About Mysterious Challenger, I think it's s shame that it became the next hated card by all the Hearthstone bitches because I think it has the best Art in TGT (specially Golden) and I liked the idea that a card finally made Paladin secrets viable. Oh well, I'll just still play it in my mid-range Pally and ignore the QQing.
I agree the art is FANTASTIC and such cool conceptual/concept design. Run it in the midrange, ignore the haters, have fun haha. Eventually the meta will balance out and people will play better against the card and then there will be less qq.
It's true. The card is balanced overall but completely broken in one situation... If the Paladin has board control on turn 5, then turn 6 Mysterious Challenger is an INSTANT game over.
Mysterious Challenger should cost 8 mana. At least Grim Patron and Combo Druid has to wait until turn 8 or 9 for their instant GG. Paladin can get it on turn 6.
I'm really enjoying Mysterious Challenger, and I've had the most success with running 2 secret copies, typically Avenge, Redemption, Noble Sacrifice, and Competitive Spirit. While some might consider that overkill, I think that's incorrect because
a.) even if you draw an early secret, you have another copy somewhere in your deck for the Mysterious Challenger,
b.) Paladin secrets are actually pretty good early game with the right minions, so it's not even really a bad thing,
c.) 2 copies of Mysterious Challenger means you're very likely to draw one by turn 6,
d.) Paladin secrets by themselves are weak late game, but together, they can get crazy, and thus
e.) if you play Mysterious Challenger on turn 6 with a good board, the game's probably over--if you can't win with that, you're probably not going to win with a Mysterious Challenger deck anyway--I see it best as a board-based win condition/finisher, like Bloodlust, and
Works best running sticky minions like deathrattle/divine shield that lets me build up a good board presence, and they get extra value from the buffs/Redemption.
I've even had relatively good results using Mad Scientists in conjunction to further thin out the deck to draw that Mysterious Challenger. It's important to realize you're likely only going to go through half your deck in a given game before the winner's decided (even if a hero hasn't explicitly reached 0 health yet) not including Mysterious Challenger "draw"--which is why I think running Mysterious Challenger as a one-of is a mistake if you're committing to Secret Pally unless you explicitly plan around this, as chances are, you won't draw it.
Still, I wouldn't say it's OP. Playing against this deck, board control has been key. If all the opponent has on the board by the end of turn 6 is a Mysterious Challenger, and I have something on the board, it's typically not that hard to play around the value the secrets can provide (as long as I'm not using a shitty deck). It has counters. Not being a dipshit and actually thinking through your play is required.
I woudln't say 6/6 for 6 is horrible. Subpar maybe.
6/3 for 6, now that's horrible.
Meh, I don't even acknowledge the justicar body, happy if I get a trade out of it. I'd almost spend the 6 mana to double control armour up without a 6/3 body. So good for control warrior.
I woudln't say 6/6 for 6 is horrible. Subpar maybe.
6/3 for 6, now that's horrible.
Meh, I don't even acknowledge the justicar body, happy if I get a trade out of it. I'd almost spend the 6 mana to double control armour up without a 6/3 body. So good for control warrior.
Also fantastic in paladin which is where I believe I really shines.
It's true. The card is balanced overall but completely broken in one situation... If the Paladin has board control on turn 5, then turn 6 Mysterious Challenger is an INSTANT game over.
Mysterious Challenger should cost 8 mana. At least Grim Patron and Combo Druid has to wait until turn 8 or 9 for their instant GG. Paladin can get it on turn 6.
Mysterious challenger is by NO means an "Instant GG" on 6. Patron can actually kill you on 8 or 9 from nowhere but challenger decks usually take a turn to set up (turn 6) then most likely takes two turns to kill you from there. This allows for counter play unlike patron as a comparison, which is why it is priced at 6. Im not saying challenger isn't insane, because it is. But it is getting a lot of hate because people done understand how to counter it.
If more people played freeze mage right now, there would be a lot less complaining.
Next you will owl/BGH/removal on challenger, proc repentence if they have it.
Now clear the rest of the board except for their smallest guy to waste their Competitive Spirit.
Once you do this a few times it's really easy against them as long as you save the answers in hand. The only tricky thing is if they go challenger back to back and you might not have enough answers.
