Catotune's Top Battles Rundown: Diamond league, Modern format - Jan 6, 2026

In this series, I analyze the top battles of the day to reveal which summoners and monsters are most successful for a given league and format. What better way to improve our Splinterlands skills than to study what the best players are doing?

For those of us who buy, rent, or rent out cards, I'm also hoping that this series can inform us of which cards to acquire for maximum effectivenes.

Stay tuned for a new report to be published daily, each covering the top battles for a different league and format!

For simplicity I threw out matches ending in draws and surrender - all data is compiled from wins and losses. Here are the results from 123 of the top Diamond league (modern format) battles from Tuesday, January 6, 2026:

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Thanks for hearing me out, and now back to our regularly scheduled program:

Monsters with highest win rate

1. Forked-Tongue Sage - Fire splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [5/5]
   

   
   
   Forked-Tongue Sage is a Rare monster card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   The card at level 8 was most successful in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, being a member of the victorious team for all 5 games in which Forked-Tongue Sage appeared.
   • You could take a look at Hive account@zlomindj's battle to learn how they produced a win using this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Forked-Tongue Sage card is $0.25 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Kaori Matsune - Neutral splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Kaori Matsune is a Legendary monster card from the 18 edition.
   The card at level 3 was most successful in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, finding itself on the victorious team for all 2 games in which Kaori Matsune appeared.
   • To understand the strategy of a top player, see Hive account@gaudge's battle history, where they won 2 games with this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Kaori Matsune card is $4.20 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Chuma Marandu - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Chuma Marandu is a Legendary monster card from the 18 edition.
   The card at level 4 was most successful in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, finding itself on the winning team for all 2 games in which Chuma Marandu appeared.
   • You may want to watch Hive account@cluever's battle history to see how they beat their foe using this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Chuma Marandu card is $4.60 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning monsters with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any monsters already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Dar 'Gottem' Gearnut - Life splinter
   Win rate: 83.33% [10/12]
   

   
   
   Dar 'Gottem' Gearnut is a Legendary monster card from the Promo edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 had the most success, being a member of the victorious team for all 10 games where Dar 'Gottem' Gearnut triumphed.
   • Dar 'Gottem' Gearnut did best when placed at the front of the team, where it saw 10 wins.
   • You may want to study Hive account@roguepatton's battles to see how they accomplished 4 wins using this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}.
   • The lowest price for a Promo edition Dar 'Gottem' Gearnut card is $16.99 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Kha'zi Conjurer - Fire splinter
   Win rate: 76.92% [10/13]
   

   
   
   Kha'zi Conjurer is an Epic monster card from the 13 edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 6 achieved the most success, finding itself on the victorious team for 9 games.
   • Kha'zi Conjurer performed ideally when positioned in the team's rear, where it saw 8 wins.
   • You may want to watch Hive account@zlomindj's battles to learn how they achieved 2 victories with this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a 13 edition Kha'zi Conjurer card is $0.88 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Sylvaran Sentinel - Earth splinter
   Win rate: 73.33% [11/15]
   

   
   
   Sylvaran Sentinel is an Epic monster card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 6 had the most success, finding itself on the victorious team for all 11 games where Sylvaran Sentinel triumphed.
   • You could take a look at Hive account@erikcondoin's battles to see how they pulled off 2 wins with this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the What Doesn't Kill You ruleset, Sylvaran Sentinel saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Sylvaran Sentinel card is $0.78 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Summoners with highest win rate

1. Prunda Undervesch - Life splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Prunda Undervesch is a Common summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 10 was most successful in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, winning all 2 games in which Prunda Undervesch appeared.
   • It could be enlightening to see Hive account@erikcondoin's battle history, where they won using this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Prunda Undervesch card is $0.30 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Zeddica - Water splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Zeddica is a Common summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 10 was most successful, winning all 2 games in which Zeddica appeared.
   • You may find it enlightening to take a look at Hive account@lildeb's battle history, where they won with this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Zeddica card is $0.34 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Chuul Jujinchi - Earth splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [1/1]
   

   
   
   
   Note that while this card has a 100% win rate, it is based on only 1 match.

   Chuul Jujinchi is a Common summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 7 was used in a single battle by Hive account@teut, which it won.

   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Chuul Jujinchi card is $0.35 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning summoners with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any summoners already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Fithe Bladestone - Fire splinter
   Win rate: 64.71% [11/17]
   

   
   
   Fithe Bladestone is a Rare summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   The card at level 8 had the most success in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, winning all 11 games where Fithe Bladestone won.
   • You may want to watch Hive account@zlomindj's battles to learn how they pulled off 2 wins using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the Lost Legendaries ruleset, Fithe Bladestone won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Fithe Bladestone card is $0.98 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Sheng Xiao - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 64.29% [9/14]
   

   
   
   Sheng Xiao is a Legendary summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 had the most success, winning all 9 games where Sheng Xiao triumphed.
   • You could watch Hive account@lamentatorkid's battles to learn how they pulled off 2 wins using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the Earthquake ruleset, Sheng Xiao won 3 times.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Sheng Xiao card is $12.40 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Bella Ratajowlski - Life splinter
   Win rate: 63.16% [12/19]
   

   
   
   Bella Ratajowlski is a Rare summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   The card at level 8 had the most success during the top Diamond league (modern) battles today, winning all 12 games where Bella Ratajowlski triumphed.
   • You may want to see Hive account@lamentatorkid's battle history to learn how they pulled off 2 victories using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the Fog of War ruleset, Bella Ratajowlski won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Bella Ratajowlski card is $1.77 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Splinters with highest win rate

1. Life
   Win rate: 63.41% [26/41]
   

   
   
   Life splinter had the most success against Earth, beating that element 7 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter was effective with the Thick Skinned ruleset, where Life emerged victorious 3 times.

   • Life splinter held its own in high mana cap battles (greater than 56 mana), winning 9 of those matchups.
     
     

2. Fire
   Win rate: 55.17% [16/29]
   

   
   
   Fire splinter had the most success against Death, beating that element 5 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.
   • This splinter performed well with the Noxious Fumes ruleset, where Fire won 2 times.
     
     

3. Earth
   Win rate: 54.90% [28/51]
   

   
   
   Earth splinter had the most success against Earth, beating its own element 9 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.
   • This splinter performed well with the No Pain, No Gain ruleset, where Earth prevailed 3 times.
     
     

Final thoughts

Please feel free to leave me feedback in the comments. If you are new to Splinterlands, then please consider using my referral link to get started! It is a ton of fun to play, and you can earn SPS and win NFT cards every day!

If you want to know where to buy or rent any of the cards listed in this report, I personally like Monster Market (not a referral link), a 3rd party marketplace that has a great user interface and pays you DEC back on purchases.

- Catotune