Many of you likely already know this, but it is always worth reiterating whenever possible that the Survival event—featuring a 250K Glint prize pool for participants who complete 250 matches with a 50% win rate in manual brackets 1 through 5—is taking place once again. This is an event that Splinterlands players shouldn't miss, given the great opportunity to quickly upgrade their reward cards using the prize winnings.
With this Survival event in mind—as well as tournaments requiring cards from the Conclave Arcana collection—I decided to build a lineup focusing on the new "Bloodlines" mechanic in Splinterlands. This mechanic allows a Summoner with the Bloodline Dominion ability to select cards from other elements available in the match, provided they belong to the same bloodline; this opens up a wide variety of new strategic possibilities.
When looking at the Archon options that possess this ability—specifically the most affordable ones on the marketplace—we find Gorgug the Endless (Orc), Kavor Skarn (Dracoshan), Bella Ratajowlsk (Ulund), Fithe Bladestone (Dwarf), Razi Clanktrap (Gnome), and Kaylia Silverleaf (Elf).
Bella, for instance, grants Shield, though one of the most interesting Ulund cards already possesses Shield. As for the other Archons—aside from Kaylia—none have cards as interesting as the Dwarf's. Finally, the Elf bloodline has interesting cards overall, and Kaylia Silverleaf's ability is incredible; however, it costs basically double the others, and the Elf cards are expensive, too.
Among these options, the chosen Archon—and the one that, in my opinion, offers the best possible combos—is Fithe Bladestone from the Dwarf bloodline. Check out the possible strategies and the best cards for the Dwarf bloodline!
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Splinterlands Bloodline Strategy - Dwarf
Starting with the cornerstone of the strategy—the Archon with the "Bloodline Dominion - Dwarf" ability—we have Fithe Bladestone. Since my main goal for this season is to compete in the Survival Bracket I, I’ve focused on acquiring the cards at Level 1; if I decide to pursue higher brackets later, I’ll pick up more copies.
Fithe Bladestone is a Fire-element Archon, allowing him to use cards from that element. His "Bloodline Dominion" ability lets him field Dwarves from available elements, but since he is Fire-aligned, Fire Dwarves are highly likely to see frequent use in battle—so keep an eye on them, as well as the Neutral ones.
As for the abilities, they are perfect for defense, fitting the fantasy trope of Dwarves as stalwart defenders. The +2 Shield provides protection against melee and ranged damage, while the Void ability grants the Dwarves protection against magic. It’s great to be able to use cards in Splinterlands that are inspired by characters from famous stories like The Lord of the Rings.
The first unit I sought out on the marketplace—because it fits this strategy so well—was Swiftbeard Stout. Luckily, just when I was looking, there happened to be a level 1 card for $0.02, while the next cheapest was more than double that price; it was a stroke of luck, considering that same card now costs $0.079.
Its Taunt ability draws attacks, and Shield combined with Void allows it to withstand a lot of hits. Furthermore, at level 2, it gains Bloodline Tribute, which boosts the stats of other Dwarves by +1—a very interesting feature if I move up to Bracket II next season.
There were many other cards I considered essential, but the lowest buy-in price for a single BCX is far above the current bid and the lowest price-per-BCX; I waited to see if the prices would drop, but so far, they haven't. The first and most important one would be the Grimbardun Fighter; it would serve as a tank with Shield against melee and ranged attacks, plus the Void ability, making it extremely resilient.
Next, the Mana Warden would be interesting to use alongside the Drybone Megalodon or Doomshield Warden—which has Flank—allowing it to attack while granting Shield to those cards. There is also the Grayhammer Painsmith—a card I was surprised to discover is a Dwarf—which boasts great stats and the Close Range ability. For both of these, the cheapest BCX is nearly ten times more expensive.
Overall, I ended up quite happy with Fithe Bladestone and the other Dwarf Bloodline cards, because even without every key card, I’ve managed to secure a large number of victories. Interestingly, I recently pulled my first legendary using Glint, and it turned out to be Sten Saltehelm—a very versatile 2-mana card. It starts with 3 Shield (increasing to 5) and 4 HP, and eventually gains the Void ability...
So far, I don't own all the cards I’d like to have. Prices are quite high since they are new releases, and I dislike buying cards at peak prices—speaking from experience, having seen deck values drop significantly many times before.
That is the main reason I avoid rushing to acquire cards; instead, I cultivate patience to ensure a safety margin regarding price. This way, while I use them, they won't lose too much value due to the influx of cards from new sets and reward pools.
Below are a few battles where this card was used, in case you're interested in analyzing the strategy:
