For the ability, this meriput splinter is having impede skill since first level, which cause his attack reduces the target enemy's speed by 1 point. This new ability is interesting because speed is one of the most important aspect of the game. At 4th level, he also supported with the slow debuff to makes him even more usefull in order to speed battle. At 5th level, he got the reflect shield to avoid getting blasted, or countered with back arrow, and finally at last level, he gain redemption ability to hurt all enemies when he got eliminated.

Meriput Slinger's Strenght

His ability to reduce enemies speed with debuff and impede is his main strenght, and if possible, pair him with some speed buff or blind and fly ability monster. This will give you a major boost on speed battle, which could cause enemies don't have enough time to attack due to losing turn, and missed their attack due to speed different. His attack that started with 3 and improved to 4 at 3rd level is his strenght as well to help hurting enemies but not affraid of the forcefield ability that reduce all 5 or more attack into just 1.

Meriput Slinger's Weakness

Despite the slow debuff and impede ability, his speed that stuck on 3 is not high enough in my opinion, and could cause the speed battle quite hard if the enemies got high speed monsters as well. He also have no armor and low health, which cause him become an easy target for enemies assasin.

Optimal Strategy

In my opinion, to maxed out the meriput slinger's potential, we have to pair him with speed buff from the team or summoner, to makes a situation that the team is dominating by the speed. Having a high speed taunt tanker will be great to avoid enemies assasinating him and focus to tank with high speed taunter. Having a protect ability on your team could help him survive as well, whatever it need just to makes sure he could stay as long as possible on the field to slow down enemies.

When He Shine and Struggles

He will shine on the battlefield where the assasin have no chance to go for him such as on the fog of war ruleset or when his low health is no more become a disadvantage on equal health ruleset. He will struggle when the taunter got double damage taken, and scattershot ruleset, because random range and magic damage would hit him and eliminate him immidiately. He also will struggle on low mana cap ruleset simply because he is not strong enough for low mana cap.

How I Use Him On Battlefield

You can check my battle on this link https://splinterlands.com/?p=battle&id=sl_59d635e2295dded0b3371bb27208964a , where I fight against though enemies davemccoy from the team possible diamond.

I used meriput because I'm sure my enemies wouldn't try to sneak me on the equal ruleset, because most people will fokus on the front.

End of first round, my teams dominate after eliminates enemies taunter

My team looks still leading with the tanker still having 8 health while my enemies only have 2 health point left.

My tanker eliminate due to speed lose, my enemies turn the table with 5 monster left.

Enemies tanker now eliminated, and the match become 4-4 with enemies tanker are ranger that can't attack.

Now it's 3-3 situation, but my tanker can't attack

2-2 situation, who will win the match ?

Luckily there is no miss, and thanks to the reduce speed ability that reduce the chance to miss in every succesfull attack

Final Words