I agree with the assessment that what makes stormforged so good is that it can be played on turn 2, as most of the popular 2 drops have 2 health. 3 drops tend to have 3 health or better, which means you likely won't get a clean kill with the weapon hit. I think you'll see opponents start to anticipate this play and trade their 2 drops with a Paladins 2 drop instead of attacking past to avoid the free trades at turn 3 once GvG comes out. It will be a tempo changer for sure.
That being said, a zombie chow on turn 1 and coining out this weapon on turn 2 will probably mean victory in arena, and playing it late to buff a strong minion will also be super good. This will be a great arena pick.
I agree with the assessment that what makes stormforged so good is that it can be played on turn 2, as most of the popular 2 drops have 2 health. 3 drops tend to have 3 health or better, which means you likely won't get a clean kill with the weapon hit. I think you'll see opponents start to anticipate this play and trade their 2 drops with a Paladins 2 drop instead of attacking past to avoid the free trades at turn 3 once GvG comes out. It will be a tempo changer for sure.
That being said, a zombie chow on turn 1 and coining out this weapon on turn 2 will probably mean victory in arena, and playing it late to buff a strong minion will also be super good. This will be a great arena pick.
Paladin can go first... in which case when you play this the biggest drop the opponent will have is a 2 drop (unless they coin).
This card is interesting because it only gets full value when you have board control. That is, to make use of it as an early board control weapon, you either need your two drop to survive or you need to waste the battlecry. On the other hand, if you want to really make use of the battlecry and put it on something like Guardian of Kings you need to save this weapon, which is fine except a 2-attack weapon isn't nearly as useful late game.
Basically, playing against a paladin with a 3-mana 2/3 weapon will be bad enough, so it will be absolutely imperative you can deal with his 2-drop to prevent the extra value from this battlecry. Combined with Avenge you simply cannot let paladins develop any sort of board whatsoever.
This card is PURE value. Even if this weapon is destroyed the turn you play it, you still get a taunt/divine shield minion, and +2 damage on the board all for the low low cost of 3 mana. Random minion or not this well be in almost all if not all Paladin decks. It's like stormforged axe, but with a HUGE added perk.
Stat and ability-wise it is a very good card. I wonder however how much play it will going to see though. Paladin's weakness is the early game, where it is not that great. At turn 3, you need to have a minion to get full value and without it, the card is not that great. If you draw it lategame, the effect is great, but the weapon's usage is limited as it has only 2 attack. I think it will be in the Sword of Justice category, it will see some play, but I'm not sure if it is gamebraking. In arena it will be great, the previous comment was about constructed.
But vs aggro, even if all you do is give a 1/1 taunt and divine shield, I think that'll be worth it. For one, it means they'll have to run 2 minions in(softening them up for the weapon to clear em out next turn), but vs some decks it might even trade with some creatures. And this is the 2nd worst case scenario.
One issue I do see this card running into is the fact that it's 3 durability but comes down a turn before true silver, not sure how that's going to play out.
I'm having a hard time figuring out where this fits. You need to have a 2-drop, so you're running early minions, so perhaps a midrange deck. But then it won't kill much with only 2 attack (the only 2 health minions that get played anymore are Knife Juggler, Leper Gnome, Webspinner, and various Zoo dorks - Haunted Creeper doesn't count) so it doesn't help much for board control. It will be interesting to see where this ends up.
I think how good this card is will largely depend on how good Haunted Creeper -> Coghammer is in the GvG meta. Maybe Micro Machine -> Coghammer?
I'm having a hard time figuring out where this fits. You need to have a 2-drop, so you're running early minions, so perhaps a midrange deck. But then it won't kill much with only 2 attack (the only 2 health minions that get played anymore are Knife Juggler, Leper Gnome, Webspinner, and various Zoo dorks - Haunted Creeper doesn't count) so it doesn't help much for board control. It will be interesting to see where this ends up.
I think how good this card is will largely depend on how good Haunted Creeper -> Coghammer is in the GvG meta. Maybe Micro Machine -> Coghammer?
The dream I'm imagining is, going first in the arena, you play a two drop turn 2, your opponent plays a 2 drop 3/2 their turn, which is all pretty standard. Then bam comes the coghammer turn 3, removing the 3/2, giving your minion divine shield and taunt, and lets you follow up next turn with a strong four that drop will be protected by your taunt, or Kings, while you still have a 2/2 weapon out, to just take the game. That play is really quite simple, just playing your cards on curve so it's not like its some wombo combo, but the tempo you get on turn 3 with that is just delicious.
As for constructed, though the vanilla value is great, I don't really see a place in the current meta/ deck archetypes, and running it purely as the taunt/divine shield giver to a big minion doesn't seem too great because at that point in the game, the weapon has little use. There'll probably be a place in the new meta once GvG has arrived. I'm hoping for some more pirate + weapon interaction though!
