As it stands, the real reason why vanilla minions aren't played is because they don't offer support to any archetypes. Chillwind Yeti is a perfectly good card, but it doesn't stack jades, doesn't stack C'thun, isn't a dragon, isn't a deathrattle, isn't a combo piece, etc. There is very little incentive to run a vanilla minion over anything else.
This. In old days or in limited card pools cards like Chillwind Yeti and Boulderfist Ogre saw play since they were just very solid and fair standalone cards that don't require anything else to be good. To be frank, cards like Water Elemental, Fire Elemental, Lay On Hands, Ancient of War, Cairne Bloodhoof and even Ysera also slot into this position and these powerhouses have mostly fallen out of flavour by now. Constructed doesn't want fair or good cards anymore, constructed wants cards that pressure alot and cheat and do their job exceptionally well. One of the best ways to cheat without actually cheating is through a combo (as long as this combo doesn't instantly give lethal like old FoN + SR)... but vanilla cards don't incentivize combo's. Unless you can put Conceal on a 30/30, or a 26/26 followed by a Cold Blood or whatever. It's not only the risk vs reward balance or the tempo loss or no additional pressure that makes putting 10 cost minions into your deck troublesome.
Now, the fact that many people mention removals and vulnerability makes me want to shine a light on another topic: overstatted minions as tech. Considering that alot of popular removals are in the Kabal classes, Shaman and Warrior, could it be possible that a 10 mana 15/15 or 8 mana 12/12 could (have been) used as tech (either as bait or downright win condition) against Druids, Rogues or Paladins?
I don't know about you guys, but this looks like a great fit in my Blood of The Ancient One deck. Imagine not having enough mana to play one of those big boys, well now you simply play this card, then you Living Roots + Moonfire it and presto, 8 mana for a brand new shiny Blood of The Ancient One that used to be in your hand. Good stuff.
I like how the Fandral token in some cases actually makes this card WORSE, since you can't even choose to have the taunt anymore on the turn you play it.
Sooo... I suppose any targetable spell would be replicated then? PW:Shield to draw two cards or even Lay on Hands to draw 6? Add in a Djinni and you got a fiesta.
Veeery cool flavourful card. Allows you to put an extra legendary minion into your deck as well get a 10 mana minion out for 8. Otherwise, I think it's a tad too random to really be played.
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So let's look at the choices for turn 2: guess we can play Twisting Nether, Siphon Soul... Felfire Potion... . .. Blastcrystal Potion.. ... uh
Kara Kazham!?
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What is the even... A lurker of my warlock decks, never seeing play I guess...
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Imagine randomly getting this minion from something like Firelands Portal and then getting pinged to death by your opponent. Fun times.
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Great 1 drop to pop those divine shiel... wait...
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Ironically happens to be one of the only classic keywords/mechanics that Al'Akir the Windlord himself DOESN'T have.
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WHo cares about Purify? Finally I can play my Shatter consistently in mage!
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I don't know about you guys, but this looks like a great fit in my Blood of The Ancient One deck. Imagine not having enough mana to play one of those big boys, well now you simply play this card, then you Living Roots + Moonfire it and presto, 8 mana for a brand new shiny Blood of The Ancient One that used to be in your hand. Good stuff.
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I like how the Fandral token in some cases actually makes this card WORSE, since you can't even choose to have the taunt anymore on the turn you play it.
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Forgotten Torch's minion brother(s).
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Sooo... I suppose any targetable spell would be replicated then? PW:Shield to draw two cards or even Lay on Hands to draw 6? Add in a Djinni and you got a fiesta.
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Veeery cool flavourful card. Allows you to put an extra legendary minion into your deck as well get a 10 mana minion out for 8. Otherwise, I think it's a tad too random to really be played.
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Giant massive meteor doesn't kill Tyrantus who is a dinosaur... This isn't how history happened WutFace
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Can't wait for the Primordial Glyph into Unstable Portal into Babbling Book into Primordial Glyph cycle with 2 Sorceror's Apprentice and something like Antonidas on board combo deck.