Hearthstone's 2nd expansion, The Grand Tournament, will be released next month (August 2015), and include 132 new cards. It will also introduce a new mechanic using the keyword "Inspire". Minions with the Inspire ability will have some effect when you use your hero power.
This thread is dedicated to discussing the impact of these new cards on the Arena environment. Please share your thoughts with us on this exciting new expansion!
Some cards will affect the cost and power of your hero ability. View the upgraded hero abilities HERE.
If you'd like to read my initial thoughts on how I rate these cards for Arena you can start HERE.
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Acidmaw Rating 5(Terrible): The stats are terrible and this could only be good if you had Unleash the Hounds played together on turn 10 because YOUR minion would be destroyed while clearing your opponent's board too. Way too situational for Arena and it can easily backfire on you.
Anub'arak Rating 1(Excellent): This is a big minion that absolutely must be silenced. It's expensive, so you won't be doing anything else except casting him, but you also get a 4/4 minion for free each time he dies.
Aviana Rating 5(Terrible): By the time you can cast this minion you shouldn't have enough cards left in your hand to make a difference in how much they cost. You also shouldn't want to completely empty your hand, just because you can.
Bolf Ramshield Rating 4(Poor): He doesn't really do anything except soak 9 damage. If your opponent was going to hit you in the face anyway they can potentially destroy him for free.
Chillmaw Rating 3(Average): I think he's fine as a 6/6 Taunt and it's rare that his Deathrattle will actually trigger, which is a good thing, because it would likely destroy your side of the board too.
Confessor Paletress Rating 2(Good): If your opponent cannot kill this minion immediately it is going to wreak absolute havoc. The stats put it in the danger zone so you'll probably see this played more on turn 9 to get at least 1 use of her ability.
Dreadscale Rating 5(Terrible): The stats are bad and it's going to trade down with almost everything. It damages your own minions too, so it's really hard to see a place for this card in Arena.
Eadric the Pure Rating 1(Excellent): This guy is like a mega Aldor Peacekeeper and has decent stats to match. This can wreck your opponent, especially if they're making a big push. Any card that has a massive board effect can be huge in Arena.
Eydis Darkbane Rating 3(Average): If you're playing as Priest or Paladin you will probably have an easier time utilizing this special ability, but for most classes it will be a Legendary Spider Tank - and I think you can do better.
Fjola Lightbane Rating 3(Average): Like her counterpart, Eydis, this has nice stats for the cost, but will be difficult to take advantage of in the Arena environment unless you are playing certain classes.
Gormok the Impaler Rating 3(Average): It's decent because of the cost and stats, but it is unlikely you will get to use the ability. Most people will play around Mind Control Tech and this minion really goes against that mentality.
Icehowl Rating 4(Poor): He's big and can help clear the board but he's only going to really be good if you can either Silence him or give him Taunt. Without the option to hit your opponent in the face you are nearly always going to see this as a disappointment when you draw him.
Justicar Trueheart Rating 2(Good): Getting a better hero ability is amazing and it's awesome this is a Battlecry effect, so you keep the new ability even after she's dead. I'm disappointed she doesn't have better stats, because she can be killed quite easily. This minion can completely turn around an Arena game, especially when you think you're finished. Click HERE for a list of the upgraded abilities. (Change 7/31/15: -1 rank)
Nexus-Champion Saraad Rating 1(Excellent): Any time you can get a card advantage in Arena it's a good thing. I think he will create a lot of interesting plays from the RNG alone. This will definitely be a card to watch in Arena and Constructed.
Rhonin Rating 1(Excellent): With a Deathrattle that gives you 3 extra cards that will deliver 9 damage I'm really not finding a downside to this card.
Skycap'n Kragg Rating 4(Poor): Unless you were able to draft a ton of Pirates for your deck I think there are better, cheaper options. When matched against Argent Commander this Pirate doesn't stand up. It would also depend on what other Legendary cards I was offered if I were to pick him, because he might still be better than some.
The Mistcaller Rating 1(Excellent): His stats aren't great, but his Battlecry is amazing. You've essentially given your entire hand/deck its own personal Stormwind Champion that persists after he's gone.
The Skeleton Knight Rating 4(Poor): It's a Salty Dog that costs 1 more mana crystal, but has a chance at recursion. Chances are it won't stay on the board too long and you can't predict who will win the card reveal for his Deathrattle.
Varian Wrynn Rating 1(Excellent): Potentially getting 3 minions for free is HUGE in Arena (or Constructed, for that matter). This could be a massive swing in tempo and can absolutely turn around the game.
Wilfred Fizzlebang Rating 3(Average): His ability is awesome, but he is a late game card that will likely not survive a turn. If you are able to protect him you could get a significant advantage over your opponent.
EPIC:
Arcane Blast Rating 2(Good): I like the cost for early removal, but most of the time it won't do more damage than that.
Astral Communion Rating 5(Terrible): This card is absolutely awful for Arena. As it stands right now this is the worst card of the set until something else knocks it out of the top spot.
Beneath the Grounds Rating 4(Poor): It's a cool concept, but you can't guarantee your opponent will ever draw into these cards and you just did nothing on turn 3.
Charged Hammer Rating 2(Good): I like this weapon, but the Deathrattle seems to go against all the other cards that give some bonus or Inspire effect for your totems. Don't get me wrong, because the ability to do 2 damage to minions AND opponents is pretty awesome. I'm just concerned about the synergy with the rest of your draft.
Coldarra Drake Rating 1(Excellent): This is an amazing card for Mage! It is a solid 6-drop and has the potential to really abuse your hero power. Obviously it's not going to be very effective to waste all your mana burning your opponent and playing nothing else, but you'll have options.
Crowd Favorite Rating 2(Good): Even if you don't have a Battlecry minion this will still make decent trades unless you're facing a Chillwind Yeti. I think the stats are good for the cost and it's not unreasonable to expect some Battlecry minions in your draft.
Dark Bargain Rating 2(Good): If you can take the board, then the discard isn't a drawback. You're a Warlock - you can always draw more cards.
Dreadsteed Rating 5(Terrible): I like the concept for this card, but the stats are terrible and it's way too slow. I'm interested to see it in your Constructed "Easy Legend" Anima Golem / Dreadsteed combo deck, but it's pretty bad in Arena.
Elemental Destruction Rating 3(Average): This is a board reset, but since it damages your own minions I don't agree the Overload cost should be that high. Unless you have anything on the board that survives you're basically dead in the water after using this card.
Enter the Coliseum Rating 3(Average): It kills everything except the thing that is going to eat your face anyway. If you're behind and your opponent has overextended, then this is a good card. Otherwise, it's pretty situational.
Frost Giant Rating 3(Average): In Arena the disadvantage from wasting a turn on your hero ability may be too great to consistently count on playing this minion early unless you have other cards with Inspire abilities or a low enough mana curve to use your hero ability often. Even so, he's a GIANT and he can be a huge body for the late game.
Garrison Commander Rating 1(Excellent): He is an outstanding 2-drop that can be even better in the late game. The fact that he is a Neutral card means that you will see him played by multiple classes in Arena, becoming a better River Crocolisk and making the late game very interesting.
Grand Crusader Rating 2(Good): A 5/5 minion for 6 mana isn't bad, especially when you're getting an extra card as part of the deal. I'm confused as to why the card drawn is a Paladin card, so this makes me think that we will see a Neutral card similar to this for each Class.
Kodorider Rating 3(Average): This is expensive, although the payoff is pretty good if you're able to use his ability on the next turn. The real trick will be having him survive a turn (and not be silenced) to see any benefit. If your opponent cannot deal with him he can definitely become a threat. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Lock and Load Rating 4(Poor): This is another card that will be much better in constructed, but in Arena it will be a wasted card slot dependent on having spells to support it.
Magnataur Alpha Rating 5(Terrible): I like the concept, but the stats are garbage and it's unlikely he'll ever live long enough to justify inclusion in your deck.
