Sometimes battles works the way you intended it despite being against you. This match was a perfect example of how important it is to understand the game mechanics, especially when your core strategy is the one affected. It was one of those battles where I tried to make the best out of what looked like a bad matchup.
I’ll share how my team handled the Arcane Dampening Modifier and how I tried to make every magic attack count despite the the modifier working against me. From the my trusted Archon, Marlai Singariel, to each of my chosen units, I had to make sure every piece of the puzzle fits. Let’s dive into the lineup, my thoughts on each unit, and let me share you how I won this very hard modifier when everything is stacked against me, against all odds.

Battle Breakdown

Modifier in this Battle:

• Arcane Dampening - All units have the Void ability.

My Thoughts on Modifiers

• The Arcane Dampening Modifier changes how magic units function completely. Since magic damage gets halved and rounded up. With that modifier, it becomes a thinking game where you must plan beforehand. Units with odd magic attack numbers have a small edge since they round up higher which is why units like Shock Trooper and Captain Fellblade is strong here. Multiple magic attacks becomes risky but if planned right, it can still dominate even under Arcane Dampening Modifier.

Team Composition

Archon: Marlai Singariel

• Really strong if your team relies on magic attack. +1 magic is really important in this battle since it helps overcome some of the damage reduction from Void from Arcane Dampening Modifier, letting your team deal just a little more than expected.

Units Chosen

Unit 1: Daigendark Surveyor

• Low mana unit with good armor and Magic Reflect ability. Even if you don't use Magic Reflect, 6 health for 2 mana is still a good trade and it can take some hits from any units before falling which makes it a solid filler or a main tank.

Unit 2: Asel Alagosdil

• Same as Daigendark Surveyor but weaker. While she has Divine Shield, Asel Alagosdil still only have 3 health which makes her too fragile and weak in long battles. I should've just used Halfling Refugee instead since it could take more hits at 6 health and deal some damage too but what's done is done.

Unit 3: Shock Trooper

• Even at low levels, it has high damage. With the help of Marlai Singariel, 5 magic attack means 3 magic attack passes through Void. Just make sure that the fight won't take long as Electrified will eat away at your other units the longer you are in battle.

Unit 4: Captain Fellblade

• Same idea as Saltwater Mage but stronger. It has an extra melee which can also do a Sneak attack, and 3 Magic attack means 2 magic attack passes through Void making it reliable in hitting backline targets.

Unit 5: Saltwater Mage

• Really strong since it has magic attack and Sneak. It would be hard to counter unless the enemy have high health unit last which is not normally the case, making it very dangerous in fights where the enemies came unprepared.

The Battle

Opening Rounds:
Even at the start, while it looks like this battle would work against me because of Void from Arcane Dampening, I am comfortable that I could win this battle because I understand it more than my enemy.

Mid-game:
Despite all of my damage getting halved because of all the Void, I still have the advantage for damage. In theory, the enemy did the correct thing and avoid magic attack in order to now get any disadvantage from the modifier. This is normally the case but you don't really need to do it and this mid game proves my point.

Final Rounds:
With my multiple small tanks, I was able to create an effective buffer, a sort of delay before the enemy can reach the real meat of my team. Since Shock Trooper and Captain Fellblade survived until the end, I have no short of damage despite the Void cutting my team's efficiency by half.

👉 Watch the full battle replay here
https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_aefc30339dc0e46b843bc06b5bd1f567?ref=ashenova

Results & Reflection

What strategy I was aiming for:
Using odd numbered attacks to make most of magic attack despite being halved by Void from Arcane Dampening Modifier is my main strategy for this battle. The damage for halved attacks are always rounded up so 3 magic attack means 1.5 damage, therefore, 2 magic attack will strike at the enemy. 5 magic attack deals 3 damage, 7 magic attack deals 5, etc. This means that having odd-numbered magic attack is actually better when dealing with these strong defensive abilities. This is which is also why I built my team around that logic.

What surprised me:
I was surprised again by my own incompetence. I don't know why I added Asel Alagosdil as my tank when Halfling Refugee is completely free. Halfling Refugee has better health and even though he has no Divine Shield and armor, it can still deal 2 melee attack that may or may not help on the battle. It was a mistake that reminded me that sometimes simple and strong is better and you don't always need to max out the mana.

What I learned:
Knowledge is power. Normally, the enemy's way is the correct way to play. In a rule where magic is in disadvantage, do not use magic attacking units or strategy. But since I read about how the halving of attacks work, I already have the plan pre-prepared. The strategy was supposed to be for when I play against any Void unit like Nim Guard Captain but I am happy it still worked in Arcane Dampening Modifier. This battle taught me that understanding math behind the abilities are really useful when facing unique scenarios.

Closing Thoughts

The Arcane Dampening Modifier changes how magic units function completely. Since magic damage gets halved, it becomes a thinking game where you must plan the attack numbers carefully if you still want to use magic-based strategies. Units with odd magic attack numbers have a small edge since they round up higher which is why units like Shock Trooper and Captain Fellblade can still do decent damage. Using a lot of magic attacking units becomes risky, but if planned right, it can still dominate even under Arcane Dampening Modifier.

This battle was not perfect but it was a really fun one to analyze. Arcane Dampening Modifier may seem like a big problem, but with the right math and unit choice, it can still work in your favor. It really shows that even modifiers that look bad can be turned into an advantage with the right setup.

Posted Using INLEO