As a lifelong Marvel superfan, I couldn‘t wait to lead Earth‘s mightiest heroes against Lilith and her demonic hordes in the acclaimed tactical-RPG Marvel‘s Midnight Suns. After pouring countless hours into directing the legendary Avengers, Hunters, and Midnight Suns squad in battle, one game system, in particular, has me hooked — the surprisingly deep friendship mechanic.
Beyond just commanding legendary warriors like Captain America and Iron Man on missions, you can develop personal bonds with each iconic hero back at the Abbey through heartwarming one-on-one interactions. And dedicating time to understand what makes these characters tick confers fantastic rewards that amplify their capabilities for the conflicts ahead.
So whether you want to unlock Wolverine‘s full savage potential or witness the fascinating story arcs of mystical newcomers like Magik, building friendships is utterly invaluable. Here‘s everything a fellow Marvel gaming enthusiast needs to know about mastering the Midnight Suns friendship system!
Why Befriending Heroes Matters
Let‘s start by understanding why the intricate friendship feature is so pivotal to success in Midnight Suns:
- New Abilities & Upgrades — Deeper bonds grant heroes powerful new abilities and passive buffs.
- Backstory & Character Insights — Increase intimacy to reveal history and emotional arcs.
- Team Combos — Coordinate higher-level team attacks requiring friendship tiers.
- Outfits & Cosmetics — Unlock dapper alternate hero costumes to show off!
- Experience Gains — Partying with heroes provides major XP to speed progression!
Simply put, without utilizing the friendship mechanics to their full potential, you are missing out on incredible gameplay perks and narrative depth. The heroes fight harder alongside trusted allies while revealing their human sides back at the Abbey.
An Overview of Marvel Midnight Suns Friendships
Let‘s break down the basics of how friendships function:
- 5 Friendship Levels Per Hero — Offering better rewards each tier.
- Team Friendship Level — An aggregate squad relationship score that unlocks bonuses.
- 4 Key Activities — Hangouts, conversations, gifts, and Haven trips boost friendships.
- Meaningful Rewards — New combat capabilities, outfits, stories, resources, and more!
Now that you grasp the foundations, let‘s dive deeper into crafting the perfect heroic friend circle!
Crafting Your Super Hero Social Circle
Like any good leader assembling a dream team, you‘ll want to carefully consider which heroes compliment one another when selecting who to buddy up with.
For example, the cynical Magik might help Captain Marvel‘s optimism rub off on her. And seeing Iron Man coax the stoic Wolverine out of his shell could be priceless!
Here are some heroic partnerships that tend to yield intriguing interpersonal dynamics:
- Captain America & Wolverine — The orderly soldier attempts to tame the rugged wildman.
- Doctor Strange & Scarlet Witch — The sorcerers discuss the mystic arts over tea.
- Blade & Spider-Man — The grim dhampir tries to tolerate Spidey‘s lighthearted jokes.
- Iron Man & Captain Marvel — The tech genius and cosmic warrior debate battle strategies.
Keep an eye out for surprising connections as you navigate the Abbey grounds. And mix up Hangouts between newer bonds and old reliable friendships to uncover fresh sides of familiar heroes.
Now let‘s break down exactly how you‘ll go about bringing this eclectic team of icons together!
Hanging Out with Heroes after Missions
Hangouts after missions are your prime opportunity for quality one-on-one time with any hero you choose. You can engage them in a variety of relaxing activities:
| Activity | Hero Preferences |
|---|---|
| Fishing | Blade, Wolverine |
| Stargazing | Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange |
| Tarot Reading | Scarlet Witch, Magik |
| Archery Challenge | Hawkeye, Spider-Man |
Select an activity your hero will enjoy for maximum gains. Blade loves tossing his sword to spear fish, while the Web Slinger prefer aerial trick shot contests.
And always bring a thoughtful gift from the Gift Shop to express gratitude for their efforts on the latest mission! Combining favored activities with cherished presents optimizes Hangout friendship XP.
Pro Tip: Schedule occasional Hangouts at the Abbey‘s secret Havens for a 2x XP bonus — but opportunities to access Havens are limited!
Through 160+ hours of gameplay, I‘ve found priortizing Hangout sessions right after tough battles when hero motivation needs rebolstering pays major dividends.
Fostering Bonds through Conversation
Between critical missions battling Lilith‘s forces, ample downtime for chatter with heroes abounds.
The key is selecting dialogue options carefully to align with each hero‘s perspective and personality. Choose wisely, and you‘ll become privy to their intricate backstories while forging tighter bonds.
For newcomers like the mystical Magik, treading cautiously by suggesting she "take things slowly" is prudent. Conversely, the battle-hardened Blade responds better to blunt language like "Get ready to bring the pain!"
I‘ve compiled some key conversational tactics to efficiently earn friendship XP through speeches, compliments, and even the occasional debate:
| Hero | Conversation Approach |
|---|---|
| Captain America | Reassuring & optimistic |
| Iron Man | Witty banter |
| Wolverine | Respect his space |
| Scarlet Witch | Inquire about her craft |
Pro Tip: Don‘t overdo it! Spamming the same hero with compliments sees diminishing returns. Rotate bonding across your squad to prevent fatigue.
