Going the Distance Modifier is a rule set that changes how battles work in Splinterlands. In this Modifier only units with ranged attacks can be used which means many normal tank units cannot join the fight. Because of this, players must build teams in a different way. Ranged units usually stay safe in the back but in this Modifier they might end up in the front position. This makes battles feel different and players must think more about abilities and positioning.
Modifiers
Going the Distance - Only units with ranged attacks may be used.
Close Range is one of the most important abilities when playing the Going the Distance Modifier. This ability allows ranged units to attack even when they are in the first position which normally they cannot do. Because all units must be ranged in this Modifier having Close Range means your front unit can still deal damage and not just sit there waiting. Some Elements have good ranged units with this ability which makes them very useful picks. When a unit with Close Range is placed in front it can act like a normal attacking tank and keep the pressure on the enemy team.
Good Abilities with Going the Distance Modifier
Close Range: Ranged attacks may be used in the first position in battles. Can perform ranged attacks from the first position
Close Range is one of the most important abilities when playing the Going the Distance Modifier. This ability allows ranged units to attack even when they are in the first position which normally they cannot do. Because all units must be ranged in this Modifier having Close Range means your front unit can still deal damage and not just sit there waiting. Some Elements have good ranged units with this ability which makes them very useful picks. When a unit with Close Range is placed in front it can act like a normal attacking tank and keep the pressure on the enemy team.
Shield: Reduced damage from Melee and Ranged attacks
Shield is very useful in Going the Distance Modifier battles. This ability reduces damage from Melee and Ranged attacks which means ranged damage becomes half. Since every unit in this Modifier uses ranged attacks Shield becomes very helpful for survival. Not many ranged units have Shield but it can still be added by cards like Prophet Rosa in Modern Ranked. This can make your front unit much harder to defeat.
Snipe: Targets enemy Units with Ranged, Magic, or no attack that are not in the first position
Since Snipe units skip the first unit, this can allow your units to kill the back line first and since range units cannot attack in the front, you can make the enemy have a unit that cannot attack as the last unit.
Heal: Restores a portion of the Unit's health each round
Heal can also be strong in the Going the Distance Modifier. A ranged unit with high health and Heal can survive for many rounds. Each round the unit restores some health which makes it harder to defeat. A good example idea is using Heal with a high health unit similar to what I did with Ulundin Overseer. Sometimes this can delay the battle until Fatigue rounds and win by lasting longer.
Dodge: Has an increased chance of evading Melee or Ranged attacks.
Dodge is another helpful ability for this Modifier. This ability increases the chance to avoid Melee or Ranged attacks. Since all attacks in this modifier are ranged, Dodge becomes very useful. If a unit also has high speed, the enemy attacks may miss many times. This gives your team more time to deal damage and control the fight.
Battle Breakdown
Game:
I got some new help from my new cards and the one I had the most help in this battle is from Giam Root. Giam Root is probably the strongest range unit in Frontier Mode. If you can have Thalgrimore and Sorrow Harvester combo for -2 health for the enemy, you can also have Giam Root and Aurelia for the +2 health combo for your team. I used him as my tank since he has the highest health and let my damage dealers at the back do the damage for him.
You can watch the battle here: https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_17e3a74e693fda6b4aca4b29ab33f7b2
Closing Thoughts
Going the Distance Modifier creates battles where ranged units become the main focus. Players must think about protecting with the front unit and keeping strong damage from the back all by using range units. Each Element has different ranged units so choosing the right Element and unit lineup is important. With the right strategy, this Modifier can turn simple ranged units into a strong winning team.