I have read several people saying that the meta won't change that much with the new expansion, and that it will stay dominated by aggro decks like pirate warrior. When I look to the new cards, I have found several « anti-aggro » cards, but somme of them seem « meh »… and I also have to admit that some cards of this expansions would fit in aggro decks…
Did I missed some cards ? What do you think of this ones ?
This expansion brings serious tools for a taunt druid, so I think druid will be able to severely beat the aggro decks.
Hunter : none
No anti-aggro cards, nor class aggro cards… The hunter will have to try deathrattle decks, but it seems very weak to aggro decks and will probably stay tier 3.
Paladin have a lot of taunt and divine shield minions, with good heals later in the game. It has tools both for aggro and for controls decks. Paladin will probably be one of the best class in the new meta.
Bring It On! seems to have a big drawback to use against aggro decks so I am not sure it will be used. Mountainfire Armor will do at least 2 trades, or will give you armor, so it seems to be a good anti-aggro tool.
Happy Ghoul could only see play in priest, and offers a good tempo for an anti-aggro deck but aside of it is really meh. Corpsetaker will be one of the better cards of the expansion, but only a few classes may be able to really profit of it. Saronite Chain Gang could help goons decks.
I wouldn't be surprised if you have undervalued lifesteal minions and more of those cards should be included. If an aggro player leaves them alive they heal multiple times, so they will probably have to actually trade, redirecting damage from the face and healing once in the process.
We didn't get stuff that stops aggro dead, but we did get some cards to stabilize faster until they run out of steam. It's still going to be a struggle, but with much better chances of positive outcome. I have to disagree about Rogue, i believe Shadowblade and Doomerang will be very valuable against Pirate Warrior matchups, especially considering the fact that most of their minions sport 3 health (exept Frothing Berserker, Naga Corsair and Bloodsail cultist), but with all the stuff we've got, we should be able to hold on for a turn or two more which is usually enough to turn the tables. Unless they have godly hand. Against token decks, it's more of a board control battle, but that should be even less of a fuss now.
Prince Valanar will be a great anti-aggro card in Rogue, especially if coined out on T3. Not to mention it's a show stopper for token decks.
Shadowblade is great card. It removes a 3 health minion on T3 while being immune, and on T4 you can play Doomerang for 3 more damage, return the Shadowblade to your hand, equip it again and deal 3 more damage without being harmed. As soon as you stabilize you can put on some buffs and Leeching Poison. If that is not playable, i don't know what is. You certainly won't be dead by T5 as usual.
so I personally don't believe the meta will change much, but I might mean something different than what you think that means when I say that. I believe aggro decks will be powerful, probably the same ones a little tweaked, and that both control and midrange decks will diversify. The overall atmosphere of the meta will be the same, which I like because I enjoyed un'goro a lot, but we will have more interesting decks in the midrange and control area as well as more options for off-meta decks which is where I tend to put my energy.
I believe that antiaggro cards will give new control decks and midrange decks places in the meta, but aggro will live on because it is aggro and they did not make any control or midrange decks too op, I was worried with the bonemare, but it seems it has no real place in most decks after all.
In terms of anti-aggro cards you may have missed some.
Hunter has bloat bat and the hero card, not that either is good, but they exist, just saying.
Mage, mage got I guess the mirror entity giver and not much else, but mage has been beating aggro in the current meta. The mirror entity giver probably goes in secret mage and not much else, and that might make secret mage viable enough to be tier 3 on ladder, so it actually sees play as opposed to being just a tournament deck for the adventurous.
Druid, literally half of druids cards are anti aggro. Easier to list the ones that aren't useful against aggro: hadronox, webweave, and ultimate infestation.
Priest, yeah they got nothing else new, but they are priest, they win aggro matchups most of the time.
Rogue, well rogue has always been a little weak to aggro, but it has gotten better over the years, with swashburglar patches, backstab, eviscerate, and fan of knives they have had tools. the shadow blade helps a little, and doomerang in synergy is also good.
