The Ninja was my submission to Asylum's third class competition and I was voted out in the fourth round. Despite that, I want to finish the class, unlike so many of my previous classes which have been left incomplete. This will also mean I will create the Naxx and GvG sets.
That being said, ninjas actually technically do not exist in Warcraft lore, the closest thing being the Shado-Pan. As such, lore may be tossed out the window in some places here and there.
Lastly, Ninjas are most associated with stealth and assassination. While this aspect does shine through the in the plethora of single-target hard removal spells, having too much to do with stealth and subterfuge would essentially make this class a clone of Rogue. Therefore, I used Yu-Gi-Oh for ideas, as their Ninja archetype focuses a lot on draw power, fusion (Xyz) monsters and transforming Ninjas into larger dragons, sea serpents, and so forth.
Note: As of the posting of this thread, I only had time to complete the writeups for the Basic set and I have only two Old Gods cards. The rest of the set will soon come, so bear with me.
Mr. Karin Shadestep
Art of Deception explained:
A rather strange Hero Power brought about by one of the challenges of the Class Competition that stated that we must include a Token in the Hero Power.
Art of Deception fills in a number of roles. This class has two unique mechanics, evolve, such as in Shaman's Evolve and Master of Evolution, and merging, a mechanic used only once in Blood of The Ancient One. In both cases, mana costs often play a role and the variable mana cost of the Dummy can help to fulfill the requirements of evolving and merging.
Basic Cards
Automatically included:
Frontstab explained:
Very self-explanatory. It is both based on and a pun of Backstab.
Automatically included:
Sakura Shower explained:
The most complex of the 5 first Basic cards. This card teaches a burgeoning Ninja player of the different types of combinations and combos you can pull off with high-cost minions. The player should also learn to trade well and be aware of the board state to keep their expensive minions.
Automatically included:
Ghost Iron Shuriken explained:
The Ninja has a relatively average amount of card draw, this being one of them. Though the Ninja isn't necessarily a control class, which I try to avoid creating when making custom classes as a class should technically be able to play anyway they want, the Shaman being the best example, the Ninja can certainly forego the combo aspect of the Dummies and actually play large minions during the lategame.
As such, this weapon promotes this. In addition, you can use this weapon to protect an established board whille cycling and gaining hand advantage at the expense of Health, something Ninjas do not have ready access to.
Automatically included:
Worgen Rogue explained:
A reference to TMNT. A very simple card with very slightly above-curve stats (4/6). The main part, however, is the very particular cost of the token spawned. Future combos will teach the ninja that each and every minion's Cost counts.
Automatically included:
Onion-Cutting Ninjas explained:
A heal and AOE rolled into one. Though this is the only AOE card in the game to require a target, I feel like it should be simple enough to handle. As stated above, Ninjas are known for the single-target removal. As such, this is their only AOE in the Basic and Classic sets.
A slightly more complex weapon, so I pegged this card at level 4, where the Ninja should have played at least one or two games with Ghost Iron Shuriken. Other than that, to a seasoned player, this is a simple enough weapon that rewards minion trading.
Upon reaching level 6:
Sunder Armor explained:
Though Hex and Polymorph are both part of the first 5 cards of Shaman's and Mage's repertoires, and though Multi-Shot is also one of Hunter first 5 cards and Cleave is earned at level 2, Red Herring is not so straightforward. Like the latter two, Red Herring must have at least two targets. And unlike the former two, merge is not quite the same as transform.
As such, the reasoning for this card being earned relatively later is twofold. It is the first look at the merge mechanic, even though it is not technically your minions. Merging is an odd and fickle thing, so the player will learn that Merging is actually the destruction of two minions and the summoning of a new minion from thin air. The second is that it is a relatively complex removal card.
Upon reaching level 8:
Meaning of Life explained:
The first possible combo with Sakura Storm. For 5 mana, you get a +3/+3 buff and can deal 10 damage to a minion. The unique part of this card is the Cost change, a type of buff not currently in Hearthstone, so it must be introduced in the Ninja's Basic set.
