Introduction

This week, I want to share some of my knowledge about the rewards you can earn in Splinterlands. For a beginning player, understanding the various tokens can be daunting.

Let’s start by listing the tokens you can earn by playing, excluding land-related rewards for now:

Tokens:

• GLINT
• MERTIS
• CREDITS
• DEC (Dark Energy Crystals)
• SPS (Splintershards)
• SPSP
• Vouchers

We’ll discuss each token in detail shortly.

When I use the term F2P (Free to Play), I refer to players who have not purchased a Spellbook ($10). While F2P accounts come with some limitations, you can still achieve a lot without investing money upfront.

Free to Play account features

• F2P account can play ranked battles
• F2P accounts can earn GLINT, spend it in the Rewards shop
• F2P accounts can earn chests by advancing through the leagues
• F2P accounts can join a guild and earn Merits
• F2P accounts can:
  • Buy credits cards and packs
  • Receive delegations and gifts
  • Rent cards seasonally
  • Combine cards, and open packs

Free to Play account limitations

• F2P accounts cannot sell cards, transfer cards, delegate cards, list cards for rent, hold Dark Energy Crystals (DEC) or Splintershards (SPS).
• F2P accounts cannot hit Jackpot rewards or earn SPS rewards.
• F2P accounts cannot create or own a guild.
• F2P accounts cannot interact with Land or Soulkeep.
• F2P accounts cannot play wild league
• F2P accounts cannot enter or create tournaments.

By understanding these features and limitations, you can make the most out of an F2P account and decide if investing in a Spellbook is right for you. In the next sections, we will dive deeper into each token and how to maximize their potential.

GLINT

This token can only be earned by playing ranked battles. Even with a F2P account, you can earn GLINT.

For players who have purchased a Spellbook, the GLINT earning modifier is determined by how much SPS you have staked (SPSP).

It is not easy to calculate how much GLINT you earn, as several factors come into play. Here are the most important ones:

• Rating: A higher rating increases your potential GLINT earnings.
• League Bonus :

  League	Bonus
  Novice (Wood)	6.5x
  Bronze III	6.5x
  Bronze II	6x
  Bronze I	5.75x
  Silver III	5.25x
  Silver II	3.5x
  Silver I	2.25x
  Gold III	1.5x
  Gold II	1.1x
  Gold I and above	1x

Formula

GShares = (Rating³ * Bonuses)/ 10³
Glint = {(GShares X 1.8 / 100,000) + 5} X league bonus

Penalties:

• No penalties (for SPS, penalties may vary)

Bonuses

Bonuses for cards used in battle:

• Gold Foil Cards - Players earn 10% more GShares for every gold foil card played.
• Alpha Set Cards - Players earn 10% more GShares for every Alpha card played.
• Promo Subset Cards - Players earn 10% more GShares for every Promo card played.
• Beta Set Cards - Players earn 5% more GShares for every Beta card played.

Other bonuses:

• SPS reward multipliers - Calculated from the amount of SPS staked or delegated to your account.
• Win Streaks - Players earn more GShares per win when on a streak (3 or more wins in a row constitutes a win streak).
• Guild Bonus - Members of guilds earn an GShares bonus depending on the level of the guild's Quest Lodge.
• Land Prefix Titles - Players who meet certain conditions are granted Prefix titles which grant an additional bonus to ranked gameplay.

You can view your other bonuses in the "Manage" section:

After each battle, you can review your total bonuses, including win streaks, by clicking the "i" icon as shown here:

Spending GLINT

You can spend your earned GLINT in the Rewards Shop:

MERITS

The next token I want to explain is Merits. Unlike GLINT, earning Merits is straightforward.

How to Earn Merits

• Brawls: Merits can be earned by participating in guild brawls. Joining a guild and engaging in brawls is the key to earning Merits. In my opinion, guilds are one of the most enjoyable aspects of Splinterlands, as they foster community and collaboration.
• Chests: Merits can also be obtained by opening specific chests. These chests often contain significant amounts of Merits, which can strengthen your deck.

• Purchasing with GLINT: If you have extra GLINT, you can use it to purchase Merits, as shown here:

Using Merits

Merits are primarily used to buy Gladius Packs, which are crucial for brawls. Gladius cards are incredibly powerful and can significantly improve your performance in brawls.

