I tell myself its a gameplay style choice and that the risk at turn 1 is worth the higher card value and worth keeping my opponent from healing himself. However I frequently wonder if I am nerfing my decks because I irrationally hate that stupid zombie and his stupid deathrattle.
What's the case for double chow? Is there room for player style or is a 1 mana 2/3 simply too strong to pass up if there's no alternative for your class?
Right now midrange paladin is my strongest deck and I only run 1 chow. Double Shielded Minibot and double Muster for Battle seem to cover my needs adequately. Sometimes I get a bad draw and I have to hero power on turn 2, but I run an extra Equality instead of chow so I have a guaranteed board clear instead.
I'm no pro but I reliably ladder up to rank 10 every month without really trying.
Right now midrange paladin is my strongest deck and I only run 1 chow. Double Shielded Minibot and double Muster for Battle seem to cover my needs adequately. Sometimes I get a bad draw and I have to hero power on turn 2, but I run an extra Equality instead of chow so I have a guaranteed board clear instead.
I'm no pro but I reliably ladder up to rank 10 every month without really trying.
midrange paladin is a very strong deck, which fights for the board early on. as you dont have that much removal, you have to get on board asap and thus 2 times zombie chow is mandatory
well, if you are facing many control decks, you could swap the chow for an equality, but normally 2 chow and 1 equality is the way to go
as you say is prefference choice, but 2 chows work better against aggro, just as nice 2 eq works wonders against control, it's a matter of the state of the meta, but at least 1 is very nice
I've played plenty of paladin games and I have never had an Equality that I didn't want to use. Even a hunter will get Misha sometimes. A second equality turns Handlock into a winnable match instead of a nightmare. Zombie Chow will just sometimes lose you the game against Zoo or other midrange or high heal decks like Reno Jackson that skirt around low hit points staying just out of lethal range. At best after turn 6 it just does nothing. Rarely it will be a 2 power body at the very end of the game to finish someone off but usually any card would win you that kind of game.
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total. That's why it's so powerful against Reno Jackson decks. That basically makes Zombie Chow a 1 mana 2/3 with no downside. In fact, by having a Zombie Chow on the board you're going to be able to keep a Knife Juggler or a bunch of your other minions on the board and those minions might be able to do 6 or more damage more than they would have been if they didn't have Zombie Chow protecting them. When you think of chow like that, Zombie Chow is like deathrattle: Deal 1 or more damage to your opponent.
I only run 1, but then again I've gotten lucky and drawn it in every aggro game that I needed it in this season so I've never been impacted by my lack of a second one.
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total.
This is one of those things that pros like Trump and Amaz and casters love to say because its funny and colorful, but isn't actually true. I have definitely lost games because of a late game zombie chow, either as a 0 impact top deck or because those 5 HP put someone out of lethal range. The only time a zombie chow has no downside is very, very early in the game. Which is why I run one. I have never wanted a second one in any game I've ever played. The only benefit to running two is to increase the chance you'll get one in your mulligan.
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total. That's why it's so powerful against Reno Jackson decks. That basically makes Zombie Chow a 1 mana 2/3 with no downside. In fact, by having a Zombie Chow on the board you're going to be able to keep a Knife Juggler or a bunch of your other minions on the board and those minions might be able to do 6 or more damage more than they would have been if they didn't have Zombie Chow protecting them. When you think of chow like that, Zombie Chow is like deathrattle: Deal 1 or more damage to your opponent.
I would have to agree with this. I can easily reach Rank 5 running 1x Zombie Chow and 2x Equality but only after adding 1 Zombie Chow for 1 Equality was I able to reach Legend.
Also, with the addition of Keeper of Uldaman I don't think it is necessary atm to run Double Equality as Keeper serves as a pseudo-Equality/pseudo-BoK with a 3/4 body.
Sure, the second Chow might end up healing the opponent for 5, but if it can guarantee you board control for a lot of turns, it won't matter... sure they can heal for 5 but if they would have difficulty getting board/they use up all resources for board control, then the heal for 5 won't matter. Early game, it makes dropping things (especially Knife Juggler) a little awkward for your opponent - not only does he waste 2-mana but he also wastes 3 attack. Mid/lategame, it could be lackluster, but it shines more (for me) as it can regain the board for you (e.g., at 8-mana I can drop Dr. Boom and Zombie Chow; or at 9 - Zombie Chow and Tirion Fordring/Lay on Hands).
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total.
