This week's Splinterlands Challenge of the Week was to showcase the Lone Boatman from the Life Splinter
This is a decent card - with Snipe and repair, reasonable damage, but not so strong on speed or health, although the shields are useful.
I've nothing against the Lone Boatman, but I didn't get to play much in the last couple of seasons so I'm lower down the leagues and all the battles I've played featuring this card are carnage battles in which I just rinse my opponent due to my superior deck, hardly worth showcasing so I won't (unlike far too many people)
Instead I present a battle with the Earth Splinter against an equal strength opponent featuring both Snipe and Repair with the Opportunity ruleset - so playing to the same strengths as the Lone Boatman, just across two cards!
The battle below features a classic line up featuring the Elemental, in which I win against a higher powered deck.
The Rule Set and Line Up
- Mana 40
- Ruleset - Opportunity - I thought snipe and shileds/ repair would compliment this nicely!
Summoner - Sacred Llama Mage - for the increased health - useful for opportunity
- Lord A - always useful as a tank
- Failed Summoner - a useful low mana high health card and second tank
- Flesh Golem - well suited to opportunity
- Centauri mage - very useful for opportunity!
- Spirit of the Forest - shields, snipe and tank heal
- Tower Griffen - more shields and my lowest health opportunity feint.
Did my strategy work?
Beautifully, to see it in action click here!
- Round 1 - We trade blows, no losses, one miss on the TG thanks to the flying
- Round 2 - I lose my TG, he loses his Mushroom.
- Round 3 - I lose my Failed Summoner, but that's sort of what he's there for, he loses his Spirit of the Forest, which most definitely was not plan!
- Round 4 - A picture speaks more than words at this point: notes how I've got 4 very high health monsters, perfect for opportunity, especially when Lord A is now the main attack target! Unlike my opponent, who loses his Javelin Thrower this round
- Round 5 - He loses his remaining sniper, thanks to the clear health differentials meaning all my opportunity attacks are focussed. Centauri Mage is now soaking up the attacks
- Round 7 - I finally lose my mage.
- Rounds 8-10 - thanks to the Golem's self heal the Hydra's attacks are split between lord A and the Golem
- Round 10 - by now it's one monster for him and three for me, game over!
A few thoughts on an 'opportunity strategy'
Snipe tends to work well with opportunity - it can serve to guide those opportunity attacks
Repair is also useful, combined with lots of shields, as opponents are more likely to play melee and ranged than just magic.
I always try to pick monsters with similar health and decent healing, a mixture of tank heal and self-heal is best, this means it's more likely that the opportunity attacks will be spread out.
I would usually play Triage, but lower down the leagues that ability is harder to find!
The Sacred Llama mage of course - for plus two health, most useful!
I also think the Tower Griffen worked well here - not only extra shields, but also the lowest health monster with flying - which attracted two missed attacks, nice!
In retrospect I should have used my own Hydra, that's an awesome opportunity (and last stand) card!
If you don't yet play Splinterlands, why not give it a go?
Anyone using my referral link will receive a free rare card!
