In Splinterlands, there are several ways to obtain cards for free just by playing the game, allowing you to upgrade your deck over time by combining the cards you collect into stronger versions.
Among the options I recall, the primary one is the Glint Store. The cards available as Glint Store rewards change periodically whenever a new card collection is added to the game. As the name implies, these are obtained using Glint—a token you earn simply by playing matches, participating in events, and engaging with the game's various modes.
In Survival mode, one of the participation or leaderboard rewards is an exclusive card: the Darkguard Hellion. It becomes very powerful at higher levels—though reaching that point takes a long time—and currently trades at an attractive price, making it a good candidate to swap for other, cheaper cards.
Finally, there is a set of cards obtainable for free simply by participating in Guild Brawls; these belong to a unique collection known as "Eternal." These are the Gladiator cards, which can only be used during brawls—either with specific Summoners capable of fielding them or under specific rulesets that allow their use.
We’re going to take a closer look at this last set of cards. Recently, while opening some Gladius Cases—the packs containing these Gladiator cards—I managed to upgrade three Gladiators to levels where they became significantly stronger. A special shout-out goes to Relenor Cleaver!
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3 Major Gladiator Upgrades in Splinterlands
Starting with the two Gladiators that were upgraded—though they aren't used quite as often as the final one on the list—we begin with the simpler of the pair: Hugo Strongsword. This is a highly situational card, best used when the match ruleset allows Gladiators and there is a high probability of the opposing team fielding melee units—whether based on the opponent's match history or a specific ruleset that favors melee attacks.
The reason is simple: Hugo Strongsword possesses the Shield ability, which halves incoming physical damage. Additionally, he can heal himself—an ability that becomes even more effective now that he has 7 HP. Finally, as a Gladiator, he also has Bloodlust, which boosts his stats whenever he eliminates an opponent.
Next up is a card I have some mixed feelings about. The card in question is Sarius; upon reaching level 5, it gained a very powerful ability: Poison. When an opponent is struck by this card, there is a chance they will be poisoned and begin losing HP over time—a truly potent ability.
My uncertainty lies specifically with the Poison mechanic itself. I’m not entirely sure, but if a card has Bloodlust—like the Gladiator cards or via a match ruleset—and also possesses Poison (like Sarius), does it trigger Bloodlust if the enemy is defeated by the Poison effect rather than a direct attack?
Finally, there is the card that impressed me the most out of the three Gladiators and deserves special attention, as I can already picture a perfect combo for it. This card is Relenor Cleaver; it’s an excellent choice for the second position thanks to the Reach ability and powerful stats—acting as a sub-tank with 9 Shield and 7 HP, plus over 5 melee damage to help trigger Bloodlust.
In my opinion, the card undergoes a complete transformation at Level 5. That’s when it gains the Inspire ability, granting +1 melee attack to all allies—bringing its own attack up to 6. But the best part is that all other allies also get that melee boost, which pairs perfectly with Possibilus the Wise (who grants Trample). That +1 attack for cards like Deeplurker and Kulu Mastermind can make them incredibly strong, allowing them to trigger Trample more frequently.
