[Hearthstone] Let's Draft an Arena Run!

[Zevox]

You might also get to hear Gul'Dan quoting Disney if it comes up.

Cool.

Hey, it's my first time ever going Warlock.

Still, you surely know how high-priority Dark Iron Dwarf is as an arena pick, right? So why would you think Drain Life was preferable?

[Ionbound]

Vote: Fen Creeper

Prediction: Bloodmage Thalnos

Because if you get a legendary and I didn't screw you over, I would be quite unhappy.

[Zevox]

Prediction: Bloodmage Thalnos

Because if you get a legendary and I didn't screw you over, I would be quite unhappy.

Watch as he gets a legendary and the picks are Ragnaros, Millhouse Manastorm, and Lorewalker Cho.

[Olinser]

Fen Creeper.

Why did you pick Drain Life over Dark Iron Dwarf? Also, I'm confused. Why are you picking cards? I thought the point was for us to draft a whole deck, not just a few picks.

[Zevox]

Also, I'm confused. Why are you picking cards? I thought the point was for us to draft a whole deck, not just a few picks.

Read the first post. He picks two for each one we do - most likely because of time concerns (it's taken us a couple of days to through two picks, so how long do you think a full draft would take if we were picking every single card by vote?). For those though we have the whole "prediction" thing to influence them, which is fun as well I'd say.

[Destro_Yersul]

Yeah, go with Fen Creeper.

Also, I predict JARAXXUS, EREDAR LORD OF THE BURNING LEGION.

For funsies.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Read the first post. He picks two for each one we do - most likely because of time concerns (it's taken us a couple of days to through two picks, so how long do you think a full draft would take if we were picking every single card by vote?). For those though we have the whole "prediction" thing to influence them, which is fun as well I'd say.

Righto. It's my way of compromising between the two so that it's done in a reasonable amount of time (I don't feel like spending a month on a draft and the thread would no doubt die down long before then) but still allows for influence.

As for the rest, you can count my inexperience for some of it. I'd normally pick Dark Iron Dwarf, but I'm a bit more uncertain of myself when drafting Warlock.

Also, I will laugh riotously if I get Jaraxxus predicted correctly.

[Math_Mage]

Pick Fen Creeper.

Predict Tinkmaster Overspark.

[Fleeing Coward]

Fen Creeper

No Warlock deck is complete without a Soulfire.

[Gandariel]

Fen Creeper.

Prediction: Hellfire of DOOOOOOOOOOM!

[Cogwheel]

Fen Creeper

Prediction: Soulfire. I do so love that spell.

[Ninjaman]

Fen creeper

Prediction: Siphon Soul

[SamBurke]

My prediction this time will be... hm... Murloc Raider. Because why not mess around?

[The Glyphstone]

Sure, Fen Creeper.

and predicting ANGRY CHICKEN again, dammit.

[ImperatorV]

Pick Fen Creeper.

Predict Sylvanus.

[ShinyRocks]

Hey, it's my first time ever going Warlock.

But ... Dwarf. Dwarf is Dwarf. He should almost always be taken.

Take Fen Creeper.

Prediction: Earthen Ring Farseer again.

[Weimann]

Fen Creeper, Fen Creeper, creeping in the fens.
Won't you come with me and help me kill my friends?

On the whole Drain Life vs Dwarf thing, I've still not seen conclusive evidence why the Dwarf is so great. Earlier, when the +2 attack stuck around, I could totally see it. Now, it feels like it's mostly a 4/4 for 4, which is okayish but certainly not great. The Battlecry helps in one trade, and I guess that's situationally good, but my instinctive pick would have been the Stormwind Knight. He gets to pick engagements due to Charge, and 5 health lets him trade 2-for-1 very often.

[ShinyRocks]

Well, +2 helps with a trade, yes, but it's a big help. Suddenly a Raptor can take out a Yeti. A Shieldmasta can take out a Yeti and stay on the field. A Paladin recruit can kill a Grizzly. A Boulderfist Ogre can take out an Ironbark. Or Ragnaros! Dwarf lets you trade upwards, lets you trade 1 minion for something that might otherwise require 2, and lets you save your hard removal. Or he can even give you Lethal and let you finish the game when you otherwise couldn't. (Witness my game the other day where I had a Warlock down to 1 health but couldn't finish him and he then topdecked Jaraxxus and ended up winning.)

Dwarf is situational, sure, but there's a whole lotta situations where he's great.

[Math_Mage]

Fen Creeper, Fen Creeper, creeping in the fens.
Won't you come with me and help me kill my friends?

