Hey thanks for your thoughtful reply. I agree that New User Experience and onboarding must be given strong priority. However, how can you onboard a new user when the first battles they fight (after leaving Novice) are optimised bots? I think bots are the fundamental reason why retaining new players is so hard for Splinterlands. Low bronze/silver matches should be chaotic, with many mistakes made by both sides as they learn about the game. Instead, a beginner will submit a poor team (as they are new) and get punished for it immediately. Not many people will be willing to stick around and buy cards after experiencing that.

Bots WILL always be part of the ecosystem. That doesn't mean they belong in every aspect of the ecosystem.