Sometimes the smaller mana battles are the most fun because you really need to think harder about what units to bring. With Lost Legendaries Modifier, the usual powerhouse cards are gone and it forces you to use units that normally don’t get the spotlight. Reverse Speed Modifier also adds a twist since the slower units suddenly become better, making the whole match feel different from normal when you apply both rules at the same time. This is one of the appeal of Splinterlands that can increase the replayability of the game. No one battle is the same and each one is different.
In this battle, we would look at the different aspects of this battle like what units I used and give you a small peek inside my brain on how I prepare my battles, what I expect to see and if it works or not.

Battle Breakdown

Modifier in this Battle:

• Lost Legendaries - You cannot summon legendary units.
• Reverse Speed - Units with the lowest speed attack first and have the highest chance to evade attacks.

My Thoughts on Modifiers

• Lost Legendaries Modifier can really throw players off balance since a lot of strong units are suddenly not allowed and in a low mana battle with only 23 mana, every choice becomes even more important. On top of that, Reverse Speed Modifier flips the usual plan by making slower units the stars instead of the fast ones which changes how you build the lineup. Having both of these Modifiers together made the match tricky but by carefully picking units that could survive and deal steady damage, the strategy ended up working better than I expected.

Team Composition

Archon: Chuul Jujinchi

• He’s just the one I rented because he can be used in multiple Elements making him a very affordable archon rental if you need to fill multiple elements. Having access to both Life Element and Earth Element at the same time makes him very flexible in battles with different Modifiers.

Units Chosen

Unit 1: Grimbardun Smith

• A decent cost Neutral Element Void unit that suits both Virid Venomancer and my other Water Element combo. His role is mainly to be the wall in front and with Void cutting magic damage in half he can survive longer.

Unit 2: Virid Venomancer

• My usual combo with Grimbardun Smith to have both Void and Shield in one unit with the help of Shield Ward. Together they become a strong front line duo that can halve melee, range and magic damage. If the damage is 1, the damage will be negated completely as well.

Unit 3: Ferrous Brewer

• A low mana cost unit with 2 melee damage and Charge that allows him to attack from the back line. He’s not just cheap but also reliable since Charge lets him keep attacking even if placed far back.

Unit 4: Satha Toledo

• A healer with extra 1 range damage. The Tank Heal complements really good with Grimbardun Smith because it keeps him alive longer while still adding some damage every turn as long as the enemy doesn't have Shield.

The Battle

Opening Rounds:
On the early game, I see my advantage already. Even though the enemy has higher damage overall, the armor from Grimbardun Smith was able to delay the damage to its health and Satha Toledo heal majority of the excess damage to Grimbardun Smith's health.

Mid-game:
In the mid game, around round 5, I finally got rid of their Grimbardun Fighter. Without the tank and half of their damage, I can now heal every damage they does. Satha Toledo does 3 health heal to Grimbardun Smith while the remaining Pallus from the enemy's side can only deal 2 damage. Every damage Grimbardun Smith will get at this point can just be healed.

Final Rounds:
The game ended at round 7 with all of my units intact. The enemy Pallun won't be able to deal enough damage to my Grimbardun Smith with Shield and any damage will just be healed by Satha Toledo. That healer was really the key unit that turned the tides of battle to my favor.

👉 Watch the full battle replay here
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_23c1977682c41e99a835f466345423f0

Results & Reflection

What strategy I was aiming for:
The goal is to extend the game and make it longer since I have a unit with Tank Heal and the enemy does not. The longer the game goes, the higher chance I would win because healing keeps my front line alive. Adding damage slowly while protecting Grimbardun Smith was the plan and it worked really well.

What surprised me:
I was surprised at how a single unit can turn the tide of battle. The enemy have a clear advantage in terms of damage since in this battle I only deal 1 damage to them while they do 4 damage to me. Even with the difference in damage, I still won just because I have a unit that can heal the damage and they don’t.

What I learned:
I learned that defense is not everything. Shield and Void combined might be strong but it’s stronger if you add support like someone that can heal the damage. Higher damage does not win you games, better teamwork does.

Closing Thoughts

This match showed me that you don’t always need higher damage to secure a win. Having a solid frontline with proper support like a unit with healing can push through even when the enemy looks stronger. It’s more about outlasting them and waiting for the right moment.

Sometimes a simple setup with the right combo is more dangerous than a flashy high damage team. In the end, patience wins more battles than forcing yourself through the front.