Imposing the following restrictions:
- No Guild
- No PvP
- No Arena
- No Explore (though, I do have one Medal of Anu from Community Week
… and one other gifted by devs to all players during an anniversary week?) - No Daily Dungeon(s)
- No Soulforge
- No Bounties
- No Pet Rescue
- No Delve
- No Adventure Board/Adventurer’s Path
- No Campaign
- No Kingdom Pass
- No Daily Deals
- No Gnome-a-palooza(s)
- No Vault Event(s)
- (No Fun
) - Entirely F2P
This is where I’m at with my Hero Level 37 account:
- All Kingdoms maxed to Level 10 and Power-Leveled to 5-star minimum, with the exception of Sin of Maraj (with one kingdom at eight-star, seven at 7-star and six at 6-star [done pre 3.5 update]), and with the exception of Nexus and Hellcrag, as those particular kingdoms are kingdom quest-locked for this account at the moment.
- All Legendary troops released up to (and including) Carmina (with 93 ascended, 43 fully traited), with the exception of the Tarot Cards (and likely many of the Campaign Pass Legendary troops), Cedric Sparklesack and the Underworld Legendary troops (no delves) though the devs did gift a copy of The Devil and a Genie Lamp to players, so I have that/those.
- FIFTY-THREE base rarity Mythic troops (all of them fully traited)
- Roughly 4.1M souls cached at the moment
Here’s my collection.
How is/was all this even remotely possible?
Six words, including these: Treasure Hunt.
Consistently multi-vaulting in the Treasure Hunt mini game will net a player the best chances at accumulating the required resources to bolster an account early on in the game.
Doesn’t hurt to possess a modicum of determination, either. 
Call this a “low-level, solo run” of sorts.
A few notes on my account:
- This account was created/initiated when patch 2.1.5 was live.
- I have no hero class. I have not even completed the unlocking of Warlord in Broken Spire.
- I have never clicked on the PvP icon.
- I have never initiated an Explore battle.
- I have never initiated an Arena run.
- At no point in time have I ever been in or created a guild (evidenced by the corresponding Xbox One achievement being locked and grayed out).
- Because of the aforementioned (no guild), Treasure Hunt always begins with eight moves remaining, and despite this “disadvantage,” multi-vaulting is quite consistent.
- Not belonging to a guild also locks this account from guild-specific content and troops, such as Guild Wars, Raids and Invasions (which also means that certain weapons were intentionally forgone [forwent?]).
- My VIP Level is 0, but my Hero is represented by a Dwarven Avatar, which is a purchasable item in the shop. Back when Stonehammer was released on consoles, my original avatar was switched into a dwarf numerous times, and I just never bothered changing my hero back. Thus, it remains. Also, looks slick with the Celestial Armor, no?
- A vast majority of Arcane Traitstones were acquired by way of Treasure Hunt, including the keys used to open gem and glory chests, which then occasionally dropped Arcanes. The remaining were obtained via glory bundles.
- My first fully traited troop was Valkyrie.
- My first Legendary drop was Hydra, via glory chest.
- My first base rarity Mythic troop, Elemaugrim, was obtained whilst opening glory chests one at a time, after nine months of gameplay.
A history of my Mythic drops:
-
Just mentioned my first Mythic drop moments ago.
-
Received Worldbreaker a month after my first Mythic whilst opening gem keys, one by one.
-
At 11:53pm, ET (June 7), while fervently playing through maps to acquire keys for precious last chances at pulling Ubastet, I was able to get the Mythic to drop while opening glory chests from a batch of six keys rewarded via vault creation in Treasure Hunt.
Total resource expenditure was 688 gem keys, 606 glory keys (with the last six earned and opened to finally acquire Ubastet), and a few gems shy of 6,100. -
The week of Megavore’s initial release, picked up an Infernus via Event Chests at a cost of 2,025 gems (three bundles of fifty chests). Last day of Megavore exclusivity, I pulled one with ten glory keys, but only after spending my entire cache of 831 gem keys.
-
During the Stormheim event week, with only a handful of event keys, I decided to open event chests one by one. Gotnar Jotnar!?
-
I was able to get Fallen Valdis to drop from eight gold keys (to warm up the RNG), ten gem keys, and 650 glory keys.
