Overall, I think this is a very powerful set, and it seems to represent a change in design philosophy. Rather than give us incredibly underwhelming sets that don’t require any nerfs like Rastakhan’s Rumble, most of the cards in this set appear to be pushed. I imagine Blizzard will be just as active with nerfs as they were with Ashes of Outlands. Personally, I like this. It is more fun to play with powerful things and tune them down, rather than be stuck with cards you never play.
Rating System:
My rating system is 1 to 4, using whole numbers only. Standard only. Getting more nitpicky is a feckless endeavor.
1’s represent cards that I think are pretty bad, and really won’t see much play. In an ideal world, there won’t be too many 1’s.
2’s and 3’s represent cards that I think will show up in decks, and they are actually pretty close in power level.
4’s are reserved for cards that I think are among the best in the set. There are more 4’s than there used to be in my reviews.
I reviewed a few cards as “?”. These are cards that are very unique and hard to wrap my head around. They will likely require a fair amount of testing. If they’re good, I think they’ll be very good. If they’re bad, they’re probably unplayable.
I am going to review the dual class cards in the context of their specific class, so they will be reviewed twice.
Onto the cards….
Demon Hunter
To the surprise of no one, Demon Hunter received some strong cards this set. It also appears to have subsumed Warlocks role as an anti-combo class. Glide and Double Jump appear to be incredible additions to Aggro DH. I am less interested in Stelina. Her effect is very powerful, but her stats leave a lot to be desired in an aggressive deck. For obvious reasons, I think Kreen is better in DH than in Hunter, but it should be good in both classes.
The Soul Fragment deck looks like it may adopt a more midrange style of play. Perhaps this will look more similar to the DH decks we were playing before all of the nerfs, with a bit of a higher curve, and ending games with Lapidary, Adept, and Metamorphosis. I think this will be a promising deck, and it may have different enough match ups to warrant play over the aggo deck.
I am less excited about the rest of Demon Hunter’s cards. It’s unclear what the token deck actually aims to do. I think it’s very optimistic to hope that Wrathscale Naga and Trueaim Crescent will burn down your opponent. Blood Herald seems hilariously bad. Likewise, I don’t think the Big Control deck received anything that makes me want to play it. Ancient Void Hound is just a pile of stats.
Druid appears to have received some obviously powerful cards, but they are cards that will take some time to figure out how best to use them. Omu and Twilight Runner are blatantly powerful cards. However, how to build the deck around them will be a puzzle for players to solve.
Omu and Lightning Bloom seem like they will herald the return of Malygos combo decks. But I also think they are simply good enough cards to be played in a number of druid variants.
Token decks look like they got some help that won’t necessarily force them down the Fungle Fortunes, spell druid route. Runic Carvings, Adorable Infestation, and maybe even Gibberling could work in a deck focused more on Acorn Bearer and Treants.
There are some interesting things going on with Big Beast Druid as well. In a class that can hit 7-mana pretty easily, Guardian Animals into Twilight Runners is an exciting thought. But it’s not an obvious build, and there’s some competition with Dragons doing the same/similar things. I went back and forth on Shand’do a lot, but I think it could play a Frizz-type role in the deck. It ruins your Strength in Numbers plays, but it can contribute to some tempo swings.
Survival of the Fittest doesn’t do much for me, especially after the Fungal Fortunes nerf. But hey, Gift of the Wild saw competitive play, so I won’t count it out completely. That said, I’d be pretty surprised if it is played.
I’m a little annoyed by Hunter. I think it received some very interesting cards. However, I doubt that these decks will be better than our current Highlander, Face, and Dragon Hunter decks. Cards like Demon Companion, Shan’do, and Barkstripper appear to be generally powerful enough to slide right into these decks.
Deathrattle Beasts now has a high enough beast density to work. Bloated Python reminds me a lot of Devilsaur Egg. Trueaim Cresecent can take on the role of a deathrattle activator alongside Lion. And Teacher’s Pet is a serviceable taunt. But if I’m playing a midrange type of Hunter, why not just play Highlander?
Quest Hunter received some new toys that I would have loved to have before Leeroy was HOF’d. But without Leeroy, I’m not sure you’re sticking a board long enough to win. Maybe Quest hooks up with Deathrattle in that regard? Again though – Highlander just seems to do it better.
Finally, Spell Damage Hunter was boosted. But that deck has never really been a thing, and I doubt it will be now. Pen Flinger, Professor Slate, and the gang don’t strike fear into my heart.
