Splinterlands Challenge of the Week: Reach Stack Featuring the Minotaur....

This week's Splinterlands Challenge of the Week was to showcase the Minotaur Warrior from the Earth Splinter....

On this occasion the challenge reminded me that I actually own one of these levelled up to what I regard as the 'optimum level' - level 6 where he has 2 damage, reasonably speed and one shield, with one buff besides his main ability, reach, allowing him to attack from the second row.

His only weakness is his poor health, a pretty damn major one given his likely use as a second tank!

I decided to try and style this challenge out a little by putting together a reach stack featuring the Minotaur - and here's a link to the battle.

The Rule Set and Line Up

• Mana 22 - about right for a few 4 mana cards
• Broken Arrows - so Reach is very useable!

Summoner - Darla - for that plus one melee

1. Failed Summoner - a useful tank in lowish mana battles, and reflect for anticipated magic (no ranged!)
2. The Minotaur - second tank over Gloridax because of better speed and piercing giving him more damage potential
3. Gloridax - third tank with shiled and reach two
4. The Manticore - Fourth tank and reach 3
5. Khmer Princes - heal and triage
6. The chicken - defence against possible sneak, useful as it turned out.

Did my strategy work?

Beautifully, to see it in action click here!

• Round 1 - the chicken dies soaking up a sneak attack, that's what he's there for! Reflect starts working nicely against the magic attacks and The Minotaur's piercing penetrates the Sentinel's shields nicely, handy! Heal and triage kick in at the end!
• Round 2 - The Minotaur further reduces the Sentinel's health but he dies as a result of magic blast and thorns, the Gloridax with shield now proves his worth, only 1 damage per round from thorns!
• Round 3 - Sneak takes out the khmer Princess, but she's healed twice so that's O.K. I lose the Summoner, but his reflect takes the Undead Priest with him. Now I've got a Dragon reach combo only left - and they take out the Sentinel.
• Round 4 - Sneak misses the Manticore.
• Round 5 - Sneak misses the Manticore again and my reach combo takes out the Skeletal Warrior.
• Round 6 - Sneak misses again, three in a row! I take out his pixie, now it's just the Skeleton in front
• Round 7 - The Skeleton actually hits and poisons the Sentinel.
• Round 8 - The Sentinel dies to poison, but the Manticore finishes off that nasty Skeleton!

How important was the Minotaur Warrior?

Well he did his bit as a second tank. He soaked up some of that blast damage and piercing came in useful against the Sentinel.

His 'soak' function was possibly the most useful as he allowed Gloridax to hang on for longer once the Summoner's reflect had finished off one of my opponent's magic attacks.

I lucked out with the Manticore where he was - his flying ability eliciting three misses in a row from my opponent's Skeleton (that must have been annoying!)

So he worked pretty well in conjunction with my treble reach stack but I wouldn't say he was 'stand out'.

TBH if it wasn't for the challenge I wouldn't have gone for a three reach stack, I would have played the Gloridax in second and maybe the Magi for 4 mana and would probably have won in 6 rounds!

How useful was The Minotaur Warrior in comparison to the other two Reach Monsters?

TBH he's not as useful as the Manticore for the mana - the one shield doesn't outweigh the flying (chance to miss) and thorns and higher damage of the manticore.

It's a little unfair comparing him to the Gloridax Guardian who is clearly better powered with shield as a second tank, but that's for six mana.

I guess there is also the neutral Dwarf with reach who I didn't play here, and the Minotaur is broadly on par with that.

Overall, the Minotaur is a great common card, so would be an asset in a commons only ruleset, but there are better epics and rares to play if you need a reach card!

If you don't yet play Splinterlands, why not give it a go?

Anyone using my referral link will receive a free rare card!