New Classic Legends essential order in PVE

Marvel Puzzle Quest MPQ Tips and Guides
1

So as we all know, recently we’ve had a new order of Classic Legends as the 5* essential in PVE, without any discernible pattern. This is to keep track of the characters as they pop up, as well as when the current Latest 5* appear for the last time before they leave for the black hole that is Classics.

First Cycle

  • Iron Man (Mark XLVI) - HfH Red
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Black
  • Yelena Belova (Black Widow) - HfH Red
  • Black Bolt (Inhuman King) - HfH Green
  • Hawkeye (Clint Barton) - HfH Blue
  • Star-Lord (Awesome Mix Vol 2) - HfH Purple
  • Doctor Octopus (Classic) - HfH Black
  • Apocalypse (Classic) - HfH Red
  • Daredevil (Matt Murdock) - HfH Green
  • Rescue (Pepper Potts) - HfH Red
  • Onslaught (Psionic Entity) - HFH Purple
  • Gambit (Classic) - HfH Red
  • Mr Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) - HfH Blue
  • Killmonger (Erik Stevens) - HfH Red
  • Archangel (Classic) - HfH Black
  • Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) - HfH Black
  • Jessica Jones (Alias Investigations) - HfH Black
  • Okoye (Warrior General) - HfH Red
  • Wolverine (Samurai Daken) - HfH Black
  • Wasp (Hope van Dyne) - HfH Blue
  • Loki (God of Mischief) - HfH Purple
  • Kitty Pryde (All New X-Men) - HfH Yellow
  • Cable (Nathan Summers) - HfH Green
  • Heimdall (The Gatekeeper) - HfH Red
  • Kingpin (Spider-Verse) - HfH Blue
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Purple
  • Storm (Ororo Munroe) - HfH Yellow
  • Deadpool (Spirit of Vengeance) - HfH Red
  • Iceman (Bobby Drake) - HfH Yellow
  • Professor X (Classic) - HfH Blue
  • Magneto (Age of Apocalypse) - HfH Blue
  • Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) - HfH Red
  • Dr Strange (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Yellow
  • Jean Grey (Phoenix) - HfH Green
  • Captain America (Infinity War) - HfH Yellow
  • Adam Warlock (Infinity Watch) - HfH Yellow
  • Doctor Doom (God Emperor) - HfH Black
  • Onslaught (Psionic Entity) - HfH Green
  • Carnage (Prophet of Knull) - HfH Black
  • Yellowjacket (Darren Cross) - HfH Black
  • Wolverine (Old Man Logan) - HfH Red
  • Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg) - HfH Blue
  • Silver Surfer (Skyrider) - HfH Red
  • Spiderman (Back in Black) - HfH Purple
  • Cyclops (Phoenix Five) - HfH Yellow
  • Jessica Jones (Alias Investigations) - HfH Blue
  • Mr Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) - HfH Black
  • Captain Marvel (Galactic Warrior) - HfH Green
  • Colossus (Phoenix Five) - HfH Yellow
  • Captain America (First Avenger) - HfH Blue
  • Loki (God of Mischief) - HfH Green
  • Spiderman (Peter Parker) - HfH Blue
  • Scarlet Witch (WandaVision) - HfH Purple
  • Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) - HfH Yellow
  • Havok (Classic) - HfH Green
  • Hela (Goddess of Death) - HfH Red
  • The Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Black
  • Knull (King in Black) - HfH Black
  • Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Yellow
  • Thanos (The Mad Titan) - HfH Green
  • Ronan (The Accuser) - HfH Blue

Second Cycle (23 Sep 2021 - 22 May 2023)