To be fair, actually playing a second challenger seems like it could be bad. If they survived the first you probably aren't doing so well and there's a chance they only get 3 or less secrets off the second dude. And there are plenty of times 2 copies of an important card that I want are in the bottom 10 of my deck. I don't think it would help all that much to be legendary.
One of the things I find super interesting about this card is that it defeats one of the purposes of secrets, or at least, what I always assumed was one of the purposes. Someone plays a secret and you have to sit there thinking "Okay, it could be this, this, or this, and in each of those cases I need to play like this or this and see which pops." There's a thought process that involves playing around the possible secrets. With Mysterious Challenger it removes that and you're just like "Well, it's all of them, so let's just go through in order."
The card is sorta what Paladin secrets needed to get any play, it's just amusing to me that they aren't really secrets anymore since once they're all in play you know what they are.
Then secret plays restoring the 2/1 defender back alive. So now on board is a Mysterious Challenger, recruit and 2/1 defender.
Next round everyone gives +1 whatever. At that point being a druid my removal options are almost non existant and being at like 20 hp the next round im down to less than 10 and therefore the game is pretty much over.
Then secret plays restoring the 2/1 defender back alive. So now on board is a Mysterious Challenger, recruit and 2/1 defender.
Next round everyone gives +1 whatever. At that point being a druid my removal options are almost non existant and being at like 20 hp the next round im down to less than 10 and therefore the game is pretty much over.
Well, yes that's more or less the point of the deck. It does seem like a hard matchup for druids if they manage to fire off a Mysterious Challenger, though if they don't the matchup seems okay. I'd have to play more druid though to see. Not having good removal for big stuff has always been a problem for druids. Traditionally they've tried to get around that by just playing their own big stuff, and earlier, but sometimes it doesn't work out, and secret Paladin seems like it's pretty decent against that strategy anyway.
To be fair, actually playing a second challenger seems like it could be bad. If they survived the first you probably aren't doing so well and there's a chance they only get 3 or less secrets off the second dude. And there are plenty of times 2 copies of an important card that I want are in the bottom 10 of my deck. I don't think it would help all that much to be legendary.
I would agree but when you have 1 of a card then its less likely its going to be drawn. Also a 6/6 card is still worth it even if there are little to no secrets left.
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I agree the art is FANTASTIC and such cool conceptual/concept design. Run it in the midrange, ignore the haters, have fun haha. Eventually the meta will balance out and people will play better against the card and then there will be less qq.
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I personally don't see it as OP. Then again, the only time I've ever faced it I killed it and a Dr. boom and popped all the secrets in two turns.
Edit: More specifically I used a Earth Shock to silence the Avenge buffed Mysterious Challenger after popping Noble Sacrifice with my Searing totem, stole Redemption with Kezan Mystic and popped Repentance, had a Piloted Shredder on the board which got Redeemed, and then hit his Dr. Boom before Lightning Storming his board.
Control warrior makes that card a joke as long as you know how to play it correctly....Currently am 8-0 vs that secret deck
It's true. The card is balanced overall but completely broken in one situation... If the Paladin has board control on turn 5, then turn 6 Mysterious Challenger is an INSTANT game over.
Mysterious Challenger should cost 8 mana. At least Grim Patron and Combo Druid has to wait until turn 8 or 9 for their instant GG. Paladin can get it on turn 6.
I'm really enjoying Mysterious Challenger, and I've had the most success with running 2 secret copies, typically Avenge, Redemption, Noble Sacrifice, and Competitive Spirit. While some might consider that overkill, I think that's incorrect because
a.) even if you draw an early secret, you have another copy somewhere in your deck for the Mysterious Challenger,
b.) Paladin secrets are actually pretty good early game with the right minions, so it's not even really a bad thing,
c.) 2 copies of Mysterious Challenger means you're very likely to draw one by turn 6,
d.) Paladin secrets by themselves are weak late game, but together, they can get crazy, and thus
e.) if you play Mysterious Challenger on turn 6 with a good board, the game's probably over--if you can't win with that, you're probably not going to win with a Mysterious Challenger deck anyway--I see it best as a board-based win condition/finisher, like Bloodlust, and
Works best running sticky minions like deathrattle/divine shield that lets me build up a good board presence, and they get extra value from the buffs/Redemption.
