Hero School at SHIELD: Special Operations Handbook No. 3

Marvel Avengers Alliance Special Operations 3: Avengers vs. X-Men

by Stan Faryna

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I was searching for a Three Minute brief for Magik on YouTube and [sigh] I didn’t find anything. But I did find this unrelated hooping performance and, yeah, it’s epic.

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Black Sabbath, Iron Man

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Unstable Iso-8 Gold Prices

1 Gold = 10 Unstable Iso-8s
10 Gold= 100 Unstable Iso-8s
25 Gold = 250 Unstable Iso-8s

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Spec Ops 3 Story Briefing

The Phoenix Force, a cosmic entity of death and rebirth has returned to Earth. It’s a power some would fight for and it threatens to tear the alliance apart.

The X-Men want the Phoenix Force as a tool to ensure Mutant survival and change the balance of destiny in favor of Mutants. The Avengers want to stop the Phoenix Force because they know great power will always be misused.

Who will save the planet? Iron Man – strangely enough.

Spec Ops 3 Hero Reward

Magik is the reward for the completion of the 25 tasks. Magik is a Scrapper and her skills are as interesting as they are unusual.

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Mission 1: Utopia

The Phoenix Force has manifested in five of the X-Men: Colossus, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik and Phoenix. Namor from the original Phoenix Five storyline a la Matt Fraction is not included in the Marvel Avengers Alliance storyline.

Iso-8 experiments on humans continue as evidenced by the Betas to be encountered in Mission 1. This latest batch of Betas have a high level of evasion and accuracy. Also, their attacks can lay down the debuff, Exposed. Like always, it can take considerable stamina to battle Betas.

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Avenger Storyline Highlights

Other Team-Up Heroes: None

Minimum Mission Spend: 50 Energy and 70 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Mini-Boss: Avalanche (Scrapper)

Use a Bruiser – if you are having problems

Mini-Boss Team Up Option: Black Widow

Boss: Emma Frost – Tactician

Boss Team-Up: Black Widow

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Infiltrator  (for example – Spiderman, Gambit or Invisible Woman)
2. Infiltrator Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. The Experiment – reward gear from Spec Ops 2 is useful here
4. Direct Damage (DD) and some of the Damage over time (DOT) supplies can help you defeat Emma
5. Use the Bauxite Interference Helmet – if you won it as a daily reward

Boss Reward: Girl’s Best Friend

XP Yields:

Low Threat – 20 XP
Medium Threat – 75 XP
High Threat – 125 XP
Mini-Boss – 70 XP
Boss – 65 XP

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X-Men Storyline Highlights

Other Team-Up Heroes: Gambit (Medium Threat), Kitty Pryde (High Threat)

Minimum Mission Spend: 50 Energy and 70 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Mini-Boss: Juggernaut (Bruiser)

Mini-Boss Team-Up Option: Emma Frost

Boss: Black Widow (Infiltrator) and Hawkeye (Tactician)

Boss Team-Up: Emma Frost

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Infiltrator  (for example – Spiderman, Gambit or Invisible Woman)
2. Infiltrator Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. You can Innoculate to prevent Black Widow’s Weaken
4. Use the Holographic Hand Link to counter Hawkeye’s amazing accuracy – if you have it

Boss Reward: Marksman’s Spotter

XP Yields (mileage will vary)

Low Threat – 20 XP
Medium Threat – 100 XP
High Threat – 125 XP
Mini-Boss – 85 XP
Boss -85 XP

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Mission 2: Knock Knock

Back in Manhattan, the X-Men take the argument to the Avenger’s Mansion. Meanwhile, the Jotun are stomping around New York City.

Sif (Level 6 or above) is an excellent foil against the Jotun. Her resistance to the cold attacks of the Jotun make her a strong Jotun killer. The Human Torch is also feared by the Jotun as they take additional damage from fire-based attacks.

The Jotun’s attacks often come with a side dish of Chill which does Damage over Time and reduces Evasion. Jotun also tend to attack the weakest enemy.

