Diamond Dynasty is the most popular game mode in MLB The Show, so it's no surprise it's where most players spend their time. But nothing about Diamond Dynasty is straight forward.
Diamond Dynasty is filled to the brim with things to do, new releases, new deals, and plenty more. That makes it a nightmare for new players who don't yet understand the ultimate team craze.
READ MORE: MLB The Show 20: New features, gameplay changes
Here's a beginner's guide on how to start your Diamond Dynasty and build the most fearsome lineup the online world has ever seen.
Where to start
The Diamond Dynasty home screen is cluttered with content
Dimaond Dynasty has no obvious place to start for new players, which makes it a bit of a headache.
But once you get past all the chaos and confusing information on the DD home screen, it gets easier.
Starting packages
You have some options when purchasing The Show 20
Depending on the edition of the game you purchased, you'll have different amounts of starting resources for Diamond Dynasty.
If you purchased the 15th Anniversary Edition of the game, you will start with 1 Diamond Variety Pack, 2 Gold Choice Packs, 20 The Show Packs, and 25,000 stubs.
READ MORE: MLB The Show 20: Complete Controls Guide
If you purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, you will start with 2 Diamond Variety Packs, 5 Gold Choice Packs, 20 The Show Packs, and 25,000 stubs.
If you purchased the MVP Edition of the game, you will start with 1 Diamond Variety Pack, 2 Gold Choice Packs, 10 The Show Packs, and 10,000 stubs.
If you purchased the Standard Edition of the game, you will start with 1 Gold Choice Pack.
You can read up on who to pick in your Diamond Variety Packs here.
Using your stubs wisely
The Diamond Dynasty store pack selection
While everyone starts with different amounts of value, most start with at least some number of extra stubs. Whether or not you start with stubs, managing them is important to building the best team you can.
For starters, while it may seem appealing, it's probably not worth it to spend all your stubs on packs.
READ MORE: MLB The Show 20 Road to the Show: Added depth, challenges
There's a certain cost effectiveness to buying important players in the community market rather than trying to pack a big one. Players love opening packs, it's the ecosystem on which ultimate team exists, so there's a premium people pay for the exciting chance. Avoiding that premium by planning your purchases and using your stubs wisely will get you the most value.
So what should you be spending on?
Complete Diamond Dynasty sets for huge collection rewards
Stubs are a way for players to purchase players for their teams, sure, but an even more important use of stubs is as entry fees to game modes that can earn you more.
Another wise choice for stubs is spending on players you need to complete sets. Diamond Dynasty sets have some powerful rewards if you are committed enough to completing them. Whether they're team affinity or collection sets, there's something big at the end most players could use.
Be careful spending stubs on players for sets, though, because sometimes they're massively overpriced due to players doing the same. After all, a lot of players needed to complete sets are unlikely to see any actual play in Diamond Dynasty.
First steps
Big rewards are waiting if you can crush in The Show Goes On
After you open up all of your packs and pursuit unlocking sets with your starting stubs, you're going to want to use your free entries. For every game mode in Diamond Dynasty, the first entry fee is free. That means you can unlock the same level of rewards without spending any stubs.
READ MORE: MLB The Show 20: Best base stealers in Franchise Mode, RTTS
To maximize these free entries, you should make sure ahead of time you know what you're getting into. Practice your drafting, practice your hitting, and practice your pitching.
Once you use up your free entries, analyze which mode you had the most success in, and start pushing new entries to see your winrate/returns.
If you're a far above average player, game modes where you play against other players will be massively profitable. If you're only average at the game, modes like Showdown mean you can play comfortably against AI challenges.
Once you start becoming more profitable as a player, the Diamond Dynasty world will open up to you. This means being able to unlock better players, and open more important packs to fill out your team.
Once you have reached a comfortable power level, it's time to jam your team into Ranked. In Ranked, pack rewards are strong and seasonally based on your rating. That means the most return on your time if you can pull it off.