Witchwood expansion introduces a new card, Azalina Soulthief. Multiple people already pointed out that the card seems gimmicky. Trying to figure out myself what it could possibly be used for, here is what I came up with:
The latest reveal video claimed 18 new playble deck styles (even an odd for each class), this is Blizzard's statement, not mine, at 1:30 of Dean Ayala's video.
If the above is true, you could be matched against an inverse of your own class (you're odd druid, he's even druid).
As it stands, omitting odd/even cards seriously gimps your deck. For example, most powerful existing druid cards are even (Ultimate Infestation, Spreading Plague, Swipe).
What if one was to use Azalina to obtain the cards your deck is missing from the opponent's hand?
Well, you need to have some major oracle skills. But until then, it would be used at wild- King togwaggle, emperor thaurassian - azalia kind of combo. So you put both, king and her, on the board, and got control not only of your opponents deck, but his hand too
The opponent's cards thing is irrelevant, the point is that if you empty your hand before your opponent does you dodge her downside. Her use is virtually identical to a 3/3 for 7 with Battlecry: Divine Favor. In other words, she goes in aggro decks, particularly those that aren't Paladin or Warlock.
The biggest use I see for this card is when you see a warlock using Rin The Disciple. At any point in time during their summoning of the seals, you can play Azalina and give them the same threat of destroying their deck. They will be one turn ahead of you but if you already have some taunt minions on the board, you may still be able to out last them. Also, Warlock typically runs pretty low on health for most of the game so if you are playing a hero such as priest, you may be able to outlast them due to your healing power. Also, if you started with Baku in your deck (Azalina is an odd cost card) your hero power gives you 4 health per heal. That should be good enough to out last them once the fatigue damage starts....
Well, I wouldn't say Malfurion, The Pestilent is any less powerful than any odd Druid card, also Gloom Stag seems pretty strong (and fun!) and who knows, maybe the best new Druid cards will be odd (looking at you, 2 empty legendary spots)
I honestly think Azaline is one of or maybe the best card in the whole game. Any card that can draw a full hand standalone deems to be OP.
I'm skeptical. I want to believe, but Divine Favor draws a whole hand in the same situation, but draws from your own deck and doesn't require discarding your hand and it 4 mana less, and it has yet to be nerfed, so I don't think Azaline will be OP.
Thing is, if it's against aggro, it's too slow, does nothing when played that affects the board or your hero, and most likely won't even give you that many cards, if it's against control it still won't help you, even if you get their whole hand, their hand will most likely be a mixed bag, and most likely would lack enough synergy to justify even playing those cards you get.
I honestly think Azaline is one of or maybe the best card in the whole game. Any card that can draw a full hand standalone deems to be OP.
I'm skeptical. I want to believe, but Divine Favor draws a whole hand in the same situation, but draws from your own deck and doesn't require discarding your hand and it 4 mana less, and it has yet to be nerfed, so I don't think Azaline will be OP.
Devine favour is not neutral thought, who knows which deck could abuse azelina most maybe odd facehunter or some disgusting thing like that i could easily see that.
Throw it in a mid-range hunter. If you draw it by the time you're running low on cards, BOOM, full hand of cards that are actually being run in decks to help you finish off their hopefully low-health. Hunter's biggest problem is when they run out of steam due to their low card draw. And if you don't draw it? Well you're midrange hunter, it's not like it's taking the place of some different steam-revitilizer, it's really more of a tech card i suppose
I feel like it will be a great meme addition to King Togwaggle decks where you change decks and then obtain a copy of the random spell to change decks again if your opponent chooses to get his deck back.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken
Well, you need to have some major oracle skills. But until then, it would be used at wild- King togwaggle, emperor thaurassian - azalia kind of combo. So you put both, king and her, on the board, and got control not only of your opponents deck, but his hand too
I know that is what I am already going to do in wild when Azalina releases. :) It will fit nicely as another type of Aviana Kun combo.
Well, you need to have some major oracle skills. But until then, it would be used at wild- King togwaggle, emperor thaurassian - azalia kind of combo. So you put both, king and her, on the board, and got control not only of your opponents deck, but his hand too
I know that is what I am already going to do in wild when Azalina releases. :) It will fit nicely as another type of Aviana Kun combo.
Well, you need to have some major oracle skills. But until then, it would be used at wild- King togwaggle, emperor thaurassian - azalia kind of combo. So you put both, king and her, on the board, and got control not only of your opponents deck, but his hand too
I know that is what I am already going to do in wild when Azalina releases. :) It will fit nicely as another type of Aviana Kun combo.
No it won't.
