What's with the challenges?

I want to know one thing. Do challenges give you any Apex points as well or is it all pointless? no pun intended

Maybe I'm missing something but haven't seen any solo challenges (fine by me, too lonely solo'ing) nor Best of the Best?

On the topic of challenges, I assume that tech mastery and combat mastery are a work in progress?

Tech Mastery Gold is 13 categories .. including,
Stealth Grid which i have used to level up 3 characters to 20, and i have 0 points in Stealth Grid challenge.

Combat Mastery Gold is 9 categories .. including,
Combat Detonations (Bronze, Silver, Gold) I would have assumed concussive shot, or explosions from electric barricade, but no. Apparently they only register off of Ammo consumable detonations.

Did you test concussive shot thoroughly in MP as a combat detonator for the challenge? As far as I know, CS is the only combat power in MP and it should count towards the combat detonations challenge. If it's not, then it's probably bugged.

I tested the challenge > apex carry-over yesterday.

I made the lance spam build and soloed bronze for an hour lancing everything. Got my Biotic Mastery silver completed. Result:
Challenge points +1000
Apex points +50

So yeah.. not doing any more of that.
The Lance spam build is somewhat fun though.. (asari adept, obviously)

(Some of the challenges are as nice as pulling your hair out 1 by 1, while watching grass grow.. like forcing you to go back to playing silver/bronze.. and forcing you to use the bad guns.. for a VERY long time.. EACH of them..)
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