This week I am going to share different tips and tricks when using the Earth Splinter with a focus on the changes in meta brought about by the Chaos Legion Decks. This is also my entry for this weeks social media challenge. Let's first take a look and highlight the strength of cards and a few battle analysis.
With Chaos Legion dropping, it introduced a new way to play earth splinter decks. Usually used to counter water/magic lineups. The launch of Obsidian (a rare earth summoner) introduced a whole new playstyle for earth focusing on pumped up magical damage.
No mylor? No Problem,. What is usually played by Unicorn Mustang or Stone Golem, Venari Knifer gives you a new choice as your first position tank. It's thorns ability will come in handy for most matches. It decent attack damage 2, high speed of 4 and high health points of 7 all for just 6 mana cost makes it a certainly a good tank choice.
The Goblin Psychic provides support for your frontlines with it's tank heal ability. With 3 magic damage (with Obsidian buff) it will surely provide your lineup with magical burst damage. Just keep in mind that this common earth monster is not tanky, has low speed and a high mana cost. Keep it safe from sneak attacks by having it placed in the middle of your lineup.
This card reminds me a lot of Djinn Oshanus due to it's high speed of 5. Paired with the flying ability, Regal Peryton is sure to evade a lot of incoming physical ranged or magic attacks. I usually have this card on an off tank position as it also has decent health pool. Maybe one downside with this card is that it does not gain any new abilities as it levels up. Something that I hope would change in future patches.
Sneak, Snipe, Oppurtunity abilities, counter them using Mycelic Splipspawn It's taunt abilities protects your back line cards from any incoming damage. Just be sure to provide it with support as it does not have any defensive abilities. Having a healer in the lineup would be good for you.
The first battle we will do a deep dive on can be fully viewed here: https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_3cf34716e8ef81395853a674f80415e6&ref=beerbod
My opponent went with the water splinter. Focusing on high speed and high armor. Both countered with my magic lineup. The ruleset here is fog of war where all sneak and snipe abilities are rendered null. I have a failed summoner which should take care of his ice pixie. Also notice that i have ranged monster on my second position, this should protect my other low health magic cards on the first round.
Towards the end of the first round, i was able to eliminate my opponents first and second position cards. As I also stated above, the ice pixie got knocked out due to the reflect damage of failed summoner. And as anticipated as well, my range monster has been targeted and killed by the deeplurker. I am in a good position given that all my magic monsters are still alive.
On the second round it's 3 monsters vs 2. I lost one of my magic damage cards from the previous round. I still have a first position card and still the challenge is the deeplurker as it is still in full health. It is pretty even at this point.
By the start of the first round i already have a huge lead over my opponent. The end of the previous round saw me eliminating his hardy stonefish and only the deeplurker is left. I still have my failed summoner which can absorb one attack. and my Regal Peryton is still at full health. I should win in the next round or so.
Here the final blow has been delivered, it would have been alright for me to go a couple more rounds and I would still have won due to my high magic damage which opposing lineup could not avoid. As stated earlies before the match has even started, I came in with a huge advantage as magic attacks don't miss and ignores armor. Two attributes which my foe decided to go for.
The second battle is a mirror matchup. Earh vs Earth. Obsidian vs Obsidian. Full battle link here: https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_68129c3769b151f246fdc4e31b5bd23b&ref=beerbod
Many of the battles could be won even before the match has started.
The ruleset is taking sides where no neutral monsters can be used. Only water and Earth decks can be used on this match. My opponent decided to go with mycelic splipspawn to prevent sneak, snipe, oppurtunity damages on his backlines. However all my attacks are focused on the front lines. I went with a magic counter magic burst lineup.
I will lose my fialed summoner in the first round. But that is defenitely alright, it has already done it's job in reflecting some magic damages on the opening round. I have a better tank with my unicorn mustang reducing incoming magical damage moving into first position.
It was all about trading damage for the second round. However, with my unicorn mustangs void ability, all magic damage is significantly reduced and with the help of Goblin Psychics tank heal, I was able to end the round with a much higher HP.
My Regal Peryton goes to attack first at the beginning of the third round. My enemy tank Mycelic Slipspawn is now eliminated and I already have a huge and comfortable lead over my enemy. It's just a matter of waiting until all enemy cards are destroyed by my lineup.
I'm just cruising smoothly to victory. My tank is not in any trouble, i just eliminated my opponents Regal Peryton at the opening of the fourth round.
Goblin Psychic is next to fall down
Win in the last sequence of the fouth round.
Always learn to study the ruleset. Like with earthquake, sometimes it is better to go with a flying tank instead of reducing magic damage with unicorn mustang. Watch the full battle here: https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_2c4f6efc82959d1e8d2c466206fd7db1&ref=beerbod
My opponent and I went for the same magic damage lineup. One difference though is that I played with the ruleset of earthquake and selected Pelacor Mercenary. The Mycelic Morphoid is just there to absorb some initial damage.
The end of round 1 ended pretty even, all monsters have the same hp. The Mycelic Morphoid made this possible acting as pawn sacrifice and absorbing 1 attack from the enemies lineup. But while identical, at the start of the second round i will be avoiding earthquake damage on my first and second postion cards. Enemy's unicorn mustang is not protected from that damage. Giving me some advantage.
We lost our same magic damage cards on our backlines due to the quake damage. My advantage here is that the unicorn mustang is down to 4 health while my Pelacor Mercenary still has 6hp with 1 armor.
The earthquake ruleset went extremely in my favor eliminating the unicorn tank in the start of the third round. It will be a 2 vs 1 battle with me having the upper hand. All cards in play are with flying ability so it's just trading damage from this point.
My tank will go down to start. But my Regal Peryton is still at full health and at this point I am already guaranteed a win.
And there you have it, the killing blow has been dealt.
