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<center> <h1> **The Challenge** </h1> </center>

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This week's Battle Mage Secrets challenge feature the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, which grants all monsters the <code>**BLAST**</code> ability. This ability inflicts additional damage to monsters adjacent to the target, introducing a new dynamic in gameplay strategy.

With the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, damage can come from various directions, often targeting the vulnerable backline. Careful planning is crucial to ensure the survival of weaker monsters. Lineups in battles featuring the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset typically consist of monsters capable of attacking the backline, exploiting the <code>**BLAST**</code> damage effect on adjacent monsters. 😵

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://i.imgur.com/QHMMPb5.png 

Below are several abilities that I believe synergize well with the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset. Keep an eye out for monsters possessing these abilities when constructing your team, as they can greatly enhance your chances of achieving victory ✌️

<center>https://images.hive.blog/DQmZ5bkVTfJMPXmZczkFZ5c6TY7csViQurvqrqoZN1dJLeN/ability_scattershot.png https://images.hive.blog/DQmUfMeLdeJb2jZNwdtGcZdBcuctkywMmBfRygWJVQsE5Vv/ability_snipe.png https://images.hive.blog/DQmcuQzHb7YxUuYgAi4PtYGJMdRFVHgh2WCLTnZuGEv4acN/ability_reflection-shield.png https://images.hive.blog/DQmStHpmPWEDBLXVJTQn8yEiLjDg8VRn2ogCRamFBEg79Jc/ability_taunt.png</center>

- **Scattershot** - Monster's attacks would randomly hit an enemy target
- **Snipe** - Targets enemy monsters with Ranged, Magic, or no attack that are not in the first position
- **Opportunity** - Attack from any position and will target the enemy Monster with the lowest health
- **Reflection Shield** - Monster is immune to all indirect, or reflected damage. i.e <code>**BLAST**</code> damages
- **Taunt** - All enemy monsters target this monster (useless when faced with Scattershot ability)

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://i.imgur.com/QHMMPb5.png

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Conqueror Jacek is a Summoner that is commonly encountered in battles featuring the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset. This Summoner is highly favored for this ruleset due to the valuable buffs it bestows upon the team. The +2 Speed buff grants the team a greater chance of attacking the enemy first, while the Piercing ability enables them to inflict damage that surpasses the target's armor. Notably, the Scattershot ability mentioned earlier allows the team to randomly attack the enemy, effectively leveraging the <code>**BLAST**</code> damage and causing damage from all directions 😝

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/flauwy/zIVvBIP3-Dragon-divider.png

<center> <h1> **The Battle** </h1> </center>

In my alt account, jimbei, I was able to engage in a battle that involves the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset during my daily grind for the new season. To get right into the action, the battle link can be found [here](https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_a136660f9e4dba43604c61ac815e955d&ref=jimbei). Otherwise, do read on as I go into more details regarding the lineup and fight 👊 

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://i.imgur.com/QHMMPb5.png

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Let's begin by examining the ruleset for this battle. The first rule is the Aim True ruleset, which guarantees that all attacks will successfully hit their targets throughout the battle. Following that, we have the Ferocity ruleset, which grants all monsters the Fury ability, resulting in double damage against monsters with the Taunt ability. Finally, we have the central feature of this challenge, the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset that we discussed previously. The battle has a mana cap of 30, and only the Water and Earth Splinters are prohibited 👌

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**Summoner**, *Quix The Devious*

Despite mentioning the popularity of Conqueror Jacek as a summoner for the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, I opted not to choose it due to its higher mana cost compared to Quix The Devious. With a mana cap of 30, I aimed to conserve mana for my lineup and include some monsters from the Dragon Splinter instead. Anticipating a battle against an opponent using Conqueror Jacek, which would likely involve numerous Ranged enemies, Quix The Devious proved to be a suitable counter with its debuffs of -1 Speed and -1 Ranged 😜

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**First Position**, *Pelacor Conjurer* - Pelacor Conjurer, with its low mana cost, serves as an ideal tank in this battle. It possesses several valuable abilities that greatly enhance its role. Of note is its exceptional Phase ability, which boosts its chances of evading all types of attacks, including magic, thanks to its impressive speed and Flying ability. 😍

**Second Position**, *Runi* - Runi is strategically positioned in the second slot to leverage its Reflective Shield ability, rendering it impervious to any <code>**BLAST**</code> damage incurred by Pelacor Conjurer or Djinn Renova. In addition, its Opportunity ability proves highly advantageous in the context of the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, as it usually targets the opponent's vulnerable backline, where low-health monsters often reside, thereby maximizing the impact of <code>**BLAST**</code> damage 😋

