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The first few seasons in Splinterlands always feel like a blur. You click your way through battles hoping your lineup works, then wonder what just happened when it didn't but the moment you realize you're not just throwing cards but actually building teams, that’s when it clicks.

When I first started, I used to think the hardest part was the battle itself. Turns out, half the fight is before the first turn even starts. The time I spent picking cards, understanding rules, and mastering combos, it takes time. Even now, I still second-guess my choices sometimes. Let's go back to the first few seasons I got in Splinterlands for this week's Splinterlands Engagement Challenge.

# What was the biggest hurdle you faced when learning Splinterlands?
One of the hardest parts for me was learning to trust my own instincts when choosing which cards to use for each battle especially whenever a new set gets released. Actually, this part is harder now because there's no daily rental anymore and each rental, you have to commit to your strategy.

Each player has its own playstyle and while with others, there’s always this pressure to follow what top players use, but sometimes your own ideas actually work better for your playstyle. I think I lost more battles from second-guessing than I did from actual bad lineups.

Another big challenge is managing my rental budget every season. I only have so much DEC to spend each season so I can’t afford to rent all the cards I want. It forces you to make choices and whatever you rent for that season, you're locked in with that for the rest of the two weeks. Just trust your instinct and you will be fine.



# Which feature or mechanic took the longest to fully understand?
The hit and miss mechanic confused me for a long time. I understood that speed affected dodge chance. If your unit has lower speed than your enemy, your hits will be more likely to miss more but I couldn’t figure out why my 3 speed unit would still get hit by a 1 speed enemy. 

What made it harder is how separate the speed difference miss chance is from the actual dodge-type abilities like Blind or Dodge. When I started, I used to think if I had higher speed, I was safe but then I’d get hit and just stare at the screen. I eventually learned it’s all about probabilities, not guarantees. I know that there's a formula somewhere out there to calculate this, but sometimes, the hit and miss mechanic just feels very random.



# What advice would you give to your past self or a brand-new player starting today?
Once you're confident in your strategies and how the game works, don’t hesitate to rent SPS if you don’t have enough for your league level. Renting SPS is cheaper short-term compared to buying in bulk, and you can always pause it when you're not playing as actively. But if you plan to stick around for a while, it’s still good to slowly build your SPS stake over time.

I've found this table of what SPS you need to max out your rewards in specific leagues. I hope you can use this to maximize your income.
![SPS needed.PNG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/slimeyph/23tcLveeo2jASjixp55LJaA4mpHpvXdjrJwQwiFZmt55qMaREoo8QwShP9VNpaA4Gcr33.PNG)

I would also tell myself not to be afraid of losing streaks. Losing teaches you more than winning sometimes. And if you're unsure, rewatch the battle and the replay usually explains what went wrong.

Do not be afraid to copy some of your enemy's tech if you find it strong. The more techs and combos your have in your back pocket, the better your chances of winning will be.



# Are there any specific players, guides, or moments that helped you grow the most?
This might be a surprise, but one of the most helpful things for me wasn’t a player, it was the Splinterlands Support website. Specifically, the [abilities and debilitations page](https://support.splinterlands.com/hc/en-us/articles/12821703483156-List-of-Splinterlands-Abilities-and-Debilitations) and the [rules/modifiers list](https://support.splinterlands.com/hc/en-us/articles/9123215350548-List-of-Splinterlands-Modifiers) helped me understand mechanics I thought I already knew. Just reading through them slowly made a lot of pieces click.

I go back to those pages even now when I forget what something like “Life Leech” or “Enrage” actually does. It may not be an interactive site but the content, it’s clear and helpful. Honestly, more people should probably bookmark it.

The only thing I don't like in these sites, which is still helpful, is that they update the sites randomly without any patch notes. What I mean by this is the Splinterlands Rulesets website is now called Splinterlands Modifiers. When did this change? Who knows. The contents also change randomly sometimes especially when new sets arrive because they have to update the texts on the old rules. Did you know that the "What Doesn't Kill You" rule was called "Spreading Fury" before? Did you know that "Four's a Crowd" was originally, "Fab Four?" Yes, they just changed these one day without advising anyone so it's a really good habit to check these two sites once in a while just to get updated on the changes.


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Hi, y'all. Slimey here, your jolly and gullible little blue slime. I got reincarnated to this world to better my art and join community challenges to get more practice and improve my skill.

Know more about me by checking out my [introduction post](https://peakd.com/introduceyourself/@slimeyph/that-time-i-was-reincarnated-to-become-a-blogger)

See funny vtuber clips and animations by checking out my [youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@ThatLittleBlueSlime).

Support me by joining Splinterlands using my [referral code](https://splinterlands.com/register?ref=slimeyph).

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Images are taken from Splinterlands, Drawn in Krita, Animated in Photoshop and Edited in Canva.