Splinterlands: Training Mode

People of Hive and Praetoria! Welcome to the Splinterlands Community Challenge Center!

This week, we will cover TRAINING MODE - a customizable gaming experience where Splinterlands players, beginners and pro players alike, can delve into the Training Grounds and experiment with a multitude of strategies and combinations in order to hone their skills and prepare them for the battlefield. This is a great way to practice and develop your gameplay without the risk of dropping in rankings and the frustration of trying to recover your rating points especially if you are fighting for a LEADERBOARD spot. Let's get into it!

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Where can I access this so-called TRAINING MODE?

At the Splinterlands Battle Page, shortly after clicking on PLAY NOW, you can find the TRAINING Button on the top right corner of your screen. This should be right below your In-Game Name whether you are play using your computer or your mobile phone.

In case you play Splinterlands using your mobile phone, the location of the Training button can still be found on top of your screen and below your In-Game Name.

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I have found the button. Now what?

Click on the button and the Training Grounds window will pop out! This is where you can change the settings and customize your training to your liking!

The Difficulty setting adjusts the skill level of your opponent. You can choose Easy, Medium, and Hard. Feel free to experiment with this so you can gauge your own skill level. If you keep defeating the computer on Easy setting, then maybe you have already understood the basics of the game and it's time to level up and challenge yourself to higher skill level competition.

Allowed Cards lets you select from a variety of card pools. Selecting All Cards would activate your pool of owned and rented cards. This is the same pool of cards you can use in the Wild Format. Choosing Modern will let you select from your deck of cards, whether owned or rented, that are allowable in the Modern Format ONLY. Currently, the Modern Format includes the Chaos Legion Set, and the Rebellion Set. When the rotation happens, Chaos Legion will cycle out of Modern and will therefore not be usable in the said format anymore. The forthcoming set named Conclave Arcana will replace Chaos Legion and will be playable alongside Rebellion in the Modern format once CA is released.

The Ghost Cards setting unlocks ALL CARDS in the game. This means you can play with all the cards Splinterlands has ever released. This is a great way to experience playing rare and expensive cards you dream of owning! This is also the best way to test combinations and strategies without renting or even buying the cards right away. Ghost Modern is similar to Ghost Cards except you are limited to the sets allowed in Modern Format only. Whether you are just playing for fun or just testing out a card before deciding if you want to rent of purchase it, the two Ghost Settings are your friends.

Lastly, the Summoner Level Caps, well, caps the level of the summoners you can use during training. This also limits the level of the monsters you can summon to aid you in battle. Previously, League Caps were used to distinguish what summoner levels can be utilized during matches. Shown below are the names of the leagues and what they are now called:

Novice League -> Novice League
Bronze League -> Adept
Silver League -> Intermediate
Gold League -> Advanced
Diamond and Champion League -> Expert

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Got it. Now I want to play. How does this improve my skills as a player and how do I make the game more enjoyable?

Playing with automated opponents tests your skill level and experience without needing to spend energy or gamble with your rating in ranked battles. Same thing with tournaments where you paid an entry fee for just to compete for those juicy prizes!

I play Modern Ranked and typically reach Champion 3 towards the end of the season. In fact, I just hit my goal today! If I don't want to risk dropping back to a lower level but want to keep playing, I can just start playing with automated opponents with no drawback while I keep on sharpening my skills by experimenting with strategies and combos. Once I feel ready to enter the battlefield again and face human battle mages, I can say I have prepared and can give my best in upcoming battles. Let's improve our rankings and obtain those battle rewards!

I can also utilize Training Mode as a way to prepare for Brawls. I am usually assigned to hold the fort in a Wild Gold Fray (Advanced Summoner Caps) and I can "stretch and warm up" by entering the Training Grounds before putting my Brawl matches in. Training Mode is especially helpful for me as brawls do not happen everyday and this way, I can be reminded of different cards and combos available in this setting especially when my daily games are played in a different format with different parameters.

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It is interesting I can play with cards that I do not need to own or rent. What are the other benefits for having access to these?

There are some cards that I know I will never own or be able to access for ranked and tournament play due to their expensive price tag or their availability in the market. Having the option to use these as Ghost Cards adds depth to experiencing the use of these cards and to the methods of learning the game. Access to these can also be considered as a "try before you buy" opportunity to help you decide if you are willing to spend you money on these assets. There will be some strategies and combinations that are quite fascinating if you are able to use specific cards. If you are ever curious as to how synergies between different cards work, whether it's for countering certain teams or for finding alternatives to key cards in a particular rulesets, then experimenting with Ghost Cards will definitely scratch that itch and satisfy that thirst for knowledge.

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Final Thoughts

Thank you, all, for taking the time to read and for the opportunity to publish my entry for the Weekly Splinterlands Community Engagement Challenge. I had so much fun writing this article. Overall, I believe Training Mode is a great addition to the game. Not only new players, but also seasoned veterans can benefit from this. I am hopeful that this addition and development to the game will bring in more players and will aid in the success of our game and our economy!

Vonak! Together We Thrive, Kapamilya!