FenrirsFirstborn said:

I'm now into week 2 of playing. I went with Elhain to start and she is now 5*/50. I have 2 others at 5* so looking to hit her 6* in about a week.

I also summoned a decent selection of rares, including kael and Athel. I also got shaman as a freebie.

For my next step, should I look to develop individual toons that seem good or focus on a faction? I can make 4-5 toon squads from high elves, dark elves, barbarians, or sacred order. If I should build a faction, which one; or stick to mixed squads?

Never mind factions - faction wars are mostly endgame content, it won't become high on your priority list until many months down the road when you have a couple dozen level 60s and have finished basically all other content. So for the foreseeable future, stick to mixed squads. 

Your next priority is indeed to get Elhain to 6*, but are those other 5*s rares/epics? Ideally you'd only use uncommons/commons as sacrifices in such cases, or maybe duplicate rares. Once she's at 6*, she should be capable of the standard farming approach: Elhain plus 3 ungeared 'food' champions running brutal 12.3 over and over and over, to level them up faster so you can bring other champions to 6*. 

FenrirsFirstborn said:

I'm now into week 2 of playing. I went with Elhain to start and she is now 5*/50. I have 2 others at 5* so looking to hit her 6* in about a week.

I also summoned a decent selection of rares, including kael and Athel. I also got shaman as a freebie.

For my next step, should I look to develop individual toons that seem good or focus on a faction? I can make 4-5 toon squads from high elves, dark elves, barbarians, or sacred order. If I should build a faction, which one; or stick to mixed squads?

Ignore factions.

Rsl https://imgur.com/gallery/QTOqHFp

https://i.imgur.com/LEKdHVd.jpg

Current roster + vault.

Played about with ascending a couple and sniper was my first summon so upgraded her a bit.

Have a bunch of 3*/30 rares I used to lead food toons and make early progress. I'm up to map 8.2 Could maybe go higher but using xp to lvl up food ATM.

All thoughts on priorities appreciated

Use Spirithost (leave at 40), Warmaiden (worth getting to 5*/6* after elhain is 6* -- could argue 5* and leveling to 50 while farming elhain food) and Elhain

Keep all rares that are used for fusions

Don't ascend unless you are going to use

Armiger (uncommon) don't use these as food. Lock one and upgrade a bit (use dupes as books), you will come back to leveling him up after a few others

keep paragon but i wouldnt level up for a long while (another to lock so u dont use as food)

Is it bad to create a bunch of 50s? When I am new to the game, I made bunch of 50s that I can use in some content then later on if I don't need it, and got a duplicate of it, I can feed the level 50 to 6 star most important champion. I treat it like an investment for future 6 star. Example Jizoh. He is good in 3 starring brutal campaigns for newbies. After I have no use for him, I just fed him without hesitation. That is easy next 6 star for me. 

This also applies to dungeon stages. You might want to build champions of different affinities to pass through stages of each dungeon. And of course, up to level 50 only if they are not good enough for end game content. 

Trips said:

Pick one starter to 6*, the others will likely be food.  Look for a balanced support team, but priority 1 is a 6* farmer.  Elhain is not as good as Kael, but you can live with her and she is easier to gear.  Post a screenshot of who you have pulled for any advice. DO NOT CREATE A BUNCH OF 50s. 

I won't say ignore Faction Wars, the glyphs can be very helpful for your main champions! 

I personally farm mostly lvl 6 on FW and the champions I use are mostly leftover champions that I level up via training pit, and I gear them with leftover gears and the glyphs I get definitely help me breakthrough silver 1... I didn't stay there long, but at least I finished the darned  progression mission

Having all of my gear upgraded with 2* glyphs feels like I have a 7th gear slot.

Edit: my suggestions for champions you're using on FW just put them on training pit, get at least 5 level 30 and just gear them with any leftover gears you have. You can easily farm lvl 3 or even 4 on FW with those

Life steal on Elhain: at the time my best toon and best set, for progress thru journey.

FenrirsFirstborn said:

Life steal on Elhain: at the time my best toon and best set, for progress thru journey.

Not yet at a point to think much about artefacts and toon combos, but happy to take hints. Thanks for thoughts so far. Will take spirit host and warmaidan next to 5 or 6. Due to get jizoh as next login freebie so might push him too?

Warmaiden is very good. I would probably get her to 50 next, spirithost to 40.  Create food for the next 60, but maybe  you get something better in a shard than WM to take to 60.  Jizoh, I am not a fan of.

As someone stated above don't completely ignore FW.  The glyphs are great and "free".  Do whatever level you can every day, as those little speed/acc upgrades will help alot early.  SAVE any high level glyphs you get from rewards for "good" artifacts though. by IGNORE FW, I meant from a progress decision standpoint.  Don't upgrade anyone to create faction teams.  And  don't waste silver equipping faction teams.  Even if you can only do level 1 with "naked" chards do that.