Card Impressions
If you aren't playing Splinterlands yet. Click here to sign up and get a free card. Start #Play2Earn ing now!
The Crystal Jaguar is a mighty 4 cost tank in most of our collections. Many of you who have been playing since the Untamed expansion are probably intimately familiar with this card and have used it or met it on the battlefield. This card offers great utility, having both armor and high health for 4 cost. It is an excellent tank. Especially because it is in the Life faction, abundant with a myriad of armor and health regeneration. With 1 attack at lvl 1 it more than makes up for it with 1 armor 5 health and 2 speed. It has really survivable stats for a 4 cost card. A good tank for most positions (particularly in rule sets in which it can attack aswell), but usually found in position 1, 2, or in the back at last position. A good card for most rulesets with solid tank stats, but it won't be breaking through the frontline anytime soon. Still, a card to keep your eyeballs on in your spellbook when picking for the little league lineup. Or any lineup for that matter.
(Above image edited from Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 feature film)
Strategy and Positioning
In the fight located here, I opted for Crystal Jaguar in position 2 and was expecting it to act as a buffer for blast damage. Due to it's high hp AND having armor it was a suitable spacer for both blast types. However, as one can notice, no blast types are present so Crystal Jaguar in this case acts as a secondary tank and succeeds with flying colors.
TWO Revivals brought back the Shield Bearer leading to the continued survival of the damage attracting defender (until only round 3). Sandworm took massive bites out of the Shieldbearer, while my Assassin was able to start eliminating units from the back forwards.
EACH revival causes Shieldbearer to regain divine shield. Allowing him to withstand additional hits.
But even with 3 lives shield bearer doesn't hold out until round 3. However, this is enough time to have severely reduced enemy damage. Armor up prevents the melee damage of Nectar queen. At this point the enemy has lost numerous backline defenders and sandworm is pushed forward after Nectar Queen and Crystal Jaguar fall. Meanwhile the majority of my monsters remain intact, aside from the recently defeated Crystal Jaguar.
My remaining units deal quite a bit of damage to the enemy, divine shield offering a defensive edge. Assassin makes short work of Sand Worm with double strike. It should be noted that the buff from the Djinn made ALL units slightly more tanky. As is typical of the Life Splinter. After Sand Worm the remaining 2 units succumb to superior numbers.
Last Weeks Giveaway Winner
Congragulations 
Talking Tidbits
In this fight Crystal Jaguar was in position 2, but is effective in any position you expect damage (damage absorption versus mana cost is admirable at any lvl), PARTICULARLY Melee damage and considering it's armor and thorns at higher levels. It is an excellent card for the Life Splinter. This card is outclassed by many 4 cost tanks in other Splinters, BUT BENEFITS FROM THE SUPERIOR HEALING AND BUFFS OF THE LIFE SPLINTER. Don't forget, it isn't one card that makes a team. And even though objectively it might not be as good as some tanks in other Splinters, it benefits from having more options for healing and armor repair than the other factions. The con being inferior stats compared to most other lvl 1 4 cost tanks (but again NOT BY MUCH). An excellent damage absorber, but not a high damage tank.
Legend of the Crystal Jaguar Giveaway
One random lucky person who likes AND comments on this post will be delegated an Alaric Summoner for 15 days. Don't forget to hit that follow button for more cool stuff! Including tournaments, community discussions, art, and more!
Keep Summoning and See You in the #Splinterlands
