Catotune's Top Battles Rundown: Diamond league, Modern format - Sep 16, 2023

In this series, I analyze the top battles of the day to reveal which summoners and monsters are most successful for a given league and format. What better way to improve our Splinterlands skills than to study what the best players are doing?

For those of us who buy, rent, or rent out cards, I'm also hoping that this series can inform us of which cards to acquire for maximum effectivenes.

Stay tuned for a new report to be published daily, each covering the top battles for a different league and format!

For simplicity I threw out matches ending in draws and surrender - all data is compiled from wins and losses. Here are the results from 126 of the top Diamond league (modern format) battles from Saturday, September 16, 2023:

Monsters with highest win rate

1. Lone Boatman - Life splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [4/4]
   

   
   
   Lone Boatman is a Common monster card from the Untamed edition.
   The card at level 10 was most successful in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, finding itself on the victorious team for all 4 games in which Lone Boatman appeared.
   • Lone Boatman did best when placed at the rear of the team, where it saw 3 wins.
   • To understand the strategy of a top player, take a moment to watch @pladozero's previous battle, where they beat their opponent with this card ^[1].
   • When used in combination with the Ferocity ruleset, Lone Boatman saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for an Untamed edition Lone Boatman card is $0.45 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Rune Crafter - Neutral splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Rune Crafter is a Common monster card from the Riftwatchers edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 10 achieved success, finding itself on the victorious team for 1 game.
   • If you want to learn from one of the best, study @suales's battle history, where they defeated their opponent using Rune Crafter ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a Riftwatchers edition Rune Crafter card is $0.06 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Ever-Hungry Skull - Death splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Ever-Hungry Skull is a Common monster card from the Reward edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 10 was most successful, being a member of the winning team for all 2 games in which Ever-Hungry Skull appeared.
   • Ever-Hungry Skull performed ideally when placed at the rear of the team, where it saw 2 wins.
   • If you want to learn from one of the best, study @pladozero's previous battle, where they beat their opponent with this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a Reward edition Ever-Hungry Skull card is $0.01 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning monsters with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any monsters already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Pelacor Conjurer - Life splinter
   Win rate: 81.82% [9/11]
   

   
   
   Pelacor Conjurer is a Common monster card from the Reward edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 10 had the most success, finding itself on the victorious team for all 9 games where Pelacor Conjurer won.
   • Pelacor Conjurer performed ideally when positioned as the team's tank (first slot), where it saw 5 wins.
   • You may want to watch @yabapmatt's battle to see how they pulled off a win using this card ^[1].
   • When paired with the Melee Mayhem ruleset, Pelacor Conjurer earned 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Reward edition Pelacor Conjurer card is $0.01 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Merdaali Guardian - Water splinter
   Win rate: 75.00% [12/16]
   

   
   
   Merdaali Guardian is a Rare monster card from the Chaos Legion edition.
   The card at level 8 had the most success in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, being a member of the victorious team for all 12 games where Merdaali Guardian won.
   • When used in combination with the Aimless ruleset, Merdaali Guardian won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Chaos Legion edition Merdaali Guardian card is $0.20 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Vulguine - Life splinter
   Win rate: 71.43% [10/14]
   

   
   
   Vulguine is a Rare monster card from the Reward edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 had the most success, being a member of the winning team for all 10 games where Vulguine won.
   • When paired with the Melee Mayhem ruleset, Vulguine won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Reward edition Vulguine card is $0.03 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Summoners with highest win rate

1. Chanseus the Great - Life splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [3/3]
   

   
   
   Chanseus the Great is a Legendary summoner card from the Untamed edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 was most successful, winning all 3 games in which Chanseus the Great appeared.
   • To understand the strategy of an expert player, take a look at @pladozero's battle, where they defeated their opponent with this card ^[1].
   • When paired with the Ferocity ruleset, Chanseus the Great won twice.
   • The lowest price for an Untamed edition Chanseus the Great card is $39.09 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Brighton Bloom - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [1/1]
   

   
   
   
   Note that while this card has a 100% win rate, it is based on only 1 match.

   Brighton Bloom is a Rare summoner card from the Dice edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 was used in one match by @teddykgb, which it won.

   • The lowest price for a Dice edition Brighton Bloom card is $3.80 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Wizard of Eastwood - Earth splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [1/1]
   

   
   
   
   Note that while this card has a 100% win rate, it is based on only 1 match.

   Wizard of Eastwood is a Rare summoner card from the Untamed edition.
   In today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 was used in a single battle by @doomsday-king, which it won.

   • The lowest price for an Untamed edition Wizard of Eastwood card is $0.74 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning summoners with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any summoners already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Immortalis - Earth splinter
   Win rate: 61.54% [8/13]
   

   
   
   Immortalis is a Legendary summoner card from the Chaos Legion edition.
   The card at level 4 had the most success during the top Diamond league (modern) battles today, winning all 8 games where Immortalis triumphed.
   • You may find it enlightening to study @vjekich's battle, where they won with this card ^[1].
   • When used in combination with the Lost Legendaries ruleset, Immortalis won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Chaos Legion edition Immortalis card is $12.60 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Byzantine Kitty - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 61.54% [8/13]
   

   
   
   Byzantine Kitty is a Legendary summoner card from the Untamed edition.
   The card at level 4 had the most success during the top Diamond league (modern) battles today, winning all 8 games where Byzantine Kitty won.
   • If you want to learn from an elite player, study @pladozero's previous battle, where they defeated their opponent using this card ^[1].
   • When paired with the Born Again ruleset, Byzantine Kitty saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for an Untamed edition Byzantine Kitty card is $220.00 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Lily Shieldpaw - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 54.17% [13/24]
   

   
   
   Lily Shieldpaw is a Legendary summoner card from the Chaos Legion edition.
   The card at level 4 had the most success in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles, winning all 13 games where Lily Shieldpaw triumphed.
   • You could see @zurichhh's battles to learn how they accomplished 2 wins with this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the What Doesn't Kill You ruleset, Lily Shieldpaw saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Chaos Legion edition Lily Shieldpaw card is $13.99 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Splinters with highest win rate

1. Earth
   Win rate: 60.71% [17/28]
   

   
   
   Earth splinter had the most success against Earth, beating its identical element 4 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter matched well with the Taking Sides ruleset, where Earth won 3 times.

   • Earth splinter held its own in low mana cap battles (16 mana or lower), prevailing in 5 of those matches.
     
     

2. Death
   Win rate: 55.00% [11/20]
   

   
   
   Death splinter had the most success against Dragon, defeating that element 3 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.
   
   

3. Life
   Win rate: 53.85% [14/26]
   

   
   
   Life splinter had the most success against Neutral, defeating that element 4 times in today's top Diamond league (modern) battles.
   • This splinter matched well with the Ferocity ruleset, where Life prevailed 2 times.
     
     

Final thoughts

Please feel free to leave me feedback in the comments. If you are new to Splinterlands, then please consider using my referral link to get started! It is a ton of fun to play, and you can earn SPS and win NFT cards every day!

If you want to know where to buy or rent any of the cards listed in this report, I personally like Monster Market (not a referral link), a 3rd party marketplace that has a great user interface and pays you DEC back on purchases.

- Catotune