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**Third Position**, *Djinn Renova* - Including Djinn Renova in my lineup is a priority for me due to its formidable magic attack and the valuable Strengthen and Triage abilities it possesses. In the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, the Triage ability proves especially advantageous for healing my backline as I'm expecting the opponent to play Conqueror Jacek, whose monsters are equipped with the Scattershot ability that can pose a threat to my backline 😖

**Fourth Position**, *Dhampir Infiltrator* - Dhamphir Infiltrator holds a special place among my preferred Dragon's monsters, particularly in battles with a low mana cost. Its prowess lies in its devastating impact on the backline, thanks to the Double Strike ability. When combined with the <code>**BLAST**</code> ability provided by the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, this monster becomes exceptionally efficient at eliminating the opponent's backline, truly embodying its role as an Infiltrator! 👻

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**Fifth Position**, *Gem Meteor* - I frequently find myself including Gem Meteor in my lineup when engaging in battles under the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset. This monster possesses valuable abilities like Scattershot and Piercing, which are commonly associated with the buffs provided by Conqueror Jacek. With its impressive Ranged attack and Speed, Gem Meteor becomes an appealing choice for such battles. 😅

**Last Position**, *Naga Assassin* - One of the factors that influenced my decision to choose the Dragon Splinter for this battle is the presence of Naga Assassin. This monster has naturally high speed, which is further boosted by its Swiftness ability, providing +1 Speed to the entire team. I strategically placed Naga Assassin in the last position of my lineup to counter any potential Sneak attacks from the enemies. Additionally, its Backfire ability can prove lethal when the opponent misses their attack!

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<center> <h1> **The Analysis** </h1> </center>

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As anticipated, my opponent chose Conqueror Jacek as their Summoner for this battle. Considering the mana limitations, I predicted that they would rely on Ranged enemies rather than Magic monsters from the Fire Splinter, which tend to consume more mana. Therefore, I was able to successfully counter the enemy's setup with Quix The Devious by reducing the enemy's Speed and Ranged damages! 👍

There are 2 crucial factors contributed to my team's victory in this battle. Firstly, having Runi in my lineup provided a significant advantage with the Reflection Shield ability, minimizing the impact of any <code>**BLAST**</code> damage on my backline. Secondly, Djinn Renova played a vital role by dealing lethal magic damage to the opponent while simultaneously healing my backline through its Triage ability. 😉

However, in battles with the <code>**EXPLOSIVE WEAPONRY**</code> ruleset, the outcome can be quite unpredictable due to the significant role played by the Scattershot ability. One could only pray that the RNG favors your team with the randomize attack that are combined with these <code>**BLAST**</code> damages 😅

https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/flauwy/LmFkELhp-DEC-divider.png

If you made it this far, I sincerely appreciate your time and value your encouragement. Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions so that we can discuss about other strategies. Thinking about giving Splinterlands a try but haven't signed up yet? Feel free to use my referral link: [https://splinterlands.com?ref=ak08](https://splinterlands.com?ref=ak08), and be sure to reach out to me if you have any questions!

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Are you interested in reading some of my future writings? Don't forget to [follow](https://peakd.com/@ak08) me! In the meantime, here are some of my most recent blogs if you'd like to view them:

- [Social Media Challenge](https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@ak08/battle-full-of-opportunities) - A battle analysis showing a battle full of <code>**OPPORTUNITIES**</code>

- [Battle Mage Secrets](https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@ak08/doctor-blight-made-more-op-with-born-again-ruleset-contd) - A battle analysis showcasing incredible synergy between <code>**DOCTOR BLIGHT AND BORN AGAIN RULESET (CONT'D)**</code> 

- [Social Media Challenge](https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@ak08/doctor-blight-made-more-op-with-born-again-ruleset) - A battle analysis showcasing incredible synergy between <code>**DOCTOR BLIGHT AND BORN AGAIN RULESET**</code> 

- [Battle Mage Secrets](https://peakd.com/hive-13323/@ak08/battle-mage-secrets-featuring-the-equal-opportunity-ruleset) - A battle analysis featuring the <code>**EQUAL OPPORTUNITY**</code> ruleset.

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All banners, dividers card and battle images used in this article are open source and obtained from the Splinterlands team or made by **flauwy**. Do check out his [link](https://peakd.com/spt/@flauwy/free-splinterlands-graphics-i-will-design-for-you) for other amazing designs!