Ranged Only Battle: Zuriktal Varsha’s Close-Range Advantage

Good day, everyone and Splinterlands community. Today I will sharing another battle experience focused on the Going the Distance rule set, where only ranged units are allowed, making positioning and ability synergy incredibly important. The Spotlight of this match is on Quillons Legionary, also known as Zuriktal Varsha and is a rare Earth-element Soulbound Rebellion card that offers more utility than many players realize. In this battle, Quillons played an important role in shaping my strategy as it helped me create a lineup that could withstand constant pressure while still delivering steady damage. With Going the Distance demands particular team compositions finding a card that can hold the frontline without relying on melee units is a big advantage as Quillons can quite proven its worth throughout the fight.

Quillons is particularly effective in Going the Distance and several other rule sets due to its surprising tank potential and Close Range synergy. With 2 ranged damage, 11 health, 2 speed, 2 armor, and a cost-effective 8 mana, it survives longer in most rounds and its real main stat strength lies in its defensive stats, armor, and close-range ability. Quillons can stand in front, attack, and also punish melee attackers with Thorns. This makes it a versatile frontline unit in matches where magic and melee units usually dominate. It can take most hits and strike back or backfire with thorns if attacked by Melee and in rule sets like Aimless, Earthquake, Briar Patch, or Super Sneak, it performs even better, acting as both a tank and a consistent source of damage. Its mix of durability, counterattack damage, and close-range capability makes it an ideal tank for protecting fragile backline units while also being able to attack in this position, especially mages or high-damage ranged attackers, while keeping the frontline secure.

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Into the battle: https://splinterlands.com/battle/sl_6b9f1eccb9d6ac7087e3d1a644dfcd68

In this match, the rule set was Going the Distance with an 18-mana cap. Only Fire and Earth were allowed. The only Archon I have at max level for this setup is Chuul Jujinchi. I chose it so I could use the cards I needed for Earth and Neutral. I rented Chuul for 174.950 DEC per day, which felt reasonable price and if you find a cheaper option, it's worth considering, especially if you want an affordable way to stay competitive.

For my lineup, I placed Quillion Legionary in front as my tank and main ranged attacker, and behind it, I used Blackmoor Trickster to help with damage and serve as a backup tank if things went south. I added Grand Consul Minion as an extra body since I didn’t have another 4-mana option. The plan was straightforward: use what I had that fit the ruleset, with Quillon carrying most of the load. If I had better Fire cards maxed, I probably would have gone with Kha’zi Conjurer as my main ranged threat. However, with my current cards, this was the most solid setup.

My opponent also ran Chuul Jujinchi and included Blackmoor Trickster, Gobson Sniper, and Nimbledook Ranger. Their setup focused on ranged Earth damage, which made sense. Still, I knew I had one small advantage: Quillon Legionary’s Close Range ability. This meant my tank could keep attacking even when pushed to the front. If I could eliminate their Blackmoor Trickster early, Gobson Sniper would eventually be forced to the front where it couldn’t attack at all. The matchup seemed slightly in my favor, but with their double Snipe pressure in the backline, I knew it wouldn't be easy.

Things turned quickly, though. By Round 2, Phase 4, both of my backline units were gone because their Gobson Sniper and Nimbledook Ranger kept landing clean Snipe hits. That left Quillon Legionary completely alone.

By Round 5, Quillon had just 1 health left, barely hanging on. Nimbledook Ranger was carrying their team at that point, and honestly, if the battle had gone on for one more turn, they probably would have won. The key moment was Quillon being able to keep attacking from the frontline. Without that Close Range ability, he would have just stood there taking hits until he went down. That one ability essentially saved the match and highlighted why Quillon is such a strong choice for Going the Distance and in other setups where frontline ranged attackers can execute.

Source

Any units that has Close Range are very useful in Going the Distance as it allows a ranged unit to keep attacking even when it is pushed into the first position. This is the biggest weakness of ranged attackers in this rule set. Since Going the Distance only allows ranged units, every team must rely entirely on them. Normally, ranged cards cannot attack from the frontline. However, with Close Range, that limitation goes away. It allows a ranged unit to act as both a tank and a damage dealer with Close Range ability at the same time, which gives you a big advantage in longer fights, especially when your frontline eventually breaks down. Instead of losing all offensive pressure when your tank moves forward, a Close Range unit continues to attack every round. This lets you maintain consistent damage while still taking hits. In a rule set where every attack matters, that flexibility can easily determine the outcome of the match.

A Big Thanks! For supporting me, being here, and coming this far. I hope this strategy assists you with some of your battles with these rule sets in modern format conclave and rebellion sets.

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