I think Mage hit a home run this set. Some manner of spell damage, minion mage looks like the real deal. Lab Partner curves right into Spellbook Binder. There is card draw for days. It will be all about figuring out how it wants to look in the endgame. Mozaki is available for some burn options. Wyrm Weaver can make a board that ends the game if not answered. And there are still Mana Giant-Conjuror’s Calling things.
Also, there are some individual cards that have a high enough power level to fit into Highlander Mage: Combustion, Firebrand, Devolving Missiles, etc.
Likewise, some of those individually powerful cards make Spell Mage better. Although, it’s still unclear how Spell Mage intends to end games. At some point, you’ll have to kill your opponent, and I still don’t see a clear path to that end in Spell Mage.
Pure, Libram, and Control Paladin received some exciting options. All of those decks are slightly different takes on the same concept, so I think they’ll almost all play the same cards. Goody Two-Shields is ridiculously powerful. Paladin received better 1-drops than Sungill in First Day of School. Lord Barov essentially gives a 3rd Libram of Justice. Devout Pupil looks delightful in a deck that has been playing Libram of Wisdom all game.
I am less positive that Argent Braggart is the endgame that these decks needed, but I’m hopeful. Especially since it can be searched with Salhet’s Pride. Likewise, I am not entirely positive how High Abbess Alura works with Lady Liadrin. It would be a real bummer to lose a Wisdom that way. But I still think she may be worth a spot in these decks.
Big Paladin received some cards too. But I just don’t see that deck as ever being competitive above Bronze Ranks. Wave of Apathy is kind of a Frost Nova, so maybe it sees some experimentation, but I doubt it.
The whole Tempo, Buff, or “Cube” priest arechetype gained a lot this expansion. And thanks to some neutral card draw/scry, I think it may finally succeed without needing to fall back on Galakrond RNG (even though it will probably still do that).
Power Word: Feast seems like an insane follow up to Frazzled Freshman, and it allows anything you stick (Voracious Reader?) to trade and continue doing its thing. It’ll be interesting to see if Alura and Pupil make this deck, since you will likely want to forego things like Soul Mirror or Time Rip. Or, it could royally screw up your Inner Fire. In the end, it will be all about figuring out which cards and buffs make the cut, if at all.
If all else fails, we still have Galakrond (sigh).
I think the dual class warlock cards are all better in Warlock because it is easier to change health in that class, especially because of the Soul Fragments. Raise Dead is the exception because Priest cares much less about the 3 damage.
I think Rogue received enough to finally trend away from Galakrond, and maybe lackeys in general. Let’s be honest, we missed smashing people in the face with Waggle Picks. I think between the Stealth package (and the upgrades received in this set) and the new weapon focused cards, Rogue has enough draw and damage to make you forget about Galakrond. Secret Passage is insane. Cutting Class is even more card draw. The curve into Steeldancer is almost flawless.
If you want to go slower and continue to play the Galakrond way, I think Wand Thief is an excellent card. Galakrond Rogue struggles with AOE and (recently) ending the game. Mage spells offer both of those things.
I’d be surprised if Self-Sharpening Sword is played over Scimitar and Pick. Coerce is a good card, but Sap offers similar results for less mana.
I also think Shaman made out like a bandit this set. The obvious stuff comes from the totems – Goliath, Carvings, and Trick Totem. Ways to repopulate the board has been a big issue for the deck, and now they can accomplish it. The early game things are still really weak and will probably rely on neutral cards – but at least it appears to be a step in the right direction. I think Trick Totem is not a good card. But it says “totem” on it, so I think it will be played.
What REALLY excites me, though, is Spell Damage Shaman. Rune Dagger largely means you’ll have spell damage all game long. Especially when combined with Hoard Pillager. This isn’t exactly Skull of the Man’ari-level powerful, but I think it’s pretty dang busted.
Since Shudderwock rotated, Shaman has been missing a way to close games. But now you have the option of a lot of burst from hand boosted by your weapon and whatever spell damage minions you may have stuck on the board. We will have to see what spells we like in this deck, and which we don’t. Tidal Wave seems redundant, but basically offers you a full heal. Molten Blast seems like it’s worse than Serpentshrine Portal, but it comes without the overload. Instructor Fireheart strikes me as a card you are always playing in Shaman until she rotates.
I don’t know what we are doing with Control Warlock. I think you absolutely want to be playing Soul Fragments, but I’m not sure what you do after that. It conflicts with the typical Quest Warlock win conditions. Space is really tight if you’re playing Galakrond. Flesh Giant with Soul Fragments seems absolutely crazy. The tools are here, we just need to decide which work best. I may be wrong, but I don’t think Willow is the answer.