It is arguably LESS good in the early game. Control paladin might run 1 of these to stop aggro in the early game, but the Real value in the late game is putting the Sunfury effect on like a 5/6 or Re-Divining your Tirion.
Hello bloodknight meet wacky hammer his new friend the turn 3- 4/4 and the truesilver all of which hate each other.
This immediately comes to mind.
Hey, looks like Paladin actually got a card that isn't totally outclassed elsewhere. Good stuff.
I agree with the assessment that what makes stormforged so good is that it can be played on turn 2, as most of the popular 2 drops have 2 health. 3 drops tend to have 3 health or better, which means you likely won't get a clean kill with the weapon hit. I think you'll see opponents start to anticipate this play and trade their 2 drops with a Paladins 2 drop instead of attacking past to avoid the free trades at turn 3 once GvG comes out. It will be a tempo changer for sure.
That being said, a zombie chow on turn 1 and coining out this weapon on turn 2 will probably mean victory in arena, and playing it late to buff a strong minion will also be super good. This will be a great arena pick.
Paladin can go first... in which case when you play this the biggest drop the opponent will have is a 2 drop (unless they coin).
MMmmmmMMmmMmMMMMmmmmmm
Hope more pirates are thrown into thie expansion. Another weapon may = more pirate synergy.
This card is interesting because it only gets full value when you have board control. That is, to make use of it as an early board control weapon, you either need your two drop to survive or you need to waste the battlecry. On the other hand, if you want to really make use of the battlecry and put it on something like Guardian of Kings you need to save this weapon, which is fine except a 2-attack weapon isn't nearly as useful late game.
Basically, playing against a paladin with a 3-mana 2/3 weapon will be bad enough, so it will be absolutely imperative you can deal with his 2-drop to prevent the extra value from this battlecry. Combined with Avenge you simply cannot let paladins develop any sort of board whatsoever.
This card is PURE value. Even if this weapon is destroyed the turn you play it, you still get a taunt/divine shield minion, and +2 damage on the board all for the low low cost of 3 mana. Random minion or not this well be in almost all if not all Paladin decks. It's like stormforged axe, but with a HUGE added perk.
But vs aggro, even if all you do is give a 1/1 taunt and divine shield, I think that'll be worth it. For one, it means they'll have to run 2 minions in(softening them up for the weapon to clear em out next turn), but vs some decks it might even trade with some creatures. And this is the 2nd worst case scenario.
One issue I do see this card running into is the fact that it's 3 durability but comes down a turn before true silver, not sure how that's going to play out.
Oh and BTW, this was the best card spoiled in the entire expansion so far.
Retired Hearthstone Columnist
I'm having a hard time figuring out where this fits. You need to have a 2-drop, so you're running early minions, so perhaps a midrange deck. But then it won't kill much with only 2 attack (the only 2 health minions that get played anymore are Knife Juggler, Leper Gnome, Webspinner, and various Zoo dorks - Haunted Creeper doesn't count) so it doesn't help much for board control. It will be interesting to see where this ends up.
I think how good this card is will largely depend on how good Haunted Creeper -> Coghammer is in the GvG meta. Maybe Micro Machine -> Coghammer?
ancient watcher, breh
Retired Hearthstone Columnist
Retired Hearthstone Columnist
The dream I'm imagining is, going first in the arena, you play a two drop turn 2, your opponent plays a 2 drop 3/2 their turn, which is all pretty standard. Then bam comes the coghammer turn 3, removing the 3/2, giving your minion divine shield and taunt, and lets you follow up next turn with a strong four that drop will be protected by your taunt, or Kings, while you still have a 2/2 weapon out, to just take the game. That play is really quite simple, just playing your cards on curve so it's not like its some wombo combo, but the tempo you get on turn 3 with that is just delicious.
As for constructed, though the vanilla value is great, I don't really see a place in the current meta/ deck archetypes, and running it purely as the taunt/divine shield giver to a big minion doesn't seem too great because at that point in the game, the weapon has little use. There'll probably be a place in the new meta once GvG has arrived. I'm hoping for some more pirate + weapon interaction though!
Only thing is. I don't think Coghammer Muster for Battle, Truesilver Champion and Sword of Justice can work together.
Looks like Pally's are finally facing the Warrior dilemma - which weapons to run.
Of course it's a little tougher for paladins since most of their weapons are durability heavy which means logjams are more likely.
Wow, very nice card, but I hated the Looney Tunes looking of the card.
The person who said about the sinergy with the watcher is a genius.
so basically 3 mana for a 2/3 with charge, divine shield and taunt? gonna be the seond best weapon in the game imo.
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH! YESSSSSS!
It is arguably LESS good in the early game. Control paladin might run 1 of these to stop aggro in the early game, but the Real value in the late game is putting the Sunfury effect on like a 5/6 or Re-Divining your Tirion.
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