[Coldsaturn]

Answer Sheet:

First protocore (Spikey shape) = HP + DEF = bad core, decompose it.

Second protocores (Pyramid shape) = average core for standard companions and companions that don't scale on HP. If that's the only choice you have then keep it, but don't level them up past lvl 6, wait for a better core.
△ Pyramid shape - first stat (its main stat) should always be either Crit Rate, Crit Damage, or Damage Boost to Weakened.
These cores would only make sense if you were running a companion scaling on HP like GoT or AS. That's when these protocores would be very good. But since you don't have either, you're left trying to level the substats, and upping the substats won't be as easy nor effective since a random one gets a random boost every 3 enhancements. As a risult, you won't use this as much.
In particular, the second protocore has good substats (compared to the first that has 3 HP stats out of 5), so in a Mix Build works okay. Definitely better than its Emerald partner. Still would wait before leveling it up past lvl 6 because you might get something better.

Mix Build = protocore combo for mob fights where you have a mix of enemies with 1 shield, 2 shields, 0 shields. For these battles it makes no sense to go for a full DMG to Weakened build because not everyone will go in that state. Crit builds tend to do better, but whoever goes in weakened state won't receive crit damage. So you're left with a mix build, where you focus on your companion scaling stats while keeping an eye out on those always-good stats to have to boost your damage output.

Last protocore (spikey shape) = good protocore to level up! Hopefully the last substat won't be a let down, but even if it was it would be 1 substat out of 4. I would mark it with the lock to make sure I keep an eye on it and only decompose it if I get a stellar protocore that has all the perfect stats.


You passed the test!

[ChicletPrime]

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I have:

- sorted my protocores, trashed a bunch, carefully upgraded a few to +3 and one set to +6.
- have gotten Heartbreaker and Snoozer to level 9 (max)
- still struggling through the Disambiguation areas, two of them are level 6, the pink/purple (Rafayel) is 7
- this morning i was able to earn 4 points in Senior Hunter Contest, the first time I've cleared ANY of the fights
- have ascended Abysswalker through 70, now plinking away at raising to level 80

i am quietly pleased with myself. i have also just achieved my 50 day login so i am no longer "rank newb".

[Coldsaturn]

So many milestones! Congrats!!!
SHC especially, that's always to celebrate because it will be one of the biggest sources of red diamonds for you, so any star you get from that is more than welcome.

Going from lvl 70 to lvl 80 (especially 5-star cards) takes so many resources that with that same amount you can upgrade several cards up to lvl 60 or more. Many players wait before pushing past lvl 70 because of that. Even with future battles requiring +70, you can absolutely bridge the gap with protocores.

[ChicletPrime]

but coldsaturn-laoshi, i have no protocores!

well, i have some protocores but none of them are very amazing which is why i have upgraded only a few to +6/+3 while i hope for more and better fruit to fall from the tree. i really need better cards for zayne and xavier - if i'd only started a couple of weeks earlier i could have gotten Lumiere but nooooo.

[Coldsaturn]

Xav will get his new myth this year, most likely, together with Sylus and Raf, so let's wait it out!

Some suggest to focus on clearing higher levels of Core hunts as soon as possible because you'll start getting at least one SSR protocore starting from lvl 8 (at lvl 10 you're guaranteed 2 SSR protocores, but I haven't cleared any of them yet, they're all at 9 where you're guaranteed 1 and you have a certain % of getting a second). Protocores is where the real gacha gamble system plays out, because you never know what you're going to get. But if you go through a 120 stamina run through lvl 9 (example), even by trashing every protocore you get you'll receive around 10000 exp you can throw to upgrade the decent/good protocores you have, which in turn will pump your teams enough to clear higher orbits/SHC and in turn give you red diamonds back.

But if you want to upgrade your cards instead, keep in mind that for a 5star card lvl 70 to reach lvl 80 you need 150050 exp in bottles.

[ChicletPrime]

okay, that sounds like an okay plan i can get behind. i'll stop Abysswalker at 71 for now and go back and start leveling the dominant cards i have for everybody another ten levels while i'm waiting for more useful protocores to arrive / tentatively try to get Disambiguation fights higher.

i am looking forward to blowing all my diamonds on Rafayel's new myth, to be sure! i haven't gotten good new cards in forever it feels like so the little pavlovian *ding!* response in my brain is starving.

[ChicletPrime]

Linked a Lemurian Sea God Battle Guide onto the main page, as needed.

[Coldsaturn]

Doing sea god's work, as usual

[Coldsaturn]

So, I have a pretty funny situation because I started as a harem player (even spent actual money to get Lumiere and I wasn't even on aurum pass back then) before deciding to focus financially on Raf only, which resulted in a funny mismatch of levels in the guys' individual orbits. Raf was of course flying high while all the others lagged behind, with Xav being in a decently high level but stuck since I wasn't going to spend resources on leveling his cards. I always watched the other guys' orbits with a bit of sadness in my heart though, because seeing Sylus and Caleb not even surpassing the 20s orbits was outrageous, but that was a necessary evil.
Then I started properly building my solo Raf teams, up to the point of getting all the red diamonds from the SHC in the latest round. In order to grind for his fire orbits (currently at orbit 162) I ended up leveling up a bunch of decent protocores to level 15. And I asked myself: what would happen if I slapped a +15 protocore on a card that I've never upgraded even once?

Answer: I am now officially clearing orbits for the other LIs too. Zayne and Caleb passed boss orbits 30, Sylus passed boss orbit 40 today.
I'll probably end up being stuck again around lvl 50 because I will reach a point where protocores are not enough anymore and I need to properly upgrade the cards if I want higher stats, but holy fuck I was not expecting the protocores to do so much heavy lifting. I don't have cards for these LIs, for Zayne I have one (1) 5* card, for Sylus I often have to slap in some 3* cards because I haven't bothered to get his cards from the wishing well store. And I'm still clearing their lower orbits.
And the only reason I'm not clearing boss orbit 70 with Xav is because I don't have high level protocores in red and green. If I had them +15 like with purple and pink, I would pass it.

Pretty cool.

[ChicletPrime]

oh wow. i somehow missed this post.

finally committing on the protocores seems to be the first of the big answers. wild, huh?

i am... i hate to say it because i sounds like i'm not putting in the work (i am not putting in the work probably) but it seems like i am now at the point in the combat/orbits where i need to figure out "teams". is it just a case of putting all your moneyresourceeggs into Rafayel's cards and then running Lemurian Sea God on top of them to brute force everything else? rinse and repeat until Abysm Sovereign finally re-runs?

this Hunt series, i only got 14 points (my highest was 18 points on the series before) as the stellacrum is woeful this time around and i just don't have enough cards. i've spread out more than you have and i'm still trying to work on getting anything in the way of a decent set of protocores even in the +9 range. some of my cores are terrible and are sitting at +0 still as I don't want to upgrade a terrible set.

do just i love on Rafayel, upgrade Abysswalker and Lemurian Sea God to 80, and then upgrade any four lunar cards that are ATK based and screw stellactrum entirely? is there a real plan i should be following for how much crit / c.dmg / exp energy i need to have? i have sunk in about two weeks now of using all my daily resources into getting protocores and it still feels like i have nothing decent to work with.