Zoo also got some great cards. Gandling is crazy with lackeys and eggs. Brittlebone Destroyer gives you hard removal attached to a minion body for a reasonable cost. And there are enough good, cheap demons to make Felosophy attractive.
Warrior is in such a good place that it didn’t need to receive very much…and while I don’t think it got as much as some classes, it still received some amazing cards. Troublemaker and Reaper’s Scythe are insane. The weapon cards it shares with Rogue are incredibly powerful. Lord Barov is pretty good, and Shield of Honor might be better than Rampage.
It also got some Big Warrior stuff, and I feel the same way about Big Warrior as I do Big Paladin…it’s not very good. I guess it’s definitely better now…but it’s just hard to justify playing it over the other, very very good Warrior decks. Also, druid almost certainly does it better.
There are some very strong neutrals. And like last set, most of them are very interesting, even if they aren’t good.
I think the headliners are Sphere of Sapience, Voracious Reader, Manafeeder Panthara. It is well documented that certain classes [cough* shaman * paladin * cough] have been unjustly held back by their lack of card draw. Well, now they have it. Kind of. It’s definitely better than it used to be.
Polkelt, Vectus, and Kel’Thuzad provide some very interesting combo and control opportunities.
Tour Guide turns everyone into Demon Hunter for a turn. And Wretched Tutor gives everyone a Volcanic Potion.
All-in-all, I think there are a lot of neutrals that are going to see play.
As main Pally with the most wins i can almost fully agree with you this time. The only card i woulda rated differently is Lord Barov . This is a pure Warrior card imo.
Hes basically only playble in idk a super aggro deck? And even there he is kinda weird since he weakens your board so much and then the opponent only has to kill a 3/2... Its not like you can combo him With Pyromancer or some Lackeys (hes great with the rush or 2 dmg Lackey), only Consecration, or your own minions. And aggro Paladin didnt really needed an Equallity effect . He seems very conditional for me and looks really good in Warrior , but Paladin just has better options imo.
Even in Libram Paladin i never felt i needed more Equallitys, it was mostly the activation for it , like Consecration , Pyro etc. Since those are cards that you sometimes have to use to stay alive earlyier.
My dude, it's not even a 4 out of 4, it's a 5 out of 4. A 1 mana 1/4 weapon in Demon Hunter? With its hero power? And not only that, it has a completely broken effect as well?
It's getting nerfed within the first week for sure.
My dude, it's not even a 4 out of 4, it's a 5 out of 4. A 1 mana 1/4 weapon in Demon Hunter? With its hero power? And not only that, it has a completely broken effect as well?
It's getting nerfed within the first week for sure.
This card can also be not good in every situation. When you draw the 2 mana weapon on turn 2, or when you wanna play the Overseer Satyr , now you have to attack face for 1 or he attacks a minion aswell? not always great.
My dude, it's not even a 4 out of 4, it's a 5 out of 4. A 1 mana 1/4 weapon in Demon Hunter? With its hero power? And not only that, it has a completely broken effect as well?
It's getting nerfed within the first week for sure.
Like Wingdude points out, I'm not sure the effect is broken. And in DH, I think it's quite possibly a detriment most of the time in the early game. You definitely don't want to force your Overseers to attack into a minion, and I don't think you want to be making your battlefiends do it either. It's an excellent Adept activator though. I'll give you that.
It may turn out that you are straight up removing minions often enough with your attack, so the minions have nothing to crash into. If that's the case, then you're right, it's an excellent card. But we'll have to wait and see. Based on my rating, I obviously don't think it'll be the case. But I'm open to being wrong!
Professor Slate 1 star? He isn't limited to only a spell damage hunter. Professor Slate + 1 Rapid Fire is literally a 5 mana 3/4 destroy 2 minions of your choice. Just pop him and 2 rapid fires in any hunter deck...
Professor Slate 1 star? He isn't limited to only a spell damage hunter. Professor Slate + 1 Rapid Fire is literally a 5 mana 3/4 destroy 2 minions of your choice. Just pop him and 2 rapid fires in any hunter deck...
Nah. This seems not fitting for any hunter deck, not worth. Sorry pal, mr Ben is spot on.
Professor Slate 1 star? He isn't limited to only a spell damage hunter. Professor Slate + 1 Rapid Fire is literally a 5 mana 3/4 destroy 2 minions of your choice. Just pop him and 2 rapid fires in any hunter deck...
Nah. This seems not fitting for any hunter deck, not worth. Sorry pal, mr Ben is spot on.
He has Potion of Illusion, Wave of Apathy, and Blessing of Authority as 1 star. Trash ratings enough said.
