The thing no one tells you when you start splinterlands is that you are not just learning a card game. You are learning about the Hive crypto ecosystem, as splinterlands is an integral part of it. Therefore, there is a lot to take in at first: tokenomics, rentals, guilds, staking, rule sets, card editions, so it is easy to be overwhelmed. But if you push through the initial overwhelm, the game turns into one of the deepest experiences out there in Web 3 gaming. In my close to 5 years (I discovered splinterlands in July 2020 during the pandemic) playing splinterlands, I have played enough battles, made enough mistakes, and wasted enough DEC to have a few things worth sharing. This post will cover some of the biggest hurdles I hit and the advice I would give my past self or anyone starting today.
Join a Guild Immediately
This is the single piece of advice I wish I had taken sooner. I went solo for months because I thought guilds were just for competitive players in Diamond and Champion or whales with huge collections. Huge mistake. Being in a guild gives you access to the guild store and gives you another opportunity to earn Gladius cards. Without these cards, you are missing a whole slew of cards that bring another element of strategy and depth to the gameplay. Guild brawls also earn you merits, SPS, and crowns for your guild. It is an opportunity to earn more earnings and better cards.
My advice: even if you are brand new, join a Level 3 guild. The bonuses are small but real. You will get DEC boosts, discounts in the shop, and another opportunity to find like-minded people who may answer initial questions about the game, which should give you a reason to stick with the game when the learning curve feels brutal in the beginning.
Do Not Cheap Out On Summoners
My single biggest learning curve in splinterlands has been summoners. They are the absolute backbone of the game. The mistake I made in the beginning was wasting money on purchasing low-level summoners, which was a terrible waste of money. A summoner caps the level of the monsters you can play. Therefore, you can have a max-level monster, but if your summoner is under-levelled, then the max-level monster is nerfed down to the relevant cap level. It is like buying a Ferrari and finding out the garage installed a 50 km/h speed limiter.
It took me losing a winnable battle to realize that even spending a few more DEC on higher-level Summoners pays itself back through better win rates, higher leagues, and bigger rewards. The impact is game-changing.
If you are new, pick at least three splinters to focus on and rent or buy strong summoners for them. You do not need all five elements at once, but do not go cheap on the summoners you choose.
Spend Your Glint
I kept thinking I would save up a mountain of glint to make one big purchase. The flaw? Every day I sat on unspent glint, I missed cards I could have been using to win battles and earn rewards. Opportunity cost is real in splinterlands. Whether it is new cards, Gladius cases, or even minor loot chests, I would spend your Glint. The sooner you add strong cards to your deck, the sooner you start earning back the investment. Saving up the glint feels like you are working towards something, but accomplishes nothing, while the opportunity cost becomes real.
Neutral Cards Are the Swiss Army Knife of Splinterlands
When I started playing, I underestimated neutral cards. I thought sticking to splinters was enough. Neutral cards like Lord Arianthus and Gelatinous Cube are absolute lifesavers. They fit into almost any lineup, fill gaps in strategies, and keep you competitive when rule sets limit your options. The list can go on forever, but to name a few other than the two I have mentioned above - Venari Marksrat, Legionnaire Alvar, etc.
My advice: always allocate part of your budget to important neutral cards. They are the insurance policy you will lean on far more often than you would expect.
Rent Everything First
This one sounds obvious, but I ignored it at first: never buy cards blindly. Rent them first. I have wasted DEC and sold cards at a loss because I thought a card looked great on paper. Then I would play it and realize it did not fit my style or was underwhelming in actual battles. Nowadays, I rent any card I am tempted to buy. I test it in multiple rule sets and mana caps. Only if it performs do I consider buying it outright.
Do not Buy Packs - Buy Singles Instead
This is coming from someone who, in late 2021, early 2022, went on a journey to open one thousand Chaos Legion packs, which resulted in almost $4k loss. If you only take one advice from this -- do not buy packs, it's pure gambling. You will often pull cards you cannot use or duplicates you cannot sell, and if you do sell, it will be at a loss. Buying singles from the market ensures you get exactly the cards you need for your collection. It is cheaper, smarter, and accelerates your progress.
Get Involved Outside the Game
One thing I never saw coming when I signed up for splinterlands -- how much my knowledge of crypto and the Hive ecosystem increased. Before discovering splinterlands, I casually knew about crypto. Nowadays, I am posting content on topics that interest me, such as #defi and #crypto, joining contests, commenting, and engaging in the community. This has all helped me to grow my Hive account, which would not have been possible if I had not discovered splinterlands and learn more about it and the Hive ecosystem.
Concluding Thoughts
The biggest hurdle is realizing that splinterlands is not just a card game. It is a multi-faceted game with many systems within it, and this can be overwhelming to many players starting. If I were speaking to my past self, I would say: join a guild, spend Glint, do not cheap out on summoners, rent before buying, and pace yourself. The early days are confusing, but once the pieces click, you will see why so many of us cannot put this game down.
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