Finding Value From SBC's

So we have FIFA 18 on pre-order, but for now all we can do is access the web/companion app (some of us have limited game time too but not all, so we will ignore that) so how exactly are we suppose to be making coins? Let's look at the negatives, we can't play games, access the catalogue and hence we can only make coins via trading. Now for the positive, everyone else is in the same position as us and due to this, the majority of player prices are extremely cheap right now. 

Of course we have the option to start studying the market, monitoring prices and then investing as and when we see fit, but what can we do initially to start generating some coins? The answer is simple, Squad Builder Challenges!

Starting Off / General Rules

Ok, so we have just loaded the web app, opened up our starter packs and unless we get extremely lucky, we are sitting on around 5,000 coins after selling the contents. Maybe you are extremely unlucky and not quite there, fear not, the chances are things will still be ok, but if you do fall a little behind sniping and bidding is how we are gonna get back on track!

Bidding is your best friend. If we avoid buying players at their BIN price and instead bid on them for minimum, we can save ourselves upwards of 550 coins on each challenge.

It's always worth building the team as a concept squad to ensure you meet all requirements. This ensures you don't end up falling short on rating, rarity or even chemistry (be wary of chemistry as the web app seems to currently include loyalty on all players).

For some challenges the chemistry is fairly low, always remember we have the option of simply having a player or two out of position.

For certain parts you will need the loyalty bonus on some players. Assuming again we cannot access the game, holding onto packed players when you can makes this possible still.

Let's Get Started

Remember when you first loaded up the web page, the flashing lights, the crazy animations and that absolutely useless bronze starter squad that EA kindly provided you with? Well it turns out they weren't all that useless after all!

The "Let's Get Started" SBC provides us with three individual challenges that we must complete before unlocking the others. One consists of a single goalkeeper, the next three players in their correct positions and the final is four players, with three nationalities between them. The good news you ask? Well those bronze players you received at the start are more than enough to complete the entire set, we won't be spending anything on these quite yet!

As for the rewards, well don't go getting too excited! We will receive a couple of various bronze packs alongside a two player pack, and the best part is they are all untradable!

Kick Off

If you're feeling scared, fear not, we will ease into these challenges like a duck into water. The first challenge we will be looking at consists of three parts, a bronze team, silver team and a gold team. The chemistry requirements are fairly low and the rating not existent, all they ask is that we use these rarity of players.

The bronze and silver ones should be fairly straight forward. You probably have almost enough bronze players to complete it without entering the market and you can always pick up the silver players you need for discard or even leave the silver part and return when you have a few more in the club! The gold one however, this is where we will need to plunge into the market!

The gold challenge requires a minimum of 80 chemistry alongside a small amount of rare gold players. This challenge couldn't be easier, firstly we need to pick a league, any that have a sufficient supply of gold players (the bigger leagues can tend to be a tiny bit more expensive here), then simply jump onto the market and bid for a gold player in each position. Bidding here is extremely important as every coin at this stage makes a difference. Spending 300-350 per non rare and 650-750 per rare will ensure that you are not overspending.

The reward this time you ask? Well we will be receiving a 25k Premium Gold Players Pack (12 players, 3 rare). Unless you literally open the worst imaginable pack, you will be profiting here. Whether it's by 1,000 coins or 1,000,00" simply depends on how generous the pack gods are feeling.

Hybrid Nations

Here we go, the bigger challenges with the bigger rewards are now ready for us. While the requirements may look daunting, they are actually fairly straight forward and easy to complete, but let's break it down.

Quads

Nationalities: 4
Players From The Same Nation: Max 3
Team Overall Rating: Min 75
Rare Players: Min 4
Team Chemistry: Min 80
Reward: Gold Players Premium Pack
Suggested Cost: 4,000-5,000 Coins

While there are rules around nationality, there are none around the leagues. We want to aim to use a single league here allowing us to easily achieve the chemistry required. With a team rating of only 75, this means we can probably get away with a couple of silvers too, this can save coins using them as the rare players. 

