Hey there! So you just found Splinterlands and it seems really overwhelming. You've probably heard some really good things about the game but now that you've opened an account, you're not so sure.
Well, let me be the voice that tells you "Don't worry, You're in the right place" because even though splinterlands can be really overwhelming in the beginning, you can quickly begin to navigate through the game and feel among in the community. One way to think about how you're feeling is that splinterlands is not just a simple game. It is actually an ecosystem filled with a lot of value. Still, you have a lot to learn but let's just start simple. Here are some things you should do as a newbie;
DON'T RUSH. JUST RELAX
Yes yes I know that you want to start buying all the cool looking cards and other stuff. I remember that I used to be like that. I wanted to buy the cards, land and other assets as quickly as possible. I eventually got some of those things but generally I did not let the FOMO get the best of me and you should not as well.
You may have heard people talk about how much they earn and how their assets have appreciated over time but you should always remember that this is not a get rich quick scheme. Yes, there is a lot of value in the game but you will really need to be diligent and smart to extract most of it. The most important thing right now is that you are willing to learn rather than blindly risking everything in the game. Trust the process and you will be thankful that you did.
GET A SPELLBOOK
You must have been playing the game for free for a while now. Maybe you've even won a couple of battles and you are super excited. Now, it's time to take things up a notch.
In order to activate your earning potentials in splinterlands, you need to buy one spellbook from the shop. With this spellbook, you will be able to participate in daily focuses, earn SPS from battles, earn focus and season chests among other things. Learn how to purchase a Spellbook Here.
This spellbook costs just $10 and can be purchased with crypto or via paypal. When you buy a spellbook, you get 3000 Credits worth $3 that is useable in the splinterlands market. It's a great deal because you can rent cards from the market using credits and you will need those cards to earn SPS from battles. This brings us to our next point.
LEARN TO PLAY
This awesome resource can really help you understand the splinterlands game a lot but it usually isn't enough. In my case, I was not even any better even after playing the tutorials over and over again. Well, if it happens that you don't perform well in the beginning then you really should not give up. Instead, keep an open mind and try to learn from others.
There are numerous blogs on Hive and beyond that teach various topics regarding splinterlands. There are also some really good YouTube channels that can help you as you start this journey. Some of my favorites are Bulldog1205, Dwayne Cunningham, Hawks 21 and Aftersound Gaming. You can search Splinterlands on youtube and see what pops up.
RENT CARDS
The free cards that you play with are called Starter cards or ghost cards and you cannot earn while playing with them. You need to use real cards. Fortunately, you can rent these cards from the market with the $3 worth of credits that you get back after purchasing a spellbook. $3 may sound little but at the lower levels it can go a long way because many cards cost fractions of a penny to rent.
You can rent cards from splinterlands directly or you can use Peakmonsters.
Many players prefer to use Peakmonsters because it is easier to navigate and has a lot of useful filters. Learn how to use peakmonsters.
GET SOME SPS
SPS is the official splinterlands governance token that is earned by playing ranked battles. Staking SPS improves your earnings in ranked play. You should buy some SPS but to really make a difference in your ranked rewards, you may need to rent a good amount of the token.
To really get involved in the community you need to have SPS staked. The token is necessary for taking part in the DAO. So get some SPS!
GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY
Speaking of community, to really enjoy splinterlands you need to get involved in the community. The Discord Server is my favorite place to be a part of the community. On the server, you can meet a lot of great people, get answers to questions, learn strategies and so much more. You will also be able to join the Town Hall that happens on Mondays that involves the players and the splinterlands company executives.
I would really advise that you join the discord server but you can also join the Telegram Channel and follow the Official Splinterlands Account on X. X(fka Twitter) is also great because you can find many other splinterlands players there.
Follow 
FOCUS ON A FEW THINGS AT A TIME
I said earlier that Splinterlands is an ecosystem and in an ecosystem you need to have a niche. You need to focus on just a few things because you cannot do everything.
As a player, I would advise that you play a lot with rented cards before deciding on the ones you like. Then, choose one or two splinters and start to build your deck. Start by buying and leveling up a summoner (one in modern preferably) before getting the units. Do this gradually for the splinters you like and watch your deck grow. Remember that it is a process and there is no need to rush.
Now, get in there and conquer!
That's All For Today, Warrior!
- Unless otherwise stated, all images used in this post are from the Splinterlands game.
- All dividers were made by me with Canva.
One more thing.
I'm glad you made it this far in the post. If you enjoyed my post please drop a comment or just say hi so we can be friends. Also, don't be left behind. Join Splinterlands by clicking this link and claim your piece of this amazing blockchain game. I'll see you on the other side, mage!
