You’ve probably seen the buzz around Crystal of Atlan and wondered: is it another cash grab disguised as a shiny new MMO? I’ve spent a lot of time on the CN servers, diving into both PvP and PvE, and I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news? PvP is shockingly fair and skill-based. The bad news? PvE can get pretty wallet-heavy. But here’s the thing, I’m a free-to-play player myself, and I’ve beaten whales. If you’re strategic, persistent, and don’t mind putting in the grind, you can compete, thrive, and even look good doing it. This guide breaks down exactly where the monetization hits hardest, where free players can shine, and how you can stay competitive without spending a dime. Let’s get into it.
Free-to-Play or Pay-to-Win?
Let’s start with the good news, what isn’t pay-to-win. First, character choice. In Crystal of Atlan, there are no premium-locked characters. You can play any character or subclass you want without paying a dime. From what I’ve seen on the CN servers, the only limitation on the number of characters you can create comes from your account level, not the cash shop. So as you play, you’ll naturally unlock more character slots.
Next, PvP, where your success comes down to skill and balance, not wallet size. Let’s talk about it more in detail. Then we’ll move into PvE, where monetization becomes more aggressive with pets, enhancements, and gold sinks.
PvP: Surprisingly Fair and Skill-Based
Let’s start where Crystal of Atlan really surprises: PvP is very F2P-friendly.
How PvP Works
- PvP uses separate gear from PvE, no enhancements, no circuits, no set bonuses.
- Gear differences exist, but they’re very minimal, more like a 1-3% stat gap, not the usual whale stomp.
- Gear is based on rarity only. Everyone shares the same stat bonuses.
- You can earn arena coins daily to buy PvP gear, blue, purple, and pink tiers unlock as you rank up.
- Blue Gear (Lv. 15) – Available right away.
- Purple Gear (Lv. 25) – Unlocks at Gold Rank (can be skipped).
- Pink Gear – Unlocks at Diamond Rank (which is achievable even on Day 1 if you’re committed).
- Important: The stat gap between Blue and Pink gear isn’t huge. Skill matters more than gear. So yes, a skilled F2P player can absolutely beat whales in PvP.
Skill matters more than money. Even whales can’t buy wins here. The only slight edge spenders might have is higher-level skills unlocked via leveling faster, but these often come with longer cooldowns and aren’t game-breaking.
If you’re ready to dive in, gear up, and start strong, don’t miss my full Crystal of Atlan Starter Gear Guide. It’s packed with tips, mistakes to avoid, and personal experiences about gears from playing in the CN server.
BUT, PvP is not fully equalized:
Some people throw around the term “equalized,” but here’s the truth:
- PvP gear is “equalized enough,” but you can’t say spending has zero effect.
- Titles do have stats, and some titles are cash shop exclusive. While they aren’t game-breaking, they can give you a slight edge.
And hey, I’m not just theory-crafting, I’ve fought whales, and I’ve won. Skill absolutely matters more here. But let’s not pretend it’s a 100% even playing field. My tip? Focus on PvP early. It’s where your skill will shine while you slowly build up power in PvE.
There’s a custom 3v3 mode where players rotate in 1v1s (non-ranked), but the true ranked 3v3 is a real-time 6-player fight. Both use the PvP gear system.
Fleet vs Fleet, on the other hand, is NOT balanced. It’s fully gear-dependent and does lean pay-to-win, but that’s more of a guild-level competition, not solo PvP.
The Verdict: PvP is where F2P players can truly compete and shine. Just don’t expect to carry your fleet against whales in gear-heavy GvG fights.
PvE: Where Monetization Starts to Show
Here’s where things tilt harder in favor of spenders. PvE progression is where the game’s monetization gets more aggressive.
Here’s what paying players get:
- Energy Refills – Battery packs let them grind longer = more XP, faster levels
- Monthly Pass – Increases energy cap and unlocks higher-level skills earlier
- Costumes & Titles – Direct CP boosts, and yes, some titles are shop-exclusive
- Pets – Big stat increases, actives, and passives
- Gold – The biggest advantage. Gear enhancement eats gold like candy. And whales? They have an infinite supply through the gold-crystal exchange.
But the biggest P2W offenders?
Rare Pets (& the Pet System)
There are pets you can buy directly, for example, there’s one known pet that costs 500 gems and gives strong stat boosts and passive effects.
