This will be the fourth expansion for Hearthstone and is set to release on December 1st! It will include 132 cards and introduce new features, such as factions. Each class will belong to one of three factions in the city and have some type of unique ability. There will also be special cards that can only be played by members of their corresponding faction.
Grimy Goons: These guys are all about buffing minions in your hand. Kabal: Followers of this faction are masters of potions. Jade Lotus: Allegiance grants the ability to summon powerful Jade Golems.
Grimy Goons: Hunter, Paladin, and Warrior
Kabal: Mage, Priest, and Warlock
Jade Lotus: Druid, Rogue, Shaman
This thread is dedicated to discussing the impact of these new cards on the Arena environment.
If you'd like to read my initial thoughts on how I rate these cards for Arena you can start HERE.
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Auctionmaster Beardo Rating 3(Average): I think the 3/4 body is good, but I'm not sure how much of an impact his special ability will have or how often it will be a factor during gameplay.
Aya Blackpaw Rating 2(Good): At the worst you get 8/6 worth of combined stats overall for only six mana. I'm interested to see how the Jade Golems affect gameplay in Arena. I'm not sure how consistently you will be able to draft cards that summon them, but it looks like they could make a big impact.
Don Han'Cho Rating 1(Excellent): Here is the boss of buffs and he's not bad at all. He shows up a little late, so you either have to hold something or draw a minion. In Arena that shouldn't be too much of a problem. You can count on getting a 6/6 at the minimum from his ability, as long as you have another minion in your hand.
Finja, the Flying Star Rating 4(Poor): This is definitely a constructed card and will be difficult to rationalize unless you've drafted a ton of Murlocs.
Genzo, the Shark Rating 4(Poor): In Arena the last thing you want is to offer free card draw to your opponent. In certain situations he could be handy if you had exhausted all other options, but I don't think he's worth the risk.
Hobart Grapplehammer Rating 3(Average): He's going to be good if you've drafted several weapons AND you draw him early, otherwise not so much.
Inkmaster Solia Rating 4(Poor): This card depends way too much on what you have drafted. You've got to have no duplicates and you've got to have a spell in hand when you cast this minion. I would love to have a free Flamestrike just like the next person, but she's just too inconsistent for Arena.
Kazakus Rating 3(Average): This is one of the new faction cards for the Kabal (Mage, Priest, and Warlock). Judging by the video of the gameplay for this card the 10-cost variations of spells you receive are pretty amazing. We'll have to see what the 1-cost and 5-cost choices look like, but it seems like a really strong, reasonably price minion. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Knuckles Rating 2(Good): I like this minion, as he's a great way to continue clearing the board and still damage your opponent. If you're able to buff him, then it gets pretty ridiculous.
Krul the Unshackled Rating 3(Average): He's pretty big, but expensive. If you have an empty hand (or a deck with duplicates), then he's really just okay.
Kun the Forgotten King Rating 3(Average): This really looks like an interesting card. You have the option of gaining armor or basically casting him for free. If he didn't show up so late in the game he would rate higher.
Madam Goya Rating 4(Poor): She doesn't really work for an Arena deck because you won't have enough large minions to take advantage of her ability (unless your deck is completely unbalanced). She also takes up a large slot herself and odds are she's only going to swap for a small minion and could negate a Battlecry in the process.
Mayor Noggenfogger Rating 5(Terrible): In Arena this is the last thing you want. It's definitely a constructed card.
Patches the Pirate Rating 5(Terrible): As cool as Patches is, he's really not an Arena card.
Raza the Chained Rating 3(Average): It will be nice to have free heals every turn, but there's no guarantee you won't have any duplicates in your deck. At the very least you still end up with a 5/5 minion for five mana, and that's not too bad.
Sergeant Sally Rating 4(Poor): Unless you're paying a class that can buff minions this will only be a mediocre means of removal, if that. At least it only does damage to enemy minions.
Shaku, the Collector Rating 2(Good): You're pretty much guaranteed at least 1 additional card, which is a good deal for the cost and minion size. I wish his stats were slightly better as a Legendary, but I'd say that's probably asking too much.
White Eyes Rating 3(Average): His cost and stats are reasonable, but his Deathrattle only puts The Storm Guardian in your deck. You still have to draw & cast it yourself. I don't think it's bad, but I would rate it higher if it had a Battlecry instead of a Deathrattle.
Wickerflame Burnbristle Rating 2(Good): I like the stats and potential of this card. It's not uncommon for Paladin to have all sorts of buffs, so it's not a stretch to expect some life gain in your future. Even without any buffs his Divine Shield and Taunt abilities are both great.
Wrathion Rating 3(Average): You'll at least get one card from his Battlecry, but it's unlikely you'll get more. I like that he has Taunt, but wish his cost was just a little cheaper. I anticipate loads of abuse of this card in constructed very soon. (+1 adjustment 11/29/16)
EPIC:
Blubber Baron Rating 5(Terrible): This is completely unreliable for Arena play.
Brass Knuckles Rating 3(Average): We have seen a multitude of cards that give buffs to minions in your hand, but this one seems a little slow and dependent on actually having a minion in order to be worth it.
Burgly Bully Rating 3(Average): I think I would rather have a Spectral Knight, but he's still a decent-sized minion for the cost.
Defias Cleaner Rating 2(Good): He's only 1Attack away from being a Boulderfist Ogre. I think his stats are good and he's worth playing even if you don't get to trigger his Battlecry.
Dirty Rat Rating 4(Poor): I love that he's such a cheap, big Taunt, but in Arena you're really playing roulette with your opponent, hoping that they won't get a huge minion. He will mess with any Battlecry, but he seems more fashioned to a constructed setting.
Dragonfire Potion Rating 1(Excellent): This is another great AOE for Priest. The only drawback is that it does damage to ALL non-Dragon minions, but even so, it's certainly a welcome addition to Arena. (+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Fel Orc Soulfiend Rating 3(Average): You should be able to make some decent trades with him early on and if you're playing Priest then his value definitely goes up because you'll be able to keep him alive much longer.
Fight Promoter Rating 4(Poor): Typically you may only have a couple of minions with an Attack of 6+, so I don't think you'll see much use for this in Arena.
Finders Keepers Rating 2(Good): There are currently 17 cards with Overload and you'll get to choose from 3 of them, so that's a pretty decent chance for you to draw a Doomhammer or Earth Elemental. Not to mention the numerous AOE or direct damage cards.
Greater Arcane Missiles Rating 3(Average): I like this card. Not only can you kill a couple of mid-sized minions or one big minion, but you can deal 9 damage to your opponent if you've got an empty board and it costs 3 mana less than Pyroblast (and you still have enough mana left to ping them). (-1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Kabal Trafficker Rating 1(Excellent): That is an excellent value! You are guaranteed at least 1 additional minion at the end of your turn. I only wish it were a demon too so it could make a copy of itself. This is a definite pick!
Lotus Assassin Rating 2(Good): The ability to gain Stealth is really strong, but most of the time you're still only going to trade 2 for 1 with this minion. Regardless, he's still a solid choice for the cost.
Leatherclad Hogleader Rating 3(Average): It's not likely you'll get to trigger his Battlecry, but without it he's still a 6/6 for six mana. I still think he's alright, but I feel like I need something more from an Epic minion.
Lotus Illusionist Rating 2(Good): This is a really neat way to increase this minion's ability to survive. You could trade with a minion one turn and then hit the opponent the next turn and get a fresh, bigger (hopefully) minion.
Luckydo Buccaneer Rating 4(Poor): It's a nice bonus, but hard to guarantee you'll have at just the right time. If you don't get the buff, then he's overcosted.
