Splinterlands has many monsters that are not meant to deal big damage but still decide the match in other ways. These monsters often control where attacks go and how the enemy reacts. They can be used in a lot of ways but usually, to force mistakes and punish bad setups.
Songale is one of those monsters that changes how battles play out. At first look, its damage does not seem impressive but its real value is not just based on its damage. It is built to take hits, pull attention, and create value even when it dies. Because of this, Songale fits players who like control and monsters that doesn't immediately loses value on death.
I really like Songale because he's one of the Taunt monsters with lower mana cost. That means you can use him in more battles while also having stronger monsters due to the lower mana cost. I haven't tried it yet but Songale has a strong synergy between his abilities making it one of the strong monsters in the game.
The synergy between Taunt, Bloodline Tribute and Redemption is where Songale truly shines. Taunt ensures that Songale is the one that gets attacked the most and when Songale dies, Bloodline Tribute activates and gives Drakoshan allies more stats. At the same time, Redemption deals damage to all enemies, weakening them across the board. This means Songale is useful both while alive and after death. The enemy is punished simply for doing what they are forced to do, which is attack it.
However, this strong synergy can be countered. Final Rest is a major threat to Songale because it stops all abilities that trigger on death. If Final Rest is active, Bloodline Tribute and Redemption will not activate at all. This removes a large part of Songale’s value and turns it into a more basic tank. If you see players using Songale on their last previous fights, be sure to counter him with monsters that has Final Rest to avoid being in a bad position.
Image from Splinterlands.
Songale is clearly designed as a tank to protect other monsters rather than a main damage dealer. With 7 mana cost, it sits in a mid to high range but its abilities justify that cost. It has 3 damage, which is decent and its 3 speed makes it slower than many attackers. However, the 2 armor and 9 health give it solid durability, allowing it to survive multiple rounds. Songale excels at absorbing attacks, redirecting attacks and creating a strong defense while your other monsters chip through the enemy team. It works best when placed either at the 1st position or the 6th because of one of its unique abilities that can either be a curse or a blessing depending on how you view it.
Reckless is a risky ability that damages monsters beside Songale every time it attacks. This ability is a debilitation because it hurts friendly monsters whenever it attacks. However, it can still be useful in modifiers like No Pain No Gain where your monsters get power when they take damage. Reckless also helps trigger Enrage faster which makes unique combos with other monsters. This ability is tricky to use but can be a source of new combos and inspiration that your opponents wouldn't expect.
Taunt is one of the strongest defensive abilities in the game and it defines Songale’s role. This ability forces most enemy attacks to target Songale instead of other monsters. It directly counters abilities like Opportunity and Snipe, making it very valuable in many modifiers. Taunt allows fragile damage dealers survive longer due to Songale. This ability is also valuable for other abilities you can unlock on higher levels.
Enrage activates when Songale takes damage and increases its speed and melee damage by 50%. This is a weird ability for Songale to have since Songale doesn't have melee damage. The speed boost still works though. Higher speed helps Songale act sooner and sometimes dodge attacks. This ability works naturally with Taunt since Songale is guaranteed to take hits.
Another ability that is more useful with Taunt. Bloodline Tribute gives value even after Songale dies, which is very strong for a tank monster. When Songale dies, friendly monsters with Drakoshan Bloodline gain 1 extra health, armor, speed and magic damage. This is very strong but very hard to use since not all Drakoshan have magic damage. Still, it rewards teams that are built around the same bloodline. This ability makes trading Songale's death feel worth it.
Songale's last ability that you can unlock once he gets to max level. It's also complementing with Taunt since this only activates when this monster dies like Bloodline Tribute. Redemption deals 1 damage to all enemies when Songale dies. Redemption helps soften the enemy team and can finish off low health monsters. In close games, this damage can swing the outcome. It also stacks well with other death based effects and can be further enhanced with other abilities like Amplify.
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Battle Sample
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_bc35b6db148952bd6bc3128d0ed73ac4?ref=konaqua122 | Edited in Canva Pro.
Songale is not a monster meant to win battles through damage alone. Its strength comes from control, death and redirecting enemy attacks. With strong health and armor, it can survive long enough to protect key monsters. Even when it falls, its abilities still provide value to the team. Songale works best in teams that plan around it like Drakoshans but no need to force it if you can't. For players who need some extra defense, Songale works really well even on low levels. Just make sure to place him last or first to minimize the damage you get from Reckless.
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