Rogue: Waggle Pick is 4 damage over 2 turns, Self-Sharpening Sword is 10 damage over 4 turns. So Waggle Pick is a better topdeck and more aggressive, but the Self-Sharpening Sword has some upsides. Its better with buffs like Deadly Poison, but the main feature is that it allows Steeldancer to summon a 3-drop on curve, which is pretty good. I honesty dont know if hyper-aggro face rogue or a bit slower tempo rogue will be better, but in tempo rogue Jandice Barov will be a staple. And Brain Freeze could make the cut in both, 1 mana freeze is very good when you have so much card draw.
Mage: Potion of Illusion is the maker of a new exodia mage. I dont know if the deck will be good, but its promising. Another way to make combo mage work is like a "miracle" mage when you drop Mozaki, Master Duelist + 2x Sorcerer's Apprentices, casting a lot of cheap spells, then Cram Session and Evocation for the reload, and some burn to finish the game.
Warlock: Flesh Giant seems overrated. Its just too slow in zoo and you need more than a vanilla 8/8 for the lategame for control. Raise Dead has a good chance to see play since it can give you more Soul Fragments, or more Doomsayers, and its just the best activator for Brittlebone Destroyer. Desk Imp has a chance in zoo since with a lucky start you can Felosophy into two 2/2s on turn 1.
Shaman: I dont like Trick Totem, but I think its a very good card, so I will play it (I just hate these Yogg-like effects, but they are good on average). I think totem shaman will be good but Runic Carvings might be too slow and Totem Goliath is so bad in a vacuum that Im not even sure it will make the cut. Tour Guide and Trick Totem (and obviousliy Lightning Bloom) are gonna be the real MVPs in the deck.
Rogue: Waggle Pick is 4 damage over 2 turns, Self-Sharpening Sword is 10 damage over 4 turns. So Waggle Pick is a better topdeck and more aggressive, but the Self-Sharpening Sword has some upsides. Its better with buffs like Deadly Poison, but the main feature is that it allows Steeldancer to summon a 3-drop on curve, which is pretty good. I honesty dont know if hyper-aggro face rogue or a bit slower tempo rogue will be better, but in tempo rogue Jandice Barov will be a staple. And Brain Freeze could make the cut in both, 1 mana freeze is very good when you have so much card draw.
Mage: Potion of Illusion is the maker of a new exodia mage. I dont know if the deck will be good, but its promising. Another way to make combo mage work is like a "miracle" mage when you drop Mozaki, Master Duelist + 2x Sorcerer's Apprentices, casting a lot of cheap spells, then Cram Session and Evocation for the reload, and some burn to finish the game.
Warlock: Flesh Giant seems overrated. Its just too slow in zoo and you need more than a vanilla 8/8 for the lategame for control. Raise Dead has a good chance to see play since it can give you more Soul Fragments, or more Doomsayers, and its just the best activator for Brittlebone Destroyer. Desk Imp has a chance in zoo since with a lucky start you can Felosophy into two 2/2s on turn 1.
Shaman: I dont like Trick Totem, but I think its a very good card, so I will play it (I just hate these Yogg-like effects, but they are good on average). I think totem shaman will be good but Runic Carvings might be too slow and Totem Goliath is so bad in a vacuum that Im not even sure it will make the cut. Tour Guide and Trick Totem (and obviousliy Lightning Bloom) are gonna be the real MVPs in the deck.
And I pretty much agree with the rest.
Great points on Self Sharpening sword. I think you're right.
I also think I may have underrated Raise Dead as a Brittlebone activator. We will have to see if activators end up being necessary, or if it's fine stand alone.
Just thought I'd chime in and say I agree 100% with your introduction. I hope gonig forwards we will see many more powerful cards and many more nerfs as required. Good call - my number 1 card in the set was Goody Two-Shields...not especially flashy, but as soon as you think about the turn 4 it will lead into extremely reliably the card is IMO deceptively strong.
4/3 for 4 isn't good, but 4/3 for 4, effectively destroy one of your opponent's cards and see two others? Like, jeez man, this card is very, very strong, it's not just not bad, it's possibly extremely good.
This last meta has been heavy on tempo, but that doesn't mean it's going to stay that way.
Felosophy is a 2/2 for 1. Blazing Battlemage is in every Demon Hunter, this can give you 2 2/4s with an upside for 3, 5/3x2 overseer, lots of good stuff dude.
Professor Slate 1 star? He isn't limited to only a spell damage hunter. Professor Slate + 1 Rapid Fire is literally a 5 mana 3/4 destroy 2 minions of your choice. Just pop him and 2 rapid fires in any hunter deck...
