Good day, everyone, and Splinterlands community, Today, I’ll share another an interesting battle from the Frontier Format that shows the strong combination of Dread Trafarian and Time Bandit under the Global Warming ruleset. In this ruleset, every unit starts the match with the Burning status effect, which causes them to lose health each round. This significantly changes how teams are built and how long they can last. In this battle, endurance, sustain, and damage reduction are much more ideal to use than pure offense. What makes this battle particularly intriguing is how Dread Trafarian and Time Bandit work together in such a tough ruleset in Global Warming. One is great at handling the ongoing burn damage, while the other uses the resulting chaos to control the pace of the fight. Together, they create a smart and tough combination that not only works well with the Global Warming rule but also turns it into a strategic edge.
Dread Trafarian is a common Earth element unit from the Foundation set. It can heal every round and has the following stats at max level: 2 melee, 1 armor, 8 health, and 2 speed. This card costs 9 mana. Because of its healing ability, it can serve as an excellent tank unit in the first position, surviving most rounds. It is also a good idea to deploy this unit in Global Warming, as it will likely have a better chance of survival.
Time Bandit is a rare earth element from the Foundation set. It has an ability called Cleanse, which removes all debuffs like Burning Effect or Poison from the first position. Its stats are 2 magic, 8 health, and 1 speed, and this unit costs 8 mana. With this ability, it is very useful as a support in Nuxeus Fumes and Global Warming.
Both these units are in the earth element. This is also a unique strategy for the specific Global Warming rule set in this element, which is also why I like this element (common use in the battle). It is a strategy that can survive the battle of endurance.
Into the battle: https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_1191aa40b2ba35f5b5c48fb30a2fd072
In this featured battle, the rules in play are Global Warming and Close Range, with a 28 mana cap. Only Water and Dragon elements are inactive. While other elements could work depending on a player’s focus on speed or damage, Earth stands out as the best choice here. The Global Warming rule gradually inflicts Burning damage on all units. Most non-Earth elements have either low health or lack healing and cleansing skills, so they tend to go down quickly. That’s why Earth is the best choice because it has decent durability and sustainability through its defensive stats and healing abilities. For my team, I picked Aurelia as my summoner, and I placed Dread Trafarian as the frontline tank because of its healing ability and in second position, I chose Time Bandit as a support unit to remove the Burning status from Dread Trafarian, helping it survive longer. For the last position of my team, I included Vicious Quillion in the backline to add extra melee damage when chances arose. The main idea of my setup is simple: endure the damage-over-time effect of Global Warming while maintaining consistent offense.
Interestingly, my rival also selected Aurelia as their summoner from the Earth element, resulting in a comparable endurance-based strategy. The opposing team consisted of Kanaaq Miner, Dread Trafarian, and Time Bandit, but they were positioned differently, placing Kanaaq Miner in front instead of utilizing Vicious Quillion for backline support. At first sight, it was evident that my opponent had an edge in card levels since all of my units were only at level 1. This discrepancy could significantly impact stats and survivability. Despite that, I was certain that my team’s organization and collaboration could still create a chance for an unforeseen win. The issue was whether my stamina-focused team could withstand a superior squad or if strategic positioning and timing could tilt the fight in my advantage. Let’s analyze how the battle (frontier format) developed and whether the strategy could make up the gap in this exciting match phase.
As the match moved into Round 3, the momentum shifted in my direction when I quickly took out my adversary's Kanaaq Miner. This early elimination diminished the opponent frontline defense and provided a vital chance for me to concentrate on their Dread Trafarian. This change provided my team with a considerable edge in damage production and momentum. With fewer obstacles to contend with, my lineup gained better control of the battlefield. The match transformed from a test of endurance to a more tactical exchange.
When we entered the fatigue rounds, the conflict became fierce as both sides endured steady damage from the Global Warming effect. I was able to maintain a slight health lead over my opponent, which gradually became a crucial part element for victory. As the game continued, it became clear that I was in a stronger position. My team's set-up focused on stamina and recovery, allowing it to maintain sufficient health to survive longer than the enemy until exhaustion damage finally defeated the last units of opponent team. The opposing team faced quite unlucky as my edge was boosted (damage difference) by Vicious Quillion
Ultimately, this match demonstrated the power in (stats difference) of victory through effective positioning and tactical arrangement using Dread Trafarian and Time Bandit’s combination, even when up against adversaries with superior cards. Even with the statistical drawbacks, my carefully assembled team emphasized sustainability, purification, and stamina, demonstrating its strength against the challenges of Global Warming and Close Range regulations. It was a satisfying win that underscored both the significance of card power stats and the need for strategy in every encounter
A Big Thanks! For supporting me, being here, and coming this far. I hope this strategy assists you with some of your battles with these rule sets in modern format conclave and rebellion sets.
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