MOLTEN ASH GOLEM : GROUND BASTION

I prefer to use Molten Ash Golem in a situational battle conditions, that is a battle with lot of restriction and certain rulesets. With low damage and low speed, it is really difficult to justify 6 mana just to put 10 health Tanker card while there're no other supporting benefits. Rather than judge Molten Ash Golem as a Tanker card, it might be better to judge it as a Support card. And so let's get done with this analysis.

Pros & Cons

1. Large amount of health make this card basically suitable as a Tanker.	1. Low damage and low speed could hinder this card from attacking.
2. Although starting with only single ability, the card later gained two additional abilities which are very beneficial. Close Range ability and large health work very coherently to support this card as a backup Tanker. Weaken and Demoralize are a quite rare ability, and its the only card to have both abilities.	2. Other than the Supporting abilities and large health, Molten Ash Golem doesn't have any other superiority.
*Reference for Archetype term : Striker --> Superior Damage / Tanker --> Superior Health / Ninja --> Superior Speed.

Market Price Analysis

All the cards in Splinterlands have been impacted by the price downtrend, not excluding the price for Molten Ash Golem. Molten Ash Golem have had it times when prices hit a all time high at $0.18 and then floating around $0.10, and the current price at $0.70 is the lowest in the last 180 days. But still in its lowest price, Molten Ash Golem cost the third cheapest among Rare Type Chaos Legion (after Portal Spinner and Goblin Chariot). On the other side, the gold foil also in downtrend price, and as per this post was made the price is $1.10. Therefore the regular-gold price ratio become 1:16 which is very high. And if compared with the regular-gold bcx (for each level) ranging between 6:1 to 5:1, the gold foil will looks ridiculously overpriced only for this Rare type card.

Progression Analysis

Progression are the most intresting part about Molten Ash Golem. At early level, the card have hughe amount of health which will be sufficient to withstand several attack (considering majority of card will have 1 - 2 damage). But on later level, the health are left stagnant, only to grow by one point (not to mention there's a drawback at Level 4). This cause Molten Ash Golem become more and more vulnerable as other card will improve their damage. What more difficult to comprehend is this will later gained two Supporting abilities, which in my opinion should be supported by having better sustenance against incoming damage. The good news, the card gained two damage growth which come at Level 2 and Level 7. With all these growth, by the end of the progression, Molten Ash Golem roles will somehow shift into somewhat hybrid card in the middle of Striker-Tanker-Support card.

Rulesets To Be Watched

Ruleset	Strategy
	Considering the low speed (even at Max Level), this card will benefit much from Reverse Speed.
	In Keep Your Distance ruleset, without any melee available, there's less option to use Tanker card. Molten Ash Golem with its 10 health and Close Range ability can play role as Tanker card.

Watch Battle

Here's one of my battle experience with Molten Ash Golem in my formation. Click Here for the battle link. The battle have 48 mana cap, with Target Practice and Noxious Fumes ruleset.

For my formation, I used:

Position	Card Name	Level	Mana	Health	Armor	Speed	Damage Type	Damage
Summoner	Tarsa	1	4	-	-	-	-	-
1st Row	Molten Ash Golem	1	6	9	-	1	Ranged	1
2nd Row	Elven Defender	1	8	8	3	2	Melee	2
3rd Row	Legionnaire Alvar	1	9	8	6	2	Melee	2
4th Row	Radiated Brute	1	5	5	-	1	Melee	2
5th Row	Djinn Apprentice	1	5	4	-	2	Magic	2
6th Row	Tenyii Striker	1	5	6	-	2	Melee	2

My opponent formation:

Position	Card Name	Level	Mana	Health	Armor	Speed	Damage Type	Damage
Summoner	Kelya Frendul	2	4	-	-	-	-	-
1st Row	Diemonshark	2	8	8	6	4	Melee	2
2nd Row	Flying Squid	3	7	8	-	3	Melee	3
3rd Row	Deeplurker	3	6	7	-	3	Melee	3
4th Row	Angelic Mandarin	2	3	6	-	2	Ranged	1
5th Row	Kulu Swimhunter	3	4	5	-	3	Ranged	2
6th Row	Supply Hunter	3	6	5	-	4	Ranged	2

Once I saw 48 mana and Noxious Fumes, I decided to bet the battle on attrition strategy. I put a a lot Tanker card just to stretch the battle long enough, until l all card destroyed by poison. I put Molten Ash Golem in the first row just considering it high health very good as cannon fodder. My formation have very limited attack as it all depends on the front row, Djinn, and Tenyii. In contrary my opponent have a full formation in attack position. Although they look powerful with the armor buff and speed boost, I still believe a chance to win as opponent formation consist of 38 mana compared to mine 42 mana.

I guess I didn't expect the Target Practice ruleset will be utilized very much. A barrange of ranged attack rain down and obliterate Djinn Apprentice. Luckily the remaining incoming attack hit only Molten Ash Golem, and the rest of my card are left untouched. My formation didn't fight back very much, as only Tenyii strike to Supply Hunter only to destroy its armor.

The first surge of poison slashed all monster health by 2. My first mistake become clear, it is placing Elven Defender before Legionnaire Alvar. They should switch position since Elven have higher health and should take the last stand. The total charge really brutalize my Elven, and I quickly down to Alvar in my first position. Tenyii attack destroyed Hunter, but the remaining card are barely able to breach Diemonshark's armor.

The second poison wave took place, but still it wasn't enough to kill at least one card from opponent formation. My chance for victory become slimmer, since my opponent still had Flying Squid in the second row with the highest health (6 health). My chance is to tie the battle by breaching Diemonshark and chisel some of Flying Squid health. But my plan jeopardize by Deeplurker which ambushed my Radiated Brute, thus crumbling my attack output.

By the start of Round 4. Fate has been sealed for me, as I left with only 2 card with 1 health remaining (after poison damage). And with slower speed, there's no way for my formation let alone strike first, even to avoid death is impossible.

Conclusion

Did your strategy work? What will you try differently next time?

My strategy didn't work because I rely to much on Noxious Fumes ruleset. I should pursue more balance should between attacking and defending.

Do you like Molten Ash Golem? Why or why not?

I really like Molten Ash Golem, but only used it if I have the right card in conjunction. Since Fire Splinter have Tarsa as the starting summoner, there's a better chance to deploy melee card rather than others. Using Yodin Zaku and Conqueror Jacek give better leverage to Molten Ash Golem damage.