When you hit lvl 1 invaders ok the guardsman gear hardly helps (for that I do not even bother to put it on ... also I do not put it on for lvl 2 invaders) ... when you are hitting lvl 6 and ubers it helps ALOT ... as you already said you spend 1.5 times as much on an uber if you do not have it ... if you want to get top knowledge and building gear for hero and shaman ... I do not think there is enough time in a person's life to get it hitting level 1 invaders ... 

That being said for points in certain events you can get more points hitting lower level invaders/ghosts than higher level ones with same amount of energy ... but then again time is a problem and also what you get as far as drops per energy ... 

And the "if only the scales fell from your eyes" comment ... totally unnecessary and quite condescending  ...

 I wrote I may have enough keys,wasn't certain on anything, it was so long ago that I looked at the requirements, I hadn't even got to Hero 60,so it wasn't urgent. 

I think I just spent 16,000 keys to open up the next level,it's of so little consequence to my game that I haven't even used the 12 special skills given.  

For conformation of the process, I may fast track to the next level.  

I don't know if the amount of keys needed has gone up, it wouldn't surprise if it had, its the sort of thing they do. 

Checked amount of keys needed and reckon I can get to 68 with what I have, so you are right,  presently I do not have enough keys for level 70.  

Got Hero level 60, 14 months ago,so may have enough by the time I need them.

The amount of keys has not gone up ... so if you just spent 16k keys to
go to next level you are at hero lvl 63 ... and if you can get to hero
level 68 then you have at least 365k keys ... and then need another 360k
keys to get to hero level 70 ... and you said you are not thinking of
doing anything but hero experience equipment until you get to hero level
70 (yes I deduced that from your posts cuz that was pretty much what
you said) and now you say that leveliing up your hero that "it's of so
little consequence to my game that I haven't even used the 12 special
skills given" ... so do tell what is of consequence to your game??? 

The scales fell from my eyes, so I can no longer take the game seriously,too much manipulation by too many types of people,instigated  partly by the changes to the game which has effectively  locked players out of certain aspects of it, seemingly to force players into a specific, and faster way of play that only results in harder objectives ( e.g. no runic coins till level 33,and only in the higher leagues like you complained about) and more time and cash needed.

 There is so little to be gained  for me otherwise so I now play mostly to the pass the time and whatever I do or can do is not really by design, but by accident.

Like I said,time for a rethink,maybe forget the few goals, and using up what I have quickly, and actually stop altogether, which I have considered, they are making it so much easier to do, I still curse when I miss the opportunity to claim something, but what the heck, it now doesn't matter like it did when I started  this thread, and perhaps the time is more precious spent elsewhere.

All I can say is good luck to rest.

I already have the hero experience equipment and yes thats about all I'm doing,upping the level,apart from similarly with ghosts and occasionally trying to finish floor 10.

Forging the rest of the RGM  and seeing the results will provide some different ertainment and enlightenment.  

Didn't get to address the other points about building and learning, already got the maximum from Inga, need more charms for Baggi to get his, but I am not building or learning, so I don't need the shaman gear, nor better special equipment that  I have no access to, but couldnt forge if I did because I don't have the gear to forge them with, cause it takes too much to get them, no, not be gettting mega energy pots and hitting umpteen ubers to speed that  journey up .

No problem. I wish you well in the game.😀

Thanks for your input, I knew, and others probably did also, that the RGM hero gear does the things you describe, but as you point out, it's still all about cutting the overall energy cost in killing invaders.

Also, because I  had only built White boots, and the reduction in energy required per hit is obvious when you put them on, is why I only mentioned this part.

 Edited below.

It is highly deceptive when they quote X % reduction, because the base level is obscured.

WDYWTNTF ,I realise a lot has changed since this thread was created,the biggest change being the need for legendary gems to transform to dust for any clan that has a L4 sh and is capable of running a stronghold defence (IMO) this is where a full set of invader gear is really important to help get a better quality drop of gems.

Plarium is constantly moving the goalposts and should they continue to do so i too may reconsider my commitment to the game and part ways

You are right, much has changed,such that I can't recall the timeline, except I do know it's around 2 years ago that the achievements were introduced,and the real rot intensified for me when they changed the parameters.

It is also certain that this post has had more attention since its surprising recent revival, than when I first posted and really needed the advice on how best to use the little amout of hero energy that I had, was available then. 

Yes, the game keeps changing more and more. Now it is Ubba gear and Reine gear that you need- and to upgrade that gear as high as you can.

For that you need incredible amounts of materials- so you need to hit those uber chiefs A LOT, all 4 of them.

Don't even think of hitting an uber chief without full invader gear, a 20% hero booster, and your hero points adjusted.