Thats the mistake most people make when evaluating cards outside of classes with absurd carddraw. Just like Pyro+Libram of Justice isnt op and is actually hard to pull of since you always seem to miss a part of that combo, the same goes for Hunter. Hunter isnt a class that can hold on for combo peaces.(Classes with healing can do that, and even there ...) Every card basically does something broken or proactive.
Generally speaking you never wanna play 2 bad cards to make 1 good combo, unless you have godlike carddraw or its a gamewining one.
Yeah some of his ratings are probably flawed, like he said before 'I'm open to being wrong'.
But you're the only person here that just says that he's wrong and doesn't prove a point as to why he's wrong by giving actual feedback or critisisme. You're just being negative and that's it. If you'd know it that much better, then you can explain why without just putting down his ratings as trash.
A lot of proplayers have also said that glide is actually a trash card because of how outcast works, but they build it up with actual facts.
Intro:
Overall, I think this is a very powerful set, and it seems to represent a change in design philosophy. Rather than give us incredibly underwhelming sets that don’t require any nerfs like Rastakhan’s Rumble, most of the cards in this set appear to be pushed. I imagine Blizzard will be just as active with nerfs as they were with Ashes of Outlands. Personally, I like this. It is more fun to play with powerful things and tune them down, rather than be stuck with cards you never play.
Rating System:
My rating system is 1 to 4, using whole numbers only. Standard only. Getting more nitpicky is a feckless endeavor.
1’s represent cards that I think are pretty bad, and really won’t see much play. In an ideal world, there won’t be too many 1’s.
2’s and 3’s represent cards that I think will show up in decks, and they are actually pretty close in power level.
4’s are reserved for cards that I think are among the best in the set. There are more 4’s than there used to be in my reviews.
I reviewed a few cards as “?”. These are cards that are very unique and hard to wrap my head around. They will likely require a fair amount of testing. If they’re good, I think they’ll be very good. If they’re bad, they’re probably unplayable.
I am going to review the dual class cards in the context of their specific class, so they will be reviewed twice.
Onto the cards….
Demon Hunter
To the surprise of no one, Demon Hunter received some strong cards this set. It also appears to have subsumed Warlocks role as an anti-combo class. Glide and Double Jump appear to be incredible additions to Aggro DH. I am less interested in Stelina. Her effect is very powerful, but her stats leave a lot to be desired in an aggressive deck. For obvious reasons, I think Kreen is better in DH than in Hunter, but it should be good in both classes.
The Soul Fragment deck looks like it may adopt a more midrange style of play. Perhaps this will look more similar to the DH decks we were playing before all of the nerfs, with a bit of a higher curve, and ending games with Lapidary, Adept, and Metamorphosis. I think this will be a promising deck, and it may have different enough match ups to warrant play over the aggo deck.
I am less excited about the rest of Demon Hunter’s cards. It’s unclear what the token deck actually aims to do. I think it’s very optimistic to hope that Wrathscale Naga and Trueaim Crescent will burn down your opponent. Blood Herald seems hilariously bad. Likewise, I don’t think the Big Control deck received anything that makes me want to play it. Ancient Void Hound is just a pile of stats.
Druid
Druid appears to have received some obviously powerful cards, but they are cards that will take some time to figure out how best to use them. Omu and Twilight Runner are blatantly powerful cards. However, how to build the deck around them will be a puzzle for players to solve.
Omu and Lightning Bloom seem like they will herald the return of Malygos combo decks. But I also think they are simply good enough cards to be played in a number of druid variants.
Token decks look like they got some help that won’t necessarily force them down the Fungle Fortunes, spell druid route. Runic Carvings, Adorable Infestation, and maybe even Gibberling could work in a deck focused more on Acorn Bearer and Treants.
There are some interesting things going on with Big Beast Druid as well. In a class that can hit 7-mana pretty easily, Guardian Animals into Twilight Runners is an exciting thought. But it’s not an obvious build, and there’s some competition with Dragons doing the same/similar things. I went back and forth on Shand’do a lot, but I think it could play a Frizz-type role in the deck. It ruins your Strength in Numbers plays, but it can contribute to some tempo swings.
Survival of the Fittest doesn’t do much for me, especially after the Fungal Fortunes nerf. But hey, Gift of the Wild saw competitive play, so I won’t count it out completely. That said, I’d be pretty surprised if it is played.
Hunter
I’m a little annoyed by Hunter. I think it received some very interesting cards. However, I doubt that these decks will be better than our current Highlander, Face, and Dragon Hunter decks. Cards like Demon Companion, Shan’do, and Barkstripper appear to be generally powerful enough to slide right into these decks.
