This time around we are going to the Bronze division using some cards for a nice win!
The big thing about the Dragon splinter is that you use it, but then you use another splinter at the same time, so there gets to be some very interesting combinations on this one! That is the big plus with the dragon splinter, the ability to use everything, but at the same time, it can make it very difficult because of all the choices, let’s dig into this one!
First up, we are looking at dragon card, not one I used, but a good one to have in the bank!
This is a beast of a card, 4 damage, slow speed, but 3 armor and 6 health means it will stay around awhile. Throw in a little stampede ruleset and the trample ability will go to town! A guildmate shared a battle one time where in one round this monster took out 4 cards, that is insane!
Before we get to the battle, let’s look at the history and the lore that has been written about the Desert Dragon (by Splinterlands.com):
When the Venari dug their tunnels and burrows, creating the Realm of Silence, little did they know of the ancient creatures they disturbed hidden beneath the ground. Forgotten, from almost a millennia ago, these dragons were awakened and gripped by an everlasting hunger. Unfortunately for the Venari, they were the first poor souls to run into these feral beasts and were sent fleeing through their tunnels in horror at what they’d uncovered.”
The Desert Dragon is most commonly found east of the Jade Thickett, on the sandy plains of the Ixzoc. Its long neck is banded red and black, with savage horns that sprout from its head and vicious fangs more wicked than scimitars that line its jaws. Quite often assumed as a lumbering, flightless giant with wings that are tattered and torn, many make the mistake that it cannot move quickly and will sometimes stray too close. But any that have seen it hunt the plain grazers will know, not only can the beast move with considerable speed, the terrifying charge will often leave its target rooted to the spot with terror, unable to flee its impending doom. The Desert Dragon is so big that on rare occasions its attack has been mistaken for seismic activity and minor earthquakes.
Lord Ezel adjusted the clasp of his cloak as the wind continued to tug at it. His army of death waited patiently on the plain whilst the chaos legions continued to muster in the distance. He’d given up trying to count their number but he knew it was vast, at least tenfold his own strength. His nightmare steed shifted as a spineback wolf ran through the honour guard, the beast panting heavily.
“My Lord,” it slathered. “Their army continues to gather; my scouts report another full battalion of infantry will soon join their western flank.”
Ezel nodded and waved the messenger away. His legion was death incarnate but he would be a fool to think that any of them would leave the field this day. They would charge though, and they would fight, because that is what they did in the name of his master, Lafael, the Lord of Darkness. Retreat was never an option.
Clouds on the horizon caught his attention, great swirls of dust kicked up to the east and his optimism took another blow as he wondered at how many more there could possibly be. Then the enemy began to shift its position, not towards their lines but desperately trying to wheel around. The sound of screeching and throaty barks rolled across the plain and even with the distance between them, Ezel saw the dragons as they broke from the churning sand. He counted ten of them and they were gargantuan. The enemies flank buckled as the monsters struck it, rolling over their ranks as a storm flattens a corn field. Long horns piercing armour and flinging soldiers into the air as they came, trampling any unfortunate enough to be in their path.
*Ezel licked his dried lips. He hadn’t expected any aid, especially from dragons. It almost gave him hope. Spitting the revulsion of the word from his mouth, he felt annoyed that it had even touched his lips.
“Prepare to move!” he called. “Lafael demands their pitiful, chaos souls.”*
The battle that we are examining for this one is a higher mana cap at 13 mana, plus:
Target Practice: All Ranged and Magic attack monsters have the snipe ability.
This ruleset required some quick thinking, what can I do that would keep my guys alive for longer, while still damaging them.
Here is the quick link to the battle: (Link) however, I will break it down, then you might want to watch again.
First up, the Summoner:
Going into this one was a dragon summoner needed so out came the Drake of Arnak, a decent card that adds armor, but it also allows me to use the dragon cards. I also decided to go death for the snipe recovery.
The front line was the Carrion Shade
I needed a buffer for my last two guys, so this one came to mind, at 1 mana, it now gets 1 shield and 2 health, it can take a few hits.
Same with this card as well, but with the sniper ability, they will hit this card first before my other two, which is important.
Next up is a great reward card:
This is where my strategy takes place, one magic damage, not a lot, but it is the life leech ability that helps out. The shield should keep him alive a little longer, but every round, gaining a life is the key to my strategy on this one.
Lastly is the second part to the strategy:
Very similar to the Bonesmith, just a little lower health, that is why she is at the end, so she can build up her health before going front line, then having the shield should help against sneak attacks. Also, with it being low mana, there is not a lot of sneak damage coming my way, I hope.
My strategy worked quite well! They had a sneak attack that kept hitting the Life Sapper, but with it regaining one health every round, they could not kill it. Then the two in the front took the hits from the Windeku so that my Bonesmith could charge up the health and be good to go, overall, a great fight and win for me!
The Dragon splinter is a fun lineup to play with, but at that same time, it does take some investment, you also have your other cards to back you up, so I hope to be playing more of it in the future when I pull some of the cards I need from some packs!
Overall, this was a really good battle for me, and when you are watching a battle, you always need some Pizza! If you are looking for a great area of Positivity along with a great community, com join the Pizza Family!
You can find them here: Awesome Pizza Discord
Remember to reach across the aisle and talk to someone that might be different than you, you might be amazed at the person you find!
I do want to say thank you for reading all of this and have a wonderful week!
Dr. Kqaos
Photos come from PowerPoints stock image, Bitmoji with Splinterlands logo on top of it, or my own screen shots of Splinterlands, along with the image that they provided for the Weekly Challenge.