-
During the Whitehelm event week, dropped eighty-one event keys in hopes of acquiring the new Legendary (Holy St. Astra), and possibly Gaard’s Avatar. Got 'em both.
Captured that moment. -
Picked up High King Irongut the first day of release in only eleven gem keys and 351 glory keys. That moment here.
-
A week later, had a Pharos-Ra drop whilst opening gem keys in bundles of fifty (dropped on the fifth bundle).
-
It only took two gem keys to acquire Phoenicia. (Oh, and the few hundred gold keys to warm up the RNG.
) That absurd RNG moment here. -
Tian Yi was had in approximately 2,400 glory keys and 630 gem keys.
-
TINA-9000 was one of the largest expenditures of keys for me thus far, with a combined 1,900 glory keys and 1,101 gem keys spent. Ugh.
-
Queen of Sin dropped in 1,750 glory keys.
-
During a Sword’s Edge event week, I finally acquired Champion of Anu with 210 event keys, plus 4,050 gems.
(CoA has eluded me twice before, and it was the first Mythic that I specifically saved resources at attempts during exclusivity week. Total resource cost in event keys and gems for this particular Mythic is approximated at 300 event keys and 16,000 gems. ) That redemptive moment here. -
Obsidius was had in 1,305 glory keys, followed by 407 gem keys (landed it with a bundle of fifty drop).
-
Skadi was acquired via event chests, while going for the new Legendary from Glacial Peaks (Frostfeather). Got both in twenty event keys, plus 675 gems.
-
After opening glory chests with 806 glory keys and 5,000 glory, I got The Gray King to drop from eight glory keys earned via a treasure map.
-
110 event keys were used to acquire the newest Wild Plains legendary, followed by 675 gems to get Ketras the Bull to drop.
-
10 event keys, plus 3,375 gems for The Wild Queen… and totally worth it.
)
-
1,507 glory keys, 6,000 glory, and 214 gem keys were enough to get Shahbanu Vespera to appear.
-
Umenath was had after spending 1,566 glory keys and 6,000 glory.
-
Mother of Darkness was seen after spending 2,722 glory keys, followed by 11,000 glory, and then 113 gem keys.
-
Will of Nysha required an exhaustion of 2,172 glory keys, followed by 7,000 glory, then an expenditure of 671 gem keys.
-
My moment of Mistralus arrived on a 200 glory key drop (with 2,650 glory keys expended in total).
-
Not counted in the running tally/total, a second Elemaugrim (and my first multiple Mythic) appeared from a 675 gem drop before I was even able to pick up the newest Dragon’s Claw Legendary troop (Matron Dragotani).
-
Upon spending an initial 824 gem keys, 1,322 glory keys and 7,000 glory the first day of The Lord of Slaughter’s exclusivity week, it eventually dropped a few days later, after an additional 350 gem keys, 190 glory keys and 2,000 glory.
-
During TLoS exclusivity week, a Zhul’Kari event week presented itself, which provided me another chance at Arachnaean Weaver… which I was able to get after dropping 50 event keys, plus 2,700 gems, though the total resource expenditure since its actual release in the game [including multiple failed attempts] would be closer to 300 event keys, plus 13,500 gems. Yikes.)
-
An Amarok moment was achieved from my final bundle of 200 glory keys (with 1,756 glory keys expended in total).
-
Exorcised a TPK from event chests during a Darkstone event week at a cost of thirty event keys, followed by 2,025 gems.
Total resource expenditure in attempts to get this particular Mythic since its release however… a rough (and rather absurd) estimate of 400 event keys and 20,000 gems (not including the numerous fifty gem key bundles occasionally and randomly dropped, in desperate hopes of some impossible RNG). -
Attempts at picking up the new Divinion Fields Legendary (Orrery) landed me three additional The Worldbreakers.
-
After spending 1,344 glory keys, 4,400 glory, followed by 802 gem keys, I finally picked up a Pan (and hit myself in the face
).
-
While attempting to acquire a NUTCRKR 1225 via chest drop on Christmas Day, I received a lump of coal in the form of The Worldbreaker, my fourth additional one.
-
The Scourge of Honor, the first new Mythic of the new year, was had after 678 glory keys plus 2,000 glory was expended, followed by 950 gem keys.
-
Landed an Ironhawk after dropping 2,025 glory keys, 2,000 glory, and 850 gem keys.