Lunar Visions Rating 3(Average): The card draw and cost reduction on minions is nice, but it's still a little pricey to take up turn 5.
Mana Geode Rating 2(Good): As a standard 2/3 I think he's just fine, but if you manage to use (and hopefully abuse) his special ability, then he certainly becomes valuable.
Manic Soulcaster Rating 3(Average): Depending on what you're able to copy, especially late in the game, this could be awesome. On the other hand, you may not even have anything to copy. I think she's good, but maybe not as much as I initially thought. (-1 adjustment on 12/6/16)
Meanstreet Marshal Rating 4(Poor): I'm not a fan of cards that completely rely on other cards to make them good and this one is no exception.
Pilfered Power Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time this will work like another Wild Growth. It's not terrible, but can be tricky in Arena unless the cards just fall in line for you. (-1 adjustment on 11/21/16)
Piranha Launcher Rating 3(Average): It's a good weapon that can do overall 8 damage and summon four 1/1 minions (so really 12 damage overall). It's a great weapon for an Arena game, for sure, but it may be a bit slower than I would like. (rating adjustment -2 on 11/10/16).
Rat Pack Rating 1(Excellent): This is a slightly stronger Haunted Creeper, IMO. He does more damage and could potentially spawn a ridiculous amount of rats due to all the minion buffs clogging up this expansion.
Sleep with the Fishes Rating 4(Poor): It seems clunky for Arena unless you're fighting a superior board and only have trash on your side that you're willing to lose. If you could combine this with Ravaging Ghoul it's pretty nice, but that's stretching it.
Small-Time Recruits Rating 5(Terrible): It's not often that you want that many 1-cost minions in your deck. Unless you're able to specifically draft for this card I really can't imagine wanting to pick it.
Unlicensed Apothecary Rating 3(Average): I love that he's big and cheap, but if you can't Silence him immediately he is risky. I dislike cards that do damage to yourself, but if he's able to trade for 1-2 other minions and prevent damage from them, then he's probably worth taking at least 5 damage from his ability. (+2 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Weasel Tunneler Rating 5(Terrible): There's no reason to be giving your opponent free minions. I realize it could prevent them from drawing that winning card, but it could easily prevent you from drawing your winning cards too.
Wind-up Burglebot Rating 3(Average): You might get to draw 1 card off this minion with most classes. His value probably goes up if you're playing him with Priest, but most of the time he's going to die before you even get a chance to attack.
RARE:
Alley Armorsmith Rating 3(Average): He's a bit slow, but large and annoying enough to make several trades or just irritate your opponent. If you're able to buff him, then he just gets ridiculous.
Backroom Bouncer Rating 3(Average): The cost and stats of this minion are fine, even if he doesn't get any bonus. If he's hidden behind a Taunt or if you have a lot of 1/1 minions he could become dangerous very quickly.
Bloodfury Potion Rating 2(Good): It has the potential to be a mini Blessing of Kings for Demons, but in Arena the reality is that you'll probably just buff the Attack of a minion for 3 mana. After seeing it in gameplay it's really a lot better than I gave it credit for. (+2 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Bomb Squad Rating 2(Good): If you're playing Priest, then you may be able to recover from this Deathrattle, but I really would not consider it unless I had no other type of removal. She may not be bad in certain situations. (+2 adjustment on 11/24/16)
Celestial Dreamer Rating 3(Average): This could be nice for the late game, otherwise it's nothing special.
Counterfeit Coin Rating 5(Terrible): Unless you have a TON of combo cards I really don't know why you would draft this card.
Devolve Rating 2(Good): I love this card! It seems more like a constructed card, but it's still a great way to flip a board by shrinking all of your opponent's minions, taking out a Taunt in your way, or allowing you to silence a troublemaker. You still run the risk of them getting something better in that particular situation, but the odds will probably be in your favor.
Dispatch Kodo Rating 1(Excellent): This is a fantastic card! It's similar to Keeper of the Grove pre-nerf. I guess being a Beast makes up for not having Silence. With all the buffs flying around in this xpac it's not a crazy notion that he could do potentially more damage.
Doppelgangster Rating 2(Good): Not only do I love the name, but this card is really good. It matches combined stats with Silver Hand Knight, which is definitely worth drafting.
Drakonid Operative Rating 2(Good): If you have a Dragon this is easily bumped up to "Excellent", but even so, having a class Pit Fighter is not bad at all. It looks like Blizzard is trying desperately to make sure Priest doesn't suck this time around.
Felfire Potion Rating 1(Excellent): Who care if it does damage to you? This is the best board clear around and will be very difficult to recover from in Arena.
Gadgetzan Ferryman Rating 3(Average): I think he's fine as a 2/3 minion whether you trigger the combo or not. In certain situations you may be able to save or re-use another minion, but I'm not sure it would increase his rank. I mean we still have Youthful Brewmaster and it's a common.
Getaway Kodo Rating 3(Average): You should be able to use this card to your advantage, but that only works if you have a minion worth getting back. If you end up getting a Silver Hand Recruit it's sorta meh.
Greater Healing Potion Rating 4(Poor): This is certainly a huge heal, but I think I'd rather have a minion to drop on the board. However, this might buy you a turn or two, and sometimes that's all it takes.
Grimestreet Enforcer Rating 3(Average): Obviously the Grimy Goons are all about buffing your minions in various ways and this is a pretty cool card. However, if you draw it late in the game it's not going to be nearly as useful. This is why I don't think he ranks quite as good as the Grimestreet Outfitter.
Grimestreet Informant Rating 2(Good): This is another new faction card for Hunter, Paladin, and Warrior. It's a cheap Discover minion that caters to your class.
Grimestreet Pawnbroker Rating 3(Average): It's hard to count on having this minion and a weapon in your hand at the same time in Arena. It's still a 3/3 for 3 mana, at the very least. If you've drafted several weapons then the value will increase slightly.
Grimestreet Protector Rating 1(Excellent): This card has some amazing value! He's big, he has Taunt, and he protects two other minions. In Arena this card will certainly give your minions that fighting edge that they need.
Hidden Cache Rating 4(Poor): I think it's great if you draw it early and have a minion in your hand, but if you draw it late it's pretty useless.
Jade Claws Rating 3(Average): Weapons are good to see in a draft, but this one doesn't strike me as anything amazing. If you've drafted several Jade Golems then it may go up in value.
Jade Idol Rating 4(Poor): If you have several Jade Golems already, then I could see this snowballing out of hand very quickly, but the immediate effect is just okay. If you use the built-in Gang Up to add 3 copies to your deck it does add to the value, but you also get nothing that turn.
Jinyu Waterspeaker Rating 3(Average): I'll compare this to how I rated Hozen Healer and say the additional Attack power and ability to heal minions or yourself is really a plus. The Overload cost is negligible and will hardly be noticed.
Kabal Courier Rating 3(Average): Here is another faction card for Mage, Priest, and Warlock. It has decent stats and has a Battlecry with the Discover mechanic for your class. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Kabal Crystal Runner Rating 4(Poor): If you've managed to draft a slew of Secrets, then you could consider drafting her. Otherwise, she's just going to be too overpriced to be worth it.
Lotus Agents Rating 2(Good): He's basically an Ethereal Conjurer for the Lotus faction, which includes Druid, Rogue, and Shaman and I don't know anyone who turns their nose up at that.
Pint-Size Potion Rating 2(Good): Another really good card for Priest that can let you potentially wipe out your opponent's side of the board without losing any of your own minions. This could be really strong if used at the right moment.