Master of Ceremonies Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time this card will trade badly and would rarely be cast on turn 3 unless you had a Kobold Geomancer that managed to survive a turn. Even in Shaman it's a pretty terrible way to waste a turn 2 drop by hoping you'll get a Wrath of Air Totem. It's more of a mid/late game card that is really "meh".
Mulch Rating 4(Poor): I'm curious how many crap removal cards they can offer Druid. Even so, it can save you if there's something that you absolutely must get rid of, or if there's a huge Taunt blocking your way. This should be used with extreme caution because you could end up giving them something better than what was already on the board.
Mysterious Challenger Rating 2(Good): I usually don't go too heavy into Secrets, but it would not be crazy for him to pull out an Avenge and Noble Sacrifice. Even without the Secrets, his stats and cost are good.
Poisoned Blade Rating 5(Terrible): This is awfully slow for Arena and there are better weapons (or ways to increase their Attack Power) available.
Recruiter Rating 4(Poor): He seems pretty slow with no guarantee you'll get to use his ability unless you play him late game, at which point a 2/2 isn't going to matter unless you've both got empty boards.
Sea Reaver Rating 2(Good): I'm not too concerned about the 1 damage to my minions, and in the right circumstances it could even work to my favor. The cost and stats are great and I'm always happy to see another Boulderfist Ogre!
Shadowfiend Rating 3(Average): I really like this minion, but most of time it's going to die before you can really start using it. There are several cards this doesn't interact with due to the way they are worded (like Ysera and Thoughtsteal), but it's still decent.
Sideshow Spelleater Rating 4(Poor): What if I don't want my opponent's hero power? That's the biggest problem I see with this card.
Stablemaster Rating 4(Poor): It's a little easier to find Beasts when playing Hunter, but the stats don't hold up and it's too situational to be reliable.
Twilight Guardian Rating 4(Poor): If you've got plenty of Dragons, then this card is great. Otherwise, it's just a worse Oasis Snapjaw.
RARE:
Alexstrasza's Champion Rating 2(Good): This is the kind of 2-drop that Warrior needed. Even if you don't get the bonus I still like it as a vanilla 2/3.
Argent Lance Rating 2(Good): This is a decent, cheap weapon for Paladin this will be helpful in clearing away most 2-drops that your opponent plays.
Argent Watchman Rating 5(Terrible): This card has great stats for the cost, but the ability is a huge downside in Arena. You cannot play this on curve and expect to get any use out of and continue to put additional threats on the board. Most of the 2/3 minions should be able to trade just as well as this one without the hero ability restriction.
Armored Warhorse Rating 5(Terrible): This card needs to win the card reveal to be any good, but he can still be taken out by most 2-drops, so he just doesn't have enough staying power to rank higher. If you don't win the card reveal you've probably just wasted a turn.
Ball of Spiders Rating 4(Poor): With this card you are basically throwing away a huge turn and praying to the RNG gods. You do have a better chance of drawing that King Krush you were hoping for, but you could also get 3 Captain's Parrot. It is in no way a reliable card to draft unless you really like to roll the dice and take chances. You still get 3 minions on the board, but I think it's a terrible tempo loss. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Burgle Rating 3(Average): It's card draw, but could give you some useless stuff. You cross your fingers that you'll get Consecration and Flamestrike, but you never know. I can't look at this card without seeing the Hamburglar from McDonalds (intended, I'm sure!).
Coliseum Manager Rating 3(Average): This card is great for 2-damage recursion, but you HAVE to play around the ability, which is very mana intensive in the early game. It has potential, but it essentially locks out your hero power unless you want to bounce this minion. It can still make a couple of trades, with good chances to survive, and be played again. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Convert Rating 4 (Poor): You never want to rely on your opponent for your minions, especially if all they play is garbage. It's probably best not to waste a 2-drop for a slow chance at maybe getting something decent.
Cutpurse Rating 4(Poor): This minion is unlikely to survive a turn (I think it should have had Stealth), but if it does you can get a jump on mana. This seems like it would be more beneficial in triggering combos in Constructed, but it's usually not going to work out the way you'd hope in Arena.
Darnassus Aspirant Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great 2/3 with a built in Wild Growth. Even if she gets killed it does not matter because you will only lose the extra mana crystal that was granted with the card - so you'll be exactly where you would have been anyway. Even though it will not grant you Excess Mana when used at a full mana tray, it's still a great card.
Draenei Totemcarver Rating 3(Average): This can be great as a late game card, but may be difficult to get an optimal effect early on. Although it's not as amazing as Fireguard Destroyer for that 4-drop slot, it is still a good card.
Effigy Rating 3(Average): You get the Recombobulator effect without having to cast it again, like you would with Duplicate. This certainly has an RNG factor, but being able to use the minion summoned right away is a huge bonus.
Fallen Hero Rating 1(Excellent): For Mage this card can be extremely useful. Being able to do 2 damage to anything so early in the game will really allow for you to control the board unless your opponent can get rid of him immediately.
Fencing Coach Rating 4(Poor): You get to use your Hero Power for free one turn, but I really don't see that making much of an impact unless you've got some heavy Inspire draft.
Fist of Jaraxxus Rating 4(Poor): It's really interesting to see a discard effect in Warlock, but the RNG factor for the target is just way to unreliable to depend on. In Constructed I could see Doomguard bust 2 of these out of your hand while you survey the carnage.
Healing Wave Rating 4(Poor): In Arena I'm not looking to choose heals over a minion. There may be instances where it would save you, but often times you are just delaying the inevitable and I would rather draw a resource that could put some damage on the board.
Injured Kvaldir Rating 4(Poor): This minion is pretty bad for Arena because most of the time it will just be a 2/1. Priest may be able to get some use out of it, but I still think it's a poor choice.
King's Defender Rating 4(Poor): In Arena it's unlikely you can count on having any Taunt minions to benefit from this bonus. Fiery War Axe will definitely take precedence over this weapon.
Knight of the Wild Rating 4(Poor): You can't guarantee you'll be able to draft any Beasts, so that hurts this minion. I think there are better options to play.
Light's Champion Rating 4(Poor): I think this is a decent Neutral card, with an interesting, but mostly useless, Battlecry for Arena. It trades poorly, but could still be alright in some situations.
Master Jouster Rating 2(Good): He has great stats and if he wins the card reveal he gets even better. This is one of those cards that has the potential to turn a game around, but he doesn't trade well with other 6-drops, like Boulderfist Ogre. (Change 8/7/15: -1 rank)
Mogor's Champion Rating 4(Poor): I think the RNG factor and low Health are a bit too unreliable to invest in a 6-drop, but if he does manage to hit face he'll do serious damage.
Polymorph: Boar Rating 3(Average): It can be used as an offensive or defensive spell and I like that flexibility. I can see this being used as a finisher quite often in Arena. After attacking with a minion, transform it, and attack again.
Powershot Rating 1(Excellent): A cheaper Consecration for Hunters...yes, I'll take 2 please.
Ram Wrangler Rating 4(Poor): It's often difficult to draft Beasts in Arena and it would definitely be a situational draft pick. This should only be a late game pick and if the draft has been in your favor its rating goes up.
Saboteur Rating 3(Average): Most of the time he'll just be a standard 4/3 and his Battlecry won't matter, but once in awhile it could be just the disruptive play that you need.
Savage Combatant Rating 2(Good): If the stats we reversed to make this a 4/5 it would be awesome, but it is pretty vulnerable as it is. The Inspire ability is really nice and essentially gives you a Fiery War Axe every time you use it. Even if you only get to use the ability once it can really help clear the board. This card is obviously screaming to be used with Savagery in constructed.
Shady Dealer Rating 3(Average): Most of the time if will just be a standard 4/3, but it's alright.
Sparring Partner Rating 2(Good): I really like the idea of using this card to target an enemy minion that is hiding behind some other Taunt. Without getting to use his ability he's still a decent 3/2 with Taunt.
Spawn of Shadows Rating 4(Poor): It's an interesting minion, but the stats hurt it. The ability isn't too bad if you're triggering the Inspire by healing yourself, but it's probably not going to work out the way you imagine it will in Arena.
