Hello Everyone! Hope you all are doing amazing and welcome to another #Splinterlands post.
Alright, time for another #Splinterlands card spotlight.
Today I'm looking at a card that honestly caught my attention because its abilities are a little bit unusual.
The card is, Buttercup Mauler.
It's a Common Earth unit, and at max level it has 4 abilities.
At first I looked at this card and thought, Sneak attacker.
Simple enough.
But then I noticed the other abilities.
Deflect. Reveal. Camouflage.
And suddenly this card became much more interesting.
So let's take a closer look at what Buttercup Mauler can actually do.
At max level, Buttercup Mauler has:
Mana Cost: 5
Attack: 5
Health: 6
Speed: 4
For only 5 mana, those stats are actually pretty decent.
5 attack is especially nice.
And because it has Sneak, that attack can be directed toward the enemy's backline.
The 6 health is also enough to survive a few hits, although the lack of armor does make it a little more vulnerable.
But the really interesting part isn't even the stats.
It's the combination of abilities.
Sneak: Targets the enemy unit in the last position.
The first ability is Sneak.
Sneak targets the enemy unit in the last position.
This is one of the most useful offensive abilities in #Splinterlands because you don't always have to fight through the enemy's main tank.
You can go straight for the back.
And honestly, backline units can sometimes be more important than the tank.
Maybe the opponent has a healer sitting there.
Maybe they have a strong ranged attacker.
Or maybe there is some annoying support monster that you really don't want to leave alive.
Buttercup Mauler can go after those units.
And with 5 attack, it's not exactly tickling them either.
Deflect: 0 damage from Corrosive Ward, Magic Reflect, Thorns, Return Fire, and Blast splash damage.
The second ability is Deflect.
This one is a little different.
Deflect means Buttercup Mauler takes 0 damage from effects such as Corrosive Ward, Magic Reflect, Thorns, Return Fire and Blast splash damage.
This can be really useful when fighting teams that depend on reflected or secondary damage.
Normally, a Sneak attacker can hurt itself by attacking a unit protected by Thorns or another similar effect.
But Buttercup Mauler doesn't have to worry about that same problem.
It can basically go:
"You have Thorns? Okay... and?"
That makes it a pretty interesting choice against certain lineups.
Reveal: Each round applies Revealed to a Camouflaged enemy unit. Revealed units can be targeted by direct attacks.
Now this is where things get REALLY interesting.
Buttercup Mauler has Reveal.
Each round, Reveal applies Revealed to a Camouflaged enemy unit.
Normally, Camouflage prevents a unit from being directly targeted unless it's in the first position.
But Reveal changes that.
Once a Camouflaged enemy becomes Revealed, it can be targeted by direct attacks.
This means Buttercup Mauler isn't just an attacker.
It can also help your team deal with enemy units that are hiding behind Camouflage.
And honestly, Camouflage can be super annoying.
You might have an enemy sitting safely in the back where nobody can touch it.
Then Buttercup Mauler comes along and basically says:
"I can see you."
Camouflage: Cannot be directly targeted unless in the first position.
And finally, Buttercup Mauler has Camouflage itself.
Camouflage means it cannot be directly targeted unless it is in the first position.
This is actually a really nice defensive ability for a Sneak attacker.
Think about it.
Buttercup Mauler is attacking the enemy backline, while at the same time, the opponent can't simply target Buttercup Mauler directly.
That means the card can sit somewhere in your lineup and keep doing its job without being an easy target.
Of course, enemy Sneak, Snipe or Opportunity attacks can still create problems depending on the situation.
But Camouflage definitely makes it harder to deal with.
I think the most interesting thing about Buttercup Mauler is that its abilities actually work together pretty well.
Sneak gives it an offensive job.
Camouflage helps protect it.
Deflect protects it from certain reflected and splash damage.
And Reveal gives it a special role against enemy Camouflage.
So it isn't just another Sneak attacker.
It has a little bit more utility than that.
And because it only costs 5 mana, I think it can fit into quite a few different lineups.
Personally, I'd consider Buttercup Mauler when I see a battle where the opponent might rely heavily on their backline.
Especially if I expect:
Strong support units
Healers
Ranged attackers
Camouflage
Reflect damage
Low-health backline units
The 5 attack can put some serious pressure on those targets.
And because of Camouflage, Buttercup Mauler isn't just standing there waiting to get attacked.
It can actually stay hidden while doing its job.
Of course, Buttercup Mauler isn't perfect.
The biggest issue for me is the lack of armor.
It has 6 health, which is decent, but physical damage can still hurt it pretty quickly.
And while Camouflage helps protect it from direct attacks, there are still ways for opponents to reach it.
Also, Sneak isn't always useful.
If the opponent has a strong backline tank or some kind of defensive setup, Buttercup Mauler might not get the easy targets you're hoping for.
One thing I especially like about this card is the fact that it has both Reveal and Camouflage.
That's kind of funny when you think about it.
Buttercup Mauler is hiding itself, while also helping your team find enemies that are hiding.
This makes it a pretty interesting card for battles where Camouflage is involved.
After looking at Buttercup Mauler properly, I think this is another one of those cards that can be easy to overlook.
At first glance, you see:
And that's it.
But then you notice:
Deflect.
Reveal.
Camouflage.
And suddenly the card becomes much more interesting.
I especially like the combination of Sneak and Camouflage.
It can attack the opponent's backline while also making itself harder to target.
Then Deflect gives it some protection from annoying secondary damage effects.
And Reveal gives it an extra purpose against Camouflage.
That's a lot of utility packed into a 5 mana Common.
I don't think it's a card I'd use in every single battle.
But in the right ruleset and against the right opponent, Buttercup Mauler could definitely cause some problems.
Anyway thats it for todayโs #Splinterlands grind. Please do give your reviews in the comments section below. I would really appreciate it :)
I'll be back with another one soon. So do follow me if you want to stay updated. Till then, Stay Happy and Stay Hydrated.
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