Double Healers, Unbreakable Fortress
Hello Splinterlands warriors!
This time I want to share a battle that really made me rethink healing, team durability, and the importance of understanding rulesets. This match took place under a 54 mana cap with the combination of Holy Protection, Melee Mayhem, and Shapeshift. A pretty “heavy” ruleset combo, but one that actually opens the door for a more aggressive tank sustain formation.
The Start of the Strategy: Why This Formation Works
The moment I saw the ruleset, one thought popped up instantly:
This is the perfect time for a super-thick fortress with double healers!
I chose the Life element combined with Dragon. For the frontline, I used Drybone Barbarian, a tough melee Dragon monster that’s flexible in many scenarios. Then at the back, I placed Iziar, famously known as the “fortress of the masses.” With her Taunt and Void, she excels at redirecting damage and reducing pressure from the rest of the team.
The key piece of my formation was the two healers:
- Spirit Hoarder with Triage, and
- Djinn Renova with Triage plus a +1 Health buff for the entire team.
Why two healers? Because from experience, one healer is rarely enough to withstand heavy burst damage. And sure enough…
A Surprising Twist: The Enemy Thought the Same Thing!
When the loading screen finished and the opponent’s lineup appeared, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
They were using a strategy very similar to mine.
They also brought Iziar as their main fortress and had one healer.
The difference?
My opponent chose large-hitting melee monsters, dealing 4–5 damage per hit—clearly planning to maximize Melee Mayhem for a brutal, all-out melee assault. Their formation focused on big punches, not smaller, sustained damage like mine.
I thought, “Oh boy… this is going to be a long battle.”
With Holy Protection, every monster had Divine Shield, and since everyone could hit from anywhere, each round was guaranteed to be packed with action.
As round one began, the contrast became obvious.
The opponent hit hard, but…
My Iziar was getting healed twice per round—thanks to double Triage.
Meanwhile, their fortress only received one heal.
That tiny gap—small but important—started showing by round two.
My low but consistent damage output, combined with double sustain, slowly wore down the enemy’s defenses. Their fortress broke first, and their formation began to collapse.
Their single healer was overwhelmed, while my sustain line remained steady.
My Iziar—who normally falls quickly under focused attacks—was still standing strong thanks to the healing support.
Eventually, the small but steady magic damage from my team:
- Broke through the enemy backline,
- Eliminated their support,
- And finally swept away their exhausted frontline tank.
What looked like a long fight actually ended with a surprisingly clean victory.
If you want to watch how the “giant” fell, here’s the link:
Reflection: Lessons From This Battle
This match taught me one major lesson:
In Splinterlands, healing isn’t about having it or not—it's about how much you have.
Big damage looks scary, but:
- If your team can’t survive? You’re gone in two rounds.
- If your team can’t support each other? Even huge damage means nothing.
Many newer players often focus too much on damage, selecting monsters with huge hits, while forgetting that sustain is the backbone of victory in certain rulesets. Knowing when to use double healers—or when to use Taunt—is something that really elevates a player’s strategy.
If I could give a few pointers:
- Don’t hesitate to use two healers, especially in rulesets where massive damage is possible.
- Iziar is more than just a Taunt tank—she’s a strategic anchor that can decide the flow of the match.
- Learn from the community—other players’ replays are the most honest teachers.
- And most importantly…
Always adjust your combos based on the ruleset, not your habits.
Sometimes, a small tweak—like adding one more healer—is the exact reason you win the fight.
I hope this story inspires you if you're looking for a strong defensive strategy for challenging rulesets like Holy Protection + Melee Mayhem + Shapeshift.
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