Future Draws and Black Foils: How to win the rarest cards in Splinterlands?

Greetings Splinterlovers 💚

The launch of the "Conclave Arcana" reward set has not only redefined how we unlock Soulbound cards, but has also ushered in an era of maximum exclusivity in Splinterlands. Leaving behind only the chests, the development team introduced "Black Foils" months ago with the arrival of Conclave Arcana and the famous Fortune Draw, but the difference is that all of this is coming with the new reward SET, and we will have a new weekly event designed to reward the most active players and large SPS stakers.

This new mechanic creates a top tier of rewards reserved for those willing to participate in the new hunt to win the rarest and/or most expensive cards in the entire game. But I will also analyze in detail how this event works, how much it costs to join, and, most importantly, how to maximize your chances of winning one of the rarest cards ever minted in the ecosystem.

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Fortune Draw — Requirements, Entries, and the SPS Factor

The Fortune Draw is a weekly raffle that offers ultra-exclusive versions of Conclave Arcana cards: Black Foils (BF) and Arcane Variants (BFA/GFA). These cards are not found in chests or packs and are immediately tradable upon receipt, which means that the only way to win them is by winning the "Future Draws." Basically, the more you play, the more chances you have to win. It's that simple, but let's explore exactly how it works:

Access Requirement: The Weekly Pass

• In order to participate in any week's draw, players must purchase the Fortune Draw Pass, which costs 125 DEC per week.

• Function: This pass unlocks your account's ability to accumulate and use entries for that week's draw, so it is mandatory to purchase it if you want a chance to win the rarest cards in the entire game.

The Input Engine

• The only way to win tickets is by winning qualifying battles in the "Modern and Wild" formats. This is the main way to win tickets in the draw, so you absolutely must play, but if you ask me, there's a very good incentive to do so.

• Method: As I said, it's about winning battles. In this case, completing five qualifying wins (in Modern or Wild formats) will earn you tickets.

Daily Limit

However, there is a daily limit, so you can obtain batches of tickets up to three times a day in the aforementioned formats, basically as it works in the new "Frontier" format. By doing this, you would obtain up to a maximum of six batches per day.

• Additional Sources: Tickets can also be found in the new, completely revamped Loot Chests, which is great because we can increase our chances of winning these cards, further incentivizing gameplay. They can also be purchased in the Store with GLINT (starting at 2,000 GLINT per ticket).

<uThe Critical Factor: SPS Staking

The actual number of entries you receive for each set of 5 wins is limited by two factors: your current league and the total amount of SPS you have staked (your own + delegated), so the more "SPS" you have, the more entries you will win, depending on the league you are in. Therefore, if you want to receive more, you should aim for higher leagues, but this also incentivizes holding the governance token and game rewards, basically an additional utility that is added to the SPS.

In fact, here is a table that explains it perfectly:

SPS Staked (Minimum)	Maximum Number of Entries per Lot	League	Entries per Lot (Base)
5,000,000	30	Champion	30
2,500,000	25	Diamond	20
1,000,000	20	Gold	12
500,000	16	Silver	6
250,000	12	Bronze	3
< 2,500	0

• The Golden Rule: You receive the lowest number of entries between your bet SPS limit and your league base. I know it sounds a bit confusing, but once it's up and running, we'll see how the model really works and from there, as players, we can plan both the amount of SPS we need to win more entries and how to improve our game, move up in the league, and ultimately become much better players. All this while we earn rewards and improve our deck.

• Investment Incentive: This mechanism directly links the potential reward to the player's investment in the SPS token, strongly incentivizing retention. In fact, as I mentioned earlier, the entire system is designed to immerse the player in the game, because with the improvements in rewards, you will want to play more, which means you will want to invest more. It's a win-win for everyone.

The Awards: The Black Foils

Black Foils are the pinnacle of the collection, and they are immediately tradable: they are not Soulbound and can be sold instantly, which will of course attract the attention of players, as this is the intrinsic reward we will all receive for playing and for our investment.

• Bonuses: They have five times the DEC burn value of a standard card and grant a 20% reward boost in ranked matches. This isn't confirmed, but judging by the system and the rarity of the cards, it should work the same way, making these cards incredibly valuable.

• Distribution: Between 76 and 78 BF, GFA, or BFA cards are raffled off weekly for 53 weeks.

• Earnings Limit: You can only win one Fortune Draw prize per account per weekly event. Be very clear about this, so pay attention to the fine print.

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Conclusion

For me, Future Draws are Splinterlands' masterstroke in linking play-to-earn with stake-to-earn. It has created a system where obtaining the most significant rewards does not depend solely on luck in opening chests, but on a strategic combination of constant activity (victories), monetary investment (DEC Pass), and long-term commitment (SPS Staking), all in one place—the perfect balance.

For players with large amounts of SPS, this system is a direct and lucrative way to be rewarded. For the average player, it represents an exciting, albeit difficult, "treasure hunt" that adds an extra layer of motivation to each gaming session. It won't be easy, but it will be rewarding. The Fortune Draw consolidates the value of SPS and ensures that the rarest cards in the game, the coveted Black Foils, only reach the hands of the most committed participants in the community.