Armor-Based Attacks You Didn’t Notice

Hello Splinterlands warriors, how are you today? Hopefully your battles bring more wins than losses—even though… sometimes losing is actually our best teacher in the arena 😄

This time, I want to talk about a card that I find a bit “quirky,” but that’s exactly where its uniqueness lies. This card isn’t your typical damage dealer—in fact, at first glance… it looks like it can’t attack at all. But wait—this is where the surprise comes in.

Its name is Nimbledook Explorer.

https://d36mxiodymuqjm.cloudfront.net/cards_by_level/soulboundrb/Nimbledook%20Explorer_lv10_gold.png

The first time I saw Nimbledook Explorer, I thought, “What is this card even for? It has no attack?”

It’s a unit from the Life element and only costs 4 mana—perfect for rulesets like Little League. But what makes it different is:

• It has no regular attack
• But it has a unique ability: Armored Strike

And the Weapon Training skill can turn this monster into something powerful.

Now this is interesting. Armored Strike allows it to attack using its armor. So the thicker the armor, the stronger the attack. But there’s a condition—it needs to be in the front position, or in certain rulesets that allow it.

https://splinterguide.com/img/ability_armored-strike.png

At early levels, it has Protect (+2 armor for the whole team), and at higher levels:

• Armored Strike and Heal

So imagine this: it’s not just a tank… it’s a tank that attacks using its own shield.

---

A Battle Moment That Truly Surprised Me

I once used Nimbledook Explorer in a battle with the Weak Magic ruleset and a 98 mana cap. Usually in this ruleset, players tend to avoid magic since it has to go through armor first.

That’s where I saw an opportunity.

I set up:

• Nimbledook Explorer in the front
• Conclave Tracker behind it for armor repair

And what happened?

This wasn’t just defense… it became a shield-based war machine.

Every round: Armor gets repaired, armor becomes damage, the opponent struggles to break through. Even though my opponent used a fairly strong bloodline combination, I just smiled to myself…

“Wow… turns out a shield can be fiercer than a sword.”

👉 [**LINK BATTLE**](https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_e8e0f78be006e4637ce68802a9b80673?ref=rqr4) 👈

---

Interesting Things I Realized

There are a few things that honestly surprised me:

1. Armor-based attacks are underrated We usually focus on damage, but forget that armor can also be a weapon.

2. Synergy is everything Without support like repair and weapon training, Nimbledook might feel average. But with the right combination? It becomes a monster.

3. Not every card needs high attack Sometimes utility + unique mechanics are more valuable.

---

Challenges When Using Nimbledook Explorer

Of course, this card doesn’t always shine.

It has natural counters:

• Unprotected ruleset → no armor, game over
• Healed Out → reduced sustain
• Wrong positioning → can’t attack

---

Final Thoughts and Strategy

Strategies you can try:

• Use it in Weak Magic or Armored Up rulesets
• Combine it with Repair (like Conclave Tracker)
• Place it in the front to maximize Armored Strike
• Avoid no-armor rulesets

In the end, from my experience…

Sometimes we’re too focused on finding high-damage cards, that we forget true strength can come from unexpected places.

And in Splinterlands, even a shield… can become the deadliest weapon.

See you in the arena—and be careful when facing Nimbledook Explorer… because it doesn’t attack with a sword… but with patience 😄🔥

Talk about Splinterlands, If you haven't tried out this fantastic game called Splinterlands yet, I invite you to Join. It's free, but you'll need to invest in a beginning deck or buy gaming cards to gain real assets like cards and tokens.

---

If you already joined the splinterlands, and are looking for a place to grow. We need YOU. We are a chill, social guild looking for a few more active members! If you think you might be a fit, join us in our Discord