Should Kabam Add a Public Test Map to Practice Against Meta Defenders?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been pretty hooked on MCoC and really enjoy playing — I also watch a ton of YouTube content around it. One thing I’ve noticed is that content creators seem to have access to a special test map. It features all the key defenders, with increasing levels of difficulty, and it’s perfect for testing out new champs or recording gameplay. Honestly, it’s great content, and I love watching it.

But it got me thinking — would it be possible for Kabam to make something like that available to all players?

Personally, I still use Realm of Legends to test most of my champs, but let’s be real — that content is super outdated. And most of the other long-form content in the game doesn’t offer a reliable setup to test your roster against relevant meta defenders. I feel a bit limited by that.

The only time I really get to fight tricky defenders like Serpent, Dark Phoenix, Yelena, Zola, Photon, Enchantress etc., is in Alliance War or Battlegrounds — but those aren’t exactly great places to experiment. You’re under pressure to win, not learn.

So here’s my question to Kabam (if anyone’s listening):
Would you consider releasing a public version of the test map that creators use?
Maybe as a permanent in-game mode or a training room where we can select defenders, apply nodes, and practice without using items?

I’d love to hear what others think too — am I the only one who wants this kind of feature, or is there real demand for it?

Comments

WednesdayLength

I think people forget that realm want intended as a practice mode, it's just that the game has gotten so much bigger now that it's basically full of trivial fights. The only true practice mode we have in the game is practicing against characters we own and I'm not sure we need much else given that the point of new fights is to get used to them as we go instead of cramming a repeat fight for hours until you get it down 100%.

The map that content creators have isn't for practicing, it's for content. It's designed to show how new champs do in specific matchups and isn't really the kind of thing that would be made available to players in the same way that they don't give everyone a 7 star champion to test them out

EdisonLaw

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2

startropics

a test map against meta defenders would be bad.

look at what happened during EOPs where players had to fight onslaught or a dani moonstar where the nodes forced us to learn her sp2.

players adapted quickly and they became much easier. a test map would make meta defenders easier and kabam would be forced to release a lot more 5/5 defenders and or increase the cost of revives or even lower the supply of revives.

i don't mind a test map though. 2/5/10 million health, sp3 active, no nodes, and defenders of each class would be punching bags like winter soldier.

Sakkban

a test map against meta defenders would be bad.

look at what happened during EOPs where players had to fight onslaught or a dani moonstar where the nodes forced us to learn her sp2.

players adapted quickly and they became much easier. a test map would make meta defenders easier and kabam would be forced to release a lot more 5/5 defenders and or increase the cost of revives or even lower the supply of revives.

i don't mind a test map though. 2/5/10 million health, sp3 active, no nodes, and defenders of each class would be punching bags like winter soldier.

I get where you’re coming from, but I don’t fully agree. I haven’t touched EOP myself, but I don’t think having a test map would suddenly make meta defenders “easy.”

Take Onslaught, for example — I’ve faced him countless times in BGs and still get wrecked. Some defenders are just difficult, period.

Personally, I’d really value a space where I can simply learn how a champ works without pressure — something that lets us get closer to the kind of prep content creators have access to.

Sure, practice won’t solve everything, but having the option to train and experiment would still be a huge help. Plus, it would be fun to try uncommon champs. The point of the game is to have fun after all.

Sakkban

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2

I’d really love that too. A more up-to-date ROL 2 would be amazing. I think keeping SP3 locked — like it is now — would still be the way to go. It allows for a more relaxed and flexible playstyle when testing champs, without the stress of getting nuked mid-fight.

Ansh_A

Yes and no.

Map to test new meta defenders is a no. The game runs on whales spending to get these defenders or for getting counters against them. It will ruin the revenue model for Kabam.

However, after a cooldown period, they should do it. Maybe a year after release? I would love to test myself againsr D-Thanos for example. Felt the same way about Maestro when he came out. Not to mention the RNG for those of us who took ages to get a 6* or 7* Serpent. We were at a disadvantage in all competitive gameplay because he was everywhere as a defender.

Vendemiaire

Take Onslaught, for example — I’ve faced him countless times in BGs and still get wrecked. Some defenders are just difficult, period.

Then you’re a below average player. Most of the players learned how to navigate Onslaught after that.

Having the content creator test map will trivialize the game.

