Since the Amorendel event ended, I went back to grinding Frontier Ranked and slowly gathering cards again. It honestly feels different going back to normal after experiencing the limited event because now I don't have to think a lot of what my enemies might use. I would play Modern Ranked again in the future, but for now, I'll just play Frontier Ranked for the meantime and be in my comfort zone for a while.
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_a089f09856cd9afcf870291d54acd6a0
This match really showed me how important positioning is when your lineup. I didn’t have many units to choose from, so every slot mattered. If I misplaced even one unit like my enemy, it could expose my backline immediately when the tank dies early which is very dangerous and could result in a loss.
I only had 5 units for this battle, so I made sure they all worked well with my archon. Instead of mixing damage types, I committed fully to magic attack. I figured that if I go all-in on one strategy, it might be stronger than spreading my damage around without any bonuses. Even though the lineup looked simple, I built it with one clear plan, to boost magic damage and overwhelm the enemy.
Marlai Singariel: Marlai Singariel gives +1 magic damage to all of my units units which perfectly fits my lineup. Since every single unit I brought has magic attack, the bonus becomes very huge when combined. Instead of just increasing one or two units, she strengthens the entire team.
Great Bear Druid: Since most of my team is magic-based, having at least some melee damage seems a bit idea. Even though he doesn’t have special abilities, his stats are balanced enough to function as my front tank.
Lunaki Howler: Lunaki Howler doesn’t have any special abilities, which makes him look plain. But because I’m focusing entirely on magic damage, even 1 magic attack becomes strong. With Marlai’s buff, that 1 damage becomes 2 which is very decent in Frontier Ranked.
Water-Logged Wizard: Water-Logged Wizard is very similar to Lunaki Howler but trades 1 health for 1 less mana cost. She only has 3 health, which makes her easy to kill. However, she still contributes magic damage and that’s what I needed most.
Saltwater Mage: Saltwater Mage has solid 2 magic damage and the Sneak ability, which makes her very valuable. Instead of attacking the tank, she pressures the enemy’s backline. In battles like this where there is a strong frontline, having a Sneak unit is really strong. At 8 mana, she’s not cheap, but her damage makes it worth it. She’s one of my main damage dealers always.
Mystic Scaleweaver: Mystic Scaleweaver also deals 2 magic damage and has 7 health, making her surprisingly durable. I really like her Slow ability because it helps my team attack first. In battles, attacking first can mean that some of the enemy units would die and I would take less damage overall. I placed her at the very back to protect Saltwater Mage from possible Sneak attacks. The enemy did not have any Sneak though so it just became the safest position which is good as well.
My opponent’s lineup looked balanced and well-thought-out. They had a mix of magic, melee and ranged damage, which makes them hard to counter. The only thing I noticed is that Sorrow Harvester might have been safer in the back because of her low health. With proper protection, she could have survived longer. Overall though, the lineup was solid.
Thalgrimore: Thalgrimore gives -1 health to all enemy units, which is strong in a lot of battles. This also works very well with Sorrow Harvester’s Weaken ability. The stacking health reduction can quickly make units very easy to kill. Against my magic team that already have low health, this was actually scary.
Nim Guard Captain: Nim Guard Captain is a strong tank especially against magic teams like mine. His Void ability reduces magic damage by half, which directly counters my strategy. With 3 armor and 5 health, he becomes very durable. Since I relied fully on magic attacks, his effective health basically doubled. He was definitely my biggest obstacle.
Spellmonger: Spellmonger has very low stats but comes with Thorns. Normally, this would punish melee attackers. However, since my team is mostly magic, Thorns doesn’t hurt me much. The only one affected is Great Bear Druid’s melee attack. In this battle, Spellmonger didn’t do anything to my lineup.
Sorrow Harvester: Sorrow Harvester has 2 magic damage which is strong for her cost. However, she only has 3 health, making her very weak in my opinion. Her Weaken ability reduces enemy health, stacking with Thalgrimore’s debuff. That combination makes the all of my units a lot weaker and quicker to kill. My only opinion is that her positioning should be more towards the back to better protect her and keep her Weaken ability longer.
Little Sister: Little Sister looks weak at first with only 1 magic damage and 3 health. Her Life Leech allows her to grow stronger over time. If left alive, she can slowly become harder to kill. In longer battles, she becomes more dangerous. She’s a small threat that can be a tank later and delay the game for the surviving units.
Vengeful Monk: Vengeful Monk has 2 melee attack and Opportunity which means he targets low-health units. This is dangerous for my backline since many of my units have low health. He can skip the tank and attack weaker units directly.
Black Widow: Black Widow has 2 ranged attack and decent health. With 1 armor, she can block some Sneak damage from melee attackers. She provides consistent damage from the back. Black Widow adds damage with the others every round while protecting the team from potential Sneak.
This battle really reminded me that positioning can win or lose games. This is more apparent with limited cards. The smart placement makes a big difference.
