Featuring Bronze League Summoner and Monsters in Action!
After a long break I think I'm back to posting, and this week it's a bronze brawl battle featuring The Even Stevens rule set. This was an interesting match that could have gone either way, and my light up was not optimal. I probably should have put a few cards in a different order which is uncommon for me. Let's take a look at what we did and what we can do better
CHALLENGE RULES
RULESET: EVEN STEVENS
Description: Only units with even mana costs may be used.
This rule does not apply to summoners.
Reasons Why I like it
I like playing The Even Stevens or odd ones out rule sets because it eliminates half of the cards. These rule says will sometimes dictate which splinter you pick simply because it has a tank heal card available while the others may be excluded. More often than not I'll start down a path only to realize the card I was going to use it was critical to my lineup is actually an available and I'll have to switch tactics halfway through my timer. I think it adds a nice little wrinkle especially since I don't have all the cards and their mana costs memorized.
The Matchup - Where Rules Sets, Splinters and Mana Collide
The Rule Sets
Watch the Match Here
https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sm_hsh4U7UxdSU3YEDp5SfL&ref=senstless
MANA: 36
Ruleset: Equalizer: All monsters start with the same health, based on the highest health in either team.
Ruleset: Even Stevens: Only monsters with even mana may be used.
Ruleset: Ferocity: All Monsters have the Fury ability.
SPLINTERS: Fire, Water, Earth, Life, Death, Dragon
Initial Rule Set and Mana Gameplay Thoughts
- Rulesets
This is another big rule set match. Having three rule sets really can make it difficult to think through the pros and cons of lineups before you start setting one up. Going from left to right, I don't think ferocity will have two big of an impact in my lineup other than I'll have to make sure not to use any monster that has taunt
The second rule set of having equalizer and having all monsters being equal in health means that tank healing is important as well as some of those smaller health cards now becoming much more useful as protectors or guards in the lineup.
Finally Even Stevens, I don't think it has as big of an impact as it might otherwise do to the fact that there are only two primary splinters in Earth and life. While dragon is available it would only add a few additional cards into the mix.
- Mana
36 minute is a sweet spot where most cards are available to be played while not allowing too many legendary cards in the mix. Not quite as important when you add equalizer rule set as you're able to add some difficulties to your opponent just from Total health. - Splinters
I can't really think that losing water fire or death has a major impact on this match. I feel that water and fire both sometimes benefit from having cards with lower health that can be double or triple teamed up on and your team can be eliminated either from travel or sneak/opportunity attacks. Death seems better suited for a higher match, I think some of their better cards are odd numbers and it might be difficult to fit a even team out on the field competitively.
Summoner OBSIDIAN
I figured that since death was not available to reduce magic attacks I might as well give myself a boost of the attack type that is the hardest to counter. There's just not that much void orFirst Position QUORA Showerhead
Good old Old faithful Quora, since there's no three men of martyr cards to boost it first, it ends up in first positionSecond Position FAILED SUMMONER
A card I haven't played for a while but have not forgotten. A favorite of mine in brawls given that it has the ability to reflect magic, and when it gets boosted to the max health it becomes even more powerful. Paired with a weapons training card it is going to get a substantial increase in its normal utility
Third Position MOXIAN REBEL
Weapons training plus magic equals a great use here. Normally it's health is a concern but given that it is also boosted then there's no real worry.Fourth Position CLOCKWORK AIDE
Usually I put this card at the rear guard with a weapon trainer to protect it, but for some reason today I decided to put it in this position. I think this was a mistake and would be better served putting it at the end, but either way adding a speed to all of my attacking monsters plus having 11 health, and a double-wielding attack of two magic and three arrows after getting the dual weapon trained is fun.Fifth Position AVA THE UNDAUNTED
Weapon training has really kind of broken the mold, and I find myself using dual weapon training more often than not. The ability to stack them with low mana non-attack cards just seems too convenient in My level to summoner setups.Sixth Position LURKERING PUFFER
I think this should be flipped and be in third position and not sixth, but it's okay here too. Only benefit it has here is that sneak attack cards will destroy any potential armor from the corrosive support.
Opponent Lineup & Match Play
Summoner OBSIDIAN
Looks like great minds think alike and they also went with the same magic boost.MYCELIC INFANTRY
Great traditional card, but very weak towards magic even with the health boost. Otherwise it's armor and shield does make it very formidablePRISMATIC ENERGY
One of my favorite cards from the beta days. I love getting it in Loveland it up they reflection plus magic attack was just too hard to pass upKATRELBA GOBSON
Double melee sneak attack card with bloodlust is always troublesome, and I don't have much protection it looks like this was a really smart game planGOBLIN PSYCHIC
Critical that they got tank Hill involved, as it will be able to heal most of their team for 3 to 4 health per round and that will make it more difficult to secure knockoutsVENARI SPELLSMITH
Good magic attacking card with dispel to remove any boosts from bloodlustFURIOUS CHICKEN
The OG mana card, the furious chicken is perfect in any lineup
Round 1
Round one starts and I am enjoying the speed boost and the attack order. While I do secure the first knockout of my cilic infantry, I have several cards that have taken significant damage and are unlikely to survive much into round two
Round 2
As around 2/3, things are not Quora and lurking puffer are looking vulnerable. I do manage to score a knockout on prismatic energy but I am then quickly knocked out by katelba triggering a bloodlust. Good news for me is that I have a lot of attacks left in round two to deliver some significant damage.
Round 3
Round three starts and trouble secures another knockout boosting their stats once again. Lucky for me while I only have four cars left, I have five attacks and two with magic. Halfway into the round I secure The knockout of the trouble and all but lock up a victory. Once they lose their double attacking heavy-hitting melee card it switches heavily into my corner.
Round 4
Around four doesn't look that bad until you figure in that I am doing 13 damage per round potentially while they are doing five, I think that's just too much to overcome. I quickly mow through goblin psychic and in the round with a three card advantage.
Round 5
It looks like I just need to put in work for a couple of rounds to secure my victory. I do manage to knock out the last attacking card of my enemy in round five foot won't have enough to push through all the health until around 6:00
Round 6
Pour chicken never stood a chance especially since it did not have an attack. I was able to mow through the rest of its health and close out the victory in round 6.
Thoughts - and Takeaways
Looking back I really should have had clockwork in the rear position to provide seven armor over the 11 health, versus lurking puffer that would have been just as good in place of clockwork aid. The biggest benefit that I had was having all of those weapon trainings cards be such heavy hitters allowing me to stack nine arrow damage on top of an additional four magic damage that otherwise would have been lost without weapons training. It was these boots that allowed me to pull through to a victory even with a suboptimal lineup
