The Battledome - Bank Account VS. Brain Amount by noremac9 |  |
THE BATTLEDOME - Players have constantly complained about the Battledome. Especially
the amount of money it takes. Many argue that it's all about money, and if you've
got the cash, you can conquer the 'dome without any brains. Others argue that
it's all about brains, and money will only get you so far. Well, hopefully, and
with luck, I'll be able to attempt to try to get to the place near the place next
to the bottom of this, or somewhere remotely close to it.
Bank Account
The argument that it's all about NP, and not about skill is one that can't
be ignored. Let's face it-- you're going no where without a strong pet. And
to get a strong pet, you need cash. And to get a stronger pet, you need more
cash. It can hardly be ignored that money is one of, if not the biggest player
in a Battledomer's quest for supremacy. Of course, you'll also need weapons.
And just to warn you, the Attack Pea ain't free. No, it's not free, and it's
not cheap, moderately priced, or expensive-- it costs more than 98% of Neopia
will make in their lifetimes. That, my friend, is definitely something you need
cash for. Certainly, the money-more-than-mind argument seems to hold quite true.
Brain Amount
The other school of thought says that strategy plays the biggest part in any
Battledome match. This too, cannot be ignored. After all, the decision to Sink,
Burrow, or Fierce Attack can change the course of the battle, for good or for
bad. Which weapon to use on which turn, when to heal, when to freeze-- they
all play huge roles. After all, it can't be denied that someone who knows when
to block the right icons at the right time will definitely have a huge advantage
over someone who just tosses expensive weapons around, and uses their pet like
a battering ram. Strategy plays a key role, any way you put it.
So the question is, which is it, grey
stuff, or green stuff? Let's dig deeper.
Look at all the top battlers. What do they have in common? Cha-ching, you
guessed it-- the cash. You cannot reach that level of power without a great
deal of Neopoints. I don't mean a few million, no, I mean LOTS of Neopoints.
This seems to make an obvious argument for money above mind, but don't jump
to conclusions. Just because that's the most obvious thing you can SEE, it does
not mean that's all there is to it. But we'll get to that later. The fact of
the matter is, strategy IN the dome is only half of the strategy you need.
Sure, strategy in the dome is very important, but what about the strategy
out of the dome? That's going to effect things more than in it. Like what weapon
to buy, for instance. Choosing your central attacking weapons is one of the
most important things to do before you enter the dome. And then there's defense,
freezing, reflecting, and more, all weapons you have to choose very carefully.
The decision to have a freezing weapon at all involves strategizing, because
you've got to know if it's going to be worth it you, or if you can properly
use it. It's all a matter of strategy; cash is just what you use to execute
your planning.
Then there's training. What stat's to invest in is actually a matter of strategy.
Do you want to be a powerhouse of attack, or a tower of HP? Should you go to
level 50 even though it'll cost you more to train once you pass 41? Is it worth
your time and money to beef up on the defense? Not to mention faeries-- deciding
which abilities to get is crucial. And all of the above is decided before you
set foot in the dome. No matter how much money you have, random and mindless
purchases are ill spent.
So far, it would seem I've made the case for strategy, and strategy only.
But don't be deceived-- I'm getting to the money part. Money DOES play a huge
role in the Battledome, inside and out. Because you can logically eliminate,
strategically plan, and brilliantly decide all you want-- but it won't get you
a Monoceraptor's Claw. Nor will figuring out the perfect compliment to your
existing arsenal is an item that costs fifteen million when you've got a mere
three million in the bank. And even if you know you want your pet to be a powerhouse
in the strength department, well, that's not going to help much if you've barely
got any NP. You can have the grandest of ideas, but no NP pay for them, in which
case all your brilliance amounts to nothing.
Also, no matter how brilliant you are, how good you've planned, and how well
your money was put to use, your 40 HP pet can't beat a 1500 HP pet. And they
got those stats from money, nowhere else. On the macro scale, money plays a
big role. If you're the most genius Battledomer of all time, and you don't have
NP enough to buy omelettes, guess what? You'll be beaten by the brain-dead guy
who owns three Moltenores just because he they remind him of his father. It's
a fact that cannot be avoided. However, if you're the greatest Battledoming
mind of all time, and you're facing someone with 50% more HP than you-- you
might have a chance. The smaller the scale of the difference, the less of a
factor NP becomes. In other words, in a 100 HP vs. 150 HP fight, strategy is
extremely important, and with cunning on the side of 100, victory is nowhere
out range. But with 150 HP vs. 550 HP, it looks like money IS the winner.
Okay, I've dragged you through my ramblings, and you're probably saying "Er,
GET TO THE POINT!" right now. Okay. Fine. Will do. For those of you who wish
I'd keep rambling, just go back and read the last few paragraphs till that desire
is quenched. Or, more true to the effect, smote.
The Verdict
There's got to be a clear winner, one side beating the other side into the
ground like a Battle Potato landing on a daisy. Actually, there isn't. Now before
you say "I just read this piece-of-dung article to be told 'there isn't a winner'?
Prepare to be annihilated, pathetic writer!" remember that just because there
is no clear winner, that doesn't mean there isn't a verdict. I mean, look at
he the header in bold right up there. That should pretty much give it away.
While there's no prevailing side, there is certainly a result. Money and strategy
cannot be compared. This debate is null and void. Why? Because money and strategy
must work in UNISON. Without money, strategy goes nowhere. Without strategy,
money is wasted. It's like the girls vs. guys debate-- no matter which you slice
it, there is no prevailing gender. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, but
both need each other to survive, and compliment each other in a healthy environment.
And in a healthy environment, your money will work with your strategy, and you
won't obsess over one in particular. However, on the macro scale, money wins.
But on the micro scale, strategy wins. But it's rare that someone should reach
the macro scale without a great understanding of the Battledome, anyway. Money
must work with strategy, and vice versa.
Hopefully, I've shed some light on the debate, and there shall no longer be
any question as to who the winner is, for there is no total winner. |
