Introduction
The Monster Exchange Survey has come to a close and Cotton 
has been crowned the winner for North America. For the most part, these types of surveys are problematic because only a single winner can be chosen and it would not surprise me if Cotton had 15% of the total votes as there were 39 different cards to choose from.
The Monster Exchange Survey is different compared to the previous event where the selected card was available for 1,000,000 Monster Points as Rainbow Event Medals 
will be the primary currency used.
This article will summarize Cotton’s value along with my thoughts on why she was voted for the second time in a row.
Video commentary
–Just look at a mirror to see something beautiful–
Monster Survey format
Due to the fact that the Monster Survey can only have one winner and the voting pool consists of 39 different cards, it would not be surprising if Cotton had the majority of a minority.
With this in mind, no single card can please everyone and simply opens up the door to mass disappointment. As such, internet bashing those who wanted Cotton is quite juvenile and our voting process did align with the Korean server who has a similar lack of Collabs as we do.
Comparing the top tier meta of North America to Japan is misleading due to the fact that Japan has significantly more cards to work with along with numerous Collab-exclusive leads. As such, their choice of Zela 
makes more sense as she has more places to be used on.
How to acquire Cotton
Cotton will be available from the Monster Exchange for 4 Black Event Medals until May 19th. These Black Event Medals are also acquired via the Monster Exchange and cost 5 Rainbow Event Medals to acquire, thus her total cost is 20 Rainbow Event Medals. One can use other 6-star GFE as replacement for a Black Event Medal but this is a bad idea overall.
Why did Cotton win?
Despite the fact that Cotton was the winner of a previous survey, this occurred over a year ago and it is my guess that the average North American player is not exceptionally progressed. In fact, if we follow a similar trend to the JP player base, our the most common rank of a given player is in the 100-400 bracket (information based on JP 7th year anniversary stats) and accounts for over half the player base
A rank 400 player has a strong likelihood of being under 1.5 years old which means they were either not playing during the previous event or could not afford 1 million Monster Points. Furthermore, there is also a strong possibility that the average player has an underdeveloped box and less options to play around with.
With this in mind, voting for Cotton makes sense for them as she is one of the most flexible cards in the game due to her 6 distinct forms, powerful awakenings, and low base cooldown. While she may not e the single best choice for any given team, she still functions as one of the better FUA 
cards available.
In fact, Cotton has solid awakenings all around as she has double 7 Combo 
and can have either a third 7 Combo or VDP 
via Super Awakenings.
In essence, a combination of 39 possible candidates, what I prsume to be the average player being lower rank/less developed box, and universal flexibility most likely resulted in Cotton winning.
Uses for Cotton
Cotton is one of the most flexible cards in the game due to the fact that she has 6 distinct forms and comes with all the possible colours being represented. Thus, there is a strong likelihood she can be used on several of your teams.
For the most part, Cotton will be a stellar sub due to her awakenings, low base cooldown, and reasonably high weighted stats. As such, it comes down to finding where to best use her. With that being said, if you do find yourself not needing your Cotton any more due to acquiring a stronger card for that colour, you can reverse her evolution and choose a new path.
I have no use for Cotton, what do I do?
More developed Boxes may not have a need to use Cotton due to owning viable replacements for their respective teams. While this may feel frustrating as you may not be able to take full advantage of this event, having another 6-star GFE for “free” is always a good thing.
With the conclusion of the REMDra Ranking Dungeons, top scoring players received 14 Rainbow Event Medals which is 70% of Cotton’s cost. Furthermore, there is a strong likelihood that more Rainbow Event Medals have been earned in the past with no ideal place to use them.
If you read my Rainbow Event Medal article, I concluded that we do not have any truly amazing places to spend them outside of Odysseus 
who only cost 4 to acquire. As such, the cost of 20 may not be too outrageous. Furthermore, Cotton is only available for a limited time, Odysseus will always be there. Thus, if you are sitting on 20 Rainbow Event Medals, trading for Cotton would still be a good idea as you will earn more over time.
At the very worst, we have a “free” 6-star GFE to use as Trade Fodder for 5/6-stone Collab events.
Conclusion
Cotton will be available from the Monster Exchange until May 19th and it would be wise to acquire her even if one has no current use for her. Her ability to be used on most teams due to her 6 distinct forms gives her tremendous flexibility and is probably the main reason why she was the North American and Korean winner.
Even if you do not foresee yourself using Cotton now, it is still best to acquire her as she can at least be used as Trade Fodder in 5/6-stone Collabs.
Let me know what you think about Cotton winning and what you plan to do with her.
Happy Puzzling!
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Mantastic Puzzle and Dragons 
Based on having three extras where I already have one of each color from rolling in Godfests after purchasing two for $1M MP each, I think that it is a mistake based on noticing teams from ranking and other dungeons not having them on teams. Some other 7* hard to roll creatures that are used on teams would be better.
