An Explanation of Modifiers in Splinterlands (Part 1)

Best regards Splinterlovers 💚

To master the game, you need to understand it. It’s not enough to just click “Battle,” line up your cards, and hope to win by simply playing stronger cards. Splinterlands’ gameplay goes far beyond that, and one of the key points to mastering it and winning more battles is to master just one thing: the “Rules,” now called “Modifiers.” And why is that? Because these modifiers are what dictate the course of a battle; their effects can alter all the cards on the field in many ways. That’s why, if you master the modifiers and learn to interpret them, you’ll gain an incredible advantage over other players. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll be invincible, since there are many players who already master them perfectly, and they’ll be your true rivals.

That’s why I’ve written a post about modifiers—something a bit more general than what I’ve posted before, since I’ve previously explained many different types of rules or modifiers, a series I’ll continue later— but today I want to focus on something more general and explain it from scratch for those who are still confused, especially at the beginning, since when you start the game and begin to have two rules at the same time instead of one, decisions get more complicated, and you need to understand each of these rules in much greater detail—as they are the ones that dictate the course of a battle and the players’ decisions.

So, if you don't know anything about "Modifiers" and always have trouble identifying them, pay close attention because you'll learn a lot about this topic. It's important because it will give you an edge over a large percentage of players who don't pay much attention to this aspect, even though it's one of the most important in the entire game.

---

Modifiers are the lifeblood of battles

The first thing I’ll do before getting into the details is, of course, to explain what these famous “Modifiers” are and why they’re so important. So, modifiers are simply a set of parameters that we’ll encounter in every battle we face in the game and that we must pay attention to, since the battle will be governed by their effects.

This is of vital importance because, as a player, you need to adapt to the rules and modifiers to try to gain an advantage over your opponent. These rules can either nullify certain strategies or, conversely, enhance the power of cards you may not have considered when playing. If you start paying attention and learn the effects of each of these rules, you’ll be able to predict, to some extent, which combinations will work best for you in battle.

Using this knowledge, you could do the following:

• Predicting your opponent's moves: This is important because you'll be able to figure out what your opponent might play, and this is very useful since both of you are subject to the same rules or modifiers. Therefore, by knowing what kind of abilities or cards they'll use, you can act accordingly to counter their play.

• Adapt to the restrictions: Newer players aren't familiar with all the rules and their effects, so they often make mistakes during the game. This is when you can take advantage of those mistakes, which occur when your opponent isn't aware of the restrictions. On the other hand, if you know them, you can adapt to them and use them to your advantage.

Classification of Modifiers

• Attack Restriction: There are many modifiers that restrict certain types of cards or attacks, so while it might seem like a good idea to play a ranged attack unit, one of the battle rules is “Broken Arrows,” which prevents you from playing it.

• Stat Modifiers: These are among the most common and alter the default stats of cards. They can affect any stat, such as attack, speed, health points, and shield. These stats can increase or decrease depending on the modifier's effect.

• Permanent effects: There are modifiers that affect all cards on the field equally. For example, one of the most iconic and difficult rules to play is “Noxious Fumes,” which deals +2 damage in every round of the battle. Another example is the “Earthquake” rule, which, if you do not have the ability to fly, deals +2 points of direct damage to your health; however, if you have a shield, it damages that defense first.

• Positioning modifiers: You’ve surely come across these as well; they directly affect how cards move on the field. A clear example of this is the rule or modifier called “Melee Mayhem,” which causes all cards to attack the card in the first position on the opponent’s side of the field. Another example is “SuperSneak,” which grants all cards on the field the “Sneak” ability, so that all cards will attack the last card on each side of the field.

• Ability Removal: You’ve probably come across this type of modifier as well; the most common and well-known is the famous “Back To Basics,” which removes absolutely all abilities on the field, leaving only the buffs provided by Archons/Summoners. Another example is “Silenced Archons,” a modifier that completely removes the effects or abilities that “Archons” can grant to their team.

---

Conclusion

With this information, I think you now have the “BASIC” knowledge needed to understand what “Modifiers” are and why they’re so important in Splinterlands, since they’re what dictate the course of battle and, consequently, the strategies and/or combinations each player can put together.

I hope everything I’ve explained has been perfectly clear, but, as the “Title” suggests, there will be a second part, and in that one we’ll take a closer look at how they work and which ones are the most complex.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment on this post.