Hi all,

Introduction

Another post in this series. Thank you for your support in the previous posts 😊

This series intends to determine if there are other aspects of cards that may contribute to increasing its value. Based on your feedback I can focus on more/other things – so feel free to tell me where you want me to go into further detail.
I include some analysis on where the cards fit in terms of gameplay, strategy, comparison with other cards, and a market analysis of its price. Feel free to suggest what more do you want me to look into in this series, and your support is much appreciated!
In this edition I will be looking at the Herbalist.

Gameplay Analysis

Herbalist is a Common Life Monster from the Untamed set in Splinterlands. As a low-mana utility unit, it provides support and healing to Life Splinter teams. With its combination of Cleanse and Triage at higher levels, Herbalist plays a key role in sustaining allies and removing negative status effects, making it particularly effective in control-oriented lineups.

Mana Cost: 2
Attack Type: Ranged
Abilities by Level
Level 3: Cleanse (Removes all negative status effects from the Monster in the first position each round)
Level 8: Triage (Heals the backline ally with the most damage each round)

Level-Based Insights

Level 1-2: Functions as a basic low-cost Ranged attacker without any abilities, mainly used as filler or chip damage.
Level 3-7: Gains Cleanse, making it highly effective in rulesets like Noxious Fumes or against teams using Affliction, Poison, or Stun.
Level 8+: With Triage, Herbalist becomes a backline healer, supporting fragile damage dealers or units targeted by Sneak or Opportunity attacks.

Comparative Analysis

How does this card compare to other similar ones?

Vs. Truthspeaker: Truthspeaker provides Protect and Cleanse, while Herbalist adds Triage, making it more useful in anti-Sneak or poison-heavy battles.
Vs. Venari Crystalsmith: Crystalsmith heals the frontline, while Herbalist heals the backline, offering different healing priorities.
Vs. Time Mage: Time Mage provides Slow and Magic damage, while Herbalist offers healing and utility with Cleanse and Triage.

Key Takeaway
Herbalist is a low-cost, utility support unit that combines Cleanse and Triage to keep both frontline and backline allies alive in long, grindy battles.

Synergies

Lorna Shine (Life Summoner): Grants Divine Shield, allowing Herbalist to survive longer and continuously heal.
Shieldbearer: Taunt tanks benefit greatly from Herbalist’s Cleanse to remove Affliction or Poison.
Adelade Brightwing: Provides additional Repair and Resurrect, further enhancing the team’s survivability.
Venari Crystalsmith: A dual-healer combo with both frontline and backline healing.

Ruleset Performance

Favorable Rulesets:
Noxious Fumes: Cleanse removes poison, significantly improving survivability.
Equal Opportunity: Helps heal backline units that are frequently targeted.
Healed Out: Cleanse still works even when healing is banned.

Challenging Rulesets:
Close Range: Prevents Herbalist from attacking if moved to the frontline.
Lost Magic: Reduces the impact of debuffs, making Cleanse less valuable.
Reverse Speed: Its high Speed makes it weaker in slow-speed battles.

Market Analysis

Price Overview
Regular Foil: around $ 0.025
Gold Foil: around $ 1.1

Investment Potential
Herbalist is a budget-friendly support unit that excels at countering debuff-heavy teams and poison-based rulesets. Its Triage ability at Level 8 makes it particularly valuable in higher-level battles, offering versatile healing options.

Ratings

Usefulness: 8/10 (Great in long battles and poison rulesets)
Cost-Effectiveness: 9/10 (Cheap to level up and highly useful at Level 8)
Versatility: 7/10 (Limited to utility roles but excels in the right circumstances)

Conclusion

Herbalist is a low-mana utility healer that provides Cleanse and Triage to protect both frontline and backline allies. It’s a must-have for Life Splinter players looking to maximize team survivability, especially in poison-heavy or attrition-based battles.

What do you think about this card? Do you use it in your lineups? Share your experiences in the comments and let me know which card you'd like me to analyze next!
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. 😊