What is Splinterlands? A Comprehensive Guide - Rainmaker Games

Splinterlands is a one-of-a-kind digital trading card game that gives players the ability to legitimately own their cards as well as other assets within the game. Each card in Splinterlands is an individual, non-fungible token that is owned by a player. The game is powered by the HIVE blockchain. This means that players are free to do whatever they want with their cards, including engaging in battles for rewards, keeping them as collectibles, trading them on the peer-to-peer market, combining them in order to level up, or even burning them in order to obtain Dark Energy Crystals, which are the game's official virtual currency.

Splinterlands is a superbly designed and fast-paced trading card game that allows its players to earn by playing. The game features hundreds of cards that are completely unique to one another. The battles in Splinterlands are quick, taking only two to three minutes every match, in contrast to more typical card games like The Gathering and Pokemon. 

Gameplay

The primary gameplay mechanic in Splinterlands is a drafting approach, rather than a turn-based action format in which every action must be carefully and deliberately regulated. After determining who their opponent will be, each player chooses up to six cards from their Splinterlands collection to form a team with. The fight is then automatically fought out in accordance with a one-of-a-kind set of rules that ensures that every single match is unique. This format is fast-paced and action-packed, and it enables participants to gain knowledge from both winning and losing.

Creating Collections

A player must build their collection of cards from the Splinterlands catalog in order to create teams under different rulesets and battle conditions

1. The Starter Set - Every player begins the game with the same set of starter cards, which includes every Common and Rare from the current set, as well as every Common and Rare from the previous set of cards. The starter cards cannot be sold or transferred, but they can be played for rewards at 1 BCX.

2. Buying Booster Packs - Players can purchase Booster Packs for $2 from the current set of available cards, using Credits or Dark Energy Crystals. Rarities and foils are dropped in these cards based on set percentages, such as 0.08% Legendary. Chances of flipping Gold Foil and Legendary cards can be doubled by purchasing Alchemy and Legendary Potions at a rate of 1 charge per card flipped.

3. Buying Individual Cards - Players can purchase individual cards from the peer 2 peer market at Splinterlands.com (when available) for either Credits or Dark Energy Crystals (at the current HIVE-Engine exchange rate).

4. Renting Cards - Because HIVE blockchain assets can be delegated to other accounts, cards can be rented using the rental marketplace at Peakmonsters.com. Rented cards cannot be combined, sold or transferred, but they can be played by the renter and they count toward that player's Collection Power.

Types of Cards

1. Summoners - Summoners are a necessity for any playable Splinterlands collection. One Summoner is used by each player per battle. That Summoner then summons a team of up to 6 Monster cards of the player's choice. 

Each Summoner has buffs, debuffs, or abilities that affect either the Monster cards of their team or their opponent's during the battle.Below is an example of a Rare Summoner and the Monster levels they can summon with each level.

2. Monsters - the cards that form a Splinterlands battle team. Every card that is not a Summoner is classified as a Monster, regardless of whether they are a character or a type of creature. As Monster cards gain levels, their  (Attack, Health, Armor, Speed) grow and at certain levels, they can also gain new abilities. 

Monsters either belong to a specific Splinter (Fire, Water, Earth, Life, Death or Dragon) or they are Neutral cards.

3. Gold Foil Cards - Both Summoners and Monsters can exist in Gold Foil Variations, which occur in packs in approximately 1/50 cards when opening Booster Packs or Loot Chests.

Gold Foil cards are more rare than regular foil, but they require fewer BCX to level up, as pictured below. Gold cards also earn a 10% bonus per Gold card played when battles are won.

Leagues

Splinterlands Leagues ranging from Novice to Champion are used to assure that players find opponents who match their level of collection and skill.

1. Novice - The Novice League is the starting place for every new account, as well as the place inactive accounts must start from again after several weeks of inactivity. Battles in the Novice League are almost always fought against other Novice players. To earn Season rewards, a player must rise above the Novice League.

2. Bronze - is the first League that implements rulesets and Collection Power limitations, as well as the first where higher-level cards can be played. In the Bronze League players stand a chance to win Bronze chests which have a 0.2% chance of containing a Legendary card and a 0.5% chance of any card being a Gold Foil.

3. Silver - In the Silver League, competition begins to heat up as card levels and Collection Power requirements are increased once again. In the Silver League players stand a chance to win Silver chests which have a 0.8% chance of containing a Legendary card. 

4. Gold - The Gold League is often challenging even for players with max-level decks because they are unable to use their cards to their fullest potential and they are competing against skilled Gold League players. 

5. Diamond - The Diamond League is where skilled Splinterlanders are separated from the pros. All types of cards can be played at their max level here, making it difficult to compete with lower-level cards. The Collection Power requirements are high compared to the lower Leagues, but the rewards are great.

6. Champion - The 3 levels of the Champion League are used to determine the best of the best in Splinterlands players. This makes it even more difficult to rise to the next level of Champion, but the rewards also increase significantly. 

Splinterlands’ Game Currencies: 

1. Dark Energy Crystals (DEC) - Dark Energy Crystals are the main in-game currency of Splinterlands.The primary means of distributing Dark Energy Crystals are through play-to-earn rewards. 

2. The Splintershards (SPS) - token will work as a DAO on the Binance Smart Chain platform. The SPS token is a governance token that will be integrated into the Splinterland game, giving players the option to influence decisions about the game and the ecosystem. Players may also propose their own changes, such as changing the tournament schedule, modifying the battle settings, or a change to the DEC inflation pools.

You can check the current price of Splintershards (SPS) in Rainmaker Games' or Coinmarketcap's price aggregator. 

That's it for our beginner's guide on Splinterlands. Start playing Splinterlands by clicking here. If you have a game you want to see published in Rainmaker Games, follow the steps on this  article, good luck.  

Those interested in joining the growing community can follow the project via Twitter, and Instagram.

In addition, the Rainmaker Games' Discord channel is a great place to learn, connect, and grow alongside other holders who believe in the project's vision.

About Rainmaker Games: 

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