Thunder Bluff Valiant Rating 2(Good): I love this card uses the Inspire ability instead of a Battlecry. If you have this minion in the late game it is a great way to finish up after activating his ability a couple of times.
Tiny Knight of Evil Rating 3(Average): Most of the time you won't get to trigger his special ability in Arena, but he's still alright as a regular 3/2 minion - and he's a Demon.
Tuskarr Jouster Rating 3(Average): Most of the time this will be another 5/5 minion for 5 mana, but if luck is on your side he's an Antique Healbot with better stats.
Void Crusher Rating 5(Terrible): He can destroy himself and his stats are bad, so no thanks.
Wyrmrest Agent Rating 4(Poor): Without any Dragons this card is pretty terrible. If you can pick this late in the draft and you have the cards to support it, then it is definitely worth it.
COMMON:
Ancestral Knowledge Rating 3(Average): I don't agree with the Overload cost on this card, but it's nice to have some card draw for Shaman. It's not quite Arcane Intellect, but it will do in a pinch.
Argent Horserider Rating 4(Poor): This is on par with Silent Knight and I didn't really care for it either. This one has an even worse time because it can be destroyed by many hero abilities. It's hard for this one to compete with other 3-drops available.
Bash Rating 3(Average): I think this card is alright for removal, but it gets much better if you can combo with an already equipped weapon.
Bear Trap Rating 2(Good): If you play this on turn 2 you get great value, but the further out you cast it your opponent will be able to play around it more. I still think it's a good disruptive card whenever you cast it.
Bolster Rating 5 (Terrible): You can never predict what minions you'll be offered in Arena and this is a very specific, situational card.
Boneguard Lieutenant Rating 3(Average): In a trade situation his ability probably won't make a difference and you really don't want to miss any early drops in lieu of using your Hero Power.
Brave Archer Rating 4(Poor): In Arena most of the time this minion's Inspire ability will never be an issue, so I view it as a 2/1 for 1 mana that can be killed by just about anything.
Buccaneer Rating 2(Good): He's easy to kill, but he only needs to survive a turn in order for you to really disrupt your opponent's early game.
Captured Jormungar Rating 2(Good): His cost and stats are both good and since he's a Beast it's possible he may have other synergies with the deck you draft.
Clockwork Knight Rating 3(Average): It's a 5/5 for 5 mana even if you have no other Mechs around to benefit from his Battlecry. He's alright for a beefy common in Arena.
Dalaran Aspirant Rating 2(Good): It would not be uncommon to see a 5 damage Flamecannon on the following turn. Even worse, you could actually see a 6 damage Flamestrike if he doesn't get destroyed before then. His stats are good and you really need to deal with him right away.
Demonfuse Rating 4(Poor): In Arena it will be difficult to consistently guarantee you'll even have a minion to use this on. Also, unless it's late game, handing out mana crystals to your opponent is never a good thing. If this gave you an option to be used as removal like Demonfire, then it could rate higher.
Dragonhawk Rider Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time he's just going to be a 3/3 because you really don't want to be using your Hero Power on turn 4. He's alright, but he'll die to most 2-drops.
Druid of the Saber Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great, flexible 2-drop. The Stealth mechanic seems more like a Rogue flavor, but I think it's nice to see such a strong, early card for Druid. This will definitely be a favored pick in Arena and I would be glad to choose it.
Evil Heckler Rating 3(Average): This is a cheaper Booty Bay Bodyguard, which is usually "meh", but for the reduced cost I think this is pretty decent.
Fearsome Doomguard Rating 1(Excellent): He is a BIG Demon! It will be fun seeing him hit the board using Voidcaller.
Flame Juggler Rating 3(Average): I think this is a pretty decent 2-drop and it may help you take out a another 2/3 without the assistance your hero power, but it can also just hit your opponent in the face. It's the safe players's miniature Mad Bomber.
Flame Lance Rating 3(Average): This is an expensive piece of removal, but it will clear most anything on the board. I suppose it may be easier to draft than Big Game Hunter, but I would not want to have multiple copies in my deck. What really stinks is when you have to burn this on a minion that Frostbolt would have destroyed.
Flash Heal Rating 4(Poor): I really like the cost of this card, but Priest is already able to heal just fine and this card seems like it would be so much better with Auchenai Soulpriest.
Frigid Snobold Rating 4(Poor): This minion is in the same boat with Twilight Guardian in the fact that if you don't get to utilize the bonus it's just a worse Oasis Snapjaw. There are certainly better 4-drops to consider.
Gadgetzan Jouster Rating 4(Poor): This is another one of those cards that is only good IF it wins the card reveal, otherwise it is a terrible card. I would love to have a Zombie Chow without the drawback, but this one leaves too much to RNG to consistently depend on it.
Holy Champion Rating 1(Excellent): It will be very easy to activate this special ability and it also has 5 toughness to survive a Flamestrike. This has the potential to get out of hand very quickly and should be an auto-pick for Priest.
Ice Rager Rating 4(Poor): He's way too easy to kill, but if you're able to buff his Health he could be a serious threat.
King's Elekk Rating 1(Excellent): I would pick this as a generic 3/2 for 2 mana, but the chance at drawing an extra minion is great - and it's a Beast too.
Kvaldir Raider Rating 2(Good): This is a Neutral Floating Watcher and that seems to do pretty well for Warlocks. He has an inherent Taunt, because your opponent can't afford to let him go unchecked or he will get way out of control.
Lance Carrier Rating 3(Average): I do like the Battlecry for this minion, but after it's said and done you still have a lousy 1/2 minion left. The only time this is really good is if you have a first turn minion, like Zombie Chow and end up with a 4/3 on turn 2, but you can't always count on that.
Living Roots Rating 2(Good): I love this card. The cost is great and the choices are strong. This will definitely rate highly among Druid Arena picks. If you go second you no longer have to use The Coin to use your Hero Power or put out a 2-drop to trade with your opponent.
Lowly Squire Rating 3(Average): This is a decent 1-mana cost minion that can hold off your opponent's 2-drop, but it also affects your next turn by requiring that you use your hero power. He does have the potential to take out a larger minion late in the game, but for early game Zombie Chow, Clockwork Gnome or Argent Squire has him beat.
Maiden of the Lake Rating 3(Average): This is a better Oasis Snapjaw because of the discounted hero ability, but there are loads of other Neutral 4-drops that I would have to pick before she was even considered.
Mukla's Champion Rating 3(Average): I wish this minion was a little more likely to survive, but I still think it's good. I would never play this on turn 5, but hold it until turn 7. That way the cost and effect are the same as Stormwind Champion, except the +1/+1 bonus is permanent.
Murloc Knight Rating 1(Excellent): This is a fun card and at the worst you are getting a Grimscale Oracle and a Silver Hand Recruit for a combined 2/2 for 2 mana...again, that's the worst you could get. You could easily get a second Murloc Knight and start churning out the Murlocs after that!
North Sea Kraken Rating 3(Average): This is a huge minion with a nice Battlecry effect, but I think it's so expensive for Arena. I think most players will find it way too slow to get any real use out of it, but it could make an impact when it shows up for the late game.
Orgrimmar Aspirant Rating 4(Poor): You might get to use the Inspire mechanic once, but in Arena you really want to keep putting minions on the board instead of using your hero power. Not to mention, you need to have a weapon equipped for his ability to be any benefit at all.
Pit Fighter Rating 2(Good): The cost and stats are great and it will trade better than most other minions in the same slot.
Power Word: Glory Rating 4(Poor): If you pick this it means you already plan to be in a losing position, however you could use it to completely negate an opponent's minion.
Refreshment Vendor Rating 3(Average): It should make some decent trades, but I don't like giving my opponent anything (especially free heals) if I can avoid it.
Seal of Champions Rating 2(Good): Getting a free trade for 3 mana is a pretty good deal. It's a better Blessing of Might that can normally make twice the trades.
Shado-Pan Rider Rating 2(Good): In order to get the full potential from this minion you probably won't cast him until turn 7, but even so, his base stats are still quite good even if you don't get the combo.