  • Iron Man (Mark XLVI) - HfH Blue
  • Magneto (Age of Apocalypse) - HfH Yellow
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Blue
  • Electro (Francine Frye) - HfH Green
  • Yelena Belova (Black Widow) - HfH Purple
  • Black Bolt (Inhuman King) - HfH Black
  • Hawkeye (Clint Barton) - HfH Red
  • Star-Lord (Awesome Mix Vol 2) - HfH Green
  • Odin (All-Father) - HfH Red
  • Doctor Doom (God Emperor) - HfH Blue
  • Doctor Octopus (Classic) - HfH Blue
  • Apocalypse (Classic) - HfH Yellow
  • Shang-Chi (Origin) - HfH Red
  • Daredevil (Matt Murdock) - HfH Purple
  • Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg) - HfH Green
  • Rescue (Pepper Potts) - HfH Blue
  • Ultron (Age of Ultron) - HfH Blue
  • Onslaught (Psionic Entity) - HfH Blue
  • Gambit (Classic) - HfH Black
  • Thor (Gladiator) - HfH Yellow
  • Killmonger (Erik Stevens) - HfH Purple
  • Gamora (Deadliest Woman) - HfH Red
  • Colossus (Phoenix Five) - HfH Black
  • Archangel (Classic) - HfH Blue
  • Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) - HfH Green
  • Sersi (Eternals) - HfH Purple
  • Jessica Jones (Alias Investigations) - HfH Red
  • Scarlet Witch (WandaVision) - HfH Blue
  • Okoye (Warrior General) - HfH Black
  • Big Wheel (Jackson Weele) - HfH Green
  • Wolverine (Samurai Daken) - HfH Green
  • Wasp (Hope van Dyne) - HfH Yellow
  • Loki (God of Mischief) - HfH Black
  • Kitty Pryde (All New X-Men) - HfH Purple
  • Abigail Brand (Commander of S.W.O.R.D.) - HfH Purple
  • Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Red
  • Cable (Nathan Summers) - HfH Yellow
  • Heimdall (The Gatekeeper) - HfH Yellow
  • Elektra (Woman Without Fear) - HfH Red
  • Kingpin (Spider-Verse) - HfH Black
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Black
  • Storm (Ororo Munroe) - HfH Black
  • Crystal (Crystalia Amaquelin) -HfH Red
  • Deadpool (Spirit of Vengeance) - HfH Blue
  • Iceman (Bobby Drake) - HfH Green
  • Professor X (Classic) - HfH Purple
  • Magneto (Age of Apocalypse) - HfH Red
  • Moon Knight (Avatar of Khonshu) - HfH Green
  • Black Widow (Natasha Romanov) - HfH Black
  • Dr Strange (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Blue
  • Shuma Gorath (Multiverse of Madness) - HfH Green
  • Jean Grey (Phoenix) - HfH Purple
  • Captain America (Infinity War) - HfH Red
  • Adam Warlock (Infinity Watch) - HfH Purple
  • Doctor Doom (God Emperor) - HfH Yellow
  • Kamala Khan (Origin) - HfH Green (not confirmed)
  • Thor (Mighty Thor)
  • Onslaught (Psionic Entity) - HfH Purple
  • Carbage (Prophet of Knull) - HfH Green
  • Yellowjacket (Darren Cross) - HfH Blue
  • Wolverine (Old Man Logan) - HfH Black
  • Killmonger (Erik Stevens) - HfH Black
  • Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg) - HfH Yellow
  • Silver Surfer (Skyrider) - HfH Black
  • Spiderman (Back in Black) - HfH Blue
  • Chasm (Ben Reilly) - HfH Purple
  • Cyclops (Phoenix Five) - HfH Green
  • Mr Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) - HfH Purple
  • She-Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Red
  • Emma Frost (Phoenix Five)
  • Captain Marvel (Galactic Warrior) - HfH Yellow
  • Big Wheel (Jackson Weele) - HfH Red
  • Colossus (Phoenix Five) - HfH Blue
  • Captain America (First Avenger) - HfH Yellow
  • Spiderman (Peter Parker) - HfH Green
  • Yelena Belova (Black Widow) - HfH Green
  • Scarlet Witch (WandaVision) - HfH Green
  • Arcade (Edward Arca) - HfH Blue
  • Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) - HfH Black
  • Havok (Classic) - HfH Blue
  • Riri Williams (Ironheart 3.0) - HfH Blue
  • Heimdall (The Gatekeeper) - HfH Blue
  • Hela (Goddess of Death) - HfH Green
  • The Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Red
  • Hit Monkey (EDI Suit) - HfH Red
  • Knull (King in Black) - HfH Green
  • Crystal (Crystalia Amaquelin) - HfH Green
  • Storm (Ororo Munroe) - HfH Green
  • Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Red
  • Wong (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Purple
  • Knull (King in Black) - HfH Purple
  • Thanos (The Mad Titan) - HfH Black
  • Kang (The Conquerer) - HfH Blue
  • Ronan (The Accuser) - HfH Black

Third Cycle (22 May 2023 - 26 May 2025)

