
Ruleset Focus

In this week Battle Mage Secrets, we will dive into exploring the EVEN STEVENS
ruleset. There are no surprises with this ruleset; it simply mandates that only Monsters with EVEN
mana costs are permissible for battle. However, it's important to note that this regulation applies exclusively to Monsters and not to Summoners. A helpful tip to consider would be to familiarize yourself with the mana values of Monsters in the game, aiding in predicting your opponent's potential choices! 😁
The Battle
While fulfilling my responsibilities in the Splinterlands scholarship account I have with Balthazar, bltzr-wizard-729, I was able to engage in a battle that involves the EVEN STEVENS
ruleset. 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.

Let's start by examining the ruleset implemented for this encounter. It's a straightforward battle scenario with only a single ruleset. The ruleset governing this battle is none other than the highlight of today's challenge: the EVEN STEVENS
ruleset, which we've already discussed in the earlier section. The battle imposes a mana capacity of 48, and players are limited to employing solely the Fire and Death Splinters.

Summoner, Conqueror Jacek
Given that the ruleset permits only the utilization of the Fire and Death Splinters, I've chosen the Fire Splinter due to my possession of the Conqueror Jacek Summoner, which I believe will prove highly advantageous in this specific confrontation. Considering the presence of the EVEN STEVENS
ruleset, I've concluded that the Fire Splinter offers a more formidable array of Monsters suitable for this engagement. Leveraging Conqueror Jacek's +2 Speed boost, Scattershot, and Piercing abilities, my strategy is geared towards swiftly overpowering the opponent! ✌️

First Position, Arkemis The Bear
To begin, I've opted for an exceptionally sturdy tank in the form of Arkemis The Bear. It's truly delightful to have this Monster available, given its association with the Neutral Splinter and its Common rarity. In situations where mana restrictions aren't an issue, Arkemis The Bear often earns a regular place in my roster. The Monster possesses impressive abilities such as Protect, Halving, Forcefield, and even Enrage 💪

Second Position, Molten Ash Golem
Strategically, I've positioned the Molten Ash Golem as the second member of my lineup, serving as a backup tank should my Arkemis The Bear be defeated. When advancing to the first position, the Monster can maintain its Range attack thanks to its Close Range ability. Additionally, the Molten Ash Golem plays a vital role in applying debuffs to the opposing team. With its Weaken ability, it lowers the Health of the opponent's monsters by -1, while its Demoralize ability reduces their Melee attack by -1 🤝

Third Position, Magi Of Chaos
I've included the Magi Of Chaos in my lineup due to its reasonably strong Health stats for a Magic unit. This enables the Monster to advance along the frontline should other tankers falter. With an EVEN
mana cost of 6, the Magi Of Chaos boasts 4 Magic attack, 2 Speed, and an admirable Health stat of 7. While the Oppress ability may not appear particularly useful in this battle, as I do not foresee the opponent deploying Monsters with no attacks, its presence still adds a strategic element to my lineup! 🙃

Fourth Position, Supply Runner
The Supply Runner is undoubtedly a popular choice among the Neutral Splinter monsters. I opted to include it in my lineup for this battle to enhance my team's Speed. The Supply Runner's Swiftness ability was instrumental in achieving this goal. Moreover, the Strengthened ability provided a significant advantage by granting a +1 Health boost to the lineup. This proved especially beneficial for certain monsters with lower Health, ensuring they remained resilient throughout the battle 😤

Fifth Position, Scavo Firebolt
Scavo Firebolt stands out as a cost-effective yet formidable Monster originating from the Fire Splinter. With an EVEN
mana cost of 4, the Monster boasts 4 Range attack, 4 Speed, and an impressive 6 Health. The Scavo Firebolt possesses the Knock Out ability, capable of dealing double damage to target Monsters that are stunned. However, in this specific encounter, I lack a Monster capable of applying the Stun status to the enemy! 😅

Last Position, Countess Sinash
Countess Sinash emerges as the standout Most Valuable Player (MVP) in this battle, showcasing an array of impressive abilities. Despite the Opportunity ability being nullified by Conqueror Jacek's Scattershot, it remains a formidable force, wreaking havoc with its random attacks on the opponent's backline. Furthermore, the Swiftness ability contributes to enhancing the team's speed. However, the highlight ability from this Monster is the Blast ability, dealing extra damage to Monsters adjacent to the target! 😎
The Analysis

Considering the limited range of Splinters available for this battle, it came as no surprise when the opponent opted for the Fire Splinter, even selecting Conqueror Jacek as the Summoner. This choice underscores the mutual belief that both the opponent and I share in the suitability of Conqueror Jacek and the Fire Splinter for this encounter governed by the EVEN STEVENS
ruleset! 🤣
Examining the lineup of Monsters, there is minimal distinction between the two teams, aside from my deployment of the Magi Of Chaos while the opponent opted for the Venari Spellsmith, which slightly tilts the strength in my favor.
Nevertheless, in battles involving Conqueror Jacek and the Scattershot abilities, success heavily hinges on luck, as attacks randomly target Monsters on the battlefield. Fortunately, I managed to swiftly eliminate the opponent's Arkimis The Bear early in the battle, providing me with the opportunity to secure victory in this EVEN STEVENS
battle! 🤗
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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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.