Just yesterday I was talking about my goal to max up the rewards cards from the Rebellion edition, only to reach afterwards that there is a new set coming our way - The Conclave Arcana Reward Set: A New Era of Ranked Rewards and Distribution. On one side I feel sad that I will not be able to fulfil my objective to max Rebellion rewards cards, but in the same type I am hyped about the Conclave Arcana rewards cards as that's coming with some new positive mechanics on that part. More perks and rewards are coming our way bringing more tradability for this edition set and more changes favoring active players. I felt at some point that Splinterlands becomes a closed ecosystem, but these changes are opening many things towards new opportunities and ways for players to make use of their achievements. And I think this is what really matters in a blockchain game, to be able to own the assets and trade them at any point. This is what distinguishes us from traditional games and this is the strongest pillar of what we should build here. So I am quite happy that the rewards system takes a step closer towards freedom of ownership and trading on the market. Not too high in order not to flood the market or make cards worthless, but enough in order to bring more motivation for the players to get on the battlefields day after day.
The new Conclave Arcana rewards set
First of all there will be a new Conclave Arcana rewards set that will bring 43 new cards across all rarities. The standard foil cards are soulbound at first, while Gold and Black foil versions are tradable immediately, which breaths new air into the player's tokenomics. Now cards can be earned through loot chests, Glint shop draws or the new weekly fortune draws, while the Glint burn values are aligned with the current Rebellion set. The rewards cards carry no Production Power as expected and cannot be used in Conflicts, thus their value comes purely on gameplay ranking, brawls and collection.
New unbinding scrolls and unlocking mechanics
What I am excited about is that these Soulbound rewards cards can now be made tradable through unbinding scrolls, which replaces the old DEC burning method which I found costly. Each rarity requires a corresponding scroll, but the good thing is that these are obtainable via loot chests, direct purchase with DEC, crafting on Land or trading. If it's free than it's for me, thus I will focus on loot chests. An important thing is that these scrolls are exclusive to the Conclave Arcana set and will automatically burn 30 days after the set’s print run ends. Another interesting concept - auto burning (something to remember).
New reward methods
Loot chests have been overhauled to feature higher value drops including tradable Gold Foils, Unbinding Scrolls, Fortune Draw Entries and more. In the same time, the Glint shop card draws now have integrated Gold Foil chances, supported by Alchemy Potions that double GF odds for each rarity tier. The Gold Foil print limits have been added which ensures scarcity by adding caps ranging from 5,000 for Commons to 400 for Legendaries. Also the chest for tiers (Minor, Major, Ultimate) now carry distinct drop odds, Glint costs and jackpot chances, thus aligning rewards more closely with player progression. So many positive and engaging changes that I barely can capture them all.
The Fortune Draw and Black Foil Chase
The cherry on top is represented by the Weekly Fortune Draw which introduces Black Foil and Arcane variants, the rarest cards ever added to the game. Players can participate by purchasing weekly passes for 125 DEC or by earning entries through ranked wins, loot chests or Glint purchases. The number of entries earned per batch depends on league level and total SPS staked, rewarding deeper ecosystem participation. Only one prize can be won per account weekly, with draw entries expiring each week and batch costs increasing progressively to sustain balance. I like quite much this lotto system introduced and I am sure we will see a lot of excitement around it.
In my view together with the new Conclave Arcana rewards sets, Splinterlands reshape the rewards economy by adding a fair gameplay progression, staking incentives and tradeable assets into a system more friendly for players. With the introduction of tradable mechanics through Unbinding Scrolls and limited edition Black Foil chases, the game adds fresh layers of rarity and long-term value which I believe will boost the trading and renting markets as well. This evolution sets the stage for a more engaging, sustainable and player-driven reward ecosystem that rewards both participation and smart resource management. I believe this was long overdue and now things are reset to the trend that once boomed the entire Splinterlands ecosystem. I welcome with excitement all incoming changes and I am glad that the team turned back upon a more free player's economy.