Silent Knight Rating 4(Poor): This one is like a worse, more expensive Shielded Minibot. I don't like the stats and I don't think the Stealth makes it any better in the long run. I would rather have a Scarlet Crusader or a Jungle Panther instead of this.
Silver Hand Regent Rating 2(Good): Being able to pump out a free 1/1 every time you use your hero ability is pretty good. I would not expect her to stay on the board very long at all or you'll just be able to keep churning out minions. This can really fill up the board fast playing as Paladin!
Spellslinger Rating 2(Good): You will see a lot of comparisons to Spider Tank, and it's true they share the same cost and stats, but the additional card draw is excellent. I normally dislike any card that benefits your opponent in Arena, but this one may be too good to pass up because you both have an equal chance to draw something useful. If you draw Blessing of Kings and they can't deal with your minion the game will be over very soon with a 7/8 slamming into their face on turn 4.
Totem Golem Rating 1(Excellent): This minion is a great 2-drop to have, as it will stand up to most anything it's going to face and will likely hold off your opponent's turn. If you manage to get a Healing Totem you can really wreck someone's early game and hold the board.
Tournament Attendee Rating 4(Poor): He is way too easy to kill, but it can force your opponent to waste The Coin just to use their Hero Power to get rid of him.
Tournament Medic Rating 4(Poor): The Inspire ability to heal yourself is nice, but the stats are terrible. Certain classes like Priest, Paladin, and Warlock will have an easier time making use of this minion, but most players won't be willing to sacrifice a 4-drop slot for it.
Tuskarr Totemic Rating 1(Excellent): The RNG isn't even a drawback with this card because you have the ability to summon any totem, including the Totem Golem without the Overload.
Undercity Valiant Rating 2(Good): This is a great candidate to take out a 2/3 with Backstab, but you probably won't get to play him on curve and catch the combo. Even so, I still think it's fine as a vanilla 3/2.
Warhorse Trainer Rating 1(Excellent): It has nice stats and the bonus is great. Dropping this after a Muster for Battle is a very real possibility.
Wildwalker Rating 4 (Poor): The stats are still okay for the cost, but it's hard to say if you will have a Beast available for the Battlecry.
Wrathguard Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great card, especially in the early game. There is a potential in the later game to take more than 3 damage from his ability, but if you're clearing a minion off the board that's less damage you're going to take in the long run anyway.
Solid reason on all of them. Thanks for the write up. I agree on all except...
I would give the Lowly Squire a grade of 2. He's certainly not in the tier 1 list but has more potential than most of the 1 drops in the next group. His buff will be more reliable than other growers. His 2 health keeps him above ping which makes him stickier than most. While it's not ideal to have an early turn hero power use, his buff will offset a bad mulligan if you're forced to HP instead of playing another card. On top of all of that, he's a more threatening presence in that he has the potential to reliably buff every turn and trade up if not removed quickly, even if it's not an ideal situation in terms of tempo.
I did initially have him at 2(Good), but after some consideration moved him down a spot. He ties up your next turn with a hero power, unless you play him later. I'm still on the fence about him and I appreciate the feedback!
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"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Ball of spiders should not be rated terrible. Think of it as a 6 mana 3/3 that draws 3 cards. These cards are beasts and so are not bad cards either. Sprint is a 7 mana draw 4 cards, Nourish is a 5 mana draw 3 cards - both of which are great arena cards. Ball of Spiders is exactly in line with these too good cards and so I would give it a good rating of 8/10.
My reasoning is a single Webspinner costs you 1 mana, so you are paying TWICE as much for the same card you could normally cast at half price. This spell does not draw you cards from your deck so it cannot be compared to Nourish or Sprint. You have a very real chance of drawing worthless minions and in Arena I would much rather have something like a Savannah Highmane instead.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Ball of spiders should not be rated terrible. Think of it as a 6 mana 3/3 that draws 3 cards. These cards are beasts and so are not bad cards either. Sprint is a 7 mana draw 4 cards, Nourish is a 5 mana draw 3 cards - both of which are great arena cards. Ball of Spiders is exactly in line with these too good cards and so I would give it a good rating of 8/10.
My reasoning is a single Webspinner costs you 1 mana, so you are paying TWICE as much for the same card you could normally cast at half price. This spell does not draw you cards from your deck so it cannot be compared to Nourish or Sprint. You have a very real chance of drawing worthless minions and in Arena I would much rather have something like a Savannah Highmane instead.
To properly evaluate this card, you should A. Look at the card advantage it gives you B. Look at synergies with other cards and C. Look at the avg. beast you get from webspinner; not the worst or the best.
A. It gives you minor board presence and 3 cards IN YOUR HAND. Very important in arena.
B. Beasts can be hard to comeby in Arena, so picking this card ensues value from houndmaster, making quite a good pick since this card gives you 6 beasts you can houndmaster.
C. The worst thing you can get from webspinner is usually considered captains parrot, but you can still draft pirates in arena (Corsair isn't bad, neither is bloodsail raider). The best is Highmane, malorne, gazrilla, or King Krush and you have an equal chance to get any of these. Now, the ideal beast you get from this is 5+ mana so you can play it on curve, and if there are 33 beasts in HS currently, that means that you have a 12/33 chance to get something avg or above. Of course some others are great such as core rager, or scavenging hyena, but then there's buzzard so those can cancel out. 12/33 is about a 36% chance which *3 means there is a 4.78% chance to get something avg or above all 3 draws. This seems awful untill you realize that even just one Krush or Highmane can win you the game anyway. Add in the board presence by the webspinners makes this card slightly above avg in my book. I would pick this card especially if I had 2+ houndmasters but only 1-2 beasts.
TL;DR: This card is 6.5/10 in arena and 2/10 in constructed (at least for now).
TL;DR: This card is 6.5/10 in arena and 2/10 in constructed (at least for now).
Thanks for the feedback, but I'm still not convinced. I can certainly see the *potential* of the card, but for Arena you really want to go for consistency. You never want to draft a card that requires specific things in order to be good, and if any of the Webspinners get silenced it's even less appealing.
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"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Anytime 130 new cards come it will change Arena drastically...With the power scaling of so many class cards and all the new combo wombos with complexity it's only a good thing....This also means that cards like Flamestrike have a lesser chance of being drafted...Overall we should see a lot more healthy pool of class heroes which is a huge welcomed change...I think everyone is tired of the constant Paladin/Mage. It will stir things up a lot.
I think i'm the only one who is actually looking forward to tournament medic : )
I hope it proves everyone wrong, I can see it synergize with several cards and play styles. So I am rooting for him to surprise people. Consider buff spells like blessing of kings, velen's chosen, inner fire, mark of the wild, mark of nature, dark whispers, cold blood, tinker oil, inner rage, rampage and so many creatures that buff it like flametongue and cruel task etc.
I like the idea of a slower game, and I agree that hero power is not super efficient but when you start to add inspire and gain more efficiency from the hero power then gaining 2 hp a turn really helps prolong the game. Throw down one dire wolf alpha and this guy is going to clean up a lot of early minions while surviving into the late game.
I understand you lose some tempo by playing him but i think that with new inspire cards coming out he will be more powerful than people currently expect as inspire effects begin to stack up and he is still on the board as a sticky low-threat minion. That is my hope anyway, time will tell. : ) Sorry for rant but it seems no one gives this card love for arena so i thought i'd throw him a bone.
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Hearthstone's 2nd expansion, The Grand Tournament, will be released next month (August 2015), and include 132 new cards. It will also introduce a new mechanic using the keyword "Inspire". Minions with the Inspire ability will have some effect when you use your hero power.
This thread is dedicated to discussing the impact of these new cards on the Arena environment. Please share your thoughts with us on this exciting new expansion!
Some cards will affect the cost and power of your hero ability. View the upgraded hero abilities HERE.
If you'd like to read my initial thoughts on how I rate these cards for Arena you can start HERE.
For more information visit The Grand Tournament Guide.
Scroll down to view Class specific cards or click on one of the links below.
NEUTRAL
Update 7/22/15: Created thread, added first batch of cards, and initial rankings.
