Mastering BRAWLS, FRAYS, and GLADIUS Cards – Part 2 of the Guild Analysis in Splinterlands

Best regards Splinterlovers 💚

In Part 1 of this series on “Guilds” and “Brawl Battles,” I explained how to join a guild, how its six buildings work, what each one does, and why it’s so important to work together to max them out—which is great— however, today we’re taking things to the next level with the information I’m about to share, as I’ll be focusing more on the heart of what collective competition—fighting in a “Guild”—is all about.

In addition to all this, I’ll also explain how “Frays” work, the Gladius SET’s mastery, and its signature ability—which most of you already know—called “Bloodlust.” Plus, I’ll try to explain what guild level is worth aiming for in the game, since, yes, we’ll encounter many different guild levels, and most importantly, how to earn rewards in the process—because, yes, this isn’t just about battling as a team—you can actually earn significant SPS rewards just by playing—so I recommend paying close attention. Also, by clicking HERE, you can read the first part.

So, if you want to master “Brawls” once and for all and know exactly what to do when you join a guild, stick around until the end of this post:

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The Battle Cycle of a Brawl (5 Days)

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Let’s consider that Brawls are a type of tournament held among 10 “Guilds” of the same level—also known as a “Tier”—which are grouped randomly; there’s no specific order. The only thing to keep in mind is that they’re guilds from this “Tier”—that’s all. On the other hand, even though each member fights individually, teamwork is essential because the strategy devised by the entire guild is crucial—especially since each member is supposed to have a different deck or specialize in a format and/or expansion different from the others.

But, to continue—and as I mentioned earlier—each “Brawl” follows a 5-day cycle divided into 3 key phases:

• Phase 1: 2-Day Preparation: This daily phase is one of the most important, as it involves selecting the “Frays,” and this will depend on each guild member’s deck. This means that, as I mentioned earlier, if a player specializes in “Wild Format,” the idea is to assign them a “Fray” in that format, and vice versa for “Modern.”

• Phase 2: The Battle (2 Days): Once all the “Frays” have been assigned, each member must submit their battles in “Anytime” format—that is, you submit your battles anytime during the 2 days you have available, and that’s it.

• Phase 3: The Results: Once it’s over, the “Results” are announced—this is when the rewards are distributed, namely Crowns, Merits, and SPS.**

What are Frays, and how do you choose the right one?

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Well, this is very important to understand, because the reality is that you can also create a “Guild”; however, it’s much easier to join one that’s already been created. In any case, think of a “Fray” as if it were a combat post—that is, a “Tower” that you must defend against enemies and where you’re in charge, while other members of your team take care of other towers. The great thing is that each tower (Fray) has its own rules, formats, cards that can be used, permitted editions, and even specific card variants, such as golden cards.

With that in mind, here’s the strategy for choosing your Fray:

• Beginners with a small deck: You should look for Novice or Bronze Frays that only allow standard cards from recent expansions. Although this depends—it can also apply to the Wild format.

• Empty Frays = Automatic Loss: If your guild leaves a Fray unoccupied, rival guilds are awarded a “free win”; therefore, communication on Discord or in chat is vital for filling all “Frays.”

• Choose Based on Your Deck: If you think you’re good at playing with cards in “Modern Format” and are skilled at using Rebellion summoner tactics and Bloodlines, then request a Fray where you can specifically use these sets—and don’t forget to check the Fray’s league: Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Diamond.

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Gladiator Cards and the Bloodlust Ability

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GLADIUS cards were considered the strongest cards in the entire game thanks to their innate ability called “Bloodlust.” Furthermore, these cards are required in certain “Frays”—if not all of them—and can give you a significant advantage in the game. Therefore, you must fight to earn “Merits” and complete your entire deck of GLADIUS cards to try to keep up with your rivals.

They can only be obtained from the guild shop by purchasing “Gladius Cases” for 2,000 Merits, and they cannot be sold or traded—you can only burn them for GLINTS, which you can later spend in the shop. Alternatively, you can spend your own GLINTS to go to the guild shop and buy these GLADIUS CASES.

• The Great Power of Bloodlust: The great thing about these cards is that all 32 cards in this set gain the ability called Bloodlust, so every time a Gladius card defeats an enemy card, all its stats increase by +1 point. This is quite powerful and can drastically turn the tide of a battle; although they can be easily countered nowadays, it wasn’t so simple in the beginning.

Which Guild Level Is Really Worth It?

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• Level 1: A guild at this level is not recommended, since it has virtually no buildings and practically no rewards.

• Levels 2–3: Things start to change here, as these guilds may have the “Arena” at L1/L2, the “Shop” at L2, and the “Barracks” at L2.

• Levels 4–5: The true competitive tier is concentrated in these two levels, since guilds at this stage should have virtually all their buildings maxed out and the rewards are much higher; basically, these are the best.

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NOTE: Of course, whether you can join a guild in the highest “tiers” depends entirely on your deck and your experience, so this is something to keep in mind. In addition, your experience is also taken into account; in fact, they may even hold duel trials to admit you—that is, you’ll face the guild’s best player, and if you beat them, you’ll be admitted.