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But it also sounds like you have a much larger monster box or just have really strange rolling luck
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Small note, Cotton only has 5 evolutions, not 6 unless you’re counting forms. Outside of that, would having an RCotton or Rin on my Shirou team be better for FUA option?
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Thanks for the feedback, I went back and said 6 forms instead of 6 evolutions =)
As for Shirou, I would personally prefer Cotton as she can act as VDP and has more consistent damage as it is not HP-reliant
With that being said, if you badly need a 2-turn base, Rin is the way to go
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Why not both Rin and Cotton? I am very happy with my Shirou setup of Rin/Elena/2x Cotton.
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I guess it would all depend on what subs you actually have available and there is nothing wrong with running both
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Of what I have, I also have Mega Awoken Ilm, R. Ame no Uzume, NY Kami, 3 R Leilan. I also have Lugh and Apolluo, but I typically have them for inherits
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Cotton and Rin have great stats and awoken skills, low CD actives that allow you to inherit anything, and useful base actives (Cotton at least, Rin’s is highly situational ). I’d pick them over anything you mentioned except Ilm for the VDP.
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Like most team building, it comes down to a dungeon by dungeon basis and having enough SB, awakenings, and key actives to counter the mechanics at hand.
Both Rin and Cotton can easily carry an inherit which can be invaluable
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What are thoughts on Dust Shadow God, Ra dragon for 15 rainbow medals?
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not worth it
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Personally, I voted for zela mainly because of her potential as being the strongest wood sub, and I wish it had been her since the incoming kitty leader requires three zela to shine, also, she’s a 7star… but I agreed that cotton was a much safer choice to pick and definitely has more variety of use, so no complains.
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If I am not mistaken, we didn’t know about Hello Kitty until after voting closed which may have swung more votes in her favour
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That’s not what I mean, we all being kept in the dark at that time, so I wasn’t blaming anyone for the votes, I trade medals for cotton myself too, Besides, it’s not like the result was fixed or manipulated in anyway…I was just saying that it would be nicer if zela had won the campaign since new lead needs her.
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As cotton wins, this event becomes a big disappoint to me since I already have 12 cottons.
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disappointment*
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You could make a few shirts with that…
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I’m kind of jealous of you. Honestly I have this weird obsession with having as many duplicates of one card as I can. (As a point I have 2 Shirou’s) (I don’t like turning cards into assists especially if they are powerful) Anyway I traded for Cotton, and I don’t think I’ll ever regret that decision. I’ve been trying to get her for 2 years now, I hope you have better luck rolling something new soon. I know tomorrow we get a free roll. I can’t wait.
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*traded for Cotton
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I’m very happy she’s here. My only Cotton is the Halloween version, which I exchanged for. I have never rolled Fujin either. I have 10 witches, though. I have been playing for > 2000 days. It’s luck.
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That is some interesting rolling luck!
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4th Cotton or Dark RaDra
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4th Cotton
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Dark Ra Dragon has low value overall so I would go with Cotton
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Can someone explain to me why I shouldn’t believe that PAD price inflation has gotten out of control? Last year when Cotton became available for 1MM monster points, I had just enough points but missed out because I misread the availability end date. Now Cotton is available again, and while I have almost 2MM monster points saved up, I have only 11 rainbow cards. In other words, I found it much easier to acquire monster points than rainbows, both of which are currency in PAD. At 1MM monster lints, Cotton is steal. At 20 rainbows, she’s too high priced for me. The currency system in PAD seems screwed up and internally inconsistent.
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I feel your pain Ralphhorvath, to miss out on the exchange twice…
I wish you good luck on upcoming super-godfest, Gungho collab super-godfest, and the future DMC (Devil May Cry) collab.
But in regard of the PAD currency, I actually see it as positive of moving from MP to rainbow/black medals.
Ways to acquire MP:
1) sell REM monsters
2) grind special descends for PreDra
3) Gungho just gives whole bunch for free
Ways to acquire medals:
1) completion of monthly quest
2) participate or achieve high ranks in ranking dungeons
3) first time completion of special descends (no need to grind)
Gungho essentially wants to encourage players to play the game often, instead of rewarding players with lots of $$$ who roll/sell REM monsters often. I think… that’s good? (hence I don’t have lots of $). What do you think Ralph?
And thank you always for the in-depth write up, as well as providing the PAD community discussion space, Mantastic. =)
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Nobody is forcing you to acquire Cotton, it’s not like she’s necessary to complete the game, like some pay to play games. It’s the luck of the draw, whatever GungHo decides is the currency du jour is what they focus on. There are still plenty of viable option to utilize your MP. A 2x Amen team for 1.5M MP comes to mind.
