Wait for item update alternative for SharePoint Online

Has a solution for this issue been presented? We are migrating from SharePoint 2013 to SharePoint Online and use the Wait for item update feature heavily in many of our workflows, specifically waiting for an intem to no longer equal a specifc value.  It sounds like the Wait for Field Change in Current Item feature may not be a viable replacement for the Wait for item update feature.

One example of how we currently use the Wait for item update workflow is to pause the workflow until a choice field has been updated in the form.  When the item is created, the choice field is blank.  Depending on what value is selected in the choice field, the follow-up Set a condition feature will determine the next path for the workflow.

Even if the choice field only had two options, how would the workflow be designed using the Wait for Field Change in Current Item if we had to account for the fact that either value should progress the workflow? 

With the subscription licensing for Nintex on SharePoint Online now qualifying any workflow with greater than 5 steps towards the allocation allotment, having to implement more steps to replace one step is not an ideal solution...