On the whole Drain Life vs Dwarf thing, I've still not seen conclusive evidence why the Dwarf is so great. Earlier, when the +2 attack stuck around, I could totally see it. Now, it feels like it's mostly a 4/4 for 4, which is okayish but certainly not great. The Battlecry helps in one trade, and I guess that's situationally good, but my instinctive pick would have been the Stormwind Knight. He gets to pick engagements due to Charge, and 5 health lets him trade 2-for-1 very often.

Knight is better with an empty board against a 3/2. Dwarf is better in just about every other situation.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

(Hmmmm. I learn more. Initially, I figured that Drain Life was necessary to cope with the Warlock's weaknesses--being prone to taking damage. The reasoning behind Dwarf makes a lot of sense, though. I didn't realize it was so incredibly valued--I knew it was a good card, but didn't consider how much so.)

Okay. Sticky situation. Hoppy murloc by the table, night elf staring me down, and this giant swamp thing with the funny shirt is stepping my way. What's wrong with my life? Fortunately, somebody makes the mistake of getting the night elf's attention--and a little more than they bargained for. The murloc scurries off, and the swamp creature steps up.

"Adventure," it rumbles. "XP."

"Right here on the line!" I explain, then look around to see what's next.

Spoiler: Picks

Show

Fen Creeper!

Oracles: Hellfire 2x, Soulfire 2x, Earthen Ring Farseer, Blood Imp, Nightblade, Alarm-O-Bot (oh good gracious), Sylvanus Windrunner, ANGRY CHICKEN, Murloc Raider, Siphon Soul, Tinkmaster Overspark, Jaraxxus, Bloodmage Thalnos

I take some time to consult my books and scribble together an effective summoning for one of my old reliable friends. I put in a little extra effort to make sure it catches the infernal at a convenient time, somewhere between tending fires and handling condemnations. And when I looked up? My hired wolf-rider had found a sullen buddy and signed her up as well.

Spoiler

Show

Dread Infernal over Scarlet Crusader and Silvermoon Guardian (I was a bit uncertain here, but getting a solid-strong character that doubles as a Whirlwind is what I want, I'm thinking. I continue to learn the mystery of drafting...)
Wolfrider over Novice Engineer and Mogu'shan Warden (*sigh*)

I look up, and there's another murloc wander by the table, one who looks a lot more in-charge and experienced than the little hopper. That's better. But the fella's looking everywhere, all nervously. Like there's somebody just around the corner. Okay, then. I'm not sure if this one's for me. Then the murloc gives a startled jump.

There's a crab! It scuttles around, snapping at the murloc...very voraciously, in fact. It's also probably the clumsiest crab I've seen. Blazing brimstone--the thing's lagging by at least half a second! Oh, well, there it goes. Chasing the murloc in circles. If I wanted to, I could probably let them be.

Can't say the same for--whatever--comes by--next. What...is...that? It's tall, slim, and has really freaky armor...and there's just something...off...about it. I can't even stand to look it in the eye. Am I shaking? I'm not shaking! I'm just going to have a look, pick someone for the team, and that'll be it!

It's not gonna be that last one, right?

I hope. Voices? Please don't do the scary thing.

Spoiler: Pick #9

Show

Murloc Warleader: Gives a big buff to all the other murlocs I have on the board.
Hungry Crab:: Eats a murloc to gain a sizeable buff; also a cheap minion. That's a horrific misuse of causal logic, by the way.
Faceless Manipulator: Copy another minion. Full stop.

Pick well, and oracle better! Also, I think that "every third pick" manages to hit the rarer cards pretty frequently.

Vote Goal: 6 votes
Hard Deadline: 8 PM 3/6 (UTC-6/CST)

[Cogwheel]

Faceless Manipulator. No question about it.

Prediction: Hellfire

(Also, good call on the Infernal.)

[The Glyphstone]

Faceless Manipulator, without question.

and again, I predict the ANGRY CHICKEN.......

[Destro_Yersul]

take the Faceless, if only because it scares Gul'dan.

I predict... Raging Worgen

[Zevox]

I'm going Hungry Crab. Because nobody ever takes those.

Predicting: Succubus. Because I've predicted enough good cards, so have one of Warlock's not-so-good ones.

[Fleeing Coward]

As tempted as I am to troll with Hungry Crab, I'll vote Manipulator
My 8-ball says there's a Demonfire in your future.

[ShinyRocks]

Take the Faceless Manipulator.

Prediction of Flame Imp.

[Gandariel]

Faceless, of course.

I'll predict Thrallmar Farseer. Just because i want to prove the world that it isn't *that* bad

[Weimann]

Admittedly, if the crab gets to eat an opponent murloc, it becomes the best 1-drop in the game. But yeah, it's Faceless Manipulator. Sorry, Gul'dan, that's what you get for being evil.

[Ninjaman]

Faceless manipulator

Prediction: Scarlet Crusader

[Kish]

Faceless Manipulator.

Prediction: Doomguard.