Paladin, that is not an anti-aggro minion, that is an aggro minion, paladin got a bunch of lifesteal mechanics to help out and was decent versus aggro anyway.
Shaman, well there is also the voodoo hexxer, five mana decent taunt with freeze so it deals with pirate warrior weapons incredibly well, singlehandedly winning shaman versus pirate matchups.
Warlock, yup, plus there is the new despicable dreadlord, basically just a card that says aggro can't engage board right now.
Warrior, bring it on is best against aggro because warrior can easily deal with howerver much aggro pushes board, and 10 armor is useful in that matchup. Warrior currently suffers as a control deck because it can't beat control, it can destroy aggro.
Neutral, you might have missed meat wagon, a bit of a slow card, but it can pull out doomsayer, which technically makes it anti-aggro, though probably too slow to see play. What about prince valanar, taunt and lifesteal is decent, some decks don't run 4 drops much anyway, so it could be good.
So yeah, you missed some, but the thought that aggro is a plague and we need anit-aggro cards to fix it is just wrong imo. We need anti-aggro cards to make more control decks work, but we don't need aggro to suck.
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Just fill your deck with one drops, that is creative deck design, right?
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Hi everyone
I have read several people saying that the meta won't change that much with the new expansion, and that it will stay dominated by aggro decks like pirate warrior. When I look to the new cards, I have found several « anti-aggro » cards, but somme of them seem « meh »… and I also have to admit that some cards of this expansions would fit in aggro decks…
Did I missed some cards ? What do you think of this ones ?
(I will keep this first post up to date).
Druid : Druid of the Swarm, Crypt Lord, Gnash
This expansion brings serious tools for a taunt druid, so I think druid will be able to severely beat the aggro decks.
Hunter : none
No anti-aggro cards, nor class aggro cards… The hunter will have to try deathrattle decks, but it seems very weak to aggro decks and will probably stay tier 3.
Mage : Breath of Sindragosa
Do not seem to be a very good tool, since it is a random target. So mage will still have to rely on its hero power and current cards.
Paladin : Righteous Protector
Paladin have a lot of taunt and divine shield minions, with good heals later in the game. It has tools both for aggro and for controls decks. Paladin will probably be one of the best class in the new meta.
Priest : Spirit Lash
May be better than the Wild Pyromancer combo, cause it comes earlier and should be more consistent cause it just need one card.
Rogue : Shadowblade
With no heal option and weak new anti-aggro tools, rogue will still have hard time against aggro.
Shaman : Drakkari Defender
To much counterback for this card, that seems a bad anti-aggro tool. So the shaman will have to aggro if he don't want to be aggroed.
Warlock : Defile, Drain Soul
Defile could be one of the best cheap AOE of the game. Drain Soul should see more play than the old Drain Life.
Warrior : Bring It On!, Mountainfire Armor
Bring It On! seems to have a big drawback to use against aggro decks so I am not sure it will be used. Mountainfire Armor will do at least 2 trades, or will give you armor, so it seems to be a good anti-aggro tool.
Neutral : Happy Ghoul, Corpsetaker, Saronite Chain Gang
Happy Ghoul could only see play in priest, and offers a good tempo for an anti-aggro deck but aside of it is really meh. Corpsetaker will be one of the better cards of the expansion, but only a few classes may be able to really profit of it. Saronite Chain Gang could help goons decks.
I wouldn't be surprised if you have undervalued lifesteal minions and more of those cards should be included. If an aggro player leaves them alive they heal multiple times, so they will probably have to actually trade, redirecting damage from the face and healing once in the process.
you forgot one of the best anti aggro card Spreading Plague
Let's not fool ourselves. Druid of the Swarm is an aggro card.
Lifesteal. Lifesteal. Lifesteal.
This is going to kill aggro.
