Ability Focus

For this week's Social Media Challenge, I would like to explore the OPPORTUNITY ability that has been around since the incorporation of the Splinterlands game.

The OPPORTUNITY ability provides monsters with the ability to attack from any position, specifically targeting the enemy monster with the lowest health. It is widely utilized in the game and this post aims to highlight the effectiveness and dominance of this ability in battle 👀

As of today, there are a total of 21 monsters with the OPPORTUNITY ability!

Below are some rulesets that I wish to highlight as they have a conflict with the OPPORTUNITY ability.

• Aimless - All units gain the Scattershot ability at the start of the battle.

• Super Sneak - All melee units gain the Sneak ability at the start of the battle.

• Target Practice - All ranged and magic units gain the Snipe ability at the start of the battle.

• Fog of War - All units lose the Sneak, Snipe and OPPORTUNITY abilities.

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ABILITY OVERRIDE CHART

I stumbled upon a valuable chart that seems to be less discussed within the community but is undoubtedly beneficial for new players who are learning and seeking a better understanding of the game. In the context of today's post, it becomes apparent that these rulesets mentioned take precedence over the OPPORTUNITY ability 😤

If a unit has different attacking abilities, some may override others. This chart explains the priorities between abilities:

The Battle

In my alt account, jimbei, I had the opportunity to participate in a battle that beautifully demonstrated the power and effectiveness of the OPPORTUNITY ability! 😍 To get right into the action, the battle link can be found here. Otherwise, do read on as I go into more detail regarding the lineup and fight.

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Let's start by examining the ruleset for this battle. The Silenced Summoners ruleset imposes limitations on summoners, preventing them from applying stat buffs, debuffs, or utilizing abilities. Furthermore, the What Doesn't Kill You ruleset bestows the Enrage ability upon all monsters. Lastly, the Are You Not Entertained ruleset allows for the inclusion of an extra Gladiator card in your lineup. The battle has a relatively high mana cap of 54, and only the Fire, Water, and Earth Splinters are allowed.

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Summoner, Kelya Frendul

Given the presence of the Silenced Summoners ruleset, the selection of a summoner is primarily based on the desired Splinter to be incorporated into the lineup. In this specific battle, I opted for Kelya Frendul as my summoner to fully utilize the potential of the Water Splinter in my strategy ✌️

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First Position, Baakjira

Is an introduction even necessary for Baakjira anymore? 😂 This formidable creature is undoubtedly the go-to choice for tanking, particularly in the highly competitive Diamond and Champions League tiers! I've opted to employ Baakjira as my primary tank in this battle, enabling my backline units to thrive. Baakjira boasts an impressive array of beneficial abilities, including Slow and Strengthen for buffs and debuffs. Additionally, its Void ability mitigates incoming magic damage, further fortified by a Healing ability! 💪

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Second Position, Kulu Mastermind - Kulu Mastermind was strategically positioned as the secondary tank in my lineup, ready to step in if, by any chance, Baakjira was defeated. This placement also facilitates the optimal utilization of Kulu Mastermind's Weapons Training ability, granting Baakjira half of its Melee attack. Furthermore, the inclusion of Kulu Mastermind was primarily motivated by its valuable OPPORTUNITY ability 👊

Third Position, Isgald Vorst - No Guild Brawl is complete without including a Gladius Card 😅 Isgald Vorst is a frequently chosen Gladius monster in the Water Splinter due to its affordable mana cost and its impressive destructive capabilities. The combination of the Bloodlust and OPPORTUNITY abilities works in perfect harmony, as it consistently targets the opposing monster with the lowest health, increasing the likelihood of defeating it and activating the Bloodlust ability for additional power-ups.

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Fourth Position, Deeplurker
Fifth Position, Runi

Both monsters were selected primarily for their OPPORTUNITY ability! Deeplurker is an essential addition to any Water Splinter lineup because of its potent Poison affliction, making it exceptionally lethal. Since Wave Brood, with its Taunt ability, is positioned last, I have strategically placed Runi in the fifth position to provide a Forcefield defense against potential Blast damage from the opponent 😝

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Last Position, Wave Brood

Similar to Baakjira, Wave Brood fulfills the role of a dependable backline tank in my lineup, thanks to its remarkable health pool and innate abilities such as Void and Return Fire. The Taunt ability possessed by Wave Brood directs all attacks towards itself, granting me greater control over the battle and safeguarding the backline monsters to unleash their assault with the OPPORTUNITY ability. 🤠

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The Analysis

Interestingly, my opponent made a similar choice by selecting the Water Splinter for this encounter, further demonstrating the popularity of the Water Splinter among players in Splinterlands. However, my opponent's downfall was the absence of a Wave Brood in their lineup, unlike the strategic inclusion of Wave Brood in my team. The absence of Wave Brood's Taunt ability left the opposing monsters vulnerable, and they were swiftly dismantled by my team consisting of OPPORTUNISTIC creatures. A noteworthy moment in this battle was when my Baakjira landed the final blow on Djinn Oshannus, resulting in a knockout 😂 The combined firepower of my team proved overwhelming for the opponent, and the battle concluded swiftly and decisively.

Do you guys have any better recommendations for setting up the team in this particular ruleset? Do share them with me in the below comments 😜

If you made it this far, I sincerely appreciate your time and value your encouragement. Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions so that we can discuss about other strategies. Thinking about giving Splinterlands a try but haven't signed up yet? Feel free to use my referral link: https://splinterlands.com?ref=ak08, and be sure to reach out to me if you have any questions!

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Are you interested in reading some of my future writings? Don't forget to follow me! In the meantime, here are some of my most recent blogs if you'd like to view them:

• Battle Mage Secrets - A battle analysis showcasing incredible synergy between DOCTOR BLIGHT AND BORN AGAIN RULESET (CONT'D)

• Social Media Challenge - A battle analysis showcasing incredible synergy between DOCTOR BLIGHT AND BORN AGAIN RULESET

• Battle Mage Secrets - A battle analysis featuring the EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ruleset.

• Social Media Challenge - A battle analysis, showcasing the DEMORALIZE ability!

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All banners, dividers card and battle images used in this article are open source and obtained from the Splinterlands team or made by flauwy. Do check out his link for other amazing designs.