Hearthstone 20: What is your Quest?

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Went 1-3 on my free run, bumped up to 2-3 thanks to the bonus. 40 gold, Un'goro pack, and Knights pack for free is a decent haul though.

Tavern Brawl was interesting. Played two games as paladin, won the second one. Never drew Truesilver, but 8 damage on Enter the Coliseum is fun too.

[Thialfi]

I haven't run arena since the GvG expansion hit. This week's free ticket reminds me of why. I was offered the choice of Hunter/Rogue/Druid. I went with Druid and was promptly offered a selection that was light on spells. No swipes, only one wrath, nothing for ramp.

My opponents didn't have that problem and in my five games I faced Rogue/Mage/Mage/Mage/Mage.

Ugh, hopefully next week will go better.

[Spore]

Went 4/3 with my Rogue. Was a little unconcentrated. Could've been 6/3. However my final boss had what I can basically only describe as Secret Mage.

[Techwarrior]

My free arena run was honestly the worst I've done in a really long time. Drafted a Mage that had zero spells, and had 2 Historians with zero dragons in deck, a bunch of subpar 2 and 4 drops, and zero way to recover a lost board or gain card advantage.

I proceeded to go 0-3 due to things like my game 1 opponent dropping Innervate - Vicious Fledgeling, into Mark of Y'shaarj.
My second game was an on curve Blood Knight popping the divine shield on my Crusader in order to run his recruit into it while a Mistress chipped away at my health.
Game three was an incredibly grindy game until I got blown out by a third Spikeridged Steed blowing me out.

[Rodin]

Most anti-climactic final boss of Arena ever: A Mage who played Bittertide Hydra on turn 5...against a Shaman.

I mean, what did they think was going to happen? There's tempting fate and then there's just asking for it.

[GAAD]

Most anti-climactic final boss of Arena ever: A Mage who played Bittertide Hydra on turn 5...against a Shaman.

I mean, what did they think was going to happen? There's tempting fate and then there's just asking for it.

Volcano and bitter tide hydra. Ah yes. I lava that interaction.

[Seerow]

Just had the most ridiculous 30 minute long game. Control Shaman vs Quest Warrior, went all the way to fatigue. The Quest Warrior was using some really weird techs, mostly the hand buff stuff, and didn't appear to have any brawls. Meanwhile the I drew the deck backwards from what was needed to deal with those massive buffs (my bottom 10 cards included a hex, two devolves, and Jade Lightning). So the Warrior got way ahead in the early game, with me not really being able to touch him, but with him unable to clear my board in the endgame, I was able to keep it flooded with minions to absorb his hero power while controlling his board. Finally ended when he hit fatigue and had nothing left to push back with.

Lesson of the day: Don't leave your brawl at home. It is absolutely worth the dust.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Lesson of the day: Don't leave your brawl at home. It is absolutely worth the dust.

Yea. When I first started using it I loathed the RNG aspect, but for slower Warrior archetypes it's a handy way to swing a bad board state. And Quest Warrior tends to be slow. I've seen at least one run Ghoul/Whirlwind into Sleep With Fishies for a similar effect, but that requires two cards instead of one.

[Anarion]

I'm going to just be a terrible person here and admit that what I'm enjoying most about the ice event is that it's brought so many people back to arena who maybe hadn't been playing it for a while. Matches have been a lot easier, and I've on six straight drafts now that were all 7+ wins.

[Haruspex_Pariah]

I'm going to just be a terrible person here and admit that what I'm enjoying most about the ice event is that it's brought so many people back to arena who maybe hadn't been playing it for a while. Matches have been a lot easier, and I've on six straight drafts now that were all 7+ wins.

Yea everybody wins. Just in different ways. The devs could have just given Knights packs for doing nothing, like a login bonus or what, but by linking it to Arena the non-Arena players get a change of pace for no cost and the Arena players get easy wins.

[Spore]

Yea everybody wins. Just in different ways. The devs could have just given Knights packs for doing nothing, like a login bonus or what, but by linking it to Arena the non-Arena players get a change of pace for no cost and the Arena players get easy wins.

The event is made for guys like me. I was never a fan of Arena because it just didn't pay for itself. Now with the scale tipped in our favor I enjoy playing it. And the fun thing: Usually it comes down to the individual player's skill. I am in a fun middle ground. I do not perform so poorly that the free Arena run is completely wasted. And I am not such a great Arena player that I can faceroll my fellow newbies.

I hope for future Arena promotions but I will enjoy it for now.

