Hearthstone 6: The Wrath of Cairne

[Frog Dragon]

I just had a really bizarre ranked game. My opponent played turn 1 voidwalker, which I win axed. Then he played coin, nothing pass. Then he did nothing for the rest of the game. The weird part is that he never got the rope, and just quickly passed the turn each time.

Eventually, he pitched a card, and it was shieldbearer.

Also, after doing some friend matches with a random person I had friended after a match, I decided to switch around the deck a little. I decided to try the Kor'kron, but I mostly still stayed with the old school of control warrior. I also dropped Ysera for TBK to help deal with druids. I kept double armorsmith because I want maximum armor generation to help against decks like Miracle Rogue.

Spoiler: Decklist

Show

[Zevox]

Arena is 3-1 so far, with me stopping to play something else for a bit. Lost my second match, to a Shaman who just seemed to have exactly the combination of minions and spells that would clear my board while building his early, and eventually I wound up in a situation where I had three Fireballs in my hand but his board was full of tiny things I wouldn't Fireball - and he pulled out a Bloodlust for exactly enough damage to win when I was at 19 health. Flamestrike could've turned the game around, but I never drew it.

Other games have gone smoothly, with my curve usually working out pretty nicely. Cairne has come down on turn 6 twice already, and I've no doubt was a big reason I won those games so easily. Alex even won me my first game, which went pretty late - I played him offensively to drop my foe from something in the mid-20s to 15, then my opponent spent his turn clearing the Stormwind Champion I also had on the board and adding an Azure Drake to his, then I killed him with Alex to the face plus Fireball and hero power. Pretty satisfying.

[Melquiades]

Currently doing an arena where I was lucky enough to get 2 Gorehowls, 1 Brawl and 2 Frothing Berserkers. Currently 5-1 (:

I don't expect to win much though, I never went better than 7-3 -.-'

[D-naras]

So the weirdest thing just happened.

I play mostly arena these days, and after finishing an arena run, I figure I will play a ranked game to change the pace. So I pick a mage deck I have lying around and hit play. I am rank 7 so it's pretty serious business. Jaina vs Guldan. I get handed my cards... They are a nightblade, a bloodfen raptor and a novice engineer.... I decide to keep because, why not? It turns out my opponent has the legendary card-back and is a golden Warlock playing zoo. So of course I ended up beating the crap out of him with an autocompleted mage deck while I played 0 non basic cards. It turns out oasis snapjaw is pretty op versus zoo

I entered my collection afterwards and it seems I have no decks saved. I totally beat a legendary golden Zoolock with the basic mage deck.

[Lighturtle]

Spoiler: Decklist

Show

Have you considered Frothing Berserker and Wild Pyro?

[Frog Dragon]

I feel a little sorry for the freeze mages I encounter. The match is so stupid. It is incredibly easy for me to get into a position where the mage is simply no longer capable of winning the game because they cannot generate enough damage. I suppose Antonidas or Giants variants might have a legitimate chance of winning, but the regular freeze mage needs to get the god draw and for me to get basically no armor generation whatsoever beyond my hero power.

I haven't lost to a single freeze mage yet.

[Anxe]

My favorite is silencing a frozen minion against a freeze mage to pummel him anyways.

[Mystic Muse]

Replaced the leper gnomes with the divine Shield guys, and the holy lights wiyh Sunfury Protectors. We'll see how that works out.

I feel like keeping the yetis in. They're harder for priests to deal with.

[Zevox]

Replaced the leper gnomes with the divine Shield guys, and the holy lights wiyh Sunfury Protectors. We'll see how that works out.

I feel like keeping the yetis in. They're harder for priests to deal with.

Yetis are always a fine card for control decks. Nothing wrong with keeping them around.

That arena run of mine is going well - currently 7-1, which I'm very happy about since it guarantees me a nice profit. Alexstraza is proving himself a stronger asset than I expected, with my last couple of wins being heralded by his coming. It's kinda hard for me to balance my Fireball use though - I'm split between trying to use them for fast lethal and for control. My natural instincts are the latter, but with three in the deck (and I'm drawing all three far more often than you'd expect) it does feel like I should be using them on the face more than I want to.

[Neon Knight]

That arena run of mine is going well - currently 7-1, which I'm very happy about since it guarantees me a nice profit. Alexstraza is proving himself a stronger asset than I expected, with my last couple of wins being heralded by his coming.

