Arch-Thief Rafaam
Card Text
Battlecry: Discover a powerful Artifact.
Flavor Text
He's very good at retrieving artifacts. From other people's museums.
Card Sounds
Additional Information
Name | Type | Class | Cost | Attack | Health |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Voidwalker | Minion | Warlock | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Flesheating Ghoul | Minion | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Earthen Ring Farseer | Minion | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
The Black Knight | Minion | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Bloodmage Thalnos | Minion | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Stranglethorn Tiger | Minion | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Defender of Argus | Minion | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
Abomination | Minion | 5 | 4 | 4 | |
Flame Imp | Minion | Warlock | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Raging Worgen | Minion | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
King Krush | Minion | Hunter | 9 | 8 | 8 |
Cenarius | Minion | Druid | 8 | 5 | 8 |
Sorcerer's Apprentice | Minion | Mage | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Xavius | Minion | 6 | 7 | 5 | |
Wild Pyromancer | Minion | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
Doomsayer | Minion | 2 | 0 | 7 | |
Flame Imp | Minion | Warlock | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Flesheating Ghoul | Minion | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Ice Lance | Ability | Mage | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Cold Blood | Ability | Rogue | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Battle Rage | Ability | Warrior | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Bestial Wrath | Ability | Hunter | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Shadowform | Ability | Priest | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Lord Jaraxxus | Playable Hero | Warlock | 8 | 0 | 30 |
Rocker Rokara | Hero | Warrior | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Frostwolf Thrall | Hero | Shaman | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Barrens Bru'kan | Hero | Shaman | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Dungeoneer Bru'kan | Hero | Shaman | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Venerable Bru'kan | Hero | Shaman | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Malfurion Stormrage | Hero | Druid | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Shan'do Malfurion | Hero | Druid | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Emerald Malfurion | Hero | Druid | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Gul'dan | Hero | Warlock | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Shadow Gul'dan | Hero | Warlock | 0 | 0 | 30 |
N'Zoth | Hero | Warlock | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Shadowmoon Gul'dan | Hero | Warlock | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Saraad | Hero | Mage | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Illidan Stormrage | Hero | Demon Hunter | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Demonic Illidan | Hero | Demon Hunter | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Skullbearer Illidan | Hero | Demon Hunter | 0 | 0 | 30 |
At least you have something to play on turn 10... that was a problem for a long time. *hruhrrum*
I was wondering about that card ever since we have seen the upcoming adventure. I wathced some videos, stream and read some opinions. I think it's time to share my own vision of this card.
I think that card is really powerful both in Arena and in Constructed. This is, as i consider, the most crusious game finisher and should be like in most control decks to have the last word in battle. Ysera is used to be endgame card that wins you if everything is running out in the battle, but i think Rafaam is stronger than the dragon.With Ysera you recieve a card that is random(enjoy your laughting sisters) and Ysera most likely to die next turn and not give you the dream card you are looking for. What's with Rafaam? It gives value even if it gets killed right after. His FLexibility gives you control of situation on the board. Let's check his artefacts:
1) +10/+10 buff. If you have at least 2-3 other cretures on the board or in hand, You pick that buff cause you have the real opportunnty to make it work. If Rafaam survives, it will have 17 attack, but, to be honest, it's BGH-able and it will not occur that often
2) 3/3 board flood. If you have your board suppressed by your opponent, that option will gie you insane value. It is esly countered by Mass Removals, but, i guess, they will have been used by the time you play the Artifact. If the enemy has no removals for it, you have (taking max) 21 damage on the board. If your opponent is missing 7 hp, it will be the end. Okay, for example, he killed like 4 of them. You still have 3x 3/3 to trade with any single(or multiple) threat on the board.
3) 10 random damage. Everybody complains about that card being too weak. Its purpose is lethaling lowhealth enemies(not even heroes). If you opponent has board of weak (or heavly damaged) minions, or has very low health, with you unabling to find these X missing damage, You choose that artifact. Also good f you see that opponent has lethal and you have nothing to deal with it, the artifact can save you. It should kill at least something. Weak, but not useless.
