Hey Splinter fam,
This is my third post in a row about Frontier… so yeah, I guess I’m liking this mode quite a bit 😆
Today’s post is part of the Engagement Challenge, and I want to focus on something more basic — something veteran players might take for granted but is super important for new players to really understand. Especially now that Frontier mode is open to everyone and doesn't hold your hand anymore.
When you first start playing, you go through the Campaign mode. That’s where you learn the ropes — the basic battle mechanics, like how mana caps work, how rulesets change the game, and what kind of units to put in each position. It’s a great intro and gets you up to speed. But once you finish that campaign?
Welcome to Frontier mode, where you’re thrown into the deep end. It’s exciting, but it can be challenging — especially for newer players who don’t yet understand how card levels and Archons work. That’s what I want to talk about today.
Why You’re Losing More in Frontier
At some point in your early matches, you’re going to notice other players are beating you with stronger versions of the same cards you own.
Like… wait… isn’t that the same Dread Tafarian I’m using? Why is theirs doing more damage?
Welcome to the leveling system in Splinterlands. And let me be honest — when I first started, this wasn't as intuitive as other card games I had played.
In Splinterlands, you don't just need one copy of a card to compete. You need multiple copies to combine them and increase their level. Higher-level cards often come with better stats, new abilities, or both.
But here's the catch — you can't just play high-level units right away.
It All Starts with Your Archon
Before you start buying and leveling up random units, the most important tip I can give you is this:
Level up your Archon first.
Seriously. If you don’t do this, your leveled-up units are useless in battle. Archons limit the level of cards you can bring into battle.
Let me show you an example.
Here are the stats for a Foundation Archon — this applies to all foundation archons (the ones you get early on). If you level your Archon to Level 2, you can use:
- Common cards up to Level 3
- Rare cards up to Level 2
- Epic cards up to Level 2
- Legendary cards up to Level 1
For a level 2 archon of the foundation set you need 5 copies of this archon.
So let’s say you buy a Level 4 Common Unit. If your Archon is only Level 2, that card will only count as Level 3 in battle. If you’re wondering why your units aren’t using their new ability — now you know why.
Small how to level up cards:
- Select cards you want to to combine
- Combine cards
As you can see i'm missing here one archon of this kind to level it up to level 2.
Why Archons Are More Expensive (and Worth It)
Now that you understand how important Archons are, it makes sense why they’re often more expensive than units on the market. You need them first to unlock your full team’s potential.
The grind to level up Archons is real though — you can earn them through Frontier mode, but it takes time and patience. And a bit of luck.
Right now, I’m playing on three accounts, and only the Archons I earn get transferred to my main account. All the units stay on my alts. But honestly? I still haven’t managed to level up even a single Archon yet 😅
So yeah — patience is key. Or, if you're feeling impatient, you can always buy them off the market to speed things up.
One Suggestion for the Devs…
Now don’t get me wrong — I love the grind, and I love that Splinterlands isn’t just “instant win” for new players.
But... for a brand new player who’s getting beat down in Bronze by veteran players with leveled-up decks, the road to competitiveness can feel pretty long. And that might make some players lose interest too early.
One thing I think could help is achievements or milestones — something that rewards players regularly, so they feel like they’re making progress even if they’re not winning yet.
Right now, even with three accounts, I’m mostly stuck in Bronze II or Bronze I. To move up, I need better units. But to use those better units, I need a better Archon. Classic cycle 😄
TL;DR
- Finish Campaign Mode to learn the basics.
- Frontier Mode is where the real game starts — no hand-holding.
- Understand the leveling system: cards must be combined to get stronger.
- But you need to level your Archon first — otherwise, stronger cards won't reach their full potential.
- Earning Archons is possible but slow — don’t be discouraged.
Achievements/progression rewards could really help new players feel more motivated.
That’s it for today, folks. If you’re grinding in Frontier too, let me know how your progress is going!
Until next time — may your draws be gold foil ✌️
See you all on the battlefield
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