Red Picks Can Go For Good: P2P Snacks - Issue #16
Hello my friends. Welcome to issue #16 of P2P Snacks.
My tactics haven’t changed much this week…I snagged a rank 2 finish with the 433(2) tactics from last week and had some amazing pack luck in Phenoms Lautaro and Phenoms Militao (What up red list?!). It got me thinking heavily about the nature of FUT Champs rewards and what needs to change.
There is no doubt that FUT Champs can be an extremely rewarding game mode, but red picks aren’t the answer. The World Cup player pick system EA has put in place is far superior to red picks. BUT JAPES, WHAT ABOUT WHEN MBAPPE IS IN TEAM OF THE WEEK?! Perhaps there is one exception to the rule: when there is an epic team of the week. But in terms of pure value, player picks are amazing.
When EA releases an 84+ player pick, the cost is generally 50k+. You get three of them for strong FUT Champs finishes. That is purely good value. Sure sure you could complete a more expensive SBC to get an IF player pick, and that’s fair, but it’s not as much bang for your buck. Technically that would be for a red pick, and reds do not function like IFs. Later in the year, EA will say you can use reds for SBCs, but not early on, and that heavily discounts the value of these rewards. The 91-rated gold KDB that I got from a player pick is worth far more than any of the 82-84 rated reds at any stage of the game.
Beyond the value associated with the SBC cost, 84+ picks also allow you to pack promo cards. Let’s face it, TOTW upgrades are almost never worth it. The power curve is defined by promos. The likelihood that you get a usable promo card exponentially improves with 84+ player picks, and for that reason alone, they need to stay.
The real question: have any of you put a regular TOTW card into your squad during the last month? I haven’t. The boosts aren’t there. This leads me to my next point: if EA wants to stick with red IFs, TOTW boosts need to be a bit spicier to compete with promos. For years, I’ve said that EA should make boosts more reflective of on-field performance. If Toni Kroos hits a banger from 30 yards, I’d like to see his long shots and shot power stats improve above a general stat boost. If Julian Alvarez scores a rebound in the final of the World Cup (which he won't get an IF for), I’d like to see a heavy boost to his reaction stat.
As a quick aside, EA should be more generous with pace boosts on IFs. In my opinion, they should get a +3 if in the 70s, a +2 if in the 80s, and a +1 if in the 90s.
Regarding the more unique boosts, this will not happen. It’s additional work for EA to look at each card getting a TOTW and adjusting boosts based on the nature of the game.
Are there any other alternatives?
Sure, EA could add a promo card player pick for top ranks. Red pick SBCs could provide Icon or Hero picks, but the easiest answer is to just keep going with this World Cup style player pick. It’s much improved and a major breath of fresh air.
Do you agree? Are you thinking “Japes, you’re crazy”? Jump into Discord and let me know what you think.
Talk soon,
Japes