  • Iron Man (Mark XLVI) - HfH Yellow
  • Magik (Phoenix Five) - HfH Purple
  • Electro (Francine Frye) - HfH Black
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Purple
  • Yelena Belova (Black Widow) - HfH Red
  • Black Bolt (Inhuman King) - HfH Yellow
  • Hawkeye (Clint Barton) - HfH Purple
  • Starlord (Awesome Mix Vol 2) - HfH Yellow
  • Odin (All-Father) - HfH Blue
  • Dr Octopus (Classic) - HfH Green
  • Jeffrey (Symbiote) - HfH think it was Green
  • Apocalypse (Classic) - HfH Black
  • Shang Chi (Origin) - HfH Purple
  • Daredevil (Matt Murdock) - HfH Yellow
  • High Evolutionary (Vol 3) - HfH Black
  • Rescue (Pepper Potts) - HfH Yellow
  • Spiderman (Back in Black) - HfH Green
  • Ultron (Age of Ultron) - HfH Black
  • Spider-Gwen (Gwenom) - HfH Purple
  • Onslaught (Psionic Entity) - HfH Green
  • Gambit (Classic) - HfH likely Purple
  • Thor (Gladiator) - HfH Green
  • Killmonger (Eric Stevens) - HfH Red
  • Venomrex (Brockiosaurus Rex) - HfH Blue
  • Gamora (Deadliest Woman) - HfH Black
  • Archangel (Horseman of Death) - HfH Green
  • Omega Red (Horseman of Pestilence)
  • Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) - HfH Red
  • Sersi (Eternals) - HfH Green
  • Jessica Jones (Alias Investigations) - HfH Black
  • Okoye (Warrior General) - HfH Yellow
  • Vulture (Armour Wars) - HfH Blue
  • Wolverine (Samurai Daken) - HfH Red
  • Wasp (Hope van Dyne) - HfH Black
  • Loki (Goddess of Mischief) - HfH Purple
  • Kitty Pryde (Uncanny X-Men) - HfH Red
  • Abigail Brand (Commander of SWORD) - HfH Blue
  • Miles Morales (Carnage) - HfH Red
  • Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Yellow
  • Cable (Nathan Summers) - HfH Blue
  • Heimdall (The Gatekeeper) - HfH Red
  • Peggy Carter (Unworthy)
  • Elektra (Woman Without Fear) - HfH Yellow
  • Thanos (The Mad Titan) - HfH Purple
  • Kingpin (Spider-Verse) - HfH Green
  • Goose (Flerken Feline) - HfH Purple?
  • Storm (Ororo Munroe) - HfH Yellow
  • Deadpool (Spirit of Vengeance) - HfH Black
  • Hunter (Midnight Suns) - HfH Purple?
  • Iceman (Bobby Drake) - HfH Blue
  • Professor X (Classic) - HfH Black
  • Magneto (Age of Apocalypse) - HfH Blue
  • X-23 (Weapon Hex) - HfH Red
  • Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) - HfH Purple
  • Starlord (Awesome Mix vol 3) - HfH Purple
  • Dr Strange (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Purple
  • Victor Mancha (Syndrome) - HfH Blue
  • Shuma Gorath (MoM) - HfH Black
  • Jean Grey (Phoenix) - HfH Red
  • Phyla-Vell (Martyr) - HfH Black?
  • Captain America (Infinity War) - HfH Purple
  • Adam Warlock (Infinity Watch) - HfH Black
  • Doctor Doom (God Emperor) - HfH likely Black
  • Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) - HfH
  • Aunt May (Golden Oldie) - HfH Yellow
  • Thor (Mighty Thor) - HfH Blue
  • Ultron (Age of Ultron) - HfH Red
  • Carnage (Prophet of Knull) - HfH Red
  • Jubilee (Phoenix Force) - HfH Red
  • Yellowjacket (Darren Cross) - HfH Green
  • Wolverine (Old Man Logan) - HfH Yellow
  • May Parker (Spider-Girl) - HfH Purple
  • Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg) - HfH Blue
  • Silver Surfer (Skyrider) - HfH Blue
  • Spiderman (Back in Black) - HfH Purple
  • Chasm (Ben Reilly) - HfH Green
  • Kaine Parker (Scarlet Spider) - HfH Red
  • Cyclops (Phoenix Five) - HfH Red
  • Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) - HfH Black
  • Mr Sinister (Nathaniel Essex) - HfH Blue
  • Deadpool (Hotpool) - HfH Yellow
  • She-Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Black
  • Emma Frost (Phoenix Five) - HfH Blue
  • Captain Marvel (Galactic Warrior) - HfH Red
  • Colossus (Phoenix Five) - HfH Yellow
  • Nova (Tanak Valt) - HfH Yellow
  • Captain America (First Avenger) - HfH Red
  • Scarlet Witch (Wandavision) - HfH Purple
  • Spiderman (Peter Parker) - HfH Red
  • Arcade (Edward Acra) - HfH likely Black
  • Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) - HfH Purple
  • Havok (Classic) - HfH likely Red
  • Riri Williams (Ironheart 3.0) - HfH likely Red
  • Agatha Harkness (Coven Leader) - HfH Yellow
  • Hela (Goddess of Death) - HfH Black
  • The Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Green
  • Mephisto (Lord of Hell) -HfH either Black or Purple
  • Hit Monkey (EDI Suit) - HfH Red
  • Goose (Flerken Family) - HfH Purple
  • Crystal (Inhuman Ambassador) - HfH Yellow
  • Namor (Phoenix Five) - HfH Black
  • Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Red
  • Wong (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Red
  • Gorgon (X of Swords) - HfH think was Blue
  • Knull (King in Black) - HfH Black
  • Thanos (The Mad Titan) - HfH Green
  • Kang (The Conqueror) - HfH Purple
  • Ronan (The Accuser) - HfH Red
  • Sam Wilson (Brave New World) - HfH Red

