Hearthstone

[Phage]

http://www.hearthpwn.com/news/968-new-card-reveals-from-gamescom

quick analysis (could change my mind after further examination)

Skeleton Knight: Might actually work in a grinder mage - other than that, it's too unreliable for arena, and too overcosted for most other decks.
Eadric The Pure: 3/7 is snoozesville. Costs too much mana for his effect to really hose aggro decks. I'd be pretty surprised if this fits into any paladin decks.
Argent Lance: I'm not sure which class that is for. Might be fine in some control decks.
Armored Warhorse: This is the kind of card you want in an aggro deck; problem is aggro decks typically aren't going to win the RNG thing to get charge.
Tuskarr Jouster: I like it a lot actually. Healbot's biggest weakness is that the body it leaves behind. This is a better healbot, and big minion decks will usually win the "joust" against the decks it needs the health against. Only thing holding it back potentially is the random off chance you lose your joust (and the game) by revealing a zombie chow or whatever.
Master Jouster: Sunwalker rarely gets played anymore, and this requires the ability to win a joust to be a slightly better sunwalker. Probably a pass.
Gadgetan Jouster: Maybe a new anti-aggro card for control decks to replace Zombie Chow? Only role it could serve.


tl;dr - do not preorder this fucking shitshow.

 

[Andhaira]

Argent Lance is a Paladin weapon. But it looks crap, Warriors Fiery Axe is much better. They could at least have increased it's attack when a minion is revealed, or give +1 healing or something instead of this. Only someone who doesn't have dust to craft coghammer will use this, if at all.

The whole reveal mechanic seems retarded. It has potential, but these cards are shit.

Eadric the Pure looks ok though, too expensive yeah, but I see the potential. Aldor Peacekeeper is an insanely good card, anything along that vein is a good thing for Pally's.

Edit: Master Jouster is good. I can see a Bloodknight deck forming, which is great

 

[Andhaira]

BETTER REWARDS FOR RANKED PLAY ANNOUNCED! Including gold cards :D

And lots more card reveals. Tuskar Jouseter looks good for Pally

http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/19817948/the-grand-tournament-at-gamescom-8-5-2015

Beginning this month, each player’s Quest Log will display the highest rank they have reached during the month and recognize their accomplishment. Additionally, we’ll be awarding players who progress past rank 20 with some minor rewards as a way of congratulating them for their achievements. Eligible players will receive a treasure chest at the end of each season containing the season’s Ranked Play card back, one or more golden cards, and some Arcane Dust. What’s in the chest is determined by your highest rank over the course of the season. For example, a player whose highest rank was 17 will receive a golden common card, 20 dust, and the season card back.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Well, that's decent. Not terribly exciting considering it's a once per month thing, though.

There's also several new cards in that link.

 

[Andhaira]

It will drastically change the ladder, and give us some free dust via golden cards. Just look at that rank 17 reward vs rank 5. 17 has relatively higher rewards, but there is incentive to go up to rank 5, and most especially not to gold farm rank 20.

 

[Phage]

Fug. These cards are all bad. This is amazing. I guess I'll just spend the $15 amazon android credit on classic packs at this rate and take the dust.

Btw; prophet phage is ALWAYS right in the end. I told you we needed actual incentives to play ranked, and here they are.

 

[FeelTheRads]

I think you got them mixed up Andhaira. Rank 17 is just one common + dust.

But yeah, I guess I'll play a bit more ranked than before. I suspect it will only increase the number of aggro/face decks, though, unless this expansion changes the meta drastically.

 

[WhiteGuts]

This one will see some play, I think.

 

[Phage]

This one will see some play, I think.

Why? I would like to hear your reasoning

 

[Andhaira]

Fug. These cards are all bad. This is amazing. I guess I'll just spend the $15 amazon android credit on classic packs at this rate and take the dust.

Btw; prophet phage is ALWAYS right in the end. I told you we needed actual incentives to play ranked, and here they are.

This is far superior to Healbot for Pally and also encourages control pally

I think you got them mixed up Andhaira. Rank 17 is just one common + dust.

But yeah, I guess I'll play a bit more ranked than before. I suspect it will only increase the number of aggro/face decks, though, unless this expansion changes the meta drastically.

No, I mean that relatively rewards at lower ranks are better than higher, benefiting newbie players and players not good enough or who don't have time to climb the ladder. And the rewards at rank 17 is a golden common, so that's 50 free dust. Anyone can make it to rank 12-10, meaning some nice dust every month.

