I know say the same thing almost every chance I get, but Frontier format in Splinterlands is one of my favorite things that the game has done in a very long time. I like being able to earn additional NFTs for winning matches, and one of the best things is that some of these cards are really good and have utility that extends beyond Frontier format and into Modern as well. A'lan Musketeer is one of those cards, and in today's post, I'd like to take a minute to shine a spotlight on this powerful, yet accessible, card.
The Stat Line
At the 1 BCX level, the A'lan Musketeer has 1 ranged damage, 2 speed, 0 armor, and 5 health. However, it really begins to shine when three copies of the card are combined to reach level 2. Once it reaches level 2, it gets 2 archery damage, but since it has the double strike, this means that the card is pumping out 4 total damage per turn.
>In most cases, I would prefer having 2 ranged damage with the double strike ability than a unit that does 4 damage without the double strike ability. There's a couple reasons for that. The first is that if my first attack misses, I get a second chance to target the opponent. Additionally, having double strike increases the chances of landing poison if I'm playing with a summoner, such as Cryptic, that allows me to give the poison ability to some of my units.
The Match Begins !!
I'd like to share an example from a recent match that I played. This was a 49 mana match where the Life, Water, Earth, and Dragon Splinters were available. What you'll notice is that me and my opponent played two different Splinters, but both of us included A'lan Musketeer in our team. I think this shows how powerful and versatile the card can be that it fits so well into two different Splinters. It also highlights an additional benefit of this card. Since it is a neutral unit, it can be played alongside any other team.
Maybe Not the Best Example
Unfortunately for my opponent, my Saltwater Mage landed a powerful magic attack in the middle of the first round. That took their A'lan Musketeer out of the fight before it was even able to fire its first attack. While this did help me win the match, it, unfortunately meant that the opponent's Alan Musketeer didn't really get a chance to show off it's abilities in this match.
However, my own Musketeer was able to stay in the fight a little bit longer and used its double strike attack to deal damage across the opponent's lineup. It didn't score any final blows, but it did chip away at some of the opponent's armor.
Unfortunately, I don't think that this was the best match to showcase A'lan Musketeer's abilities. My opponent's musketeer was knocked out of the fight pretty quickly, and my musketeer wasted most of its attacks slowly chipping away at the opponent's armor. However, I think the fact that both myself and my opponent played the same card even when we were using 2 different Splinters, shows the utility of this card. Overall, I think the Musketeer is a great reminder that even though Frontier is intended as a beginner-friendly format, it still has powerful cards with interesting abilities.
Join Me in Splinterlands
As much as I like A'lan Musketeer, I have to be honest that my Magic units did most of the heavy lifting in this fight. Especially when it comes to Frontier format. I think the water team is incredibly powerful, and it's really hard to stand up to a concentrated attack from all of this magic damage. That being said, the most important thing is that my team secured the victory and got one step closer to claiming some additoinal Foundations cards as part of my daily rewards. Being able to earn additional NFT's and cryptocurrency for winning matches is one of the best parts about Splinterlands, and I think it is a large part of why I like the game so much. If you enjoy action-packed trading card games and you're interested in the possibility of earning rewards for winning matches, then I'd like to invite you to join me in Splinterlands using my referral link.
Disclaimer
As a US resident, I am required to disclose that I might receive a benefit, such as reward or incentive, if you join using my affiliate link. All image credits belong to Splinterlands. Nothing is financial advice.