[Joran]

Yea. When I first started using it I loathed the RNG aspect, but for slower Warrior archetypes it's a handy way to swing a bad board state. And Quest Warrior tends to be slow. I've seen at least one run Ghoul/Whirlwind into Sleep With Fishies for a similar effect, but that requires two cards instead of one.

Sleep with the Fishes is a standard inclusion in Quest Warrior; it combos well with Ravaging Ghoul, Whirlwind (which is often a one of), and Primordial Drake.

I think one Brawl is standard, but two is a tech choice.

For awhile, I was too cheap to craft my Sleep with the Fishes, but given the prevalence of Token Shaman, I decided to craft them.

P.S. Played my first arena game in over 2 years with my 9 win Warrior BRM deck. Faced off against a Druid, who must have been surprised when I dropped a turn 3 Ogre Brute.

MVPs of the game: 2 Death's Bites and 2 Bomb Lobbers.

Not MVP of the game, that stupid Ogre Brute who avoided a 3/2 taunt and face to hit the Dinosaur egg =P

[Haruspex_Pariah]

Well looks like the first reveals are here.

Source: http://www.hearthpwn.com/news/3024-n...ng-abomination

Spoiler

Show

Ticking Abomination. Rare 4 mana 5/6 Neutral minion. Deathrattle: Deal 5 damage to your minions. Hmm.

Not sure about this one. It doesn't damage your face thankfully, but seems pretty counterproductive for your board. Unless you have a bunch of deathrattles, maybe?

[otakuryoga]

Well looks like the first reveals are here.

Source: http://www.hearthpwn.com/news/3024-n...ng-abomination

Spoiler

Show

Ticking Abomination. Rare 4 mana 5/6 Neutral minion. Deathrattle: Deal 5 damage to your minions. Hmm.

Not sure about this one. It doesn't damage your face thankfully, but seems pretty counterproductive for your board. Unless you have a bunch of deathrattles, maybe?

that really should have "at the start of your turn give control of this minion to your opponent" in order to truly turn it into a ticking time bomb

[Spore]

If it would have Taunt it would be instantly played because it would be a better Senjin with a major downside but being able to be resummoned with effects like N'zoth. But not having Taunt you just loose too much for a - at this point - mediocre single minion.

[Hamste]

If it had taunt I could see it seeing play in a very spell heavy deck. As is though seems pretty bad.

[BRC]

Eh, I think it's decent.
It's a strong Value play. Your opponent can't exactly ignore a 5 attack minion, and with 6 health it's pretty tough to remove.

You want to play it when your opponent has board control, and you want to make them pay dearly to keep it.

That said, it's very situational. And every turn it's on board is a turn you basically can't play minions. If your opponent is able to neutralize it somehow, while still being able to destroy it (Say, with a Freeze
or Aldor Peacekeeper), you can't really play minions until you manage to kill it off.

So, it's a situational card that isn't just undervalued normally, it's just BAD.

2/10, won't be played.

[Rodin]

If it would have Taunt it would be instantly played because it would be a better Senjin with a major downside but being able to be resummoned with effects like N'zoth. But not having Taunt you just loose too much for a - at this point - mediocre single minion.

You don't want it in an N'Zoth deck either because it provides your opponent with an instant AoE to clear your board. Same reason why Chillmaw often got left out of N'Zoth decks. At least with him there was the option to rid your hand of dragons before playing N'Zoth.

I don't see a purpose for this guy, even in Arena. Only way he sees play is if there's some cards that provide benefit to AoEing your own board.

[Destro_Yersul]

There's the eggs, I guess? Turn 3 raptor egg, turn 4 this guy isn't bad. Probably gets relegated to 'not good enough' though

[Epinephrine_Syn]

Eh, I think it's decent.
It's a strong Value play. Your opponent can't exactly ignore a 5 attack minion, and with 6 health it's pretty tough to remove.

Except it's not even a value play. A 5/6 for 4 is is, while above Yeti curve, not quite constructed tier. I legit don't think a vanilla 5/6 for 4 would see more than niche play. A 5/6 for 4 with downside? No way.

(I mean, we agree on that it won't see play, but still.)

[Zevox]

Except it's not even a value play. A 5/6 for 4 is is, while above Yeti curve, not quite constructed tier. I legit don't think a vanilla 5/6 for 4 would see more than niche play. A 5/6 for 4 with downside? No way.

(I mean, we agree on that it won't see play, but still.)

