So this is my suggestion of a new game mode in which unique decks are favoured and creating original decks is the key.
So my idea comes from the idea that if people generally want to be good at this game especially at the end of an expansion cycle they must play a perfectly refined net deck. This results in constantly playing against the same decks over and over...
My solution is a new game mode that rewards players for the uniqueness of the deck...
So each card is ranked based on its popularity a positive score for a rarely used card and a negative score for a very popular card.... once the deck is created then the average score is taken... if the score remains in negative then the deck can't be used... if a deck has a high score then you would gain more stars than normal in the ladder...
What I believe this will result in is unpopular, (dare I say it) bad cards being used rather than the same cards over and over but would allow the use of a few powerful, popular cards in a new interesting way.
I'm sure the 'card ranking' system could be easily implemented as the information is available on HSReplay anyway and could be changed daily.
Credit were it is due I got the idea from watching Soleman playing a 'rager' deck for fun (yes, fun) yesterday.
Any ideas or enhancements on my game mode?
3
Exactly, I don't understand the logic behind waiting. The most fun part of the expansion is when it is released when people are trying out new things. If you wait until the meta "settles," then you will be playing in a stale meta. I guess it matters whether you want to play the game for fun or to climb.
To answer OP's question, I would craft any of the neutral legendaries since they seem to fit in multiple tier 2-3 decks that probably won't get nerfed (except Keymaster Alabaster, that card sucks right now). Besides that, I think we would have to know what type of decks and classes you like playing.
1
The Blood Steward idea seems really cool, it brings back the fun aspect of Deathstalker Rexxar's heropower but is not insanely powerful because it isn't infinite. The outcast effect also seems to be on point.
By the way, did you forget to add the Mage/Shaman legendary or am I just blind? :)
1
tldr: Use gold for the beginning of the year and dust for the end of the year
I've been thinking about how to utilize resources (gold and dust) in the most efficient way throughout each expansion every year (for standard). Obviously, the first expansion each year will remain in the standard cycle for the next two years, so this incentivizes the players to build a large collection from this expansion to maximize the time they can play with these cards. As such, they spend more gold on packs and are more eager to spend dust on this first expansion every year. Similarly, the 2nd expansion will remain in standard for slightly less time and so players are slightly less incentivized to spend resources on this expansion than the first, and the same with the third expansion.
Now, the next key thing to realize is that Blizzard must constantly create cards that are more powerful than the previous expansion so that the meta isn't stale. Otherwise, no one would be buying new expansion packs and Blizzard wouldn't be making any money. As a result, the cards from the first expansion every year tend to be fairly weak, but the cards from the third expansion tend to be very powerful. We see this time and time again with Descent of Dragons, Kobolds & Catacombs being extremely powerful and other expansion like Ashes of Outland and Rise of Shadows being slightly weaker.
Using these ideas, it is clear that different expansions should induce different ways to collect cards from that set. Since gold is the best way to buy cards in bulk, gold should be utilized more toward the beginning of the year where more cards will remain for a longer period in the standard cycle. However, dust should be utilized at the end of the year where the more powerful cards warrant an immediate craft as they are meta-defining.
Now this is not to say that players should ONLY use gold for the first expansion or ONLY use dust for the third expansion. Ofcourse, there will be very strong legendaries that players have to craft in the first expansion and gold should be used to collect the rares/commons for the third expansion. However, when looking at the pros and cons of the resources in hearthstone, in my opinion it is a good strategy to incentivize using one over the other depending on when the expansion is released during the year.
Any thoughts on this idea?
6
Seems like a very fun deck, but I would get rid of Ysera. It'll often be a dead card in your hand, and you already have so much value potential with Dragon Roar, War Master Voone, and Dragon Breeder.
2
It's generally not good to play Zephrys on curve because it can be a great AOE option later in the game.
2
Neferset Thrasher is one of the core cards in this deck because it is a 3 mana 4/5 with an arguable upside. You don't have to always get value from this to trigger Diseased Vulture, since it is overstatted for its cost. In my opinion, it can be played pretty much any turn, but it is especially good turn 3 or even turn 2 on the coin.
2
I would certainly consider Glinda Crowskin in the deck, however I experimented with her in the very beginning and she seemed to be too slow because it needs to be atleast turn 8 for her to get any serious value, while the other value card in the deck, Dark Pharaoh Tekahn, can be played on turn 5 and can even be an immediate upside if you already have a lackey on board.
2
This deck will get run over by Hunter, I only have around a 30% winrate against them. This deck mainly counters Warrior and Mage matchups.
1
IMO, i've had some success with swapping Razorpetal Volley with Razorpetal Lasher. You can't afford to have a 2 mana do nothing in your hand; Razorpetal Lasher atleast gives u some early game presence while also giving you a Razorpetal. I also think that Evasion is better than Sudden Betrayal. With all the Odd Paladins and Odd Rogues, Sudden Betrayal is almost useless since they will usually attack with a 1/1 or a weak minion. Evasion atleast stops some of the damage coming in. Finally, I think Valeera the Hollow is a must have in this deck. The ability to play an extra cycle card or an extra Sinister Strike is very strong, especially vs a control matchup. If you get to turn 9 against aggro, this not only gains you 5 armor, but shuts any incoming damage next turn. If you're facing a lot of aggro, consider swapping Assassinate with Doomsayer or Giggling Inventor.
1
I have Malygos and Hadronox, but I don't have core Druid cards, such as Malfurion the Pestilent and Ultimate Infestation. Are they worth the craft?