Spending Hero Tokens- When & How

[Bj_Knows]

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Spending Hero Tokens- When & How

Q: Should I save all my Hero Tokens until I reach Level Cap?

A: NO.

Hero Tokens have a greater affect the lower your character's level and the less Gear and Gems your character owns.

Until you have all Max Tier Gear (currently Tier 14 & one Tier 15 Ring), in order of game combat effectiveness per cost (time or money) in BoH v1.7:
Weapon
Armor
Gem Slots (you can get very far with zero gems, ask CJ)
Gems
Amulet/ Ring
Hero Tokens
Runic Enchantments

So the less Gem Slots, Gems, and Armor you have, the more effective 1 Hero Token in increasing your combat effectiveness.

Note: This is a generalization that breaks down when considering Might Rating for Guild Raids, squire Valor, Items bought with Gold Shields (from Loot Drops, Lockbox, Free Gold Shields or IAP), Tier 13 Gear, and diminishing returns from Stat Curves.



Q: How should I spend my Hero Tokens for my character's class?

A: There are four basis Hero Token strategies, since Hero Tokens cannot be reset, they are: Max Might, War Mage Spread, Gem Balance, Favorite Stats.

One of the most common strategies is Max Might Strategy. Your Might Rating increases the most when your Hero Tokens are spread evenly among all 8 Tomes/ Hero Training. By increasing your Might Rating from Hero Tokens you get into better Raids faster and get better Valor faster. Since each Tier of Valor is worth 20 of the previous Tier, this quickly has an impact. Once you can get into the Max Raid (currently Vile Gate) you have two variants. You can continue with evenly spreading since Venan will add more Valor in future updates, or you can change to one of the other three strategies for now.

War Mage Spread Strategy is the same as Max Might, except you put zero (0) points into Melee Tome. Ever since Venan introduced the Staff Attack, War Mages do not need Melee Damage Bonus. If you need to get into a Raid your Guild is running and you do not have enough Might Rating, you will put points in Melee Tome until you can run the Raid with your Guild, then you again ignore Melee Tome when spending Hero Tokens.

Edit: PvP War Mages may consider using a Sword which does use the Melee Damage Bonus.

Gem Balance Strategy is when you favor certain Augment Gems for each Color Group, so you put Hero Tokens in the complementary Tomes. Ex: If you have only Crit Power Blue Gems, you would put Hero Tokens in Physical Resist and Magic Resist. Since Augment Gems give you the biggest boost, in this case Crit Power, the Hero Tokens in Physical Resist and Magic Resist let you keep up with the Quest Monsters Melee Attacks and Magic Attacks without wasting Blue Gem Slots. In a second example, if you favor Crit and Haste for Yellow Gems, you could put Hero Tokens in Dodge.

Favorite Stats Strategy is when you pick your favorite Stats and only put Hero Tokens in those Tomes/ Hero Training.

Finally, when you do max out a Tome (currently +1,200 Stat Rating for a Tome), you can switch strategies or save your Hero Tokens. When Venan introduced Captain Valor (Tier 14 Gear and Tier 5 Gems) they raised the limit on each Tome. It is likely that when Venan introduces a new Valor, it will also raise the Tome Stat Rating Cap.

Note: You cannot reset Tomes/ Hero Training, but if you change your mind, just change your strategy. Eventually you will earn enough Hero Tokens the no one looking at your characters Tomes can tell you had another strategy.



Here is a related Post on Designing a Character by spending Hero Tokens and buying Augment Gems:

Designing a Character or Stat Percentage Guidelines
https://www.venan.com/boh_forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4830

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[Bj_Knows]

Subject
“Skyline” or an Overall Hero Token Strategy

Overview
There are four basic Hero Token Strategies,
Choose a Hero Token Strategy based on Hero Token Cost per Stat +8 (HTCpS8),
0- 125 HTCpS8, use Max Might Strategy,
126- 250 HTCpS8, use Focus 4- 5 Stats, or Max Might Strategy,
251- 375 HTCpS8, use Focus 2- 5 Stats, or Max Might Strategy,
376- 495 HTCpS8, use Focus 2- 3 Stats,
500 HTCpS8, any Strategy.

