Hey guys, it's Jakkal, and, while I am not entirely back to creating content, I will be periodically creating stuff again at a smaller scale to help those who are still here:
Recently, my Guild, @clanft-bank gained some new members who have joined for SPS Brawls, and we went up to Tier 2, where we are earning more, but facing more challenge: Many of our players needed to adapt to brawls and needed some strategies. In order to capitalize on this, the Clan and I will be writing a joint series of Strategies focused around Gladiator Cards, and Brawl Strategies for newer, smaller players in each league who are looking to play a bit more competitively.
We did Earth previously, so it's time for Fire, and we will move through each Splinter in Novice League before switching to Bronze League.
Fire's Gladiators are heavy hitting melee monsters for the most part, providing significant power in a wider range of mana points, Fire remains largely specialized to Melee in this sense, but has a significant power boost across all mana levels from a result of their relatively balanced Gladiators.
This also means that most of these Gladiators are usable, and don't have a 'clear winner' quite like Quora is for Earth most of the time.
This strategy guide will be for Novice players specifically, and assume all 1 BCX, I am NOT rating these cards for their additional abilities or levels, purely as is.
Chimney Wallstop | A Tier - He's a Wall that'll Stop your enemy dead
High Mana | High Damage | Position 2 Tank
Chimney Wallstop has NO business being a common card: But this is good for you guys in Novice! You'll likely have 1 very quickly! This man can only be rocked in high mana, but wow does he stomp and stop. A literal wall of health, this is a second Grum to back up your main Grum, because double Bloodlust is nasty af. He synergizes excellently with almost all Fire summoners, except Pyre, and he just is plain the strongest Reach monster you'll likely use in Fire. He has a LOT going for him, and his real limitation is just his mana.
He is best in Blast or Reverse Speed rulesets, where he hits either very hard, or very fast, and can make short work of many enemies, including Quora if played correctly!
Best Summoner: Tarsa, Jacek, OR Skargore (Because why choose?)
Avoid Using: In Unprotected Ruleset
Favorite Position: Play this bad boy in Position 2
Krash Wanderford | B Tier - The Fastest, Tankiest 4 Mana Fire has
Little League Tank | Swfitness | High Health, High Speed
Fire has a much more balanced selection of Gladiators: Make no mistake, even their non-attacker Gladiator is an absolute beast: Adding Swiftness to the team, and more speed and health than he has business having. This one is much more of a niche pick than Chimney, but he plays very well in Little League and with Jacek.
He is best in Little League, where he is a great main tank that adds speedy lethality to your other monsters.
Best Summoner: Jacek
Avoid Using: In Reverse Speed Ruleset
Favorite Position: I like to play this guy as a position 1 Tank, usually with sneak monsters in the back. Can also be used to counter sneak.
Sarius | D Tier - 2 Mana Range with very little Support
Ultra Low Mana | Okay HP | Okay Range
Honestly, this is a bad card at 1 BCX: You're playing a 1 mana cheaper card that's not even as strong or hearty as Scavo Firebolt... in a Splinter that is not known for rocking Ranged monsters or very many buffs for them...
She, as a 1 BCX, is really only useful in No Melee, and if you're playing her in No Melee... as Fire... you're kind of asking to lose.
Best Summoner: Pyre? I guess?
Avoid Using: Against Ilthain, Return Fire and in High-Mid Mana Battles ... and well, pretty much period.
Favorite Position: in my Unused Cards pile.
Orella Abadon | B Tier - Sarius, but useful and lower mana
Low Mana | Melee | Sneak
Orella is basically Sarius, but far better, for cheaper, and has much better synergy with its Splinter's summoners. With 2 Melee sneak, he is basically a stronger Kobold Miner, with access to Bloodlust, and can ramp up quick with Tarsa
He is best in Standard Rulesets and Equalizer rulesets, but can be used, and is often the main pick, in almost all Low Mana battles.
Best Summoner: Tarsa
Avoid Using: Against Mylor or Thorns Ruleset and in Opportunity Ruleset
Favorite Position: Usually position 4 or 5, with Tenyii and another monster eating any sneak attacks, and it being carefully nested between other monsters in front and behind to build up kills.
Gorth | B Tier - One Meaty Boy
High Melee | High Health
This card is underwhelming as an Epic at 1 BCX, and essentially acts as a more offensive replacement for Tusk the Wide, or as a meatier alternative to Septic Slime at 1 BCX. There's nothing wrong with him, he's still good, but at 1 BCX, he just isn't that big of a deal for Novice Frays: Use him if you want, or don't have a Grum/Tusk, but otherwise, you're probably having a better time rocking Chimney for 2 more mana, or the Legendary.
He is excellent in Melee Attack from Anywhere and Opportunity rulesets. As well as a nice usage in Poison to Cleanse with Scavo Chemist. Also good in Reverse Speed
Do NOT use her in Equalizer
Best Summoner: Tarsa or Jacek
Avoid Using: In Thorns Ruleset, Against Mylor, and in Equalizer
Favorite Position: He's usually limited to Position 1, but in Melee Attacks from Anywhere and Super Sneak, I put him in the middle to build up kills
Fina Voxom | A Tier - The All Rounder
High Damage | Melee Opportunity | Good Speed | Good Health
Arguably the best card out of the Gladiators, she is by far the most usable in almost every ruleset, and can be used in Low, Mid, or High Mana to great effect: Because of her Legendary status, many will not have her, but I would argue this is the card you want to lean towards if you own them all, with use-cases for Chimney Wallstop, Krash, and Orella in certain situations (Reverse Speed, Little League, and Very Low Mana respectively)
She is best in Standard ruleset.
Do NOT use her in Reverse Speed
Best Summoner: Tarsa or Jacek
Avoid Using: In Thorns Ruleset or against Mylor
Favorite Position: Anywhere except Position 1!
𝕊𝕚𝕘𝕟 𝕌𝕡 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕊𝕡𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕨!
Wanna join in on the Brawling? Play with me on Splinterlands! Not only that, you can JOIN MY GUILD:
We are currently looking for GF Bronze and GF Silver Brawlers!
if you use my link, here: https://splinterlands.com?ref=jakkal
I'll send you 500 DEC when you sign up and get a spellbook, (as long as you show up as referred) which should help you get started via renting! Also, feel free to message me, I can answer any questions, give tips, etc.
You ALSO get entered into every giveaway that I do, and sometimes I'll do special Referral only giveaways and delegations, which will be starting back up again soon as well!