Deathrattle Beasts now has a high enough beast density to work. Bloated Python reminds me a lot of Devilsaur Egg. Trueaim Cresecent can take on the role of a deathrattle activator alongside Lion. And Teacher’s Pet is a serviceable taunt. But if I’m playing a midrange type of Hunter, why not just play Highlander?
Quest Hunter received some new toys that I would have loved to have before Leeroy was HOF’d. But without Leeroy, I’m not sure you’re sticking a board long enough to win. Maybe Quest hooks up with Deathrattle in that regard? Again though – Highlander just seems to do it better.
Finally, Spell Damage Hunter was boosted. But that deck has never really been a thing, and I doubt it will be now. Pen Flinger, Professor Slate, and the gang don’t strike fear into my heart.
Mage
I think Mage hit a home run this set. Some manner of spell damage, minion mage looks like the real deal. Lab Partner curves right into Spellbook Binder. There is card draw for days. It will be all about figuring out how it wants to look in the endgame. Mozaki is available for some burn options. Wyrm Weaver can make a board that ends the game if not answered. And there are still Mana Giant-Conjuror’s Calling things.
Also, there are some individual cards that have a high enough power level to fit into Highlander Mage: Combustion, Firebrand, Devolving Missiles, etc.
Likewise, some of those individually powerful cards make Spell Mage better. Although, it’s still unclear how Spell Mage intends to end games. At some point, you’ll have to kill your opponent, and I still don’t see a clear path to that end in Spell Mage.
Paladin
Pure, Libram, and Control Paladin received some exciting options. All of those decks are slightly different takes on the same concept, so I think they’ll almost all play the same cards. Goody Two-Shields is ridiculously powerful. Paladin received better 1-drops than Sungill in First Day of School. Lord Barov essentially gives a 3rd Libram of Justice. Devout Pupil looks delightful in a deck that has been playing Libram of Wisdom all game.
I am less positive that Argent Braggart is the endgame that these decks needed, but I’m hopeful. Especially since it can be searched with Salhet’s Pride. Likewise, I am not entirely positive how High Abbess Alura works with Lady Liadrin. It would be a real bummer to lose a Wisdom that way. But I still think she may be worth a spot in these decks.
Big Paladin received some cards too. But I just don’t see that deck as ever being competitive above Bronze Ranks. Wave of Apathy is kind of a Frost Nova, so maybe it sees some experimentation, but I doubt it.
Priest
The whole Tempo, Buff, or “Cube” priest arechetype gained a lot this expansion. And thanks to some neutral card draw/scry, I think it may finally succeed without needing to fall back on Galakrond RNG (even though it will probably still do that).
Power Word: Feast seems like an insane follow up to Frazzled Freshman, and it allows anything you stick (Voracious Reader?) to trade and continue doing its thing. It’ll be interesting to see if Alura and Pupil make this deck, since you will likely want to forego things like Soul Mirror or Time Rip. Or, it could royally screw up your Inner Fire. In the end, it will be all about figuring out which cards and buffs make the cut, if at all.
If all else fails, we still have Galakrond (sigh).
I think the dual class warlock cards are all better in Warlock because it is easier to change health in that class, especially because of the Soul Fragments. Raise Dead is the exception because Priest cares much less about the 3 damage.
Rogue
I think Rogue received enough to finally trend away from Galakrond, and maybe lackeys in general. Let’s be honest, we missed smashing people in the face with Waggle Picks. I think between the Stealth package (and the upgrades received in this set) and the new weapon focused cards, Rogue has enough draw and damage to make you forget about Galakrond. Secret Passage is insane. Cutting Class is even more card draw. The curve into Steeldancer is almost flawless.
If you want to go slower and continue to play the Galakrond way, I think Wand Thief is an excellent card. Galakrond Rogue struggles with AOE and (recently) ending the game. Mage spells offer both of those things.
I’d be surprised if Self-Sharpening Sword is played over Scimitar and Pick. Coerce is a good card, but Sap offers similar results for less mana.
Shaman
I also think Shaman made out like a bandit this set. The obvious stuff comes from the totems – Goliath, Carvings, and Trick Totem. Ways to repopulate the board has been a big issue for the deck, and now they can accomplish it. The early game things are still really weak and will probably rely on neutral cards – but at least it appears to be a step in the right direction. I think Trick Totem is not a good card. But it says “totem” on it, so I think it will be played.
What REALLY excites me, though, is Spell Damage Shaman. Rune Dagger largely means you’ll have spell damage all game long. Especially when combined with Hoard Pillager. This isn’t exactly Skull of the Man’ari-level powerful, but I think it’s pretty dang busted.
