I actually tried to post this thread before, but it didn't show, so here I go again, let's hope I can actually remember everything I wrote. Ok, I've noticed that a lot of people, mainly the new and low level players, but sometimes old and somewhat experienced players as well, have problems with making ranked battles lineup. As a player who have gone through the struggle myself, going from outside top 100 to within top 10 on my server, I figured I should share some tips and tricks that might be helpful. In case anyone don't know yet (as I mostly just lurk on forum), I'm MoKi from s17. I'm not a f2p, but I probably spent less than some of the people I beat on a regular basis. And so, without further ado, let's get to it.

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1. Know your surrounding:

Now the first thing you need to know even before starting to make a ranked battles formation is the opponents you'll be facing. So you need to take a look at the teams the people around your ranking use, so that you can adapt and counter them. Adaptation and understanding your opponents are the keys to ranked battles successes.

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2. Know how the AI works:

Because ranked battles is played by the AI, making a team that may works is not enough, you need to understand how the AI prioritize mystery usage to get an edge over opponents and plan accordingly. I've encountered countless of cases where a team looks good on paper, but because the AI plays differently to how people envisioned their teams, they became easy to counter and easy win for me. The following are the rules of how AI prioritize skills, according to the countless of ranked battles I've watched when testing teams as well as in my free time to learn how the AI works: When the chakras is enough in a team of 4 for only one skill to be used, but 2 or more skills are ready to be used, the AI will prioritize:

- cc (crowd control: chaos, or immobilized, or interruption) over non-cc;

- The skill that dmg the most targets if all (or none) of the skills to choose from have cc;

- Damage > Barrier > Interrupting Barrier (5KM/Kisamehada) > Shields and Buffs (Have only been able to test Kisamehada, as I don't have 5KM);

- If none of the above applied, then AI prioritize by positioning of the ninja in their respective team.

For example:

- If your team is Kushina (normal), Bee (7 Sword), Hidan DBP, Gaara (normal), then first round, Hidan and Bee will use their mysteries, and Gaara's will be delayed until round 2 (Damage > Barrier + positioning);

- If your team has Hokage Tsunade (or Shisui) and Rinnesuke (or Edo Deidara), then on second turn Tsunade (or Shisui) will use their mystery, and Sasuke (or Edo Deidara) won't (cc over non-cc);

- If your team has Edo Deidara and Roshi, then Edo Deidara will use skill instead of Roshi if there's 60 chakras or above (12 units > 9 units)

- If your team has Gaara, Kurenai, and Kisamehada, Gaara will still try to use barrier before either Kurenai or Kisamehada use their mysteries, even if Gaara is pos4 (Barrier > Interrupting barrier > Shield and buff).

- If your team has 6PN (or Edo Hashirama) and Hokage Tsunade, 6PN (or Edo Hashi) will use mystery before Tsunade (9/12 units+cc > 1 unit+cc).

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3. Getting to know the ninjas you own:

If you're following so far, then you're ready for the next part, actually making the ranked battles lineup. If you're confused, reread what I wrote or ask below and I'll get back to you. Now for the people who's ready to keep going, and for the sake of simplicity, let's divide our ninjas into 2 groups: Nukers and Supporters.

+ Nukers are ninjas who can either dmg the whole field or a lot of units in the field (7 or 9, or 12 units). These ninjas should be in position 1 and 2 so that they can deal a lot of dmg as rounds are starting (with the exception of Gaara, who doubles as a supporter/barrier provider). Late-game, top teams usually have as many nukers as possible, but for low levels players who don't own a lot of ninjas, let's set the minimum of nukers to just 2-3 ninjas.

+ Supporters are ninjas who can either buffs and shield for nukers, or heal and remove debuffs for the team, increasing survivability. Some supporters can serve as secondary nukers as they have the potential, just either unreliable, have long cooldown, or simply because they are nukers, but we have better nukers for position 1 and 2 already.

+ Han (5 tailed Jinchuuriki) and 5KM: I rarely ever use Han since most of my teams relies on buffs and shield. But if you don't have lots of buff and shield of your own and feel like you'd like your battles raw dmg, using Han could do just that, remove buffs and shields from both side of the field, exposing both your opponents and yourself. 5KM does the exact same thing interrupt any mysteries being charged. I don't own 5KM, but I probably wouldn't be using him here if I did.

