How f2p is this really?

[NULL]

Would love to play but I don't wanna be too trapped.

[S]

Pretty good. A lot of costume parts require you to buy them/subscribe but there's still a lot of options available to make the Hero that you want. More than half the classes require you to buy them as well, but there's A LOT so you still get like 10 of them for free and they're quite good (Such as The Inferno, The Glacier, The Blade, really good free archetypes)

It really isn't that restrictive. Simply cosmetics (costume parts & travel powers), Classes, Mail service etc are restricted. The usual stuff, really.

It's free, might as well give it a try.

[Rhael]

All f2p games are like that. They have bills to pay too, so they have other nicer options for wich you need to pay some money.

[Saturn]

The thing that it limits most is the creative form that it originally had; to create your own class from all sorts of different types of super powers. This isn't such a bad thing, because now they give you a pre-define class called a Arch Type. These AT (Arch Types) can go Toe to Toe with what the game calls a "Free Form" class, in other words a class that chooses what abilities they have. You are limited in costume parts like mentioned above, but there is still quite a bit to choose from, and you can unlock parts just by playing the game. You can reach the max level, do just about t ype of mission there is (except these packs that are like comic books, but I believe someone else can own it and invite you) For the most part the things you par for are aethstics, aka they make you look fancy. It's not a "pay to win" type of game.

[Rhael]

About the packs I really do not miss a bit the ones I don't own because what is available is already very nice. And now they have freeform character slots on the store (when I was playing before free forms were only for gold members paying monthly fee) so you can have even that with your f2p account spending monye on it only if you feel like it. I know I would if I could, and this is what makes f2p games the best thing, you can still play then when you can't afford and get to afford things when you have enough income for it.

[Tougourao]

There are now ways to earn "money" in game as well. Play enough, and you can get paid bonuses for free.

[tristanfey]

Originally posted by H4unt3r:

You can reach the max level, do just about t ype of mission there is (except these packs that are like comic books, but I believe someone else can own it and invite you)

Adventure Packs and Comic Series are available to all players. This was changed when the game updated to On Alert. With that change there is no playable content blocked to free players. The only limitations to free players are:

• No Free Form Characters (Custom builds with whatever powers you want)
  
• Limited Character Slots (2)
  
• Limited Bag Slots (2)
  
• Base Costumes (Over 3,000 costume pieces)
  
• 1 Costume Slot (2nd available when joining a SuperGroup)
  
• Cannot change the colors of powers
  
• Resource Limit (250G)
  
• Limited Auction House Slots (10)
  
• No Premium Archetypes
  
• No Premium Travel Powers
  
  ---------------------------
  
  There are a few other items, but not really of concern to most players and there are ways to bypass all of the limitations above. Many costume pieces can be earned in game as drops or by earning ingame recognition currency and purchasing the costume pieces from NPC vendors. These recognition stores also sell some ot the premium Travel Powers. Resource limit is bypassed by using Cosmic Keys for trades instead of resources. So sell your high end gear for keys instead of resources and then use the keys to buy the high end gear you want. The other limitations above can be bypassed with purchases in the Z-Store using Zen. You can purchase Zen with real money, but it can also be obtained free using the follow two methods:
  
  EARNING ZEN FREE
  1) Defeating certain key villains or playing the various Adventure Packs/Comic Series will earn you Questionite (Q). To use the Q you need to refine it (option is in the inventory screen - Currency Tab). As a free player you can refine up to 8,000 Q per day. You can use the Q Exchange to trade Q for zen (current ratio is about 190-200 Q per 1 zen).
  
  2) Cryptic is partnered with a company to allow you to earn zen through offers such as completing surveys, installing phone apps, subscribing to services, etc. You can access this in game (in the Z-Store) or on the website Zen Offers.

[HELL RAGE]

To be honest, if you're hardcore into customization like I am, F2P just won't do it. First of all, you can't make a freeform character (picking all of your powers, rather than having them given to you according to an archetype) unless you grind a lot to get a freeform slot for a single character, which means you'll be stuck with a few preset classes, which may not be suitable to your character ideas. Your wardrobe will be a lot more limited, since being a paying player gives you access to a LOT of costume pieces. And you won't be able to choose colours for your powers, which doesn't sound like a big deal (because it isn't), but you'll find that not being able to change them is really lame.

While this game is very playable as a F2P, it may not be of your liking if you're picky.

[tristanfey]

Originally posted by Kariah:

First of all, you can't make a freeform character (picking all of your powers, rather than having them given to you according to an archetype) unless you grind a lot to get a freeform slot for a single character...

To be honest, I have noticed most players are overwhelmed when attempting to make a Free Form (FF) character. Expecially if they are new. It is best to play some Archetypes (ATs) and get used to the mechanics and various powers, berore going to this level of customization. If you choose to do that then there is not a lot of "grinding" needed to unlock a FF character slot as you did it just by playing the game.

Originally posted by Kariah:

...you'll be stuck with a few preset classes, which may not be suitable to your character ideas.

There are 10 basic Archetypes to choose from (Tank, Ranged x3, Melee x2, Support x2 and Hybrid x2) and they are both well built and varied enough to fit most types of characters a new player may want to make. There are also 15 Premium ATs, that can be unlocked by earning zen in-game or making a small one time purchase.

