Why Cleanse Is the True MVP of Dragon Breath Battles

Hello, Splinterfam!
It feels great to be back sharing another battle I just played. And this time, we’re facing one of the newest rulesets that I find both exciting and nerve-wracking: Dragon Breath. This ruleset applies a burning effect to any monster hit by magic or ranged attacks—its HP will slowly melt away every round like it’s cursed by fire. Luckily, this effect can be removed if you bring a monster with Cleanse.

Right away, that made me think of one card that has recently become my new favorite: Luceheim Demon from the Life element. Its Cleanse ability is incredibly important when dealing with Dragon Breath. So I started building a formation that focuses not just on dealing damage, but also on surviving the burn effect.

With a 50-mana cap and all elements available except Fire and Death, I ended up choosing this lineup:

• Commander Slade (main tank)
• Mindless Thrall
• Torrent Sniper
• Janni Rebel
• Olivia of the Brook
• Luceheim Demon (Cleanse guardian)

The strategy is simple:
Commander Slade tanks in front, and whenever he gets hit by Dragon Breath, Luceheim Demon instantly cleanses the burn.
It looks simple in theory, but in battle the impact is massive.

I also added a few monsters capable of hitting the mid-line—like Torrent Sniper—so I could take advantage of the ruleset to burn my opponent’s back and mid positions.

My opponent used the Archon Kaylia Silverleaf, with a surprisingly durable team:

• Lioceros (tank)
• Endless Ape (scavenger)
• Silverleaf
• MageButtercup Mauler
• Satha Toledo
• Fenmoor Wood Troll

The enemy lineup had two interesting points:

1. Endless Ape with Scavenger—its HP keeps growing every time a monster dies.
2. They had a sneak attacker, but it was melee. Good news for me—my backline wasn’t getting hit by magic or ranged, so no extra Dragon Breath triggers.

But the biggest flaw on their side:
They had no Cleanse.
And that became the deciding factor of the match.

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Battle Breakdown

Starting from round one, the Dragon Breath effect immediately made itself known. Commander Slade got burned several times, but every time it happened, Luceheim Demon was right there to wipe the effect clean. It felt like having a personal firefighter on standby.

Meanwhile, my attacks on the enemy’s mid-line began creating slow but deadly pressure. Torrent Sniper kept striking from distance, and thanks to the ruleset, each hit applied burn damage that kept eating away at the enemy HP.

The one suffering the most was Endless Ape. Even though its Scavenger ability kept raising its HP, the burn damage made it impossible for him to stay stable. No matter how much HP it gained, it kept burning away little by little.

On the other side, the opponent’s sneak monster was harmless here—being melee, it didn’t apply any extra Dragon Breath effects. My backline stayed safe, letting me focus entirely on keeping my frontline alive.

As the battle went on, the fight became more and more one-sided.
I survived because of Cleanse,
and the enemy slowly got cooked alive by the burn.

Round after round passed, and eventually, I came out as the winner. It felt incredibly satisfying because the Cleanse strategy worked perfectly against a burn-based ruleset.

For the full battle replay, you can watch it here:

👉 LINK BATTLE 👈

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Interesting Notes & Lessons from This Battle

Here are some key insights I picked up from this Dragon Breath match:

1. Cleanse is the MVP.
   Without Luceheim Demon, my Commander Slade would’ve been toast by round two.

2. Burn damage is brutal over time.
   Even bulky monsters like Endless Ape eventually crumble.

3. Melee sneak isn’t threatening in this ruleset.
   Since it doesn’t apply burn at all.

4. Mid-line attacks are very effective.
   Burn spreads across multiple positions, speeding up your opponent’s downfall.

5. A combination of Cleanse + Snipers + a sturdy tank = a solid formula.

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Quick Tips

If you encounter the Dragon Breath ruleset:

• Bring at least one Cleanse.
• Use monsters that can hit the mid-line to spread burn more efficiently.
• Don’t rely solely on high HP—it won’t save you from burning.
• Keep a durable tank that can be healed or cleansed.

And most importantly:
Always read the ruleset carefully—many battles are won before the first round even starts.

See you next time, Splinterfam! May your battles never burn in vain! 🔥

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