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Examples of low-cost nukers:

- Tendo Pain: His frags is free from Ultimate Training. He's useful for TI and Rescue the Jinchuuriki as well. So getting him for PVE content and low ranking ranked battles is still a good option to consider.

- Gaara (3* or above, bt optional but recommended): He can be pulled from treasure, he can be given for any amount of recharge. His fragments can be bought from Black Market or Ninja Collection Scrolls. His bt makes him one of the best options to have in a lot of teams. He's a great character over all, a one helluva nuker early on, and even late-game.

- Roshi: The treasure has been around long enough for him to be free pulled twice by now. Though he's no longer the god of position 1 like he was when he was first released anymore, he's still a solid ninja to have and can contribute greatly to whatever teams you plan for him. Mystery hits 9 units, destroy barrier, and he gets stronger over time with immunity and self-healing, what else can you ask for?

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Examples of low-cost supporters:

- Konan: She can be pulled or collected from group shop, then starring up at a cheaper price in ninja collection scrolls. Over all a great supporter for Akatsuki ninjas. She shield and buffs Akatsuki members for 30% tai+nin for 3 rounds.

- Bee 7 Swords: He can be pulled from treasure easily enough. A great Jinchuuriki supporter. Shield and buffs Jinchuuriki characters for 30% tai+nin for 3 rounds.

- Iruka: He can be bought as a relatively cheap price. He c*so be exchanged for with excessive 5* ninja fragments. A great supporter for all Konoha Ninjas, shield and buffs them for 30% nin+tai for 3 rounds.

- Mabui: She can be easily pulled from Kage treasures. She shield and buff water and lightning elements, and can act as a chakras battery.

- Asuma WB: He can be collected from survival, 3v3 and various other sources. He gives a 30% tai+nin buff to all ninja with full HP in his team and gives an extra 20 chakras on round 1.

- Jigokudo Pain: Collected from group shop or pulled from treasure. He heals, he revives, he's almost a must have on my server top 10. However, he's squishy and not very reliable at early level.

- Gakido Pain: Pulled from treasure. He clears debuffs, and generally a decent support for a f2p.

- Chiriku: was given free in 3v3. He's amazing for a f2p char, I have even been trolling around with him in matsuri. Though not sure if he'll return as rewards in the future so will add him to event only ninja section as well.

- Sakura GNW: Easily obtainable and a great sustainable option for low levels.

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Examples of late-game/event-only nukers:

- 6PN (or as some people called him Naruto SOSP): No explanation needed. :P

- Edo Hashirama: No explanation needed. :P

- Edo Hiruzen: Hits 9 units that never misses, followed immediately by a ignition combo chase. Also can act as supporter with his 40% buffs to tai+nin for 9 random units on your field.

- Edo Deidara: Hits 12 units, spiders and ignition c*so hurt, too.

- Rinnesuke: Hits 9 units, remove super armor for that turn and cause paralysis.

- Shisui: Hits 7 units, chaos 1. Can dodge, and provide barrier that boost Lightning, Wind, Fire for 40% Tai+nin.

- Konan Angel: Hits 9 (I don't own her, so don't remember if 7 or 9), never misses, cd can be reduce with standard. Also works as supporter with 25% buffs to tai+nin to Akatsuki units.

- Minato Hokage: How many units he hits depends on who he targets, but his dmg is great nevertheless, I don't own him... yet, but I've faced enough to know how strong/annoying he can be.

- Minato Jonin (w/ bonds mystery): not really a nuker, but he hits hard, and interrupt one lineup, so definitely worth a mention at least.

There are probably other options, but you get the idea.

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Examples of late-game/event-only supporters (aside from the nukers above mentioned who can double as supporters):

- Hokage Tsunade: She heals almost the entire field every round and remove debuff. Enough said.

- Edo Itachi: His mystery can't be removed with low chakras. He halved pure ninjutsu dmg for his team twice each round, high chance of dodging chases and disrupting enemies' combo, and a sweet sweet mirror, what not to like?

- Kisamehada: Interrupting barrier. Chakras battery and steal enemies chakras, add to super armor and minor self-healing. Over all a great supporter.

