On one of the recent episodes of @thepeoplesguild, @bjangles spoke about the need for more rulsets in Splinterlands to mix up the meta. I couldn't agree more. Give us more rule sets @splinterlands, please!

<c> ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/unitmaster/AJoHK9F4B5Riusni4SceEmxtT9LG7TYjzKTujyjPrk6Jt3HyaecDFs49jbMUtNH.png)
*Image generated with Chat-GPT. Prompt: Create an image of a battle mage in the Splinterlands TCG. Make it a battle scene where the battle mage looks bored.*

# Stagnation = Boredom

We’ve been living with the same pool of rules for a while now:

![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/unitmaster/23tSjWNxvqqVSzAQpZs4eoMFcqKpe5u1xy6G8mbkewxRuss85fM4Ns8rd8BH6rNvhxZMv.png)
*(Image from [Splintercards](https://www.splintercards.com/rulesets.php?&ruleList=0), thanks @tehox)* 

- No Magic
- Reverse Speed
- Healed Out
- Melee Mayhem
- …you know the list.



Most of the rule sets we have now are good (ignoring back to basics 🤢). But we've grown used to them and it gets repetitive playing the same ones over and over.

Splinterlands is better when it has more variety. The real strategy comes from a combination of the cards, mana limits, plus the rule sets.

The last reference I could find of a new rule set added was on the [February 20, 2024 update notes](https://docs.splinterlands.com/platform/release-notes/2024?q=rule+set#id-2024-02-20) when the "Blood and Sunder" rule set was added.

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## New Ideas

There are a number of ways the rule sets could be modified to add variety.

### Champion Leagues
- Consider increasing the total rulesets used in Champion leauge.
- Champion III: keep the standard 3 rulesets
- Champion II: add a fourth ruleset
- Champion I: add a fifth ruleset

### Overflow
- Unused mana is converted to +1 damage per 3 unused mana.
- Incentivizes low-cost lineups.
- Encourages tricky trade-offs between efficiency and power.

### Blood Tax
- All monsters lose 1 health per round, no exceptions.
- Accelerates battles and penalizes slow-play.

## The Benefits of Adding More Rulesets
Here are some benefits of adding more rulesets. The list was generated with Chat GPT.

🔄 Increases Variety:
Reduces repetition and makes each battle feel more unique and engaging.

🧠 Promotes Strategic Depth:
Forces players to adapt their lineups and think creatively instead of relying on memorized combos.

🃏 Revives Underused Cards:
New constraints can elevate overlooked monsters and abilities into viable options.

⚖️ Naturally Shakes Up the Meta:
Reduces dominance of top-tier strategies without requiring nerfs or power creep.

🧪 Encourages Experimentation:
Players are more likely to try new builds, splinters, and synergies.

🧍 Levels the Playing Field:
Rare or extreme rule sets can create surprise upsets and underdog victories.

🎯 Increases Replayability:
Keeps the game fresh over time by creating thousands of possible match conditions.

🔥 Boosts Community Engagement:
Rule set discussions, battle sharing, and theorycrafting all increase with unpredictability.

🛠️ Enables Thematic Events:
Rule sets can be rotated for seasonal modes, tournaments, or lore-based challenges.

🚀 Drives Long-Term Retention:
More dynamic gameplay keeps veteran players returning while impressing new ones with the game’s depth.

## Closing Comments and Feedback

Obviously the team has limited resources and has to focus on the key areas like new player experience and developing land. I have no idea how much development time it takes to add new rulesets to the game, but I hope the team will strongly consider doing so.

What new ruleset do you want to see in Splinterlands? Drop it in the comments below or message me on Discord.