Hearthstone Arena Drafting!

[CantigThimble]

I actually think priestess isn't that bad in arena based on how it's done for me in the past. But not good and warrior is the worst class for it. Strike em down!

Edit: Autocorrect is so weird, where did 'butters' even come from.

[GAAD]

Heroic Strike

Thrallmar Farseer, Slam, Zombie Chow

[CantigThimble]

Chow down on the best one drop!

[Fleeing Coward]

Personally, I'm a big fan of Slam but Zombie Chow is probably just slightly better.

[Zevox]

Chow and Slam are both good, but yeah, I think it's Chow over Slam.

[GAAD]

Dah!

Tank 2, Gargoyle, Execute 2

[MacGiolla]

Execute!!!!

[The_Jackal]

Tank. Without whirlwind or death's bite, execute pretty much is a guaranteed one for two.

[CantigThimble]

Execute is also hard removal, and killing a priests 5/9 before he wins board control forever is very much worth. Plus we have time to grab slams and deaths bites this early. Also whirlwind/execute is also a one for two.

[GAAD]

Also, we have two Cruel Taskmasters to combo with Execute. Let's do it.

Windfury Harpy, Haunted Creeper, Spectral Knight

[Gandariel]

Creeper Here. Also, i would have taken Tank last pick. Execute is good, but you don't want too many of it.

[Fleeing Coward]

Spectral Knight's better

[Gandariel]

Hm?

Creeper is a top-tier 2-drop, Spectral knight is a.. good 5-drop. (on the neutral common 5-drop slot, i value it worse than Tiger and Venture Co, and more or less on par with Silver Hand Knight)
I didn't bother to check our curve, but i think we could use a 2. And Creeper is IMO better in a vacuum

[Destro_Yersul]

Creeper's really good. I value it over Spectral knight, especially given our 2 taskmasters and 2 executes.

[Fleeing Coward]

I consider Spectral Knight to be the top neutral common 5 drop. I encounter multiple mages in every arena run and I've really come to appreciate just how valuable been untargettable is.
Haunted Creeper while annoying for your opponent to remove doesn't actually pose enough of a threat that I rate it below quite a few other 2 drops.

[Gandariel]

i just checked a list.
Which common 2-drops do you consider better than Creeper?

Mad Scientist if you have a secret, sure...
Ooze, maybe
Loot Hoarder... Despite my love for him, I'd probably pick Creeper over Hoarder

[Fleeing Coward]

Ooze, Faerie Dragon and Stalker I'd pick over Creeper 9 times out of 10. I'd consider Bomber and Brewmaster depending on the rest of my deck.

[Destro_Yersul]

I think I'd take Ooze over Creeper, but probably not much else. Unless Mad Scientist was an option and I'd already picked at least 2 secrets.

Spectral Knight... in terms of 5 drops, I'd say it gets beaten out by Stranglethorn Tiger, Value Co Merc, and Spiteful Smith if I'm rogue or already have a couple weapons. It's good, but I don't think being untargettable is that amazing, especially in Arena which is won on the board. Sticky minions, on the other hand, are always good, and Creeper is really hard to remove effectively.

[Fleeing Coward]

I think I'd take Ooze over Creeper, but probably not much else. Unless Mad Scientist was an option and I'd already picked at least 2 secrets.

Spectral Knight... in terms of 5 drops, I'd say it gets beaten out by Stranglethorn Tiger, Value Co Merc, and Spiteful Smith if I'm rogue or already have a couple weapons. It's good, but I don't think being untargettable is that amazing, especially in Arena which is won on the board. Sticky minions, on the other hand, are always good, and Creeper is really hard to remove effectively.

Spectral Knight is almost impossible to remove profitably when on curve and unlike Creeper, it provides a legitimate clock.

Spiteful Smith, Venture Co can both be targetted by removal spells making them risky plays when you're in catchup mode. Stranglethorn's stealth will usually let you trade but 5 health dies to alot more stuff.

[Gandariel]

i agree with Destro.

Spectral Knight is solid and will usually take out two low-cost enemy minions or trade with an equal cost minion.
That is the definition of a good 5-drop.
Still, Venture co has more punch, and Tiger has a better evasion effect.

And i would argue that there is not that much of a gap between 5 and 6 health. I mean of course there is, but not as big as 4/5.

Also, (and this is more a joke than anything else),

Spectral Knight is almost impossible to remove profitably when on curve and unlike Creeper, it provides a legitimate clock.

This 2-drop doesn't provide a clock on your opponent? Wow, that's bad!

[Destro_Yersul]

Spectral Knight is almost impossible to remove profitably when on curve and unlike Creeper, it provides a legitimate clock.

