Splinterlands — Digging deeper into an ability I underutilize
Dispel
Dispel is an ability I tend to overlook. Not because it isn't useful, in fact it is quite powerful, but mostly because my deck doesn't contain a summoner above silver level and there are few options to actually use it. So, what is the dispel ability?
When this monster hits an enemy, it clears all positive status effects on that enemy.
That doesn't sound like much, but how many times has Queen Mycelia given your opponent's tank that extra armor and been just enough to beat you? How does removing Inspire from your opponent's hard hitting tank sound? If that doesn't sell you, how about clearing the Cleanse ability during a Noxious Fumes battle?
Who has it?
Looking just at monsters for Silver and below there are only a few options if you want to deploy Dispel.
| Who | How to get Dispel |
|---|---|
| Not only is Dispel available at level one with Venari, but it is a neutral card which means you can use it with any splinter and strategy. This is by far the most cost effective method to test out Dispel as the current market price for Spellsmith is under $0.20. | |
| Temple Priest needs to be at least level three to unlock Dispel, but with current market prices it can still be obtained for under $3. Downside is it is only usable with the Dragon or Life splinters. | |
| I've never personally used Firemage and the current market price for a level one at $6 it is a bit out of my price range for a utility card. At level two it gains an attack which could make it quite strong, but the cheapest I currently see it on the market is $15. At this price point the next option seems a better play for the money. | |
| It is going to cost you close to $20 at current market prices for a level two Hoarder. As a Neutral card that also will grant Triage, this is a more cost-effective use than Firemage. I'm currently using a level one Hoarder, but it is near the top of my wish list to level up and gain the Dispel ability. |
It can work against you as well 😀
| Description | Pre-Battle Screen Shot |
|---|---|
| This is a great example. Both myself and my opponent choose to use Venari Spellsmith and saw different benefits from it's Dispel ability. |
My opponent was able to take advantage of Dispel to remove Inspire from my Diemonshark. The difference in the battle however actualy ended up being my abilty to remove Protect from my opponents Mycelic. It meant that Diemonshark's second attack struck at health instead of armor and I was able to more quickly remove my opponent's tank. The same strategy can be seen when my opponents Goblin moves to the front spot and Deeplurker doesn't have to deal with breaking through armor.
Worth working into your gameplay
Dispel is not the flashiest ability and it isn't going to win you every match, but there are several cases where it can easily turn a loss into a win. The great news is that this ability is available for those of us playing in Silver, Bronze or Novice for under $0.20. If you don't already own a copy of Venari Spellsmith, add it to the top of your list.
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Credits:
Card Images property of Splinterlands
Thumbnail created by me at Canva
Thanks for reading!