Body
Change your Hero Token Strategy based on HTCpS8 or the least amount of Hero Tokens needed for the next +8 to a Stat. Ex: if you character needs 200 HT to get another +8 in Phys Resist and 385 HT to get another +8 in Haste, your character has a 200 HTCpS8.

Note: War Mages do not count Melee Tome when calculating HTCpS8.

If spreading out your Hero Tokens gives your character a much better increase in Might Rating, then spread them out. The higher your HTCpS8, the more narrow your character’s focus.

At higher HTCpS8, your character can already get into all the current Raids (the main reason behind Max Might Strategy) but you are facing diminishing returns from Tomes (more HT required per +8) *and* diminishing returns from Stat Curves (each +8 from Tomes causes less of an affect in combat). By focusing on fewer Stats at higher HTCpS8 you require less HT to get any noticeable effect. Once your character gets to 376- 495 HTCpS8, using Focus 2- 3 Stats is a very good Strategy.

You can always go back, and raise lower Tomes, if your character ever needs a Might Rating increase for a new Raid.

This adaptive, overall HT strategy resembles a city's Skyline, maximum buildings at ground level, and less buildings the higher you go.

0- 125 HTCpS8 Strategies:
Max Might,
or War Mage Spread.
Your HTCpS8 is <=25% of the HTCpS8 Cap of 500 HT or +8 to four, or more, Stats for 500 HT.

126- 250 HTCpS8 Strategies:
Focus on 4- 5 Stats (Gem Balance or Favorite Stats),
Max Might,
or War Mage Spread.
Your HTCpS8 is <=50% of the HTCpS8 Cap of 500 HT or +8 to two, or more, Stats for 500 HT.

251- 375 HTCpS8 Strategies:
Focus on 2- 3 (Gem Balance or Favorite Stats),
Focus on 4- 5 (Gem Balance or Favorite Stats),
Max Might,
or War Mage Spread.
Your HTCpS8 is <=75% of the HTCpS8 Cap of 500 HT or +8 to four thirds, or more, Stats for 500 HT.

376- 495 HTCpS8 Strategies:
Focus on 2- 3 Stats (Gem Balance or Favorite Stats).

500 HTCpS8 Strategies:
Any.


Note: Once your character starts buying Tier 4 Gems (Note 1), Phys Resist Tome and Magic Resist Tome are a poor HT investment for PvE. With opponents being <= 4 Level difference, they are also a poor HT investment for PvP. You are probably better off putting HT in Dodge Tome for defense in PvE and PvP.

PvP Note: Once your character starts buying Tier 4 Gems (Note 1), Crit Power Tome is a poor investment for PvP. With a range of 50% (Starting at 150%, Rating Cap at 200%), an increasingly steep curve, and opponents being <= 4 level difference, you are probably better off putting HT in Haste Tome for attack in PvP.

MY PERSONAL OPINION
From 0- 330 HTCpS8, Shadow Walker BarbSpice spread her HT evenly, Max Might Strategy.

Then Beta PvP was released, with its focus on combat effectiveness per Might Rating, so BarSpice changed her HT Strategy. Currently BarbSpice is 340 HTCpS8 and focusing on 2 Stats. She choose Haste and Dodge.

With Elixir of Speed, and Potion 10% Haste, Haste is probably the most effective attack Stat in PvE for a Shadow Walker. Haste is also very effective in PvP.

With Potion 20% Dodge, Maneuver rank p3, Riposte rank p3, and Leather Armor, Dodge is probably the most effective defense Stat in PvE for a Shadow Walker. Dodge is also very effective in PvP.

When BarbSpice's Haste and Dodge require 500 HT per +8, I will probably shift to spending my HT on Crit, Magic & Melee Tomes.

Note 1)
Characters usually start buying Tier 4 Gems when they have Tier 3 Gems in Torso, Ring, Amulet, 2H Weapon (if applicable), Head, and Legs. With Tier 3, or Tier 2, Gems in Boots, Cloak, Gloves, 1H Weapon and Offhand item.

[Bj_Knows]

Subject
Latest Edit- Spending Hero Tokens, a related Post

Here is a related Post on Designing a Character by spending Hero Tokens and buying Augment Gems:

Designing a Character or Stat Percentage Guidelines
https://www.venan.com/boh_forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4830