There are times that it takes only one unit to hold everything together. I’ve had battles where my backline carried but this time it was my Taunt unit that made the difference. Watching Zargrul take hit after hit while my team kept dealing damage felt like watching a wall that refused to go down. Once it goes down though, it felt like a puzzle where everything fits into place. It’s not often you see a tank become the star of a fight but this battle is scarily on point that everything after Zargrul's death is perfect to a tee.
My team was built around magic attacks and Sneak damage but it all relied on Zargrul and my other tanks buying enough time for them to work. I didn’t expect the fight to go this smoothly, especially with Up to Eleven Modifier giving extra damage to Magic Reflect yet the plan worked better than I thought. Let’s look into how Zargrul’s tanking carried this team to victory.
Battle Breakdown
Modifier in this Battle:
- Up to Eleven - All units have Amplify (increases damage of Retaliate and all Punishment abilities—Corrosive Ward, Magic Reflect, Return Fire, and Thorns—by 1; does not stack).
My Thoughts on Modifiers
- The Up to Eleven Modifier adds Amplify to all units which increases the effect of Magic Reflect, Return Fire and Thorns by 1. This makes magic-heavy lineups very dangerous to use because reflected magic can deal serious damage back. Most players would balance their team in this modifier and try to make the most of it. While I have my Magic Reflect built in to my team, I would say that I took the opposite approach and went all-in with magic damage to see if I could end the battle quick. It’s a risky but fun strategy that proved raw power can sometimes win over perfect defense.
Team Composition
Archon: Marlai Singariel
- Her +1 magic attack is always helpful when running a full magic team. It makes every magic hit stronger and helps finish off enemies faster before they can destroy my tanks.
Units Chosen
Unit 1: Daigendark Surveyor
- Good low mana tank option for the front. At 2 mana, it’s surprisingly durable against magic damage because of Magic Reflect which helps deal some damage back.
Unit 2: Abyssal Elemental
- Strong tank that works great in long fights. Its Resurgence can bring it back with full health and armor which gives my team another chance to survive longer, though it also deals 1 damage to both sides each round.
Unit 3: Captain Fellblade
- A strong Sneak unit that can attack with both melee and magic which makes it hard to defend against. When paired with Saltwater Mage, both of them can take out weak backline enemies very fast.
Unit 4: Saltwater Mage
- Magic Sneak attacker that helps target low health enemies from behind. Even though she has low health, her damage becomes important when supported by Marlai Singariel’s increased magic damage.
Unit 5: Zargrul
- The main tank and center of the whole setup. With Taunt and high health, Zargrul draws all the attacks away from my damage dealers, letting them work freely until the enemy lineup falls apart.
The Battle
Opening Rounds:
In the early game, Zargrul is working very well redirecting some of the strong attacks towards him instead of my front line. While it doesn't look helpful since Daigendark Surveyor have Magic Reflect, it's still a good thing because it delays the death of my two damage, Saltwater Mage and Captain Fellblade.
Mid-game:
A lucky thing happened in the mid game where Shock Trooper hit Daigendark Surveyor. Now, this should really hit 3 back but with Amplify from Up to Eleven Modifier, it became 4 damage and with the 1 damage from the earlier Electrified, that puts his biggest damage down. This is very fortunate for me as it kills the most problematic unit on the enemy team.
Final Rounds:
Abyssal Elemental dies which triggered Resurgence giving me a free kill on Halfling Refugee. My units attacked next killing the enemies one by one. Zargrul taking the first few damage is what triggered the chain of events because the timing was so perfect after Zargrul died. The enemy team gets done by the end of the 3rd round.
👉 Watch the full battle replay here
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_67afd60004784d26e87f5f23f09109ca?ref=ashenova
Results & Reflection
What strategy I was aiming for:
My plan was to use multiple tanks to stall and buy time for my main damage units, Captain Fellblade and Saltwater Mage. The goal was to create a balance between tanks and damage to eliminate key enemy targets quick. Zargrul’s Taunt made sure my backline stayed safe while the magic attack slowly burned down their defenses starting with their damage source.
What surprised me:
What surprised me was how long Zargrul lasted even under heavy focus. I expected him to fall early since the enemy had high damage output, but his health pool and the way the damage spread across my team kept him alive. It showed me how much value a good tank can bring when the timing and placement are just right.
What I learned:
I learned the real value of tanks in battles like this. Timing might sometimes feel like luck but understanding when your tank might fall gives you more control over what happens next. If I can plan around those moments better, I can turn close fights into clear wins more often.
Closing Thoughts
This battle reminded me that sometimes the unsung heroes are the ones taking all the hits. Zargrul did exactly what I needed him to do and his presence alone made the rest of my team work better. When you have a strong tank that can take the heat off your team even for just a bit, the rest of your lineup can perform at their best.
Magic damage teams are powerful but without a tank like Zargrul, they fall too fast. This battle showed how much one unit’s endurance can turn a match around completely and how perfect timing can change the tides of battle.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gll6fcm6ppi2g7t2hj2xq7ky/post/3m4lbdt2de22h
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:gll6fcm6ppi2g7t2hj2xq7ky/post/3m4lbdt2de22h
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