https://img.leopedia.io/DQmWJipKWVMi31h2t4TMaCt16yqnZrrJnsmr4gENvmVPSxq/splinterlands%20battle%20challenge.png 

In splinterlands, you can have all the powerful cards you like, but if you don't know how to make them work together, you'll find yourself on the losing end more often than not. That's where synergy and strategy comes in and understanding how to find that powerful combination that turns individual cards into a powerful lineup.

Over the years, I've experimented with countless strategies and synergies and I've shared these as I find them. But this time, I want to break down a recent battle where a well-thought-out low-mana synergy absolutely wrecked an opponent's Diemonshark lineup.

The Battle Setup
----------------

![fa5f28f76c6cfb89a7a323678242bcdaf9c82ad0db2c6bdc68ef38b77614ac17.png](https://cdn.publish0x.com/prod/fs/cachedimages/3080219251-fa5f28f76c6cfb89a7a323678242bcdaf9c82ad0db2c6bdc68ef38b77614ac17.webp)

[Source](https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_bbdf027efdea9a17c05c0e646390fd6d)

A 13-mana cap battle with the following rulesets:

-   Super Sneak -- Every monster gains the Sneak ability, meaning they all target the enemy's last-position monster.
-   Explosive Weaponry -- Every attack deals Blast damage, hitting adjacent monsters for extra damage.

Now, when you see a 13-mana cap, your instinct might be to pick one high-cost tank that can carry the fight. That's what my opponent did. On the other hand, I went for a few low-cost monsters and using the Martyr and Sneak synergy to get the most of the lineup.

### Lineup Details:

-   Summoner: Kelya Frendul -- A perfect choice, giving my entire team +1 armor (to absorb some blast damage) and +1 speed.
-   Cruel Sethropod -- A cheap but durable tank with solid armor and health relative to its cost.
-   Venari Marksrat -- Included for its Martyr ability (buffing adjacent monsters when it dies).
-   Pelacor Bandit -- A high-speed backline attacker who I had all hopes on being boosted by Martyr ability.
-   Torrent Fiend -- A zero-mana filler monster to soak up Sneak attacks.

### How the Battle Played Out

![284a4eb90d528e0133f62cbee8e5fd36fd8be8bc9662cab3f08e472dd10b7b14.png](https://cdn.publish0x.com/prod/fs/cachedimages/349692481-284a4eb90d528e0133f62cbee8e5fd36fd8be8bc9662cab3f08e472dd10b7b14.webp)

[Source](https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_bbdf027efdea9a17c05c0e646390fd6d)

My plan was simple going into battle. Let Venari Marksrat fall first, triggering Martyr to boost my Pelacor Bandit and Cruel Sethropod. My opponent went as predicted -  one big monster, Diemonshark. Now, Diemonshark is a beast. With 6 armor, 9 health, and Trample, it's an absolute juggernaut and most of the times will destroy whatever is in its path.

Right off the bat, my opponent's Diemonshark went to work dealing heavy damage to Cruel Sethropod and the backline due to the Blast damage. By the time Venari Marksrat fell and triggering Martyr, Cruel Sethropod also perished. Luckily Pelacor Bandit was there to get the boost from Martyr. Meanwhile, the Torrent Fiend was somehow still alive and getting involved in battle. Regardless of how in control my opponent was in battle, its Diemonshark was alone and by the time Pelacor Bandit got its stats boosted, it was game over for the Diemonshark. The Pelacor Bandit was able to land the killing blow on the Diemonshark and clinch the victory -- a David vs Goliath style victory!

### The Power of Synergy

![Free Construction workers leveling fresh cement on a sunny day at an outdoor site. Stock Photo](https://images.pexels.com/photos/2219024/pexels-photo-2219024.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=1)

[Source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-cement-2219024/)

This battle is proof that synergy trumps brute force. Instead of relying on one overpowered monster, my lineup was where every piece worked together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. My opponent? They put all their eggs in one basket. And when that basket cracked, they had nothing left.

Concluding Thoughts
-------------------

If you're always picking the same high-mana tanks or relying on a couple of overpowered cards, you're missing out on the opportunity to experiment and look for cards that can complement each other, e.g. finding cards that balance each other out like pairing fast glass cannons monsters with defensive summoners. Some of my best wins have come from where weaker cards, when used correctly, outperform their stronger counterparts.

![image.png](https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/splinterlands/23tGyeqTCzAJzfvzXhF7GrNNnZ6Vd74kNCq6LZFXY8hvHG5NtJ8uPxaDMRGJ4YpwHNMU3.png)

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Thank you for reading and hope you have a good rest of the day!

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