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Have you been spending your Rainbow Event Medals? I feel that having only 11 seems quite low if you have been playing for at least a year and a half
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To those who responded with sympathy to my lack of rainbows to buy Cotton, thanks, but it was my own fault. After reading another poster’s discovery that he had rainbows in ignored mail, I did the same and found 7 rainbows. Don’t know how I missed them, but I was able to purchase Cotton after all. And yes, I have been spending rainbows, but very infrequently, once out of pure laziness. I have learned my lesson.
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Huzzah! Glad you found some in the mail =D
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s
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Hi all
Do you think there is a benefit to convert rainbow medals to dark ones out of this cotton trade?
Is it risky to save box space by doing so?
I mean can we bet dark medals will be useful in the future or will it be like weapons stuck in this state of evolution?
Thanks
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No one can predict what Gungho will do in the future.
But looking at JP server (1~2 months content scheduled ahead of NA server), there is no new monster for dark medal exchange at this moment.
As for rainbow medals, it is required for the Super Reincarnation Bastet that isn’t yet currently available for NA.
If you can… keeping them in rainbow form is always more flexible (future-proof), but I totally understand you want to save box space. ^__^;;
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I would say to only make Black Event Medals if you are acquiring Cotton as they cannot be reversed and the Rainbow Event Medals are used for quite a few things
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Hello Mantastic!
Do you think it would have been better if the top three were released to the shop for 5 Black Event Medals (increased price to compensate for options) instead of just the winner?
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I would say that top 3 would have made significantly more people happy but no need to increase the cost
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I chose to buy Cotton (i do already have one). i had about 30 medals including the ones still in my mail from the last ranking dungeons so Cotton is a good way to acquire some space along with a great sub. I already evolved on the the Blue version for hp, and Youske Team. also run her on my Ed team due to fast cool down. have Mel inherited over her. I was lucky enough to get Dark Metatron, Akuma, Fatalis over the last 2 events would the Dark option be a good choice, or is one of the others better.
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I would still go with Blue for you because Akuma is an amazing dark FUA and can be used on all those teams
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What does a Wood Cotton Goes well with?
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Any wood-based team
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Hello Mantastic, thanks for the content. Do you think it’s worth trading 2 GFE(red Odin dupe/Ilm) + 10 medals for a Cotton(1 net loss)? She won’t be “free” for me and I was thinking of skipping her because Scheat already has a FUA but your article changed my mind.
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Do you have more Rainbow Medals? I am not too inclined to trade in other GFE
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I just randomly pulled Dark Cotton from the godfest ongoing. Is it worth having 2 Cotton for any reason?
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2 of the same colour or 2 cottons overall?
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2 cottons overall
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Do you currently have strong FUA options in all colours? If not, Cotton makes for a powerful choice as she can take on any colour
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Not sure what strong FUA looks like.
Red: None
Blue: Y’shtola, revo Lakshmi
Green: Revo Mitsunari, Zela
Light: Mega Awoken Sherias Roots x2
Dark: Akuma, Roche, Servant Rider, Kamimusubi, Veroah, Dark Cotton
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Based on that, you lack a potent FUA in Fire, Water, and perhaps Light
As such, if you use any team that use those colours should have that cotton
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How many Cottons do you really need? I managed to obtain 3 including the past year’s through the monster point, but I barely use em, are there some meta teams that require cotton cause if there is, I would like to put them to use.
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Most meta team that prioritizes Cotton over other options would be Shirou
Otherwise, Cottons can be used as FUA options for players lacking various rare cards.
If you have the Rainbow Event Medals, I would still get her just to have as trade fodder for future events
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I had 22 Rainbow Medals sitting in my box, all claimed from expiring mail; I have no idea how many more are in my inbox. So trading 20 in for a 3rd Cotton was an easy choice. Personally, I was glad it wasn’t Zela; I already have 3.
I do find it odd that we switched from Monster Points to Rainbow Medals between surveys. I hope next time is more flexible, like having a choice between Monster Points and Rainbow Medals or featuring the top 2-3 in the Exchange Shop.
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Rainbow Event medals encourage players to play the game and is more non-iap friendly overall so it has its pros and cons
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Another long comment…😂
Well, you know me for a while now, and you know that most of times I purchase (exchange) things that bring me more fun instead of the best (right) one choice.
That being said, I already have 2 cottons (one in the base form to play my DB farm team), so I decided for the Dark Ra Dragon.😒 (Can we call him DraDra??).
Why??😲 Doesn’t worth (most people will say),
Well, who knows me, also know that I got some (very) strange lucky rolls recently, with an amazing box, but due some lack of creativity, sometimes I get bored, and since I exchanged my medals with DraDra I having a lot of fun myself.
Is my favorite play style, I have Kane inherited on him (all maxed out), but sometimes I can’t find helpers, so I am pairing with my reeche when this happens (compensates hp with shield).
So… If you are an Alien like me and got DRaDra, please come to my friend circle 😁
20Matar 330499334
Hugs All.💆
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