PT_99

a test map against meta defenders would be bad.

look at what happened during EOPs where players had to fight onslaught or a dani moonstar where the nodes forced us to learn her sp2.

players adapted quickly and they became much easier. a test map would make meta defenders easier and kabam would be forced to release a lot more 5/5 defenders and or increase the cost of revives or even lower the supply of revives.

i don't mind a test map though. 2/5/10 million health, sp3 active, no nodes, and defenders of each class would be punching bags like winter soldier.

Personally, I’d really value a space where I can simply learn how a champ works without pressure — something that lets us get closer to the kind of prep content creators have access to.
.

Offseason war
Offseason BG
AQ map-8
Beta maps
SQ gauntlets

If you're looking for space to practice story boss fights then that's not happening for obvious reasons, Kabam want players to die on their bosses not one shot after practicing for 10+ times.

EdisonLaw

a test map against meta defenders would be bad.

look at what happened during EOPs where players had to fight onslaught or a dani moonstar where the nodes forced us to learn her sp2.

players adapted quickly and they became much easier. a test map would make meta defenders easier and kabam would be forced to release a lot more 5/5 defenders and or increase the cost of revives or even lower the supply of revives.

i don't mind a test map though. 2/5/10 million health, sp3 active, no nodes, and defenders of each class would be punching bags like winter soldier.

Personally, I’d really value a space where I can simply learn how a champ works without pressure — something that lets us get closer to the kind of prep content creators have access to.
.
Offseason war
Offseason BG
AQ map-8
Beta maps
SQ gauntlets

If you're looking for space to practice story boss fights then that's not happening for obvious reasons, Kabam want players to die on their bosses not one shot after practicing for 10+ times.

That’s what Kabam wants, not what we want

DrZola

Nice to have, certainly—but in my opinion, considering the struggle to get events to start and score correctly, the struggle to get seasons started correctly, the struggle to manage multiple communication channels, and the struggle generally to stamp out bugs and cheats in game, I think they have enough on their plates.

Dr. Zola

Repto23

Either a map or like an arena/BG simulation where you can pick the champion you want to fight and their rank (or just highest rank currently available) and then they can just call it the “Danger Room” (from X-men if you for some reason didn’t know that already)

Now it’s useful and makes sense as to the story reason of why we have access to it

dr2ws

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2

CCP Test map = 👎
ROL 2 = 👍

Giving us a test map for Meta Defenders completely devalues the meta defender(s). Would be a terrible idea to do (no offence) I would never purchase a Meta Defender if everyone could access it and sort out how to counter them.

Content Creators deserve their own map as they deliver content that push the game to players, it’s free advertisement for Kabam.

Rayven5220

We have free testing, you just need to own a copy of the champ you wanna practice against.
To give us a map with all of the relevant meta defenders would completely trivialize the game.

Sakkban

We have free testing, you just need to own a copy of the champ you wanna practice against.
To give us a map with all of the relevant meta defenders would completely trivialize the game.

It’s a pretty clunky and outdated way of testing. Sure, it’s technically possible, but let’s be honest—it’s not something most players actually use. At least from what I’ve seen, it’s far from popular.

I don’t really agree with the idea that giving access to a proper testing map would trivialize the game. Allowing players to effectively practice against meta defenders isn’t a bad thing—it would just level the playing field a bit. A well-designed practice mode could do this, but as it stands, the current options fall short and aren’t widely used.

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2
CCP Test map = 👎
ROL 2 = 👍

Giving us a test map for Meta Defenders completely devalues the meta defender(s). Would be a terrible idea to do (no offence) I would never purchase a Meta Defender if everyone could access it and sort out how to counter them.

Content Creators deserve their own map as they deliver content that push the game to players, it’s free advertisement for Kabam.

This argument doesn’t fully add up. Most YouTubers I’ve watched still struggle with meta defenders in BGs, just like everyone else. That’s kind of the point—they remain challenging even with experience.

The issue is, I don’t even have the option to properly test out strategies or just have fun with new champs against the types of defenders I’ll actually be facing. Every time I want to try someone new, I end up in ROL—but let’s be real, I’m never going to see Winter Soldier or Captain Marvel in relevant content anymore. They’re outdated and irrelevant for any meaningful practice.

dr2ws

We have free testing, you just need to own a copy of the champ you wanna practice against.
To give us a map with all of the relevant meta defenders would completely trivialize the game.
It’s a pretty clunky and outdated way of testing. Sure, it’s technically possible, but let’s be honest—it’s not something most players actually use. At least from what I’ve seen, it’s far from popular.

