I think this is a pretty good debate. Let's shed some wood into the fire.
I've swapped Ysera for Raffam in my dragon priest (but I think the points are valid for ctrl priest using Ysera too) and it has won me many games where an equivalent Ysera wouldn't. Raffam gives priest a finisher it never had (apart from gimmicky Velen OTK decks). Some may argue Rafaam in win-more but I disagree. The +10/+10 token can guarantee you the win the next turn while with old Ysera you had to rely on some specific dream cards and sometimes 2,3,4 of them to secure the win. Not considering the times when you drew laughing sister or even the dragon, while your opponent killed you before you had the chance.
I'm loving Rafaam in priest and not coming back to Ysera, not even in dragon priest.
I'm not surprised that this has come up. Rafaam has been described as "A more burst-y Ysera" in the past. His effects are more impactful, but you only get them once. Unless you bounce him, but that is beside the point.
I see your point for sure. The main thing I like about Ysera though is that after you play her, her dream cards don't cost 10 mana to play, thus taking up a full turn with one card. Rafaam is great, I just am not a fan of the cost of the artifacts. I will give it a try though and see how he does instead of Ysera, maybe I will be suprised. These are just my initial thoughts. Glad Rafaam is working well for you.
Agree with the above. Ysera is usually hard to remove, not just the effect but the body as well. Harder than most at least (not BGHble, high health, cant pain or death, etc)
So you waste 9 mana for a big body and maybe a good card. If they removed it the next turn, at least you'll get a cheap, cost effective card out of it. Rafaam is the otherway around, you'll waste mana AND will have to lose ANOTHER turn to get the effect of the card you got that MAY or MAY not help you.
Ysera is usually hard to remove, not just the effect but the body as well. Harder than most at least (not BGHble, high health, cant pain or death, etc)
This as well, Ysera is just tough to deal with usually. If you can keep her alive and get 3 or 4 cards out of her, usually its game over for the other player.
Ysera is usually hard to remove, not just the effect but the body as well. Harder than most at least (not BGHble, high health, cant pain or death, etc)
This as well, Ysera is just tough to deal with usually. If you can keep her alive and get 3 or 4 cards out of her, usually its game over for the other player. " you can keep her alive AND get 3,4 cards out of her". You said it all. Most of the times, the turn after Rafaam, you get a win through the 10/10 buff
"IF you can keep her alive and get 3-4 cards out of her". You said it all. The turn after I get Rafaam, unless opponent has lethal, it's usually a kill, with the 10/10 buff. As I said, he has won me many games where Ysera wouldn't, even with her 5/5 buff or the 5 dmg hellfire. The big thief gives guaranteed 10 dmg
um the 10/10 buff only works if theres a minion on the field, and rafaam doesn't survive a lot of things, BGH, any board with more than 2 minions on turn 9, shadow word, shield slams, execute, equality. Mostly everyone picks the mirror of doom and the opponent has 2 turns 2 draw into a board clear ( FS, light bomb, auchenai circle, brawl eq. consec), so its a bad card.
Rafaam isn't the only minion on the deck usually. If you're ahead on the board, Rafaam might just win you the game next turn. And if the opponent clears your board, you don't lose the lantern. You can use it on something that lives later.
I've been using both Rafaam and Ysera in control priest, and both of them have won me games.
Also, about Rafaam, I actually rarely pick the Mirror of Doom. The lantern or even the timepiece can get their effect in much faster and can be used as burst.
By all means - no. Priest is a defensive class by nature, card generating legendary like Ysera will probably be never replaced in Priest, not with some hypster Rafaam for sure.
By all means - no. Priest is a defensive class by nature, card generating legendary like Ysera will probably be never replaced in Priest, not with some hypster Rafaam for sure.
Thank you. That pretty much sums up my thoughts while reading this thread. Control Priest is a reactive deck. It's already difficult enough to find a turn where you can play Ysera, because it wastes your whole mana. Spending a second turn without reacting to the enemy board is just bad. Priest needs no finisher. In CW Rafaam may be an option. In CP Ysera is the way to go.
I think this is a pretty good debate. Let's shed some wood into the fire.
I've swapped Ysera for Raffam in my dragon priest (but I think the points are valid for ctrl priest using Ysera too) and it has won me many games where an equivalent Ysera wouldn't. Raffam gives priest a finisher it never had (apart from gimmicky Velen OTK decks). Some may argue Rafaam in win-more but I disagree. The +10/+10 token can guarantee you the win the next turn while with old Ysera you had to rely on some specific dream cards and sometimes 2,3,4 of them to secure the win. Not considering the times when you drew laughing sister or even the dragon, while your opponent killed you before you had the chance.
I'm loving Rafaam in priest and not coming back to Ysera, not even in dragon priest.
I'm not surprised that this has come up. Rafaam has been described as "A more burst-y Ysera" in the past. His effects are more impactful, but you only get them once. Unless you bounce him, but that is beside the point.
I see your point for sure. The main thing I like about Ysera though is that after you play her, her dream cards don't cost 10 mana to play, thus taking up a full turn with one card. Rafaam is great, I just am not a fan of the cost of the artifacts. I will give it a try though and see how he does instead of Ysera, maybe I will be suprised. These are just my initial thoughts. Glad Rafaam is working well for you.
Agree with the above.
Ysera is usually hard to remove, not just the effect but the body as well. Harder than most at least (not BGHble, high health, cant pain or death, etc)
So you waste 9 mana for a big body and maybe a good card.
If they removed it the next turn, at least you'll get a cheap, cost effective card out of it.
Rafaam is the otherway around, you'll waste mana AND will have to lose ANOTHER turn to get the effect of the card you got that MAY or MAY not help you.
"IF you can keep her alive and get 3-4 cards out of her". You said it all. The turn after I get Rafaam, unless opponent has lethal, it's usually a kill, with the 10/10 buff. As I said, he has won me many games where Ysera wouldn't, even with her 5/5 buff or the 5 dmg hellfire. The big thief gives guaranteed 10 dmg
um the 10/10 buff only works if theres a minion on the field, and rafaam doesn't survive a lot of things, BGH, any board with more than 2 minions on turn 9, shadow word, shield slams, execute, equality. Mostly everyone picks the mirror of doom and the opponent has 2 turns 2 draw into a board clear ( FS, light bomb, auchenai circle, brawl eq. consec), so its a bad card.
Rafaam isn't the only minion on the deck usually. If you're ahead on the board, Rafaam might just win you the game next turn. And if the opponent clears your board, you don't lose the lantern. You can use it on something that lives later.
I've been using both Rafaam and Ysera in control priest, and both of them have won me games.
Also, about Rafaam, I actually rarely pick the Mirror of Doom. The lantern or even the timepiece can get their effect in much faster and can be used as burst.
By all means - no. Priest is a defensive class by nature, card generating legendary like Ysera will probably be never replaced in Priest, not with some hypster Rafaam for sure.
"The light shall burn you!" - heals face.
Anyone else keep an inner fire around so that you could smack them for 12 dmg with Ysera? That's plenty burst right there.
I would rather play Ysera with Nightmare & Confuse over Rafaam - Ysera is a very sticky minion over Rafaam