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Avenger Storyline Highlights

Other Team-Up Heroes: None

Minimum Mission Spend: 60 Energy and 80 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Mini-Boss: Executioner (Scrapper)

The Executioner hits hard. And he hits three times per round. Use a Bruiser – if you are having problems

Mini-Boss Team Up Option: Thor

Boss: Magik (Scrapper) and Colossus (Bruiser)

Boss Team-Up: Hulk

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Blaster or Bruiser
2. Bruiser Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Colossus resists bleeding, burning, cold and psychic attacks. Don’t use gear or heroes that do that.
4. Keep Hulk’s health up with Shawarmas.
5. Take down Magik first. She takes damage easily.

Boss Reward: Fist of the Colossus

XP Yields:

Low Threat – 20 XP
Medium Threat – 80-100 XP
High Threat – 140 XP
Mini-Boss – 110 XP
Boss – 100 XP

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X-Men Storyline Highlights

Other Team-Up Heroes: Gambit (Medium Threat), Storm (Medium Threat), Rogue (Medium Threat) and Kitty Pryde (High Threat)

Minimum Mission Spend: 60 Energy and 80 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Mini-Boss: Enchantress (Blaster)

Mini-Boss Team-Up Option: Emma Frost (Tactician)

Boss: Thor (Blaster)

Boss Team-Up: Magik (Scrapper)

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Tactician. Emma – for example.
2. Tactician Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Kill Thor in the first round. Think Quantum Jumper, Chrono Overdrive and Distress Call.
4. Stun him as often as possible. Stunners and Incap can be useful.

Boss Reward: Thunder Strike

XP Yields (mileage will vary)

Low Threat – 20 XP
Medium Threat – 80-100 XP
High Threat – 125 XP
Mini-Boss – 110 XP
Boss -85 XP

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Mission 3: Versus

Tempers flare as the Phoenix’s power grows in the five X-men. The Avengers clash the X-Men on Alcatraz island to settle things once and for all. No fight can be avoided. Every blow, dodge and deploy counts.

Do good people do bad things when they have power? Does power make bad people even worse. Captain America thinks so.

Hydra is on the scene to stir things up and raise the temperature. They’ve brought along their full arsenal of flame throwers. Wear your hot pants and oven mits.

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Avenger Storyline Highlights

Minimum Mission Spend: 100 Energy and 160 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Deploys

1. Any hero – 3 battles
2. Any hero – 1 battle
3. Black Panther –  battles

Threats

1. Medium Threats

a. Type 1 – 1 Wave – Infiltrator, Bruiser and Blaster
b. Type 2 – 2 Waves – W1:  Two Bruisers W2: Two Blasters

2. High Threats

a. Type 1 – 2 Waves – W1: Infiltrator, Bruiser and Blaster  W2: Two Blasters
b. Type 2 -3 Waves – W1: 3 Bruisers W2: 3 Blasters W3: 3 Infiltrators

Mini-Boss: Viper (Infiltrator)

Viper makes three attacks per turn. Don’t let her take a second or third turn. Take her down first.

Mini-Boss Team Up Option: Captain America

Boss: Cyclops (Tactician)

Boss Team-Up: Captain America

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Infiltrator
2. Infiltrator Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Captain America’s WWII uniform is ideal for this fight
4. Cyclops has a lot of health. Do lots of damage.

Boss Reward: Ruby Quartz Rifle

Epic Boss: Phoenix (Blaster)

Epic Boss Team-Up: Captain America

Epic Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Tactician or Blaster
2. Tactician Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Captain America’s WWII uniform is ideal for this fight
4.  Scarlet Witch and Captain American make a strong team

Epic Boss Reward: Cosmic Flame
(click here to find out about Cosmic Flame)

XP Yields:

Low Threat – NA
Medium Threat – 75-100 XP
High Threat – 140-240 XP
Mini-Boss – 110 XP
Boss – 65 XP
Epic Boss – 200 XP

