Catotune's Top Battles Rundown: Champion league, Modern format - Jan 18, 2026

In this series, I analyze the top battles of the day to reveal which summoners and monsters are most successful for a given league and format. What better way to improve our Splinterlands skills than to study what the best players are doing?

For those of us who buy, rent, or rent out cards, I'm also hoping that this series can inform us of which cards to acquire for maximum effectivenes.

Stay tuned for a new report to be published daily, each covering the top battles for a different league and format!

For simplicity I threw out matches ending in draws and surrender - all data is compiled from wins and losses. Here are the results from 161 of the top Champion league (modern format) battles from Sunday, January 18, 2026:

But first, a plug for my game!

I created a play-to-earn HIVE game: DemoniCore. Battle demons in fun, simple turn-based RNG combat, and earn DCORE for slaying them. Please give it a try, and let me know what you think!

New Game Mode: House Demons! Summon your own loyal demons, powered by AI, whose looks and personas are limited only by your imagination. Your house demons will generate income and communicate with you - even responding to your messages - with the personalities that you crafted for them!

Thanks for hearing me out, and now back to our regularly scheduled program:

Monsters with highest win rate

1. Desolation - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [8/8]
   

   
   
   Desolation is a Legendary monster card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   In today's top Champion league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 was most successful, finding itself on the winning team for all 8 games in which Desolation appeared.
   • Desolation did best when positioned in the team's last spot, where it saw 5 wins.
   • You may find it enlightening to watch @lorkus's battle history, where they won 3 games with this card ^{[1, 2, 3]}.
   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Desolation card is $3.50 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Grim Bonewhip - Death splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [4/4]
   

   
   
   Grim Bonewhip is a Common monster card from the 18 edition.
   In today's top Champion league (modern) battles, the card at level 10 was most successful, finding itself on the victorious team for all 4 games in which Grim Bonewhip appeared.
   • Grim Bonewhip did best when positioned as the secondary tank (2nd slot) in the team lineup, where it saw 3 wins.
   • It could be enlightening to watch @xsuilx's battle, where they won with this card ^[1].
   • When used in combination with the Melee Mayhem ruleset, Grim Bonewhip earned 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Grim Bonewhip card is $0.02 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Halo Wisp - Life splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [2/2]
   

   
   
   Halo Wisp is a Legendary monster card from the 18 edition.
   The card at level 4 was most successful in today's top Champion league (modern) battles, finding itself on the winning team for all 2 games in which Halo Wisp appeared.
   • If you want to learn from an elite player, take a look at @maisiewss's previous battle, where they won using this card ^[1].
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Halo Wisp card is $3.86 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning monsters with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any monsters already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Savaketh - Death splinter
   Win rate: 83.33% [10/12]
   

   
   
   Savaketh is a Legendary monster card from the 18 edition.
   The card at level 4 achieved the most success in today's top Champion league (modern) battles, being a member of the winning team for 7 games.
   • To understand the strategy of a top player, study @housewifeftw's previous battles, where they won 4 games using Savaketh ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}.
   • The lowest price for a 18 edition Savaketh card is $5.38 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Heloise the Hollow - Death splinter
   Win rate: 72.73% [24/33]
   

   
   
   Heloise the Hollow is a Legendary monster card from the Promo edition.
   In today's top Champion league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 had the most success, finding itself on the victorious team for all 24 games where Heloise the Hollow won.
   • Heloise the Hollow performed ideally when positioned as the team's tank (first spot), where it saw 20 wins.
   • You may want to watch @housewifeftw's battles to see how they accomplished 7 wins with this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]}.
   • When used in combination with the Unprotected ruleset, Heloise the Hollow earned 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Promo edition Heloise the Hollow card is $1300.00 USD (11 BCX) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Drybone Bowdog - Neutral splinter
   Win rate: 70.00% [7/10]
   

   
   
   Drybone Bowdog is a Rare monster card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 8 had the most success during the top Champion league (modern) battles today, being a member of the victorious team for all 7 games where Drybone Bowdog triumphed.
   • You could take a moment to watch @housewifeftw's previous battles to see how they produced 2 victories using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Drybone Bowdog card is $0.08 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Summoners with highest win rate

1. Zeddica - Water splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [3/3]
   

   
   
   Zeddica is a Common summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 10 was most successful in today's top Champion league (modern) battles, winning all 3 games in which Zeddica appeared.
   • It could be educational to take a look at @lorkus's battle history, where they beat their opponent 2 times using this card ^{[1, 2]}.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Zeddica card is $0.40 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Captain Frankie - Life splinter
   Win rate: 100.00% [1/1]
   

   
   
   
   Note that while this card has a 100% win rate, it is based on only 1 match.