Potion of Polymorph Rating 3(Average): This is another Secret to play around, but it since everyone is already cautious of Mirror Entity it's doubtful that you'll poly something worthwhile, but it can disrupt their play.
Seadevil Stinger Rating 3(Average): Unless you've managed to draft a Murloc deck, then I don't see much use for this in Arena. Not to mention you'll already be taking damage from your hero power, so it really doesn't work in your favor. (+1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Second-Rate Bruiser Rating 2(Good): He's a Chillwind Yeti that will either cost 1 less or 1 more mana, but also has Taunt. In either scenario I still think he's a decent minion to have in your deck.
Shadow Sensei Rating 3(Average): You still need a Stealth minion to get the full value out of this card, but a 4/4 body for 4 mana is alright.
Small-Time Buccaneer Rating 4(Poor): His rating goes up for Rogue, but for other classes most of the time he'll be junk.
Stolen Goods Rating 5(Terrible): Sadly, this just isn't that good for Arena. You need two things to make it work: A Taunt minion AND it has to be in your hand. I would probably need at least 5+ Taunt minions before I would consider drafting this card (against other poor choices), otherwise it's just dead in your hand.
Trogg Beastrager Rating 3(Average): The buff is nice, but I think he's just fine as a standard 2-drop, regardless of any Beasts in your hand.
Virmen Sensei Rating 4(Poor): He's an overcosted Chillwind Yeti most of the time, but if you have a lot of Beasts in your deck then I would bump his rating slightly.
Volcanic Potion Rating 2(Good): Like Mage really needs another AOE. The only drawback to this spell is that it will damage your own minions. Regardless, in Arena, mass removal like this is cherished.
COMMON:
Abyssal Enforcer Rating 1(Excellent): So this guy has a 6/6 body and a built-in Hellfire that doesn't harm himself. Yes, I'll take three, please. And he's common!
Alleycat Rating 2(Good): He's vulnerable to just about everything, but 2/2 worth of combined stats for 1 mana is a pretty good deal - and he's a Beast too.
Ancient of Blossoms Rating 2(Good): He's a big Taunt for a reasonable price. He should be able to hold the line pretty well, even against larger minions.
Backstreet Leper Rating 5(Terrible): Leper Gnome's slightly larger brother costs more and is still just as easy to kill. Thanks, but no thanks.
Big-Time Racketeer Rating 2(Good): Having a Battlecry that summons the Ogre is a cool way to get around a lot of Secrets. It's not critical for Arena, but he still ends up having good combined stats for his cost.
Blastcrystal Potion Rating 1(Excellent): This is really cheap, good removal. I don't care that it destroys a mana crystal. If you're playing this late game it won't even matter.
Blowgill Sniper Rating 4(Poor): He's a decent small minion, but incredibly easy to kill with most hero powers. His usefulness probably stops at being able to ping something for 1 point of damage.
Call in the Finishers Rating 4(Poor): I'm surprised this doesn't come with an Overload cost being a Shaman card. I think it's a decent card with 4/4 worth of combined stats, but very susceptible to AOE. If you're able to combo with an Evolve then that value really goes up.
Cryomancer Rating 3(Average): You probably won't get the bonus, but it's still a decent minion without it.
Daring Reporter Rating 2(Good): This will become a 4/4 on your opponent's turn and needs to be killed immediately before it gets out of hand. She's like a mini Gruul, except she may get multiple gains during a turn if your opponent has any card draw. If you are able to protect her for a couple of turns or hide her behind a Taunt, then I think it's game over.
Freezing Potion Rating 5(Terrible): Most of the time this won't really matter unless you can use it in conjunction with a Cryomancer. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Friendly Bartender Rating 3(Average): Any 2/3 minion with an additional ability that only costs 2 mana should be a welcome addition to your draft. I'd say his rating goes up for Rogue and Warlock.
Grimestreet Outfitter Rating 2(Good): In a minion-heavy environment, such as Arena, it's likely that you'll be able to buff several minions in your hand. Although, keep in mind you're missing out on a more solid two-drop in the hopes of making something else stronger.
Grimestreet Smuggler Rating 3(Average): She's a decent enough minion and it's likely that you will be able to buff something in your hand, however I just think she seems pretty standard.
Grimscale Chum Rating 4(Poor): He's way too easy to kill and shouldn't even be a consideration unless you've drafted several Murlocs.
Grimy Gadgeteer Rating 2(Good): Here's another minion that offers a great buff to whatever may be in your hand, but it's going to be easy to kill. If you've already managed to buff this minion with your other thousand Grimy Goon cards, then I would say the value certainly goes up. (+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Grook Fu Master Rating 4(Poor): He might as well have an inherent Taunt because your opponent will not leave him on the board, unless they want to get smacked for 6 damage a turn. He can also take out a couple of smaller minions, but he's only really good if your opponent can't deal with him right away. Most of the time he's just going to be too slow. (-2 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Hired Gun Rating 3(Average): He's pretty vanilla, but that's alright. He's slightly more threatening than an Ironfur Grizzly, but just as easy to kill.
Hozen Healer Rating 4(Poor): Now if he healed the player - we'd have something to talk about. Most of the time his ability will go unused and he'll just be a worse Oasis Snapjaw. I can see him being occasionally useful, but I think he will be too inconsistent.
I Know a Guy Rating 3(Average): There are quite a few Taunt minions, so it has the potential to give you some great choices. The most important thing is that you know you'll be getting something with Taunt and can use this to your advantage, especially if you're in a race.
Jade Behemoth Rating 3(Average): At the very least this will give you combined stats of 4/7 (and Taunt), but I have a feeling it's going to be more than that with all the Jade Golem effects we've seen so far. Depending on your drafting I think this ranking goes up.
Jade Blossom Rating 4(Poor): Now that we know what a Jade Golem is I don't think this card is worth it unless you already had several cards that also summoned Jade Golems.
Jade Chieftain Rating 3(Average): This is another one of those cards that will fluctuate in value depending on your draft. If you cast him at his worst he will still be a combined 6/6 (plus Taunt) worth of stats, but it still seems a little pricey to me.
Jade Lightning Rating 2(Good): Direct damage is always good, especially when you can target players or minions. It's a little expensive, but the targeting flexibility and the Jade Golem are both nice factors. The fact that it's common is also not to be overlooked!
Jade Shuriken Rating 2(Good): At first glance I compared this to Backstab and was disappointed, but this doesn't have the "undamaged" restriction and can target players too.
Jade Spirit Rating 4(Poor): With combined stats of 3/4 this seems overpriced to me. Maybe if you have several Jade Golems it will be more useful, but otherwise it's just not that interesting.
Jade Swarmer Rating 4(Poor): At the least it's 2/2 worth of stats overall, but it could possibly be more. I'm going to keep an eye on this one, but it could be better than I think. (-1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Kabal Chemist Rating 2(Good): All the potions we've seen so far look pretty powerful and I know I wouldn't mind getting a Volcanic Potion from him. Most of the time anything that nets you more cards is usually worth drafting and this is no exception.
Kabal Lackey Rating 5(Terrible): This is certainly suited more to a constructed format. He's way too easy to kill and unless you've drafted several Secrets there's really no point in even considering him.
Kabal Songstealer Rating 3(Average): He's a good size and should be easy to utilize. With all the buff effects in the expansion he might actually be more valued than I initially rank him.
Kabal Talonpriest Rating 1(Excellent): It's a better Dark Cultist, so I can't complain. Priest keeps looking up this expansion. This minion can really help make some normally fragile minions much more threatening in the early game. (rating adjustment +1 on 11/10/16)
Kooky Chemist Rating 3(Average): He's a beefed up Crazed Alchemist and he's reasonably priced. When played at the right time he will definitely get you out of tough situations and leave you with a decent-sized minion.