This is one of those things that pros like Trump and Amaz and casters love to say because its funny and colorful, but isn't actually true. I have definitely lost games because of a late game zombie chow, either as a 0 impact top deck or because those 5 HP put someone out of lethal range. The only time a zombie chow has no downside is very, very early in the game. Which is why I run one. I have never wanted a second one in any game I've ever played. The only benefit to running two is to increase the chance you'll get one in your mulligan.
If you didn't have that chow in the early game they would have been much farther from lethal range than 5 health. In fact the reason pros like Trump say it is exactly because it is true. Without that early chow your board would last half as long as it did without it and they would have been at an even higher health total. The argument that it's an unimpactful topdeck is true but still flawed as any early card is bad in the late game but the only time you would be in a position to draw dead is when your out of cards against a control deck where one dead draw doesn't matter. Chow is the best 1 mana neutral card in the game. You even said the reason for running two in your rebuttal. At this point you're making my arguments for me. Even you can't deny that a turn 1 Zombie Chow has the potential to be game winning so being able to be twice as likely to have that game winning outcome is plenty reason to put a second chow in your deck.
I am with you. I hate chow, but i understand why he is needed in some decks. I have played every flavor of paladin, and this class does have a problem with cheap early game removal. When playing midrange paladin you want to control board, and turn one chow helps alot with that. I am currently playing secretadin and using secretkeepers for my one drop, so i do not have to run any chows. 2 secretkeepers and 5-6 of the good secrets has been working good for me.
I don't think a turn 1 zombie chow is game winning at all. It's a strong play. Frequently one of the strongest turn 1 plays for a midrange or control deck and like any other 1 mana minion it often has no impact whatsoever.
Zombie Chow does not "guarantee board control for a lot of turns", it gains you a marginal mana advantage going into the early game by trading up against 2 drops or gains you a tempo advantage by absorbing some kind of early removal. Clearly there is a lot of excessive hype surrounding this minion. I know it's Trump's favorite. It's not mine.
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total.
This is one of those things that pros like Trump and Amaz and casters love to say because its funny and colorful, but isn't actually true. I have definitely lost games because of a late game zombie chow, either as a 0 impact top deck or because those 5 HP put someone out of lethal range. The only time a zombie chow has no downside is very, very early in the game. Which is why I run one. I have never wanted a second one in any game I've ever played. The only benefit to running two is to increase the chance you'll get one in your mulligan.
All I can say is, play more and i think you'll realize its power. I'm saying this because every new player used to think the card was terrible but it is actually the best card in the game. No, face is not the place, board control is. "Trump" and "Amaz" are right. And simplest thing ever: if Chow will lose you the game, don't play it. Midrange Paladin doesn't ever have 10 cards in hand anyway.
I am with you. I hate chow, but i understand why he is needed in some decks. I have played every flavor of paladin, and this class does have a problem with cheap early game removal. When playing midrange paladin you want to control board, and turn one chow helps alot with that. I am currently playing secretadin and using secretkeepers for my one drop, so i do not have to run any chows. 2 secretkeepers and 5-6 of the good secrets has been working good for me.
Lol obviously you shouldn't play chow in aggro decks... you only play it in decks whose win condition is board control. I can see why you hate the card after playing it in your facehunter lol
If u play a deck like midrange pala, that has no sudden win condition like FoN+SR or freezemage's burst or whatever, u dont rly have to care about healing your opponent for 5 or even 10 hp over the course of the game (and T1 chow usually doesnt even heal him for nothing or not full 5 hp), IF the zombie chows will help u survive to the point of your dominance. More so when Reno is a thing, lot of decks r gonna heal up to full anyway :)
Honestly there is nothing we can say to u to make the decision for u, simply put it in your deck, try it out and u will see for yourself if its working out or not ... ;-)
I am by no means a top tier player, but I like using Gadgetzan Jouster, especially since in midrange you have a lot of cards that can win the joust. Yes, I do love RNG, and I think it's worth the chance to not worry about the 5HP push back.
I have had your same concerns. I will say this. Two chows is a must in some decks, for example mid range paladin. Why? Paladin already has a great 2 and 3 drop, so having a great 1 drop is ideal. Not to mention everyone's favorite 4 drop, Shredder.
I am by no means a top tier player, but I like using Gadgetzan Jouster, especially since in midrange you have a lot of cards that can win the joust. Yes, I do love RNG, and I think it's worth the chance to not worry about the 5HP push back.
In midrange paladin the "drawback" is way more than worth the guarantee of not accidentally putting a worse Goldshire Footman in your deck.
