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Introduction

This week will deep dive into Giant Killer. One that is good for me to investigate myself because i notice 9 out of 10 matches i totally ignore this skill is that good or bad....

With newer edition of splinterlands the mana of unit are getting higher so this ability is gaining in usefulness imo.

Ability

Does double damage against targets that cost 10 or more mana.

Standard damage to Units that cost 9 or less mana.

Official ability information from splinterlands: List abilities

Synergies / strategy

In general i like to use it more when there is a high mana battle. Most the time more units is better then one high mana unit. so with mana match <20 the change on a single 9+ mana unit is very small, so in that case i would never select a giant killer unit specifically for that ability.

Abilities benefits

Shatter - If you bring along a shatter shot unit, make sure it will attack fist so it has to have higher speed then you own giant killer unit. This Shatter will diminish armor ant the giant killer can do full damage
Taunt - a taunt unit can help to deviate the attack from you giant killer so it alive longer to inflict the extra damage.
Triage/Tank heal - depending on where your giant killer unit is place the healing can be important to keep it alive.

Ruleset benefits
Aimless - You can consider aimless benefits the giant killer because you might hit an high mana unit while its not in the front or normally the first unit that you would attack.

Select / favorite

Mine giant killer units with their stats:

This week it was for me a choice between Legionnaire Alvar or Swamp Spitter. I have chosen Swamp spitter because you can place it in the back so it can use the giant killer better. Legionnaire Alvar you most of the time need to place it in the first or second position with Possibilus the Wise then there is a risk your unit is already dead before it get to the giant if that is not in the first place.

Strategy

Medium to high mana battle so there is a higher chance that there will be some giants units.
No magic and with only common and rare its still challenge/risk.
So many units are unable to select so most of the time i will select the water splinter.

Rulesets

Silenced Summoners:
Summoner buff/debuffs are disabled.

Lost Magic:
No magic units may be selected.

Rise of the Commons:
Only common and rare units may be selected

The Lineup

Summoner

Card	Reason
	With the new ranked/reward chance this will be even more used now.... And even with Rise of the common the summoner may still be legendary.

Units Lineup

#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	#6

Diemonshark (lvl 8)
One of my favorite units strong attack with also retaliate massive

Flying Squid (lvl 10)
I expects some melee units so the blind is useful. Again high health with decent attack power.

Kulu Swimhunter (lvl 10)
Actually this should have been one spot in the back. Cheap unit with 4 damage.

Deeplurker (lvl 10)
Another unit that is one of my favorites the demoralize is important in this match because of the lost of magic. Then there is the poison almost of my matches this is the ability why i select it.

Supply Runner (lvl 8)
He made it in the team for the swiftness extra speed might help in miss chance calculation

Swamp Spitter (lvl 10 GF)
Star of this week. He made it in the team not only for the giant killer but also for the repair is important to buff the Diemonshark to give him some shields back.

The Battle

Reference

Link to the battle:
Link to battle

Rounds

Start :

Lets analyze the battle lineup. Lucky i see one giant that is important to kill quickly else it would reduce my damage. I got some faster units that first get rid of the 2 armor so my Swamp Spitter can do the maximum 8 damage.
The rest of the teams are pretty similar.
Important note is that the forcefield is only applied on the based damage not the giant killer buff!!

Round 1:

Here you see how important it is that you can hit first. Arkemis the Bear is dead before it could attack. This directly give me a advantage in the match.

Round 2:

Now its going quickly full team against a weakened team.

Round 3:

That was a quick match and most of it was determined in the first round by the Swamp Spitter.

Conclusion

As noted above its not one of my favorite abilities but in some battle can have a major impact.
What i do not like is that you depend on what your opponent selecting. I like more to be in control to determine more predictable, so buff my team or debuff my opponent on items you more certain of it will be in the battle e.g. demoralize with melee mayhem.

Previous ability strategy posts

Below you will find references to the other ability strategies / analysis posts.

Ability	post
Affliction	Ability post: Affliction
Amplify	Ability post: Amplify
Backfire	Ability post: Backfire
Blast	Ability post: Blast
Blind	Ability post: Blind
Bloodlust	Ability post: Bloodlust
Camouflage	Ability post: Camouflage
Conscript	Ability post: Conscript
Close Range	Ability post: Close Range
Cleanse	Ability post: Cleanse
Cripple	Ability post: Cripple
Deathblow	Ability post: Deathblow
Demoralize	Ability post: Demoralize
Dispel	Ability post: Dispel
Divine Shield	Ability post: Divine Shield
Dodge	Ability post: Dodge
Double Strike	Ability post: Double Strike
Enrage	Ability post: Enrage
Flying	Ability post: Flying
Forcefield	Ability post: Forcefield
Fury	Ability post: Fury
Giant Killer