Yeah, basically this - it's awful. A bigger-than average body for the cost like that wants to be played either as a strong tempo play in more aggressive decks, or as a body that can get a lot of value in slower decks. This will do neither. The drawback is such that aggressive decks would never dare use it, as it would provide the opponent a means to wipe their board with one Fireball or equivalent removal, while the stats are far from big enough to provide enough value for a control deck to warrant a drawback that basically prevents them from playing any other minion to the board until it dies. With taunt it might have some application for control decks; if the deathrattle hit the entire board it definitely would, and in fact it would likely need a nerf in that case. As-is though, it's a card that doesn't work for any type of deck, and thus won't see play.

Even in arena, it's one of those cards you'll only pick when the alternatives are the dregs of the game, and you'll just have to hope that it helps you rather than loses you the game.

[PsyBomb]

Im not sanguine on that guy in the current environment... but it's not going to BE the current environment, is it? Northrend already promises to be very Deathrattle-heavy, so things like an Egg-style deck that runs a bunch of these triggers might be a thing.

[Rodin]

Im not sanguine on that guy in the current environment... but it's not going to BE the current environment, is it? Northrend already promises to be very Deathrattle-heavy, so things like an Egg-style deck that runs a bunch of these triggers might be a thing.

Not necessarily. Per Blizzard:

There's not necessarily a lot of Deathrattle minions. This is a set about the Lich King, so there will be some Deathrattle minions, but it might not be like Naxxramas where there were Deathrattle minions everywhere. Yeah, its a part of the set, but its not a huge part of the set.

It will be really difficult to make it work. It requires both that there be plenty of good Deathrattles, AND those new Deathrattles are worth more dead than alive. That's not true of most deathrattles - the value is tied up in both the card's stats as a minion and the Deathrattle on top of that. There are very few (like the Eggs and Twilight Summoner) where you actually want to kill your own minion. Even then, said cards are generally better if you can buff them to gain benefit from the first form.

In addition, N'Zoth is a huge factor. He's the main win condition for heavily Deathrattle focused decks, and this dude craps all over that. One Fireball or Shadow Word Death and you AoE your own board with no opportunity to attack your opponent.

It's just a really terrible card. If it was more aggressively statted it might be considered, but even Flamewreathed Faceless isn't seeing play right now. With the current trend of aggro decks being focused on wide boards the Deathrattle is doubly terrible.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

It's a strong Value play. Your opponent can't exactly ignore a 5 attack minion, and with 6 health it's pretty tough to remove.

Tempo play. Value plays are ones that accumulate card advantage for you, tempo plays are ones that develop board presence in your favor. Putting a 5/6 on the board is a strong tempo swing for 4 mana. Unfortunately, the deathrattle is a bit of an anti-tempo swing.

[tonberrian]

Okay, this is so obviously terrible that I'm certain that there's going to be support in this set for blowing your own stuff up. More eggs and such. I don't think it's going to be enough to save it, mind, but it'll be there.

[Nerocite]

New Rogue Common

Spoiler

Show

Source: https://twitter.com/PlayHearthstone/...87476024954881

Poison does work with Wild Pyro, so Rogue has somewhat of a board clear now.

[Destro_Yersul]

I think that's comewhat comparable to Vilespine Slayer. Probably a good card.

[Hamste]

Plague Scientist is pretty good I think. Some combos (based off pyro and a lot of them are meh) include knife juggler, tentacle of n'zoth, Sergeant Sally, volatile elemental, abomination, demolisher and baron Geddon (which could be brutal if opponent doesn't have a way to kill it immediately). I could see Pyro, Juggler and baron Geddon put into some sort of control Rogue.

[Seerow]

So yeah the neutral minion is hot garbage, and I doubt we'll see more eggs this expansion. They might be setting up for next expansion, or giving tools to a wild egg build, but honestly I can't see it ever really being good enough.



That rogue card on the other hand... keep an eye on it. It will definitely see play in Arena if nothing else. In constructed, it could be a tool towards a stronger midrange/tempo rogue, or possibly some convoluted combo control rogue. It's not quite as good as Equality for pyro shenanigans, but not the worst either, and will work with a wider variety of minions.

[Zevox]

Yeah, Plague Scientist definitely has potential there. I think I'd see it pushing some kind of tempo Rogue before making a wacky combo that somehow works out for a control deck though. Cheap minion with a powerful combo effect, with the only catch being that it needs a friendly minion on the board to target? Yeah, that screams tempo deck piece. Take the board early, then use this guy to turn a cheap trash minion into hard removal against the enemy's big taunt or other key card. Whether it sees play will only depend on whether it, and any other new Rogue cards the set brings, prove potent enough to make that deck competitive in the new meta.