(ARENA) Upgrading from Sith to Empire, have questions

HK666

I'm plan to switch over from a DN team to a Thrawn team in arena. Got a bunch of questions.

First tho- I'm one of those players who left and came back, so there's no way I'm gonna be making pushes for top anything. currently my g10/g9 team (1g8) is doing just fine, but I'm switching my focus.

My mods aren't great. I don't think they're all that bad, (got enough 5dot lvl 15) but they aren't what top people would get- I'm much slower. And also all health mods. I don't plan on farming any other mods cuz I don't have the characters to beat the challenges, which I'm waiting to get till I get the Hero's Journey characters. I'm holding my place pretty easily, but it's seemed harder this last week or so. I went from holding 300-350 easy to around 450. I fight back up everyday, and that's gotten a bit harder, but as long as I'm getting the same payout I'm cool.

So here's the plan, I currently run

DN(L) g 10, Dooku g10, Palp g10, Thrawn g10, DV g8

but I want to switch to

Thrawn (L), Shore, Storm, ???

So I encounter my first question. Who should I use for the last two slots, who should probably bring the pain to my foes. My initial answer is Death and Krennic. But, I haven't been doing Krennic's, Shore's, and DN's node everyday. Been leaving out Krennic. So, I need a temporary replacement. My first thought is to go Death and Palp instead. ( it'll take a while before any changes are made bc Death is 3*, but I've got him to g10 out of anticipation even tho I should of spent those resources on an CLS requirement. Shore and Storm aren't even in purple gear levels. And I just got Shore, so it'll be a while till they're starred up)

While Krennic is in the shop, and assuming I'm using Deathtrooper (deathmark then fracture is just awesome), I've got three Empire options- Palp, TFP, Tarkin.

Tarkin- Don't really feel like he'll be the best fit, as I have to tanks and the abilitiy to shut a foe down. While crippling enemy offense would be an added plus, their is a lot of debuff clearing and ten up and I have better dps options
Palp- Probably my favorite of the three, offering a semi-dependable debuff that combines Death healing immunity and pilot buff immunity, aoe stun, and offense up. I hear that he's too fragile to use in arena. He works fine under DN on offense, usually regening near to the amount of damage he takes. But I see when I focus him on offense he drops. When I take him out on offense he should get defense up and crit immunity and hopefully last longer
TFP (mine g10)- Seems to be the more popular option. Without Tarkin I won't really have the debuffs to ramp up his TM, but foresight should let him dps a bit longer.


I've got a few other options, like Vader or Ezra. But Vader is slow and easily stopped (more of a sponge than anything else) and Ezra takes away from Emp synergy, stripping defense from Storm and TM stuff from Thrawn

Once I figure out who I'm bringing, next I gotta figure out speed. You can look at my arena teams mods to get the exacts, but the general idea is this
Thrawn gets the most the best of what I have speed wise, saving a couple for DN and Palp
Palp is just a bit faster than DN, so Palp can throw his stun before DN does the cooldown drain
Dooku gets the worst speed mods, but he's naturally fast enough to go before DN and Palp.
DV is the trash can who I've thrown a metal sheet over (I mean protection triangle) and hope for the best. He doesn't do much.

I'm less certain how I should distribute mods when I switch to Emp
I'll probably keep Thrawn with my best speed mods, so he can start with fracture or get a quick switch off. Like do I want Shore or Storm fast for their buffs? Or Death and ??? so others drop faster? This is the second question.

The third question is how many stars does this team need before they can replace my current team. Thrawn's sitting fine at six. (probably gotta get pheonix up a bit), but Shore and Death are fresh at three (Death doesn't get farmed till Old Ben is done or I miss my CLS window.) I don't wanna throw them in too early, but I don't think I need to 7* them first.

Dark_Helmet152

Thrawn(l), Shore, Storm, DT and DN. If you are willing to have 1 that is not Empire but fits the team and theme pretty well, that's what I would do.

Stars are all but irrelevant except for getting to G12 and raids/TB. Seems like G12 is not a bridge you are about to cross.

JMO

Anakin_Skywalker

Thrawn Storm Shore Death Krennic is I guess the most typical Empire meta team

And DN lead is not good for arena. It's potential is unleashed in PvE such as GW or Places of Power

BulYwif

DT is almost mandatory because of his great kit. At 5th place, the easiest way is to go for Tarkin whose kit is great too and you can get shards easily too.
But you can also think of Stark who is available in the guild store and is also really a great support for Empire.
If you mainly have CLS teams in your shard, you should avoid using DN.

DedrickRogue

Death Trooper & Shore are very necessary for an empire squad, but crazy long farms.

I know you have your heart set on Thrawn lead, and it's excellent don't get me wrong(it's what I run); but have you considered gearing up Vader as a stopgap? His leader affects both Sith & Empire, so you can still run a couple Sith till the others are ready. Palps lead can do the same, though unless you are wading through rebels constantly I don't think it's as good.

HK666

I know that DN isn't great, but I'm not worried about any immediate changes. I can hold my current position well and I'm content with that for now.

For most of my fights, Thrawn goes first, fracturing who ever I deem most dangerous, then Dooku tries to stun second, then Palp aoe. If my foes were faster and able to stop Thrawn/Palp and don't miss plenty of their first turns, I'd be worried. I will admit to avoiding most rebel teams, mostly targeting Jedi, Resistance with slower Poe's (which are usually the only toon faster than Thrawn, which I avoid), those defensive teams/weird teams, clones, and other DN. I usually win out against them on offense when I see no other option, but they probably pick me apart on defense.