Mark of the Lotus Rating 3(Average): It's a better Competitive Spirit, but like with everything else you need to have something on the board to use it. Depending on your draft it can certainly go up in value.
Mistress of Mixtures Rating 2(Good): It's not quite as good as Zombie Chow, but it's close. This is another minion that could go up in ranking for Rogue or Warlock. For a first turn Arena play it's pretty good.(+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Naga Corsair Rating 3(Average): I think he's alright, but doesn't really stand out. If you're playing a weapon class, especially Rogue, then his value might go up slightly.
Potion of Madness Rating 3(Average): It's a mini Shadow Madness that is pretty darn cheap. Again, this falls under the category of "you need a minion to use it on", but I think it can still be good.
Public Defender Rating 4(Poor): Unless you just want to delay or annoy your opponent I would rather have a minion that could attack in the two-drop slot. I'm not saying he doesn't have his uses, and he could buy you a turn or two to get established, but he just doesn't match my playstyle.
Red Mana Wyrm Rating4(Poor): He really only gets good if you cast at least one spell (which won't be guaranteed), so he's still going to cost more than I prefer to pay.
Shadow Rager Rating 3(Average): He's vulnerable to any type of AoE, but will likely be able to make a good trade if he doesn't die immediately. If you manage to combo him with a Shadow Sensei then he gets much more threatening.
Shaky Zipgunner Rating 3(Average): Like the other Grimy Goon cards that buff minions in your hand, this one is about on par with them.
Smuggler's Crate Rating 4(Poor): As I've mentioned before, I really dislike cards that require you to have something in your hand before they become good. I think I'll pass on this one.
Smuggler's Run Rating 3(Average): This feels better than Competitive Spirit, but I'm still not crazy about it. If you draw it in your opening hand, then odds are you will get some value out of it. If you draw it late it's just a disappointment.
Street Trickster Rating 5(Terrible): If they're going to make something this useless they could have at least made him a "Demon". Wish granted, but sadly it's still not enough to improve my opinion of this card for Arena play.
Streetwise Investigator Rating 3(Average): Even without the Battlecry he's still a solid minion for the cost.
Tanaris Hogchopper Rating 3(Average): You probably won't get to trigger his ability unless you play him late in the game. Otherwise he's just a standard minion.
Toxic Sewer Ooze Rating 3(Average): Even if your opponent doesn't have a weapon you still get a decent-sized minion for three mana. I wish his ability would just go ahead and destroy the weapon, but I guess they wanted a little variation from Acidic Swamp Ooze.
Worgen Greaser Rating 4(Poor): If you're able to hide him behind a Taunt he certainly becomes more of a problem, but his low Health leaves him really vulnerable. The fact that he can be killed by most two-drops isn't very reassuring.
Interesting that Piranha Launcher is the best Card for you so far. In my opinion it is not really good. I might be wrong, since i am not very experienced with Hunter, but that weapon seems pretty slow. Furthermore, the damage is not high enough to kill most of the minions and the 1/1 are not really a thread. I don't know if it is worth to give up a whole turn and loss board control for that. I feel once you played this Card you Need to go all in and hope you can kill him, before he kills you. The 1/1s might help here to Keep the Opponent busy, but if your opponents has a big taunt or good heal, you might loss the game, because of that.
Good rundown. The card that stands out to me is Kabal Talonpriest. This is like a 1+++++ for me based on the 5 pt ranking system. At worst it's a spider tank. If can easily be a 3 mana 3/7 with no draw back if played with another minion, and if you play it on turn 3 with another minion on the board (which will happen frequently) it's fooking game breaking tempo for the priest at that stage of the game. Priest always had trouble getting on the board early. If this battlecry hits on turn 3 it will take a lot to overcome that tempo. This card almost alone could vault Priest back into the top half of heroes in overall Arena rankings IMO. I think it is by far the most impactful of all cards released thus far for arena.
Interesting that Piranha Launcher is the best Card for you so far. In my opinion it is not really good. I might be wrong, since i am not very experienced with Hunter, but that weapon seems pretty slow. Furthermore, the damage is not high enough to kill most of the minions and the 1/1 are not really a thread. I don't know if it is worth to give up a whole turn and loss board control for that. I feel once you played this Card you Need to go all in and hope you can kill him, before he kills you. The 1/1s might help here to Keep the Opponent busy, but if your opponents has a big taunt or good heal, you might loss the game, because of that.
I agree that it is slow, but I think it has high value. I'm interested to see if the Piranha that get summoned are "Beast" minions, which could possibly make it more appealing.
I agree that it is slow, but I think it has high value. I'm interested to see if the Piranha that get summoned are "Beast" minions, which could possibly make it more appealing.
To me Mistress of Mixtures should be good is well. We all know on curve 1 drops in arena are insane. If you go first with cards like Zombie Chow or Worgen Infiltrator, they can often trade up with 2 drops and let you snowball. Mistress of Mixtures is good because the heal-your-opponent drawback is negligible in the first few turn and it can also be a good heal later. It's almost as good as Zombie Chow.
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Auctionmaster Beardo Rating 3(Average): I think the 3/4 body is good, but I'm not sure how much of an impact his special ability will have or how often it will be a factor during gameplay.
Shaku, the Collector Rating 2(Good): You're pretty much guaranteed at least 1 additional card, which is a good deal for the cost and minion size. I wish his stats were slightly better as a Legendary, but I'd say that's probably asking too much.
COMMON:
Grook Fu Master Rating 2(Good): He might as well have an inherent Taunt because your opponent will not leave him on the board, unless they really want to get smacked for 6 damage a turn. He can also take out a couple of smaller minions, but still survive.
It is good that you tell us, when you make updates, so we don't always Need to check whether new revealed Cards are added or not. However, i think it would be even more helpful if you could post the Review of the new added Cards as well, so you have to go back to the first page.
This will be the fourth expansion for Hearthstone and is set to release on December 1st! It will include 132 cards and introduce new features, such as factions. Each class will belong to one of three factions in the city and have some type of unique ability. There will also be special cards that can only be played by members of their corresponding faction.
Grimy Goons: These guys are all about buffing minions in your hand.
Kabal: Followers of this faction are masters of potions.
Jade Lotus: Allegiance grants the ability to summon powerful Jade Golems.
Grimy Goons: Hunter, Paladin, and Warrior
Kabal: Mage, Priest, and Warlock
Jade Lotus: Druid, Rogue, Shaman
This thread is dedicated to discussing the impact of these new cards on the Arena environment.
If you'd like to read my initial thoughts on how I rate these cards for Arena you can start HERE.
For more information visit Mean Streets of Gadgetzan.
Scroll down to view Class specific cards or click on one of the links below.
You may find faction cards in multiple places.
NEUTRAL
Update 11/4/16: Created thread. Added initial release of cards and rankings.
Update 11/7/16: Added Auctionmaster Beardo, Grook Fu Master, Shaku, the Collector, Trogg Beastrager, Grimestreet Outfitter, Stolen Goods, Alley Armorsmith, and Grimestreet Smuggler.
Update 11/8/16: Added Grimestreet Enforcer, Grimestreet Pawnbroker, and Shaky Zipgunner.
Update 11/9/16: Added Worgen Greaser, Hired Gun, and Blowgill Sniper.
Update 11/10/16: Added Dirty Rat, Dispatch Kodo, and Backroom Bouncer.
