Walls of text! Should this question even be here? :P
With the step up to Tier 3, there was one thing I was sad to see go: the ability to play T2 LD. I enjoy Lockdown -- I love, love, loved, T2!-- and as "F2Per", it was something entertaining to do if I wanted to have some more fun despite the fact my 100 energy was gone for the day. The items I used were the same items I was planning to convert to my 4* equipment and lo and behold the day arrived when all those items slowly were upgraded, making T2 a thing of the past.
Leaving the question of why I just don't play T3 to another post/if asked -- I would still like the option open to play Lockdown and I'm wondering how T1 is. Would T1 be an option though. Gear would be extremely cheap to find and buy, cost a little energy, but the queue times might be of concern. It would probably be a much smaller sink than reacquiring Dusker, a weapon and reheating -- because 5* and other good items for T3 are a bit more important to me.
I have done some reading about possible weapons/armor as well, but if anyone would like to discuss some of the items of choice (if I do end up playing T1 I'm probably going to run around with a heavy sword and possibly a gun) then feel free.
And possibly a T2 LD question; which I'm pretty much answering myself. Is there anyone who uses kamarin/grintovec and has any thoughts about it. As said, I'm simply in love with heavy weapons and I'm wondering about it versus SS. While SS would be a cheaper alternative for me, I'm still open to spending and upgrading a troika -- they seem to be just as much fun.
[[The way I see it, the troikas have nice long sweeps, whereas SS requires you to be in much closer range. The SS charge comes with a random status, and a random chance for it to apply. (Troika line having either stun or freeze and a random chance -- I don't think many people charge these from what I've seen - maybe considering the low hit radius). Both being heavy weapons have the flaw of leaving you open/easy target with a two strike combo, but when they do hit they hit hard.]]
If you still want to join T2 LD, you can use that spare Jelly gems or Bark Modules you have laying around (or not!) to get a Brute Jelly Set and a Sealed Sword, or a Quicksilver Set and keep them at 3* just for LD. Farming both bosses is always fun, and gives you enough crowns and heat for the run to pay for itself anyway.
This is what I did, too, I just didn't get around to heat them to start joining games.