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X-Men Storyline Highlights

Minimum Mission Spend: 90 Energy and 130 Golden Unstable ISO-8s

Deploys

1. Gambit – 1 battle
2. Rogue – 1 battle
3. Any infiltrator – 1 battle
4. Night Crawler – 3 battles
5. Any hero – 2 battles

Threats

1. Medium Threats

a. Type 1 – 1 Wave – Infiltrator, Bruiser and Blaster
b. Type 2 – 2 Waves – W1:  Two Bruisers W2: Two Blasters Team-Up: Night Crawler

2. High Threats

a. Type 1 – 2 Waves – W1: Infiltrator, Bruiser and Blaster  W2: Two Blasters
b. Type 2 -3 Waves – W1: 3 Bruisers W2: 3 Blasters W3: 3 Infiltrators Team-Up: Kitty Pryde

Mini-Boss: Baron Zemo (Blaster) and two Bruisers

Mini-Boss Team-Up Option: Cyclops (Tactician)

Boss: Captain America (Tactician)

Boss Team-Up: Cyclops (Tactician)

Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Infiltrator. Spiderman or Invisible Woman – for example.
2. Infiltrator Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Captain America can attack up to seven times per round – Shield Guard strikes included.
4. Team Restores and Shawarma are recommended.

Boss Reward: Thunder Strike

Epic Boss: Iron Man (Blaster)

Epic Boss Team-Up: Cyclops (Tactician)

Epic Boss Fight Recommendations:

1. Use at least one Level 9 or higher Tactician.
2. Tactician Agent Uniform can help – if you have it
3. Iron Man’s unibeam attack does more damage the longer the fight goes.
4. Teams Restores, Flame Suppressant and Flash-Bangs are recommended.
5. Iron man’s Deflector Shield is very strong.

Epic Boss Reward: Arc Reactor Charge
(click here to find out more about A.R.C.)

XP Yields (mileage will vary)

Low Threat – 20 XP
Medium Threat – 80-100 XP
High Threat – 125-140 XP
Mini-Boss – 110 XP
Boss -85 XP
Epic Boss – 200 XP

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Spec Ops 3 Reward

Magik’s recruitment is the reward for the completion of the 25 Tasks in Spec Ops 3. As is the case for every new hero, Magik was considerably over-powered during the first 24 hours of the release of Spec Ops 3. So overpowered that she was KOing level 12 heroes in PVP at level 3. That, however, is not the case at present.

The Hero School has Magik in training at the moment and we’ll be able to give you more insight into the hero in a few days. All that can be said now is that Magik is an offensive hero and she’ll need to be paired with a protective companion (Captain America, Colossus, or FF Thing) for the best results.

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Spec Ops 3 Guides and Other Links

Special Operations 3 Guide

http://forum.playdom.com/showthread.php?126209-Special-Operations-Guide

Omega Guild’s Spec Ops 3 Tricks and Tips

https://www.facebook.com/groups/maaomega/doc/147021748774116/

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Disclaimer

Any inaccuracies are entirely due to sleep deprivation. Friendly corrections in the comments are always welcome.

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The Hero School Review

Issue No. 1: Traumatic Post and Future Foundation (FF) Spiderman Uniform

Issue No. 2: Transcranial Stimulator and Techno-Organic Endoskeleton

Issue No. 3: Omni-Fury, Crystal Shiv, and 4 more additional gear slots

Issue No. 4: Spec Ops 3 Epic Boss Rewards – Arc Reactor and Cosmic Flame

Issue No. 5: Eric Hallford should be banned from the Playdom.com forums

Issue No. 6: Phoenix Five Uniforms for Phoenix, Emma, Colossus, Cyclops

Issue No. 7: PVP Rewards and Gangnam Style: DeadPool by the numbers

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Play Marvel Avengers on Playdom.com with more energy, more UISOs and a lot more RAH!

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Marvel Avengers Alliance Game on Playdom.com

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Stan Faryna
24 September 2012
Bucharest, Romania