Hey guys. I posted on here a few months back after starting with no real direction. The consensus was to build a Phoenix squad. Check! Unfortunately I didn't have them quite high enough to get 7* Thrawn (lvl 70, G8 and 2 G7s). I've been pretty steady top 100 in arena, but now it's nothing but Phoenix and Wiggs/Chaze teams are starting to blow by me.1st question - Is my current Phoenix squad good enough for upcoming 7* Palpatine? Where is a good stopping point for them?2nd question/s - Now what? I've started working on Wedge and STH and trying to get Rex shards but haven't gone all in. I know R2 event is coming up. Could I realistically put together a 7* empire team in time to get 7* R2 or is that just a pipe dream? Would 6* R2 still be beneficial? If I go all-in on an empire team would it be better in arena on my fairly young shard than Phoenix (top teams other than a whale or two are mid to high lvl 70s)? My guild isn't very strong, but I like the guys and don't plan on ditching them. https://swgoh.gg/u/waynglingo/Thanks !

Arena is all about exerting control:being faster, doing more damage, preventing damage, preventing enemy actions, etc. This can be accomplished with or without synergy, but squad synergy is yet another way or exerting controlEx: CLS Rebels teams have counter chance, which forces a decision on whether or not to use AOEThe Empire squad able to see good success in Arena is full of toons that are ridiculously hard to farm (Shore, DT, Krennic) and so tend to be more of a later game pursuit.Focus on gearing Ezra; this will benefit your Phoenix as well set him up to fit in a Wiggs team. STH is needed for CLS, but so is Ben, and Ben is a better tank (I went all in on STH, stopping short of G12, but threw in the zeta...wish I had Ben geared up while grinding GK shards).Five star R2 is viable in arena at your level.Farm mods as often as possible as soon as you unlock(3 star) the tier 3 health challenge. No matter what team you run in arena, gear and mods are your greatest assets.

Honestly... I think pheonix is a bad way to start... lemme explain why:Rebels... good idea, but! Going with the usuals (And easy to get... get you more than thrawn, which ain't likely to happen early on)So... wedge, Biggs, old Ben, Leia, lando, sthan3 needed for cls... check5 needed for Palpatine... check7* empire needed for r2... thrawn ain't gonna help there... because 6* is the best most will do earlier on.But hey... the easier rebels get you Palpatine @ 7* & are very useful in raids still!Then move to the easiest empire.Palpatine, TFP, magma, storm & tarkin.Couple useful raid toons in there & an easy r2 win @ 7*Now, double back for luke farmboy & wow! All 5 7* toons needed for CLS.Now move to resistance & FO. More useful raid toons & a whiney new bb8.Now your higher lol and probably a little better prepare to do pheonix for 7* thrawnJust my 2 cents.

You can have both. Focus on Empire to get R2 and he immediately makes Rebels better + CLS eventually.I dont remember who I did the R2 event with but Im sure it contained Palp, Tarkin and RG. Probably Vader and Magma too. Palps shock debuff is very important in that event and I think TFP with his AOE would be better than both Magma and Vader. Vader is a big hitter though and can finish the Rebels one by one when they are unstealthed.Also I cant recommend Shoretrooper enough. Only empire healer. He should be on your shortlist as he is useful for many things.

"t0neg0d;c-1440152" wrote:Honestly... I think pheonix is a bad way to start... lemme explain why:Just my 2 cents.I spent a lot of time doing research and theory craft before I started a new shard and Phoenix is hands down the best starting route. Being able to complete GW 100% daily is almost reason enough, I think a lot of players forget how tough that can be at lower levels. Then there's Thrawn and his ship along with EP all doable with that team, the ability to top 100 arena quickly and easily on a new shard and can maintain a decent rank while farming your next teams and 2 Jedi to help with Yoda including Ezra who finds his way into a lot of squads other than phoenix. I'm sure there are more reasons but I'm walking and brain farting lol. Their biggest cons imo is they are boring and 3 out of 5 aren't really useful in other squads, but they still find uses in events after all is said and done. I see players on my new shard who've farmed night sisters and other popular non legendary event squads, and while they may rank a little higher in the arena now that rank will eventually start to drop once the people who went with utility first start adding characters like R2, CLS, Thrawn etc into their squads.

"Wayng_Lingo;c-1446736" wrote:"CoastalJames;c-1446510" wrote:"Wayng_Lingo;c-1442404" wrote:Would Wedge, Biggs, STH, Boba and Ezra be a viable arena team?Yes. But put best mods on Wedge, Biggs and Leia.Thanks! Are you recommending Leia instead of Ezra or Boba or just a typo :smile: ? I would have to stop farming STH in order to go after her (Han's at 5* now), but I could certainly do that.Oh, I'm definitely recommending Leia instead of Ezra and Boba!In the team of Wedge, Biggs, STHan, R2 and Leia- she is your MVP. She's a killing machine.

Looking for direction after Thrawn event

MidasWelBee
7 years ago
Arena is all about exerting control:
being faster, doing more damage, preventing damage, preventing enemy actions, etc. This can be accomplished with or without synergy, but squad synergy is yet another way or exerting control
Ex: CLS Rebels teams have counter chance, which forces a decision on whether or not to use AOE

The Empire squad able to see good success in Arena is full of toons that are ridiculously hard to farm (Shore, DT, Krennic) and so tend to be more of a later game pursuit.

Focus on gearing Ezra; this will benefit your Phoenix as well set him up to fit in a Wiggs team. STH is needed for CLS, but so is Ben, and Ben is a better tank (I went all in on STH, stopping short of G12, but threw in the zeta...wish I had Ben geared up while grinding GK shards).

Five star R2 is viable in arena at your level.

