Board Thread:Game Discussion/@comment-98.154.5.158-20131108053247/@comment-24003266-20131110004502

Good stuff, I'd really like to see a thorough breakdown of all this, but haven't taken the time myself to work it all out. For argument's sake, let's try to look at it this way. If you use only basic armors you would need to use 16 basic armors to equal the EP of 4 Snakeskins (24EP), or 96EP total either way.

So let's hypothetically compare using only basics vs. only Snakeskins starting w/ a fresh Legendary armor w/ 0EP. It will cost $12,600 for 4 Snakeskins (4x$3000 for armors and $600 for four slots); this will get you straight to lv 6 (and put you 6EP shy of lv 7). By comparison, if you use 16 basics, you will need to perform 4 enhancement events. For the first event, you will gain 24EP at a cost of $1800 (4X$300 for armors and $600 for four slots) to barely get you to lv 3. Next event will cost $2,200 ($1,200 for 4 armors again, but now $1,000 for four slots) to get you to lv 4. Third event will cost $2,400 ($1,200 for 4 armors again, but now $1,200 for four slots) to get you to lv 5. Finally, for the last event it will cost $2,600 ($1,200 for 4 armors again, but now $1,400 for four slots). Total cost = $9,000 so this strategy is cheaper for these first 6 levels.

Now let's try starting at lv 10 (which starts at 192EP). One enhancement event using Snakeskins will cost $14,800 ($12,000 for 4 armors again, and $2,800 for four slots) and get you to lv 12 in one shot. If you use basics you will spend $4,000 on first enhancement ($1,200 for 4 armors again, but now $2,800 for four slots), but you will still be on lv 10. So, the next event will also cost $4,000 and get you to lv 11. Third and fourth events will each cost $4,400 to ($1,200 for 4 armors again, but now $3,200 for four slots) to finally end at lv 12. Total cost using this strategy is now $16,800 which is $2,000 greater than a single enhancement w/ 4 Snakeskins.

My point is, that if you enhance w/ fewer than the points required to advance at least one level, you will end up paying more in the long run. For me, I try to gain at least 2 levels w/ each enhancement b/c in the end the total number of EP required to max does not change. It's just advantageous to use progressively higher EP as you gain levels. Of course, none of this takes into consideration the time to craft 24EP sets. I don't know what the exact breakpoints are, but I do know when I start to reach my breaking point. :)