-
The Archdeva blessed me with an appearance, but only after an offering of 1,714 glory keys, 4,000 glory, and 914 gem keys.
-
Ten event keys, plus 675 gems, equaled a blessing from Ishtara.
-
Acquired an Astral Mother with 1,722 glory keys.
-
During a Dragon’s Claw event week, a Huanglong was picked up after expending 145 event keys and 2,025 gems.
-
Archproxy Yvendra dropped after 1,033 glory keys, plus 5,000 glory, and 252 gem keys.
-
Spending 1,643 glory keys, plus 3,000 glory, and 364 gem keys realized a Flaming Oni.
-
Kalika dropped after 1,598 glory keys, plus 4,000 glory, and 59 gem keys.
-
The cost for Consort of Darkness was 1,452 glory keys and 266 gem keys.
-
Reeled in a Piscea after 1,400 glory keys, plus 6,000 glory, and 576 gem keys.
-
For The Wild King, went a bit wild with the resource expenditure, as 5,402 glory keys, plus 7,000 glory, and 1,153 gem keys, plus 900 gems went “poof.” The task was completed, though.
-
During a Suncrest event week, 65 event keys landed me a Zilopochtli.
-
Luckily, Leio only cost 328 glory keys.
-
Tourmaline took only 52 glory keys.
-
And, during a Hellcrag event week, while pursuing a copy of Chalcedony, landed a second Tourmaline with my eighteenth event key.
-
Freed a Libara (from glory chests) with only 206 glory keys.
-
Snagged a Sagittarian with 1,974 glory keys.
-
Took a bath when Aquaria randomly splash-damaged me for 2,168 glory keys, plus 5,000 glory, and 1,502 gem keys.
-
For the fiftieth base rarity mythic for this particular account, favorable RNG required only fifty glory keys.
-
Fenix rose from the ashes of 2,662 glory keys, plus 7,000 glory, 1,620 gem keys and 450 gems.
-
The Colossus dropped after 1,848 glory keys.
-
An Eye of Arges was acquired after expending 3,922 glory keys, plus 5,000 glory, and 1,101 gem keys.
-
[Future Mythic(s) Placeholder
]
In the long run, RNG is on your side. 
Quick shout-outs to @Lyya and @Taransworld for their awesome resources available to the entire player base. 
(And, an RIP for the portions of taransworld’s site that are no longer supported and were invaluable tools. 
)
(Taransworld seems to be back… hopefully for good. 
)
Also, the developers, for generosity with their time and a willingness to address issues and the like. Many thanks. 
And, the forum members. Thank you all for providing different opinions and perspectives and a genuinely unique experience. 
Just a quick note to those who may consider embarking on such a journey:
You will find that it will no longer be possible to maintain such a low level if power leveling kingdoms is prioritized, as some of the requirements will make it necessary for you to gain experience. I was able to earn double skill bonuses, as prior to the 3.5 update, gold plus acquiring, ascending and traiting troops were the only requirement for power leveling kingdoms. (It is why Sin of Maraj only provides a +1 ATK bonus for this account, as it was released after [or with, can’t remember] the 3.5 update.)
Additionally, this is not for the completionist, as certain game modes and corresponding content and troops will be locked off with restrictions such as “no guild” and “no soulforge.”
So, why even play this way?
My approach to Gems of War is/was that of any RPG I typically engage in… that is to say that I find a method of building/strengthening early on in order to facilitate progression, and in this instance, Treasure Hunt proves/proved suitable.
Also, this account is/was merely an example of how healthy one player could build an entirely F2P account by their lonesome.
And, on the topic of health, Treasure Hunt engages the retinas, thus inhibiting the progression of my retinopathy. (Severe retinal scarring/tearing has left me with a vision impairment that meets federal guidelines for legal blindness.)
An update on my ocular health: after numerous procedures/surgeries, a decent portion of my vision has been restored.
Maybe, it’s time to actually play Gems of War now. 
Or, maybe, the devs will finally update Treasure Hunt… into oblivion.
Regardless, here is the current progress for a Hero Level 37 account.
Oh, and the tenth post in this thread shares details of another low-level, f2p, solo account, where a Hero Level 12 has SIXTEEN base rarity Mythic troops thus far. 
For posterity, a treasure-hunting, lone 
once existed. 
)
