Beginner's Guide: Start Your Adventure in Splinterlands' Modern Format 🎯

**Greetings SplinterLovers** 💙 In the vast and ever-expanding world of Splinterlands, challenges evolve as quickly as strategies. As the game universe grew with new cards, abilities, and monsters added each season and/or edition, it became clear that a change was needed to maintain balance and excitement. So, if you're looking to dive into the exciting world of Splinterlands and wondering where to start, the "Modern Format" is the ideal answer, as this is the game mode designed for new players who want to invest from the get-go or, alternatively, start with a small investment using the "Rent" method, all while offering a more accessible and balanced battlefield. In this article, we'll explore in detail everything you need to know about the Modern Format: what it is, how to start playing, what assets you need, and how you can maximize your rewards. ---  ## What is the Modern Splinterlands Format?   The Modern Format is one of the two main competitive divisions in Splinterlands, along with the "Wild Format." I know there are a couple more formats, but these two have always been the main ones, so I emphasize this because they are the modes where players play the most. The key difference lies in the cards that can be used in this format. In Modern, the card pool is limited to the most recent sets in the game, which currently include the following editions:  - Rebellion. - Conclave Arcana. - Foundations. This restriction creates a fairer playing environment for new players, as they don't have to put too much effort into choosing cards. Older sets such as Alpha or Beta, Untamed, and the recently added Chaos Legion to Wild have hundreds of cards, which makes the decision even more difficult. So, by focusing only on "Modern," you can easily choose your cards, making it much easier to learn and adapt. --- **Step by step guide to getting started in Modern Mode** If you are a new player, the path to getting started in the Modern format is clear and straightforward. - **Step 1:** The first thing you need to do is understand the **Free-to-Play (F2P)** experience. You can play Splinterlands for free, and the game makes it easy to learn thanks to the new "Campaign Mode," where you can familiarize yourself with all the mechanics and earn "Foundations" cards that you can then use in "Frontier Mode" or "Modern Mode," respectively. However, in F2P mode, you cannot earn rewards for winning battles, nor can you participate in "Tournaments." You can sell and/or rent some of these cards, but that's it. The key is to learn.  - **Step 2:** Purchase it (Spellbook) with the intention of unlocking the game's true potential and start earning rewards. To do this, you need to purchase the Spellbook, which costs $10. However, if you don't have $10, if you win about 100 battles in "Frontier" mode, you can access "Modern" without having to purchase the Spellbook, which is something to keep in mind. Even so, if you want to speed up this process, the Spellbook allows you to:  - Access all game features, including card sales and rentals. - Start earning rewards in the form of Glint and SPS (Splintershards) in ranked battles. --- **Complete the tutorial and missions** - **Step 3:** Obtain your Card Collection. Once you have the Spellbook, the cards you have earned from "Foundations" will not be sufficient, so you have two main options for building your deck:  - **Renting (Recommended for new players):** You can rent cards from other players on the market for a small daily fee. This is the most efficient and economical way to try out different strategies and move up the league without a large initial investment. Platforms such as Peakmonsters are ideal for this, and I recommend them. With this, you can build a good deck of cards for an entire season, which lasts about 15 days, so be sure to do this as soon as you start.  - **Purchase:** You can buy cards directly on the market. This is a good option if you plan to play long-term and already have a clear idea of which cards you would like to have permanently in your collection. Of course, this won't be too complicated, considering that "Modern" only has two editions (Rebellion and Conclave Arcana). Even so, there are cards that you may not select, although this would be an additional bonus.  ---  ## Assets and Requirements for Playing and Earning Rewards  To maximize your earnings in Modern Format, you need more than just the "Spellbook" mentioned above, so pay attention to everything you need to succeed and maximize your rewards. - **Cards and their level:** You need a good collection of cards from the allowed sets (Rebellion, Conclave Arcana) as I mentioned before, but the quality or specifically the level of your cards will affect your ability to move up in the league, so you need to choose your cards and their level wisely according to the capital you have, whether to buy or rent them. - **SPS (Splintershards):** SPS staking is a key factor. Keeping SPS staked (locked) in the game gives you a reward multiplier that increases your GLINT and SPS earnings for each victory. This means that the more SPS you have, the greater your earnings will be. However, your rewards may decrease in relation to the multiplier you obtain. This means that if you move up a league, the amount of SPS and GLINT you earn may be lower. That's why the more SPS you have, the better, because even if you move up a league, your multiplier may not be affected if you have enough staked. ---  ## What can you do to increase your rewards?  - **Move up the ranks:** As you advance through the ranks (Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc.), the rewards for winning and at the end of the season increase exponentially. Focus your efforts on winning battles to improve your ranking and move up the league, but be very careful with what I mentioned about SPS. If you have very little, moving up the league won't help you much, because if the multiplier goes down, your rewards will go down as well. Therefore, you need to know which league to play in and where to stay in order to maintain your rewards.  - **Use Gold Foil (GF) Cards:** Gold Foil cards not only have greater collectible power and intrinsic value, but they also grant a 10% reward bonus for each victory in which they are used. If you have the opportunity, consider renting or purchasing some to increase your rewards.  The Modern Format is the perfect starting point in Splinterlands. It offers a clear path for progression, with relatively lower entry costs and a more predictable competitive environment. With only two editions available, it is much easier to build a deck and compete. If you are ready to begin your journey in Splinterlands, this is the format for you. ---  ## Conclusion  The Modern Format is the ideal starting point for any new Splinterlands player. Its limited playing field makes it more accessible, less expensive, and easier to master than its counterpart, the "Wild" format. By investing in the Spellbook and focusing on growing your collection and staking SPS, you'll be on the right track to building a competitive deck and maximizing your profits.