Fourth Cycle (29 May 2025 - )

  • Iron Man (Mark XLVI) - HfH Red
  • Dr Strange (Sorcerer Supreme) - HfH Yellow
  • Magik (Phoenix Five) - HfH Black
  • Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley) - HfH Purple
  • Electro (Francine Frye) - HfH Yellow
  • The Hulk (Bruce Banner) - HfH Blue
  • Howard the Duck (Juggerduck) - HfH Green
  • Yelena Belova (Black Widow) - HfH Purple
  • Black Bolt (Inhuman King) - HfH Green
  • Hawkeye (Clint Barton) - HfH Blue
  • Starlord (Awesome Mix Vol 3) - HfH Purple
  • Winter Soldier (Thunderbolts) - HfH Purple
  • Odin (All-Father) - HfH Yellow
  • Aunt May (Golden Oldie) - HfH Red
  • Doctopus - HfH likely Black
  • Toni Ho?
  • Jeff?
  • Apocalypse?
  • Shang?

*Latest Legends who were essential for the last time before heading into Classics
__Bolded characters are Classic 5 who were featured more than once in the same cycle__

2

This appears to be missing Hela.

3

Chill grasshopper. I haven’t updated with Hela yet (unless she was a 5e prior to the upcoming event after Deadpool vs MPQ and I missed it, in which case I’ll gladly update the list).

4

So, when on earth are we ever going to get Thor as the 5E…?
And any idea what color his cover will be in HFH?

5

Thor is coming…
Next week…

6

How do I interpret the list? Who’s the next Classic to be featured? B)

7

I go primarily by Classic 5*. As noted, Latest legends are only added on the list when they are essential for the last time before dropping into Classics.

And we won’t know for sure who’s the next Classic until we get previews here on in game. Like FFW’s essential is Colossus, and the placement rewards tell us Archangel will be next.

8

I thought we could predict from the old cycle: It was Killmonger followed by Archangel. Anyway, this is interesting.

9

prolly a nub question, but is it better to pull on the classic banner rather then the LL banner if say you got a few 5* and like 3 4* champed pretty much i’d take anything i can get atm but wasn’t sure in my position what banner is better to be pulling for at the current time

10

Silver Surfer is coming up rather than Rescue; I think we appear to be here:

Wolverine (Old Man Logan)
Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg)
Silver Surfer (Skyrider)
Spiderman (Back in Black)
Cyclops (Phoenix Five)

btw, thank you for this list, it’s super helpful!

11

@AlexR said:
Silver Surfer is coming up rather than Rescue; I think we appear to be here:

Wolverine (Old Man Logan)
Beta Ray Bill (Korbinite Cyborg)
Silver Surfer (Skyrider)
Spiderman (Back in Black)
Cyclops (Phoenix Five)

btw, thank you for this list, it’s super helpful!

Thanks for the catch! Seems like I was looking at the current list instead of the previous one…

12

I was hoping that they wouldn’t skip Loki, the Pve progression would have been enough for me to finish him and it’s almost a year since he was essential last.

Because according to the table, the wait is going to be at least another year. :frowning: Guess I’m going to shard him.

13

Lokigator feeds him.

14

I am aware. My Lokigator isn’t champed (I was on hiatus when he released) and my 5* Loki is purple@5. That would take me 30+ Lokigator covers, which also takes forever.