Exchanging Gifts for Fast Friendship Gains
Showering heroes with presents from the Gift Shop is another excellent way to quickly ingratiate yourself. But be prudent — the coveted inventory rotates randomly!
Gifted items provide friendship XP while unlocking cosmetic outfits to customize your squad‘s style:
| Hero | Favorite Gifts | Potential Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Blade | Vintage Sapphire Pommel Sword | Assassin‘s Garb outfit |
| Spider-Man | Record Player | Symbiote Suit costume |
| Doctor Strange | Runic Lantern | Sorcerer Supreme robes |
Check each hero‘s profile to learn their personal gift preferences! Thoughtful presents that call back to their backgrounds are received best.
Then schedule Hangouts with giftees shortly after missions when motivation peaks to bundle benefits. This is the ultimate recipe for friendship domination!
Pro Tip: Once your Abbot Level rises high enough, a special Wishlist feature unlocks allowing heroes to directly request their most wanted items!
Team Bonding Opportunities
Beyond one-on-one relationships, tending to the overall team friendship level amplifies squad-wide strengths.
Here are the key locations and events that build universal comradery amongst your roster of heroes:
Card Table Gatherings — Heroes bond over casual games like Go Fish and Poker nightly. Don‘t be afraid to bluff!!
Dinner Parties — Captain America loves cooking up delicious barbies for the whole gang a few times per week.
Dance Club — Nightly ragers at the Abbey let heroes blow off steam through dance to resident DJ Wong‘s sick beats!
Group Training — Sparring sessions build trust between heroes while honing combat efficacy.
Frequently engaging in these team events pays substantial friendship dividends. And the perks are fantastic:
- Higher level combo abilities between multiple heroes unlock
- Additional Gift Shop inventory becomes available
- Heroes may execute more powerful joint moves!
Pro Tip: Friendshipsparring provides just a minor XP bump only useful for nudging a hero to the next level. Prioritize other activities for more efficient gains!
Monitoring Your Friendship Progress
Be sure to regularly check your overall friendship progress by accessing the Heroes tab from the main menu.
Here you‘ll find meters tracking both individual hero relationship levels and the composite squad friendship rating.
Use this data to ensure you‘re dedicating enough quality time to forge bonds with each hero fairly evenly.
As the ancient proverb says: "The team that hangs out together, crushes Lilith‘s hordes together!"
Key Friendship Rewards to Unlock
Here‘s a quick recap of the incredible rewards attained by diligently befriending every hero:
For individual heroes:
- New Abilities & Passives — Apply bleeding with Blade‘s Samurai Strike or harness Dark Magic with Magik‘s Soulbond Spell!
- Alternate Outfits — Ogle eye-catching new costumes like a scuba-suited Spidey or steampunk Iron Man!
- Color Variants — Give heroes fresh paint jobs, like an inverted red & gold Iron Man!
- Backstory Scenes — Bond with Doctor Strange to witness his tragic failure saving his sister April.
- Increased Stats — Higher friendships bolster HP, Strength, and more!
For the squad collectively:
- Team Attacks — Coordinate Blade‘s Kunai Storm with Magik‘s Eldritch Armor for extra oomph!
- Gift Shop Upgrades — Obtain S-Rank presents, like a Supreme Sorcerer‘s Sash for Doctor Strange granting bonus Will!
- Meta Progression — New systems unlock through Abbey upgrades supercharged by team bonds!
As you can see, the list of valuable unlockables through dedicated friendship cultivation is staggering. And the more heroes love you, the stronger your unified stand against the encroaching shadows becomes!
Advanced Tips for Amassing Bonds Quickly!
If accelerating friendship progression is your top priority, commit these pro-tips to memory:
- Prioritize Hangouts for maximum gains, especially rare Haven locations when available!
- Always gift something thoughtful from the Shop after Hangouts too for bonus XP.
- Vary bonding activities to prevent repetitive interactions diminishing returns.
- Shoot the breeze often — conversation choices are unlimited free friendship fuel!
- Buy out Gift Shop daily to nab rare items heroes covet before stock rotates.
- Use team events like Dance Clubs or Training to build universal comradery efficiently.
- Track meters in Heroes tab so you can identify neglected relationships.
- Focus on raising Team level first to hit thresholds granting exclusive perks.
Sticking to those strats religiously ensures you‘ll seldom struggle for that extra Friendship XP needed to learn Blade‘s deepest secrets or Captain Marvel‘s proudest moments.
Soon, you‘ll stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fully powered super friends supremely prepared for the epic battles ahead. After all, the coupled power of earth‘s mightiest chemistry sets can overcome any demonic threat!
So stop reading already and get befriending — your heroic dream team awaits at Abbey‘s halls! This is one fate-of-the-world level crisis only bridging bonds between legendary champions can overcome!!
Excelsior!
