![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/Ep3fL9Lux2a5xvGtaMeqjrfu2sj5jxkws3wsbNzo47rk2B2QGYSv7GVfLkqxJCKuLxv.png) I think one of the many cool things is there are so many different ways to play Splinterlands, every battle is a giant puzzle really given the rule set combinations and limitations, and it's a different puzzle for everyone because every player has their own set of cards to choose from, I look at my deck as a toolbox I use to get the results I want, and it doesn't go my way a lot as well but as long as we're having fun and can earn our daily rewards, it's all fine! 🙂 When a battle starts, I first see what my opponents deck level is, and what meta cards they're using a lot. Mostly that's Lorkus and Tofu teams and Nidhogr as well, for Nidhogr I still haven't found a good counter it's just very powerful. Of course when not every splinter is available in my battle, it makes anticipating what my opponent will play easier and will give me a benefit when I'm right, a conversation I had on X with another Splinterlands players made me think about this because they answered they just build the best team they can without looking at the opponent, for me this is quite the opposite so I think it's cool to see everyone plays in their own way! ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/23u5XA7w88JdT726kmrRuMkZmEyv8CiGXJRxZwtLuaKnNHM3uvNAXPwGZAD4JJHmLyDMB.png) In the battle I had just a couple of minutes ago I could see my opponent owned Tofu so I knew the chance of facing it would be pretty high with only the Earth splinter available, so... let's have some fun and create a hard counter for Tofu 😀 this doesn't work every time but for me the fun is more important than a high win rate. So, let's start building my team and when I thought about the available cards in the Earth splinter an evil plan formed in my mind.... 'let's give Tofu a taste of it's own medicine' 😈
![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/Eo1xSvbAAe9xtER12We62298nmQSjLZGTvzkVp79Py6SShFCcGLF9zs5bLc3NPrdbfe.png) So I started with a tank that wouldn't be affected by Tofu's Thorns - Quilliun Legionary and I gave him the Shield ability as well with the card behind it, Virid Venomancer. I would have used my new leveled up Sira, it's 1 mana less and would benefit the +1 ranged damage Risqruel Drath gives but no legendary cards are allowed in this battle... The third position is filled by Buttercup Mauler, because it has Deflection Shield, Tofu's Thorns has no effect on it. Gobson Sniper is next, it's there to kill off an enemy healer if there is any, it benefits my Archon by receiving one extra attack so that's nice. Another Sniper but now a Magical attacker, the Mad Kaboomist - I love the name haha. More attack power that can't be hurt by Thorns. And last but not least, Satha Toledo, the Healer to hopefully keep my tank alive long enough for the rest of my team to kill off the other team. Risqruel Drath is perfect for this job because with it's tactics I can put Taunt on a card of my liking, it's a pretty powerful tactic because it can also be used as a weapon to put Taunt on a powerful enemy card like a healer a glass cannon like Mahkah Hemlig or Venka the Vile.
![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/23t7DjRCbEvGmrpwjKPnze8jDyjd78HrqaMMhrFfrWQZ9szpmRi2vauNQeeAEXhxQbzQ8.png) It was funny to see the enemy melee cards getting killed off by Thorns, I would have liked to use Amplify too but I had to make choices... My evil plan worked a lot better than I had planned and my entire team was still alive at the end of the battle!
![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/23tGbvpo4XsGmt2DqtNZGqQ4gjeTSJFHRxPEds3Cir635MVMXASEg2Sa5mQAhmKrtGnKd.png) [You can watch the battle unfold for yourself here.](https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_40876b97944efec9b062a53c96a6325d?ref=nozem)
Using two gold foils boosted my earnings a little and I received 3 SPS for this win, pretty nice!
![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/nozem01/23uEopZfRFaSKrUoGgHDG7Ysz9yfQmj3v7hxXCJifGtLB64BrN8hf2ZDGd5JBeazqZtH7.png) Inspired by @untilwelearn's daily Splinterlands posts, and with the lack of new Splinterlands Challenges launched in the new year I am trying to make my own kind of posts so let me know what you think about this!
![splinterlands banner.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmagiEh4dRsLX9ZHCSzcach2kTjRd6FGc8HgRaGZRcosAf/splinterlands%20banner.png) Thank you for reading!!! If you haven't made an account already, please consider using my [referral link](https://splinterlands.com?ref=nozem01) to sign up, let me know if you have done so and I can help you with any questions you have and personally guide you. Have a great day! ![splinterlands banner1.png](https://images.hive.blog/DQmSqdyFkiNYaGrPfycJqPhfWZv8FixAPR8MpruQkMFrRo4/splinterlands%20banner1.png)

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