Beginner

= Path = Three foci: fleet, raid, arena - in order of importance. Fleet is most important because it is easy crystals.

Pros

 * easier progression of arena teams (Phoenix => Bastilla => JKR)
 * JKR one of the best raid and arena teams. Phoenix a useful (though, not great) raid team and double use in rebel fleet.

Cons

 * High amount of gearing and multiple teams that are potentially underused: Phoenix, Rogue One (Cassian and Bistan's Uwing), Bounty Hunters (for HMF), Old Republic toons (Mission, Zaalbaar, T2-M2)
 * Rebel fleet no longer meta, but can still win reliably on offense with Bistan in starting lineup

Pros

 * Geos are a great arena team at mid level, but not so good later. Eventually will want Clonetroopers or another team to replace.
 * Geos don't require farming Bounty Hunters and their ship for HMF. Much less gearing than Rebel fleet
 * Geo gear requirements amongst the lowest
 * Shaak Ti is a long farm, but it is not legendary. Can use Cody lead in the near term, but don't over-gear as may only have use in 2nd 3v3 team later.
 * Clonetroopers better in raids than JKR - in the long run

Cons

 * Geo farming more difficult than Phoenix, but less farming and gearing overall for Geos
 * Geos are a poor raid team, so really want to use Clonetroopers or Nightsisters - Geos not even considered for use in raids
 * Rebel fleet better on offense, but Geos better on defense (potentially)

= First team? =

Phoenix or Separatist/Geos
Is Phoenix or Separatists/Geos the best beginner route?

Separatists - For

 * New Best Beginner Free-to-Play Team to Farm in Galaxy of Heroes! Separatists vs Phoenix!
 * Geos/Tarkin can take out MILFs fairly reliably if they don't have Sun Fac/Clone Sargeant reinforcement
 * Geos and Separatists much better mid/end game
 * Geos with GBA wreck Phoenix

Separatists - Against

 * Geos are mediocre for raids
 * Less accessible farming
 * Only unlocks Padme

Phoenix - For

 * Parallel, accessible farming of characters in different places
 * The best team for Galactic war due to health/protect regen
 * Rebel fleet okay until MILF, but once MILF is available it is meta until Negotiators/Malevolences appear. With Cassian's Uwing it can take out Negotiator/Malevolence with RNG, less RNG with Bistan's Uwing.
 * Unlocks Thrawn and EP, helps unlock GMY
 * Okay for phase 2 of raids

Phoenix - Against

 * Not good at PVP
 * Less long-term use compared to Geos. Phantom ship may be used for a long time, but Phoenix is mostly kitchen sink in end-game.

= Team acquisition priority = After choosing a fleet team (Geos or Rebels), the next teams to consider are those that good at both raids and PVP. Teams that do good phase 1 damage are preferred (assuming comparable achievable damage) because phase 2 and beyond of raids can go by very fast.

Separatists/Geo path

 * 1) Separatist/Geos
 * 2) Geos
 * 3) Clones or Nightsisters

With Clones and Nightsisters you have coverage of phase 2 and 3 (potentially 4 too) of HSTR. Next, you'll want to focus on a HSTR phase 1 team.

Later: Thereafter, it's really up to you, but JTR team may be worthwhile for phase 1 of HSTR. (Will also need FO team to get BB8 for JTR team). For a JTR and/or Padme team you'll also want C3P0, which will require Ewoks.

Alternatively, First Order with Traya and Thrawn can do good damage in HSTR phase 1. Can use Barriss as healer while obtaining Traya for lower damage.

Padme is also an option for PVP (not good for raids) - obtainable with Geos and have may Anakin geared for Nightsisters. May also gear Ahsoka for her ship.

Phoenix path

 * 1) Phoenix
 * 2) Bastilla-led Jedi (zeta optional in early game - may go unwasted in the long run)
 * 3) JKR-led Jedi (main arena team and phase 2 raid team)
 * 4) Bounty hunters (raids - needed for HMF anyhow)
 * 5) Clones or Nightsisters (raids)

Options for next team:
 * Add Embo to the Bounty Hunters you developed to get MILF. Good phase 1 HSTR team. Greedo also helps (but may be able to sub another for lower damage). Note: Skelutrix uses Jango, other Gamechangers have used Cad, so probably best to use what's best geared if more than one gear difference, otherwise go with Skelutrix's suggestion
 * Get additional rebels to get CLS to complement rebels toons develop for fleet - CLS is great for HAAT and Phase 3 of HSTR with C3P0
 * Get Ewoks to get C3P0 - useful with CLS
 * Hermit Yoda beneficial for raids (if you can save the Guild Event currency!)