I've even had relatively good results using Mad Scientists in conjunction to further thin out the deck to draw that Mysterious Challenger. It's important to realize you're likely only going to go through half your deck in a given game before the winner's decided (even if a hero hasn't explicitly reached 0 health yet) not including Mysterious Challenger "draw"--which is why I think running Mysterious Challenger as a one-of is a mistake if you're committing to Secret Pally unless you explicitly plan around this, as chances are, you won't draw it.
Still, I wouldn't say it's OP. Playing against this deck, board control has been key. If all the opponent has on the board by the end of turn 6 is a Mysterious Challenger, and I have something on the board, it's typically not that hard to play around the value the secrets can provide (as long as I'm not using a shitty deck). It has counters. Not being a dipshit and actually thinking through your play is required.
Meh, I don't even acknowledge the justicar body, happy if I get a trade out of it. I'd almost spend the 6 mana to double control armour up without a 6/3 body. So good for control warrior.
Also fantastic in paladin which is where I believe I really shines.
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Mysterious challenger is by NO means an "Instant GG" on 6. Patron can actually kill you on 8 or 9 from nowhere but challenger decks usually take a turn to set up (turn 6) then most likely takes two turns to kill you from there. This allows for counter play unlike patron as a comparison, which is why it is priced at 6. Im not saying challenger isn't insane, because it is. But it is getting a lot of hate because people done understand how to counter it.
If more people played freeze mage right now, there would be a lot less complaining.
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counter = Flare
every hunter should have this x2 in their decks with all the mages & pally's running around.
The way I play against Challenger:
Prepare BGH/Silence/ hard removal in hand for the incoming challenger.
First send a guy (preferably small) to face, proc Noble Sacrifice, Avenge and Redemption all in one go.
Next you will owl/BGH/removal on challenger, proc repentence if they have it.
Now clear the rest of the board except for their smallest guy to waste their Competitive Spirit.
Once you do this a few times it's really easy against them as long as you save the answers in hand. The only tricky thing is if they go challenger back to back and you might not have enough answers.
Yet another card I'm laughing about as people trashed it when it was first revealed and now they're calling it OpieOp
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Is it me or does anyone think this card should be Legendary? I mean getting 4+ secrets in one turn is ridiculous IMO.
I mean, being a legendary doesn't mean that a card is better than others. Look at Piloted Shredder vs. Millhouse.
True but you can only play 1 legendary. It would seem to balance this card out a bit.
To be fair, actually playing a second challenger seems like it could be bad. If they survived the first you probably aren't doing so well and there's a chance they only get 3 or less secrets off the second dude. And there are plenty of times 2 copies of an important card that I want are in the bottom 10 of my deck. I don't think it would help all that much to be legendary.
I think my biggest beef with the card is you get a 6/6 body for 6, that usually protects itself. Should be a 5/5 for 6.
One of the things I find super interesting about this card is that it defeats one of the purposes of secrets, or at least, what I always assumed was one of the purposes. Someone plays a secret and you have to sit there thinking "Okay, it could be this, this, or this, and in each of those cases I need to play like this or this and see which pops." There's a thought process that involves playing around the possible secrets. With Mysterious Challenger it removes that and you're just like "Well, it's all of them, so let's just go through in order."
The card is sorta what Paladin secrets needed to get any play, it's just amusing to me that they aren't really secrets anymore since once they're all in play you know what they are.
Nothing doing, traveler.
Its just odd to me because this one round here is how it went:
Minion that I played reduced health to 1.
Other minion attacks secrect plays the 2/1 defender which dies instantly
Secret plays giving Mysterious Challenger 3/2 turning it into a 9/8 minon.
Then secret plays restoring the 2/1 defender back alive. So now on board is a Mysterious Challenger, recruit and 2/1 defender.
Next round everyone gives +1 whatever. At that point being a druid my removal options are almost non existant and being at like 20 hp the next round im down to less than 10 and therefore the game is pretty much over.
Well, yes that's more or less the point of the deck. It does seem like a hard matchup for druids if they manage to fire off a Mysterious Challenger, though if they don't the matchup seems okay. I'd have to play more druid though to see. Not having good removal for big stuff has always been a problem for druids. Traditionally they've tried to get around that by just playing their own big stuff, and earlier, but sometimes it doesn't work out, and secret Paladin seems like it's pretty decent against that strategy anyway.
Nothing doing, traveler.
I would agree but when you have 1 of a card then its less likely its going to be drawn. Also a 6/6 card is still worth it even if there are little to no secrets left.