The Six

Nationalities: 6
Players From The Same Nation: Max 2
Team Overall Rating: Min 70
Team Chemistry: Min 85
Reward: Premium Gold Pack
Suggested Cost: 3,000-4,000 coins

Sticking to a single league again this challenge remains fairly straight forward. The chemistry is guaranteed through this and with a team rating of 70 required, we can easily use a handful of silvers or a couple of bronzes too. The pack here is poor, so expect a small loss, the group rewards however will easily cover this.

It Takes Eight

Nationalities: 8
Players From The Same Nation: Max 2
Team Overall Rating: Exactly Gold Players
Rare Players: Min 5
Team Chemistry: Min 88
Reward: Prime Gold Players Pack
Suggested Cost: 6,000-7,000

Once again we need a load of nationalities but are free to use any league. Choose a single league, then match the nationality requirements. The cost here is slightly higher, but the reward justifies the increase.

National Pride

Nationalities: 10
Team Overall Rating: Min 80
Rare Players: Min 7
Team Chemistry: Min 100
Reward: Mega Pack
Suggested Cost: 7,500-8,500

So for one last time we follow the same pattern, just one league with a bunch of nationalities. Choose this carefully as we need to ensure that there is a wide range available! Due to the LWB/RWB positions and 100 chemistry requirement, we are going to need a few players with loyalty here. If you can use the console to gain this it's easy, if not make sure you use some of those packed players you kept alongside a potential position change for the wing backs. Once again we see an increase in price, but the mega pack we receive should cover this.

Group Rewards

Even if you have had the worst possible luck and are currently sitting on a loss, after this 55k rare mega pack and strict coin management throughout, there is no chance you can be at a loss so far!

Hybrid Leagues

Onto the second SBC now and luckily it follows a very similar pattern to the last one. Remember to bid in order to keep costs down and save a few players for the ones where we require loyalty!

Rare Fives

Leagues: 5
Players From The Same League: Max 3
Team Overall Rating: Min 68
Rare Players: Min 5
Team Chemistry: Min 80
Reward: Jumbo Gold Pack
Suggested Cost: 2,000-3,000

In the previous SBC we saw challenges with restrictions on nationality. This time we simply have the opposite, use whatever nation you want but just match the league requirements, simple! The low team rating here allows us to use a load of bronze and silver players, if these are the rare cards you use it'll save a small fortune too!

Seven Suspects

Leagues: 7
Players From The Same League: Max 3
Team Overall Rating: Min 78
Team Chemistry: Min 85
Reward: Premium Gold Jumbo Pack
Suggested Cost: 3,000-4,000

Once again, stick to one nationality. With a team rating of 78, it's likely that almost all of our players will be gold, but the fact that we don't need any rare players ensures that the cost stays under control.

Prime Nine

Leagues: 9
Players From The Same League: Max 2
Team Overall Rating: Min 79
Rare Players: Min 5
Team Chemistry: Min 99
Reward: Prime Gold Players Pack
Suggested Cost: 6,000-7,000

As long as all players are in their exact position, the 99 chemistry should be achievable here. The rating ensures that it's gold players we mainly use again and the requirement of 5 rare cards is what slightly pushes the price up. Use a single nationality again and it's easy to complete though.

Squad Goals

Leagues: 11
Players From The Same League: Max 1
Rare Players: Min 6 & Exactly Gold Players
Team Chemistry: Min 100
Reward: Mega Pack
Suggested Cost: 7,500-8,500

The final challenge in this SBC, and it's a tough one! Everything has to be gold, 6 of those cards have to be rare and every player must come from a different league. Fill the team with fringe leagues to start, then add players from the bigger ones as they are easily able to cover more positions in the squad. Also keep in mind that we will need some loyalty to achieve the 100 chemistry again, this is where those packed players come into play!

Group Rewards

Once again we grab ourselves a 55k, rare mega pack! With all the players, consumables and other items, once again there is no possibility of us being at a loss right now!

Going Forward

Now we have completed the key challenges with the best value, but there are plenty more out there! Certain teams within both the league challenges provide great value (mentioning them would cause a price spike so it's up to you to hunt them down) and while the league and nation hybrid has great rewards, we are going to need a load of loyalty, so save this one for when you can dashboard/play games to achieve it! 

We want to see any crazy pack pulls you guys get too! Tweet your best players to @FUTBIN and @imaduckquackk.