Definitions of the different stages of the game

Deadline18

Greetings forums, so recently I came upon a discussion talking about what defines a mid game player and I was supposed to see that a majority of people think that "mid-game" means completing act 6. I thought that mid game players were those who were still completing act 5 or exploring act 4. So I wanted to make this post asking you guys what each stage of the game ( early game, mid game, late game, and end game ) should look like in terms of progression. This includes story, EQ, variants, and special quests.

Deadline18

I was surprised* (not supposed)

Riptide

I’d view anyone who hasn’t completed act 4 as a beginner

Between completing act 4 and 6.1 would be a intermediate player

After that you’d be mid game until act 6 completion

Then advanced

Endgame players would have completed/explored most or all content

Hoitado

Riptide said:

I’d view anyone who hasn’t completed act 4 as a beginner

Between completing act 4 and 6.1 would be a intermediate player

After that you’d be mid game until act 6 completion

Then advanced

Endgame players would have completed/explored most or all content

This

SkyLord7000

Act 4/5 is what Kabam is trying to make early game in my mind. You do basic training, learn that nodes exist, and find counters,

Mid game is act 6 because fights get more advanced and you can’t slip up as much

Then there are to types of endgame. Thronebreaker (has done most or all story content to this date) and then the other one that’s top tier war / abyss champion.

Of course this will change the further we get into the game. And has changed a lot in the last few years. Acts 1-4 are like a tutorial. Kabam just shortened it.

Searmenis

Thronebreakers are not end game players by definition. There s a big part that haven't done Abyss, explored act 6, maybe one run in 7,1, and are capable to 100% cav EQ but with revives and potions. A nice roster, mostly 5* and a dozen or so r2 nice 6* maybe. Oh, and a few r3 ones, maybe 2 or four. These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

IronGladiator22

Searmenis said:

Thronebreakers are not end game players by definition. There s a big part that haven't done Abyss, explored act 6, maybe one run in 7,1, and are capable to 100% cav EQ but with revives and potions. A nice roster, mostly 5* and a dozen or so r2 nice 6* maybe. Oh, and a few r3 ones, maybe 2 or four. These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

I wouldn’t say not doing abyss, or even labrynth wouldnt qualify someone to be an endgame player. Some people just don’t want to invest the time/resources. I would say the very rough beginning definition for an endgame player would be someone has at least completed 7.2

naikavon

IronGladiator22 said:

Searmenis said:

Thronebreakers are not end game players by definition. There s a big part that haven't done Abyss, explored act 6, maybe one run in 7,1, and are capable to 100% cav EQ but with revives and potions. A nice roster, mostly 5* and a dozen or so r2 nice 6* maybe. Oh, and a few r3 ones, maybe 2 or four. These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

I wouldn’t say not doing abyss, or even labrynth wouldnt qualify someone to be an endgame player. Some people just don’t want to invest the time/resources. I would say the very rough beginning definition for an endgame player would be someone has at least completed 7.2

I'm one of those. Except abyss, I've done several passes through it. ( still have 2 paths left that I'll get done eventually) With the exception of variant 8 I've done all content in game... except labyrinth. One pass done only, and that will be the only one I'll ever do until they announce the game is shutting down. I have a.r3.sig 200 aegon so I've no doubt I'll shred it. And I still won't do it. Never cared for long form content. Just not my cup of tea.

I'm prolly not the only one like that. It's really hard to put folks in a box as exceptions will always exist but they are pretty good at generalizing where folks fall in the differing points of the game.

TheBair123

i mean call me crazy but i think in the day and age we're in now, especially with the new changes, you don't really start PLAYING the game until you get to act 5. i would say a mid-tier player is somewhere between cav and finishing act 6. they've probably completed a few variants and maybe done labyrinth

Thanks_D19

My view is

Anything below Uncollected is a beginner player

Uncollected and cav is intermediate

Thronebreaker and exploring act 7 is Mid game

Then from there I have the controversial take that BOT or multiple abyss paths completed is the sign of a high-end player just because those are things that are significantly more difficult than Act 6 completion or Act 7.

Then from there having abyss exploration and/or being in a map 7/8 and/or plat 1 alliance as end game level.

I know some will think my tiers are too top-end content focused but this is just my opinion afterall

Colonaut123

As the game gets older and content is added, what is considered the middle shifts further. When I started, conqueror was the mid-game and uncollected was the end-game. Then we got act 6, cavalier EQ difficulty, legendary SQ difficulty, thronebreaker, act 7, ...

In the current state of the game, you're supposed to rush through content. Conqueror and below are beginners, uncollected are intermediate and cavalier is the new mid-game. People tend to stick there, as completing act 6 and getting a R3 6* is a bottleneck. Thronebreaker is the new endgame.

