Flare and Tracking... I see at least one copy of both of these in EVERY Hunter deck I play against. I still can't understand why... in my eyes, these are literally the two most useless cards in the game.
Essentially, both of these cards are: spend 1 mana, draw 1 card. Sure, Flare can do more, but I very rarely see it ever actually remove Stealth of Secrets... actually, not once in my lifetime of playing Hearthstone have I seen it used for anything more than card draw. These cards literally are used to replace themselves with something more useful for one mana that you still then have to spend the mana to play, and they take up card slots in your deck to do it.
I've already explained Flare, but Tracking is even worse. It is literally: spend 1 mana, draw 1 card, discard 2 cards. It gives you options as to what you draw? I beg to differ. Rarely can you ever actually draw what helps you immediately. You have to draw what you least want to discard in the long run. That Taunt you have the option of taking helps you immediately? You might not be so eager to take it with both copies of Unleash the Hounds as your other options. That Ironbeak Owl guarantees your most important card can survive the enraged Grommash Hellscream? That's a very nice Ragnaros the Firelord being displayed right next to it.
There's my reasoning. Again, in my eyes Flare and Tracking are literally the worst two cards in the game, so can someone explain to me why every Hunter insists on running both?
Tracking allows you to draw a card that you will most likely want. Sure, sometimes it's not cards you want, but it helps you get closer to the combos/cards you want to use. I believe the term is called cycling through your deck, going through cards until you get what you want. Some other clever player could explain in more detail.
Flare is much the same as Tracking, but you don't discard two cards. A one mana draw is quite useful, as again it allows you to cycle through your deck faster. It also can have a bonus of destroying secrets, but it's not really there for that.
Hunters are very combo dependent. These cards thin their decks and let them get the cards they need to perform their combos. Tracking is probably one of the best cards in the game and a big part of why hunter is viable.
Those cards are filler to help you recycle through the deck as quick as possible. In principal, you rarely need to play all 30 cards to win the game, you just need to execute a certain combo at the right timing. Tracking and Flare allow you to assemble those combo pieces.
Despite the fact that Tracking can sometimes help win a game (its better usage is in late game), I still see it very useless.. I played it for a while as a heavy midrange Hunter player, it won me some games (late games) when tracking Deadly Shot or something against a druid, yet I found it most useless in the starting hand and midgame plays.. Even worse, some times you track a card you want and actually discard a very useful card that could've been drawn normally in the forthcoming turn (such as Houndmaster).. Moreover, it usually consumes a mana that could be very critical for a play that turn (i.e. a 2 mana beast or Animal Companion) and you have to make your mind whether to use that Tracking or not, while it takes space in your hand that a usable card could've been better instead.
Flare is much more efficient though.. It cycles itself with another card from the deck, but its most useful purpose is overcoming Hunter's most dangerous weakness A.K.A mirror Hunter secrets. It can also be seen efficient against Mage secrets (except Counterspell as it activates first and do away with Flare) which can be really beneficial.
Currently I don't run either of them in any Hunter deck of mine.. However when their value hits, it hits good.
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You can't harass members who play Face Hunter, nor are they compelled to make preemptive apologies or justifications for playing it. They don't hack or crack their opponents' game, they simply play existing cards that form a specific deck. If you suck at countering Face Hunter, you should blame the designers, not the community.
Deck thinning, cycling through to get cards faster, and the sometimes additional utility of Flare.
Tracking is very similar to a mechanic in Magic called "scry." It was one of the most loved mechanics. You choose what you draw. In most instances, you can get rid of cards that won't help you against your opponent and take one that will. Worst case scenario, you either lose a card you want in the matchup because you reveal both copies, or you get nothing you want, but you're three cards CLOSER to what you do. You skip those bad draws.
Flare is mostly just a cantrip, but in a lot of matchups the extra utility just drops cards your opponent was counting on.
So, your reasoning in this instance is fine, I don't care to change your mind. But Hunters will continue to play those two worst cards in the game, and will keep their win rates high.
Rebel562, you're looking at things the wrong way - these cards don't 'take up valuable card slots,' they let you run virtual more copies of your best cards. You get to run a (sort-of) 22-card deck and draw more Buzzard/Unleash/Highmane/Houndmaster than normal. The problem shouldn't be "I want to play more than 30 cards," it should be "I want to play LESS than 30 cards."
As far as 'not being able to play a 2 mana beast or animal companion' like Hazem said, the answer is simple: make the best play you can for your turn, and when you run out of good plays or have extra mana draw cards. A card isn't bad because you misplay it.
And Jacksmiles, Tracking is actually a 1 mana Strategic Planning (an old Portal Magic card), only slightly better because the opponent doesn't get to see what you discard.