Update 7/23/15: Added Garrison Commander, Silver Hand Regent, and Justicar Trueheart.
Update 7/24/15: Added Wilfred Fizzlebang, King's Defender, Holy Champion, and North Sea Kraken.
Update 7/25/15: Added Tournament Medic.
Update 7/27/15: Added Coliseum Manager.
Update 7/28/15: Added Flame Juggler.
Update 7/29/15: Added Clockwork Knight, Savage Combatant, Eydis Darkbane, Fjola Lightbane, and Silent Knight.
Update 7/30/15: Added Argent Watchman.
Update 7/31/15: Added Spellslinger, Demonfuse, and Argent Horserider.
Update 8/1/15: Added Flame Lance.
Update 8/2/15: Added Darnassus Aspirant and Wrathguard.
Update 8/3/15: Added Shado-Pan Rider and Master of Ceremonies.
Update 8/4/15: Added Druid of the Saber and Crowd Favorite.
Update 8/5/15: Added Bash, Brave Archer, The Skeleton Knight, Eadric the Pure, Argent Lance, Armored Warhorse, Tuskarr Jouster, Master Jouster, Gadgetzan Jouster, Mukla's Champion, Gormok the Impaler, Injured Kvaldir, Ancestral Knowledge, Bolster, Burgle, Anub'arak, and Aviana.
Update 8/6/15: Added Grand Crusader and Confuse.
Update 8/7/15: Added Warhorse Trainer, Flash Heal, Living Roots, Fist of Jaraxxus, Charged Hammer, and Alexstrasza's Champion.
Update 8/9/15: Added Astral Communion and Lance Carrier.
Update 8/10/15: Added Cutpurse and Dreadsteed.
Update 8/11/15: Added Icehowl, Sea Reaver, and Healing Wave.
Update 8/12/15: Added Light's Champion, Varian Wrynn, Rhonin, and Ram Wrangler.
Update 8/14/15: Added the remaining cards from the Livestream and Facebook.
This is a work in progress.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
DRUID
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
HUNTER
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
MAGE
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
PALADIN
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
PRIEST
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
ROGUE
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
SHAMAN
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
WARLOCK
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
WARRIOR
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
UPGRADED HERO ABILITIES
So far these abilities can be activated by Justicar Trueheart and possibly other cards, yet to be revealed.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Acidmaw Rating 5(Terrible): The stats are terrible and this could only be good if you had Unleash the Hounds played together on turn 10 because YOUR minion would be destroyed while clearing your opponent's board too. Way too situational for Arena and it can easily backfire on you.
Anub'arak Rating 1(Excellent): This is a big minion that absolutely must be silenced. It's expensive, so you won't be doing anything else except casting him, but you also get a 4/4 minion for free each time he dies.
Aviana Rating 5(Terrible): By the time you can cast this minion you shouldn't have enough cards left in your hand to make a difference in how much they cost. You also shouldn't want to completely empty your hand, just because you can.
Bolf Ramshield Rating 4(Poor): He doesn't really do anything except soak 9 damage. If your opponent was going to hit you in the face anyway they can potentially destroy him for free.
Chillmaw Rating 3(Average): I think he's fine as a 6/6 Taunt and it's rare that his Deathrattle will actually trigger, which is a good thing, because it would likely destroy your side of the board too.
Confessor Paletress Rating 2(Good): If your opponent cannot kill this minion immediately it is going to wreak absolute havoc. The stats put it in the danger zone so you'll probably see this played more on turn 9 to get at least 1 use of her ability.
Dreadscale Rating 5(Terrible): The stats are bad and it's going to trade down with almost everything. It damages your own minions too, so it's really hard to see a place for this card in Arena.
Eadric the Pure Rating 1(Excellent): This guy is like a mega Aldor Peacekeeper and has decent stats to match. This can wreck your opponent, especially if they're making a big push. Any card that has a massive board effect can be huge in Arena.
Eydis Darkbane Rating 3(Average): If you're playing as Priest or Paladin you will probably have an easier time utilizing this special ability, but for most classes it will be a Legendary Spider Tank - and I think you can do better.
Fjola Lightbane Rating 3(Average): Like her counterpart, Eydis, this has nice stats for the cost, but will be difficult to take advantage of in the Arena environment unless you are playing certain classes.
Gormok the Impaler Rating 3(Average): It's decent because of the cost and stats, but it is unlikely you will get to use the ability. Most people will play around Mind Control Tech and this minion really goes against that mentality.
Icehowl Rating 4(Poor): He's big and can help clear the board but he's only going to really be good if you can either Silence him or give him Taunt. Without the option to hit your opponent in the face you are nearly always going to see this as a disappointment when you draw him.
Justicar Trueheart Rating 2(Good): Getting a better hero ability is amazing and it's awesome this is a Battlecry effect, so you keep the new ability even after she's dead. I'm disappointed she doesn't have better stats, because she can be killed quite easily. This minion can completely turn around an Arena game, especially when you think you're finished. Click HERE for a list of the upgraded abilities. (Change 7/31/15: -1 rank)
Nexus-Champion Saraad Rating 1(Excellent): Any time you can get a card advantage in Arena it's a good thing. I think he will create a lot of interesting plays from the RNG alone. This will definitely be a card to watch in Arena and Constructed.
Rhonin Rating 1(Excellent): With a Deathrattle that gives you 3 extra cards that will deliver 9 damage I'm really not finding a downside to this card.
Skycap'n Kragg Rating 4(Poor): Unless you were able to draft a ton of Pirates for your deck I think there are better, cheaper options. When matched against Argent Commander this Pirate doesn't stand up. It would also depend on what other Legendary cards I was offered if I were to pick him, because he might still be better than some.
The Mistcaller Rating 1(Excellent): His stats aren't great, but his Battlecry is amazing. You've essentially given your entire hand/deck its own personal Stormwind Champion that persists after he's gone.
The Skeleton Knight Rating 4(Poor): It's a Salty Dog that costs 1 more mana crystal, but has a chance at recursion. Chances are it won't stay on the board too long and you can't predict who will win the card reveal for his Deathrattle.
Varian Wrynn Rating 1(Excellent): Potentially getting 3 minions for free is HUGE in Arena (or Constructed, for that matter). This could be a massive swing in tempo and can absolutely turn around the game.
Wilfred Fizzlebang Rating 3(Average): His ability is awesome, but he is a late game card that will likely not survive a turn. If you are able to protect him you could get a significant advantage over your opponent.
EPIC:
Arcane Blast Rating 2(Good): I like the cost for early removal, but most of the time it won't do more damage than that.
Astral Communion Rating 5(Terrible): This card is absolutely awful for Arena. As it stands right now this is the worst card of the set until something else knocks it out of the top spot.
Beneath the Grounds Rating 4(Poor): It's a cool concept, but you can't guarantee your opponent will ever draw into these cards and you just did nothing on turn 3.
Charged Hammer Rating 2(Good): I like this weapon, but the Deathrattle seems to go against all the other cards that give some bonus or Inspire effect for your totems. Don't get me wrong, because the ability to do 2 damage to minions AND opponents is pretty awesome. I'm just concerned about the synergy with the rest of your draft.
Coldarra Drake Rating 1(Excellent): This is an amazing card for Mage! It is a solid 6-drop and has the potential to really abuse your hero power. Obviously it's not going to be very effective to waste all your mana burning your opponent and playing nothing else, but you'll have options.
Confuse Rating 4(Poor): This seems like a card that needs to be in Constructed play. Unless you load up on Silverback Patriarch, Gnomeregan Infantry, or Mogu'shan Warden I'm not sure what use you will get out of it in Arena.
Crowd Favorite Rating 2(Good): Even if you don't have a Battlecry minion this will still make decent trades unless you're facing a Chillwind Yeti. I think the stats are good for the cost and it's not unreasonable to expect some Battlecry minions in your draft.
Dark Bargain Rating 2(Good): If you can take the board, then the discard isn't a drawback. You're a Warlock - you can always draw more cards.