Spiteful Smith, Venture Co can both be targetted by removal spells making them risky plays when you're in catchup mode. Stranglethorn's stealth will usually let you trade but 5 health dies to alot more stuff.

And 5 attack trades with a lot more stuff. Plus, Creeper's not there to provide a clock. Most 2 drops don't provide a clock. You may as well say you'd pick Spectral Knight over Zombie Chow because Chow heals your opponent for 5.

I mean, Spectral Knight is a good card, and I'm never sad to see it, but Creeper is in the top tier of 2 drops.

[Fleeing Coward]

And 5 attack trades with a lot more stuff. Plus, Creeper's not there to provide a clock. Most 2 drops don't provide a clock. You may as well say you'd pick Spectral Knight over Zombie Chow because Chow heals your opponent for 5.

I mean, Spectral Knight is a good card, and I'm never sad to see it, but Creeper is in the top tier of 2 drops.

While putting on a clock isn't the main objective, 2 hits by a 3/2 removes 20% of your health. It all adds up.
The problem with Creeper is that with 1 attack, your opponent isn't going to care. It might be tough to remove and it can trade with most other 2 drops over a few turns but it's weakness is that it can't do it in 1 turn unless you happen to have a taskmaster which in this deck you'd usually want to combo with your executes.

You'll get no arguments from me that Creeper is a good 2 drop but I've always thought that it is overrated due to people comparing it to harvest golem.

[Gandariel]

The thing is, Haunted creeper will not just do 1 damage. He'll do like 5, and more consistently than your random 3/2

[Fleeing Coward]

Except the damage is in 1 damage chunks which is the problem.
If you run it into an opposing creature, you're usually giving them the option to decide what to do with the creature.
If you're hitting face, you're barely putting on any pressure while not impacting the board.

Resilience to removal is important but it's inability to trade with anything in a timely manner reduces it's value.

[Gandariel]

you talk about putting clocks, i explained you that Creeper actually does do more damage, and more consistently.
Yes, it is slow.
It's gotta have some disadvantage. If it weren't it would just be OP.
It is a consistent, strong, damaging 2-drop. It trades up almost every time, it is a pain in the ass to remove. It is a top tier 2-drop.
And i'd take it over a Faerie Dragon / Gilblin Stalker 10 times out of 10

[Fleeing Coward]

you talk about putting clocks, i explained you that Creeper actually does do more damage, and more consistently.
Yes, it is slow.
It's gotta have some disadvantage. If it weren't it would just be OP.
It is a consistent, strong, damaging 2-drop. It trades up almost every time, it is a pain in the ass to remove. It is a top tier 2-drop.
And i'd take it over a Faerie Dragon / Gilblin Stalker 10 times out of 10

When was the last time your haunted creeper actually hit the opponent for 5-6 where another 2 drop would not have done more?

It's strong point is that it's a pain in the ass to remove and it is a good card but my opinion is that it's much better in specific constructed decks that can take full advantage of it's multiple bodies.

[GAAD]

Well, we're over halfway through and currently have ZERO cards we are happy to play on 2. With an Azure Drake and a Siege Engine already in the 5 slot, I'd say we need a good 2 drop more than a great 5 drop at this point. Skittles, I choose you!

Novice Engineer, Stormwind Champion, Dragonkin Sorcerer

... We aren't THAT desperate for two drops, right?

[Destro_Yersul]

no, we are not. It'll be Stormwind here, which happily combos with that creeper we just picked up.

[Zevox]

Eh, the past couple of picks I keep finding myself thinking that I'd like to know our curve and cards to help make the decision, but I'm a bit busy lately to go back and try and compile it myself. Here I might consider the Dragonkin Sorcerer if we have sufficient high-end cards and/or insufficient 4s, for instance. Otherwise, yeah, Stormwind in the default best card of the bunch.

[GAAD]

Ye Olde Deckliste ine Progresse withe gratuitouse "e"'se Ine the Title - 17e/30e Cardse

(1) - 3 cards
2x Execute
Zombie Chow

(2) - 4 cards
Heroic Strike
2x Cruel Taskmaster
Haunted Creeper

(3) - 4 cards
Shield Block
Gnomish Experimenter
MCT
Raging Worgen

(5) - 2 cards
Azure Drake
Siege Engine

(6) - 3 cards
Boulderfist Ogre
Frost Elemental
Lord of the Arena

(7+) - 1 card
Force Tank MAX

So that would be 6 5+ drops, plus 2 executes and a Shield Block, for 9 "lategameish" cards. Also, no 4 drops yet.