So, we see that in most cases that card is faster than Ysera. It gives strong value in 2-3 turns(Rafaam -> playing Artifact(if picked random damage - may be end)-> The End). So I dont get why people consider him bad, as statistics says(1.48% of all deck at the moment of the review). When i obtain him, i will place him in most of my decks in case i will need to finish the game. Yes, i havent got it yet, but i played him in recent Random Encounters Brawl, and have seen my opponents playing it. It was countered 1/4 times, when i chose Zombies and got Hellfired.
UPDATE: RIP, legendary. You cant be played in meta when you die before turn 7. yeah, you get cool card out of Thief, but you die this turn. Even if you so something, its not relevant, cause you die.
P.S. I may be not so expirienced and miss aspects that make that card bad. If you are a lot more wiser than me, answer, what did i miss in my opinion.
If you've enjoyed reading this review, follow me in my profile to stay tuned and check out my other observations(Links):
The Expert Set:
Neutral legendaries: Onyxia | Baron Geddon | Malygos | Deathwing | Bloodmage Thalnos | Cairne Bloodhoof | Leeroy Jenkins| Harrison Jones |Sylvanas | Ysera | Ragnaros | Alexstrasza | The Black Knight
Class ones: Al'Akir the Windlord | King Krush | Cenarius | Edwin VanCleef | Archmage Antonidas | Tirion Fordring | Jaraxxus | Prophet Velen[Remastered in 26.10.2016] |Grommash Hellscream
The Whispers of the Old Gods Set:
Neutral legendaries: N'Zoth | Soggoth
Other Sets:
| Kel'Thuzad | Arch-Thief Rafaam |
My forum thread(Link)
10 damage card IS too weak when compared with Avenging Wrath - 10 dmg for 10 mana vs. 8 damage for 6. Don´t even try to compare with Arcane Missiles
Arcane Missiles and Avenging Wrath are class specific cards. Rafaam's one is allclass, And it's no wonder tha neutral cards are overall weaker than class limited. It is likie comparing Voidwalker and 1/2 taunt for 1 mana (dont remember the name).
Theoretically true - but the 10/10 buff card still holds its own vs. for instance Blessing of Kings
&
the full board of 3/3 minions cannot even be compared to anything.
I just meant that, when comparing the 3 cards given by Rafaam against each other, the 10 rnd damage is weak.
That is true... but if I´m about to die, it would be somewhat suboptimal to play Rafaam and wait another turn anyway. Of course it can have it´s uses - especially in desperaton, and one may have luck with it occasionally - I just thout that Blizz could have been more generous with dmg.
"the full board of 3/3 minions cannot even be compared to anything"
Yes it can: Onyxia. And Onyxia is better betcause you get an 8/8 body AND dragon whelps all immediately. Yes, the whelps are only 1/1, but you get them IMMEDIATELY and don't have to pay anything extra for them.
You can also compare this card to Anyfin Can Happen. Yes, it take more set up, but for 10 mana you get an IMMEDIATE, massive OTK burst.
This card is just bad.
You should make a blog... Great reviews.
Ok, i've got the next level Druid play. Turn 10, you have the Lantern of power, you play echoing ooze, innervate, lantern of power and you end up with two 11-12. OP
do that with rogue and prep. throw in a cold blood lol
what rank did you play it in? im asking because ive found mid pala so weak in late game these days vs renolocks and control priests who keep entombing or wiping your late game and just out last you into fatigue since mid paladins have no heals past turn 10 most of the time. other 9 plus mana cards like ysera seem way too slow to save a mid paladin in late game. would be nice if this was the new dr. 9 for mid ranged paladin's revival :D
Rafaam + Bran Bronzebeard = two artifacts :).
Impossible as that may sound, I managed to pull that off once...
I just noticed that his hand is different in the golden version and it's really bugging me.
OMG. Don't spread the OCD!
Man, you are incredible!! :-D
You fools it's the banner that makes it look different, I pray for rank 25 plebs
I noticed that the artifacts are always in the same position so it's possible to know which artifact your opponent picked.
3 times I saw an opponent choosing the left card and later played the 3/3 Mummies artifact.
Coincidence? Anyone else noticed this?