegir, Rumpel, Lepus, Alice, Perseus
R: Gravemaker, Zimkitha, Ares, Mitsuko, Santa, Kestrel, Black Knight, Natalya, Kong, Red Hood, Queen of Hearts
G: Alberich, Evelyn, Tarlak, Zeline, Mother North, Lady of the Lake, Lady Locke, Morgan, Hatter, Gregorion, Yunan, Atomos
P: Panther, Kage, Khiona, Kunchen, Seshat, Ursena, Aeron, Victor, Boss Wolf, Mok-Arr, Sargasso, MT
Y: Ranvir, Delilah, Drake, Guinevere, Poseidon, Rana, Onatel, Owl, Inari, Musashi
As FTP I would like to thank everyone who is supporting the game, helping it to exist and improve. If you’ll be happy with any result when you spend, go for it. However, if you know that spending and not getting that one hero will make you quit the game, then be careful how much you spend. You don’t need every single hero to be successful. Keep to your budget so that you don’t start hating the game. Good luck!
P.S. Apologies for the long post.
(@zephyr1, I’m not sure if this thread belongs in General Discussion since it features a lot of different elements - The Ridiculous Bragging Thread, TC20, Alchemy Lab, etc.).