I am pretty sure there have been a number of threads with the upcoming of new cards wishing there was something like a flare for neutral. There is a reason for that.
As far as 'not being able to play a 2 mana beast or animal companion' like Hazem said, the answer is simple: make the best play you can for your turn, and when you run out of good plays or have extra mana draw cards. A card isn't bad because you misplay it.
Spot-on. But I don't precisely mean not playing the right card in my hand that fits the mana, I mean patiently keeping it in hand could backfire, as a playable card can always be better (i.e. track and consume a mana could be used for the best chosen card).
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You can't harass members who play Face Hunter, nor are they compelled to make preemptive apologies or justifications for playing it. They don't hack or crack their opponents' game, they simply play existing cards that form a specific deck. If you suck at countering Face Hunter, you should blame the designers, not the community.
Flare wins mirror games and for 1 mana, it's not hard to find a turn where you can exchange it for something else in other match-ups. It has the benefit of being able to reveal stealth Auctioneers which is very relevant in today's meta.
Tracking is one of the best spells in the game imo but people seem to be using this card inefficiently. I see too many players going Turn 1 'Tracking' just for the sake of having a turn 1 play. Unless you know you're going to need the card for sure going into the game, it's better to save Tracking when you know you need answers.
It gives Hunter Decks great consistency. There are times times where it wouldn't fetch you anything good but even in that case, you are now 3 cards closer in your deck to drawing what you are looking for. There is that rare instance where the three choices are all amazing and you hate the other 2 cards to be gone but you can still pick the best one out of all 3.
I save tracking for when i need a certain card badly, like if the only card that can get me out of the certain situation is a kill command or a hunters mark it is quite useful for that. I dont use it when i dont need as it means i can discard good cards that i might need.
Think of it as taking three cards from the bottom of your deck and throwing two away. In most games (as Hunter), you don't get to draw out your entire deck. So it's actually telling you the cards that you'll never draw. You know what I mean?
I save tracking for when i need a certain card badly, like if the only card that can get me out of the certain situation is a kill command or a hunters mark it is quite useful for that. I dont use it when i dont need as it means i can discard good cards that i might need.
QFT. Correct Tracking is to use it when you need a certain card for your current situation. Even if it doesn't get for you what you want, you are 3 cards closer to the desired card.
Often used fare to knock out spells V Mage, Paladin and other Hunters. Don't know how long the OP has been playing, but I've seen and done it numerous times, when i did play Hunter.
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Flare and Tracking... I see at least one copy of both of these in EVERY Hunter deck I play against. I still can't understand why... in my eyes, these are literally the two most useless cards in the game.
Essentially, both of these cards are: spend 1 mana, draw 1 card. Sure, Flare can do more, but I very rarely see it ever actually remove Stealth of Secrets... actually, not once in my lifetime of playing Hearthstone have I seen it used for anything more than card draw. These cards literally are used to replace themselves with something more useful for one mana that you still then have to spend the mana to play, and they take up card slots in your deck to do it.
I've already explained Flare, but Tracking is even worse. It is literally: spend 1 mana, draw 1 card, discard 2 cards. It gives you options as to what you draw? I beg to differ. Rarely can you ever actually draw what helps you immediately. You have to draw what you least want to discard in the long run. That Taunt you have the option of taking helps you immediately? You might not be so eager to take it with both copies of Unleash the Hounds as your other options. That Ironbeak Owl guarantees your most important card can survive the enraged Grommash Hellscream? That's a very nice Ragnaros the Firelord being displayed right next to it.
There's my reasoning. Again, in my eyes Flare and Tracking are literally the worst two cards in the game, so can someone explain to me why every Hunter insists on running both?
Tracking allows you to draw a card that you will most likely want. Sure, sometimes it's not cards you want, but it helps you get closer to the combos/cards you want to use. I believe the term is called cycling through your deck, going through cards until you get what you want. Some other clever player could explain in more detail.
Flare is much the same as Tracking, but you don't discard two cards. A one mana draw is quite useful, as again it allows you to cycle through your deck faster. It also can have a bonus of destroying secrets, but it's not really there for that.
Hunters are very combo dependent. These cards thin their decks and let them get the cards they need to perform their combos. Tracking is probably one of the best cards in the game and a big part of why hunter is viable.
Those cards are filler to help you recycle through the deck as quick as possible. In principal, you rarely need to play all 30 cards to win the game, you just need to execute a certain combo at the right timing. Tracking and Flare allow you to assemble those combo pieces.
