Hello! So I am through with my three favourite splinters and it is time to tackle the two that I actually play a bit less of. That said, I do have some cards I really like in both of them, so it should not be that bad.

Today, I will present you the 5 key cards to own in the Death splinter. I tend to prefer playing on my own terms and Death is a much more reactive splinter, which is why I tend to stay away from it. That said, it can be a great way to coutner certain strategies and it has a few power cards that can really carry you to victory in many, many games.

As always, there's a disclaimer: the cards are considered for up to Silver league, their price is crucial and I am focusing on modern - will only include cards for Wild if they seem like crazy good deals.

Magi Necrosi - $2,70/BCX

This quickly became my favourite Death card of Chaos Legion and for sure my favourite Death card of all-time if we take into account the price-to-quality ratio. Chaos Legion really makes this game accessible and this is a prime example. For just over $2,5 you can have this beauty in your collection, while for around $27-$28 you get it fully maxed out for Silver.

So what makes Magi Necrosi so insane? I dare say a large part of it is the Camouflage ability. This makes it immune to Snipe, Sneak and Opportunity, which is crucial for a volatile damage threat like this. With its 2 magic attack (3 at level 3!), Snipe and high speed, it can take out enemy backline threats before they get even one attack in. Being a magic attacker, it also works well against armor, potentially taking out a Truthspeaker, River Hellondale and other powerful units.

Dark Ferryman - $0,75/BCX

Bit of a surprise inclusion, Dark Ferryman is more of a supporting unit. That said, it is a cheap monster that can fit into teams even with a low mana cap, while providing a lot of value already at level 3. This will only cost you around 10 bucks, in turn providing you not only with 2 ranged attack, which is already great by itself, but also Cripple.

The Cripple ability is a minor one, but it does work very well against units that have tons of armor, such as Diemonshark, essentially working as a 3rd point of attack. On top of that, it can counter Heal and Tank Heal, making it much less effective due to lowering max health. The biggest strength of this card is simply the value provided for such a low mana cost - great inclusion to your Death deck, at a great price!

Grim Reaper - $0,99/BCX

Thought I was done surprising? Grim Reaper is another card you don't see that often, but it is extremely cheap and you only really need a level 1. Level 3 can be great if you have the money, as who wouldn't want a 4 damage ranged unit, but damage is not the only reason we want Grim Reaper.

Affliction is extremely powerful in this expansion, as healing is pretty much everywhere. Between Merdaali Guardian, Goblin Psychic, Venari Crystalsmith and much more, nearly everyone has access to it. That is why Affliction is a must and Grim Reaper is a cheap (price-wise) way to get it. Its limitation is the high mana cost - you will only realistically be able to use it in mid- and high-mana cap battles, but you won't regret having it!

Harklaw - $3,42/BCX

Chaos Legion Reward cards tend to be extremely cheap, as there is simply no scarcity. While they might be really powerful, there is just so many of them that their price goes down and down. Harklaw is no different, while being my favourite legendary of this reward set. I know, I know, Oshannus exists.. But just read on!

Harklaw in Silver costs just over 10 bucks to max. 10 bucks for a max legendary! For that price, you get a powerful tank in Death that works very well with Thaddius, making your team resilient both against magic as well as non-magic attacks. Level two gives Harklaw Immunity, which makes it one of the best cards for the Noxious Fumes ruleset. It is a formidable tank that you want to have on your side.

Lira the Dark - $7/BCX

The newest addition to Death might be a little hasty addition to this list, but I really love this card. Lira, except for being loved for her artwork, should also be loved for her power and price. You can get her for $7, which means a max version for Silver will barely go over 20 dollars. Again, extremely cheap!

With Opportunity, Snare and 6 speed, you will not ever have to worry about missing your target. I would say that having Lira at level 2 can be a game-changer - many units that you want to kill will be at least 3 health, making that extra point of damage crucial. Lira works in any high mana battle and with the high speed and health, she is a good choice for the last position - Sneak monsters are quite likely to miss her!

Closing Words

I am slowly warming up to Death as a splinter, though I will simply never be the biggest fan - I prefer proactive playstyles, and the reactivity of Death champions make me naturally gravitate towards other splinters. That said, I love playing with Mimosa Nightshade when I get the chance, so maybe all it will take is one great legendary summoner to change my mind!

All the images are screenshots from Splinterlands, while the image in the thumbnail is the Splinterlands banner from the SPL facebook page.