Class Breakdown - Analysis
Keep in mind, I am talking about Standard. All of these stated S, L and W are patently false and not true in Wild. There are individual cards or a suite of cards that break ALL of these rules and guidelines in Wild.
Here’s a brief look into how we currently picture each of the classes:
- Strengths: These are the things that a class focuses on and excels at.
- Limitations: These are aspects that might show up a few times in a class, but they are very limited in power level and the number of cards.
- Weaknesses: These are aspects that a class either doesn’t have or struggles to achieve effectively.
Druid: Attuned with nature, Druids rely on the magic of the wild, massive beasts, and swarms of woodland creatures. Their toolbox allows them the versatility to pivot from defense to aggression. However, they have limited ways to directly clear out enemy minions.
- Strengths: Mana generation, giant minions, minion swarms, card draw, Beasts - they took away or nerfed all mana ramp in Standard. This is patently false.
- Weaknesses: Destroying big minions, board clear
Hunter: Hunters use their wit, ferocity, and an army of beasts fighting alongside them to destroy their competition. Although they lack in defense, their aggression allows them to push through before they need it. A well-timed Secret or Deathrattle can help them gain clutch advantages against their opponent.
- Strengths: Beasts, face damage, Secrets, Deathrattle
- Limitations: Card draw and generation, board clear, Taunt - with the new Discover card, this breaks this trend.
- Weaknesses: Healing - false. Not only did they print a neutral lifesteal beast, they gave it rush and a buff spell to gain even more healing. Worse yet, mech hunter is a thing and zilliax ALSO breaks this rule for all classes.
Mage: Mages have mastered the arcane arts and use their wide range of spells to take on even the most aggressive of opponents. Their defensive cadre is limited—while a good Mage usually has a useful tool to deal with any situation, a great Mage conjures the right tool when they need it.
- Strengths: Spells (big and small), damage spells, Secrets, board clear
- Limitations: Minion swarms
- Weaknesses: Healing, Taunt, minion buffs - Mages seem to be where they are supposed to be, though Conjurers Calling does break some of these guidelines.
Paladin: Paladins are great champions who support their minions with buffs, healing, and divine shields; however, they are not afraid to get their hands dirty when the time comes. They are methodical, controlling the battlefield through debuffs and focused attacks instead of destructive spells. Strength and persistence are the keys to a Paladin’s victory. Paladin also seems to be in a decent place in regards to their stated SLWs.
- Strengths: Minion swarms, minion buffs and debuffs, healing, Divine Shield, Secrets
- Limitations: Cost reduction
- Weaknesses: Direct damage spells, destroying big minions
Priest: Priests balance holy light and shadow magic to defeat their opponents. They control a battle’s outcome using powerful spells with situational applications. While not the most aggressive, they are able to generate, copy, and use combinations of cards to create a powerful army.
- Strengths: Healing, narrow but powerful spells, copying, single-minion buffs, Deathrattle - Priest is the worst healing class both in the past and present. Cards like Zilliax make ANY class gain some healing, including Mech Hunter and Mech Paladin.
- Limitations: Card draw
- Weaknesses: Face damage spells, multi-minion buffs
Rogue: Rogues hide in the shadows, planning for the perfect time to strike. They may be sneaky and nimble, but they lack strong defenses and regeneration, forcing them to act quickly to incapacitate an opponent. Their innate ability to generate, draw, and burgle cards allows them to build up and execute on many synergies. I think Rogues are where they are supposed to be based on the SLWs, but there are a few exceptions. In Wild, these guidelines dont apply.
- Strengths: Combo cards, destroying individual minions, card draw, weapons, Deathrattle
- Weaknesses: Taunt, healing, board clear, multi-minion buffs
Shaman: Shamans wield the power of the elements along with their trusty totems. While they may not be able to generate resources as quickly as a Mage, they are able to overload their Mana Crystals with lightning, allowing them to ramp up for a burst of power faster than other classes. Shamans are thus rewarded for planning a few turns ahead by tuning their mana curve. Shamans also have strong tools to adapt to many situations. Although they are not as versatile as a Druid’s Choose One cards, they are able to extend their capabilities in ways other classes might not be able to.
- Strengths: Minion swarms, damage spells, Totems, Elementals, Murlocs
- Weaknesses: Card draw, card generation - patently false with the new 2 drop Murloc and Hero card. This is actually a strength in the class. Also, Lackeys make this even more false.
Warlock: Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for power, and when you get demons involved this is often the case. The Warlock is comfortable with this bond and can manage all their resources (including their Health) in order to defeat their opponent. Their inherent ability to draw cards—with a sacrifice—allows them to keep the power flowing. Warlock seems to be in a decent place with SLWs in standard. Once again, Wild breaks all these rules.
- Strengths: Powerful sacrifice effects, card draw, minion swarms, disruption, Demons
- Weaknesses: Face damage spells, big healing
Warrior: Warriors thirst for the battlefield. Primarily a martial class, they incorporate Armor, weapons, and minions to destroy their opponents. The minions who fight alongside each Warrior tend to be bigger and stronger, and they employ Rush and Taunt to control the flow of battle.
- Strengths: Armor, weapons, Taunt, destroying minions - They have gotten the worst weapons in expansions while other classes have gotten really powerful ones. Name the last Warrior Taunt minion that was released?
- Limitations: Card draw and generation - Dr Boom hero card and the 1 mana spell says this is patently false.
- Weaknesses: Face damage spells, multi-minion buffs, minion swarms
Neutral: Neutral cards allow classes to extend their strengths to reach a specific goal with their deck or to make up for some of their weaknesses. For example, a Paladin can add Neutral Murlocs to help them round out their deck, or a Hunter may use a Neutral card that gives them a small amount of healing so they can stay in the fight longer. These cards are generally lower in power level so a class can never completely overcome their weaknesses.
Overall, if you look at the classes and which classes are on top of the Meta, you will probably notice a trend. The classes that break the mold of their stated design and guidelines are the ones most played or have the best winning percentages. Priest is the worst class for a reason, and now they are taking away one of their only deck archetypes that stood a chance at winning. Priest was bad and will now get much much worse.
Now, don't get me wrong, breaking the mold of these SLWs is fine, as long as the card doesn't do it a way that defines the class in the Standard Meta. The Death Knight Rexxar for Hunter broke almost ALL of the rules set forth. Card Generation - check. Healing - check. Board clear - check. And this is just one of many examples in the older Standard meta.
Priest healing cards should have conditional effects so that the cards are not completely reactive or pointless if you are at full health. That new spell that they are proposing is garbage. So how do you fix it? Easy:
1 cost Spell - To Heal or not to Heal. Heal your hero 5 health. If you healed more than 3 health this way, draw a card.
OR
Heal me Gently. If you are at full Health, draw a card. Otherwise, heal any target 5 health.
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So I was playing against a rogue, he uses Prince Keleseth twice with Shadowstep, then he uses Swashburglar to bring a -supposedly- 3/3 Patches the Pirate (because he WAS on the deck) ... but instead he came as regular 1/1 ... seems like the way patches is summoned ignores the effect, like "delete patches from deck > summon a new patches"
2
A friend's just today, what a nice pack
0
You know... there's probably gonna be some "wake up dormants" cards, so why don't we just wait a little bit?
1
1
I expected crap, found a nice and funny story.
6
But is not the same deck that you want it to be. It's a different one, with different cards.
5
Oh COME ON.
18
Here's the token: