very splinterlands player has that one ruleset they love or hate. For me, Going The Distance is firmly in the love-hate column. It's a ruleset that forces you to think differently because it disables the use of melee and magic monsters and leaves you with only ranged attackers. And if you don't know how to handle it, you're toast before the battle starts.
Everything about lineup composition changes when Going The Distance ruleset is in play. Tanks? Suddenly, a headache because most ranged monsters can't attack from the first position. Support monsters? Often fragile and vulnerable. And if you forget about Close Range monsters, you're in for a bad time. It's one of those rulesets that rewards preparation and punishes those who just throw cards into a lineup and hope for the best. But while it's restrictive, it's also one of the most satisfying rulesets to win. So when splinterlands announced this week's Ruleset Rumble, it was an easy choice for me to break down how I approach Going The Distance, the cards I rely on, and a recent battle where my strategy worked even against stronger opponents.
The Challenge of Going The Distance
Here's why Going The Distance makes battles tricky:
- You can only use ranged monsters.
- Ranged monsters can't attack from the front unless they have Close Range ability.
- Ranged attacks usually deal less raw damage than melee or magic.
So, you must get creative. Speed becomes essential, and you want your team firing first to cut down the enemy's attacks before they get going. Tanking becomes about finding ranged monsters with Close Range or using a sacrificial monster up front to soak hits while your backline destroys the opposition.
Why Fire Splinter is My Default Choice
In Going The Distance, I almost always default to the Fire unit. It's simply because Fire has solid options with the Close Range ability, which is crucial. My go-to summoner here is Pyre, who gives +1 speed to all monsters. Speed is critical in this ruleset. If you hit first, you might eliminate an enemy monster before it fires back. And in a low-mana cap match, every saved attack counts.
Battle Details
Here's the lineup I used recently in a Going The Distance match, which ended in a win despite facing stronger cards.
- Summoner: Pyre (+1 speed)
- Venari Marksrat: Placed in Position 1 purely to die early and trigger Martyr.
- Lava Launcher: My tank. A ranged monster that can attack from the front due to Close Range, plus solid armor, and damage.
- Pyrewatch Devil: Backline DPS with solid ranged damage.
- Kha'zi Conjurer: Another backline ranged attacker.
- Fire Demon: Ranged attacker with a powerful blast to damage secondary targets.
How the Battle Played Out
Going into the fight, I was nervous. The opponent was stacked with higher-level monsters. But placement wins battles more than raw stats. My opponent's lineup had some odd placements that wasted potential damage. Meanwhile, my plan worked perfectly:
- Venari Marksrat died early, boosting Lava Launcher's stats.
- Lava Launcher soaked damage while, my backline demolished the enemy's backline monsters before they could influence the fight.
None of my monsters died. It was as clean as a win gets. The opponent simply couldn't catch up once my backline started picking them apart. That's the power of a clear plan in Going The Distance.
Key Lessons for Going The Distance
Here's what I've learned from countless battles in this ruleset:
- Always check for Close Range monsters. If your front monster can't attack, you're finished once it slides forward.
- Use speed buffs. Striking first wins fights.
- Martyr. Something like Venari Marksrat can make a huge difference by powering up your tank.
- Know your splinters. Fire is my favorite because it has more Close Range options than most.
The ruleset might feel limited, but it's also a showcase of splinterlands' depth. When you're forced into only ranged attacks, you must think about positioning, abilities, and synergies you'd otherwise overlook.
Concluding Thoughts
Going The Distance isn't my favorite ruleset, but I do appreciate it. It forces you to adapt and rewards players who plan. For anyone struggling with it, my advice is simple: embrace the constraints, know your Close Range monsters, and prioritize speed. The battle I featured was proof that with good placement and selecting key monsters, you can beat stronger decks even when the rules are working against you.
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