Splinterlands Dark Energy Crystals Euphoria! What to do with the DEC?

Steem Monsters aka Splinterlands just released another big update. This guys are so fast with the updates it is hard to keep track on them😊.

How to get DEC?

DEC can be earned in a couple of ways:

• Fighting,
• Burning Cards,
• Buy DEC.

Fighting

DEC are earned while fighting and winning. The higher you are on the rankings the more DEC is earned. I have an alt account in a novice league, and that one is earning less then 1 DEC per fight. My account with a silver to gold league is earning between 70 to 100 DEC. The top ones are earning more then 300 DEC per battle. Alpha and Gold cards increase the amount DEC is earned. As you fight the capture rate decreases. It is then renewed 25% per day. Just like the voting power.

Burning cards

You have some unwanted cards (Rusty Android), this is one way to get rid of them. The amount of DEC per card varies between 15 to more then 1000 DEC per card. The gold ones gives you the most DEC.
According to the announcement from @steemmonsters the first day were burned more then 60k cards and were generated 25 million DEC. That is some burning there…. Burn them all!

Buy DEC from Steem Engine

At the moment DEC goes per 0.0008$ a piece or around 0.002 STEEM. One can go there and buy some. Then you will need to transfer them in game, after what you can freely use them.

DEC use case?

We have seen how we can get DEC, but how to spend them is probably the most important thing. Here are the options:

• Buy Orbs,
• Buy Potions,
• Buy Skins,
• Sell DEC.

Orbs

From all the options to spend DEC in the game buying Orbs is probably the most interesting one, since it is like buying pack with cards. You buy an Orb and then opened it, and you will get some cards. This are special promotional card, and can be found in the promo tab.

Like for the other cards, here as well, there is common, rare, legendary and epic. Also, a gold one. With some luck you may get a legendary or a gold one.

Potions

There are 4 types of potions:

• Legendary,
• Alchemy,
• Quest,
• Mystery.

The legendary and alchemy improves the drop rate of legendary and gold monsters. This one can be quite useful. Then, there are the quest potions which give you extra cards on the daily quest. The mystery one is like a special one that gives a special card that can not be obtained in any other way.

Skins

Skins are pure aesthetic thing and if you like some of your favorite card to have a new look, you can go for these. There is a good artwork in those.

Conclusion

After seeing the option of earning and spending DEC what can be said.
What is the best way to earn and spend DEC?

Just a notice on the DEC supply. DEC are created on a rate of 1 million per day. Each month it is lowered by 1%. Meaning 12% per year lower supply. If more and more players are fighting and coming to the game, it will be more difficult to earn them. But the thing is that even with decreased supply and more players on, DEC basically have unlimited supply. No hard cap.

Alpha cards and Beta cards have limited supply. Now, people are burning/exchanging something of limited supply for something with unlimited supply. Hmm… especially the Alpha or Gold cards. DEC are more liquid asset, that is their advantage. But, in a long term this is a bad deal no doubt about that. If someone can make a fast turnaround on the DEC then OK, but in a long run cards are limited, DEC not. Also have in mind that we now have Alpha and Beta editions. The regular/standard edition is not out yet. Alpha and Beta are better then Standard.

Taking in consideration the above, I have my eye on the Alpha cards, and probably will use all the resources to obtain as much as I can from them. DEC included. Sell DEC, buy Alpha. Would like to get some of the gold ones, but those are just to price for me at the moment.

All the best
@dalz