Thanks_D19

Colonaut123 said:

As the game gets older and content is added, what is considered the middle shifts further. When I started, conqueror was the mid-game and uncollected was the end-game. Then we got act 6, cavalier EQ difficulty, legendary SQ difficulty, thronebreaker, act 7, ...

In the current state of the game, you're supposed to rush through content. Conqueror and below are beginners, uncollected are intermediate and cavalier is the new mid-game. People tend to stick there, as completing act 6 and getting a R3 6* is a bottleneck. Thronebreaker is the new endgame.

The thing is I really don’t see TB as the endgame rn. There is a massive gap between someone that is TB and someone that is BOT or even has AOL completed. And then the difference between TB and people who have abyss explored is even more massive

phil56201

Searmenis said:

These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

Do we really, though? I haven't been thoroughly challenged by an EQ/SQ in at least a couple years...but I easily fit the definition of a lazy midgame Thronebreaker by all accounts. I'm just not motivated to push myself any further than the bare minimum.

unoobmepro

I think:
Beginner: one who hasn't completed act 4
Intermediate: an uncollected player
Mid Game: A cavalier currently on 6.2
End Game: One who has completed 6.4

Searmenis

TheBair123 said:

i mean call me crazy but i think in the day and age we're in now, especially with the new changes, you don't really start PLAYING the game until you get to act 5. i would say a mid-tier player is somewhere between cav and finishing act 6. they've probably completed a few variants and maybe done labyrinth

That is so true, I opened a new account two months ago, and with all these free champions and offerings I ended up going through acts 2-4 in autoplay. I have a ton of 2* champs that I never use, right from the start! I already got bored using it.

Searmenis

phil56201 said:

Searmenis said:

These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

Do we really, though? I haven't been thoroughly challenged by an EQ/SQ in at least a couple years...but I easily fit the definition of a lazy midgame Thronebreaker by all accounts. I'm just not motivated to push myself any further than the bare minimum.

Well, not SoP insane, but in comparison with what used to be SQ cav material before summer and back. It's definitely doable, but uninspired, hard and stressful.

Kerneas

Beginner - Act 1 -4
Early game - Act 5.1 - 5.2
Mid game - 5.3 - 5.4
Intermediate - 6.1
Advanced - 6.2-7.3
Endgame - TB and beyond
High endgame - Abyss+all story explored

My subjective PoV. The names are subject to change, but I'm pretty sure with the divison of progress

phil56201

Searmenis said:

phil56201 said:

Searmenis said:

These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

Do we really, though? I haven't been thoroughly challenged by an EQ/SQ in at least a couple years...but I easily fit the definition of a lazy midgame Thronebreaker by all accounts. I'm just not motivated to push myself any further than the bare minimum.

Well, not SoP insane, but in comparison with what used to be SQ cav material before summer and back. It's definitely doable, but uninspired, hard and stressful.

I think when entries are limited and/or it costs energy to do the SQ, then it can potentially be stressful. When it's 0 energy and unlimited entries, I'll just try everything until I find something that works.
I actually don't mind this kind of system since I don't have to worry about losing or messing up. Can just keep restarting until I get it right/find the proper counters. But that's just me. I get bored easily and since I don't care for long form AOL style content, small challenges like these can be fun to figure out.

Searmenis

phil56201 said:

Searmenis said:

phil56201 said:

Searmenis said:

These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

Do we really, though? I haven't been thoroughly challenged by an EQ/SQ in at least a couple years...but I easily fit the definition of a lazy midgame Thronebreaker by all accounts. I'm just not motivated to push myself any further than the bare minimum.

Well, not SoP insane, but in comparison with what used to be SQ cav material before summer and back. It's definitely doable, but uninspired, hard and stressful.

I think when entries are limited and/or it costs energy to do the SQ, then it can potentially be stressful. When it's 0 energy and unlimited entries, I'll just try everything until I find something that works.
I actually don't mind this kind of system since I don't have to worry about losing or messing up. Can just keep restarting until I get it right/find the proper counters. But that's just me. I get bored easily and since I don't care for long form AOL style content, small challenges like these can be fun to figure out.

Unlimited entries is a luxury. Not many people after their...30s? Or 25 don't know, have that much time on their hands to spend an entire evening trying to figure out how to finish the fights without using any potions/revives. And even if they did, there s a point after the 4rth? 5th? run, you say ok, I ll use a revive, maybe two, I m bored to death with this. But the problem is now, that the rewards don't really deserve the revives spent. It s a circle with no end. There needs to be a better way, and that s a more balanced SQ system.