Upon reaching level 10:
Venerated Sensei explained:
Finally, the final Basic card, the "flavourful" 6-mana minion of the class. Veteran hearthstone players will be quick to brush this card off and say "Oh, this is an easy card. It can target enemies, that's all." However, this Basic minion can transform a Basic minion into a non-Basic one, and this might be a bit overwhelming for new players. However, this mechanic is fairly crucial to the Ninja class as a whole, so I am pretty much forced to introduce this mechanic early on.
Therefore, this is the final card Ninjas get in their Basic set. It takes around 10 or so games to reach level 10, and by that time, the player will have seen at least a few non-Basic cards.
Expert Set
Commons
You Can't See Me explained:
Hammerspace explained:
Feral Ninken explained:
Westwind Shinobi explained:
Spiritual Visage explained:
Imperial Summoner explained:
Rares
Be Water explained:
Eastwind Informant explained:
Man's Best Friends explained:
Doomspinner Shuriken explained:
Undercity Ronin explained:
Epics
Marked For Death explained:
Shuriken Storm explained:
...Ninjas Do It Better explained:
The Legendary
Mistress Splinter explained:
Naxxramas
The Common
??? explained:
Goblins vs. Gnomes
Commons
??? explained:
??? explained:
Rares
??? explained:
??? explained:
??? explained:
Epics
??? explained:
??? explained:
The Legendary
??? (Expect a Genji reference here. Maybe.) explained:
Blackrock Mountain
The Common
Shimada Handmaiden explained:
The Rare
Pieces of You explained:
The Grand Tournament
Commons
Wandering Isle Disciple explained:
A Cut Above explained:
Shado-Pan Vanguard explained:
Rares
Vashj'ir Lurker explained:
Blue Exorcist explained:
Personal Trainer explained:
Epics
Scythe of Elune explained:
Mortal Combat explained:
The Legendary
"Narik" explained:
League of Explorers
Commons
Scroll of Death explained:
A very simple discover card, much like the common-rarity Discover cards of the LOE expansion. Since none of the wings really had anything to do with Ninjas in general, I tried to put an oriental spin on the LOE expansion of this class, starting with this card. I sort of imagine the explorers finding some long-lost scroll with crazy powers.
Forgotten Emperor explained:
A Nerubian Egg like card, though a bit more difficult to pop. Taking into account the lack of buffing spells in this class, the Ninja seems like it will have quite a bit of trouble of getting the Deathrattle. However, merging will do just the trick here. It's also 3-Cost, so it is a prime target for Westwind Shinobi.
Notes: Since this was so similar to Vashj'ir Lurker, I changed it.
Lastly, the flavour here is quite obvious. Reno probably stumbled on some ancient tomb and found this dead fellow and tried to loot it. Little did he know an army of the famous clay soldiers guarded the long-dead emperor.
The Rare
Finger Hold explained:
An odd little card, seemingly out of place. However, I did a bit of research and a lot of the rare LOE class cards often had a very strange effect, such as copying Deathrattles, or taking only 1 damage at a time.
Similar to how Unearthed Raptor spawned basically a new way of playing Rogue, Finger Hold tries to support an in-class gimmick: dealing 4 damage. This was first introduced way back in Classic with the card Marked for Death. I planned to expand on that, and here it is. It's balanced against Power Overwhelming which is an OP card anyways.
Question on Vash'jir lurker - Evidently it's meant as a minion that can be merged to form that 7/7, so when does merge occur comparatively to other effects? Like, if (Somehow) you're playing mage, have both the mergelocs and then you draw Flame Leviathan, what happens? If the minion dies before the merge, will it still take place is what I'm wondering? Also, it's evient in WotG that the Merge effects can be independent, will you do any inspire/deathrattle merge effects?
Wait nah but a discover minion that merges with the card it discovers...? Hit me up, I'm having some cool ideas.
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Overview
The Ninja was my submission to Asylum's third class competition and I was voted out in the fourth round. Despite that, I want to finish the class, unlike so many of my previous classes which have been left incomplete. This will also mean I will create the Naxx and GvG sets.