 

[Seari]

Mukla's Champion

Ancestral Knowledge

Bolster

Burgle

Injured Kvaldir

Gormok the Impaler

 

[FeelTheRads]

This is more interesting:

Just a slower Zombie Chow, though, I guess.

This could make it into that mill rogue deck?

Maybe in zoo?

 

[Seari]

Gormok is a very good card.

 

[WhiteGuts]

Why? I would like to hear your reasoning

Well this could be like Thaurissan for aggro decks. But I dunno, I'm thinking that it could be too slow since it's a Turn 7 play to get any decent value.

 

[Jozoz]

Lol these cards.

Also that RNG mechanic with check one minion from each deck is just an awful one.

 

[UglyBastard]

Some good stuff revealed.

I kinda like some of the jousting cards, if you win the reveal their powerlevel is sufficiently over the top to be played in Constructed. Tuskarr Jouster and Master Jouster show potential. Sunwalker is just BARELY not played in Ramp Druid and the Master Jouster is strong enough to warrant a spot in this archetype (if it is not a class minion like the Tuskarr). Tuskarr is very good in control pally. The other stuff is not so promising, I'd rather play Chow over the Gadgetzan to get my safe value.

The 3mana 3dmg Warrior card looks useable in CW as a Shield Block substitute depending on the meta (better vs. aggression), will at least be something sideboard-ey with a bit of play.

Gormok the Impaler is a fucking joke if it hits, will probably ruin some people's days when playing against Zoo. It's hard to imagine it in other archetypes because only Zoo gets a resilient big board early enough.

Some missed potential with Ancestral Knowledge. Would have found it interesting if it was 1/(3) because of the interaction with Lava Shock.


I really like the idea of the Ranked chest. Gotta do another Legend just to peek in the chest. :O

 

[Andhaira]

Reward for hitting legendary could be a golden legendary card (all chest reward cards appear golden, though we shall see)

I wonder if legendary rank you have at month end will affect the reward.

 

[Phage]

Gormok is a very good card.

No it's not. If you have 4 minions on the board you are likely already winning. Without activating the card he's a 4 mana 4/4, which is fairly bad for constructed.

Well this could be like Thaurissan for aggro decks. But I dunno, I'm thinking that it could be too slow since it's a Turn 7 play to get any decent value.

The main problem is that it's a 5 mana 4/3. It dies to everything with 3 attack, and there are many sources of 3 damage. Even if you wait until turn 7, you need other minions on the board for them to get buffed (he doesn't buff himself). Compare this to, say, Stormwind Champion which is a 6/6 body - the only advantage of this guy is the effect is permanent. Worth noting that Stormwind Champion isn't played outside of budget decks.

I kinda like some of the jousting cards, if you win the reveal their powerlevel is sufficiently over the top to be played in Constructed. Tuskarr Jouster and Master Jouster show potential. Sunwalker is just BARELY not played in Ramp Druid and the Master Jouster is strong enough to warrant a spot in this archetype (if it is not a class minion like the Tuskarr).

If you lose the joust, Master is a vanilla 6 mana 5/6, which is remarkably bad. He's only viable if you can always win the joust.

Gormok the Impaler is a fucking joke if it hits, will probably ruin some people's days when playing against Zoo. It's hard to imagine it in other archetypes because only Zoo gets a resilient big board early enough.

If you have 4 minions on the board at the start of your turn as zoo, you're probably ahead and will already likely win. It's a decidedly win-more card, which is why it has no real place in a competitive deck.

 

[Phage]

Argent Lance and the Tuskarr Jouster are the only decent cards that were revealed tbh. Even they might not make it in. The problem with joust, especially in regards to the Master of Joust and Tuskarr Jouster is that if you lose the joust against an aggro deck and you needed the card's effects, you just lost the game. Unlike, say, drawing a doom sayer from Piloted Shredder causing you a loss, it'll be much more frequent that you lose Jousts. Even versus Hunter or Zoo, there will be plenty of times they reveal a Highmane / Mal'ganis to your whatever; then you lose the game on the spot.

Blizzard is apparently terrified of power creep after the non-stop whining over Dr. Boom; but they need to introduce compelling cards in order to change the metagame. We've seen a huge plethora of sidegrades and "upgrade IF you win this RNG dependent battlecry".

This set's going to be really interesting after it releases. Ranked play will be up considerably as people try to chase chests, and they'll try to run their Mukla's Champion Spell Damage Crowd's Favorite decks. I think this set is going to convince Blizzard to start implementing a "standard" and "legacy" metagames (likely with different names). They will quickly see how few of these cards are making an impact after the pros release their tournament lists 1 month in and everyone just copies them.