- Chiriku: Only added here because not sure how often his frags will be 3v3 rewards for newer players.

- Kabuto Snake Cloak: Actually a great supporter if you had Edo Hashirama. Squishy and unreliable early game, though.

- Sakura Cloak/Summer: Both are great healers in their own right. They are no Hokage Tsunade, but they are great in their respective team.

There are probably more but you get the idea.

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4. Examples of teams I've used in the past:

Now I'm going to share some of the teams I've used on my journey from outside top 100 all the way up to within top 10 of my server. The later ones has an increase in p2w-ness, and it took me a lot of saving and planning, and spending, to get them at the cheapest I could afford.

* Water/Wind main: The following is the first lineups (to clarify, I used other lineups before this one, but I didn't care enough to put any strategy into them before this one) I made, and it was with me in my journey from top 100 to top 50:

Mabui - Sage Naruto - Tendo - Konan (you can replace Sage Naruto with Asuma WB and put Tendo in pos2 in which case);

Roshi - Minato Jonin - Kurenai - Main character (If Jonin Minato w/o bonds, have him pos2, with bonds, have him pos1, Kurenai full bt, and can be replaced with Sakura Cloak)

Kushina (normal, this was before Red Hot was released and I could afford her) - Bee 7 Sword - Hidan DBP - Gaara

This lineup has shields and buffs stacked from Gaara, Mabui, Bee, and Konan. Having 3 main nukers (Gaara, Tendo, Roshi), and 3 secondary nukers (Konan w/ bt, Minato, and Sage Naruto). The setup also allows tag to be spread by all three lineups, making Hidan DBP more deadly, in addition to postponing Gaara's barrier setup until round 2, after both Tendo and Roshi has their chance to nuke and thus not wasting Gaara's barrier+nuke away.

*Earth main: The following lineups are the ones I used when climbing from top 50 to top 15 on my server, they consist of more rare/events ninjas:

a.

Mabui - Sage Naruto - Tendo - Konan (yes, I was still using them for a good while at first)

Edo Hiruzen - Shisui - Asuma WB - Earth main

Edo Deidara - Edo Jinpachi - Jigokudo - Edo Sasori (one of the stapled team for Edo Deidara w/o main)

b.

Edo Hiruzen - Shisui - Konan - Asuma WB

Edo Deidara - Kisamehada/Kurenai - Roshi - Earth main

Kurama Naruto - Kushina (Red Hot) - Gaara - Bee

c.

Shisui - Masked man - Edo Deidara - Kurenai bt

Roshi - Kisamehada - Konan - Earth main

Kurama Naruto - Kushina Red Hot - Bee - Gaara

These teams are not as interconnected as the ones I previously used, but they made up with good dmg and decent survivability.

*Earth/Fire main: The following lineups are the ones I used to finally get into and stay in top 10 of my server ranking. I went as high as top 5, but didn't stay there long, am now in the top 8-10 range, mostly because my pos1 init is low af (for my BP, it's still 19.4k, which is a lot for a lot of people still, I know). Anyway:

a.

Edo Deidara - Kisamehada - Roshi - Earth main

Edo Hiruzen - Shisui - Konan - Asuma WB

6PN - Iruka - Gaara - Bee

b.

Edo Deidara - Kisamehada - Rinnesuke - Earth main

Edo Hiruzen - Shisui - Konan - Asuma WB

6PN - Edo Itachi - Gaara - Sakura Summer

c.

Rinnesuke - Edo Itachi - Konan - Earth/Fire main

6PN - Kisamehada - Edo Hiruzen - Hokage Tsunade

Edo Deidara - Shisui - Chiriku - Jigokudo Pain

d. (current team)

Rinnesuke - Edo Itachi - Chiriku - Fire main

6PN - Kisamehada - Edo Hiruzen - Hokage Tsunade

Edo Deidara - Shisui - Edo Yagura - Jigokudo Pain

I'm currently on Fire main because I find the usual Earth/Wind lineups with 6PN rather boring, and am having fun on Fire main, which was my starter element. Anyway, hope this thread helps inspire anyone struggling with ranked battles. As stated above, if you have any questions, discussions, feel free to comment below. G'luck and have fun, all!