Sungj

I would consider all content that can be completed within a week of starting the game as early game content. So basically everything up to becoming cav. Midgame would be that cav - thronebreaker level. Once thronebreaker there's still a pretty big gap between advanced and endgame players

xNig

The issue with content and titles has always been a “completion” instead of “exploration” being required.

The big thing that really propels a roster and skills forward is always exploration.

phil56201

Searmenis said:

Unlimited entries is a luxury. Not many people after their...30s? Or 25 don't know, have that much time on their hands to spend an entire evening trying to figure out how to finish the fights without using any potions/revives. And even if they did, there s a point after the 4rth? 5th? run, you say ok, I ll use a revive, maybe two, I m bored to death with this. But the problem is now, that the rewards don't really deserve the revives spent. It s a circle with no end. There needs to be a better way, and that s a more balanced SQ system.

Can't argue your point. And I wouldn't because it's legit. I'm just stating that for me, I don't have an issue. I can't speak to anyone else's experience other than my own. I'm 42 and usually can find the time. I also have mild insomnia, so that usually accounts for much of the time I "make" to figure this stuff out lol.

Nojokejaym

So what are people who don’t want to explore all the content but have the skill, have the roster and con do it anytime but they just don’t want to. What would they be categorized as?

phil56201

Nojokejaym said:

So what are people who don’t want to explore all the content but have the skill, have the roster and con do it anytime but they just don’t want to. What would they be categorized as?

Lazy midgame thronebreaker. At least that's how I would describe myself...

Monk1

xNig said:

The issue with content and titles has always been a “completion” instead of “exploration” being required.

The big thing that really propels a roster and skills forward is always exploration.

This is where Kabam dropped the ball and allowed people To become TB without fully exploring act 6.

Most have little idea what real end game accounts look like… I’m talking 25 minimum r3 6* and a r4 is now an end game account

rockykoston

People are thinking things from where they stand in the game, this kind of analysis can never be objective.

Purely in terms of story content -

Beginner - At Act 4
Intermediate - Exploring Act 5, hopefully has completed 6.1
Advanced - Completed 7.2 and explored some Act 6
End Game - Explored everything

Not everyone wants to do LOL or Abyss. I've completed 7.2, explored some Act 6 , explored 7.1, completed all variants and explored 3 of them. I don't want to do LOL or Abyss.

If you can do Cav EQ / Legendary SQ without resources every month (1 or 2 revives here or there) , at the moment you're pretty much there between Advanced and end Game (if there's a spot there).

I_tell_no_tales_1

Hoitado said:

Riptide said:

I’d view anyone who hasn’t completed act 4 as a beginner

Between completing act 4 and 6.1 would be a intermediate player

After that you’d be mid game until act 6 completion

Then advanced

Endgame players would have completed/explored most or all content

This

This.

Bugmat78

Endgame is so subjective. I've done 4/9 Carina challenge, SOP explored, gauntlet, exploring 7.1, 7.2 and halfway through 7.3, and have at least completed every piece of content since becoming TB in the past year...

But I hate long format or unnecessarily punishing content.. So for that reason I've only done one path in both the labyrinth and the Abyss, and have not finished exploring act 6 though I completed it prenerf (though I have the tools to do it) or the long format Carina challenges.

It's not that I can't do it . It's just not enjoyable and I really don't really to commit the real life time to doing 5 hours on one single piece of content for rewards that may or may not mean much especially with the holiday sales that come around regularly.

I wouldn't consider myself endgame (like beat Abby's defenders with 3*champs level cuz you're bored and have nothing else to do) but I'm no chump.


I'd call mid tier anyone who is uncollected now, and experienced anyone who has completed act 6. Any further and I'd consider you a seasoned player (that's where I put myself), which is still s broad spectrum tbf.

To me endgame still means ppl at the end of the game ie nothing left to do.

Chikel

Searmenis said:

Thronebreakers are not end game players by definition. There s a big part that haven't done Abyss, explored act 6, maybe one run in 7,1, and are capable to 100% cav EQ but with revives and potions. A nice roster, mostly 5* and a dozen or so r2 nice 6* maybe. Oh, and a few r3 ones, maybe 2 or four. These are the Thronebreakers that find this week s SQ kinda insane lol

Everything you said made sense until you mentioned this week's side quest.
I have completed 7.2 and completed all variants except V1. I have explored 2 but haven't done LOL or AOL (And I probably never will as the rewards can easily be gotten from other content) I also explore Cav eq mostly itemlessly only dying to the occasional carelessness.
The problem with this week's side quest is that the difficulty isn't worth the effort. I have all the counters and can probably do it itemlessly but 750 6* and 2500 5* shards won't make a dent in my account so I won't go through such a massive unenjoyable slog for it. Maybe if I'm sufficiently bored later in the month.