Hi all,

Introduction

Another post in this series. Thank you for your support in the previous posts 😊

This series intends to determine if there are other aspects of cards that may contribute to increasing its value. Based on your feedback I can focus on more/other things – so feel free to tell me where you want me to go into further detail.
I include some analysis on where the cards fit in terms of gameplay, strategy, comparison with other cards, and a market analysis of its price. Feel free to suggest what more do you want me to look into in this series, and your support is much appreciated!
In this edition I will be looking at the Flame Monkey.

Gameplay Analysis

Flame Monkey is a Common Fire Support Monster from the Untamed Reward set in Splinterlands. As a low-mana utility unit, it provides valuable armor sustain and speed buffs, making it a strong pick for armor-based and speed-focused strategies in Fire teams.

Mana Cost: 1
Attack Type: Melee
Abilities by Level
Level 1: (No Abilities)
Level 5: Repair (Restores armor to a damaged ally, improving survivability against melee and ranged attacks)
Level 10: Swiftness (Increases the Speed of all friendly Monsters, helping with evasion and attack order advantage)

Level-Based Insights

Level 1: Serves as a cheap filler unit to absorb damage in Little League battles or low-mana matchups.
Level 5: Repair makes it useful in armor-based strategies, pairing well with tanks that rely on armor sustain.
Level 10: Swiftness gives an extra speed boost to the entire team, making it excellent in speed-based Fire lineups.

Comparative Analysis

How does this card compare to other similar ones?

Vs. Scorch Fiend (Fire - 0 Mana): Scorch Fiend is a zero-cost sacrifice unit, while Flame Monkey offers Repair and Swiftness, giving it greater long-term utility.
Vs. Furious Chicken (Neutral - 0 Mana): Furious Chicken is a disposable tank, while Flame Monkey provides armor sustain and team speed buffs at higher levels.
Vs. Halfling Alchemist (Neutral - 2 Mana): Halfling Alchemist weakens enemy attack, but Flame Monkey improves speed and armor sustain, making it better for defensive setups.

Key Takeaway
Flame Monkey is a low-mana Fire support Monster that becomes highly effective at higher levels due to Repair and Swiftness. It is a strong budget utility unit that enhances armor-based and speed-focused strategies.

Synergies

Tarsa (Fire Summoner): Boosts health and melee attack, making Flame Monkey slightly more durable.
Living Lava (Fire Tank): High armor tank that greatly benefits from Repair.
Forgotten One (Fire Melee): With Immunity, Forgotten One survives Poison rulesets, while Repair keeps its armor intact.
Quix the Devious (Dragon Summoner): Swiftness stacks with Quix’s Speed reduction, creating a massive speed advantage.

Ruleset Performance

✅ Favorable Rulesets:
Armored Up: Repair keeps armor intact, maximizing sustain.
Little League: Only 1 mana, making it a strong pick.
Close Range: Allows ranged Monsters to attack from the frontline, making Swiftness even more valuable for keeping speed advantage.

❌ Challenging Rulesets:
Unprotected: Disables armor, making Repair useless.
Reverse Speed: Swiftness backfires, making the team slower than opponents.
Noxious Fumes: Lacks Immunity, making it an easy target for Poison damage.

Market Analysis

Price Overview
Regular Foil: around $ 0.03
Gold Foil: around $ 3.7

Investment Potential
Flame Monkey is a low-cost but effective support card. At higher levels, it provides both armor sustain and speed advantage, making it useful in multiple Fire strategies. Its 1-mana cost ensures long-term relevance in mana-restricted battles.

Ratings

Usefulness: 8/10 (Excellent for armor-based and speed-focused strategies)
Cost-Effectiveness: 9/10 (Low cost, strong impact in Little League and sustain teams)
Versatility: 7.5/10 (Struggles in rulesets that disable armor or manipulate speed negatively)

Conclusion

Flame Monkey is a cheap yet effective Fire support Monster that offers Repair at Level 5 and Swiftness at Level 10. If you're looking for a low-mana utility unit to enhance armor sustain and speed advantage, it's a great addition to Fire-based lineups.

What do you think about this card? Do you use it in your lineups? Share your experiences in the comments and let me know which card you'd like me to analyze next!
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. 😊