Update 11/11/16: Added Smuggler's Run, Doppelgangster, Grimestreet Protector, Grimy Gadgeteer, Brass Knuckles, and Rat Pack.
Update 11/12/16: Added Don Han'Cho and Knuckles.
Update 11/13/16: Added Madam Goya.
Update 11/14/16: Added Grimscale Chum, Leatherclad Hogleader, Spiked Hogrider, Tanaris Hogchopper, Volcanic Potion, Kabal Chemist, and Abyssal Enforcer.
Update 11/15/16: Added Kabal Lackey, Inkmaster Solia, and Potion of Polymorph.
Update 11/16/16: Added Seadevil Stinger and Bomb Squad.
Update 11/17/16: Added Backstreet Leper, Bloodfury Potion, Felfire Potion, and Kabal Crystal Runner.
Update 11/18/16: Added Toxic Sewer Ooze and Raza the Chained.
Update 11/21/16: Added Jade Blossom, Burgly Bully, Mana Geode, Jade Spirit, Jade Lightning, Aya Blackpaw, Jade Shuriken, Hozen Healer, and Fight Promoter.
Update 11/22/16: Added Jade Swarmer, Jade Idol, and Devolve.
Update 11/24/16: Added Call in the Finishers, Jade Behemoth, Jinyu Waterspeaker, and Jade Chieftain.
Update 11/27/16: Added Virmen Sensei, Gadgetzan Ferryman, Daring Reporter, Jade Claws, Shadow Sensei, White Eyes, and Sergeant Sally.
Update 11/28/16: Added Hobart Grapplehammer, Naga Corsair, Wrathion, Public Defender, Ancient of Blossoms, Freezing Potion, Smuggler's Crate, Hidden Cache, Genzo, the Shark, Defias Cleaner, Cryomancer, Greater Arcane Missiles, Blastcrystal Potion, Kabal Trafficker, Gadgetzan Socialite, Krul the Unshackled, Alleycat, Sleep with the Fishes, Celestial Dreamer, Unlicensed Apothecary, Crystalweaver, Lotus Illusionist, Finders Keepers, Shadow Rager, Luckydo Buccaneer, Kabal Songstealer, Greater Healing Potion, Mayor Noggenfogger, Streetwise Investigator, Small-Time Buccaneer, Weasel Tunneler, Blubber Baron, Red Mana Wyrm, and Street Trickster.
Completed 11/28/16.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
DRUID
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
HUNTER
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
MAGE
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
PALADIN
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
PRIEST
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
ROGUE
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
SHAMAN
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
WARLOCK
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
WARRIOR
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Auctionmaster Beardo Rating 3(Average): I think the 3/4 body is good, but I'm not sure how much of an impact his special ability will have or how often it will be a factor during gameplay.
Aya Blackpaw Rating 2(Good): At the worst you get 8/6 worth of combined stats overall for only six mana. I'm interested to see how the Jade Golems affect gameplay in Arena. I'm not sure how consistently you will be able to draft cards that summon them, but it looks like they could make a big impact.
Don Han'Cho Rating 1(Excellent): Here is the boss of buffs and he's not bad at all. He shows up a little late, so you either have to hold something or draw a minion. In Arena that shouldn't be too much of a problem. You can count on getting a 6/6 at the minimum from his ability, as long as you have another minion in your hand.
Finja, the Flying Star Rating 4(Poor): This is definitely a constructed card and will be difficult to rationalize unless you've drafted a ton of Murlocs.
Genzo, the Shark Rating 4(Poor): In Arena the last thing you want is to offer free card draw to your opponent. In certain situations he could be handy if you had exhausted all other options, but I don't think he's worth the risk.
Hobart Grapplehammer Rating 3(Average): He's going to be good if you've drafted several weapons AND you draw him early, otherwise not so much.
Inkmaster Solia Rating 4(Poor): This card depends way too much on what you have drafted. You've got to have no duplicates and you've got to have a spell in hand when you cast this minion. I would love to have a free Flamestrike just like the next person, but she's just too inconsistent for Arena.
Kazakus Rating 3(Average): This is one of the new faction cards for the Kabal (Mage, Priest, and Warlock). Judging by the video of the gameplay for this card the 10-cost variations of spells you receive are pretty amazing. We'll have to see what the 1-cost and 5-cost choices look like, but it seems like a really strong, reasonably price minion. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Knuckles Rating 2(Good): I like this minion, as he's a great way to continue clearing the board and still damage your opponent. If you're able to buff him, then it gets pretty ridiculous.
Krul the Unshackled Rating 3(Average): He's pretty big, but expensive. If you have an empty hand (or a deck with duplicates), then he's really just okay.
Kun the Forgotten King Rating 3(Average): This really looks like an interesting card. You have the option of gaining armor or basically casting him for free. If he didn't show up so late in the game he would rate higher.
Madam Goya Rating 4(Poor): She doesn't really work for an Arena deck because you won't have enough large minions to take advantage of her ability (unless your deck is completely unbalanced). She also takes up a large slot herself and odds are she's only going to swap for a small minion and could negate a Battlecry in the process.
Mayor Noggenfogger Rating 5(Terrible): In Arena this is the last thing you want. It's definitely a constructed card.
Patches the Pirate Rating 5(Terrible): As cool as Patches is, he's really not an Arena card.
Raza the Chained Rating 3(Average): It will be nice to have free heals every turn, but there's no guarantee you won't have any duplicates in your deck. At the very least you still end up with a 5/5 minion for five mana, and that's not too bad.
Sergeant Sally Rating 4(Poor): Unless you're paying a class that can buff minions this will only be a mediocre means of removal, if that. At least it only does damage to enemy minions.
Shaku, the Collector Rating 2(Good): You're pretty much guaranteed at least 1 additional card, which is a good deal for the cost and minion size. I wish his stats were slightly better as a Legendary, but I'd say that's probably asking too much.
White Eyes Rating 3(Average): His cost and stats are reasonable, but his Deathrattle only puts The Storm Guardian in your deck. You still have to draw & cast it yourself. I don't think it's bad, but I would rate it higher if it had a Battlecry instead of a Deathrattle.
Wickerflame Burnbristle Rating 2(Good): I like the stats and potential of this card. It's not uncommon for Paladin to have all sorts of buffs, so it's not a stretch to expect some life gain in your future. Even without any buffs his Divine Shield and Taunt abilities are both great.
Wrathion Rating 3(Average): You'll at least get one card from his Battlecry, but it's unlikely you'll get more. I like that he has Taunt, but wish his cost was just a little cheaper. I anticipate loads of abuse of this card in constructed very soon. (+1 adjustment 11/29/16)
EPIC:
Blubber Baron Rating 5(Terrible): This is completely unreliable for Arena play.
Brass Knuckles Rating 3(Average): We have seen a multitude of cards that give buffs to minions in your hand, but this one seems a little slow and dependent on actually having a minion in order to be worth it.
Burgly Bully Rating 3(Average): I think I would rather have a Spectral Knight, but he's still a decent-sized minion for the cost.
Defias Cleaner Rating 2(Good): He's only 1Attack away from being a Boulderfist Ogre. I think his stats are good and he's worth playing even if you don't get to trigger his Battlecry.
Dirty Rat Rating 4(Poor): I love that he's such a cheap, big Taunt, but in Arena you're really playing roulette with your opponent, hoping that they won't get a huge minion. He will mess with any Battlecry, but he seems more fashioned to a constructed setting.
Dragonfire Potion Rating 1(Excellent): This is another great AOE for Priest. The only drawback is that it does damage to ALL non-Dragon minions, but even so, it's certainly a welcome addition to Arena. (+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Fel Orc Soulfiend Rating 3(Average): You should be able to make some decent trades with him early on and if you're playing Priest then his value definitely goes up because you'll be able to keep him alive much longer.