Recommendations:
 * As you've built up strong rebel characters for fleet, it's suggested that you go after CLS and Ewoks to get C3P0. Ewoks can be used in Phase 2 HSTR.
 * Embo/Greedo would also pay off. Also Aurra Sing for phase 3
 * Hermit Yoda is worth it - if you have the discipline to save GE currency
 * With Embo/Greedo, JKR, Clonetroopers and CLS/C3P0 you have 3 of 4 HSTR raid phases mostly covered.
 * Could get Nightsisters to cover phase 4 later if you want, or First Order for less damage (will need FO to get BB8 anyway).
 * Alternatively, you may want to increase coverage of phase 1 with FO + Thrawn + Traya

Example path

 * 1) Phoenix
 * 2) Bastilla Jedi (Bastilla/Jolee/Ezra/Kanan/[Old Ben (for CLS) or Ahsoka (for ship)] then get GMY and replace Kanan)
 * 3) JKR (replace Old Ben/Ahsoka with JKR - you'll want to keep gearing Ezra for his ship)
 * 4) Embo/Greedo + bounty hunters from getting MILF (Bossk, Boba, Jango [preferred] or Cad). Possibly Aurra Sing for phase 3 HSTR too.
 * 5) Clonetroopers (with Shaak Ti and Arc Trooper ideally, but Clone Sergeant decent)
 * 6) Ewoks to get C3P0
 * 7) FO + Traya + Thrawn (use Barriss or another healer [even JC!] until you get Traya 7 stars)
 * 8) Nightsisters

Note: deliberately excluding PVP teams like DR, Padme, GG, Geos, etc.

Side quests
These align with numbers above and should be done concurrently or after the numbers above


 * 1) Dark-side ships and pilots for zeta challenge (5 dark side ships and 1 dark side capital ship) - suggest Tarkin, 3 Geos, TFP, Slave 1 and/or Tie Silencer (Slave 1 need for HMF and Tie Silencer is decent ship and comes with KRU - so getting both is recommended). Other FO ships (FOTP, SFFOTP) are quick to farm, but geos better mid-term (long-term FO ships may work with Finalizer).
 * 2) Bounty Hunters for Houndstooth and MILF. Strongly suggest you get Dengar rather than use IG88 for Chewie - it makes the event much easier.
 * 3) Empire squad to get R2D2 + extra rebels (ST Han, Leia, Farmboy) in order to get CLS. You'll probably want to get CLS to G12 before gearing up Clonetroopers, as useful in HAAT without C3P0.

HSTR coverage

 * HSTR phase 1 covered by FO+Thrawn+Traya/Barriss and Embo/Greedo
 * HSTR phase 2 covered by JKR, Clonetroopers, Ewoks, Phoenix, Machine-gun Leia, etc.
 * HSTR phase 3 covered by CLS/C3P0 + Han/Ezra/BB8
 * HSTR phase 4 covered by Nightsisters and kitchen sink

Clonetroopers versus Nightsisters
Clonetroopers are the best potential raid team at high gear, but Nightsisters may be better value, at least until end game.

Pro Clonetroopers

 * Best raid potential overall. 100+ million in Sith raid and can auto solo tank raid
 * Other than Shaak Ti and Arc Trooper, others characters are easy to acquire
 * Fives and Clone sargeant have ships. Rex too, but less useful.

Con Clonetroopers

 * Shaak Ti is a long, high-level fleet node farm. Also requires Kryotech gear at lower level
 * Requires Arc Trooper ideally, instead of Clone Sargeant
 * When low geared, can only run in phase 2 of sith raid, which has a lot of competition

Pro Nightsisters

 * Easier to get basic team up and running with Assaj lead, no Talzin
 * Gear requirements lower
 * Difficult to beat in early game PVP
 * Assaj with unique zeta can be used in ABC Tank Squad
 * Better for 3v3 PVP. Can create two great teams.
 * Can run in 2, 3 or 4 of sith raid. Best to leave for 3 and/or 4 as less competition from others.
 * Commonly used for cheese teams

Con Nightsisters

 * Talzin hard-node farm, but can get shards through event as well
 * Less damage potential in Sith Raid
 * Less damage than Clones in Phase 2 at similar gear levels
 * No ships

= Managing expectations =

= Raids = Raids are where you get good gear. For most people a good raid team is more important than a good squad arena team. (The exception may be where you are earning crystals from squad arena by being in the top 100 or better. Your best raid team might also be your best squad arena team).

Sith Raid - After a year or so you should be in the top 10-20 of your guild Tank Raid - After a year or so you should be able to complete large parts of the raid Rancor Raid - after 6 months or so you should be solo'ing this with turn-meter-reduction characters