Sig Story arc diminishing returns

[Ukase]

Historically, I have a clear memory of running Theoden's SSA 2x for 20 merits each time, and then having to wait a full week to re-run it for the full merits - 20 here on HC, and it was a "hero merit" on live. 

I thought to myself...why not run it redside. I just ran it 2x for 20 each in Skyway...if I'm remembering correctly, it's a different arc (well, same maps, but different perspective) I can grab another 20 merits right quick. 

But, I only got 5. The words in red suggested the week waiting period was for ANY SSA, not just a specific one. 

Is that the case now? One per week, once you get the "Free" first run? 

I don't recall it being like this a couple of years ago. Not a big deal, just curious. 

[Greycat]

For clarity - different characters, right, you didn't just swap sides with the same one?

[SuggestorK]

Well the wiki list it as 1st episode of who will die storyarc, it has a hero and a villain contact.

 

So by what you was writing you basically ran the same storyarc twice just from different contacts but the system still says its the same WWD Episode 1.

 

To test the waiting period u should run a really different SSA like as example Episode 2.

[Ukase]

2 hours ago, Greycat said:

For clarity - different characters, right, you didn't just swap sides with the same one?

Same character. Just swapped alignments. 

I probably got confused from experience on another server - Rebirth. Used to swap sides and get a run as a hero, and then a run as a villain. (but there was a lot of alignment missions in between - no Null the Gull there) 

[tidge]

The clock (or calendar, since it is almost 7 days real time) for the SSA repeats is per character. As you have discovered. The first time you run the SSA story you can do a repeat immediately.

 

I want to say that once you have done a weekly repeat of any SSA, the clock has started for repeats of the other SSA, but not for the first time rewards of those SSA. I can't honestly remember it being different than this, but considering how often I solo run SSA I want to believe if there was a 20 merit weekly option for each different SSA I probably would have been running more than just Theoden's mission over the bast five years.

 

Theoden's arc (either side) is pretty quickly completed, so even without the bonus merits it isn't a terrible thing for a solo player to do. The default merits/time are pretty much in line with rewards for other content.

[Ukase]

I did run Binocolo's arc when I got the appropriate level and was awarded the 20 merits. So, I suppose the game really does recognize the red/blue correlating SSAs as the same arc. It just wasn't something I even thought about. Different zones and all that. 

The sad thing is it's probably something I figured out years ago and just forgot. 

[Ironblade]

On 3/15/2024 at 7:30 AM, tidge said:

I want to say that once you have done a weekly repeat of any SSA, the clock has started for repeats of the other SSA, but not for the first time rewards of those SSA.

 

Right.

 

Each character gets one free run of every single arc (there are 12 total) with no timer involved.

I ran through every single one consecutively on my badger for 240 merits.  I then ran one more for 20 merits, which starts the timer for any arc on that character since he had no 'free runs' remaining.