Since Shudderwock rotated, Shaman has been missing a way to close games. But now you have the option of a lot of burst from hand boosted by your weapon and whatever spell damage minions you may have stuck on the board. We will have to see what spells we like in this deck, and which we don’t. Tidal Wave seems redundant, but basically offers you a full heal. Molten Blast seems like it’s worse than Serpentshrine Portal, but it comes without the overload. Instructor Fireheart strikes me as a card you are always playing in Shaman until she rotates.
Warlock
I don’t know what we are doing with Control Warlock. I think you absolutely want to be playing Soul Fragments, but I’m not sure what you do after that. It conflicts with the typical Quest Warlock win conditions. Space is really tight if you’re playing Galakrond. Flesh Giant with Soul Fragments seems absolutely crazy. The tools are here, we just need to decide which work best. I may be wrong, but I don’t think Willow is the answer.
Zoo also got some great cards. Gandling is crazy with lackeys and eggs. Brittlebone Destroyer gives you hard removal attached to a minion body for a reasonable cost. And there are enough good, cheap demons to make Felosophy attractive.
Warrior
Warrior is in such a good place that it didn’t need to receive very much…and while I don’t think it got as much as some classes, it still received some amazing cards. Troublemaker and Reaper’s Scythe are insane. The weapon cards it shares with Rogue are incredibly powerful. Lord Barov is pretty good, and Shield of Honor might be better than Rampage.
It also got some Big Warrior stuff, and I feel the same way about Big Warrior as I do Big Paladin…it’s not very good. I guess it’s definitely better now…but it’s just hard to justify playing it over the other, very very good Warrior decks. Also, druid almost certainly does it better.
Neutrals
There are some very strong neutrals. And like last set, most of them are very interesting, even if they aren’t good.
I think the headliners are Sphere of Sapience, Voracious Reader, Manafeeder Panthara. It is well documented that certain classes [cough* shaman * paladin * cough] have been unjustly held back by their lack of card draw. Well, now they have it. Kind of. It’s definitely better than it used to be.
Polkelt, Vectus, and Kel’Thuzad provide some very interesting combo and control opportunities.
Tour Guide turns everyone into Demon Hunter for a turn. And Wretched Tutor gives everyone a Volcanic Potion.
All-in-all, I think there are a lot of neutrals that are going to see play.
So I think that covers everything. If I were asked which cards would be nerfed, I would think it may be these (in no particular order):
- Glide
- Goody Two-Shields
- Secret Passage
- Voracious Reader
AKA, I think these cards are probably too far overtuned.
Thanks Ben, as always your review is much appreciated
I was waiting for your review, not disappointed. Secret passage is nuts, I think it will be nerfed in just a few weeks from expansion's day 1.
Always happy to do it. Thank you :)
Thanks so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
And yeah - I have no clue how secret passage made it to release in this form.
As main Pally with the most wins i can almost fully agree with you this time. The only card i woulda rated differently is Lord Barov . This is a pure Warrior card imo.
Hes basically only playble in idk a super aggro deck? And even there he is kinda weird since he weakens your board so much and then the opponent only has to kill a 3/2... Its not like you can combo him With Pyromancer or some Lackeys (hes great with the rush or 2 dmg Lackey), only Consecration, or your own minions. And aggro Paladin didnt really needed an Equallity effect . He seems very conditional for me and looks really good in Warrior , but Paladin just has better options imo.
Even in Libram Paladin i never felt i needed more Equallitys, it was mostly the activation for it , like Consecration , Pyro etc. Since those are cards that you sometimes have to use to stay alive earlyier.
You think [card]Trueaim Crescent[/card] is a 1?
My dude, it's not even a 4 out of 4, it's a 5 out of 4. A 1 mana 1/4 weapon in Demon Hunter? With its hero power? And not only that, it has a completely broken effect as well?
It's getting nerfed within the first week for sure.
This card can also be not good in every situation. When you draw the 2 mana weapon on turn 2, or when you wanna play the Overseer Satyr , now you have to attack face for 1 or he attacks a minion aswell? not always great.
Like Wingdude points out, I'm not sure the effect is broken. And in DH, I think it's quite possibly a detriment most of the time in the early game. You definitely don't want to force your Overseers to attack into a minion, and I don't think you want to be making your battlefiends do it either. It's an excellent Adept activator though. I'll give you that.
It may turn out that you are straight up removing minions often enough with your attack, so the minions have nothing to crash into. If that's the case, then you're right, it's an excellent card. But we'll have to wait and see. Based on my rating, I obviously don't think it'll be the case. But I'm open to being wrong!