Fight Promoter Rating 4(Poor): Typically you may only have a couple of minions with an Attack of 6+, so I don't think you'll see much use for this in Arena.
Finders Keepers Rating 2(Good): There are currently 17 cards with Overload and you'll get to choose from 3 of them, so that's a pretty decent chance for you to draw a Doomhammer or Earth Elemental. Not to mention the numerous AOE or direct damage cards.
Greater Arcane Missiles Rating 3(Average): I like this card. Not only can you kill a couple of mid-sized minions or one big minion, but you can deal 9 damage to your opponent if you've got an empty board and it costs 3 mana less than Pyroblast (and you still have enough mana left to ping them). (-1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Kabal Trafficker Rating 1(Excellent): That is an excellent value! You are guaranteed at least 1 additional minion at the end of your turn. I only wish it were a demon too so it could make a copy of itself. This is a definite pick!
Lotus Assassin Rating 2(Good): The ability to gain Stealth is really strong, but most of the time you're still only going to trade 2 for 1 with this minion. Regardless, he's still a solid choice for the cost.
Leatherclad Hogleader Rating 3(Average): It's not likely you'll get to trigger his Battlecry, but without it he's still a 6/6 for six mana. I still think he's alright, but I feel like I need something more from an Epic minion.
Lotus Illusionist Rating 2(Good): This is a really neat way to increase this minion's ability to survive. You could trade with a minion one turn and then hit the opponent the next turn and get a fresh, bigger (hopefully) minion.
Luckydo Buccaneer Rating 4(Poor): It's a nice bonus, but hard to guarantee you'll have at just the right time. If you don't get the buff, then he's overcosted.
Lunar Visions Rating 3(Average): The card draw and cost reduction on minions is nice, but it's still a little pricey to take up turn 5.
Mana Geode Rating 2(Good): As a standard 2/3 I think he's just fine, but if you manage to use (and hopefully abuse) his special ability, then he certainly becomes valuable.
Manic Soulcaster Rating 3(Average): Depending on what you're able to copy, especially late in the game, this could be awesome. On the other hand, you may not even have anything to copy. I think she's good, but maybe not as much as I initially thought. (-1 adjustment on 12/6/16)
Meanstreet Marshal Rating 4(Poor): I'm not a fan of cards that completely rely on other cards to make them good and this one is no exception.
Pilfered Power Rating 4(Poor): Most of the time this will work like another Wild Growth. It's not terrible, but can be tricky in Arena unless the cards just fall in line for you. (-1 adjustment on 11/21/16)
Piranha Launcher Rating 3(Average): It's a good weapon that can do overall 8 damage and summon four 1/1 minions (so really 12 damage overall). It's a great weapon for an Arena game, for sure, but it may be a bit slower than I would like. (rating adjustment -2 on 11/10/16).
Rat Pack Rating 1(Excellent): This is a slightly stronger Haunted Creeper, IMO. He does more damage and could potentially spawn a ridiculous amount of rats due to all the minion buffs clogging up this expansion.
Sleep with the Fishes Rating 4(Poor): It seems clunky for Arena unless you're fighting a superior board and only have trash on your side that you're willing to lose. If you could combine this with Ravaging Ghoul it's pretty nice, but that's stretching it.
Small-Time Recruits Rating 5(Terrible): It's not often that you want that many 1-cost minions in your deck. Unless you're able to specifically draft for this card I really can't imagine wanting to pick it.
Unlicensed Apothecary Rating 3(Average): I love that he's big and cheap, but if you can't Silence him immediately he is risky. I dislike cards that do damage to yourself, but if he's able to trade for 1-2 other minions and prevent damage from them, then he's probably worth taking at least 5 damage from his ability. (+2 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Weasel Tunneler Rating 5(Terrible): There's no reason to be giving your opponent free minions. I realize it could prevent them from drawing that winning card, but it could easily prevent you from drawing your winning cards too.
Wind-up Burglebot Rating 3(Average): You might get to draw 1 card off this minion with most classes. His value probably goes up if you're playing him with Priest, but most of the time he's going to die before you even get a chance to attack.
RARE:
Alley Armorsmith Rating 3(Average): He's a bit slow, but large and annoying enough to make several trades or just irritate your opponent. If you're able to buff him, then he just gets ridiculous.
Backroom Bouncer Rating 3(Average): The cost and stats of this minion are fine, even if he doesn't get any bonus. If he's hidden behind a Taunt or if you have a lot of 1/1 minions he could become dangerous very quickly.
Bloodfury Potion Rating 2(Good): It has the potential to be a mini Blessing of Kings for Demons, but in Arena the reality is that you'll probably just buff the Attack of a minion for 3 mana. After seeing it in gameplay it's really a lot better than I gave it credit for. (+2 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Bomb Squad Rating 2(Good): If you're playing Priest, then you may be able to recover from this Deathrattle, but I really would not consider it unless I had no other type of removal. She may not be bad in certain situations. (+2 adjustment on 11/24/16)
Celestial Dreamer Rating 3(Average): This could be nice for the late game, otherwise it's nothing special.
Counterfeit Coin Rating 5(Terrible): Unless you have a TON of combo cards I really don't know why you would draft this card.
Devolve Rating 2(Good): I love this card! It seems more like a constructed card, but it's still a great way to flip a board by shrinking all of your opponent's minions, taking out a Taunt in your way, or allowing you to silence a troublemaker. You still run the risk of them getting something better in that particular situation, but the odds will probably be in your favor.
Dispatch Kodo Rating 1(Excellent): This is a fantastic card! It's similar to Keeper of the Grove pre-nerf. I guess being a Beast makes up for not having Silence. With all the buffs flying around in this xpac it's not a crazy notion that he could do potentially more damage.
Doppelgangster Rating 2(Good): Not only do I love the name, but this card is really good. It matches combined stats with Silver Hand Knight, which is definitely worth drafting.
Drakonid Operative Rating 2(Good): If you have a Dragon this is easily bumped up to "Excellent", but even so, having a class Pit Fighter is not bad at all. It looks like Blizzard is trying desperately to make sure Priest doesn't suck this time around.
Felfire Potion Rating 1(Excellent): Who care if it does damage to you? This is the best board clear around and will be very difficult to recover from in Arena.
Gadgetzan Ferryman Rating 3(Average): I think he's fine as a 2/3 minion whether you trigger the combo or not. In certain situations you may be able to save or re-use another minion, but I'm not sure it would increase his rank. I mean we still have Youthful Brewmaster and it's a common.
Getaway Kodo Rating 3(Average): You should be able to use this card to your advantage, but that only works if you have a minion worth getting back. If you end up getting a Silver Hand Recruit it's sorta meh.
Greater Healing Potion Rating 4(Poor): This is certainly a huge heal, but I think I'd rather have a minion to drop on the board. However, this might buy you a turn or two, and sometimes that's all it takes.
Grimestreet Enforcer Rating 3(Average): Obviously the Grimy Goons are all about buffing your minions in various ways and this is a pretty cool card. However, if you draw it late in the game it's not going to be nearly as useful. This is why I don't think he ranks quite as good as the Grimestreet Outfitter.
Grimestreet Informant Rating 2(Good): This is another new faction card for Hunter, Paladin, and Warrior. It's a cheap Discover minion that caters to your class.
Grimestreet Pawnbroker Rating 3(Average): It's hard to count on having this minion and a weapon in your hand at the same time in Arena. It's still a 3/3 for 3 mana, at the very least. If you've drafted several weapons then the value will increase slightly.
