Latest 5* Synergy

Marvel Puzzle Quest MPQ General Discussion
1

Whenever a new 5* is announced, everyone talks about the best pairings with older 5s, but this isn’t an option for newer rosters (like mine). So, I wanted to mention the synergy I’m seeing with the latest 5s since that’s what I’m working with (as well as other players).

Shang (4/5/4) + Sersi (5/5/3): these two work great together: Sersi can simply keep Shang’s combo rolling to take down those boosted 5*s. Plus, she’ll be making fortified CD tile 14K AOE bombs everywhere. Shang’s healing is great, but Sersi can add 1700+ protects by choking out yellow or blue. If you’re fighting Ghostpool, I would choke out Black. Shang’s red can also ensure that the choked color stays low so that Sersi keeps producing specials.

Shang (4/5/4) + Gamora (3/5/5): they can counter Wanda-Colossus. Simply fire Gamora’s yellow before going off with Shang. If the combo stalls, you could use Shang’s red to get rid of Wanda’s repeater before it hits back. Gamora’s repeater stun could also be useful in a stall. Additionally, you could put down Gamora’s black CD tile before going off with Shang, ramping it up to 10 quickly, but the target may already be dead at that point.

Ultron (5/3/5) + Sersi (5/5/3): These two can pump out specials very well; I would use Sersi’s purple to choke out purple to produce 1700+ strikes, then Ultron creates or buffs strikes for 1,000+. Adding 2700+ strike damage each turn rivals Kitty! Then collect red & green. Green adds more red, fortifies your red strikes and buffs them by 1100+. Use red to hit with Energy Beams (which can’t be reduced because of the strikes). If you’re lucky enough to get a match-5, then Sersi’s AOE bomb could finish the battle. If you want to play defensively, then simply choke out yellow or blue to produce 2700+ in protects each turn. Sersi is the ultimate in versatility.

Shang (5/5/3) + Big Wheel (5/3/5): Big Wheel is here to simply provide passive hits for 27K+. But with Shang-made cascades, he could hit for double that! Wheel’s 6 green AP power isn’t bad either, removing specials with a 2300+ AOE and a random hit for 5K - 10K (based on Speed Points). Perhaps with practice, Wheel’s green could also help Shang keep the combo rolling.

Sersi (5/5/3) + Gamora (5/3/5): Gamora’s strongest power is Red, dealing a total of 32K for 9 AP. But we can increase that damage and feed it with Sersi. Just like Ultron, choke out purple for 1700+ strikes and use green to get more red to feed Bladed Finesse. With just 3 Sersi strikes out, Red hits for a total of 47K. With 6 strikes, it hits for 62K. If Wanda & Colossus are in the way, then simply use Gamora’s yellow.

Ultron (5/3/5) + Abigail (5/5/3): this may be a bit of a stretch, but they could work together. Abby can quickly make attack tiles for Ultron to copy or buff. They both drain the enemy’s strongest color with Abby draining an additional color. Ultron has a CD tile stun for Abby to work with, plus Ultron’s strikes get double duty with Abby’s attack tiles. Their direct damage powers are weak at 8K and 9K, but this would be a kinda defensive steady damage team.

I was surprised to find all the synergy that I did in the Latest 6. I would think the devs are doing this on purpose to help new players. Perhaps Abby will get a great partner later this year. But I would like this topic to be an ongoing discussion as many players are new.

2

Actually the best thing about Sersi+Gamora is Sersi’s green fortifies Gamora yellow repeater. I run them with Halfthor vs Scarlett Steel. They’re a fast team but they’re also squishy.

3

I wanted to add an entry for Elektra:

Elektra + Sersi: Sersi can quickly choke out Blue and then make 1700+ protects. Elektra can gather yellow and start throwing down traps. Sersi’s green can put down more yellow to keep the traps going. Elektra’s red stun & hit could help too. This would be a very defensive team with steady trap damage. OR Sersi can choke out purple to produce 1700+ strikes to buff the trap tile damage. That would be faster while still having significant defense.

Elektra + Abby: You can combine Abby’s ability to burst heal, drain AP, remove enemy specials and produce attack tiles, with Elektra’s reduce & hit trap tiles. Just collect Yellow & Blue, both powers are 6 AP. It’s a defensive team with steady damage, but it’s nothing amazing

Elektra + Electro (E^2): This is the perfect counter to Hulkoye. Hulk’s AOE is reduced to 1, which then procs Electro to gain 5 Yellow. You can then put down Elektra’s traps, which will all trigger next turn, reducing damage, producing yellow and hitting for 26K. This cycle can continue every turn until the enemy team is down.

4

Against iHulkoye, did iHulk’s tile destruction get reduced or all damage from AoE get reduced and whoever is in front took full damage from tile destruction?

5

I believe the AOE goes first, which means that Elektra’s traps will trigger on it instead of the 2 green tile destruction. Which means that your person in front still takes that 2 green hit plus match damage that turn. It’s not a perfect defensive wall against IHulk, but you do get free 26K hits every turn and neutralize his AOE.

6

Adding an entry for Crystal:

Crystal + Sersi: Sersi restricts purple and produces 1700+ red strikes. Then collect green first and red second; you can either fire Crystal’s green for a big & cheap AOE or fire Sersi’s green to fortify and buff the strikes, while producing more Red. The beefy strikes increase Crystal’s Red, Green & Passive dmg, of course. If you want to double buff those strikes, then fire Crystal’s green to change the element to Earth (which buffs a single special by 90% on green matches). This works well with Sersi since she usually has just a few beefy fortified specials.

Crystal + Abby: this pair covers 5 out of 6 colors and has 2 passive team health bursts. When Abby fires her 6 Blue power, it will increase Crystal’s match dmg twice. Crystal’s red power can get it increased by 4 times. With Crystal tanking, switch her element to Water to turn on her true heal (on blue matches). Abby’s purple can effectively drain 2 enemy colors for even more defense. This isn’t a fast team, but it’s certainly a defensive one (in your hands). Red & Green are your offensive colors.

Crystal + Shang: I normally wouldn’t go back this far from Latest, but Crystal works well with Shang and really well against him. Her passive dmg on red matches is just icing on the Shang dmg cake. The cheap green AOE is nice if Shang creates a green match-5. But the best thing Crystal brings to Shang is PVP defense, which he seriously lacks. And if you don’t have Colossus, Wanda or Onslaught to pair with Shang (like me), then Crystal is the next best thing. Crystal’s passive team burst on enemy matches seems to be a direct counter to Shang’s power. It won’t stop Shang’s critical nukes, but it will slow him down enough to make other Shang players consider skipping you, IMO.

”Classic” Crystal Combos:

Thorkoye + Crystal: Okoye can buff both Crystal’s passive dmg and green AOE; plus you can get 2 AOEs for the price of Thor’s 1 AOE. But Thor is a great battery for them. Unfortunately a problem lies in enemy matches burst healing Thor above 50%, so I would only use this team against PVE goons.

ThorApoc + Crystal: This teams works the same as the above, except you have better dmg on Red and an additional black Nuke. Of course, there’s the same problem of healing Thor, so goon use only.

Note: I realize Crystal’s green AOE is not functionally better than IHulk’s, but she’s a good alternative and has passive dmg on red matches, plus team bursts, which both have value. Those team bursts can certainly dampen the match dmg on SCL 10 challenge nodes.