Professor Slate 1 star? He isn't limited to only a spell damage hunter. Professor Slate + 1 Rapid Fire is literally a 5 mana 3/4 destroy 2 minions of your choice. Just pop him and 2 rapid fires in any hunter deck...
Keymaster Alabaster come faster
Nah. This seems not fitting for any hunter deck, not worth. Sorry pal, mr Ben is spot on.
He has Potion of Illusion, Wave of Apathy, and Blessing of Authority as 1 star. Trash ratings enough said.
Keymaster Alabaster come faster
Thanks for the review! Some thoughts:
Rogue: Waggle Pick is 4 damage over 2 turns, Self-Sharpening Sword is 10 damage over 4 turns. So Waggle Pick is a better topdeck and more aggressive, but the Self-Sharpening Sword has some upsides. Its better with buffs like Deadly Poison, but the main feature is that it allows Steeldancer to summon a 3-drop on curve, which is pretty good. I honesty dont know if hyper-aggro face rogue or a bit slower tempo rogue will be better, but in tempo rogue Jandice Barov will be a staple. And Brain Freeze could make the cut in both, 1 mana freeze is very good when you have so much card draw.
Mage: Potion of Illusion is the maker of a new exodia mage. I dont know if the deck will be good, but its promising. Another way to make combo mage work is like a "miracle" mage when you drop Mozaki, Master Duelist + 2x Sorcerer's Apprentices, casting a lot of cheap spells, then Cram Session and Evocation for the reload, and some burn to finish the game.
Warlock: Flesh Giant seems overrated. Its just too slow in zoo and you need more than a vanilla 8/8 for the lategame for control. Raise Dead has a good chance to see play since it can give you more Soul Fragments, or more Doomsayers, and its just the best activator for Brittlebone Destroyer. Desk Imp has a chance in zoo since with a lucky start you can Felosophy into two 2/2s on turn 1.
Shaman: I dont like Trick Totem, but I think its a very good card, so I will play it (I just hate these Yogg-like effects, but they are good on average). I think totem shaman will be good but Runic Carvings might be too slow and Totem Goliath is so bad in a vacuum that Im not even sure it will make the cut. Tour Guide and Trick Totem (and obviousliy Lightning Bloom) are gonna be the real MVPs in the deck.
And I pretty much agree with the rest.
Who hurt you, friend?
Also, have fun playing Toni OTK in a format with Glide.
...and Illucia, and Unseen Saboteur, and Blatant Decoy....
Great points on Self Sharpening sword. I think you're right.
I also think I may have underrated Raise Dead as a Brittlebone activator. We will have to see if activators end up being necessary, or if it's fine stand alone.
Thanks for the great feedback.
The deck will be fine though I wouldn't play it probably and no one hurt me people are pretending his ratings are good and they are very flawed
Keymaster Alabaster come faster
Just thought I'd chime in and say I agree 100% with your introduction. I hope gonig forwards we will see many more powerful cards and many more nerfs as required. Good call - my number 1 card in the set was Goody Two-Shields...not especially flashy, but as soon as you think about the turn 4 it will lead into extremely reliably the card is IMO deceptively strong.
Mmm
I think you grotesquely underestimate Star Student Stelina.
4/3 for 4 isn't good, but 4/3 for 4, effectively destroy one of your opponent's cards and see two others? Like, jeez man, this card is very, very strong, it's not just not bad, it's possibly extremely good.
This last meta has been heavy on tempo, but that doesn't mean it's going to stay that way.
Felosophy is a 2/2 for 1. Blazing Battlemage is in every Demon Hunter, this can give you 2 2/4s with an upside for 3, 5/3x2 overseer, lots of good stuff dude.
This is me, Twitch merger broke my account: https://www.hearthpwn.com/members/Alkan53
Thats the mistake most people make when evaluating cards outside of classes with absurd carddraw. Just like Pyro+Libram of Justice isnt op and is actually hard to pull of since you always seem to miss a part of that combo, the same goes for Hunter. Hunter isnt a class that can hold on for combo peaces.(Classes with healing can do that, and even there ...) Every card basically does something broken or proactive.
Generally speaking you never wanna play 2 bad cards to make 1 good combo, unless you have godlike carddraw or its a gamewining one.
Yeah some of his ratings are probably flawed, like he said before 'I'm open to being wrong'.
But you're the only person here that just says that he's wrong and doesn't prove a point as to why he's wrong by giving actual feedback or critisisme. You're just being negative and that's it.
If you'd know it that much better, then you can explain why without just putting down his ratings as trash.
A lot of proplayers have also said that glide is actually a trash card because of how outcast works, but they build it up with actual facts.