We didn't get stuff that stops aggro dead, but we did get some cards to stabilize faster until they run out of steam. It's still going to be a struggle, but with much better chances of positive outcome. I have to disagree about Rogue, i believe Shadowblade and Doomerang will be very valuable against Pirate Warrior matchups, especially considering the fact that most of their minions sport 3 health (exept Frothing Berserker, Naga Corsair and Bloodsail cultist), but with all the stuff we've got, we should be able to hold on for a turn or two more which is usually enough to turn the tables. Unless they have godly hand. Against token decks, it's more of a board control battle, but that should be even less of a fuss now.
As you can see, the classes that need it most either got nothing or got something unplayably bad (Rogue).
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Prince Valanar will be a great anti-aggro card in Rogue, especially if coined out on T3. Not to mention it's a show stopper for token decks.
Shadowblade is great card. It removes a 3 health minion on T3 while being immune, and on T4 you can play Doomerang for 3 more damage, return the Shadowblade to your hand, equip it again and deal 3 more damage without being harmed. As soon as you stabilize you can put on some buffs and Leeching Poison. If that is not playable, i don't know what is. You certainly won't be dead by T5 as usual.
Aggro is not gonna die. Game balance cannot afford that.
You just have tools to slow it down and have some chances to fight it back.
No aggro killer in this expansion.
Lifesteal in general is going to save control. Priest especially is going to shit on aggro
so I personally don't believe the meta will change much, but I might mean something different than what you think that means when I say that. I believe aggro decks will be powerful, probably the same ones a little tweaked, and that both control and midrange decks will diversify. The overall atmosphere of the meta will be the same, which I like because I enjoyed un'goro a lot, but we will have more interesting decks in the midrange and control area as well as more options for off-meta decks which is where I tend to put my energy.
I believe that antiaggro cards will give new control decks and midrange decks places in the meta, but aggro will live on because it is aggro and they did not make any control or midrange decks too op, I was worried with the bonemare, but it seems it has no real place in most decks after all.
In terms of anti-aggro cards you may have missed some.
Hunter has bloat bat and the hero card, not that either is good, but they exist, just saying.
Mage, mage got I guess the mirror entity giver and not much else, but mage has been beating aggro in the current meta. The mirror entity giver probably goes in secret mage and not much else, and that might make secret mage viable enough to be tier 3 on ladder, so it actually sees play as opposed to being just a tournament deck for the adventurous.
Druid, literally half of druids cards are anti aggro. Easier to list the ones that aren't useful against aggro: hadronox, webweave, and ultimate infestation.
Priest, yeah they got nothing else new, but they are priest, they win aggro matchups most of the time.
Rogue, well rogue has always been a little weak to aggro, but it has gotten better over the years, with swashburglar patches, backstab, eviscerate, and fan of knives they have had tools. the shadow blade helps a little, and doomerang in synergy is also good.
Paladin, that is not an anti-aggro minion, that is an aggro minion, paladin got a bunch of lifesteal mechanics to help out and was decent versus aggro anyway.
Shaman, well there is also the voodoo hexxer, five mana decent taunt with freeze so it deals with pirate warrior weapons incredibly well, singlehandedly winning shaman versus pirate matchups.
Warlock, yup, plus there is the new despicable dreadlord, basically just a card that says aggro can't engage board right now.
Warrior, bring it on is best against aggro because warrior can easily deal with howerver much aggro pushes board, and 10 armor is useful in that matchup. Warrior currently suffers as a control deck because it can't beat control, it can destroy aggro.
Neutral, you might have missed meat wagon, a bit of a slow card, but it can pull out doomsayer, which technically makes it anti-aggro, though probably too slow to see play. What about prince valanar, taunt and lifesteal is decent, some decks don't run 4 drops much anyway, so it could be good.
So yeah, you missed some, but the thought that aggro is a plague and we need anit-aggro cards to fix it is just wrong imo. We need anti-aggro cards to make more control decks work, but we don't need aggro to suck.
Just fill your deck with one drops, that is creative deck design, right?