I don’t really agree with the idea that giving access to a proper testing map would trivialize the game. Allowing players to effectively practice against meta defenders isn’t a bad thing—it would just level the playing field a bit. A well-designed practice mode could do this, but as it stands, the current options fall short and aren’t widely used.
I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2
CCP Test map = 👎
ROL 2 = 👍

Giving us a test map for Meta Defenders completely devalues the meta defender(s). Would be a terrible idea to do (no offence) I would never purchase a Meta Defender if everyone could access it and sort out how to counter them.

Content Creators deserve their own map as they deliver content that push the game to players, it’s free advertisement for Kabam.
This argument doesn’t fully add up. Most YouTubers I’ve watched still struggle with meta defenders in BGs, just like everyone else. That’s kind of the point—they remain challenging even with experience.

The issue is, I don’t even have the option to properly test out strategies or just have fun with new champs against the types of defenders I’ll actually be facing. Every time I want to try someone new, I end up in ROL—but let’s be real, I’m never going to see Winter Soldier or Captain Marvel in relevant content anymore. They’re outdated and irrelevant for any meaningful practice.

Take a champion such as Enchantress, you throw her into a test map and she is 9/10 getting annihilated every time. Because people expect the spells, they will know how to deal with her and the miss/evade/unstoppable. She is a skill based defender that requires skill, you would see nowhere near the amount of Enchantresses if there was a test map.

I 100% understand the concern you have, but this is the way Kabam makes money. Why not do a battlegrounds friendly and just ask them prior to test the champs you want? I know you can’t get the current ones but titan champions some of your alliance mates will probably have.

DNA3000

Difficult defenders are intended to be difficult. If you let players practice against them they will become less difficult in actual content. But the content is intended to be as difficult as it is, so any benefit players think they would get from practice mode would have to be neutralized by having harder mode designs to compensate. This makes the effort it would take to make a practice mode unproductive. In effect the devs would be burning development resources to make their own content easier, then have to burn even more resources to make their own content content harder.

Or, and this is the real nightmare, they would have to start making defenders so hard that practice doesn’t help most players.

People keep saying the game is supposed to be fun as a way to justify this. Well, the hard defenders are supposed to be hard, and the content is supposed to be challenging. Any game change that makes hard defenders easier and content less challenging would have to be mitigated somehow to eliminate those changes. Practice mode is essentially asking for defenders to be easier and content to be less challenging. The answer is going to be “no.”

smdam38

They absolutely should.

Because some people watch your videos on YouTube, you somehow get this unfair advantage?

It doesn’t make sense.How many new players do you think they're bringing in?

The only people watching are current players.

DNA3000

They absolutely should.

Because some people watch your videos on YouTube, you somehow get this unfair advantage?

As Larry Miller used to say, the difference between watching a Youtube video and practicing a fight is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.

Gentsy12

I think a test map would be valuable but almost from the opposite side as others, I’m less interested in using it to practice defenders and more so interested in learning the best rotation for new attackers. For example, if I get lucky and pull jean, bastion, spider-woman next week it would be great to have a place to test them out. Sure you can use RoL but you really only see some of the most useful attack mechanics against specific rpg asks. Having a place to test attackers in there “targeted fights” would be extremely valuable.

smdam38

They absolutely should.

Because some people watch your videos on YouTube, you somehow get this unfair advantage?
As Larry Miller used to say, the difference between watching a Youtube video and practicing a fight is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.

What does this even mean?

Should people that have “views” on YouTube get to practice against “hard” champs over and over again while we guess our way through?

Yes or no.

Buttehrs

They absolutely should.

Because some people watch your videos on YouTube, you somehow get this unfair advantage?
As Larry Miller used to say, the difference between watching a Youtube video and practicing a fight is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.
What does this even mean?

Should people that have “views” on YouTube get to practice against “hard” champs over and over again while we guess our way through?

Yes or no.

They don't get to fight "hard" champs anymore than you do. You have this thing called practice. The only difference is they can add a node or two.

Sakkban

They absolutely should.

Because some people watch your videos on YouTube, you somehow get this unfair advantage?
As Larry Miller used to say, the difference between watching a Youtube video and practicing a fight is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.
What does this even mean?

Should people that have “views” on YouTube get to practice against “hard” champs over and over again while we guess our way through?

Yes or no.
They don't get to fight "hard" champs anymore than you do. You have this thing called practice. The only difference is they can add a node or two.

