Today's ruleset is a high level favorite that hearkens back to the earliest days of Splinterlands, before the Trample ability was nerfed into its current form.
Lovingly known by its fans as Infinite Trample, this ruleset was specially requested by Aggroed for many months until it was finally added to the list on January 16th 2021, along with Equal Opportunity and Noxious Fumes, which will be the topics of the next two ruleset strategy guides.
Stampede
I like to think of Stampede as a sort of designer ruleset. Like a fine wine, it can only be appreciated by true Splinterlands snobs for whom the delight of beating the pants off their opponent is greater even than the desire to win consistently. Oftentimes if you wish to trigger the characteristic infinite Trample of the ruleset, you must take even greater risks by going out of your way to use specific monsters with the Trample ability. But I'm here to tell you that it's worth it when you see your Exploding Dwarf mowing down an entire team in a few blinks of an eye or your Silvershield Knight doing all the work and then laughing arrogantly in your imagination. The thrill of infinite Trample is sweet, and you'll be absolutely tickled and assured victory if you can make it happen.
Trample is Scarce
There aren't a huge number of cards out there with the Trample ability, and even fewer at low levels. In fact, there isn't a single level 1 card in the game with the Trample ability, so in most cases, Novice and Bronze League players need not apply for Stampede. Below is a list of every card with Trample and the level at which it is gained.
- Exploding Dwarf - Level 9/10
- Giant Roc - Level 6/10
- Magnor - Level 3/4
- Molten Ogre - Level 6/10
- Frost Giant - Level 2/4
- Oaken Behemoth - Level 4/4
- Rexxie - Level 4/10
- Sacred Unicorn - Level 3/4
- Silvershield Knight - Level 8/10
- Undead Rexx - Level 5/10
- Hydra - Level 4/4
- War Chaang - Level 4/6
Fire is Tramplicious
As you can see from the list above, your best chances of hitting the money in Stampede are playing with the Fire Splinter, which contains four Trample cards, compared to two at most from any other Splinter. I like to use a combination of 2 or 3 of the Fire Trample cards when making teams in the Stampede Ruleset for the best chances to hit the Trample jackpot.
First, the Exploding Dwarf (only possible at Diamond and Champion), which requires some delicate planning to ensure that he is not destroyed immediately by some quicker monster on the enemy's team. Usually a double speed buff works for this, some combination of slowing the enemy (like with Creeping Ooze) and speeding up your own (like Swiftness in the Flame Imp). Alternately, you can call on a monster with Taunt, and it just so happens that Magnor (another Fire Trampler) also has the Taunt ability even at level 1. If you are diverting attacks away from your Exploding Dwarf with Magnor's Taunt, then make sure to keep Blast in mind by placing him far enough away to keep the Dwarf safe from Yodin Zaku and the many blasters of the Fire Splinter. Chances are your opponent will be using Fire as well in a Stampede battle, because who doesn't love to obliterate and humiliate their enemy with infinite Trample?
You'll probably want to use the Giant Roc in second position if the mana cap allows it. The big bird can be a bit pricey for a Reach attacker, but in this case it's usually worth it because of Trample. Your goal is of course for your Exploding Dwarf to do most of the trampling, but there are many times that a Retaliate or Thorns will kill him during a TIP (Trample In Progress). With the Giant Roc, then Magnor, you should be ready for this, o Trample master.
Choose your Buffs Carefully
Remember that I'm not giving you advice here on how to win Stampede battles, only how to Stampede. If you want the best chance of winning, play a smart game and treat the match as though the ruleset is Standard. Chances are your opponent's plans to infinite Trample you will be thwarted. If you are going for the Trample holy grail of successfully Stampeding, then you'll want to strategically aim each buff and debuff toward that goal.