So far, I'm seeing:


Potential Lock and Load Huntard deck that becomes the new Patron warrior (or just becomes a joke / tier 3 that can hit legendary like Feign Death hunter)
Druid picks up the new ramp 2 drop; might add in the stealth/charge 2 drop, might add in grinning lion if piloted shredder goes away (unlikely)
Ebola Paladin maybe picks up one, or even both of the angel bitches
Zoo possibly picks up Wrathguard
Shaman may pick up Totem Golem and Tuskarr
Control Warrior might sidegrade Bash against aggro metagames
Tempo Mage may implement Fallen Hero and Effigy


That's not really enough to shake up the metagame entirely, unless the Huntard deck exists; and unless I'm mistaken we've already seen more than half of the set.

THEN AGAIN - We do still have 2 more legendaries being revealed today (I think).

 

[Zed]

sticky zoo (running eggs and spiders) will def pick up gormok. gormok is insane.

 

[Seari]

+implosion

 

[Phage]

sticky zoo (running eggs and spiders) will def pick up gormok. gormok is insane.

Why?

If your turn starts and you have 4 minions on the board as zoo, you're already likely winning the game. What does dealing 4 more damage do for you? It makes you win more. What happens if this card is in your hand and you can't keep 4 guys on the board? Now you're playing a 4/4 for 4.

But go ahead and spend your dust, then in a month quietly take him out. (To be fair I did the same thing with Troggzor last expansion lol)

 

[UglyBastard]

sticky zoo (running eggs and spiders) will def pick up gormok. gormok is insane.

I think so too. Current iterations of Zoo are more value centric and try to use the demon synergy. Gormok is not so good in those. But I can see him having a place in more low curve, aggressive Zoo like the older lists. If they are better than Demon Zoo needs to be evaluated after the release. I agree with Phage that crafting him will be silly though.

I also think that I will give Master Juister a spin in Ramp Druid, I'm convinced that it can be pretty good. You will win your roll against low curve decks most of the time and it is really strong if it hits. It's efficiency will largely depend on the meta and what you face most of the time, so it's not a default include by any means. Missing the roll against slower decks is not THAT dramatic, you don't need the taunt part of the battlecry.

 

[Phage]

Well, this is the most popular zoo variant right now from everything I've seen: https://tempostorm.com/hearthstone/decks/strifecro-zoolock-meta-snapshot

I do know of the deck you're speaking about though.

Even still, you guys are falling for the classic CCG trap of overvaluing cards that are only good when you're ahead. This card is, by definition, ONLY good when you have 4 bodies on the board. On turn 4, if you have 4 guys on the board, you will usually win that game as Zoo - unless all of your guys are frozen against Freeze Mage, and Gormok is not going to matter in that scenario. On the flip side, if you don't have FOUR guys on the board already, Gormok is pretty trash. Honestly, Dark Iron Dwarf is better, lol. He activates egg (technically Gormakk can too, but you don't want to waste his battlecry on egg), and only requires 1 guy on the board to essentially receive half of the effect.

 

[UglyBastard]

Your point with Dark Iron Dwarf is actually pretty good, it's way more consistent (but not as impactful). My idea about the aggressive Zoo was that you are pretty likely to fulfill the condition because of the lower curve and use that to snowball the game to victory faster. Imo the deck's biggest problem is not finishing the opponent fast enough and running out of steam because of the lower card quality on average compared to Demon Zoo. So a "win more" aka "seal the deal" card in this deck would actually fit into the gameplan to overrun the opponent before he stabilizes (you are probably dead if he does at a reasonable amount of life). Doomguard as a curve topper has the same role (and is also, admittedly, more reliable).

The elephant in the room is obviously if such a deck is even viable compared to the other options. It would probably not be Tier1 if they don't release more ridiculous lowdrops. But might be OK to climb with when everybody is trying to inspire (lol).

Gormok is not really good as a card, in fact he is absolutely unplayable in almost all decks, but if he happens to hit he packs some punch and seals the deal, so I would not mind trying him out in such a Zoo deck if I get him in a pack. He is by no means able to carry any deck on his own (like Doomguard, for example). It's just a fun card to try without having too bad of a conscience because you put him in your deck, maybe he's even surprisingly OK.

If we are talking tournament level play, I would be surprised to see him anywhere.