The heroic mode isn't really that bad at all

[watermelon]

I know that a lot of people have been complaining about how impossible it is to finish the heroic mode, especially since gree shortened the redemption period to one week only. The change is shocking and all, but I have been able to finish everything with some effort. I'm pretty sure if I set alarms I would have been able to finish the heroic mode each time for free. But alas, I like uninterrupted sleep and I also have real life duties during the day. That in mind, as long as you are fairly diligent and efficient with your time and resources it is possible for an advanced member (lv100+) with a handful of decent armors to finish the heroic mode with just a handful of gems. I don't know exactly how many I used, but I'm pretty sure the number is fairly low - maybe 100 gems or less. Considering that the stats of the plus version heroic armors rival T25 epic+ armors, I think that's money well spent.

Here are some tips:

1. Try to log in a few times during the day, even if it means you only play for a few minutes. The more you spread out your log in instances, you are using the most out of free energy.

2. Instead of finishing one world at a time, skip around as you drain your free energy on all your 6 knights, with elements of your knights aligned most favorably against the elements of the monsters you are fighting. Don't worry about the elements of the minions - try to remember the elements of the bigger monsters that do special element drops as they have the highest attack power. Make sure that your knights don armors with counter elements.

3. When you have a full bar, work on the harder level first (get that out of the way) and then as you are left with a handful of knights with partially full health bars, work on the easier levels.

4. Only use potions on your main knight, and only use potions when you are trying to top off your xp bar to the next level. Learn to gauge your xp bar and use just enough potions to bump you to the next level.

5. When all of your knights are at zero energy, wait a few minutes until the knights have a handful of health points back. Then line three of them up for a difficult level using appropriate counter elements. Run through the level and when all of your knights die, click yes to 5 gem regen option. All of your 3 knights will be replenished with full health bars (this is equivalent to you purchasing more than a dozen potions using only 5 gems)

[Marco_]

Don't worry about the elements of the minions - try to remember the elements of the bigger monsters that do special element drops as they have the highest attack power. Make sure that your knights don armors with counter elements.

Minibosses do about double the damage that normal minions do, so depending on the elements, your advice might cause you to take more damage...

[The Calling]

The problem is that we not only face a shorten time period but the drop rates are horrific at best. Most players are in agreement the drop rate is the issue. If Gree kept the drop rates they had for the first HM, then 7 days won't really be an issue. Then 7 days still would be a challenge and fun and not a wrecked version of what was promised to us the players.

It took me all 7 days to just get enough crystals to craft the reg and that was only due to the piss poor drop rate. HM is no longer fun if I have to do over 25 runs to get 1 shard. 25 x 8 is 200 runs for 1 crystal. So that is the issue. And yes I move area to area to max my knights and gauge when a lvl up was coming so I could hit a harder stage and get a lvl in the middle.

IF you had a better rates, as some players had awesome drops rates getting a shard for every 2 runs, then yes they are the first to say quit complaining and hm is easy. But to the majority of veteran players the drop rate is pure and utter garbage.

[dust92]

How do you know that the bad drop rate happened to the majority ? Personal experience ? Do you have any clear numbers ?
It's just that players whose drop rate is good are not fond of wasting time on complaining or sth like that

[watermelon]

How do you know that the bad drop rate happened to the majority ? Personal experience ? Do you have any clear numbers ?
It's just that players whose drop rate is good are not fond of wasting time on complaining or sth like that

I personally dont think that the drop rate changed all that much. The drop rates are more generous in the earlier worlds, and a little more ridiculous in the later worlds. I think before when we had a month to finish the heroics mode, we didn't care all that much. Now it just feels a lot more aggravating

[roookey1]

Yeah, Heroic mode was fun once - but isn't anymore.

Despite applying all the little tricks the OP mentioned and having great armor, I never had a realistic chance to achieve the plus version in time since the reduction to 7 days, although playing at every chance...but then, I also have a job and family. 'Unfortunately', the only armors that makes sense to have in my armory are the plus versions.

So I will certainly not smelt 2,000 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-stars to make enough room in my armory just to craft a regular version (admittedly, 1st world problems). If by the middle of the event, I don't sense a realistic chance to get up to the plus version in time (around 100 gems would be okay), I simply go without it.
It's just not worth the stress and negative feelings. I play games for FUN (also, some challenge is perfectly okay) and will keep it that way. If Gree doesn't understand that, then they don't deserve ANY of my money on this part of the game.

[GypsyGeoff]

I agree with the OP. Its a different kind of mode than epic war. In heroic you can grind out an armour equivalent to T25 epic war but for a lot less gems BUT you have to put up with the frustration of low drop rates. What is the alternative? Increase the drop rate but change the time to 3 days? Not sure that would be any better.

[paddy07]

Heroic works like the rest of the game. It is pay-to-win. I don't necessarily have a problem with that. There's no need to yap... i have several friends who have done the entire 16 crystals without gems. This is the cheapest way to get an epic+.