I like to focus strongly on Speed related buffs (Slow and Swiftness). You can also assume that if your opponent is playing the Trample game, they'll be strong in Melee attacks, so you can't go wrong with Demoralize. This makes the Molten Ogre a good choice during most high mana Stampede battles. I also very much like the Blind ability, which reduces the enemy's chance to land hits with Melee and Ranged attacks. If you can keep a Trample or Blast from happening by being missed, then you have averted more than one attack and probably saved the battle.
Some Cards I Like to Play
Here are some cards I find myself playing often in the Stampede ruleset. These aren't only cards with Trample (there aren't enough), but cards that support the Trample monsters in various ways. I'm not claiming that these are the best choices to win; they're just the ones that help me do the most infinite trampling. If you have good ones to add, please share them in the comments below to benefit the rest of the class.
Silvershield Knight
It's the Piercing ability that makes the Silvershield Knight a valuable leader in the Stampede ruleset. Because you can assume that the enemy tank will be armored, this ability makes it much more likely that the Knight will kill, triggering the Trample ability. Then, chances are the second monster in your enemy's lineup has lesser Health and Armor, making it even easier to kill. Sometimes, the Knight can cut straight through for a quick Trample victory. He's also good to use as a second tank because of the Inspire ability, giving you a chance to weaken your enemy's frontline with enhanced attack power.
Wood Nymph
Both of the Wood Nymphs abilities lend themselves well to the Stampede ruleset. She adds a Health point to everyone on your team with the Strengthen ability, which can prove substantial when paired with Lyanna Natura, who offers an additional Health point as well. The Nymph's Tank Heal is also very useful in these battles, ensuring that your tank is not trampled while you're trying to do your own trampling with Rexxie or Hydra.
Molten Ogre
The Molten Ogre seems to have been made for the Stampede ruleset. With him in front, there is very little chance that he will be trampled by the enemy's tank. This is especially true because of the way he reduces the Melee attack power of the enemy's team through Demoralize. And of course, once this Common card hits level 6, he gains a Trample of his own.
Ruler of the Seas
The Ruler of the Seas delivers a ton of magic damage for a relatively low mana cost. Silence will reduce the enemy's ability to throw you Magic attack curveballs to mess up your trampling plans in the Stampede ruleset. Blast will blow substantial holes in the first two monsters on the enemy's team, and Swiftness will ensure you get to attack first more often, which is absolutely crucial in Stampede.
Fallen Specter
If you can keep this monster alive through the first couple rounds, it will help a great deal in the Stampede ruleset. Headwinds, Demoralize and Blind are all extremely useful when you're looking to infinite Trample. They will prove endlessly frustrating to your enemy, especially if the Fallen Specter is just out of their reach.
Black Dragon
When using the Dragon Splinter, I like to reach for the relatively low mana Black Dragon, which offers all the buffs I'm looking for in Stampede. Slow and strengthen will help you immensely as the Dragon sits back in a place of safety, leeching life through regular Magic attacks.
War Chaang
The dual attacker is a great strategy in the Stampede ruleset, especially if you place it a few cards back in your lineup. This will allow the Chaang to get off a few Range attacks before arriving at the front line, where it will be perfectly poised to do the real damage (and the real trampling). Its native ability of Retaliate will also come in surprisingly handy in these battles, especially since Retaliate attacks can also trigger Trample.
Hopefully this little strategy guide has given you some useful tips when it comes to the infinite trampling of the Stampede ruleset! If you can pull this thing off, you'll see why I think it's one of the greatest accomplishments in Splinterlands!
See you on the battlefield!
List of Rulesets
Previous Editions of the RuleSet Strategy Series
- Back to Basics
- Healed Out
- Heavy Hitters
- Silenced Summoners
- Aim True
- Super Sneak
- Melee Mayhem
- Keep Your Distance
- Weak Magic
- Up Close and Personal
- Lost magic
- Unprotected
- Target Practice
- Fog of War
- Armored Up
- Earthquake
- Reverse Speed
- Close Range
- Broken Arrows
- Equalizer
- Lost Legendaries
- Taking Sides
- Rise of the Commons
- Little League
- Even Stevens
- Odd Ones Out
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