You must be new to combo decks that screw the opponent's deck over, but in wild I've had plenty of success with decks that have massive stall and cycle mechanics, then swapping and taking a slow control player's deck while giving them only a few garbage cards. Azalina will also amplify this playstyle by opening up the potential of also taking copies of combo player's win conditions already in hand, which you will be able to draw into the remaining pieces since you will also have their deck.
Instead of immediately poo-pooing a card it may be beneficial to theorycraft first and then try it out.
The opponent's cards thing is irrelevant, the point is that if you empty your hand before your opponent does you dodge her downside. Her use is virtually identical to a 3/3 for 7 with Battlecry: Divine Favor. In other words, she goes in aggro decks, particularly those that aren't Paladin or Warlock.
What does an aggro deck do with the opponent's cards? Either the opponent is playing aggro and has a hand as empty as you do, or they're not playing aggro and you're trying to go face with anti aggro tools.
The opponent's cards thing is irrelevant, the point is that if you empty your hand before your opponent does you dodge her downside. Her use is virtually identical to a 3/3 for 7 with Battlecry: Divine Favor. In other words, she goes in aggro decks, particularly those that aren't Paladin or Warlock.
What does an aggro deck do with the opponent's cards? Either the opponent is playing aggro and has a hand as empty as you do, or they're not playing aggro and you're trying to go face with anti aggro tools.
Control decks still have threats (usually big threats), speed bump minions and removal, and often card draw and/or direct damage. All of these are useful: threats are obviously good, speed bump minions aren't great threats but they're something, and removal is good for removing the speedbump minions. Last but not least the aggro player will know EXACTLY what answers the control player has, excluding topdecks, and can play around them.
Witchwood expansion introduces a new card, Azalina Soulthief. Multiple people already pointed out that the card seems gimmicky. Trying to figure out myself what it could possibly be used for, here is what I came up with:
Well, you need to have some major oracle skills. But until then, it would be used at wild- King togwaggle, emperor thaurassian - azalia kind of combo. So you put both, king and her, on the board, and got control not only of your opponents deck, but his hand too
The opponent's cards thing is irrelevant, the point is that if you empty your hand before your opponent does you dodge her downside. Her use is virtually identical to a 3/3 for 7 with Battlecry: Divine Favor. In other words, she goes in aggro decks, particularly those that aren't Paladin or Warlock.
The biggest use I see for this card is when you see a warlock using Rin The Disciple. At any point in time during their summoning of the seals, you can play Azalina and give them the same threat of destroying their deck. They will be one turn ahead of you but if you already have some taunt minions on the board, you may still be able to out last them. Also, Warlock typically runs pretty low on health for most of the game so if you are playing a hero such as priest, you may be able to outlast them due to your healing power. Also, if you started with Baku in your deck (Azalina is an odd cost card) your hero power gives you 4 health per heal. That should be good enough to out last them once the fatigue damage starts....
Well, I wouldn't say Malfurion, The Pestilent is any less powerful than any odd Druid card, also Gloom Stag seems pretty strong (and fun!) and who knows, maybe the best new Druid cards will be odd (looking at you, 2 empty legendary spots)
Don't mind me just passing by
I honestly think Azaline is one of or maybe the best card in the whole game. Any card that can draw a full hand standalone deems to be OP.
Thing is, if it's against aggro, it's too slow, does nothing when played that affects the board or your hero, and most likely won't even give you that many cards, if it's against control it still won't help you, even if you get their whole hand, their hand will most likely be a mixed bag, and most likely would lack enough synergy to justify even playing those cards you get.
Azalina just seems like she'll never work out
Don't mind me just passing by
Throw it in a mid-range hunter. If you draw it by the time you're running low on cards, BOOM, full hand of cards that are actually being run in decks to help you finish off their hopefully low-health. Hunter's biggest problem is when they run out of steam due to their low card draw. And if you don't draw it? Well you're midrange hunter, it's not like it's taking the place of some different steam-revitilizer, it's really more of a tech card i suppose
If your playing priest you have a very very favorable matchup vs control lock anyway why tech more against it?
I feel like it will be a great meme addition to King Togwaggle decks where you change decks and then obtain a copy of the random spell to change decks again if your opponent chooses to get his deck back.
sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken
Prep - Vanish - Azalina
Edit:
Lorewalker Cho shenanigans.
Cho - prep - Eviscerate - prep - Eviscerate - Azalina - Prep - Eviscerate - Prep - Eviscerate.
With (standard-legal) cost reduction (Cheat Death or Shadowstep to name some);
Cho - Stonetusk Boar - Prep - Evi - Cold Blood - Cold Blood - Prep - Evi - Azaline - Prep - Evi - Prep - Evi - Cold Blood - Cold Blood. = 1 turn, 33 damage. And 8 cards of course :D
Wild will be even more fun with Emperor, and Oil.
Anyway, what do I know...
Azalina Soulthief will work as the last resort card for aggro deck.