Hello, summoners!
How’s your week going? The price of HIVE has dropped a bit these past few days, and maybe some of us are feeling a little uneasy. But that’s just how the crypto world is—always full of ups and downs. For me, staying optimistic is key—because if you look at it, Splinterlands isn’t just about tokens, it’s also about the community that keeps us coming back to play.
This time, I want to share a fun battle I just played. The ruleset was really unique: Beefcakes—every monster summoned must have more than 5 HP. Add to that a 38 mana cap with Fire, Water, Life, and Dragon available. With that setup, I immediately knew this fight would be packed with beefy monsters with high endurance.
For the Archon, I chose Pembroke Nymph. That extra +1 HP is very handy in this ruleset, plus the gladiator slot is a nice bonus.
On the front line, I placed DAIGENDARK Surveyor with Magic Reflect, then paired it with Kulu Mastermind for Weapon Training, so other monsters could gain additional attacks.
Next, I brought in Noa the Just with Rust—since I expected lots of shields, Rust would be a huge help. For offense, I picked Isgald Vorst with Opportunity and Bloodlust, plus Deeplurker who also has Opportunity. To round out the backline, I slotted in another Kulu Mastermind (Ranged) for extra firepower.
This formation was all about cracking open the opponent’s defenses with Rust, then striking weak spots with Opportunity combos.
My opponent, however, had a similar idea. They went with Eternan Brune as Archon, giving -2 shield and the gladiator slot.
At the front, they placed Tusk the Wide with Void, backed by Halfling Refugee as second tank. Ferox Defender came in with Protect to strengthen the team’s armor.
For damage, they used Fina Voxom with Opportunity and Bloodlust (a terrifying gladiator once it gets rolling), along with Tenyii Striker with Sneak. As the centerpiece, they fielded Iidri Fyre with Taunt and Demolition, forcing all attacks toward her and spreading damage to my whole team.
In short, they aimed to funnel all attacks into Iidri Fyre, while letting Fina Voxom snowball with bloodlust.
Round 1
The fight opened with everyone piling onto Iidri Fyre due to Taunt. She went down in the very first round, but her Demolition effect spread wounds across my team. DAIGENDARK Surveyor and one Kulu Mastermind were left barely hanging on.
Round 2
As expected, DAIGENDARK Surveyor fell to Fina Voxom, giving her the first bloodlust stack. But I struck back when Isgald Vorst took down Halfling Refugee, triggering his own bloodlust. The gladiator duel had begun! Meanwhile, my weakened Kulu Mastermind took more hits from Tenyii Striker and was close to falling.
Round 3
Sure enough, Kulu Mastermind was finished off by Fina Voxom, making her even stronger with another bloodlust. But then Isgald Vorst shone again, eliminating Tenyii Striker and gaining another bloodlust stack. Deeplurker also landed a crucial blow, taking down Tusk the Wide. By the end of the round, my opponent was down to just two monsters—Ferox Defender and Fina Voxom.
Round 4
My opponent’s defenses crumbled fast. Ferox Defender was the first to fall this round. That left Fina Voxom standing alone against my now-empowered squad. She put up a fight, but a barrage of attacks eventually overwhelmed her. Isgald Vorst, already “overpowered,” sealed the match with a decisive blow.
For the full battle replay, you can watch it here:
This battle was a reminder that Splinterlands isn’t just about raw damage. It’s about dismantling defenses first, then exploiting openings with cards like Opportunity and Bloodlust.
For new players, here are some lessons:
This win felt especially sweet since both teams came in with solid strategies. But in the end, momentum—and a bit of gladiator luck—swung the fight in my favor.
So, when you face the Beefcakes ruleset, always think about how to strip your opponent’s armor as fast as possible. After that, let your gladiators or Opportunity monsters take over. Sometimes, just one well-timed bloodlust trigger can be the difference between defeat and victory.
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