I believe that Alexstraza is a female, not a male.

[Zevox]

I believe that Alexstraza is a female, not a male.

Pretty sure I've heard people referring to him as male. Being as I've never played anything else Warcraft-related I'm deferring to others on that one.

[Destro_Yersul]

That arena run of mine is going well - currently 7-1, which I'm very happy about since it guarantees me a nice profit. Alexstraza is proving himself a stronger asset than I expected, with my last couple of wins being heralded by his coming. It's kinda hard for me to balance my Fireball use though - I'm split between trying to use them for fast lethal and for control. My natural instincts are the latter, but with three in the deck (and I'm drawing all three far more often than you'd expect) it does feel like I should be using them on the face more than I want to.

Alexstraza is female. There's actually an even male/female split amongst the legendary dragons in the game.

RE: Fireballs, my general tactic even with three of them is to not use them on face unless I think it will make me win this turn or next turn, but I also try to save them if at all possible. If I can get a favourable trade on the board without using a fireball, I will.

[Hamste]

Pretty sure I've heard people referring to him as male. Being as I've never played anything else Warcraft-related I'm deferring to others on that one.

It is a she, here is her when in human form

http://www.wowwiki.com/Alexstrasza

[Zevox]

Alexstraza is female. There's actually an even male/female split amongst the legendary dragons in the game.

It is a she, here is her when in human form

http://www.wowwiki.com/Alexstrasza

Okay then, good to know.

[The Glyphstone]

Draconic Name Suffixes 101:

blue dragonflight: -gos for males, -gosa for females
green dragonflight: -us for males, -ra for females
red dragonflight: -strasz for males, -strasza for females
bronze dragonflight: -dormu for males, -dormi for females
black dragonflight: -ion for males, -ia for females


Chronormu/Chromie is the sole exception anyone knows about. Warcraft Magazine apparently confirmed she is female.

[Infernally Clay]

Now I want to see a Nozdormi, Malygosa, Yseua, Alexstrasz and Neltharia card set.

[Kish]

Draconic Name Suffixes 101:

blue dragonflight: -gos for males, -gosa for females
green dragonflight: -us for males, -ra for females
red dragonflight: -strasz for males, -strasza for females
bronze dragonflight: -dormu for males, -dormi for females
black dragonflight: -ion for males, -ia for females


Chronormu/Chromie is the sole exception anyone knows about. Warcraft Magazine apparently confirmed she is female.

Considering Chromie first showed up in a very-obviously-female gnome form, I wonder that Warcraft Magazine was necessary for that. Can't think of any examples of dragons switching sex when changing to humanoid forms.

Sinestra's name isn't Sinestria, though. And Nefarian's name isn't Nefarion.

[huttj509]

Ooh, I wanna see a Chromie card. Something like "Both players lose 2 mana crystals" or something, to play into the revisiting past events she's big on.

Spoiler: Wanted to see it, so I made one myself.

Show

Could be interesting in an anti-control sort of way. Underpowered for the cost, but you can be prepared for the mana reduction, while your opponent is not. Also, interesting tradeoff in larger effect the more turns have gone on, but her 3/3 body would be less significant.

Intent in rounding is:

You went first: Turn 4 is generally 4/3, becomes 2/1, so it's like it's back at turn 2.
You went second: Turn 4 is generally 4/4, becomes 2/2, so it's like back at turn 2.

...so I actually wanted the lost mana crystals to round up, not down...oh well.

[The Glyphstone]

Considering Chromie first showed up in a very-obviously-female gnome form, I wonder that Warcraft Magazine was necessary for that. Can't think of any examples of dragons switching sex when changing to humanoid forms.

Sinestra's name isn't Sinestria, though. And Nefarian's name isn't Nefarion.

It was a retcon to explain why Chromie had a female gnome human form, but a male Dragon's name.

Sinestra changed her name. She was born as Sintharia. I'll give you the ian/ion thing, though a shifted vowel isn't as drastic as a reversed gender.

[Kish]

Unless you meant -ormu rather than -dormu, "Chronormu" isn't a male dragon's name either--it just ignores the rules you listed.

[Zevox]

Mage arena wound up 10-3 in the end, which I think makes it my second-best arena to date. Wound up losing to a Rogue and a Shaman in my final two matches. Nothing special about the matches, they just took a tempo advantage around the mid-game and it stuck.

