"To wield power in Praetoria is to embrace the reckless strike, knowing that every victory demands a calculated cost." - @uyobong (May 17, 2025).
Unboxing the Conclave Arcana Theme
Reading the Introducing Conclave Arcana post reveals the theme of Splinterlands’ sixth core set. I can infer that Conclave Arcana is a gripping tale of ambition, unity, and the race for power in a fractured world. Set in the aftermath of the Chaos Empire’s collapse, the story unfolds in a destabilized Praetoria where the Splinters (Fire, Water, Earth, Life, Death, and Dragon) grapple with rebuilding.
At the heart of the Coclave Arcana narrative is Archmage Portia Nyr and her Conclave Arcana, a group of sorcerers driven by a relentless quest to uncover the “fabled secret of Praetoria” which is a mysterious power scattered in fragments across the land. This pursuit of arcane dominance is countered by Kelan Gaines, a Mothrook Goathelm spy, who alerts the Riftwatchers and the League of Verico to thwart Portia’s dark ambitions.
The theme revolves around three core elements (1) Power and ambition in a post-chaotic world, (2) Fractured unity and collaborative resistance, and (3) The heroic call to action. I'll delve into more details of my narration in subsequent posts. As a Splinterlands player, every battle I report and every character I explore offers a treasure trove of business and leadership lessons.
Opening My First Standard Conclave Pack
My latest adventure in the Arena came with opening a Standard Conclave Arcana pack, which yielded two Rare cards, Archer Koi and Grimward Ruinshot. Other cards were Tidal Tsunamist, Portly Cannoneer, and Cavewise Wayfinder with the new Reckless ability.
The Conclave Arcana theme is woven into the set’s mechanics, particularly the 82 new cards and eleven brand-new abilities termed by the team as a "game changer". With these abilities in mind, my outlook on every Splinterlands match with these cards speaks volumes to me, especially as it relates to business and leadership.
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Painforge: +1 power when damaged by Poisoned or Burning or hit by an ally.
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Reckless: Each successful attack also deals 1 damage to adjacent allied units.
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Bloodline Tribute: When defeated, all allied units of the same bloodline gain +1 health, speed, and armor and +1 power to each shared attack type.
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Resurgence: Self-resurrects once per battle with 100% health and armor. All magic debuffs are removed, and all magic buffs are reapplied. Skips turn. Deals 1 physical damage to all units.
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Shapeshift: Treated as all bloodlines.
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Final Rest: Allied and enemy abilities that trigger on defeat cannot activate.
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Reveal: Each round applies Revealed to a Camouflaged enemy unit. Revealed units can be targeted by direct attacks.
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Relentless Strike: Attacks deal true damage. +1 damage if the target has Void, Shield, or Forcefield.
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Bloodline Dominion: You can summon any unit of the same bloodline as this archon, regardless of element.
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Empower: While not revealed, this unit and adjacent units gain +1 Power.
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Last Word: Provides immunity to Final Rest (allied and enemy abilities that trigger on defeat cannot activate).
The Conclave Arcana theme, centered on sorcerers uniting to recover magical artifacts after the Veil’s destruction, feels like a metaphor for navigating disruption and building alliances in business. The new abilities, meanwhile, mirror strategic risk-taking and swift decision-making.
"Cavewise Wayfinder" - Defining the Art of Calculated Risks
Out of the five cards I unpacked, one of them stood out to me - Cavewise Wayfinder because it rocks the "new conclave ability - reckless" and Ambush at base level. Cavewise Wayfinder is a fire monster with a 6 mana cap. The monster unit is armed with 2 Melee attack rating, 3 speed rating, 4 armor, and a robust 7 health count. Void and Enrage abilities are added at higher levels of the card.
The lore for Cavewise Wayfinder paints it as a confident, directionally challenged Nimbledook gnome who defies conventional navigation. Eschewing “political” maps, he relies on instinct, a non-magnetic compass shield, and sheer bravado. His misadventures, that is, circling a sinkhole, detouring through collapsed tunnels, or mistaking his socks for moss, are comical yet effective, as he always gets his team to their destination, albeit “eventually.” When tasked with facing Craniax the Quick’s undead army, his confidence inspires his gnome followers, who trust him despite his frequent detours.
Its Reckless ability that deals 1 damage to adjacent allies on a successful melee attack is a bold mechanic that screams high-risk, high-reward. In the Arena, I’ve tested it in ranked modern matches, and its adjacent cards were destroyed in no time. After several fails, I came to understand the "art of calculated risk" that is positioning it beside high-health allies or Painforge cards (gain +1 power when damaged by allies) to turn the self-inflicted damage into a power boost. This will result in a frontline that hits hard and grows stronger with every strike. I'm yet to try this out as I am seeking a better fit monster for this combo.
On leadership, we can learn to embrace risk with a safety net. Reckless mirrors bold business decisions that carry trade-offs. Launching a disruptive product, like Tesla’s all-in bet on electric vehicles, risks financial strain but can redefine markets if paired with strategic planning. Leaders must take calculated risks, such as entering new markets, restructuring teams, but cushion the fallout. Just as placing Wayfinder next to a resilient ally, a CEO might invest in AI while upskilling staff to handle disruptions.
Reckless also teaches team dynamics. Tough choices, like budget cuts, demand clear communication to maintain trust, much like ensuring allies survive Wayfinder’s friendly fire. In my Splinterlands battles so far, the Reckless ability of Cavewise Wayfinder has taught me hard lessons to balance audacity with preparation, a lesson I’d apply to any high-stakes project.
Meanwhile, the quote: "To wield power in Praetoria is to embrace the reckless strike, knowing that every victory demands a calculated cost" is inspired by Cavewise Wayfinder’s Reckless ability. The narrative is that we can take bold risks with mitigation, like positioning allies to absorb Reckless damage.
Get ready for more lessons from my COnclave characters in battles.
All images are from Splinterlands game
You want to learn more about Splinterlands, SplinterGlossary is a hot reference center for you.
Splinterlands game is termed the "next generation of collectible card games" in which allows players to collect, trade, and battle with provably scarce digital collectibles with real-world value. Battles on Splinterlands Unlike most trading card games, are fast and furious and are usually completed within a few minutes. The Splinterlands gameplay is simple and easy to learn viz: reviewing combat rules, making and submitting the team, and watching the battle unfold.
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