   Captain Frankie is a Legendary summoner card from the Conclave Arcana edition.
   The card at level 4 was used in one battle by @housewifeftw, which it won.

   • The lowest price for a Conclave Arcana edition Captain Frankie card is $12.39 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Nidhoggr - Dragon splinter
   Win rate: 68.18% [30/44]
   

   
   
   Nidhoggr is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Champion league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 had the most success, winning all 30 games where Nidhoggr won.
   • If you want to learn from one of the best, take a look at @housewifeftw's battle history, where they beat their opponent 8 times with this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]}.
   • When used in combination with the What Doesn't Kill You ruleset, Nidhoggr saw 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Nidhoggr card is $17.31 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Most winning summoners with at least 10 battles

(Excluding any summoners already featured in the "highest win rate" section above)

1. Risqruel Drath - Fire splinter
   Win rate: 62.07% [18/29]
   

   
   
   Risqruel Drath is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 4 had the most success during the top Champion league (modern) battles today, winning all 18 games where Risqruel Drath won.
   • You could take a moment to watch @housewifeftw's battles to see how they accomplished 5 victories using this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]}.
   • When paired with the Unprotected ruleset, Risqruel Drath won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Risqruel Drath card is $10.44 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

2. Eternal Tofu - Earth splinter
   Win rate: 53.62% [37/69]
   

   
   
   Eternal Tofu is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   The card at level 4 had the most success during the top Champion league (modern) battles today, winning all 37 games where Eternal Tofu triumphed.
   • It could be enlightening to view @lorkus's previous battles, where they beat their opponent 6 times using this card ^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]}.
   • When used in combination with the Shades of Gray ruleset, Eternal Tofu earned 2 wins.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Eternal Tofu card is $58.49 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

3. Elias Max Pruitt - Life splinter
   Win rate: 50.00% [13/26]
   

   
   
   Elias Max Pruitt is a Legendary summoner card from the Rebellion edition.
   In today's top Champion league (modern) battles, the card at level 4 had the most success, winning all 13 games where Elias Max Pruitt triumphed.
   • You could take a look at @housewifeftw's previous battles to learn how they achieved 3 wins with this card ^{[1, 2, 3]}.
   • When paired with the Equal Opportunity ruleset, Elias Max Pruitt won twice.
   • The lowest price for a Rebellion edition Elias Max Pruitt card is $15.25 USD (Level 1) at the time of writing.
     
     

Splinters with highest win rate

1. Dragon
   Win rate: 57.14% [32/56]
   

   
   
   Dragon splinter had the most success against Dragon, besting its own element 14 times in today's top Champion league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter matched well with the What Doesn't Kill You ruleset, where Dragon won 2 times.

   • Dragon splinter held its own in battles with mana caps higher than 56, prevailing in 17 of those matches.
     
     

2. Fire
   Win rate: 55.26% [21/38]
   

   
   
   Fire splinter had the most success against Death, besting that element 8 times in today's top Champion league (modern) battles.
   • This splinter performed well with the Brute Force ruleset, where Fire emerged victorious 3 times.
     
     

3. Earth
   Win rate: 50.63% [40/79]
   

   
   
   Earth splinter had the most success against Earth, besting its identical element 23 times in today's top Champion league (modern) battles.

   • This splinter performed well with the Shades of Gray ruleset, where Earth prevailed 2 times.

   • Earth splinter held its own in high mana cap battles (greater than 56 mana), winning 11 of those battles.
     
     

Final thoughts

Please feel free to leave me feedback in the comments. If you are new to Splinterlands, then please consider using my referral link to get started! It is a ton of fun to play, and you can earn SPS and win NFT cards every day!

If you want to know where to buy or rent any of the cards listed in this report, I personally like Monster Market (not a referral link), a 3rd party marketplace that has a great user interface and pays you DEC back on purchases.

- Catotune