![578999.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbL6CL5CP3Y1wKqrva7FNPz2j6u3RccstoRWU7SHYCxah/578999.jpg)

As we mentioned in the last post, monsters with high speed can defeat stronger and more robust creatures, because while your opponent misses most attacks, our card can hit.
The examples are many, in this battle played today by me in the Bronze Blunderbluss tournament, I used the Spark Pixies card in the first position without fear:

### Battle Link: [@marianaemilia versus @girlsrule](https://splinterlands.com/?p=battle&id=sm_jRdy6FR4nQQA16lL95x2)

In this example, he benefited from the rulesets that increased his health and allowed him to shoot arrows from the first position, but even under normal conditions the Spark Pixies which although almost have no hit points and no armor are still very difficult to be eliminated because of his extreme speed and his innate Flying ability that increases his chances of evading blows.
![pixies.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUv2dNKzuptiEi9q1HzqX3QB7znMu2tD7siAYdu4ssrTF/pixies.png) At its maximum level, it still acquires the Dodge ability, further increasing its efficiency in this regard. The following important information demonstrates how much speed and certain abilities increase this escapist capacity: With each extra point of speed a monster has compared to its opponent, it's chance of not being hit by this opponent increases by 10%. Some abilities can influence this aspect by increasing or decreasing speed: ![slow.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZrkpT59iTdJfm685XaEDcDq7CTk7DCUsWEjrrBGexHDH/slow.png) Slow: Reduces the Speed of all enemy Monsters. (-1) ![swiftness.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXno9V5fco1qTVgigSJHP68ic6N6F9zn44fN1dnPEFT73/swiftness.png) Swiftness: All friendly Monsters have increased Speed. (+1) And these others further increase the chance of evading blows: ![dodge.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSSUBqFavLNK82E3734mxuXUa1aJqrvBinoNWaPqMBn3h/dodge.png) Dodge: Has an increased chance of evading Melee or Ranged attacks. (25%) ![flying.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQ7HmPpxS9fWpT7saadGsQw5eG5UgBfKhUQGR5ab1h5Pa/flying.png) Flying: Has an increased chance of evading Melee or Ranged attacks from Monsters who do not have the Flying ability (25%) ![blind.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbBwUqYzDf3qPZ5Woyam7rZ4gWTBV9HUTWao6W9CV8BRR/blind.png) Blind: All enemy Melee & Ranged attacks have an increased chance of missing their target. (15%) Now, an important note about some rulesets in which this characteristic changes: ![reversespeed.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVU1qkED7tcNQ6xkUVYfT99pYgaor6qhg4xhrL3MiZDJS/reversespeed.png) Reverse Speed: Monsters with the lowest Speed attack first and have the highest chance of evading attacks. In this ruleset, the situation is reversed, the slower monsters have the initiative and the greater chance of hitting, but the abilities like Dodge, Flying, and Blind continue to work, so a fast monster that has some of these abilities will still be able to avoid blows and arrows in this percentage. ![aimtrue.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbucgyDXZNQq3quxczC9CgKHhi85DvmoUPtEmTjmrTUCi/aimtrue.png) Aim True:
Melee and Ranged attacks always hit their target. Here, all the blows and arrows will always hit and, the speed although, it still defines which monsters will have the initiative and attack first, will not be able to help more than that, as well as the evasion abilities will also not works. ![img_combat-rule_back_to_basics.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmY1ov7TfwzHrhc9VZYS7xSr5D8oAXwY36eGAfvxr3yg4R/img_combat-rule_back_to_basics.png) Back to Basics:
Back to Basics: Monsters lose all abilities. Now is the opposite, the monsters 'intrinsic speed may still work to provide dodge against blows and arrows, but the abilities' dodge effects will not exist as the cards simply lose all of their abilities. Continuing: This is the secret of the Cocatrice card and the reason why it is so hard to get it: Speed + Flying + Dodge! ![cocatricevfs.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPAB1fJxWRqic1qWqNgaARXVTKY3eNFPSzDE3oLpi2iok/cocatricevfs.png) Conclusion: In my opinion, these dodge and speed factors are very important in the game and even essential. In many battles, just 1 point more speed can mean the difference between victory and defeat. We must seek initiative first and whenever possible add cards that increase our speed and/or decrease the opponent's speed. Watch now a high-level example, where we can observe the extreme speed and dodging ability of Cocatrice to be victorious despite its lack of armor, few hit points, and absence of healing cards, while the opponent had armor and 3 cards with healing abilities:

### Battle Link: [@dosh versus @pacolimited](https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=fd13fbb3f8c3782d9eb2c14897d97adaf5c0c2fd)

Finally, I would like to show you several cards that have these characteristics and that may prove to be very useful for new players:
Dodge at Novice and Bronze Leagues: ![fastlvl1.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbPtfAVidU3EnpBEqa1UXtTU84ERh5nfz1tFena9VmaYf/fastlvl1.png) Dodge at Silver League: ![fastsilver.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmdXAAjq48MjQkjsnbNQtAKcM26vHLGqJ2mLCkvcpoEcHS/fastsilver.png) Dodge at Gold League: ![fastgold.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmRNQaZ7AXyvhbKWFx83pqoKTpbun3qYwidhbxgisYoxfE/fastgold.png) All Cards with Dodge: ![fastmax.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZ6LprB74ZbXNsxBAp57Twh7ouUrtDyM8RSiQvH9ysQDv/fastmax.png)

Cards with speed greater than 6 or 7 points. (Here they are at their maximum level, but most of these cards start from level 1 with a good dose of speed)
![fastcards1.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTBiQ2dBnA8KSW4jYz86PXbDxPkabuFerPbjFJfDj8aaC/fastcards1.png) ![fastcards2.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWCzCtpktw41eMwHrfFwGwNNJayEsFG2LkBRiwDQ1eK9J/fastcards2.png) That's it for today! See you in the next episode with more practical tips about battle strategies on Splinterlands.

--- Join the fun now: [Sign up here](https://splinterlands.com?ref=marianaemilia).

--- Images: @splinterlands ---

https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYjAHAqszT1tZX1vpsp4mxc9m1iZyMc4GnCpeXJbcC5Du/67392_n.jpg https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWKbuDeSLrjeTpQ6umQ3pkZHKtGh44YQvnW1pgzzb33Qv/357c2c4f186cfec553c7943a4b95a3a8.png --- ![m1981Jxqi.gif](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmR98SkheQpgUjjpPRM37zzP11YwiepRNKKC3cJQTfmDQb/m1981Jxqi.gif)

This post was also published on HIVE blockchain.