darkSpyro

After much debate and cost consideration, due to a handful of reasons, I've decided not to purchase every single new skylander for this game...but it gets tricky with swappers, so some basic information from those of you who have played the game would help.

Right now, I was planning out a strategy of attack for this thing around the 2 swappers you get with the starter pack, Wash buckler and Blast zone.

Actually worked out a plan that kept you at 8 (bare minimum) swappers that covered each element and movement type:

Wash Buckler (Water/Ladder)
Blast Zone (Fire/Rocket)
Free Ranger (Air/Horn)
Rubble Rouser (Earth/Shovel)
Stink Bomb (Life/Mask)
Hoot Loop (Magic/Arrow Circle thingy)
Rattle Shake (Undead/slinky)
Magna Charge (Tech/Whoosh arrow)

Boom goes the dynamite...Dad gives himself high five for awesome strategimization.

Wait....WAIIIITTT...Stop the presses...My little one has a few "must haves" for swappers not on this glorious well-planned and money-saving list....Time to...reorganize.

The new in-progress reinvented list that covers all elements/movement types and accounts for the little one's input (which upped the ante to 10 swappers):

Wash Buckler
Blast Zone
Fire Kraken
Doom Stone
Rubble Rouser
Boom Jet
Trap Shadow
Stink Bomb
Night Shift
Magna Charge

____________

My question is (before hitting the hunting trail): How important is elemental type to the swappers in the game? I'm guessing movement type is the important part? Or do you need both? Can you get into every area of the game without, say, an air elemental swapper so long as you have at least 1 of every movement type? That's the biggest thing for me...I don't want any "zones" unreachable. We still haven't finished a good chunk of heroic challenges from the first two games, so I'm not even sweating that by not having them all...but I do want to be able to reach all areas of the game.

If this has been hashed out elsewhere, my apologies.

Ladder is Climb, Horn is Spin, Shovel is Dig, Mask is Stealth, Arrow Circle thingy is Teleport, Slinky is Bounce and Whoosh Arrow is Speed.
Good strategy by the way.

If playing single player, you would need one of every element type as well, as there are combo gates that you need to match two elements (a bottom and top half of 2 swappers). If playing 2 player though, you can use swappers or cores across the 2 players to make the match.

When it comes to elemental type, its pretty irrelevant when it comes to the Swappers. All elemental type does is unlock gates. And, in the case where you have a Fire/Undead gate, but not the appropriate swappers, you can plug in a second controller and have your core 'landers unlock it.

Honestly, just stick to movement type and whatever "must haves" top their list.

Quote: ShinkenRed

Honestly, just stick to movement type and whatever "must haves" top their list.

This.

Pretty much. Would recommend going after limited time toys like the exclusives though (i.e. get Enchanted Hoot Loop and Nitro Magna Charge instead of their regular counterparts). Reason I suggest this is so if you go back to gather all those you missed, you're not stuck with hyper inflated prices afterwards.

Me personally I've learned my lesson with Giants. Yeah, I want them all but plenty of them are being made and I got a lot of them for $200 that had almost every non-exclusive fig. Consider how much buying them new in comparison cost...yeah it's better to let things die down and play it smart.

Guys, thanks for the information. Part of me is saying "Stick with the revised list" cuz my little one likes to play on his own a lot, and then, for the price of a couple characters he wouldn't have to go through all the "add a second player hubbub..." But here I am putting together a list to see what I can come up with based on movement only.

First one offhand:

Blast Zone
Magna Charge
Wash Buckler
Fire Kraken
Doom Stone
Rubble Rouser
Trap Shadow
Night Shift
Boom Jet

(The must haves are: Magna Charge, Rubble Rouser, Fire Kraken, Trap Shadow, Night Shift, Boom Jet (and Wash Buckler...but that's a given)...Considering that lengthy of a must have list...9 isn't too shabby.

As for the exclusives...Man, I hear ya Kung Fu Man...I gotta say, I may be in trouble if the little one learns about a glow in the dark snake...LOL...My hunch is that's probably gonna be in play whereas it wasn't on his list before...At least it would be on MY list. Ha ha....I guess we'll find out...and Jolly Bumble Blast? LOL...That's perfect for Christmas. He wants Bumble Blast out of the new cores...I'm gonna try to pull that off for sure.

Thanks everyone for the help. Good luck in your hunting.

One thing you'll probably definitely want to check then is to see what's coming (or hinted at) with the 3 packs.

Like bumble blast is in: http://www.amazon.com/Skylande.../dp/B00E5M5LFS. So, if you plan on getting regular bumble blast first consider if you'll ever want the forge.

And it also seems like the TRU buy 1 get other 40% off seems to be the best deal going on now.... but probably not forever.

I worked the same thing out, you only really need 8 of the swappers... However, they may only work on a very mature adult level.

I also think it is possible to complete the game with a starter pack or one character you just loose some of the extras. Also it seems this game was built to be re-played.

As much as I like to have a no-duplicates rule, I'll let them buy them if it is with their own money, and warn them about Mommy having a fit. When it comes to toys you do not seek her approval. Any gifts or bonuses from me will not duplicate. Except for Nitro Magna Charge. I felt screwed on Granite Crusher, so I figured I should get them each one.

Can't wait till I can fire up my copy on the PS3 and actually go through the story.... LOL My kids are not big on story, till major cut-scenes.

So what do I do? I make them use their money on any duplication. We have tasks and grades to complete/achieve in our home so they do get a chance to get their own money. The system is perhaps too generous but as long as they stay in As with a single B I'm happy.

-I already know they'll have all 16 swappers between them. I'm just glad they are letting up on the non-swappers. They have more than a few fron the older games that they don't like, and I have questioned them. I pretty much make them read the strategy guide, and watch a video before they can buy a new one.

Oddly for me I'm loving the non-swappers. When they play with me on the PS3 I'll just convince them to share them with me. LOL

Movement is all that’s important… the element gates can be opened with your older figures.