In Splinterlands, some battles do not just give you rating points, they teach you lessons that permanently improve your gameplay over time with consistence practice. This particular match under the ruleset No Pain, No Gain was one of those defining and learning moments for me personally. It changed how I approach positioning, survivability, and long-term strategy. This is deemed fit to showcase for this week’s community engagement challenge. Of which I think everyone should give a try out. Now, going straight into business, shall we?

Battle Details

• Ruleset: No Pain, No Gain
• Mana Cap: 50

No Pain, No Gain, as the ruleset goes, is a ruleset under which all monsters gain extra health due to Strengthen (All units have a Painforge that is +1 power when damaged by poisoned or burning or even hit by an ally) but they also take damage at the end of every round. This means burst damage alone is risky, survivability and balance matter more, and finally poor positioning gets punished quickly leading to an early downfall.

My Team Lineup – Built for Endurance

Summoner: Thalgrimore

#Monsters:

1. Nim Guard Captain the Frontline tank monster
2. Vengeful Monk (Human) the early pressure and sustain opportunist
3. Sorrow Harvester the consistent midline damage for most of line up
4. Black Widow the tactical threat from the back
5. Lenore Nevermore the late-game finisher
6. Little Sister the backline protection with the life leech ability

I focused on balanced durability, ensuring my damage dealers could survive long enough to handle business matters instead of rushing for quick kills. I planned to outlast the ruleset damage which we will see how it turned out in the end.

Opponent’s Lineup – High Damage, High Risk

Summoner: Marlai Singariel

#Monsters:

1. Port Guardian – Heavy armor tank
2. Great Bear Druid – Strong melee attacker
3. Saltwater Mage – Magic damage
4. Lunaki Howler – Aggressive striker
5. Water-Logged Wizard – Magic burst
6. Vengeful Monk – Backline attacker

My opponent on the other hand leaned heavily into raw damage output, hoping to end the fight quickly before the ruleset damage should became a problem.

Round-by-Round Breakdown

Round 1 – Setting the Tone

Both teams gained extra health from Strengthen as the ruleset permitted. Early attacks were absorbed by Port Guardian and Nim Guard Captain the frontliners of the showdown. Magic damage started stacking up, but my formation remained stable. End-of-round damage hit hard, yet my team had the upper hand.

Round 2 – Cracks Begin to Show
The opponent’s monsters began losing health rapidly due to the ruleset. Sorrow Harvester and Black Widow chipped away consistently. My frontline still held firm and their damage dealers lacked sustainability. This was the moment I realized aggression alone would not win this match.

Round 3 – The Turning Point

Port Guardian finally fell, exposing the opponent’s weakness in formation. Lenore Nevermore entered her moment to do justice to the remains. The opponent’s monsters were already weakened by accumulated damage from my team. Once the tank was gone, everything unraveled quickly and in no time this round sealed the outcome even before it was over.
With no recovery options and constant end of round damage, the opponent’s remaining monsters collapsed. Even Little Sister, though fragile, played her role by absorbing pressure and protecting the core damage dealers and paying the price for the whole team. The victory for team Thalgrimore it was but more importantly the lesson learnt from the outcome.

battle link

Lessons

Splinterlands is not just about owning powerful cards it is about understanding the battlefield and the ruleset. This match reminded me that smart positioning, long-term planning and strategic planning will always out perform reckless damage stacking. If you’re struggling in No Pain, No Gain, slow down, build for survival, and let your strategy do the work.
What this battle taught me and made me a better player. Rulesets matter more than raw stats, Survivability beats aggression in No Pain, No Gain, balanced teams outlast damage-heavy lineups, late-game finishers win matches when properly protected, and finally end-of-round damage is a silent killer many players underestimate that could lead to a fatal end.

This battle completely changed how I approach endurance-based rulesets for instance No Pain, No Gain. Ever since then I have become more patient, more strategic, and far more consistent in my wins over time. This is where we close the chapter on this challenge. Hope to see you in the arena!!

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