Alright, time for another Splinterlands card spotlight!

Today we have another card to look at, and this time I am focusing on a Neutral unit. The card is called, Grimbardun Fighter.

This is a Common Neutral unit, and at max level 10 it has 3 abilities.

When I first look at this card, the first thing that stands out is the combination of 9 health + 3 armor + Shield.

That already makes me think this guy is probably going to be pretty annoying to remove from the battlefield.

So let's take a closer look.

First Look at the Stats

At level 10, Grimbardun Fighter has:

• Melee Attack: 4

• Health: 9

• Speed: 3

• Armor: 3

• Mana Cost: 9

The 9 mana cost is definitely not cheap.

You're making a pretty big investment when you put this card into your lineup.

But at the same time, you're getting a unit with 4 melee attack, 9 health and 3 armor.

That's a pretty solid amount of durability.

The speed of 3 is nothing special, but honestly, I don't think speed is the main reason you would pick this card.

This card looks like it wants to stand there and take punishment.

And keep taking it.

And probably annoy the opponent while doing it.

Ability 1: Shield

Shield: 50 % less damage from physical attacks or 0 damage from physical attacks of 1 power.

The first ability is Shield.

Shield means Grimbardun Fighter takes 50% less damage from physical attacks, while physical attacks with only 1 power deal 0 damage.

And this is a really important ability for a card like this.

Imagine putting Grimbardun Fighter in the first position against an enemy team that relies heavily on melee or ranged physical attacks.

That 50% damage reduction can make a massive difference over several rounds.

Instead of taking the full damage every time, the Fighter is able to absorb much more punishment.

And remember, it already has 3 armor and 9 health.

So Shield is basically making an already durable unit even more difficult to bring down.

Ability 2: Corrosive Ward

Corrosive Ward: -2 to attacker's maximum armor when hit by a melee attack.

The second ability is Corrosive Ward.

Whenever Grimbardun Fighter is hit by a melee attack, the attacker's maximum armor is reduced by 2.

I actually really like abilities that punish the enemy for attacking you.

Because now the opponent has to think about what they are hitting.

If a melee attacker keeps hitting Grimbardun Fighter, they aren't just dealing damage.

They're also potentially losing armor every time.

This could become especially annoying against an enemy tank that relies heavily on armor.

The more they attack, the more their armor can get reduced.

So Grimbardun Fighter isn't just sitting there defending itself.

It's also slowly making the enemy attacker weaker.

Ability 3: Deflect

Deflect: 0 damage from Corrosive Ward, Magic Reflect, Thorns, Return Fire, and Blast splash damage.

And then we have the third ability:

Deflect.

This one is pretty interesting because it completely prevents damage from several different effects.

Grimbardun Fighter takes 0 damage from:

• Corrosive Ward

• Magic Reflect

• Thorns

• Return Fire

• Blast splash damage

That's quite a list.

And this gives the card some extra protection beyond just its normal stats.

For example, if you're attacking a unit with Thorns, normally your melee attacker would receive damage back.

But Deflect means Grimbardun Fighter doesn't have to worry about that damage.

Same thing with Return Fire and Magic Reflect.

So depending on the enemy lineup and ruleset, this ability could become very useful.

How I See This Card Being Used

Looking at everything together, I think Grimbardun Fighter is mainly a durable frontline fighter.

You have 4 melee attack, which means it can actually deal respectable damage while defending.

Then you have Shield to reduce physical damage.

Corrosive Ward punishes melee attackers.

And Deflect protects it from several annoying damage effects.

So it's basically doing a little bit of everything.

The main issue is obviously the 9 mana cost.

That's a lot of mana to spend on one card.

You're going to need a decent amount of mana in the battle to fit it comfortably into your lineup.

But if you have the mana available, I can definitely see why you would consider it.

What I Like About Grimbardun Fighter

There are several things I like about this card.

First, the 4 melee attack is pretty good for a defensive unit.

Second, 9 health + 3 armor gives it a nice amount of durability.

Then you add Shield on top of that and things get even better.

I also really like Corrosive Ward because it gives the card some offensive value even when it is mainly being used defensively.

And Deflect is just a nice extra layer of protection.

It's one of those abilities that you might not notice every battle, but when the right situation comes up, it can save you from taking some annoying damage.

What I Don't Like

Of course, the card isn't perfect.

The biggest problem for me is probably the 9 mana cost.

That's a pretty big commitment.

The speed of 3 is also only average.

And while 9 health sounds good, you still have to remember that some forms of damage can get around Shield.

So I wouldn't just throw this card into every lineup without thinking.

It still needs the right battle conditions and enough mana.

Conclusion

Overall, I think Grimbardun Fighter is a pretty interesting Common Neutral card.

It doesn't have some crazy complicated ability that completely changes the game.

Instead, it has a very straightforward job:

Get in front. Take hits. Hit back. Make attacking you annoying.

And honestly, sometimes that's all you need.

The combination of Shield + Corrosive Ward + Deflect gives it a really nice defensive identity.

It's also nice that it still has 4 melee attack, so you're not sacrificing all your damage just to have a tank.

The 9 mana cost is definitely something I would keep in mind, but when the ruleset and mana cap allow it, I think Grimbardun Fighter could be a really fun card to experiment with.

Especially if you are facing a lot of physical attackers.