It’s really frustrating. All important items that is necessary for upgrading all of 4 or 5 heros are extremely rare. Since I started this game, I can’t even upgrade my one and only and very useless 5 star hero 
. I don’t think it’s fare to rich people should be so strong and poor people like me can’t even fully upgrade a 4 star hero. money shouldn’t make players this much apart. I always believd hard work can help you to reach your goal or at least there is a possibility for it. but it seems not in this game .Its really funny that even I want to spend mony on game, because my country Iran is under heavy sanctions, I can’t even purchase anything. (My country totally deserves this, but am I deserve it too?). And It’s really sad ,
and depressing. To try and try so many hours everyday and can’t improve heroes. I really love this game but Not moving forward Is really hard 
and I really hate to be at the same place for so long. I know no one can help me, but i should share it with you guys. Thank you for listening 
.
Let me know if you are like me, so we can be sad together 
You are not alone in how you feel my friend. Very far from it. Hopefully things change soon, because you are right, the gab between F2P and P2P is massive at this point.
In life as in game, friend.
On a more practical note, I suggest you maximise your use of 4*. There is no part of the game that cannot be done with them (with the possible exception of war/raid defence). They may not have the best stats for survival but many have unique skills. I have a decent collection of 5* nowadays but there are some 4* I’d never leave home without and I don’t even pause to think of their rarity when making up an attack team, I just look at what they do and who they synergise with. Also check out some posts from a long-standing player called @RandaPanduh who has never ascended a hero past 3.70 and yet regularly hits high % in events and on titans.
It can be done without money; it’s just slower and at times frustrating.
How long have you been playing? Mats for 5* are rare but at some point you will have more mats for 4* than you can use.
No you are not alone in the way you feel.
But this is a gambling game so the more you spend the more opportunity to get those shiny new heroes. And obviously you can spend some more to buy the mats to ascend your heroes.
But even at the “top” end if you don’t continue to spend in this game you will soon stagnate, stand still and then start falling backwards in your rankings.
My advice to anyone joining the game now is do not spend any money whatsoever.
Play the game for fun, focus on developing 3 x 3* rainbow teams first and then 4 x 4* rainbow teams. These will get you the mats to progress and the free coins for pulls.
Good luck in your gaming
I have needed One more ring and one more dart to ascend 2 hero’s for at least 6 months now. I feel your pain.
The rare quests come about every other month with guaranteed loot. Have you not played them?
This is a problem for me, games should be an escape from life, why take some of the more frustrating aspects of life and shove it into a game?
I try to, rarely do I miss.
Those will get you enough mats to max a full rainbow of 5* over the course of a year. The random drops here and there should increase that a little bit. I suspect that only the really big spenders are buying 4* mats. The rest of us look longingly at the heroes we have and wish we could max them.
Which “useless” 5* did you pull?
I never let it bother me. I don’t feel upset when my neighbor gets a new car. I don’t sit on the beach staring at boats wishing they were mine. I just enjoy the game.
I empathize with your plight, as we’ve all experienced the position of lacking the necessary items in order to grow; it’s incredibly frustrating. I imagine nowadays, especially so, considering the lengths required, and hoops to jump through, in order to acquire the feeling of being “caught up”. Although this game is, and has always been, a marathon, not a sprint. Hell, some days it may feel like a crawl without spending a dime.
From the sounds of it, you haven’t been playing very long though; at a certain point, maxing 4* becomes inconsequential [mat-wise], as there are now many sources at obtaining 3* unfarmable mats.
- Complete each tier of challenge events
- Finish every rare quest
- Finish every seasonal quest
- Fill 2-5 monster/raid chests a day (the latter preferably in diamond tier)
- Participate in all wars
- Kill [at least] 9* Titans for three guaranteed mat rolls (14* would be the next goal to aim for)
- Watch Mystic Vision every four hours
- Participate in all tournies (+ if you, and your defense, are doing well - yet you get knocked out - it is usually worth buying back in)
- Give your all to the Mythic Titans
- Complete Path of Valor
- Save pulls for portals with mat chests
- Run Alchemy Lab 24/7
& Don’t forget to max your base, and utilize your TC’s and HA
As for 4* mats, yeah… it’s still not great. However, from the sounds of it, that’s not much of a concern for you at the moment. Once it is, completing all of the above will also help with that (along with finishing towers if/when you are able, but those will be a more final goal to accomplish).