Completing Your Gladius Deck

It’s important to note that completing a Gladius deck takes time. For example, I have been actively participating in brawls for over 2.5 years, and my deck is approximately ~50% complete. Patience and consistency are essential when building your Gladius collection.

By focusing on brawls and leveraging Merits, you can strengthen your deck and contribute to your guild's success.

CREDITS

Credits are the in-game token that is not transferable. They are a stable currency where 1,000 Credits equals $1.

Uses of Credits

Credits can be used almost anywhere DEC is accepted. This includes:

• Renting or buying cards
• Purchasing packs, potions, land, titles, totems, and time crystals

Credits or DEC offer flexibility and are essential for many in-game purchases.

Adding Credits to Your Account

Adding Credits to your account is simple. Depending on where you live, you can easily purchase them using:

• PayPal
• Cryptocurrency

By utilizing Credits effectively, you can enhance your collection and improve your gameplay.

Note: once you have bought a spellbook (10$) you will receive 3000 (3$) credits to spend isn't that nice.

DEC

Now we’re getting into the weeds with DEC (Dark Energy Crystals). This token is similar to Credits in that it can be used to make most purchases in Splinterlands. However, unlike Credits, DEC is tradable and transferable, making it a key asset in the Splinterlands economy.

What Makes DEC Unique?

DEC is tradable on the Hive blockchain and can be transferred between players. It is also tied to a soft peg, intended to be 1,000 DEC = $1. However, this peg can fluctuate based on market conditions. For example, at the time of writing, you can get 1,200 DEC for $1, as shown in the image below from CoinGecko.

If you’re looking for live price information for DEC and other tradable tokens, several websites provide accurate data. One such site is Hive Engine, which offers detailed token price insights.
or splintercard:

Using DEC

DEC is one of the most commonly used tokens for purchasing in-game items. As covered in the Credits chapter, DEC can be used to:

• Rent or buy cards
• Purchase packs, potions, land, titles, totems, and time crystals

How to Obtain DEC

There are multiple ways to acquire DEC, depending on your location and preferences:

1. Fiat Purchases
   If you live in a region that supports it, you can purchase DEC with fiat currency using services like Transak.
   

2. Cryptocurrency
   You can also buy DEC using cryptocurrencies. To do this, you’ll need to connect an external wallet to a trading platform such as Hive Engine. While I haven’t personally used this method, it’s available.
   

3. Burning SPS
   You can convert Splintershards (SPS) into DEC. However, this should only be done when DEC is at or above its peg (1,000 DEC = $1 so in the image below market price how be around or above $0.001). If DEC is below the peg, it’s more cost-effective to sell SPS for HIVE on platforms like Hive Engine and then use the HIVE to buy DEC.
   For more details on this process, feel free to leave a comment—I’m happy to elaborate further.
   

4. Renting Out Cards
   Another way to earn DEC is by renting out your cards. This is a passive income method that can be especially lucrative if you have high-value or in-demand cards.

By leveraging these methods, you can accumulate DEC to fuel your gameplay and make the most of Splinterlands’ in-game economy.

SPS (liquid) SPSP (staked)

Now we arrive at SPS—the most important token in Splinterlands. So why leave this key token for last? In my opinion, it’s essential to first understand and enjoy the gaming experience before diving into the broader ecosystem, which includes SPS and its staked form, SPSP.

What is SPS and SPSP?

SPS (Splintershards) is the official governance token of Splinterlands. It operates as a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) using smart contracts on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) platform. Staked SPS (SPSP) is vital for players who wish to maximize rewards and fully engage in the Splinterlands ecosystem.

You can learn more in detail by reading the SPS Whitepaper.

Difference Between SPS (Liquid) and SPSP (Staked)

• Liquid SPS: Can be sold immediately or burned for DEC.
• Staked SPS (SPSP): Locked for a period of 4 weeks and earns staking rewards. When you unstake SPSP, 25% is released as liquid SPS each week for four weeks.

How to Obtain SPS

Like DEC, SPS can be purchased using fiat currency or cryptocurrency, depending on your location.

