Battle Mage Secrets:Super Sneak - Let's Get Thorny

Prelude
Hi all, hope all is well for you and it is time for another Battle Mage Secrets. Last week, we looked a ruleset is actually very limited to certain set of cards to capitalize. Today, we look at a ruleset had been here relatively for the longest time and one that is really exciting to play.

Ruleset Spotlight

Super Sneak

Description:

• All melee units gain the Sneak ability.

What thrives with this ruleset?
This is a ruleset designed for melee cards, especially those that on a typical day can only hit only when in the first position.

So with this offensively, you know of cards that possess good abilities but only strike at first position. Cards like Coastal Sentry with a double strike, Septic Slime with a stun or even hard hitting Gladius cards that carries a Blood Lust. These are cards that will truly shine when given this extra boost in giving them the opportunity to start hitting from the back and terrorizing the backline. Another good thing is that if you are able to, double strikes are very worth it.

On the defensive front, one can then consider two possible forms, the thorns which returns the damage to the one that strikes or in the form of protection by having additional 2 armour from cards that give Protect. Both are very viable to help either punish the attacker or sustaining the backline for a much longer period than being exposed.

Otherwise, abilities that buff or debuff melee attack all do fine. Things like Retaliate, Inspire, Demoralize and Shield all are doing good still and can be included if you have them.

Otherwise, in terms of stats, the higher the better with regards to all the stat line.

With these in mind, let's start to talk about the battle proper.

The Battle
Link: https://splinterlands.com/?p=battle&id=sm_Vee2Wlgf2hOmsFnOjzFY&ref=vaynard86

Ruleset
Super Sneak, Silence Summoner, Corrosive Fog

Mana Limit: 50

Splinter	Mana Cost	Position	Reason
Quix the Devious	4	Summoner	This summoner while being silent, enables us to use the Dragon cards and hence is very useful here.
Djinn Chwala	8	1st	This card front the lineup as the tank and contains thorns to make it hard for any melee attacker from the front.
Carnage Titan	11	2nd	A double striking card that has reach and also a thick armour to improve its sustainability
Trapp Falloway	4	3rd	This card, though lower in mana, it contains a big attack, contains weaken to reduce opponent card health and most important blood lust which makes this card scarier as it kills.
Raa	12	4th	A big double attacker that has flying for extra dodge
Silent Sha-vi	5	5th	One of my favourite death common card that is always reliable and have relatively higher speed
Cursed Windeku	6	6th	This is planted at last position to welcome opponent melee cards with thorns and let them have a taste of their own medicine
Total Mana:	50

Opponent Lineup

• Summoner - Helios Matriach
• Position 1 - Grimbardun Fighter
• Position 2 - Disintegrator
• Position 3 - Possessed Puppet
• Position 4 - Ravenhood Warden
• Position 5 - Helheim Demon
• Position 6 - Dumacke Orc

Prediction before pressing rumble
I used a more offensive lineup and also with the double thorns to try to end the match fast while my opponent used a much more defensive lineup with debuff, protect and shield.

Very different strategy but both of us deployed what we think is best for the lineup. Will offensive win defence?

Let's battle!

Battle Synopsis

Round 1, Game on, artillery started as cards start striking. My strikes landed on the taunting Helheim Demon while an unknowing Possessed Puppet smack right into Cursed Windeku and fell to thorns. More cards hit onto Windeku and got their armour and health shaved.

Round 2, round opened with Trapp smashing Helheim Demon to grow in stats and Windeku falling in this round with my cards all struggling to do damage due to the Demoralize and Shield Combo which suppressed my attack big time. Time for Trapp to open the path.

Round 3, Things went fast when Trapp cleared Dumacke Orc and Carnage Titan/Silent Sha-vi joined in the fun to clear the backline. Raa took out Disintegrator and finally when Grimbardun Fighter hit on Djinn Chwala, all it got was a return damage and it was enough to see it fall for a victory that my lineup secured!

Post Battle Summary
Things move really fast in this, thorns were just amazing today doing so much work on my opponent's lineup as they took back what they intend to inflict upon me. A great win.

Did my strategy work? I planned for it and it sure did me proud. With the double thorns protecting both the front and back, Trapp had that path to take out anything that stand in its way with that high melee attack supported by Raa that adds in the randomness with the scatter. Silent Sha-vi and Carnage Titian just did what they need to, adding damage and adding pressure. So glad that my strategy did what it intended to and bring home the win.

What's the Battle Mage Secret?

Today's Battle Mage Secret is on the thorns setup for this ruleset. Both me and my opponent actually added all the elements that will help sustain the lineup for this ruleset. However, knowing that people will attack, the thorns will come in handy where opponent cards will self destruct and that is where my lineup can break in and clear up the remaining bit by bit. While the debuff and defence strategy that my opponent deployed was good, the thorns that self undo my opponent's lineup went better and help me win by letting my opponent walk into trouble when striking. Hope you can consider using more thorns in the future when you play this ruleset.

Wrap Up
I hope you guys enjoyed reading my sharing on the rule set Super Sneak. I would really appreciate it if you liked and/or commented to let me know what are you thoughts.

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

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