So what do you guys think, is ascension exclusion the new nerf program?

Personally, I think today’s announcements were a huge array of total wins, but that curious line drawn at lizard for guaranteed ascensions was definitely a bit of a…huh moment.

Do you guys think that’s going to be the mechanism that champs like Nico or Karolina etc get phased out by?

Comments

ahmynuts

I dont think they're that stupid

CheeseMaster482

Idk about allat but I called the ascension mechanism.

Once again the CheeseMaster is correct.

Giantwalrus56

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896619#Comment_2896619

Yeah for you!!!! Here's a 🍪

TheUglyone123

I’m sure there will be a way to ascend champs released before lizard. The whole point of that segment was to maintain the time and rewards that players have accumulated over time. It defeats their whole reason for doing 7 star ascension if we can’t ascend champs older than this month

ahmynuts

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896651#Comment_2896651

They're doing it in batches like how when 7*s were first released. But that wasnt ops question. His question was if this was a convenient way for kabam to avoid including certain champs in these batches

GroundedWisdom

Did they say they're using this in place of 8*s, or is this just extending things?

Giantwalrus56

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896655#Comment_2896655

I understood it as 7* are it

Furrymoosen

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896655#Comment_2896655

They said they have no current plans to bring 8* into the game. So at the very least, this will prolong that possibility for at least a few years.

GroundedWisdom

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896664#Comment_2896664

Okay. Well, that makes sense. I still think 8*s will come eventually. Of course, I've been wrong before.

Buttehrs

Just remember, they said they arent making 8* "at this time" doesn't mean they won't in the future. And they planned 11 ranks of ascension. So either more ranks after 11 or 8* lol.

CheeseMaster482

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896669#Comment_2896669

Once they run out of ascension levels they will just add a gear system. 8 stars won't be a thing.

GroundedWisdom

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896680#Comment_2896680

If the game is to continue, it's pretty much inevitable.

mbrace

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896651#Comment_2896651

This has to be correct, because champs released from the Lizard on will only be a small fraction of the total champs in the pool. Not allowing ascension for past champs would be like axing 90% of the 7*’s that were released and would take us back to 2015-sized rosters.

Dr. Crab

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896654#Comment_2896654

exactly.

Buttehrs

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896680#Comment_2896680

NoNo Gears will never be a thing. They were on the old Chinese specific game years ago and people vehemently said no gears. 8* will be a thing. Someday. Kabam absolutely loves and will reset the rarity and chase all over again they even said as much on the livestream. Its what keeps the game going.

TotemCorruption

It would be nice if someone gave context for what y'all are talking about, for those like me who didn't watch 99% of the stream today.

GroundedWisdom

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896692#Comment_2896692

They said they're introducing an Ascension mechanic for 7*s, and we're debating if it's just to extend the time before 8*s, or in place of them.

Personally, I think it's a must if the game has a long-term plan. If they don't add them eventually, that's going to (at the risk of sounding dramatic) be the beginning of the end.

TotemCorruption

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896695#Comment_2896695

What does Lizard have to do with it though?

Buttehrs

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896692#Comment_2896692

Its kinda both really. We're not getting 8* any time soon but 7* are also gonna be almost maxed out after banquet (obviously). So instead of chasing 8* were gonna chase ascension stuff first.

GroundedWisdom

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896701#Comment_2896701

Apparently only Champs from Lizard on will be capable of being Ascended.

TotemCorruption

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896706#Comment_2896706

So ascension-gating is the new thing? Functionally that's no different than releasing 8 stars. Probably even worse because with 8 stars, 7s wouldn't become underpowered until we reached 8R3s. Whereas with 7R6 ascended champs, they immediately become stronger than 7R6 non-ascended champs.

So the timeline for loss of investment in ascension-gated champs gets sped up. Because if we keep the current one rank per year trajectory, this is the contrast:

7R4s: 2025

7R5s: 2026

7R6s: 2027

8R1s: 2028

8R2s: 2029

8R3s: 2030 (7R6s become underpowered)

VERSUS ascension system

7R4s: 2025

7R5s: 2026

7R6s: 2027

7R6As: 2028 (non-ascended 7R6s become underpowered)

ahmynuts

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896722#Comment_2896722

Yes ascension gating is a thing. New champs will be able to ascend from release but any chamo from before lizard will be able to ascend as a part of a batch release.

And you're correct. Functionally this is pretty much the same as 8*s in that specific way but there are actually pretty big differences which they did actually talk through on stream.

I think as long as they don't obviously target the best champs (especially the newer ones from this year) and exclude them then it could be really good

Joker1976

Good news,..how boring it would be to go through another tier rarity collecting all the same old champs / ranking and levelling them up.

That feeling of “starting all over again” may be enjoyable to some, but repetitive and discouraging to others.

At the very least, glad to hear they are taking a break from this approach

Anotherconcernplayer

I was busy during the livestream time, was jump in and out, so must have missed it.

May I ask for the break down on the announcement regarding this?

WednesdayLength

No more so than it was when 7 stars were added. Or 6 stars. Or 5 stars.

JESUSCHRIST

The key words used were "guaranteed ascension" from Lizard and Spider Mumbai onwards

Meaning some of the existing 7* champions will be excluded from the ascension party

JESUSCHRIST

Kabam can decide which champion is unhealthy for the game and exclude that champion from ascension

Buttehrs

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896797#Comment_2896797

Because they're doing anyone previous in batches. Similar to how we get batches of champs added as 7* like heart of fire or banquet.

TikkaMasala

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2896798#Comment_2896798

<cough> Nico

Speaking of Nico, is the Titan selector milestone an opportunity to choose anyone from the current Titan?

ctl131

The "guaranteed Ascension" for all new champs from Lizard and Spivitr-Man just means they're available to Ascend right from their release, instead of having to wait for them to be released in batches with the rest of the pre-existing 7* pool.

They might have worded it poorly, but it was mentioned that eventually every 7* would be available for Ascension, but they're going to release crystals with Ascension materials for champs in batches, so for example maybe 2-3 from each class will get Ascension materials in a first first crystal, and then 2-3 more from each class with the next, so on and so forth until all 7*s can be Ascended.