Survivor Island of the Idols episode 5 power rankings: Playing on a Switch

4. Tommy Sheehan

Tommy is the best player in the game right now (in my opinion), but the fact that he doesn’t have a Hidden Immunity Idol when people have known to swipe at the most influential players in swap-screw opportunities in a season that has had as much meta gameplay as Survivor: Island of the Idols makes me worry just a tad at the back of my head.

Logically, he seems like he has options unless he’s the only Vokai member on his new tribe somehow.

3. Jamal Shipman

A tribe swap is a perfect moment for Jamal to get lost in the chaos of the unknown. Sure, he’ll be hard to stay hidden for long because of his imposing stature, but I’m sure he’s learned from the mistakes of a mid-afternoon nap ahead of Tribal Council not to take things for granted. Plus, he’s needed for strength no matter which tribe to which he belongs and has a Hidden Immunity Idol to boot.

2. Kellee Kim

Kellee is the only player left in the game which has a timed-exclusive idol and depending on how often she visits Tribal Council, there’s more of an impetus to use it before the merge in order to blindside opponents and keep her alliance numbers strong. After a swap is a perfect time to use an idol, as you’re more likely to get away from the heat of using one as we saw last season.

1. Dan Spilo

I can’t ignore what my own eyes have seen, and they have seen Dan with a considerably fuller beard and a blue buff during the promo for this week’s swap. Considering the fact we know he’s safe for a few more weeks, it’s impossible for me to place him any lower than the very top of the power rankings, as he has protection more powerful in theory than an idol or a vote-steal; the power of screentime with a future tribe’s buff.