& As @Gorann already mentioned, maxed 5*, and emblemed 4*, or limit breaks, are not necessarily necessary to do well, and complete/compete in this game. I know I may be the exception, as I have not only played for over three years - figuring out how to make due while at a disadvantage - I’ve also spent a good chunk of money on this game, so my roster is quite developed (to be honest). What my roster lacks in strength, it makes up for in variety. Therefore, it may not be entirely fair of me to compare, so you can take my 2¢ as you see fit.
However - although our situations differ - if I could suggest anything to you now, it would be to not concern yourself with being the best, or competing [at this time]. Unless you have the wallet for it (and from the sounds of it, even if you wanted to, you couldn’t) it’s entirely unrealistic for you right now. However, if you continue plugging away, building up your roster with what you have, studying the game and practicing, you will be able to do well.
It just takes time
Focus on your 3* til you have the mats for 4*; level at least one of each if you have the room. Once you have the mats, bring up your best/most vital 4* first, and if you don’t know the answer to that, share your roster here and many will help you. & During this period of growth, always, always, always priortize the development of your 4* over your 5*; 5* may be shiny, but given the amount of resources they require, and the rarity of em, it’s best to create a strong foundation with the more accessible heroes first.
(Hell, even the big spenders, and top players, still put effort and resources toward many 3* and 4*, as they’re the back-bone of this game, and key to participating, and enjoying, everything this game has to offer.)
My own experience
What I Struggle With
I’ve studied this game from front to back, so even with lesser heroes, I’ve learn to adapt. However, doesn’t mean I’ve always excelled, nor does it mean I excel in all facets [of the game] either. Due to the ever growing TP with LB now in play, I seriously struggle competing in wars nowadays; where I once was able to score 6 OSK [pre-emblems], I’m now lucky to see three. This will only get worse for me.
What I Excel At
Although, with the use of items, and/or certain SS, I can still place well in challenge events (Top 10k/500/1k), Mythic Titans (Top 1%), Tournies (Top 1%-5%) and normal titans (14*). Hell, I’ve even finished every tower, and placed just outside of Top 1k on each without really trying, all without 4* mats, emblems or LB (so yes, it is possible).
So despite my [self-made] short-comings, I have found it is still possible to do well without the latest and greatest 5*, or mats. I do have several shiny heroes - which could be argued as an advantage in itself - but I’m far from having them all, or even most. & Even still, there are many f2p out there who can accomplish much of the same as I (ie be competitive). & In comparative, inversive fashion, where they lack variety, they make up for in strength.
In short ~
Therefore, if you really want to, you can excel too. It won’t happen overnight, and it probably won’t even happen in a few months to be honest with you, but if you really want it, and you keep plugging away, grinding and growing your roster, learning and growing, it can be done. Once you’ve accomplished such, and you find yourself improving significantly, you may even [eventually] seriously consider competing for the real prizes. But first, you must accept that:
Without money, it will take time
(And then decide for yourself whether or not you’re up for it)
Collect and save your resources. Grow your roster with variety in mind. Ask for help if/when you need it. Utilize every resource at your disposal. Join an active alliance. Complete everything this game has to offer. & Then - with a lil luck and dedication - come this time next year, you may find yourself in a whole new position 
Just a tip, enjoy the game as you play, don´t wast energy jealous of what other achieved, at some point you will also reach there.
There is some great and detailed advice in your post for every new player and I really appreciate that you shared a lot from your own experience.
I do want though for the sake of giving a more complete perspective to add something that I would have liked to understand more clearly from the start.
The game offers a wide variety of options and possibilities of experimenting and the game community is generally quite friendly and less competitive than in other games.
However, it is important to keep in mind that it is a business, and the company running it looks at it foremost in terms of profitability. That means that you should not look at anything as a guarantee, no matter how much time and dedication you put to it. The game might not exist anymore in a year or so and it is getting more and more difficult for free to play players to get to the very top (either when it comes to alliances or events). It is however completely possible for anyone after a time to get to an alliance that can kill 12-14* titans.
But even if might be very difficult to get to the very top, there are a lot of opportunities for you to experiment, try out different heroes synergies, discover new possibilities and work as a team with some very nice people and ultimately enjoy yourself.
As long as you know yourself and what you want, you will be able to adapt your expectations to the realities of the game.
If you are impatient to get ascension materials, buy them. This is what this game is. If you are new comer and no money but hope you can get your needs to be a winner, it is not going to happen. Even you have them, you will have new better stat heroes so there goes again your frustration on ascension materials on, on and on. Better, quit, this is money game.
Nice to hear from you. Who do you represent?
Khagan and Devana are the ones I need 1 more item to assend