Farm mods as often as possible as soon as you unlock(3 star) the tier 3 health challenge. No matter what team you run in arena, gear and mods are your greatest assets.
t0neg0d
7 years ago
Honestly... I think pheonix is a bad way to start... lemme explain why:

Rebels... good idea, but! Going with the usuals (And easy to get... get you more than thrawn, which ain't likely to happen early on)

So... wedge, Biggs, old Ben, Leia, lando, sthan

3 needed for cls... check
5 needed for Palpatine... check

7* empire needed for r2... thrawn ain't gonna help there... because 6* is the best most will do earlier on.

But hey... the easier rebels get you Palpatine @ 7* & are very useful in raids still!

Then move to the easiest empire.

Palpatine, TFP, magma, storm & tarkin.

Couple useful raid toons in there & an easy r2 win @ 7*

Now, double back for luke farmboy & wow! All 5 7* toons needed for CLS.

Now move to resistance & FO.

More useful raid toons & a whiney new bb8.

Now your higher lol and probably a little better prepare to do pheonix for 7* thrawn

Just my 2 cents.
DVZR
7 years ago
You can have both. Focus on Empire to get R2 and he immediately makes Rebels better + CLS eventually.

I dont remember who I did the R2 event with but Im sure it contained Palp, Tarkin and RG. Probably Vader and Magma too. Palps shock debuff is very important in that event and I think TFP with his AOE would be better than both Magma and Vader. Vader is a big hitter though and can finish the Rebels one by one when they are unstealthed.

Also I cant recommend Shoretrooper enough. Only empire healer. He should be on your shortlist as he is useful for many things.
Hoffman72510
7 years ago
"t0neg0d;c-1440152" wrote:
Honestly... I think pheonix is a bad way to start... lemme explain why:

Just my 2 cents.

I spent a lot of time doing research and theory craft before I started a new shard and Phoenix is hands down the best starting route. Being able to complete GW 100% daily is almost reason enough, I think a lot of players forget how tough that can be at lower levels.

Then there's Thrawn and his ship along with EP all doable with that team, the ability to top 100 arena quickly and easily on a new shard and can maintain a decent rank while farming your next teams and 2 Jedi to help with Yoda including Ezra who finds his way into a lot of squads other than phoenix. I'm sure there are more reasons but I'm walking and brain farting lol.

Their biggest cons imo is they are boring and 3 out of 5 aren't really useful in other squads, but they still find uses in events after all is said and done. I see players on my new shard who've farmed night sisters and other popular non legendary event squads, and while they may rank a little higher in the arena now that rank will eventually start to drop once the people who went with utility first start adding characters like R2, CLS, Thrawn etc into their squads.
Player_7ctrhms9
7 years ago
"Wayng_Lingo;c-1446736" wrote:
"CoastalJames;c-1446510" wrote:
"Wayng_Lingo;c-1442404" wrote:
Would Wedge, Biggs, STH, Boba and Ezra be a viable arena team?

Yes. But put best mods on Wedge, Biggs and Leia.

Thanks! Are you recommending Leia instead of Ezra or Boba or just a typo :smile: ? I would have to stop farming STH in order to go after her (Han's at 5* now), but I could certainly do that.

Oh, I'm definitely recommending Leia instead of Ezra and Boba!

In the team of Wedge, Biggs, STHan, R2 and Leia- she is your MVP. She's a killing machine.
wapitipoker2
7 years ago
"Salatious_Scrum;c-1447008" wrote:
Phoenix is good at the beginning since their synergy is on point and they’re rebels. You can use them for Palpatine since his event is not difficult but for those who are grinding them for Thrawn, just know Thrawn is much harder to get at 7 stars than Palpatine.

Word. I thought I would get him with my 7* Phoenix team, but didn't really come close and I have decent mods. I was only G7/8. Glad to hear the emperor is easier. Hopefully they don't make him as hard as Thrawn!
wapitipoker2
7 years ago
Thanks for the replies!

Would Wedge, Biggs, STH, Boba and Ezra be a viable arena team? I would put my best speed mods on Boba to get his ability block off first, then STH/Ezra to taunt and dispell.

I am currently taking a detour to get two jedis to 6* in order to get 6* Yoda for TB/TW/raids. Hopefully this won't hurt me too much - I'm already falling out of the top 100 in arena...
wapitipoker2
7 years ago
I'm at a real decision point and would love some expert advice please.

Do you guys think I should focus on empire for R2 event or a better rebel team? Or both?

I could put together an empire team of Palpatine/TFP/RG/Snowtrooper/Tarkin. Would that get 7* R2?

For next arena team I'm looking at Wiggs/STH/Boba/???. Possibly Ezra for 4th since I already have him or Rex(L) since I'm about to unlock him.

Does this make sense or should I just focus on Empire to ensure I get 7* and maybe use empire in arena?
I need to do something now that my Phoenix team is losing to stronger teams (I'm level 73).

Thank you!
Player_7ctrhms9
7 years ago
"Wayng_Lingo;c-1442404" wrote:
Would Wedge, Biggs, STH, Boba and Ezra be a viable arena team?

Yes. But put best mods on Wedge, Biggs and Leia.

And yes - in the meantime, farm Empire to get R2.

Then - Wedge, Biggs, STHan, R2 and Leia. A most excellent mid-game Arena squad.
wapitipoker2
7 years ago
"CoastalJames;c-1446510" wrote:
"Wayng_Lingo;c-1442404" wrote:
Would Wedge, Biggs, STH, Boba and Ezra be a viable arena team?

Yes. But put best mods on Wedge, Biggs and Leia.

Thanks! Are you recommending Leia instead of Ezra or Boba or just a typo :smile: ? I would have to stop farming STH in order to go after her (Han's at 5* now), but I could certainly do that.