I have thought of running something like Palp(L), Tarkin, TFP, Thrawn and DN. But I'm running smoothly now, so DN will probably stay. (I just started being able to farm zetas this month, and I've earned one and got that free one a while a go, don't wanna drop it on Vader yet)

@BulYwif You don't think Storm, Shore and Tarkin is a lil much when it comes to damage control? Genuinely curious, cuz I haven't tried it

BulYwif

HK666 wrote: »

I know that DN isn't great, but I'm not worried about any immediate changes. I can hold my current position well and I'm content with that for now.

For most of my fights, Thrawn goes first, fracturing who ever I deem most dangerous, then Dooku tries to stun second, then Palp aoe. If my foes were faster and able to stop Thrawn/Palp and don't miss plenty of their first turns, I'd be worried. I will admit to avoiding most rebel teams, mostly targeting Jedi, Resistance with slower Poe's (which are usually the only toon faster than Thrawn, which I avoid), those defensive teams/weird teams, clones, and other DN. I usually win out against them on offense when I see no other option, but they probably pick me apart on defense.

I have thought of running something like Palp(L), Tarkin, TFP, Thrawn and DN. But I'm running smoothly now, so DN will probably stay. (I just started being able to farm zetas this month, and I've earned one and got that free one a while a go, don't wanna drop it on Vader yet)

@BulYwif You don't think Storm, Shore and Tarkin is a lil much when it comes to damage control? Genuinely curious, cuz I haven't tried it

I ran for a long time Thrawn, ShT, Storm, DT and Tarkin and Tarkin is really good against most of the teams, especailly the rebels since his debuffs cannot be resisted. His TMR is also very useful. But if you don't have DT, run DN in that line up and it will work fine, especially if you don't have a lot of CLS in your shard or at your level for now.

mrail

@HK666 Do you have a zMaul or have a Maul that you'd be willing to Zeta? I was running a DN lead team too, switched to zMaul lead and am able to hold around rank 150 in a Nov '15 Shard.

I was a returning player too, had taken about a year off (most of 2016), so I'm kind of in the same boat as you. Didn't have any of the right teams for the legendary toon events. I was considering a switch to empire team too, but found out about some Youtube videos from someone named Rumple who runs a EP lead sith team, and seems to be an effective counter to the current CLS meta. Since I'm closer to being able to have that team, I'm heading in that direction instead (just need to star up my Sith Trooper and Sith Assassin). Look up the Rumple videos, he's a Sith devotee.

HK666

@mrail I've got an extra zeta and maul is basically ready... but I wanna go in the Empire direction. Getting SiT and Sass was my goal but then I discovered Thrawn was a thing. Rather save my zeta, but if I suddenly can't keep 500 or less I'll take that under consideration. A big part of me going Empire is me fanboying over Thrawn.
Otherwise I'd chase something else. Hell, I went Sith just so I could use Nihlus

@BulYwif This isn't going to be an immediate switch to Emp, or even a switch soon. DT is as geared up as my current team, and is only missing stars. Which will come as sooner than Shore, so I'm not worried about not having him ready.
So Tarkin has your recommendation. Cool. Tarkin over TFP or Palp tho? What do you think?

BulYwif

HK666 wrote: »

@mrail I've got an extra zeta and maul is basically ready... but I wanna go in the Empire direction. Getting SiT and Sass was my goal but then I discovered Thrawn was a thing. Rather save my zeta, but if I suddenly can't keep 500 or less I'll take that under consideration. A big part of me going Empire is me fanboying over Thrawn.
Otherwise I'd chase something else. Hell, I went Sith just so I could use Nihlus

@BulYwif This isn't going to be an immediate switch to Emp, or even a switch soon. DT is as geared up as my current team, and is only missing stars. Which will come as sooner than Shore, so I'm not worried about not having him ready.
So Tarkin has your recommendation. Cool. Tarkin over TFP or Palp tho? What do you think?

You can go higher in arena with Tarkin instead of TFP. TFP has low HP and his foresight doesn't help against Han Solo who simply ignores it. So, Han Solo can one shot your TFP easily. Tarkin needs a lot of potency which is converted to his defense. Mine is around 80% potency so 80% defense + 50% when using his Intimidation Tactics. Even in defense, the AI plays first IT and then his TMR AoE. With his defense combined to the debuffs he puts on rebels, he can easily resist the counters.

Revi

Thrawn(L), Shore, Storm, DT... for the last slot I would personally go with GMT. Now I know you mentioned the cleanse but I still feel he works well still if you have enough speed. TFP, EP, DV are all junk empire characters.
DK may be viable but only at G11/12.

HK666

@Revi @BulYwif
Okay thanks! Tarkin will occupy slot 5.I think I'll wait till Shore and Death are 5* to make the switch, and that gives me time to gear them to g10. Not sure where my Tarkin is but him too

Thanks for all the input

Dark_Helmet152

HK666 wrote: »

@Revi @BulYwif
Okay thanks! Tarkin will occupy slot 5.I think I'll wait till Shore and Death are 5* to make the switch, and that gives me time to gear them to g10. Not sure where my Tarkin is but him too

Thanks for all the input

Your DN is already one of your best toons. Use him as a 5th until your tarkin is ready. Also, don't worry about stars on Shore, they help but gear makes him viable.