Dreadsteed Rating 5(Terrible): I like the concept for this card, but the stats are terrible and it's way too slow. I'm interested to see it in your Constructed "Easy Legend" Anima Golem / Dreadsteed combo deck, but it's pretty bad in Arena.
Elemental Destruction Rating 3(Average): This is a board reset, but since it damages your own minions I don't agree the Overload cost should be that high. Unless you have anything on the board that survives you're basically dead in the water after using this card.
Enter the Coliseum Rating 3(Average): It kills everything except the thing that is going to eat your face anyway. If you're behind and your opponent has overextended, then this is a good card. Otherwise, it's pretty situational.
Frost Giant Rating 3(Average): In Arena the disadvantage from wasting a turn on your hero ability may be too great to consistently count on playing this minion early unless you have other cards with Inspire abilities or a low enough mana curve to use your hero ability often. Even so, he's a GIANT and he can be a huge body for the late game.
Garrison Commander Rating 1(Excellent): He is an outstanding 2-drop that can be even better in the late game. The fact that he is a Neutral card means that you will see him played by multiple classes in Arena, becoming a better River Crocolisk and making the late game very interesting.
Grand Crusader Rating 2(Good): A 5/5 minion for 6 mana isn't bad, especially when you're getting an extra card as part of the deal. I'm confused as to why the card drawn is a Paladin card, so this makes me think that we will see a Neutral card similar to this for each Class.
Kodorider Rating 3(Average): This is expensive, although the payoff is pretty good if you're able to use his ability on the next turn. The real trick will be having him survive a turn (and not be silenced) to see any benefit. If your opponent cannot deal with him he can definitely become a threat. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Lock and Load Rating 4(Poor): This is another card that will be much better in constructed, but in Arena it will be a wasted card slot dependent on having spells to support it.
Magnataur Alpha Rating 5(Terrible): I like the concept, but the stats are garbage and it's unlikely he'll ever live long enough to justify inclusion in your deck.
Master of Ceremonies Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time this card will trade badly and would rarely be cast on turn 3 unless you had a Kobold Geomancer that managed to survive a turn. Even in Shaman it's a pretty terrible way to waste a turn 2 drop by hoping you'll get a Wrath of Air Totem. It's more of a mid/late game card that is really "meh".
Mulch Rating 4(Poor): I'm curious how many crap removal cards they can offer Druid. Even so, it can save you if there's something that you absolutely must get rid of, or if there's a huge Taunt blocking your way. This should be used with extreme caution because you could end up giving them something better than what was already on the board.
Mysterious Challenger Rating 2(Good): I usually don't go too heavy into Secrets, but it would not be crazy for him to pull out an Avenge and Noble Sacrifice. Even without the Secrets, his stats and cost are good.
Poisoned Blade Rating 5(Terrible): This is awfully slow for Arena and there are better weapons (or ways to increase their Attack Power) available.
Recruiter Rating 4(Poor): He seems pretty slow with no guarantee you'll get to use his ability unless you play him late game, at which point a 2/2 isn't going to matter unless you've both got empty boards.
Sea Reaver Rating 2(Good): I'm not too concerned about the 1 damage to my minions, and in the right circumstances it could even work to my favor. The cost and stats are great and I'm always happy to see another Boulderfist Ogre!
Shadowfiend Rating 3(Average): I really like this minion, but most of time it's going to die before you can really start using it. There are several cards this doesn't interact with due to the way they are worded (like Ysera and Thoughtsteal), but it's still decent.
Sideshow Spelleater Rating 4(Poor): What if I don't want my opponent's hero power? That's the biggest problem I see with this card.
Stablemaster Rating 4(Poor): It's a little easier to find Beasts when playing Hunter, but the stats don't hold up and it's too situational to be reliable.
Twilight Guardian Rating 4(Poor): If you've got plenty of Dragons, then this card is great. Otherwise, it's just a worse Oasis Snapjaw.
RARE:
Alexstrasza's Champion Rating 2(Good): This is the kind of 2-drop that Warrior needed. Even if you don't get the bonus I still like it as a vanilla 2/3.
Argent Lance Rating 2(Good): This is a decent, cheap weapon for Paladin this will be helpful in clearing away most 2-drops that your opponent plays.
Argent Watchman Rating 5(Terrible): This card has great stats for the cost, but the ability is a huge downside in Arena. You cannot play this on curve and expect to get any use out of and continue to put additional threats on the board. Most of the 2/3 minions should be able to trade just as well as this one without the hero ability restriction.
Armored Warhorse Rating 5(Terrible): This card needs to win the card reveal to be any good, but he can still be taken out by most 2-drops, so he just doesn't have enough staying power to rank higher. If you don't win the card reveal you've probably just wasted a turn.
Ball of Spiders Rating 4(Poor): With this card you are basically throwing away a huge turn and praying to the RNG gods. You do have a better chance of drawing that King Krush you were hoping for, but you could also get 3 Captain's Parrot. It is in no way a reliable card to draft unless you really like to roll the dice and take chances. You still get 3 minions on the board, but I think it's a terrible tempo loss. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Burgle Rating 3(Average): It's card draw, but could give you some useless stuff. You cross your fingers that you'll get Consecration and Flamestrike, but you never know. I can't look at this card without seeing the Hamburglar from McDonalds (intended, I'm sure!).
Coliseum Manager Rating 3(Average): This card is great for 2-damage recursion, but you HAVE to play around the ability, which is very mana intensive in the early game. It has potential, but it essentially locks out your hero power unless you want to bounce this minion. It can still make a couple of trades, with good chances to survive, and be played again. (Change 7/31/15: +1 rank)
Competitive Spirit Rating 2(Good): This is like a cheaper Power of the Wild and it can really be amazing after a Muster for Battle unless your opponent completely clears your board.
Convert Rating 4 (Poor): You never want to rely on your opponent for your minions, especially if all they play is garbage. It's probably best not to waste a 2-drop for a slow chance at maybe getting something decent.
Cutpurse Rating 4(Poor): This minion is unlikely to survive a turn (I think it should have had Stealth), but if it does you can get a jump on mana. This seems like it would be more beneficial in triggering combos in Constructed, but it's usually not going to work out the way you'd hope in Arena.
Darnassus Aspirant Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great 2/3 with a built in Wild Growth. Even if she gets killed it does not matter because you will only lose the extra mana crystal that was granted with the card - so you'll be exactly where you would have been anyway. Even though it will not grant you Excess Mana when used at a full mana tray, it's still a great card.
Draenei Totemcarver Rating 3(Average): This can be great as a late game card, but may be difficult to get an optimal effect early on. Although it's not as amazing as Fireguard Destroyer for that 4-drop slot, it is still a good card.
Effigy Rating 3(Average): You get the Recombobulator effect without having to cast it again, like you would with Duplicate. This certainly has an RNG factor, but being able to use the minion summoned right away is a huge bonus.
Fallen Hero Rating 1(Excellent): For Mage this card can be extremely useful. Being able to do 2 damage to anything so early in the game will really allow for you to control the board unless your opponent can get rid of him immediately.
Fencing Coach Rating 4(Poor): You get to use your Hero Power for free one turn, but I really don't see that making much of an impact unless you've got some heavy Inspire draft.
Fist of Jaraxxus Rating 4(Poor): It's really interesting to see a discard effect in Warlock, but the RNG factor for the target is just way to unreliable to depend on. In Constructed I could see Doomguard bust 2 of these out of your hand while you survey the carnage.
Healing Wave Rating 4(Poor): In Arena I'm not looking to choose heals over a minion. There may be instances where it would save you, but often times you are just delaying the inevitable and I would rather draw a resource that could put some damage on the board.
Injured Kvaldir Rating 4(Poor): This minion is pretty bad for Arena because most of the time it will just be a 2/1. Priest may be able to get some use out of it, but I still think it's a poor choice.
King's Defender Rating 4(Poor): In Arena it's unlikely you can count on having any Taunt minions to benefit from this bonus. Fiery War Axe will definitely take precedence over this weapon.
Knight of the Wild Rating 4(Poor): You can't guarantee you'll be able to draft any Beasts, so that hurts this minion. I think there are better options to play.