Let’s be real—the current practice mode just isn’t well made. How often do any of us actually use it? Probably not much. You need to own the champ you want to practice against, ideally at max stars, just to get a half-decent idea of how a real BG or AW fight might go. And even then, doing multiple fights is slow, clunky, and honestly not worth the hassle.

I’m not against having a practice mode—in fact, I think it’s necessary. But the one we’ve got right now doesn’t serve the purpose. That’s why I suggested something more like the CCP testing map—it’s streamlined, efficient, and way more useful for actual practice.

Nothing against content creators—they don’t make up a massive percentage of the player base, and I don’t think their access to tools creates an imbalance. The issue is that the rest of us don’t have any decent tools to practice with. That’s the real gap.

At the very least, something like a new “RoL 2” would be amazing. Just 20 up-to-date champs in a static path where we can try different scenarios, rotations, or counters—that alone would go a long way in helping players improve and enjoy the game more.

WednesdayLength

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2

We have realm of legends 2, 3 and 4 already

Sakkban

I think a test map would be valuable but almost from the opposite side as others, I’m less interested in using it to practice defenders and more so interested in learning the best rotation for new attackers. For example, if I get lucky and pull jean, bastion, spider-woman next week it would be great to have a place to test them out. Sure you can use RoL but you really only see some of the most useful attack mechanics against specific rpg asks. Having a place to test attackers in there “targeted fights” would be extremely valuable.

Actually, this is really well said—I completely agree. It’s something I find myself missing all the time. For example, when I want to test a modern Mystic champ, I’d ideally like to put them up against a Cosmic with a ton of buffs. That’s just not feasible in RoL. Sure, Black Bolt does gain some buffs, but he’s outdated and buried deep in the path—not practical at all.

The issue is exactly that: we want to test new mechanics from modern champs, but to do that properly, we also need modern opponents with relevant abilities. Without that, we’re just guessing how a champ will perform in real content. Having a reliable, updated space to test those interactions would make a massive difference.

WednesdayLength

a test map against meta defenders would be bad.

look at what happened during EOPs where players had to fight onslaught or a dani moonstar where the nodes forced us to learn her sp2.

players adapted quickly and they became much easier. a test map would make meta defenders easier and kabam would be forced to release a lot more 5/5 defenders and or increase the cost of revives or even lower the supply of revives.

i don't mind a test map though. 2/5/10 million health, sp3 active, no nodes, and defenders of each class would be punching bags like winter soldier.

Personally, I’d really value a space where I can simply learn how a champ works without pressure — something that lets us get closer to the kind of prep content creators have access to.
.
Offseason war
Offseason BG
AQ map-8
Beta maps
SQ gauntlets

If you're looking for space to practice story boss fights then that's not happening for obvious reasons, Kabam want players to die on their bosses not one shot after practicing for 10+ times.
That’s what Kabam wants, not what we want

The playerbase wanting something doesn't inherently mean it should be given. I bet giving everyone 50 million units would be a player friendly decision and people want it to but there's a reason they don't do it

Sakkban

I think we need something like the CCP test map or a Realm of Legends 2
We have realm of legends 2, 3 and 4 already

When did that happen?

Frumpy_geezer

What I think would be a better idea is that when you've fully explored an act/chapter. The energy requirement goes to 1. With act 9 now, I think that would make a fine practice area, but the energy requirement is too high.

Sakkban

What I think would be a better idea is that when you've fully explored an act/chapter. The energy requirement goes to 1. With act 9 now, I think that would make a fine practice area, but the energy requirement is too high.

Not sure this is really important, to be honest. It’s been almost a year since I last actually needed energy. Once you get through the early story content—and honestly, the story mode in general—energy just becomes more of a burden. I have energy refills expiring all the time.

summerdeer

what I would want is when u explore of complete a chapter u should be able to fight the final boss and only the boss it could be like I would love to fight glykhan again but without the hassle of fighting the path defenders or fight orochi she is my fav boss

Eakomo

Yes not only for practising against defenders but also to test new champions and if you can actually play and enjoy them.

Against the points on defenders being hard.
The while reason most defenders are hard is artifical factors like inflated health and attacks, nodes to complicate the fight.

Many of the nodes in thr fame are not remotely new and are familiar to most players so how does a champion like onslaught with boosted health and bane become anything more than just another challenge to be completed?

Another factor to be considered, not everyone has the perfect champion or the same roster so why mot have the chance to practise with what you have for game modes like battlegrounds?