Ruleset Focus
In this week's Battle Mage Secrets, we shall dive into the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset. In this set of rules, all monsters commence the battle already afflicted with POISON. This concept bears some resemblance to the Earthquake ruleset, wherein most monsters suffer 2 damages per round. However, there's a crucial distinction; unlike the Earthquake damage, which can be mitigated using armor, POISON damages directly chips away at a monster's Health stats 😵
Abilities Focus
POISON status or even nullify the effects of POISON damage completely! Be sure to keep an eye out for these creatures to effectively navigate the challenges of the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset!
This ability can only trigger once per battle.
Summoner, Sacred Llama Mage
In the presence of the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset, which inflicts POISON on all monsters at the beginning of the battle, the Sacred Llama Mage distinguishes itself as the sole Summoner with a unique trait: it possesses the Cleanse ability, which enables the Summoner to perform the Cleansing upon the first friendly team member at the outset of each turn. This ensures a consistent stream of Cleansing throughout the battle! 😆
The Battle
In my alt account, jimbei, I was able to engage in a battle that involves the NOXIOUS FUMES 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 begin by analyzing the ruleset governing this battle. The focus of this week's challenge is the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset, which we've already explored in detail above. Additionally, there's the Little League ruleset, which permits the use of only Monsters & Summoners costing 4 Mana or less. Lastly, we have the Close Range ruleset, allowing the utilization of Ranged attacks in the first position during this encounter. It is also important to note that this battle imposes a mana limit of 57 and prohibits the utilization of the Water, Earth, and Death Splinters.
Summoner, Quix The Devious
Considering the presence of these battle rulesets, it becomes apparent that selecting Quix The Devious is the optimal decision for this engagement. The Dragon Splinter boasts a selection of highly suitable monsters for this scenario. Especially in battles featuring the Close Range and Little League rulesets, having a team capable of swiftly launching their attacks, taking advantage of the typically low health of most creatures, is advantageous. Therefore, the significance of Quix The Devious's -1 Speed and -1 Range debuffs in this specific lineup cannot be overstated ✌️
First Position, Xenith Monk
Xenith Monk frequently makes an appearance in the Little League ruleset. With a mana cost of 4, it serves as a dependable tank, boasting commendable statistics including 2 Melee attack, 4 Speed, and a robust 8 Health. What sets the Xenith Monk apart is its formidable presence against opposing Magic monsters, thanks to its possession of the Void and Magic Reflect abilities. Additionally, the Xenith Monk's Heal ability further solidifies its role as a remarkably durable tank 💪
Second Position, Twilight Basilisk
Priced at 4 mana, the Twilight Basilisk perfectly aligns with the requirements of the Little League ruleset. This formidable creature boasts impressive attributes, including 3 Melee attack, 4 Speed, 2 Armor, and 5 Health. Notably, its Reach ability allows it to launch Melee attacks from the second position. The Stun ability adds another layer of devastation, particularly in the context of the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset, where the Stun effect can potentially obstruct the target monster from healing independently 😝
Third Position, Scavo Chemist
The Scavo Chemist plays a crucial role by applying vital debuffs like Headwinds, which significantly hampers the effectiveness of Ranged units, particularly when paired with Quix The Devious's -1 Range debuff. Moreover, the Slow ability contributes to the overall Speed advantage enjoyed by my team over the opponent's. Notably, the Scavo Chemist's standout feature is its Cleanse ability, enabling it to remove the POISON status from the first monster in my lineup which is critical in the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset! 😇
Fourth Position, Dhampir Infiltrator
Dhampir Infiltrator is a popular selection in encounters governed by the Little League ruleset. It stands as an extraordinarily aggressive unit, proficient in swiftly dispatching foes from the enemy's rear positions. Armed with both Double Strike and Sneak abilities, the Dhampir Infiltrator is capable of destroying the enemy's backline. Given the influence of the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset in this battle, my intention is to distribute damage across the opponent's ranks, hoping that the POISON damages would do the rest 😌
Fifth Position, Naga Assassin
The Naga Assassin is renowned for its exceptional speed, making it an impressively fast monster. I strategically placed it in the "last" position to fully leverage its Backfire ability, causing damage to any enemy monster that fails to land an attack while attempting to Sneak on the Naga Assassin. Moreover, its Swiftness ability enhances the team's overall speed, heightening the likelihood of the opposing monsters missing their mark in battles 👊
Last Position, Venator Kinjo
In this battle, especially under the influence of the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset, selecting Venator Kinjo proves to be a prudent decision due to its Immunity ability. I tactically stationed this creature at the farthest end of the lineup, where it concealed itself with the Camouflage ability, silently observing as the enemy monsters succumbed to the persistent POISON damage with each passing round. This strategy allowed me to secure victory by essentially outlasting all opposition. Furthermore, its Slow ability perfectly complements my overarching strategy of maintaining a swifter pace than my adversary 😉
The Analysis
When the battle is being governed by rulesets such as the NOXIOUS FUMES and Little League, my expectations were set for a battle that would be concluded quickly. Little League typically means that the monster available would be of lower Health, and the NOXIOUS FUMES ruleset with the 2 POISON damages during each round is equivalent to a critical blow for most creatures 😰
The battle unfolded as per my strategy, where I assembled a versatile team capable of addressing various aspects of the battle, anticipating the enemy's tactics. The Xenith Monk, equipped with Magic Reflect ability, effectively countered the enemy's Time Mage by inflicting return damage. Meanwhile, the Naga Assassin's Backfire ability punished the enemy's Stitch Leech when it misses its Sneak attack. Simultaneously, my Dhampir Infiltrator executed Sneak attacks on the enemy's backline, dealing substantial damage to their Venari Crystalsmith. These initial blows paved the way for the subsequent POISON damage, which swiftly decimated most of the enemy's lineup within the very first round 🤙
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!
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:
 |  |
 |  |
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.