>>531863320
1. Narantuya is the most consistent start I've found (when I was a newcutie I always went with Mudrock but a lot of 1F~3F stages have fast enemy rushes). She trivializes every single map and can handle most bosses herself.
2. Possible bias: Phantom with IS mod > Yato/Texas, except for ED2
3. Hope is a lot scarcer than later IS modes so having a single 6* for the first two floors is normal. Again, Narantuya will handle almost everything...though the metafag ops are also great, as expected (Logos, Walter). I don't recommend picking up 5*s unless it's a vanguard, but even then Fang1 + Narantuya is the best way to open most stages.
4. If you're going to do 5* only runs (why?), La Pluma, Kazemaru and Scene are great. I personally don't have any 6* medics built and found that Silence is the best 5* healer for ED2/3.
5. From my experience, the second ED4 encounter (Playwright) feels like a 50/50 cointoss with how often it comes up. The hardest part is getting Prisoner's Night. ED3's first encounter felt very common, too.
>>531863786
2 weeks, 3-ish hours everyday after work (while lurking /akg/)
>>531863994
I'll get the new relics and stop there...revamped IS2 doesn't look fun.
>>531863926
I don't think there are any "trimmed" stamps with the ascension update.