Welcome to the guide for those new players either just starting or below, I would say 1,500 hours in the game. Possibly even more, it depends how quick you are. After reading this guide my Onion Guide – [steamcommunity.com]  may be a good read to follow as I will use similar language as in that guide, namely “layers”.
 
 
This guide was written due to the common misconceptions new players have about the game, and yes this isn’t a defence of the game being the “perfect game”, as there is no “perfect games” people. None. Ever. Even Pac-man had its problems!
 
 
However, this is to devoid the common misconceptions about free-to-play games and all that entails. So let’s get into the things you shouldn’t worry about as a New Player in Idle Champions.
 
 

Quick OldGamer’s Jargon Check

In every game I play, I personally use a technique whereby I “peel” away each “layer” of the game’s Onion (no not Orion). This gives me a way to look at each game I play in detail and be able to play it to the way I will have fun. In fact, over the decades, it has become THE fun sometimes just following the “Onion Method” rather than actually playing some games. (DarkSouls I am looking at you)
 
 
Thus, this is what I am talking about when I say these words. A “Layer” being a feature, mechanic or step in the process of getting a game and “peeling” back a layer means I have successfully accomplished “getting” it. (Totally different to being good at the game by the way)
 
 
This whole concept being called the “Onion Method”. Incidentally, the song “Orion” in the 80s came out on an LP and I misread it as “Onion” so I have that tune in my head every-time I use the Onion Method. But, that’s off topic, let’s get into it.
 
 
 

1. Speed of Progress

Don’t worry about it. The speed of progress, especially in the tutorial sections of the game is mindbogglingly slow but it does and will pick up. The main takeaway here is just go through the motions, write down what you are learning (or just remember) and do what Bruenor tells you. He’s a great dwarf after all.
 
 
Also, don’t fall into the “Are Ya Chicken” trap or ANY variants. The advice is just to do the main mission adventures you see first until you HAVE to do some variants in order to progress.
 
 
 

2. Speed of the Game

Typically when you are out in the “big bad world” and onto your own adventure within the Sword Coast. This game does rather spit you out of “Dwarven Road College” (that’s the tutorial) and go “you got it now, tally ho!” – Then you are just like, doing your thing and you have no clue what to do and you find yourself in a Ballroom Blitz. Wait. That’s different.
 
 
After you get some speed champions you will be rocketing through.
 
 
 

3. Insatiable Clicking

The manually clicking will eventually stop. Trust me. You just need to get to familiars and that is unlocked when you hit level 66 in any adventure. (Not sure why there is a benchmark) Plus, you should now be getting your first familiar (Mage Hand) after your first completed adventure as it’s only 250 gems I think nowadays. After that you have 3 low gem familiars which you can go for if you just can’t wait to stop clicking. Although only one can suffice.
 
 
 

4. Speed of getting Items and Gems

This eventually will get better and better, in such, you will be swimming in all items soon enough. For first, however, I would get into combinations with my list of combinations – [steamcommunity.com]  which will start you off pretty good. Other than that, you get gems by completing regular adventures (don’t do the variants) and items will come when you start buying gold chests every 500 gems. Yes it is a grind, yet this is an incremental game.
 
 
So the main takeaway is to keep on the mission adventures to get gems and your favour, enabling you to buy gold chests, the first set (3) of familiars and blessings. “Gem Hunter” being a good first goal to have in Blessings. You don’t have to farm gems either yet. The missions will get you enough gems in the early game. More details in my Onion Guide.
 
 
 

5. Learning EVERYTHING in one day

Don’t do it. I know some gamers love to get in there and do everything simultaneously but this game requires the gentle calm approach and a cool side of onions. (See my onion guide – starting to become a commercial for this guide)
 
 
“Rome wasn’t built in a day”, neither is your progress in Idle Champions and you are not a “Very Model Major-General” either and know all Information Vegetable, Animal, & Mineral…unless you’re a botanist or David I guess.
 
 
 

6. Not getting above yourself

Kind of related to the above, but just another nod to not get frazzled by all the distractions and buttons in the game. You could do a whole guide just on the UI of this game, especially how they like to add new icons every 15 minutes to this game (slight exaggeration). I won’t though.
 
 
 

7. Don’t Worry About Gear

Seriously, when you first start off. Don’t worry about it. In the sense, yes still obtain the gear by opening chests, using codes etc…but you don’t need that “golden epic” or that particular champion to become fully geared right now. It comes in time. Also, gear only becomes really apparent after you have got to the point that favour is slow to grind for, blessings are all had and Patron perks are done. Yes, I would advise to epic out all your core/evergreen champions but it isn’t anything to worry about. Just keep grinding gems to get gold chests and using those codes.
 
 
 

8. Getting the “Best” (Meta) Champions

This will come in time and sort of ties into the next “Things to not worry about” but yes, you will get a lot of recommendations or you may have an idea of who you want in your roster. However, at the moment just get the feel for the champions you already have and make sure to sign up to the newsletter as Hitch is a great “cloak and dagger” (the puns are back!) DPS.
 
 
 

9. Time to get those Pieces

Time pieces is another common desire for new players, due to the above but also for some advice you may be getting from other players of the game. Just to note that Time Pieces (“Pieces”) will become more readily available. Although, still not enough in my opinion, but as I said at the top this game isn’t perfect.
 
 
So for now, every 3 weeks will be your TimeGate opening in the Natural timegates. Use those to unlock new champions whilst when you get to 6 pieces often the go to choice is Deekin for speed. Although, other champions do top the list such as Shandie, Briv, Avren, Krull, Zorbu etc.. The point is, not to get too worried about getting the best of the best just yet. The early missions are easier than most and new champions are really only needed to deal with variants essentially even when tackling high level completions on normal. Yet, easier with a variety and of course those affiliation bonds/abilities you get in certain champions.
 
 
 

10. You Don’t Have to Click Buy

You don’t. Seriously. You could play this purely for free if that is what you want to do.
 
(Although, I bet you are perfectly happy to pay an overpriced entry fee for a game that doesn’t say F2P in it? :))
 
 
Think of all the “micro-transactions” as a tip after some play . But you don’t even have to if you don’t want to.
 
 
It is this way as it is free at the “point of delivery” in meaning everything that is and can be seen in game is free to be had (plus more). It only costs time to do it. (Bit like how the NHS is “free” and we pay for it in our taxes, as so typical for the British to do. They would tax Tea if they could…wait…too soon?)
 
 
After a while you may want to buy DLC, or wild offers but this is up to you. I say this, as a person who does play free to play games and has been a gamer since the 60’s, this game does their “shop” correctly. There are no pay walls. You don’t “need” to pay for an expansion in order to have a specific mechanic (unlike Paradox Games). You don’t “need” to pay for their DLCs in order to get specific gameplay features (unlike EA). You don’t “need” to pay for ongoing developing and support for the game (Unlike Warcraft). You don’t. But if you like to, you can. And that can start from as little as 5 bucks.
 
 
 

Other Guides That May Be Useful…

GUIDES FROM OLDGAMER

 
Beginners’ Guide to Chests – [steamcommunity.com] 
 
The Onion Guide – All the Layers of the Forgotten Realms – [steamcommunity.com] 
 
 

 
 
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