Community Engagement Challenge: Ruleset Revelation - Back To Basics - When No Abilities Actually Made Things Better

Prelude
Hi all, good day to all of you. It's time again for Community Engagement Challenge. Today's topic is on Ruleset Revelation where we look at how to adapt fast and ensure we put up the right cards for the matchup.

Ruleset Revelation

For today, the ruleset that I will be sharing on will be back to basics.

Because of the way the game is, there are so many cards with wonderful abilities such as those the give additional stats, allow alteration of how you are able to attack your opponent, diverting attacks onto a simple card and refreshing the team with health or armour.

And with this, many of us would have grown reliant to these abilities and when this back to basics ruleset appears and we no longer have these abilities to use, we start scratching our heads on what to place in the lineup.

I have a few strategies whenever we encounter back to basics that I would like to share with everyone in the community.

1. Stats is King
Whenever we have such ruleset, remember that stats is king. No matter which stats, the bigger the better. Archon abilities that alter the stats is still active, so use them!

Foundation Archons are a great choice since all of them alter stats.

2. Magic attacks do well here
Since we know stats is king, you might end up facing people whom load up cards with high armour which will make your melee or range attackers having to clear the armour before reducing opponent card health.

So why not consider using magic which ignores armour? Direct access to health.

3. Time to use those cards with negative abilities

Remember these Rebellion reward cards?

Each of them have a negative ability that will derail your battle.

Kha'zi Conjurer has Incendiary which burns adjacent cards and cause them to burn themselves for 2 damage each turn.

Halfling Refugee gets exhausted and gets increased chance of not being attack to attack and become a sitting duck at the front.

Shock Trooper will cause 1 damage to whole lineup at the end of each turn.

Imagine, having all these powerful stats not feeling the negative effects? This is where back to basics give you this opportunity to use this big stat line cards withouts its negative effects. And if possible, do use them if you can when it allows.

So now let's put everything together and use it in a back to basics ruleset match.

Matchup

Battle Link: https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_7965a6197482e5956c66e28cb2069622?ref=vaynard86

Ruleset: What Doesn't Kill You
Mana Limit: 53

Selection Analysis
I will not be mentioning too much about splinter selection and in the lineup. I will mention about the 3 elements into the decision of my lineup. Will also be limiting the analysis of what my opponent select since this is more on how we should lineup.

With the concept of strategy one where stats is king, I had Commander Slade to hold up the first position due to massive stats in every aspect. Even without abilitiy, Slade is a real beast and will be a great tank. Using strategy two, other than Slade, everyone else is magic attacker and to also note that my Archon also gives +1 magic which will greatly elevate the whole team. And based on strategy 3, I have included Shock Trooper with no fear of it giving my whole team 1 damage each turn and await its high damage magic attack to my opponent.

One other thing that I missed out earlier is that you no longer need to be afraid that things come from the back since back to basics will also nullify sneak or opportunity, so focus on battling.

Just a shot comment from my opponent. I am a little confused why there is 2 range attacker nearer to front of lineup whom will be unable to attack when the front gets cleared. But I do see big magic attackers in the backline and opponent having -1 magic reduction on me.

And with that, let's head to the round by round analysis.

Round by Round Synopsis

Round 1 - Other than Taye Loreswift, no other casualties but I acan see how much damage my side is dishing out to my opponent.

Round 2 - I guess I know what my opponent is up to. The 2 range cards are there due to large health stats so potentially they also serve as tanks. In this round, Slade, Lunaki Tracker and Silverleaf Mage fell. Both side still holding strong.

Round 3 - In this round opponent cleared out my Lunkai Howler and things look a little worrying. And it is down to 3 a side. With both side having a 4 magic attack card each.

Round 4 - The barrage continue with Saltwater Mage and opponent's Hippo falling, things are getting closer and we should be one round away from resolution.

Round 5/6 - As much as I thought we could end this by round 5, I needed another round to clear off the final clear as we secured the victory.

Post Match Discussion
If we look at the strategies deployed, elements of stats is king is observed on both sides where everyone used high stat cards and try to alter stats using Archon. Then comes to using magic attacks mentioned in strategy two, opponent also used loads of magic attacks like me. And finally, onto strategy 3, I used it and this card is doing crazy damage to my opponent at a low mana cost and without side effects. And these are ways how I plant my lineup for back to basics ruleset.

Wrap Up
Thank you for coming by my post and look at the match I shared today. Hope you had a good read and the strategies I shared when you next have a back to basics ruleset match.

I am currently part of PIZZA, an active gaming and creative arts crypto community on the HIVE blockchain and part of PIZZA guild. Popular cryto games such as SPLINTERLANDS, RISING STAR and HASHKINGS are actively discussed in this community.

Many events are being organized from time to time. Join the PIZZA DISCORD. This is a place filled with 💰🍕🎁GIVEAWAYS & AIRDROPS💰🍕🎁 and most definitely consisting of a friendly community to be in.

Till my next battle sharing, take care, stay safe and happy battling!

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