Don't get me wrong. I always make my characters as FF, even if I stay 90% within the the framework of an AT, just so I can make small tweaks here and there.

Originally posted by Kariah:

Your wardrobe will be a lot more limited, since being a paying player gives you access to a LOT of costume pieces.

This is sort of correct, but not entirely. As I listed in my previous post, there are over 3,000 costume pieces available to free players. Not all of them are available when you make your first character. The ones that are not become permanently unlocked when you reach level 10. Most new players do nto realize this and think it is more limited than it is. Additionally, you can unlock more costume piecees with drops from mobs, completimg requirements for Perks and using in-game recognition currency.

Originally posted by Kariah:

And you won't be able to choose colours for your powers, which doesn't sound like a big deal (because it isn't)...

For some players, the color options is important and for others it isn't. When Champions was released that was the customization option that they touted the most, which is why it is something they won't offer to free players. For me I loved the option, because when the game first came out I made a radiation based character, but there was no framework for it. So I used the Fire framework and tinted the colors yellowish-green to give it a radioactive toxic look. It may seem like a little detail, but it was an option I was very happy to have.

[h4]

if you are ok with playing premade archetypes, the game is great f2p.

if you want to do freeform, you are boned unless you either pay $50 to buy a freeform slot (LOL) or pay for gold membership ($15/mo), where you have access to freeform for the duration of the membership.

i think pretty much all the people who are really into the game end up paying the subscription to have freeform access. for me, i am fine with just messing around with the free archetypes and having a good time.

[Love]

Originally posted by tristanfey:

Originally posted by Kariah:

First of all, you can't make a freeform character (picking all of your powers, rather than having them given to you according to an archetype) unless you grind a lot to get a freeform slot for a single character...

To be honest, I have noticed most players are overwhelmed when attempting to make a Free Form (FF) character. Expecially if they are new. It is best to play some Archetypes (ATs) and get used to the mechanics and various powers, berore going to this level of customization. If you choose to do that then there is not a lot of "grinding" needed to unlock a FF character slot as you did it just by playing the game.

Originally posted by Kariah:

...you'll be stuck with a few preset classes, which may not be suitable to your character ideas.

There are 10 basic Archetypes to choose from (Tank, Ranged x3, Melee x2, Support x2 and Hybrid x2) and they are both well built and varied enough to fit most types of characters a new player may want to make. There are also 15 Premium ATs, that can be unlocked by earning zen in-game or making a small one time purchase.

Don't get me wrong. I always make my characters as FF, even if I stay 90% within the the framework of an AT, just so I can make small tweaks here and there.

Originally posted by Kariah:

Your wardrobe will be a lot more limited, since being a paying player gives you access to a LOT of costume pieces.

This is sort of correct, but not entirely. As I listed in my previous post, there are over 3,000 costume pieces available to free players. Not all of them are available when you make your first character. The ones that are not become permanently unlocked when you reach level 10. Most new players do nto realize this and think it is more limited than it is. Additionally, you can unlock more costume piecees with drops from mobs, completimg requirements for Perks and using in-game recognition currency.

Originally posted by Kariah:

And you won't be able to choose colours for your powers, which doesn't sound like a big deal (because it isn't)...

For some players, the color options is important and for others it isn't. When Champions was released that was the customization option that they touted the most, which is why it is something they won't offer to free players. For me I loved the option, because when the game first came out I made a radiation based character, but there was no framework for it. So I used the Fire framework and tinted the colors yellowish-green to give it a radioactive toxic look. It may seem like a little detail, but it was an option I was very happy to have.

Thank you very much for your information! In both of your posts, you really delivered! Many kudos, sir! What are you, a mod? LOL! It was real on point, and you rock! Keep up the good work- you single-handedly restored my faith in information on the internet! ;)

[tristanfey]

Originally posted by ☥Fox Boogie☥:

Thank you very much for your information! In both of your posts, you really delivered! Many kudos, sir! What are you, a mod? LOL! It was real on point, and you rock! Keep up the good work- you single-handedly restored my faith in information on the internet! ;)

It was my pleasure. I am always happy to help new players get into the game. Not a Mod, just been with the game since closed beta.

[ZeeHero]

an archetype can never compete with a well made freeform made with pvp in mind. never. I've seen the insanity of the overpowered builds ppl make. thankfully archetypes get their own restricted pvp arenas and arent forced to compete with the free form players.

[Just DUCKY]

The F2P is pretty good in this game, compared to others.. but it gets you hooked and you want more. It doesn't FORCE it on you, however. I say try it for free and see how you feel about it.

[Mein Hrmph]

I think CO is a great example of F2P and in game micro-economics.

I played CO for nearly a year before spending any money in it and even then, I haven't had much to spend. I think its great that there is the Questionite Exchange that allows you to get Zen to spend in the Z-Store. Even tho there is a limit on how much Q you can refine in a day, within a couple day, you can afford to buy a key from the store to open a lockbox, or save for a couple more days and get a travel power or costume set.

Even without spending cash in game, I was able to earn enough, to purchase a few things. Though some with a good amount of time saving.