That being said, ninjas actually technically do not exist in Warcraft lore, the closest thing being the Shado-Pan. As such, lore may be tossed out the window in some places here and there.
Lastly, Ninjas are most associated with stealth and assassination. While this aspect does shine through the in the plethora of single-target hard removal spells, having too much to do with stealth and subterfuge would essentially make this class a clone of Rogue. Therefore, I used Yu-Gi-Oh for ideas, as their Ninja archetype focuses a lot on draw power, fusion (Xyz) monsters and transforming Ninjas into larger dragons, sea serpents, and so forth.
Note: As of the posting of this thread, I only had time to complete the writeups for the Basic set and I have only two Old Gods cards. The rest of the set will soon come, so bear with me.
Mr. Karin Shadestep
Art of Deception explained:
A rather strange Hero Power brought about by one of the challenges of the Class Competition that stated that we must include a Token in the Hero Power.
Art of Deception fills in a number of roles. This class has two unique mechanics, evolve, such as in Shaman's Evolve and Master of Evolution, and merging, a mechanic used only once in Blood of The Ancient One. In both cases, mana costs often play a role and the variable mana cost of the Dummy can help to fulfill the requirements of evolving and merging.
Basic Cards
Automatically included:
Frontstab explained:
Very self-explanatory. It is both based on and a pun of Backstab.
Automatically included:
Sakura Shower explained:
The most complex of the 5 first Basic cards. This card teaches a burgeoning Ninja player of the different types of combinations and combos you can pull off with high-cost minions. The player should also learn to trade well and be aware of the board state to keep their expensive minions.
Automatically included:
Ghost Iron Shuriken explained:
The Ninja has a relatively average amount of card draw, this being one of them. Though the Ninja isn't necessarily a control class, which I try to avoid creating when making custom classes as a class should technically be able to play anyway they want, the Shaman being the best example, the Ninja can certainly forego the combo aspect of the Dummies and actually play large minions during the lategame.
As such, this weapon promotes this. In addition, you can use this weapon to protect an established board whille cycling and gaining hand advantage at the expense of Health, something Ninjas do not have ready access to.
Automatically included:
Worgen Rogue explained:
A reference to TMNT. A very simple card with very slightly above-curve stats (4/6). The main part, however, is the very particular cost of the token spawned. Future combos will teach the ninja that each and every minion's Cost counts.
Automatically included:
Onion-Cutting Ninjas explained:
A heal and AOE rolled into one. Though this is the only AOE card in the game to require a target, I feel like it should be simple enough to handle. As stated above, Ninjas are known for the single-target removal. As such, this is their only AOE in the Basic and Classic sets.
Upon reaching level 2:
Double Trouble explained:
Shadow Bolt, with Spell Damage possibilities.
Upon reaching level 4:
Twinbolt Shuriken explained:
A slightly more complex weapon, so I pegged this card at level 4, where the Ninja should have played at least one or two games with Ghost Iron Shuriken. Other than that, to a seasoned player, this is a simple enough weapon that rewards minion trading.
Upon reaching level 6:
Sunder Armor explained:
Though Hex and Polymorph are both part of the first 5 cards of Shaman's and Mage's repertoires, and though Multi-Shot is also one of Hunter first 5 cards and Cleave is earned at level 2, Red Herring is not so straightforward. Like the latter two, Red Herring must have at least two targets. And unlike the former two, merge is not quite the same as transform.
As such, the reasoning for this card being earned relatively later is twofold. It is the first look at the merge mechanic, even though it is not technically your minions. Merging is an odd and fickle thing, so the player will learn that Merging is actually the destruction of two minions and the summoning of a new minion from thin air. The second is that it is a relatively complex removal card.
Upon reaching level 8:
Meaning of Life explained:
The first possible combo with Sakura Storm. For 5 mana, you get a +3/+3 buff and can deal 10 damage to a minion. The unique part of this card is the Cost change, a type of buff not currently in Hearthstone, so it must be introduced in the Ninja's Basic set.
