Damn. Didn't realise that. Guess I should start spending money, eh? So that I can get ... well, not sure what, since I've got everything else in the game so far without spending money :)

I believe that like me, you also do pretty much all the fusions? I know Trips does even more fusions than I do. lol

then you have been playing a long long time i am guessing. im sure this doesn't apply to everyone, but just reading through forum post, i think alot of people feel the same way.  

this post is mostly directed towards people mid to early late game, starting to dabble in arena and already got lydia and mithrala etc... but not necessarly tackeled all pve content yet, if you already beat all pve content, this prob doesn't apply to you.

I've missed one or two here and there, largely because of the silly Saturday night dungeon divers or something else like that. Off the top of my head, I missed Karato and Astralon.

The game has always shortcut time and effort with shop purchases.

I also have completed everything in the game, including Plat and G4 Tag, and did it without spending. But yes, it took time and focus and such. :)

So, what's your argument, exactly? That it costs newer players more to progress than it did for someone a year or two ago?

That might be true, sure - but those newer players today also get *way* more stuff for free as well, be it resources, or just plain time-saving features. So why shouldn't it cost more?

Karato was still, in my opinion, the most time and resource intensive fusion ever. Just the way the schedule was laid out, and it being a classic fusion. Was tough.

Astralon was before I was consistently doing them. My account wasn't in a place to do fusions reliably for a long time. Had to really put in the time to get there. But eventually I got there. Which is kinda the lesson/response to people who think it is only huge spending that gets you anywhere in the game.

I will jump in on my own post to add/say that with Taras and Marichka around, Arena certainly feels very tough right now. That can lend itself to feeling like spending is the only solution to progression. But really, patience and continuing to improve your own roster and gear is the way to go to progress your game.

I mean obviously with you have absolutely nothing left to do in the game, besides get awakened heros and gear, and focus on pvp, then sure this entire arguement is irrelevent to you.  Im probably a week away from getting lydia, and still have much progress to make in Iron Twins, Sand Devils, all Arenas, and Spider/FKK Hard, Some Doomtower Secret Rooms, i think i can beat all the bosses in hard now.

However, it just feels like all events and touranments are a no go for me.  I literally don't focus a single tournament or event unless its during a fusion.  All mid fusion breaks are focused on getting potions and building masteries.

I beat Doom tower Hard last rotation for first time ever.

Do 69k+ per CB UNM Key, Hard Dragon 10 Farm, Hard Ice Golem Farm, FKK and Spider 25 on farm, all PK's on 20 Farm.  Sand Devils Stage 5, Iron Twins Stage 11.  20k dmg 2 key hard hydra.  

anything arena wise is just out of touch.

Mighta been tough, sure, but I missed it because I was being greedy and was 3 points shy on Summon Rush, because I forgot to summon those three before going to bed :)

this reads as though you lack proper focus and are trying to do all the things at one time, and think you should be able to as well. 

never did that as a low spender while growing out account, don't do it in end game either. rarely works out very well :)

On FTP how the hell do you get anywhere close to fusioning for each one? I don't get close. I welcome any advice. 

usually want to be downing nm/unm cb everyday, 2x top chest each. 

need to save resources religiously for fusions, sometimes skipping ones and prioritizing ones you know can help your account progress. 

I honostly don't do anything outside of fusions besides restocking and focusing on FW, which next week i should have lydia if i can beat demonspawn.  Tournaments seem very unreleastic at my level unless im willing to spend.  

Like i have so many champs that need masteries, never extra energy to focus on IT or Sand Devils, infact i absolutely hate that ascend an artifiact quest, cause that means thats gonna practically take away a free energy potion for me that day.

But Doing UNM-Brutal CB every day generally gives me enough shards for fusions.

This game, ultimately, is a resource-management game. So you do everything you can to save resources, and spend them at the right time. For example,

• Every day you get a free gift in the shop, and every other day that free gift contains a full energy refill, which is sent to your mailbox. Don't use it. Save it until it is about to expire. I generally have anywhere from 30-50 free refills in my mailbox, that I can use when I need them.
• Same applies for rewards in tournaments/events. If you don't collect them, they go to your mailbox. Those have a 6-day expiry, but that's still time you can delay usage, which might help for a fusion.
• Don't summon shards at all, unless it's during a fusion that you can complete.
• Get NM top chest at very least, but very much try to reach UNM top chest.
• Get Doom Tower normal on full clear.
• Get all Dungeon 20's on farm, and start working towards being able to solo farm them.

There's tons of other examples. They all boil down to the same thing. Don't spend resources unless you can do so efficiently.

Winning tournaments? That's unrealistic for everyone other than spenders. I rarely ever win any, myself, since I don't spend.

I do everything you say here, except lately i have focused on finishing FW and burning a lot of extra resources as a result of this, gearing, ascending and masterying out champs, have all factions at 63 stars except bannerlords and demonspawn last boss.  So i have been spending a lot the last few weeks on character developement, however after I have lydia i may reshift priorities to focusing on PVE or Iron Twins, not sure which is more important.  I don't have the heros for Sand Devils im afraid =/

I don't try and win tournaments myself. Occasionally I can snag an Ice Golem one to start a fusion, or a very rare Arena one. But there certainly is a point you stop getting relentless gear unless you spend.

The good news is that very very few endgame builds use relentless gear, and you won't need it for anything later. Instead, Reflex gear for skill cooldown and then tons of other gear to up damage rather than the 18% chance of extra turns. :)

Sorry NM and UNM? 

nightmare and ultra nightmare clan boss :)