Marvel: Avengers Alliance

[Chamber Rat]

Still working my way through Spec Ops and have just "discovered" (i.e., read a forum post) about taking on bosses and mini-bosses at the same time, which I never knew was an option. Feel kind of stupid now. Anyway. In the interest of saving those rare unstable Isos, I've been trying to do just that while I'm on my three-star adventure.

Question: attempting to take on Mephisto and Baron Mordo at once feels like a suicide mission. I don't have any special weapons (besides the ones you get for completing Spec Ops 4 tasks), nor do I have a stellar roster. I took out Mephisto relatively easily the first time through, though I nearly emptied my healing stash, so I think it might be doable. But I also don't want to waste iso I can't spare if I'm just going to get my head handed to me.

For those of you who've done this, did it make Mephisto much harder to defeat? I don't suppose there's any chance he'd kill off Mordo like he does his other lackeys, eh?

[Nightstar1441]

I pounded Mephisto hard and he takes out Mordo and Satana if you knock him down far enough

[vaultofechoes]

For those of you who've done this, did it make Mephisto much harder to defeat? I don't suppose there's any chance he'd kill off Mordo like he does his other lackeys, eh?

He does, although if you nearly used up your healing stash the first runthrough you might want to fight them separately instead. The penalty of losing would outweigh any bonuses you get from fighting them together.

[Wailing Crusader Gargoyle]

Yeah I'll say it feels less like strategy. Especially when a character can wipe out a character of their counter class due to vast amounts of money being thrown at the game.

But it does feel good when you take one of those bastards down even if my cats could do with less yelling.

I wish there was a better bracket system, or even the option to choose your own bracket... if there was some way to separate the big shot wallet players from the grinders from the casual player, I think most people would be wise enough to choose the right bracket. Or maybe those of us who aren't wallet players should just forget the fact that we were lucky enough to be in adamantium for a while and be happy with the yellow armor.

I have a couple of ideas that might make PvP a lot better:
1 - PvP not PvComputer... how many people are on this game at a time? And really, it's a Flash game. If SHSO can run a beautifully animated human v human card game with relatively few hiccups, I think it shouldn't be massively difficult for a turn-based Flash game to pit actual people against each other.
1a - the PvP match could start with hero/equipment selection... each player can look at the other player's roster and profile, and THEN has a limited amount of time to select their team and/or equipment... or to bow out quickly if they realize they have no hope. The penalty for bowing out could go up each time over a certain number of "free escapes" per day, and players who strike fear into the hearts of others would of course get a bonus for starting a round and the other player quitting.
2 - the other option would be to keep the roster/equipment selection blind (pre-battle) but let players preview the profiles of folks they are challenging, whether it be PvHuman or PvComputer, and choose who they would like to challenge. Practice was like this, though it gave hardly any information. It would be nice to not have to sit through or rage quit the battle where nearly my entire team is decimated before any of them get a turn... show the potential reward/loss for each option, let players size each other up, and go for it.

I'm sure I'm missing a lot with these ideas, but the PvP game seems kind of broken right now.

It sure would be nice if they would put practice back up, too! It is too risky to try a team that might not work and lose 20 rating!!

[Wailing Crusader Gargoyle]

I pounded Mephisto hard and he takes out Mordo and Satana if you knock him down far enough

This is a legit strategy, but when Mephisto cashes in his friends, it regenerates his health. Another option is to kill his lackeys first (damage them as much as you can before he makes them Super Heroic) while gradually debuffing him. I am careful not to accidentally kill Mephisto first.

I always fight Satana first off, because then I can complete the whole mission (two-birding Mordo and Mephisto) for only 80 ISOs. Not my idea, but it works great.

I find Black Panther and a Quantum Jumper work wonders... with Panther Stance, T'Challa can ignore Mordo's shield and deal massive damage. In the first round, he can stack a few bleeds on Mephisto and then still has an attack for the lackeys.

I still usually had to use a healing item or two (especially now that they have completed the nerf on the QJ) but it didn't feel too tough.

[DiceRoll]

Just got Ghost Rider, and I can't even hope to get Frozen Hell. But I guess that's par for the course for me.

