![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmbFdTbJa5ATZc9zvmPZG3G5GArhan7B2ozzPwCYUkdroS/thumbnailsd.png)

Hello Splinterlands warriors!  
Welcome back to another week of the Splinterlands social media challenge. This time, I want to share a thrilling battle that had my heart pounding. I was testing out one of the Water element monsters that’s been piquing my curiosity lately: **Isgald Vorst**.

This monster is seriously unique. Not only does it bring solid magic damage to the table, but it also has insane potential to snowball thanks to its **Bloodlust** ability. Once it takes down an enemy, all its stats get a boost. And in a **Stampede** ruleset like this one—where **Trample** can trigger repeatedly—it could’ve been the perfect setup for him to shine! Unfortunately, Trample didn't activate in this match.

<center>![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmWUvzSJEs9SFiKapirwbpcwdafJ2MmuUofGnjEHPtfAkU/waka.png)</center>


The battle setup had a **29 mana cap**, with **Odd Ones Out** and **Stampede** as the active rulesets. So only monsters with odd mana costs were allowed. On the enemy’s side, they led with **Djinn Muirat**. Every monster on their team was poisoned, thanks to the **Poison** skill spread by **WAKA SPIRITBLADE**. Their lineup was stacked: **Halfling Refugee, Silent Sha-vi, Broken Earth Thug, Arachne Weaver**, and **Spirit Hoarder**—a full squad from front to back, even with healing support!

Here’s my lineup:

- **Archon: Pembrook Nymph**  
- **Halfling Refugee**  
- **Cruel Sethropod**  
- **Noa the Just**  
- **Isgald Vorst** (the star!)  
- **Venari Wavesmith**  
- **Uraeus**

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmZwvn9evWeJShTgmR9oYq594dZoypFDJPw9YQLVSf2pth/2_line_blue.png)


### **Let the Battle Begin!**  

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmaybvcpJpHckSN7dNxGMCcLWks8UgoLoD8pqbm7UWCJ8Y/round_1.png)


Round one kicked off with a bang! **Noa the Just** wiped out all enemy armor—super important to make sure our attacks hit harder. Then **Isgald Vorst** entered the scene and booted **Broken Earth Thug** off the board. But poison started spreading, and my **Halfling Refugee** was the first to feel it.

In round two, my Refugee fell. But **Vorst** capitalized on the moment, eliminating **Spirit Hoarder** and triggering his first Bloodlust boost—his damage was getting scary. Poison didn’t stop, though. **Cruel Sethropod** got infected and started fading fast.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmdJ9fZACYEXAvoz5wwZpmz76omqBtNmksmYLjXvxq5Sz6/round_2.png)


By round three, Sethropod was down. But once again, **Vorst** shined, taking out the enemy **Halfling Refugee**. Unfortunately, **Uraeus** and **Noa the Just** were also going down. The enemy's sneak and opportunity attacks were brutal.

Round four was the turning point. **Isgald Vorst** went on a rampage, taking down **Arachne Weaver**. My backline was now safe since the enemy had no more sneak threats.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmUKqVqRAuVDQBTairjaQj2u4RrngY1FgyBZ8W7fGq2iiK/round_3.png)


In round five, **Isgald Vorst** stepped up as the tank. He was poisoned by **Djinn Muirat**, but his massive HP kept him standing.

And finally, in round six, despite the poison, **Vorst** struck down Muirat. Only **Silent Sha-vi** was left. Not long after, the battle ended in a glorious victory for my team!

For the full battle replay, you can watch it here: 
<center> 👉  [**LINK BATTLE**](
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_bca610bcc33a50f3d6dcf98e47d87d87?ref=rqr4)  👈</center>

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmTxWJtVmnYQ2fz4ifccFFAn63gqHQiLqhJL9WH1teyGDx/bar_fire.png)

---

**Reflections & Takeaways**

What amazed me the most was how **Isgald Vorst** clutched the win. As my team dropped one by one to poison and multi-directional attacks, he stood strong and cleaned up the field. His combo of **Bloodlust, opportunity, and high HP** made him a real finisher.

Also, support units like **Venari Wavesmith** for armor and **Noa the Just** for armor removal played crucial early-game roles. Even though they didn’t survive till the end, their contributions were key.

From a newer player’s perspective, here’s a valuable lesson: **focus on one main carry that can snowball**, and build your team to support them. Not everyone needs to survive—what matters is they do their job before falling.

---

**Quick Tip:**

If you find yourself in a **Stampede** or **Odd Ones Out** ruleset, try bringing a monster that gets stronger as it attacks. And never underestimate **poison**! A mass poison team with WAKA Spiritblade can melt your lineup if you’re not ready.

Until the next battle, Splinterlands warriors!  
Hope you survive the poison and rise to victory. 💪🔥


![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmXuXxp6GBhwB1HpXvoabLn8Dt8QaRKSe1WNYDzqX1v6Vk/chaos_logo.png)



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