Rewards were 175 gold, 80 gold, a golden Holy Fire (aka 100 dust), and a pack. Only thing of note the pack contained was a gold common (aka 50 dust). Not a bad haul, since I want to save gold for Naxxramas but also dust for Thalnos.

But even so, I'm not sure if I'll be doing this much more. I was already starting to weary of arena again in the latter half of that one, and just kinda wanted to finish it mostly to collect my rewards, not so much because I really wanted to play. Which was a big part of why I stopped and have just been buying packs with my gold the last four or so months.

[Melquiades]

Ok, that first Warrior arena ended up 7-3, but my SECOND warrior arena ended 9-3! Personal best! Plus a golden Sunfury Protector, and in the pack I got the preparation I was missing + a nourish! <3 My deck contained 4 Fire Win Axe and 4 4/3 Charge.

Onto my third Warrior arena I go!


Edit: So the third arena was a big fail. So I went to play constructed with Miracle Rogue. Playing against a priest, he made a 10/10 Northshire Cleric by his THIRD turn. Too bad he attacked my face and not the 2/2 Kobold Geomancer because then I proceeded to play Backstab (3dmg), Fan of Knives (2dmg) and Cold Blood on Kobold to kill it, and then win at 8th turn :DDDDDD

But seriously. 10/10. Third turn.

[Fleeing Coward]

How to beat Zoo as Priest:

Spoiler

Show

[Krade]

How to beat Zoo as Priest:

I hate to be negative, but I'm pretty sure two sudden Faceless manipulators and Ysera have a better than not chance of beating pretty much anything.

[Fleeing Coward]

I know but most other decks don't run Doomguard for me to copy. Hardest part of all that though is actually surviving to turn 10 to pull it off with Randuin ((That Murloc you see was from the card my ETC gave him))

[Frog Dragon]

Going to do the arena post thing again.

Druid/Mage/ROGUE
To be honest, I'm a little bored with druid. Also, I have the highest winrate with rogue.

Spoiler: Picks

Show

Violet Teacher/Mind Control Tech/AZURE DRAKE
Azure Drake just has no competition. It's a solid body that self-cycles.

Novice Engineer/BACKSTAB/Defias Ringleader
Always worth the mana investment. A rogue with early-game minions of her own can absolutely snowball with backstab. Kill the opponents 3/2 and play your own, all for 2 mana.

Vanish/Priestess of Elune/SILVERMOON GUARDIAN
Pretty bad set, but Silvermoon Guardian is at least okay. Unless I'm against a class that pings, it'll probably function as a 3/5 at least.

Kobold Geomancer/COLD BLOOD/Frostwolf Grunt
Not sure about this one, but Trump's list says Cold Blood. I only have one spell so far, so I probably can't rely on the spellpower getting much utility. Cold Blood is at least pseudo-removal.

LORD OF THE ARENA/Magma Rager/Ironforge Rifleman
Oh look, it's another showing from the b-team. Bah, I guess Lord of the Arena isn't totally awful.

Shadowstep/IRONFUR GRIZZLY/Vanish
I'll go ahead and take the boring standard 3-drop over crappy gimmicky spells.

ASSASSIN'S BLADE/Mogu'shan Warden/Spellbreaker
The sheer value of the blade is hard to beat. Sure you're eating damage to the face, but you're gaining huge board advantage doing it.

BETRAYAL/Frostwolf Warlord/Shadowstep
Betrayal is a fine card, and given the mana cost, it's fairly easy to get results far beyond what you'd expect for that cost.

Oasis Snapjaw/DEFIAS RINGLEADER/Magma Rager
This is our town, scrub!

ARGENT COMMANDER/Angry Chicken/Blade Flurry
I only have one blade, and I don't think that justifies Blade Flurry. The chicken is just stupid, while Argent Commander 2-for-1s most of the time.

Stonetusk Boar/Southsea Deckhand/BACKSTAB
This card is still really efficient.

Raging Worgen/WORGEN INFILTRATOR/Dire Wolf Alpha
Worgen Infiltrator puts the opponent in the awkward situation of either passing the turn or letting me trade up. Either way is fine for me.

Sprint/Defias Ringleader/BACKSTAB
I guess I'll have a third one? I do need to be careful, since Backstab falls in value in the lategame.