Light's Champion Rating 4(Poor): I think this is a decent Neutral card, with an interesting, but mostly useless, Battlecry for Arena. It trades poorly, but could still be alright in some situations.
Master Jouster Rating 2(Good): He has great stats and if he wins the card reveal he gets even better. This is one of those cards that has the potential to turn a game around, but he doesn't trade well with other 6-drops, like Boulderfist Ogre. (Change 8/7/15: -1 rank)
Mogor's Champion Rating 4(Poor): I think the RNG factor and low Health are a bit too unreliable to invest in a 6-drop, but if he does manage to hit face he'll do serious damage.
Polymorph: Boar Rating 3(Average): It can be used as an offensive or defensive spell and I like that flexibility. I can see this being used as a finisher quite often in Arena. After attacking with a minion, transform it, and attack again.
Powershot Rating 1(Excellent): A cheaper Consecration for Hunters...yes, I'll take 2 please.
Ram Wrangler Rating 4(Poor): It's often difficult to draft Beasts in Arena and it would definitely be a situational draft pick. This should only be a late game pick and if the draft has been in your favor its rating goes up.
Saboteur Rating 3(Average): Most of the time he'll just be a standard 4/3 and his Battlecry won't matter, but once in awhile it could be just the disruptive play that you need.
Savage Combatant Rating 2(Good): If the stats we reversed to make this a 4/5 it would be awesome, but it is pretty vulnerable as it is. The Inspire ability is really nice and essentially gives you a Fiery War Axe every time you use it. Even if you only get to use the ability once it can really help clear the board. This card is obviously screaming to be used with Savagery in constructed.
Shady Dealer Rating 3(Average): Most of the time if will just be a standard 4/3, but it's alright.
Sparring Partner Rating 2(Good): I really like the idea of using this card to target an enemy minion that is hiding behind some other Taunt. Without getting to use his ability he's still a decent 3/2 with Taunt.
Spawn of Shadows Rating 4(Poor): It's an interesting minion, but the stats hurt it. The ability isn't too bad if you're triggering the Inspire by healing yourself, but it's probably not going to work out the way you imagine it will in Arena.
Thunder Bluff Valiant Rating 2(Good): I love this card uses the Inspire ability instead of a Battlecry. If you have this minion in the late game it is a great way to finish up after activating his ability a couple of times.
Tiny Knight of Evil Rating 3(Average): Most of the time you won't get to trigger his special ability in Arena, but he's still alright as a regular 3/2 minion - and he's a Demon.
Tuskarr Jouster Rating 3(Average): Most of the time this will be another 5/5 minion for 5 mana, but if luck is on your side he's an Antique Healbot with better stats.
Void Crusher Rating 5(Terrible): He can destroy himself and his stats are bad, so no thanks.
Wyrmrest Agent Rating 4(Poor): Without any Dragons this card is pretty terrible. If you can pick this late in the draft and you have the cards to support it, then it is definitely worth it.
COMMON:
Ancestral Knowledge Rating 3(Average): I don't agree with the Overload cost on this card, but it's nice to have some card draw for Shaman. It's not quite Arcane Intellect, but it will do in a pinch.
Argent Horserider Rating 4(Poor): This is on par with Silent Knight and I didn't really care for it either. This one has an even worse time because it can be destroyed by many hero abilities. It's hard for this one to compete with other 3-drops available.
Bash Rating 3(Average): I think this card is alright for removal, but it gets much better if you can combo with an already equipped weapon.
Bear Trap Rating 2(Good): If you play this on turn 2 you get great value, but the further out you cast it your opponent will be able to play around it more. I still think it's a good disruptive card whenever you cast it.
Bolster Rating 5 (Terrible): You can never predict what minions you'll be offered in Arena and this is a very specific, situational card.
Boneguard Lieutenant Rating 3(Average): In a trade situation his ability probably won't make a difference and you really don't want to miss any early drops in lieu of using your Hero Power.
Brave Archer Rating 4(Poor): In Arena most of the time this minion's Inspire ability will never be an issue, so I view it as a 2/1 for 1 mana that can be killed by just about anything.
Buccaneer Rating 2(Good): He's easy to kill, but he only needs to survive a turn in order for you to really disrupt your opponent's early game.
Captured Jormungar Rating 2(Good): His cost and stats are both good and since he's a Beast it's possible he may have other synergies with the deck you draft.
Clockwork Knight Rating 3(Average): It's a 5/5 for 5 mana even if you have no other Mechs around to benefit from his Battlecry. He's alright for a beefy common in Arena.
Dalaran Aspirant Rating 2(Good): It would not be uncommon to see a 5 damage Flamecannon on the following turn. Even worse, you could actually see a 6 damage Flamestrike if he doesn't get destroyed before then. His stats are good and you really need to deal with him right away.
Demonfuse Rating 4(Poor): In Arena it will be difficult to consistently guarantee you'll even have a minion to use this on. Also, unless it's late game, handing out mana crystals to your opponent is never a good thing. If this gave you an option to be used as removal like Demonfire, then it could rate higher.
Dragonhawk Rider Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time he's just going to be a 3/3 because you really don't want to be using your Hero Power on turn 4. He's alright, but he'll die to most 2-drops.
Druid of the Saber Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great, flexible 2-drop. The Stealth mechanic seems more like a Rogue flavor, but I think it's nice to see such a strong, early card for Druid. This will definitely be a favored pick in Arena and I would be glad to choose it.
Evil Heckler Rating 3(Average): This is a cheaper Booty Bay Bodyguard, which is usually "meh", but for the reduced cost I think this is pretty decent.
Fearsome Doomguard Rating 1(Excellent): He is a BIG Demon! It will be fun seeing him hit the board using Voidcaller.
Flame Juggler Rating 3(Average): I think this is a pretty decent 2-drop and it may help you take out a another 2/3 without the assistance your hero power, but it can also just hit your opponent in the face. It's the safe players's miniature Mad Bomber.
Flame Lance Rating 3(Average): This is an expensive piece of removal, but it will clear most anything on the board. I suppose it may be easier to draft than Big Game Hunter, but I would not want to have multiple copies in my deck. What really stinks is when you have to burn this on a minion that Frostbolt would have destroyed.
Flash Heal Rating 4(Poor): I really like the cost of this card, but Priest is already able to heal just fine and this card seems like it would be so much better with Auchenai Soulpriest.
Frigid Snobold Rating 4(Poor): This minion is in the same boat with Twilight Guardian in the fact that if you don't get to utilize the bonus it's just a worse Oasis Snapjaw. There are certainly better 4-drops to consider.
Gadgetzan Jouster Rating 4(Poor): This is another one of those cards that is only good IF it wins the card reveal, otherwise it is a terrible card. I would love to have a Zombie Chow without the drawback, but this one leaves too much to RNG to consistently depend on it.
Holy Champion Rating 1(Excellent): It will be very easy to activate this special ability and it also has 5 toughness to survive a Flamestrike. This has the potential to get out of hand very quickly and should be an auto-pick for Priest.
Ice Rager Rating 4(Poor): He's way too easy to kill, but if you're able to buff his Health he could be a serious threat.
King's Elekk Rating 1(Excellent): I would pick this as a generic 3/2 for 2 mana, but the chance at drawing an extra minion is great - and it's a Beast too.
Kvaldir Raider Rating 2(Good): This is a Neutral Floating Watcher and that seems to do pretty well for Warlocks. He has an inherent Taunt, because your opponent can't afford to let him go unchecked or he will get way out of control.
Lance Carrier Rating 3(Average): I do like the Battlecry for this minion, but after it's said and done you still have a lousy 1/2 minion left. The only time this is really good is if you have a first turn minion, like Zombie Chow and end up with a 4/3 on turn 2, but you can't always count on that.
Living Roots Rating 2(Good): I love this card. The cost is great and the choices are strong. This will definitely rate highly among Druid Arena picks. If you go second you no longer have to use The Coin to use your Hero Power or put out a 2-drop to trade with your opponent.