• Fiat Purchases: Services like Transak can be used in supported regions.
  

• Cryptocurrency Purchases: Similar to DEC, you can purchase SPS through platforms like Hive Engine by connecting an external wallet.

• Earn trough playing the game

• Earn trough staking rewards and liquidity pools

Why Is SPSP Important?

1. Governance and Voting Power:
   Staked SPS allows you to vote on proposals, influencing the direction of the DAO and reward system. Many significant decisions affecting the game have been made through these community-driven votes.
   Reminder: The DAO manages SPS and rewards, while the Splinterlands team oversees game development. However, the Splinterlands team holds stake-weighted votes on game-related proposals, ensuring community involvement in important decisions.
   

2. Ranked Play Rewards:
   Your staked SPS directly impacts your ranked play rewards. The rewards are calculated based on your Reward Shares, using a formula similar to GLINT:

Reward Shares= ([Rating X (1-%Starter Cards)]³X Bonuses)/10³

Bonuses and Penalties for SPS Rewards

Penalties:

• Starter Cards: SPS rewards are reduced for using starter cards, although GLINT can still be earned.

Bonuses

Bonuses for cards used in battle:

• Gold Foil Cards - Players earn 10% more RShares for every gold foil card played.
• Alpha Set Cards - Players earn 10% more RShares for every Alpha card played.
• Promo Subset Cards - Players earn 10% more RShares for every Promo card played.
• Beta Set Cards - Players earn 5% more RShares for every Beta card played.

Other bonuses:

• SPS reward multipliers - Calculated from the amount of SPS staked or delegated to your account.
• Win Streaks - Players earn more RShares per win when on a streak (3 or more wins in a row constitutes a win streak).
• Guild Bonus - Members of guilds earn an RShares bonus depending on the level of the guild's Quest Lodge.
• Land Prefix Titles - Players who meet certain conditions are granted Prefix titles which grant an additional bonus to ranked gameplay.

You can view your other bonuses in the "Manage" section:

After each battle, you can review your total bonuses, including win streaks and card penalties, by clicking the "i" icon as shown here:

To indelicate how much SPSP you must have staked to increase you SPS multiplier here a table with the estimates:

Rewards for Staking SPS

Staking SPS provides an APR (Annual Percentage Rate) of approximately 10.96%, which includes both SPS rewards and voucher rewards.

By staking SPS, you not only earn passive rewards but also significantly enhance your gameplay experience through increased earning potential and governance participation.

Understanding and maximizing SPS and SPSP allows you to fully immerse yourself in the Splinterlands ecosystem, combining the thrill of gameplay with the benefits of a decentralized financial system.

VOUCHERS

Last but not least, we have Voucher, one of the simplest tokens to understand in Splinterlands. Its tradable and transferable on hive engine. Once in-game its account bound and can only trade for DEC.

How to Obtain Voucher

There are three main ways to get Voucher tokens:

1. Staking SPS: Voucher tokens are rewarded to players who stake SPS.
2. Owning a License Node: Running a Splinterlands node generates Voucher tokens as part of the node rewards.
3. Trading DEC for Vouchers: You can trade DEC for Voucher tokens through the Voucher Trade Hub.

How to Use Voucher Tokens

Voucher tokens are primarily used to purchase exclusive cards during limited-time offers. These offers typically occur every 90 days or so, providing unique opportunities to enhance your collection. For example, the Lyra & Lorn's exclusive card is currently available for purchase in the store.

By acquiring Voucher tokens, you can access limited-edition cards and other exclusive in-game items, giving you a significant edge in Splinterlands.

Closing Notes

Well, this has turned into quite a lengthy blog, even though I initially intended to keep it short and concise. However, to do justice to the topic, it was essential to tell the full story.
One area I intentionally left out is the earning potential of liquidity pools, which might be worth a separate post on another day.

A small disclosure: I may have made some mistakes or omitted certain details. If you notice anything incorrect or if I’ve forgotten something important, please feel free to leave a comment to let me know.

I hope you’ve found this blog both interesting and helpful. Now you know the most important aspects of Splinterlands’ tokenomics, as far as I can see.

See you all on the battlefield! 🛡️⚔️

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