EDWIN VANCLEEF/Nat Pagle/Lorewalker Cho
Even just a turn 2 Coin VanCleef or a turn 3 Backstab Vancleef is fine value.

FAN OF KNIVES/Cold Blood/Shadowstep
Now here's a spell that really likes spellpower. It's at worst a cycle, which isn't terrible.

Frostwolf Warlord/Vanish/ASSASSIN'S BLADE
Man, I keep getting offered Vanish. I'll take the blade again, but I need to make sure I have enough minions.

Core Hound/Sap/NOVICE ENGINEER
Pretty bad all-around. Sap is okay if you want to play for tempo, but that's not my usual style. I'll go novice.

DEFIAS RINGLEADER/Assassin's Blade/Shadowstep
Three blades is a bad idea.

Thrallmar Farseer/Conceal/ACIDIC SWAMP OOZE
A 3/2 with a potentially gameswinging upside. What's not to love?

SUNWALKER/Angry Chicken/Alarm-o-Bot
Really, draft?

Amani Berserker/SILVER HAND KNIGHT/Sinister Strike
The good old 6/6 for 5. Silver Hand Knight is value.

Pint-sized Summoner/GADGETZAN AUCTIONEER/Ancient Mage
I have a bunch of cheap spells, and the other 2 are bad.

Shiv/Acidic Swamp Ooze/HARVEST GOLEM
Need threes. Harvest Golem is really good.

ASSASSINATE/Southsea Deckhand/Ironfur Grizzly
For when you just need something dead.

Bluegill Warrior/Amani Berserker/RAGING WORGEN
Another reasonable three.

DARK IRON DWARF/Thrallmar Farseer/Flesheating Ghoul
And now a 4-drop. I only have one mediocre one so far, so this is good.

Wisp/Grimscale Oracle/STORMPIKE COMMANDO


EVISCERATE/Spring/Novice Engineer
More really good removal.

Betrayal/SHATTERED SUN CLERIC/Defias Ringleader
The cleric is quite good. Essentially 4/3 for 3, except part of it charges.

Crazed Alchemist/Lightwarden/VIOLET TEACHER
Aand raising my saldo of 4-drops to a grand total of 3. Violet Teacher is the best card of these three anyway.

Curve is 3/2/6/6/3/7/3/0/0/0/0. Creature curve is 0/1/4/5/3/4/3/0/0/0/0. I managed to save a pretty strange looking curve in the last third of the draft. Now it looks reasonable. I have enough early game, though my midgame is a little sketchy. The cheap spells can get value even in the lategame thanks to the Auctioneer.

[Destro_Yersul]

Ooh, I wanna see a Chromie card. Something like "Both players lose 2 mana crystals" or something, to play into the revisiting past events she's big on.

Spoiler: Wanted to see it, so I made one myself.

Show

Could be interesting in an anti-control sort of way. Underpowered for the cost, but you can be prepared for the mana reduction, while your opponent is not. Also, interesting tradeoff in larger effect the more turns have gone on, but her 3/3 body would be less significant.

Intent in rounding is:

You went first: Turn 4 is generally 4/3, becomes 2/1, so it's like it's back at turn 2.
You went second: Turn 4 is generally 4/4, becomes 2/2, so it's like back at turn 2.

...so I actually wanted the lost mana crystals to round up, not down...oh well.

That would be brokentastic in basically any aggro deck. Shut down your opponent's big stuff for another couple turns and secure the win.

[Gandariel]

Comments, wheeee

Spoiler: Picks

Show

[B]


Sprint/Defias Ringleader/BACKSTAB
I guess I'll have a third one? I do need to be careful, since Backstab falls in value in the lategame.
Maybe Sprint here? one is ok, and you have plenty of the other ones already


Bluegill Warrior/Amani Berserker/RAGING WORGEN
Another reasonable three.
all three were actually decent choices. Stilistic difference, i guess

... Not many comments, heh. Most choices were pretty straightforward

[Melquiades]

Been playing this deck (-1 King Mukla, +1 SI Agent), and loving it. Would give it a try if you guys have the cards.

[Frog Dragon]

Went 12/1 with that rogue draft. Interestingly, the final boss was a warlock.

SCIENCE: 80 gold, 220 gold, 25 gold, 165 gold, and a pack.

Pack contained Betrayal, Earthen Ring Farseer, Spellbreaker, Fen Creeper, and Savannah Highmane. Also known as 40 dust.