I tell myself its a gameplay style choice and that the risk at turn 1 is worth the higher card value and worth keeping my opponent from healing himself. However I frequently wonder if I am nerfing my decks because I irrationally hate that stupid zombie and his stupid deathrattle.
I understand the power of having a 1 mana play with 3 health. I'll play 2 Tunnel Trogg or 2 Mana Wyrm and even double Northshire Cleric and Twilight Whelp but I refuse to put more than 1 Zombie Chow in any deck.
What's the case for double chow? Is there room for player style or is a 1 mana 2/3 simply too strong to pass up if there's no alternative for your class?
Keep calm and use your hero power
Right now midrange paladin is my strongest deck and I only run 1 chow. Double Shielded Minibot and double Muster for Battle seem to cover my needs adequately. Sometimes I get a bad draw and I have to hero power on turn 2, but I run an extra Equality instead of chow so I have a guaranteed board clear instead.
I'm no pro but I reliably ladder up to rank 10 every month without really trying.
Keep calm and use your hero power
as you say is prefference choice, but 2 chows work better against aggro, just as nice 2 eq works wonders against control, it's a matter of the state of the meta, but at least 1 is very nice
defeating a sandwich only makes it tastier
I've played plenty of paladin games and I have never had an Equality that I didn't want to use. Even a hunter will get Misha sometimes. A second equality turns Handlock into a winnable match instead of a nightmare. Zombie Chow will just sometimes lose you the game against Zoo or other midrange or high heal decks like Reno Jackson that skirt around low hit points staying just out of lethal range. At best after turn 6 it just does nothing. Rarely it will be a 2 power body at the very end of the game to finish someone off but usually any card would win you that kind of game.
Keep calm and use your hero power
Midrange Paladin is deck that doesn't care about your opponent health total. That's why it's so powerful against Reno Jackson decks. That basically makes Zombie Chow a 1 mana 2/3 with no downside. In fact, by having a Zombie Chow on the board you're going to be able to keep a Knife Juggler or a bunch of your other minions on the board and those minions might be able to do 6 or more damage more than they would have been if they didn't have Zombie Chow protecting them. When you think of chow like that, Zombie Chow is like deathrattle: Deal 1 or more damage to your opponent.
I only run 1, but then again I've gotten lucky and drawn it in every aggro game that I needed it in this season so I've never been impacted by my lack of a second one.
Midrange Reno Paladin btw.
Keep calm and use your hero power
I am with you. I hate chow, but i understand why he is needed in some decks. I have played every flavor of paladin, and this class does have a problem with cheap early game removal. When playing midrange paladin you want to control board, and turn one chow helps alot with that. I am currently playing secretadin and using secretkeepers for my one drop, so i do not have to run any chows. 2 secretkeepers and 5-6 of the good secrets has been working good for me.
I don't think a turn 1 zombie chow is game winning at all. It's a strong play. Frequently one of the strongest turn 1 plays for a midrange or control deck and like any other 1 mana minion it often has no impact whatsoever.
Zombie Chow does not "guarantee board control for a lot of turns", it gains you a marginal mana advantage going into the early game by trading up against 2 drops or gains you a tempo advantage by absorbing some kind of early removal. Clearly there is a lot of excessive hype surrounding this minion. I know it's Trump's favorite. It's not mine.
Keep calm and use your hero power
Han Solo dies
Han Solo dies
If u play a deck like midrange pala, that has no sudden win condition like FoN+SR or freezemage's burst or whatever, u dont rly have to care about healing your opponent for 5 or even 10 hp over the course of the game (and T1 chow usually doesnt even heal him for nothing or not full 5 hp), IF the zombie chows will help u survive to the point of your dominance. More so when Reno is a thing, lot of decks r gonna heal up to full anyway :)
Honestly there is nothing we can say to u to make the decision for u, simply put it in your deck, try it out and u will see for yourself if its working out or not ... ;-)
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I am by no means a top tier player, but I like using Gadgetzan Jouster, especially since in midrange you have a lot of cards that can win the joust. Yes, I do love RNG, and I think it's worth the chance to not worry about the 5HP push back.
I have had your same concerns. I will say this. Two chows is a must in some decks, for example mid range paladin. Why? Paladin already has a great 2 and 3 drop, so having a great 1 drop is ideal. Not to mention everyone's favorite 4 drop, Shredder.
$0.02
The chances of having 1 out of 2 zombie chows in your hand on turn one is at most 25%. 1 chow is 13%. According to the HS probability guide.
If Zombie Chow is the only 1 drop in your deck, that supposed nightmare scenario is going to happen about 3 times more often than not.
Keep calm and use your hero power