Upon reaching level 10:
Venerated Sensei explained:
Finally, the final Basic card, the "flavourful" 6-mana minion of the class. Veteran hearthstone players will be quick to brush this card off and say "Oh, this is an easy card. It can target enemies, that's all." However, this Basic minion can transform a Basic minion into a non-Basic one, and this might be a bit overwhelming for new players. However, this mechanic is fairly crucial to the Ninja class as a whole, so I am pretty much forced to introduce this mechanic early on.
Therefore, this is the final card Ninjas get in their Basic set. It takes around 10 or so games to reach level 10, and by that time, the player will have seen at least a few non-Basic cards.
Expert Set
Commons
You Can't See Me explained:
Hammerspace explained:
Feral Ninken explained:
Westwind Shinobi explained:
Spiritual Visage explained:
Imperial Summoner explained:
Rares
Be Water explained:
Eastwind Informant explained:
Man's Best Friends explained:
Doomspinner Shuriken explained:
Undercity Ronin explained:
Epics
Marked For Death explained:
Shuriken Storm explained:
...Ninjas Do It Better explained:
The Legendary
Mistress Splinter explained:
Naxxramas
The Common
??? explained:
Goblins vs. Gnomes
Commons
??? explained:
??? explained:
Rares
??? explained:
??? explained:
??? explained:
Epics
??? explained:
??? explained:
The Legendary
??? (Expect a Genji reference here. Maybe.) explained:
Blackrock Mountain
The Common
Shimada Handmaiden explained:
The Rare
Pieces of You explained:
The Grand Tournament
Commons
Wandering Isle Disciple explained:
A Cut Above explained:
Shado-Pan Vanguard explained:
Rares
Vashj'ir Lurker explained:
Blue Exorcist explained:
Personal Trainer explained:
Epics
Scythe of Elune explained:
Mortal Combat explained:
The Legendary
"Narik" explained:
League of Explorers
Commons
Scroll of Death explained:
A very simple discover card, much like the common-rarity Discover cards of the LOE expansion. Since none of the wings really had anything to do with Ninjas in general, I tried to put an oriental spin on the LOE expansion of this class, starting with this card. I sort of imagine the explorers finding some long-lost scroll with crazy powers.
Forgotten Emperor explained:
A Nerubian Egg like card, though a bit more difficult to pop. Taking into account the lack of buffing spells in this class, the Ninja seems like it will have quite a bit of trouble of getting the Deathrattle. However, merging will do just the trick here. It's also 3-Cost, so it is a prime target for Westwind Shinobi.
Notes: Since this was so similar to Vashj'ir Lurker, I changed it.
Lastly, the flavour here is quite obvious. Reno probably stumbled on some ancient tomb and found this dead fellow and tried to loot it. Little did he know an army of the famous clay soldiers guarded the long-dead emperor.
The Rare
Finger Hold explained:
An odd little card, seemingly out of place. However, I did a bit of research and a lot of the rare LOE class cards often had a very strange effect, such as copying Deathrattles, or taking only 1 damage at a time.
Similar to how Unearthed Raptor spawned basically a new way of playing Rogue, Finger Hold tries to support an in-class gimmick: dealing 4 damage. This was first introduced way back in Classic with the card Marked for Death. I planned to expand on that, and here it is. It's balanced against Power Overwhelming which is an OP card anyways.
Whispers of the Old Gods
Commons
Rares
Eternal Blossoms Convert explained:
Epics
The Legendary
When you say "do damage to a minion equal to your highest Cost minion" how much damage? their attack? their health?
I assume you mean do their mana cost worth of damage,but maybe the wording can be a little more clear
After an eternity and a half, I finished the LOE cards.
Changelog:
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Question on Vash'jir lurker - Evidently it's meant as a minion that can be merged to form that 7/7, so when does merge occur comparatively to other effects? Like, if (Somehow) you're playing mage, have both the mergelocs and then you draw Flame Leviathan, what happens? If the minion dies before the merge, will it still take place is what I'm wondering? Also, it's evient in WotG that the Merge effects can be independent, will you do any inspire/deathrattle merge effects?
Wait nah but a discover minion that merges with the card it discovers...? Hit me up, I'm having some cool ideas.