Grimestreet Protector Rating 1(Excellent): This card has some amazing value! He's big, he has Taunt, and he protects two other minions. In Arena this card will certainly give your minions that fighting edge that they need.
Hidden Cache Rating 4(Poor): I think it's great if you draw it early and have a minion in your hand, but if you draw it late it's pretty useless.
Jade Claws Rating 3(Average): Weapons are good to see in a draft, but this one doesn't strike me as anything amazing. If you've drafted several Jade Golems then it may go up in value.
Jade Idol Rating 4(Poor): If you have several Jade Golems already, then I could see this snowballing out of hand very quickly, but the immediate effect is just okay. If you use the built-in Gang Up to add 3 copies to your deck it does add to the value, but you also get nothing that turn.
Jinyu Waterspeaker Rating 3(Average): I'll compare this to how I rated Hozen Healer and say the additional Attack power and ability to heal minions or yourself is really a plus. The Overload cost is negligible and will hardly be noticed.
Kabal Courier Rating 3(Average): Here is another faction card for Mage, Priest, and Warlock. It has decent stats and has a Battlecry with the Discover mechanic for your class. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Kabal Crystal Runner Rating 4(Poor): If you've managed to draft a slew of Secrets, then you could consider drafting her. Otherwise, she's just going to be too overpriced to be worth it.
Lotus Agents Rating 2(Good): He's basically an Ethereal Conjurer for the Lotus faction, which includes Druid, Rogue, and Shaman and I don't know anyone who turns their nose up at that.
Pint-Size Potion Rating 2(Good): Another really good card for Priest that can let you potentially wipe out your opponent's side of the board without losing any of your own minions. This could be really strong if used at the right moment.
Potion of Polymorph Rating 3(Average): This is another Secret to play around, but it since everyone is already cautious of Mirror Entity it's doubtful that you'll poly something worthwhile, but it can disrupt their play.
Seadevil Stinger Rating 3(Average): Unless you've managed to draft a Murloc deck, then I don't see much use for this in Arena. Not to mention you'll already be taking damage from your hero power, so it really doesn't work in your favor. (+1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Second-Rate Bruiser Rating 2(Good): He's a Chillwind Yeti that will either cost 1 less or 1 more mana, but also has Taunt. In either scenario I still think he's a decent minion to have in your deck.
Shadow Sensei Rating 3(Average): You still need a Stealth minion to get the full value out of this card, but a 4/4 body for 4 mana is alright.
Spiked Hogrider Rating 3(Average): It's a lot more likely that you'll trigger his Battlecry than his brothers (Leatherclad Hogleader and Tanaris Hogchopper), but even so, he's still a decent minion for the price.
Small-Time Buccaneer Rating 4(Poor): His rating goes up for Rogue, but for other classes most of the time he'll be junk.
Stolen Goods Rating 5(Terrible): Sadly, this just isn't that good for Arena. You need two things to make it work: A Taunt minion AND it has to be in your hand. I would probably need at least 5+ Taunt minions before I would consider drafting this card (against other poor choices), otherwise it's just dead in your hand.
Trogg Beastrager Rating 3(Average): The buff is nice, but I think he's just fine as a standard 2-drop, regardless of any Beasts in your hand.
Virmen Sensei Rating 4(Poor): He's an overcosted Chillwind Yeti most of the time, but if you have a lot of Beasts in your deck then I would bump his rating slightly.
Volcanic Potion Rating 2(Good): Like Mage really needs another AOE. The only drawback to this spell is that it will damage your own minions. Regardless, in Arena, mass removal like this is cherished.
COMMON:
Abyssal Enforcer Rating 1(Excellent): So this guy has a 6/6 body and a built-in Hellfire that doesn't harm himself. Yes, I'll take three, please. And he's common!
Alleycat Rating 2(Good): He's vulnerable to just about everything, but 2/2 worth of combined stats for 1 mana is a pretty good deal - and he's a Beast too.
Ancient of Blossoms Rating 2(Good): He's a big Taunt for a reasonable price. He should be able to hold the line pretty well, even against larger minions.
Backstreet Leper Rating 5(Terrible): Leper Gnome's slightly larger brother costs more and is still just as easy to kill. Thanks, but no thanks.
Big-Time Racketeer Rating 2(Good): Having a Battlecry that summons the Ogre is a cool way to get around a lot of Secrets. It's not critical for Arena, but he still ends up having good combined stats for his cost.
Blastcrystal Potion Rating 1(Excellent): This is really cheap, good removal. I don't care that it destroys a mana crystal. If you're playing this late game it won't even matter.
Blowgill Sniper Rating 4(Poor): He's a decent small minion, but incredibly easy to kill with most hero powers. His usefulness probably stops at being able to ping something for 1 point of damage.
Call in the Finishers Rating 4(Poor): I'm surprised this doesn't come with an Overload cost being a Shaman card. I think it's a decent card with 4/4 worth of combined stats, but very susceptible to AOE. If you're able to combo with an Evolve then that value really goes up.
Cryomancer Rating 3(Average): You probably won't get the bonus, but it's still a decent minion without it.
Daring Reporter Rating 2(Good): This will become a 4/4 on your opponent's turn and needs to be killed immediately before it gets out of hand. She's like a mini Gruul, except she may get multiple gains during a turn if your opponent has any card draw. If you are able to protect her for a couple of turns or hide her behind a Taunt, then I think it's game over.
Freezing Potion Rating 5(Terrible): Most of the time this won't really matter unless you can use it in conjunction with a Cryomancer. (-1 adjustment on 11/29/16)
Friendly Bartender Rating 3(Average): Any 2/3 minion with an additional ability that only costs 2 mana should be a welcome addition to your draft. I'd say his rating goes up for Rogue and Warlock.
Gadgetzan Socialite Rating 4(Poor): This just strikes me as being 'meh'.
Grimestreet Outfitter Rating 2(Good): In a minion-heavy environment, such as Arena, it's likely that you'll be able to buff several minions in your hand. Although, keep in mind you're missing out on a more solid two-drop in the hopes of making something else stronger.
Grimestreet Smuggler Rating 3(Average): She's a decent enough minion and it's likely that you will be able to buff something in your hand, however I just think she seems pretty standard.
Grimscale Chum Rating 4(Poor): He's way too easy to kill and shouldn't even be a consideration unless you've drafted several Murlocs.
Grimy Gadgeteer Rating 2(Good): Here's another minion that offers a great buff to whatever may be in your hand, but it's going to be easy to kill. If you've already managed to buff this minion with your other thousand Grimy Goon cards, then I would say the value certainly goes up. (+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Grook Fu Master Rating 4(Poor): He might as well have an inherent Taunt because your opponent will not leave him on the board, unless they want to get smacked for 6 damage a turn. He can also take out a couple of smaller minions, but he's only really good if your opponent can't deal with him right away. Most of the time he's just going to be too slow. (-2 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Hired Gun Rating 3(Average): He's pretty vanilla, but that's alright. He's slightly more threatening than an Ironfur Grizzly, but just as easy to kill.
Hozen Healer Rating 4(Poor): Now if he healed the player - we'd have something to talk about. Most of the time his ability will go unused and he'll just be a worse Oasis Snapjaw. I can see him being occasionally useful, but I think he will be too inconsistent.
I Know a Guy Rating 3(Average): There are quite a few Taunt minions, so it has the potential to give you some great choices. The most important thing is that you know you'll be getting something with Taunt and can use this to your advantage, especially if you're in a race.
