Playing efficiently

[Orochi]

Quote:It doesn't mean non-VIPs are boned for life... we're talking about being #1. If you're ok with being #2 or below in a server of 300+ players... non VIP can be very effective... as long as they plan ahead for the gear/heros they'll need to advance.

that's the point i was making. u dont need to be a high vip or even a low vip to be effective. but being effective is different from overtaking a high vip. or being #1. there are limit as to how effective u can be when controlled by a lack of gold + options to use gold on.

Quote:For the record.. I'm currently on Nut in Lost Temple... the same one Guderian is on. Only 3 people are past me... all of them much higher VIP than myself... and like Guderian, there are other higher VIPs are are still below me... even though "mages don't map well". smart play even matters at high VIP levels

pure mage build doesn't map well due to certain chokepoints where no moral sup or no blocker/dodger makes it extremely hard. if at any point of time u used less than 5 mages, then the point about mages not mapping well becomes irrelevant a 2-3 mage build actually fares better in cm/lt and 140 maps than a pure bm build. i'll be taking on 140 maps with no kylin because my focus will be on 2 x mages for my lineup.

i'm the 2nd athenian to finish LT ( i think, not sure if any other athenian on earlier servers has completed lt). the 1st athenian to finish LT is TWICE my vip level, and the only person ahead of me on my server. the rest of the high vips are behind me and only 2 others are at nut (server 15, not one of the earlier servers). thing is all those high vips have more heroes trained and better gear than me, and once i have pushed maps it usually takes them only a week or two to copy my BRs and get to where i am. there will come a point where i simply cannot keep ahead anymore due to gear diff n the additional time i take to ren heroes.

that's the difference between efficiency and the advantages of gold. if the game progresses at a linear pace there won't be an issue staying ahead, but the higher i level, the longer i need to camp for rens, and the longer i have to camp to get drachs and gems for gear ( i havent even STARTED on kylin yet, which i do need to sooner or later.. that'll cut me back at least 2-3 months in progress compared to those already who have kylin).

bottom line.. it's extremely hard to stay ahead of ppl who have bought, and are still buying, thousands of gold more than u, no matter how efficient u are. and when it comes to a point where everyone uses the same heroes (which will happen) and everything depends on gear and enchant and armaments.. that's the end of the road for me lol. (luck plays a huge factor too... but sadly i have none.)