Hello Splinterlands warriors, how’s it going in this new season?
A new season always has its own distinct vibe. There’s fresh excitement, new cards, and that familiar curiosity: “What will I get from the chest today?” Recently, I showed off a little in my previous post about pulling a legendary card from a Major Chest. And sure enough, standing there proudly was a name that instantly made me smile wide: Chuma Marandu.
Honestly, just seeing the name already feels heavy. Chuma Marandu isn’t the type of monster that shows up for small talk. He comes to finish business.
If we look at his stats, Chuma Marandu is clearly a damage dealer:
Sneak is the heart of Chuma. A 5 melee attack that goes straight to the enemy’s backline. And we all know, it’s often the monster in the back that acts as the brain of the opponent’s strategy—support, heavy damage dealer, or that annoying buffer.
Chuma doesn’t care how strong the front tank is. He slips past and strikes from behind. What made me fall for him even more is the combination of abilities you can unlock after upgrading the card.
Demoralize – reduces the melee damage of all enemy monsters.
This means he’s not just strong—he weakens the enemy too.
Retaliate – when hit by melee, there’s a chance he strikes back. And that counter isn’t small—another 5 damage.
Imagine your opponent attacks him… and suddenly gets hit back for 5 damage. Sometimes I even mutter to myself, “See? That’s why you don’t mess around.”
Then there’s Expose. This ability is often overlooked, but it’s extremely useful against tanks with Shield, Void, or Forcefield. It ensures Chuma’s hits don’t go to waste.
In short, he’s not just a brawler. He’s a brawler who knows how to pick his targets.
One of my favorite battles with Chuma was in a 96 mana cap match.
With that much mana, I had full freedom to get creative. I decided to pair Chuma with Husk of the Hunter.
The synergy with the Earth element at that time felt perfectly aligned. Chuma tore through the backline while the frontline absorbed the pressure. It felt like watching a team that had trained together for a long time—organized, calculated, yet still brutal.
And the result? A convincing victory.
You can see the battle here:
Another battle that strengthened my confidence in Chuma was when I paired him with Grove Doombalde.
Two monsters with high damage output and equal potential to destroy the backline.
That wasn’t just an attack. It was like a silent operation.
And in Splinterlands, losing your support is like losing direction. It’s only a matter of time before you fall.
You can watch that battle here:
Of course, Chuma isn’t without risk.
He’s still a melee monster with Sneak, meaning he stays in the back and can become a target of the opponent’s Sneak as well. If positioned poorly or left without enough protection, he can fall before reaching his full potential.
But that’s where the art lies.
I learned to adjust my formation. Sometimes I give him extra protection. Sometimes I keep the opponent busy with other threats first.
And when everything goes according to plan, the satisfaction is real.
Chuma Marandu is proof of how a single card can significantly change a team composition—especially for a Life Sneak lineup that previously felt a bit underwhelming.
With 5 melee damage straight to the backline, that weakness feels neatly covered.
His more complex abilities also make the gameplay more tactical. It’s no longer just about big damage, but about combinations and timing.
For me personally, Chuma Marandu has become one of my go-to cards in medium and high mana matches.
Strategies you can try:
In short, Chuma isn’t flashy.
He shows up, slips in, strikes… and usually walks away with a win.
And as always, stay tuned for my next post. The arena isn’t finished yet, and there are still many stories waiting to be written.
Talk about Splinterlands,
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