A Splinterlands battle can feel epic when two ancient foes clash. When Life challenges Death, it feels almost transcendental. And when two classical elements cross swords, it’s as if gods might be born. Yes, I am talking about Fire and Water, the archenemies since the beginning of time. Here’s a breakdown of one of the most epic battles I’ve recently played. With a mana cap high enough for players to draft the best of the best and under the Maneuver and Deflection Field rulesets, this battle was one to remember. Grab some popcorn, and enjoy!
I expected my opponent to side with Fire, so to spice things up, I naturally opted for Water. Being a (god)fish might have influenced my decision just a little. Initially, I intended to draft a Gladiator, so I chose Pembrook Nymph to lead my army. Although I changed my mind while selecting her companions, I kept her in the lead.
Halfling Refugee offers great value for the cost. I often use him as a fake front tank or a rear decoy in mid-mana battles. If the Halfling knew the fate I had planned, he might not have sought asylum at my side— yet again, I sacrificed him as cannon fodder to protect more valuable monsters.
Commander Slade, on the other hand, is an outstanding tank—unless facing a set of magic attackers. Under this ruleset, I could place him in the second position and expect him to debuff some foes. Besides, as a skilled officer, Slade is rather Dodgy.
When buffed with Reach, Coastal Sentry is worth two monsters. Positioned safely in the second spot, she can slaughter the opponent’s tank without being targeted.
Kulu Mastermind is my favorite Opportunist, and not just for its stats. This Mastermind trains adjacent monsters, a skill that can decide the battle in certain rulesets. However, I didn’t particularly need this ability in this one.
For the second-to-last spot, I initially considered drafting Isgald Vorst. At the last moment, I replaced it with Merdaali Guardian to afford a proper tank. While I could have won with Isgald Vorst, Merdaali’s healing came in handy.
Whenever I have enough mana, Dumacke Orc is the rear tank of my choice. He can keep enemy Sneakers at bay for a few rounds, and with some luck, he might even take down one or two while doing so.
My opponent assembled an impressive lineup with considerable offensive power. However, it came with the usual weakness of Fire decks—my monsters were much faster, allowing me to gain momentum from the decisive third round on.
Round 3
Grum Flameblade is an outstanding tank with no weakness beyond its low speed. Its Bloodlust ability makes it even more dangerous. Grum Flameblade paired with Iidri Fyre is a lethal combination, although the ruleset meant only one could attack unless the tank fell. Sorriel the Bale and Mordeus were also significant threats, and the only way to deal with them was to take them down quickly. Lastly, Scorch Fiend served as a decoy, meant to make me waste a strike.
Round 4
Surprisingly, luck wasn’t on my side regarding dodging blasts or retaliating—my monsters managed each only once. Still, the fast-flowing water flooded the battlefield, extinguishing the flames. Despite Iidri Fyre’s Redemption and Grum Flameblade’s Bloodlust, my monsters survived the first two rounds, except for Halfling Refugee. They tied in the third round and took the lead in the fourth. Three of my monsters made it to the end, earning me a victory.
Round 5