Despite the fact that Tracking can sometimes help win a game (its better usage is in late game), I still see it very useless.. I played it for a while as a heavy midrange Hunter player, it won me some games (late games) when tracking Deadly Shot or something against a druid, yet I found it most useless in the starting hand and midgame plays.. Even worse, some times you track a card you want and actually discard a very useful card that could've been drawn normally in the forthcoming turn (such as Houndmaster).. Moreover, it usually consumes a mana that could be very critical for a play that turn (i.e. a 2 mana beast or Animal Companion) and you have to make your mind whether to use that Tracking or not, while it takes space in your hand that a usable card could've been better instead.
Flare is much more efficient though.. It cycles itself with another card from the deck, but its most useful purpose is overcoming Hunter's most dangerous weakness A.K.A mirror Hunter secrets. It can also be seen efficient against Mage secrets (except Counterspell as it activates first and do away with Flare) which can be really beneficial.
Currently I don't run either of them in any Hunter deck of mine.. However when their value hits, it hits good.
You can't harass members who play Face Hunter, nor are they compelled to make preemptive apologies or justifications for playing it. They don't hack or crack their opponents' game, they simply play existing cards that form a specific deck. If you suck at countering Face Hunter, you should blame the designers, not the community.
Deck thinning, cycling through to get cards faster, and the sometimes additional utility of Flare.
Tracking is very similar to a mechanic in Magic called "scry." It was one of the most loved mechanics. You choose what you draw. In most instances, you can get rid of cards that won't help you against your opponent and take one that will. Worst case scenario, you either lose a card you want in the matchup because you reveal both copies, or you get nothing you want, but you're three cards CLOSER to what you do. You skip those bad draws.
Flare is mostly just a cantrip, but in a lot of matchups the extra utility just drops cards your opponent was counting on.
So, your reasoning in this instance is fine, I don't care to change your mind. But Hunters will continue to play those two worst cards in the game, and will keep their win rates high.
Rebel562, you're looking at things the wrong way - these cards don't 'take up valuable card slots,' they let you run virtual more copies of your best cards. You get to run a (sort-of) 22-card deck and draw more Buzzard/Unleash/Highmane/Houndmaster than normal. The problem shouldn't be "I want to play more than 30 cards," it should be "I want to play LESS than 30 cards."
As far as 'not being able to play a 2 mana beast or animal companion' like Hazem said, the answer is simple: make the best play you can for your turn, and when you run out of good plays or have extra mana draw cards. A card isn't bad because you misplay it.
And Jacksmiles, Tracking is actually a 1 mana Strategic Planning (an old Portal Magic card), only slightly better because the opponent doesn't get to see what you discard.
I am pretty sure there have been a number of threads with the upcoming of new cards wishing there was something like a flare for neutral. There is a reason for that.
Two words: Miracle Rogue.
Ever unstealthed a Gadgetzan and had the opponent ragequit? It's entertaining :)
Spot-on. But I don't precisely mean not playing the right card in my hand that fits the mana, I mean patiently keeping it in hand could backfire, as a playable card can always be better (i.e. track and consume a mana could be used for the best chosen card).
You can't harass members who play Face Hunter, nor are they compelled to make preemptive apologies or justifications for playing it. They don't hack or crack their opponents' game, they simply play existing cards that form a specific deck. If you suck at countering Face Hunter, you should blame the designers, not the community.
Flare wins mirror games and for 1 mana, it's not hard to find a turn where you can exchange it for something else in other match-ups. It has the benefit of being able to reveal stealth Auctioneers which is very relevant in today's meta.
Tracking is one of the best spells in the game imo but people seem to be using this card inefficiently. I see too many players going Turn 1 'Tracking' just for the sake of having a turn 1 play. Unless you know you're going to need the card for sure going into the game, it's better to save Tracking when you know you need answers.
It gives Hunter Decks great consistency. There are times times where it wouldn't fetch you anything good but even in that case, you are now 3 cards closer in your deck to drawing what you are looking for. There is that rare instance where the three choices are all amazing and you hate the other 2 cards to be gone but you can still pick the best one out of all 3.
I save tracking for when i need a certain card badly, like if the only card that can get me out of the certain situation is a kill command or a hunters mark it is quite useful for that. I dont use it when i dont need as it means i can discard good cards that i might need.
Think of it as taking three cards from the bottom of your deck and throwing two away. In most games (as Hunter), you don't get to draw out your entire deck. So it's actually telling you the cards that you'll never draw. You know what I mean?
QFT. Correct Tracking is to use it when you need a certain card for your current situation. Even if it doesn't get for you what you want, you are 3 cards closer to the desired card.
Often used fare to knock out spells V Mage, Paladin and other Hunters. Don't know how long the OP has been playing, but I've seen and done it numerous times, when i did play Hunter.