Jade Behemoth Rating 3(Average): At the very least this will give you combined stats of 4/7 (and Taunt), but I have a feeling it's going to be more than that with all the Jade Golem effects we've seen so far. Depending on your drafting I think this ranking goes up.
Jade Blossom Rating 4(Poor): Now that we know what a Jade Golem is I don't think this card is worth it unless you already had several cards that also summoned Jade Golems.
Jade Chieftain Rating 3(Average): This is another one of those cards that will fluctuate in value depending on your draft. If you cast him at his worst he will still be a combined 6/6 (plus Taunt) worth of stats, but it still seems a little pricey to me.
Jade Lightning Rating 2(Good): Direct damage is always good, especially when you can target players or minions. It's a little expensive, but the targeting flexibility and the Jade Golem are both nice factors. The fact that it's common is also not to be overlooked!
Jade Shuriken Rating 2(Good): At first glance I compared this to Backstab and was disappointed, but this doesn't have the "undamaged" restriction and can target players too.
Jade Spirit Rating 4(Poor): With combined stats of 3/4 this seems overpriced to me. Maybe if you have several Jade Golems it will be more useful, but otherwise it's just not that interesting.
Jade Swarmer Rating 4(Poor): At the least it's 2/2 worth of stats overall, but it could possibly be more. I'm going to keep an eye on this one, but it could be better than I think. (-1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Kabal Chemist Rating 2(Good): All the potions we've seen so far look pretty powerful and I know I wouldn't mind getting a Volcanic Potion from him. Most of the time anything that nets you more cards is usually worth drafting and this is no exception.
Kabal Lackey Rating 5(Terrible): This is certainly suited more to a constructed format. He's way too easy to kill and unless you've drafted several Secrets there's really no point in even considering him.
Kabal Songstealer Rating 3(Average): He's a good size and should be easy to utilize. With all the buff effects in the expansion he might actually be more valued than I initially rank him.
Kabal Talonpriest Rating 1(Excellent): It's a better Dark Cultist, so I can't complain. Priest keeps looking up this expansion. This minion can really help make some normally fragile minions much more threatening in the early game. (rating adjustment +1 on 11/10/16)
Kooky Chemist Rating 3(Average): He's a beefed up Crazed Alchemist and he's reasonably priced. When played at the right time he will definitely get you out of tough situations and leave you with a decent-sized minion.
Mark of the Lotus Rating 3(Average): It's a better Competitive Spirit, but like with everything else you need to have something on the board to use it. Depending on your draft it can certainly go up in value.
Mistress of Mixtures Rating 2(Good): It's not quite as good as Zombie Chow, but it's close. This is another minion that could go up in ranking for Rogue or Warlock. For a first turn Arena play it's pretty good.(+1 adjustment on 12/31/16)
Naga Corsair Rating 3(Average): I think he's alright, but doesn't really stand out. If you're playing a weapon class, especially Rogue, then his value might go up slightly.
Potion of Madness Rating 3(Average): It's a mini Shadow Madness that is pretty darn cheap. Again, this falls under the category of "you need a minion to use it on", but I think it can still be good.
Public Defender Rating 4(Poor): Unless you just want to delay or annoy your opponent I would rather have a minion that could attack in the two-drop slot. I'm not saying he doesn't have his uses, and he could buy you a turn or two to get established, but he just doesn't match my playstyle.
Red Mana Wyrm Rating4(Poor): He really only gets good if you cast at least one spell (which won't be guaranteed), so he's still going to cost more than I prefer to pay.
Shadow Rager Rating 3(Average): He's vulnerable to any type of AoE, but will likely be able to make a good trade if he doesn't die immediately. If you manage to combo him with a Shadow Sensei then he gets much more threatening.
Shaky Zipgunner Rating 3(Average): Like the other Grimy Goon cards that buff minions in your hand, this one is about on par with them.
Smuggler's Crate Rating 4(Poor): As I've mentioned before, I really dislike cards that require you to have something in your hand before they become good. I think I'll pass on this one.
Smuggler's Run Rating 3(Average): This feels better than Competitive Spirit, but I'm still not crazy about it. If you draw it in your opening hand, then odds are you will get some value out of it. If you draw it late it's just a disappointment.
Street Trickster Rating 5(Terrible):
If they're going to make something this useless they could have at least made him a "Demon".Wish granted, but sadly it's still not enough to improve my opinion of this card for Arena play.Streetwise Investigator Rating 3(Average): Even without the Battlecry he's still a solid minion for the cost.
Tanaris Hogchopper Rating 3(Average): You probably won't get to trigger his ability unless you play him late in the game. Otherwise he's just a standard minion.
Toxic Sewer Ooze Rating 3(Average): Even if your opponent doesn't have a weapon you still get a decent-sized minion for three mana. I wish his ability would just go ahead and destroy the weapon, but I guess they wanted a little variation from Acidic Swamp Ooze.
Worgen Greaser Rating 4(Poor): If you're able to hide him behind a Taunt he certainly becomes more of a problem, but his low Health leaves him really vulnerable. The fact that he can be killed by most two-drops isn't very reassuring.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Interesting that Piranha Launcher is the best Card for you so far. In my opinion it is not really good. I might be wrong, since i am not very experienced with Hunter, but that weapon seems pretty slow. Furthermore, the damage is not high enough to kill most of the minions and the 1/1 are not really a thread. I don't know if it is worth to give up a whole turn and loss board control for that. I feel once you played this Card you Need to go all in and hope you can kill him, before he kills you. The 1/1s might help here to Keep the Opponent busy, but if your opponents has a big taunt or good heal, you might loss the game, because of that.
Good rundown. The card that stands out to me is Kabal Talonpriest. This is like a 1+++++ for me based on the 5 pt ranking system. At worst it's a spider tank. If can easily be a 3 mana 3/7 with no draw back if played with another minion, and if you play it on turn 3 with another minion on the board (which will happen frequently) it's fooking game breaking tempo for the priest at that stage of the game. Priest always had trouble getting on the board early. If this battlecry hits on turn 3 it will take a lot to overcome that tempo. This card almost alone could vault Priest back into the top half of heroes in overall Arena rankings IMO. I think it is by far the most impactful of all cards released thus far for arena.
I agree that it is slow, but I think it has high value. I'm interested to see if the Piranha that get summoned are "Beast" minions, which could possibly make it more appealing.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
Valar Morghulis
Thanks for the info!
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack
To me Mistress of Mixtures should be good is well. We all know on curve 1 drops in arena are insane. If you go first with cards like Zombie Chow or Worgen Infiltrator, they can often trade up with 2 drops and let you snowball. Mistress of Mixtures is good because the heal-your-opponent drawback is negligible in the first few turn and it can also be a good heal later. It's almost as good as Zombie Chow.
Update 11/7/16: Added Auctionmaster Beardo, Grook Fu Master, and Shaku, the Collector.
Rating: 1(Excellent), 2(Good), 3(Average), 4(Poor), and 5 (Terrible)
LEGENDARY:
Auctionmaster Beardo Rating 3(Average): I think the 3/4 body is good, but I'm not sure how much of an impact his special ability will have or how often it will be a factor during gameplay.
Shaku, the Collector Rating 2(Good): You're pretty much guaranteed at least 1 additional card, which is a good deal for the cost and minion size. I wish his stats were slightly better as a Legendary, but I'd say that's probably asking too much.
COMMON:
Grook Fu Master Rating 2(Good): He might as well have an inherent Taunt because your opponent will not leave him on the board, unless they really want to get smacked for 6 damage a turn. He can also take out a couple of smaller minions, but still survive.
"To build or destroy...only you decide which joy." - Last Crack