There’s also a gacha system for pets, which tend to be stronger but obviously more expensive and luck-based. That said, some of the free pets from CN were surprisingly solid, a few even better than the paid ones, so free players aren’t totally left behind.
- Pull-based gacha system with updated pity:
- 150 pulls = guaranteed drop
- Each pull = ~100 gems
- You need 3 copies of a pet to max it
- And 2 maxed pets total to be optimal
That’s around $900 per pet, or $1,800 total unless you’re insanely lucky.
SS Costumes (& the Outfit System)
Outfits can be bought or rolled via gacha, and they give passive stat bonuses, yes, actual power gains, not just cosmetics.
The good news? Free-to-play players can still access these outfits through a conversion system. If you break down five paid outfits, you can guarantee a gacha outfit piece. However, there’s a chance of getting duplicates, and it’s unclear if those can be broken down again, I didn’t test that deeply. Still, this system lets you slowly work your way toward powerful outfits as a free player.
- Previously dismantled from S-rank gear, now likely gated behind a new gacha banner.
- Expect a full SS set to cost upwards of $250–$300+ if done via shop.
But here’s the silver lining: You can grind gold, sell to whales on the auction house, and slowly work your way toward these items. And F2P can still get functional (and even stylish) outfits, it just takes time.
The True P2W King: Enhancements
Let’s be real, gear enhancement is where the power gap explodes.
To reach +25, you’ll need:
- Millions of gold
- Tons of enhancement tickets
- 100% success materials, often locked behind paid events or shop bundles
And gold? Whales can print it. As long as there are F2P players selling, whales can buy infinitely.
This is where F2P players hit the ceiling. Gear cap progression becomes a grind wall unless you:
- Multi-alt farm gold
- Sell high-value gear drops
- Play the auction house smartly
Gold Exchange & Monthly Membership
Whales can buy crystals and convert them into gold, which is used to upgrade gear and progress faster.
But here’s the upside: this creates an opportunity for you. If you farm gold on multiple alts and sell items on the auction house, whales can effectively fund your progression by buying your stuff.
On CN, I earned almost 5 million gold just casually playing a single character. Buying a full outfit cost around 33 million, so with multiple characters and consistent farming, you can realistically afford these yourself. It rewards effort and efficiency, not just spending.
There’s also the monthly sub. This gives you daily crystals, more stored energy for grinding, earlier skill unlocks, and more auction house interactions.
Is it pay-to-win? Yeah, but it’s also really good value if you’re a low spender. I’d recommend it for people who want to spend a little without going full whale. That said, we don’t yet know the global pricing.
F2P Tips & Strategy
If you’re going free-to-play, here’s how to stay relevant:
- Play multiple characters – Story progression is time-gated, but alt farming works great.
- Use the auction house – Convert your grind into premium currency via whales.
- Break down outfits – Work slowly toward costume gacha pieces.
- Claim every login/event reward – Some events include free pets, outfits, and gear.
You can absolutely progress, just not as fast. And with smart grinding, you can still look stylish and hold your own. Here’s also where the game does throw free players a bone, story progression is time-gated, not wallet-gated.
What does that mean?
- It also means spenders won’t leave you in the dust, you’ll all be waiting for the next unlock.
- Once you reach the end of current main story content, the game locks the next chapter behind a timer.
- You cannot pay to skip this. That’s great news.
Bonus: Alt Characters Help A LOT
Alts can:
- Farm gear, mats, and gold
- Let you stockpile enhancement items
- Earn their own story progress
Story progress unlocks over time per character. So if you make alts but don’t level them, they won’t benefit from your main’s unlocks. My advice? Pick a main, push story until you hit the gate, then rotate to your alts to prep them. When the next story section unlocks, they’ll be ready too.
Wrap-Up: Is Crystal of Atlan Really P2W?
So, is Crystal of Atlan pay-to-win? In PvE? Yeah, no sugarcoating it, absolutely. You can definitely swipe your way to power there. But PvP? Surprisingly fair. And honestly, that’s one of the game’s biggest redeeming qualities. The monetization still has its “ugh” moments, but if you’re smart, strategic, and a little patient, free-to-play isn’t just doable, it can actually be a fun, satisfying ride. No need to whale out to feel strong.