Lowly Squire Rating 3(Average): This is a decent 1-mana cost minion that can hold off your opponent's 2-drop, but it also affects your next turn by requiring that you use your hero power. He does have the potential to take out a larger minion late in the game, but for early game Zombie Chow, Clockwork Gnome or Argent Squire has him beat.
Maiden of the Lake Rating 3(Average): This is a better Oasis Snapjaw because of the discounted hero ability, but there are loads of other Neutral 4-drops that I would have to pick before she was even considered.
Mukla's Champion Rating 3(Average): I wish this minion was a little more likely to survive, but I still think it's good. I would never play this on turn 5, but hold it until turn 7. That way the cost and effect are the same as Stormwind Champion, except the +1/+1 bonus is permanent.
Murloc Knight Rating 1(Excellent): This is a fun card and at the worst you are getting a Grimscale Oracle and a Silver Hand Recruit for a combined 2/2 for 2 mana...again, that's the worst you could get. You could easily get a second Murloc Knight and start churning out the Murlocs after that!
North Sea Kraken Rating 3(Average): This is a huge minion with a nice Battlecry effect, but I think it's so expensive for Arena. I think most players will find it way too slow to get any real use out of it, but it could make an impact when it shows up for the late game.
Orgrimmar Aspirant Rating 4(Poor): You might get to use the Inspire mechanic once, but in Arena you really want to keep putting minions on the board instead of using your hero power. Not to mention, you need to have a weapon equipped for his ability to be any benefit at all.
Pit Fighter Rating 2(Good): The cost and stats are great and it will trade better than most other minions in the same slot.
Power Word: Glory Rating 4(Poor): If you pick this it means you already plan to be in a losing position, however you could use it to completely negate an opponent's minion.
Refreshment Vendor Rating 3(Average): It should make some decent trades, but I don't like giving my opponent anything (especially free heals) if I can avoid it.
Seal of Champions Rating 2(Good): Getting a free trade for 3 mana is a pretty good deal. It's a better Blessing of Might that can normally make twice the trades.
Shado-Pan Rider Rating 2(Good): In order to get the full potential from this minion you probably won't cast him until turn 7, but even so, his base stats are still quite good even if you don't get the combo.
Silent Knight Rating 4(Poor): This one is like a worse, more expensive Shielded Minibot. I don't like the stats and I don't think the Stealth makes it any better in the long run. I would rather have a Scarlet Crusader or a Jungle Panther instead of this.
Silver Hand Regent Rating 2(Good): Being able to pump out a free 1/1 every time you use your hero ability is pretty good. I would not expect her to stay on the board very long at all or you'll just be able to keep churning out minions. This can really fill up the board fast playing as Paladin!
Spellslinger Rating 2(Good): You will see a lot of comparisons to Spider Tank, and it's true they share the same cost and stats, but the additional card draw is excellent. I normally dislike any card that benefits your opponent in Arena, but this one may be too good to pass up because you both have an equal chance to draw something useful. If you draw Blessing of Kings and they can't deal with your minion the game will be over very soon with a 7/8 slamming into their face on turn 4.
Totem Golem Rating 1(Excellent): This minion is a great 2-drop to have, as it will stand up to most anything it's going to face and will likely hold off your opponent's turn. If you manage to get a Healing Totem you can really wreck someone's early game and hold the board.
Tournament Attendee Rating 4(Poor): He is way too easy to kill, but it can force your opponent to waste The Coin just to use their Hero Power to get rid of him.
Tournament Medic Rating 4(Poor): The Inspire ability to heal yourself is nice, but the stats are terrible. Certain classes like Priest, Paladin, and Warlock will have an easier time making use of this minion, but most players won't be willing to sacrifice a 4-drop slot for it.
Tuskarr Totemic Rating 1(Excellent): The RNG isn't even a drawback with this card because you have the ability to summon any totem, including the Totem Golem without the Overload.
Undercity Valiant Rating 2(Good): This is a great candidate to take out a 2/3 with Backstab, but you probably won't get to play him on curve and catch the combo. Even so, I still think it's fine as a vanilla 3/2.
Warhorse Trainer Rating 1(Excellent): It has nice stats and the bonus is great. Dropping this after a Muster for Battle is a very real possibility.
Wildwalker Rating 4 (Poor): The stats are still okay for the cost, but it's hard to say if you will have a Beast available for the Battlecry.
Wrathguard Rating 1(Excellent): This is a great card, especially in the early game. There is a potential in the later game to take more than 3 damage from his ability, but if you're clearing a minion off the board that's less damage you're going to take in the long run anyway.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Update: Added initial thoughts on the first released batch of cards.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
I did initially have him at 2(Good), but after some consideration moved him down a spot. He ties up your next turn with a hero power, unless you play him later. I'm still on the fence about him and I appreciate the feedback!
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Update: Improved layout, completed class links, and added a section for upgraded hero powers.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
My reasoning is a single Webspinner costs you 1 mana, so you are paying TWICE as much for the same card you could normally cast at half price. This spell does not draw you cards from your deck so it cannot be compared to Nourish or Sprint. You have a very real chance of drawing worthless minions and in Arena I would much rather have something like a Savannah Highmane instead.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
To properly evaluate this card, you should A. Look at the card advantage it gives you B. Look at synergies with other cards and C. Look at the avg. beast you get from webspinner; not the worst or the best.
A. It gives you minor board presence and 3 cards IN YOUR HAND. Very important in arena.
B. Beasts can be hard to comeby in Arena, so picking this card ensues value from houndmaster, making quite a good pick since this card gives you 6 beasts you can houndmaster.
C. The worst thing you can get from webspinner is usually considered captains parrot, but you can still draft pirates in arena (Corsair isn't bad, neither is bloodsail raider). The best is Highmane, malorne, gazrilla, or King Krush and you have an equal chance to get any of these. Now, the ideal beast you get from this is 5+ mana so you can play it on curve, and if there are 33 beasts in HS currently, that means that you have a 12/33 chance to get something avg or above. Of course some others are great such as core rager, or scavenging hyena, but then there's buzzard so those can cancel out. 12/33 is about a 36% chance which *3 means there is a 4.78% chance to get something avg or above all 3 draws. This seems awful untill you realize that even just one Krush or Highmane can win you the game anyway. Add in the board presence by the webspinners makes this card slightly above avg in my book. I would pick this card especially if I had 2+ houndmasters but only 1-2 beasts.
TL;DR: This card is 6.5/10 in arena and 2/10 in constructed (at least for now).
Don't Complain, Use Your Brain!
Thanks for the feedback, but I'm still not convinced. I can certainly see the *potential* of the card, but for Arena you really want to go for consistency. You never want to draft a card that requires specific things in order to be good, and if any of the Webspinners get silenced it's even less appealing.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Anytime 130 new cards come it will change Arena drastically...With the power scaling of so many class cards and all the new combo wombos with complexity it's only a good thing....This also means that cards like Flamestrike have a lesser chance of being drafted...Overall we should see a lot more healthy pool of class heroes which is a huge welcomed change...I think everyone is tired of the constant Paladin/Mage. It will stir things up a lot.
I think i'm the only one who is actually looking forward to tournament medic : )
I hope it proves everyone wrong, I can see it synergize with several cards and play styles. So I am rooting for him to surprise people. Consider buff spells like blessing of kings, velen's chosen, inner fire, mark of the wild, mark of nature, dark whispers, cold blood, tinker oil, inner rage, rampage and so many creatures that buff it like flametongue and cruel task etc.
I like the idea of a slower game, and I agree that hero power is not super efficient but when you start to add inspire and gain more efficiency from the hero power then gaining 2 hp a turn really helps prolong the game. Throw down one dire wolf alpha and this guy is going to clean up a lot of early minions while surviving into the late game.
I understand you lose some tempo by playing him but i think that with new inspire cards coming out he will be more powerful than people currently expect as inspire effects begin to stack up and he is still on the board as a sticky low-threat minion. That is my hope anyway, time will tell. : ) Sorry for rant but it seems no one gives this card love for arena so i thought i'd throw him a bone.