[Chamber Rat]

He does, although if you nearly used up your healing stash the first runthrough you might want to fight them separately instead. The penalty of losing would outweigh any bonuses you get from fighting them together.

Good point. That's what I was afraid of. Only thing I hate is that that means I'll only have enough iso to finish that chapter and fight one more battle in another. I still have 55,136 points to 3-star Mission 2, which is certainly doable, but it's Mission 3 I'm getting anxious about. I still have (gulp) just over 260K points. to 3-star that one. I was AWOL for the other Spec Ops but I hear they were all extended another week. If that pattern holds, I'm 99% sure I'm good. So fingers crossed.

Okay, there's also the fact that I'm just really enjoying these missions. The enemies are unique, and I can't help it, I love the dialogue when GR and Satana weirdly flirt with each other and when GR, IM, and Strange all try to out-snark one another.

[krisis]

Mockingbird's countdown clock just hit 5-hours until we have our shot at her. Final wagers on the CP? I say 150, because charging over $20 for a single character seems pretty gutsy, even for Playdom. I guess we'll know shortly!

The real question is if she will immediately become more of a factor in high-level PVP for the rest of the season. I have not seen her a single time in the top 1% so far.

Just got Ghost Rider, and I can't even hope to get Frozen Hell. But I guess that's par for the course for me.

Congrats on Ghost Rider! He's not a favorite comic character of mine, but boy is he fun to play right from L1!

[vaultofechoes]

200 CP it is, for MB.

[xhx23x]

yeah PD can go eff itself. Not only is that near impossible to farm for us who didn't have anything stored prior to the announcement there's just no way she's worth that sacrifice. What an obvious cash grab. Well I guess the complainers will still get to say she's exclusive. Exclusive to paying players!

Hmm, now I wonder if I should hold my CPs for a new character or get Thor or Cap already.

[Legion_Quest]

yeah PD can go eff itself. Not only is that near impossible to farm for us who didn't have anything stored prior to the announcement there's just no way she's worth that sacrifice. What an obvious cash grab. Well I guess the complainers will still get to say she's exclusive. Exclusive to paying players!

Hmm, now I wonder if I should hold my CPs for a new character or get Thor or Cap already.

Playdom have really annoyed me here. Ridiculous levels of unfair both to non-big time payers and non-early players.

[GothamLord]

I got Mockingbird way back with Spec Ops 1. I busted by butt to get her and pulled it off with time to spare. I was also one of the few on the Playdom boards back when I posted there, that had no issue with the idea of Bobbi being available for others to buy later on down the road. I was happy for people when I heard they would be releasing her again for the holiday sale. This however is just down right sickening as a move by Playdom in a disgusting cash grab. 200 CP? Over $20, assuming you have to buy all the gold to convert.

The major question will be how many people whine and tell Playdom to shove it at this point, or continue to whine and open their wallets anyways.

[xhx23x]

They have to make money somehow. I'm not mad I'm going to miss out of MB, but I am troubled by the idea that they think 200cps is a good price. I'm sure as hell not going to miss a Spec Ops ever if this is how they plan to re-release them. Even if I had the cp, Deadpool, Son of Satan, Havok, Valkery and Rogue's alt are all on my must list and I would rather save 200 for them than to get MB.

[Godzilla78]

200 CP it is, for MB.

200 CP!!! Nah no thanks, I wouldn't even pay 90 for her. I'm saving my stockpile of CP's (248 and counting) for Cable, Deadpool and Captain Britain. The price is shocking but I suppose if people out there want every single character they may pay but I don't think any character is worth that amount.

[chariset]

200 is way too much, and I say that as someone who went through the first Spec Ops to win her. 90? 120? Fine. But 200 is just gouging.

Edit: Ha! I just fought the entire Dormammu + Mindless Ones boss battle (in Strange's mission) without bringing any items which cure Stare of the Abyss. No Extinguishers, no Gene Innoculations, nothing except Scroll of Melsalam. It can be done, but I don't recommend it.

I'm about to walk to the post office to mail my annual batch of Christmas cards. I'd be happy to send any of you one as well. Just PM me your mailing address.