Catotune's Top Battles Rundown: Gold league, Modern format - Jan 4, 2026

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 109 of the top Gold league (modern format) battles from Sunday, January 4, 2026:

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Thanks for hearing me out, and now back to our regularly scheduled program:

Monsters with highest win rate

1. Pirate of Eight - Water splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [6/6]
   

   
   
   Pirate of Eight is a Rare monster card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 6 was most successful in today's top Gold league (modern) battles, being a member of the winning team for all 6 games in which Pirate of Eight appeared.
   • Pirate of Eight performed ideally when placed in the team's number two slot, where it saw 5 wins.
   • To understand the strategy of a top player, take a moment to watch @zlink's battle history, where they defeated their opponent using this card ^[1].
   • When paired with the Little League ruleset, Pirate of Eight won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Pirate of Eight card is $0.13 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Drybone Bowdog - Neutral splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [4/4]
   

   
   
   Drybone Bowdog is a Rare monster card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 6 achieved the most success during the top Gold league (modern) battles today, finding itself on the victorious team for 3 games.
   • Drybone Bowdog did best when positioned in the team's last spot, where it saw 2 wins.
   • It could be enlightening to study @jadarvin's battle history, where they won 3 games with this card ^{[1, 2, 3]}.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Drybone Bowdog card is $0.11 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Chuma Marandu - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [3/3]
   

   
   
   Chuma Marandu is a Legendary monster card from the 18 edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 was most successful, being a member of the winning team for all 3 games in which Chuma Marandu appeared.
   • To understand the strategy of an expert player, observe @matanix's battles, where they won 2 games using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Chuma Marandu card is $3.15 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. Stampeding Calf - Water splinter
   Win rate: 92.31% [12/13]
   

   
   
   Stampeding Calf is a Common monster card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 achieved the most success, being a member of the winning team for 9 games.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Stampeding Calf card is $0.03 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Zyrx the Emberglace - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 90.00% [9/10]
   

   
   
   Zyrx the Emberglace is a Legendary monster card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 achieved the most success, finding itself on the winning team for 5 games.
   • It could be educational to view @wetio's previous battle, where they won using Zyrx the Emberglace ^[1].
   • When paired with the Four's a Crowd ruleset, Zyrx the Emberglace won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Zyrx the Emberglace card is $7.66 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Nalara Geinek - Neutral splinter
   Win rate: 83.33% [15/18]
   

   
   
   Nalara Geinek is a Legendary monster card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 4 achieved the most success in today's top Gold league (modern) battles, finding itself on the winning team for 7 games.
   • Nalara Geinek did best when used as the secondary tank (2nd slot) in the team lineup, where it saw 7 wins.
   • To understand the strategy of a top player, take a look at @iellas94's battles, where they defeated their opponent 4 times using this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}.
   • When paired with the Wands Out ruleset, Nalara Geinek earned 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Nalara Geinek card is $3.79 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Summoners with highest win rate

1. Reklah - Death splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [1/1]
   

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

   Reklah is a Rare summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 was used in one battle by @cryptoreaper, which it won.

   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Reklah card is $1.15 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Kavor Skarn - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 71.43% [5/7]
   

   
   
   Kavor Skarn is a Rare summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 8 achieved the most success, winning 4 games.
   • You may want to take a look at @twothirdswizard's battle history to learn how they defeated their opponents 2 times with Kavor Skarn ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Kavor Skarn card is $1.16 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Sheng Xiao - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 66.67% [10/15]
   

   
   
   Sheng Xiao is a Legendary summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 3 had the most success, winning all 10 games where Sheng Xiao triumphed.
   • You may want to watch @ratreyum's previous battles to learn how they pulled off 2 wins using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • When paired with the Are You Not Entertained? ruleset, Sheng Xiao won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Sheng Xiao card is $12.67 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. Akane - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 66.67% [10/15]
   

   
   
   Akane is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 achieved the most success, winning 8 games.
   • You may want to take a look at @jadarvin's battle history to see how they defeated their opponents 3 times using Akane ^{[1, 2, 3]}.
   • When used in combination with the Equalizer ruleset, Akane saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Akane card is $11.00 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Gorgug the Endless - Water splinter
   Win rate: 58.82% [10/17]
   

   
   
   Gorgug the Endless is a Rare summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 6 had the most success, winning all 10 games where Gorgug the Endless won.
   • It could be enlightening to take a look at @ikakus's battle history, where they won 2 games with this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Gorgug the Endless card is $0.69 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Lorkus - Death splinter
   Win rate: 57.14% [12/21]
   

   
   
   Lorkus is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Gold league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 achieved the most success, winning 7 games.
   • You may want to watch @dmower's battles to learn how they beat their foes 3 times with Lorkus ^{[1, 2, 3]}.
   • When used in combination with the Lost Magic ruleset, Lorkus won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Lorkus card is $50.00 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Splinters with highest win rate

1. Dragon
   Win rate: 63.16% [36/57]
   

   
   
   Dragon splinter had the most success against Dragon, defeating its own element 13 times in today's top Gold league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter was effective with the Are You Not Entertained? ruleset, where Dragon won 4 times.

   • Dragon splinter did well in high mana cap battles (greater than 56 mana), winning 11 of those matchups.
     
     

2. Life
   Win rate: 50.00% [24/48]
   

   
   
   Life splinter had the most success against Life, defeating its own element 6 times in today's top Gold league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter was effective with the Briar Patch ruleset, where Life prevailed 2 times.

   • Life splinter held its own in battles with mana caps higher than 56, prevailing in 5 of those matchups.
     
     

3. Death
   Win rate: 48.15% [13/27]
   

   
   
   Death splinter had the most success against Earth, defeating that element 5 times in today's top Gold league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter matched well with the Lost Magic ruleset, where Death won 2 times.

   • Death splinter was useful in high mana cap battles (greater than 56 mana), prevailing in 5 of those matches.
     
     

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