15

Loki wasn’t skipped. His “proper” place is in between Wasp and Kitty, which already happened in the current cyle. The bolded Loki that you see in the previous cycle (between FirstCap and BSSM) was a repeat; I bold characters who are repeated in the same cycle (by “repeated” I mean they were the required 5* for an event, but their sharts weren’t awarded in progression, because it was the new 5* character. The most recent examples are Colossus and Big Wheel, both of whom I bolded. Colossus’ “proper” place is in between Gamora and Archangel; Big Wheel’s “proper” place is in between Okoye and Daken).

16

@BlackBoltRocks said:

@AlexR said:
I was hoping that they wouldn’t skip Loki, the Pve progression would have been enough for me to finish him and it’s almost a year since he was essential last.

Because according to the table, the wait is going to be at least another year. :frowning: Guess I’m going to shard him.

Loki wasn’t skipped. His “proper” place is in between Wasp and Kitty, which already happened in the current cyle. The bolded Loki that you see in the previous cycle (between FirstCap and BSSM) was a repeat; I bold characters who are repeated in the same cycle (by “repeated” I mean they were the required 5* for an event, but their sharts weren’t awarded in progression, because it was the new 5* character. The most recent examples are Colossus and Big Wheel, both of whom I bolded. Colossus’ “proper” place is in between Gamora and Archangel; Big Wheel’s “proper” place is in between Okoye and Daken).

Thank you for the explanation! Kinda suspected something like that, however Colossus was awarded in progression though. It was during the last boss event, the PvE that ran at the same time. I know because it’s really annoying to do a PvE and boss event at the same time for me, but I made sure to do it anyway, because it completed a Colossus cover for me. Was sorta hoping for that for Loki too. :stuck_out_tongue:

It does highlight how extremely long the classic PvE essential order has gotten, though. The wait for a classic 5* to get their turn again at their proper place is awful.

17

Sorry to bump an old thread, but is there any kind of rhyme or reason behind the order? I wasn’t able to figure that out from the list, and would love to be able to predict things like this for future reference/roster planning.

18

From what I’ve figured new 5* get basically added into the pattern when they go from Latest into classics. So, it’s pretty hard to predict outside of looking at the pattern, as BlackBoltRocks is doing here.
As from how to predict from the list, the pattern is repeating. For example, we’ve had further above:

! > *Scarlet Witch (WandaVision) - HfH Purple
! > Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) - HfH Yellow
! > Havok (Classic) - HfH Green
! > Hela (Goddess of Death) - HfH Red
! > The Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Black
! > *Knull (King in Black) - HfH Black
! > Black Panther (Civil War) - HfH Yellow
! > Thanos (The Mad Titan) - HfH Green

So, now the last ones we’ve had:

! > Scarlet Witch (WandaVision) - HfH Green (matches pattern)
! > *Arcade (Edward Arca) - HfH Blue (Moves from Latest to Classic; gets added)
! > Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) - HfH Black (matches pattern)
! > Havok (Classic) - HfH Blue (matches pattern)
! > *Riri Williams (Ironheart 3.0) -HfH Blue (Moves from Latest to Classic; gets added)
! > Heimdall (The Gatekeeper) - HfH Blue
! > Hela (Goddess of Death) - HfH Green (matches pattern)
! > The Hulk (Immortal) - HfH Red (matches pattern)
! > *Hit Monkey (EDI Suit) - HfH Red (Moves from Latest to Classic; gets added)
! > Knull (matches pattern)
! > Panther?

The only one who doesn’t fit is Heimdall. And Heimdall I think was used as the required character for when Magik released. He was required, but he didn’t actually get any progression shards, those went to Magik. For these instances, they often use random repeat classics that don’t really count for the pattern. Like the conversation about Loki above.

The next essential 5* is Crystal, not Black Panther. But according to the schedule it should have been Panther, which would have matched the pattern again.

Therefore, the ones that should probably come soon according to the list are:

Black Panther (Civil War); (unless Crystal glitched him out of his spot?)
Thanos (The Mad Titan)
*Ronan (The Accuser)
Iron Man (Mark XLVI)

That’s why BlackBoltRocks maintaining the list is so extremely useful, because looking at the past pattern is the only way to have any chance at predicting which ones come next. :wink:

19

That is a great recap, @AlexR, and mimics what I have seen about the pattern, as well. I’ve been following it quite closely for over 2 years now. (thank you for maintaining this BlackBoltRocks!!)

I think Crystal was supposed to be the “fill-in 5E” for Jeff’s release event, but the devs put her in one event too early. I’m not sure what they are going to do with the event where Jeff is in progression to recover, however.
Black Panther shouldn’t lose his slot.

20

For Infinite Pursuit, Storm is required and Black Panther is in placement. So it seems we’re back on schedule and just had a random Crystal insertion because they made a mistake?