The first time I started playing Splinterlands, I had zero plans. I just played to play and hoped I get better one day. I simple joined battles, lost a lot, and went back to the game without trying to understand why things went wrong. This was for a month. At that time, power felt very far away and kind of confusing and had zero ideas why I even lost.

Over time, I learned that power in Splinterlands is not only about strong cards. It is also about learning small details and making better choices every match. This post is about my own path and what helped me slowly grow stronger.

Learning Before Winning

In my early days, I focused too much on winning right away. I kept copying lineups without understanding why they worked. When those lineups failed, I copied the lineup of the ones I lost to. I felt stuck and frustrated not knowing why they don't work when I lost to them.

Things changed when I started paying attention to abilities and modifiers. I stopped rushing, relying on copying and began reading what each unit and ability actually does. Even losing battles became useful because I learned something every time. I also learned why those things that I lost from worked and why I wasn't able to make them work.

One big lesson for me was that losses are part of growth. Every mistake showed me what not to do next time. Instead of feeling bad, I started treating each loss as a small lesson.

From the Beginning

I did not start with many strong or expensive cards. Because of that, I had to learn how to make simple units work better together. I did rent some cards here and there but not everything. Synergy between cards became more important to me than levels on the cards.

I focused on low mana units and roles like tanks, supports and damage dealers. I started understanding where to place units helped me survive longer in battles. Small changes in position often made a big difference.

Slowly, I upgraded cards when I could and learned when renting made sense. I did not rush upgrades and only invested in units I used often. This helped me grow without wasting resources.

Not all are Sunshines and Rainbows

For a long time, my biggest problem was rushing games without thinking. I queued battles too fast and trusted my enemy's lineup more instead of reading the descriptions on the modifier and abilities. This caused many losses that could have been avoided with just a little planning.

I also relied too much on the same lineups. Even when the modifier clearly did not favor my usual build, I still forced it. At the start, I used a lot of magic attacks even if the modifier clearly states I shouldn't. This made my progress really slow and easily countered which resulted to losses that I shouldn't have in the beginning.

Another issue was ignoring flexibility. I avoided archons like Dolfar Darflak just because they have no abilities. I did not understand that the option to use and combine units from two different element is a very strong ability by itself. I learned my mistakes and that increased my win rates a lot.

Advice for Players on the Same Path

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to slow down. Take time to read abilities and understand how units work together. Reading is boring but remember that Splinterlands is a negative-sum game. If you lose once, you need to win twice to increase your rating. So, just take your time and don't rush.

Do not feel bad about losing. Every loss can have information that helps you grow. The more you learn, the better your decisions become.

Lastly, play in a way that fits you. There is no single correct path to power. Your journey matters more than copying someone else’s success. I learned this the hard way. Winning feels good but losing feels bad and if you only win by copying without understanding, you will lose eventually.

Closing Thoughts

Looking back, my path to power was shaped just as much by mistakes as by wins. Rushing games, forcing lineups and chasing rank all held me back. These habits delayed my growth more than any bad card pull ever could.

What helped me move forward was admitting these flaws. Once I slowed down and accepted that learning takes time, my play became more stable. Power did not come from playing more, but from playing smarter.

If there is one thing I learned, it is that mistakes are part of the road. Facing them honestly is what turns losses into progress.

Posted Using INLEO