The Trials of Tier 5 Brawls: My Journey in the Highest Levels of Splinterlands Brawling

Participating in Tier 5 Brawls is no small feat, especially when you’re up against the best of the best in Splinterlands. With only seventeen guilds active at this elite level, the competition is nothing short of fierce, and every match feels like a true test of strategy and preparation. My guild, [YGG] Legion, is ranked an impressive fifth among all guilds, yet this Brawl cycle reminded us that rankings don’t always reflect dominance in Brawl battles.

A Humbling Experience

Despite being in a top-tier guild, our performance in this Brawl was a tough pill to swallow. 47 wins against 153 losses placed us at the very bottom—ninth place. It was a stark reminder of just how brutal Tier 5 competition can be. Individually, I managed three wins and five losses in my fray, which placed me sixth out of 25 brawlers in my guild. Considering the level of competition, I take some pride in my record, but it’s clear there’s always room for improvement. In tier five brawls I am always shooting for at least 50/50 win record.

The Pressure of Fray 13

I participated in Fray 13, which requires using maxed-out Chaos Legion and Untamed card sets. This fray is not for the faint of heart. Facing opponents with fully maxed out optimized lineups and years of experience, every battle was a mental chess game, where even the slightest miscalculation could cost me a victory. It wasn’t uncommon to see all kinds of cards with perfect synergies that could turn the tide in just a couple of moves. Yet, the challenge is what makes this fray so exhilarating. Each win felt hard-earned, and every loss was a lesson in humility.

Tier 5: A Different League

The fact that only eighteen guilds have reached Tier Five out of the 1,963 guilds in Splinterlands speaks volumes about how exclusive this level truly is. These guilds represent the pinnacle of skills, dedication, and resource investment in the game. Being part of this elite group is both an honor and a constant reminder of the steep competition we face.

The Benefits of a High-Level Guild

Despite our less-than-stellar performance in this Brawl, being part of [YGG] Legion offers numerous advantages. As a Tier 5 guild, we enjoy perks that are unmatched at lower levels:

• Up to 20% bonus SPS and Glint earnings in ranked battles. This extra yield is a game-changer, especially for those deeply invested in the economy of Splinterlands.
• 10% discounts on various shop purchases, including potions and other essentials.
• Access to Bloodstones, which enhance the chance of getting legendary Gladiator cards from opening Gladius cases.
• The camaraderie and shared knowledge within the guild are invaluable. Competing at this level fosters an environment where we push each other to grow, analyze strategies, and improve.

As you can see it is fairly early in the season so we have not reached the 20% SPS and Glint Bonus, but we are actively working on it, in the mean time we collect a nice 15% bonus.

My Brawl Battles

First Battle

In the first battle I am facing Zulehhh from PeakMonsters Hurricane. The ruleset is quite limiting and I don't have such great monsters as Elven Mystic or Cornealus available to me. I did try to do the best with what I had placing a bet that Coeurl Lurker will be able to avoid many slow monster attacks.

While I came really close it wasn't enough to win this battle:

Second Battle

In this battle I am facing Qprfdb from The Guild of Neoxian. Here my bet was on Jared Scar and his true strike with huge damage. In front I have a three mana monster to protect him and I divert most of the attention to Iziar and then to a big monster in the back. I am also hoping that Captain Katie can do her job well and get bloodlust.

The Scar did his job really well and I was able to win this battle:

Third Battle

Here with the poison ruleset my bet was on high damage from my two backline ranged monsters and trying to keep Baakjira alive.

That bet paid off handsomely securing me a second win against a team lead by the Yoden summoner:

Fourth Battle

In this battle I am facing Grand.High.Witch from Immortal Gods.

The luck was definitely not on my side as I had a few key misses and it was a total defeat:

Fifth Battle

Here I am facing Vadan from YGG Brawlers (Niflheim). I mad my bet on high damage melee.

Unfortunately triple resurrect on Djinn Muirat with a force shield proved to be too much for my team to overcome:

Sixth Battle

Here I am facing Ape-Bot from Iron Faith.

Once again a loss. It was a total schooling in usage of the death epic card from my opponent:

Seventh Battle

Here I am facing Kalmere from T&A Legion 1, Infidel's premier guild:

Despite a fearsome team lead by the infamous Kitty summoner I was able to handily defeat my opponent securing a third win for my Guild!

Battle Eight

In eight's and final battle I faced Yukinhyakubai:

I just didn't have some of the monsters in my opponent's lineup and he played a perfect team!

Reflection and Future Goals

While it’s clear that we’re not the strongest brawlers in Tier 5, I believe there’s incredible potential for growth. Competing at this level is a marathon, not a sprint. Every battle, win or lose, contributes to our collective learning and helps us identify areas for improvement. Personally, I’m motivated to refine my strategy, study opponents’ playstyles, and expand my card collection to better compete in Fray 13.

As tough as this Brawl cycle was, I’m proud to represent [YGG] Legion in the highest levels of Splinterlands. Tier Five is a battleground where only the best thrive, and while our current performance shows we have a long way to go, I’m confident that with determination, strategy, and teamwork, we’ll continue to climb.

Also, another benefit of battling in Tier Five Brawls is even with such a poor performance we got significant SPS token earnings:

If you wonder what is the best way to get involved you can use my link to begin your Splinterlands and HIVE journey.