fwiw I’m a new player who started in Sanctum league with some friends who are veterans, and I’m enjoying the current league a lot (the mechanic is arguably mid but some of the items are fire). I did come to the “slot machine” realization at one point tho, and the rationalization I landed on was “well at least they just want my time, and not all of my money too”. Which, like, I’m really impressed by the restraint they’ve held with monetization of the game, the only real “gameplay advantage” mtx come from the stash tabs, and by the time a new player would need them, they’ve probably put enough time into the game to justify some 1 time purchases.

I was hella struggling last league because my group got me set up on Lightning arrow, but this go around on an RF inquis (I know, I know) I’ve completed all the atlas bonuses and unlocked all but one of the favored map slots. Currently trying to get melding set up but I’m probably not going to have the free time for that going forwards for irl reasons. Unfortunate, but probably for the best honestly. It was kind of becoming a free time black hole lol