Following Patch 20.2's addition of Diamond Ragnaros the Firelord for those who own all the Legendary cards from the Legacy (formerly Classic) set, the process of adding old Diamond cards into the game that Iksar mentioned a couple of months ago has begun. Since we're really excited about these and so is the community, its time to highlight the best potential targets for Diamond cards for pre-existing cards.
With today's article, we'll be looking at the Year of the Raven, the third one in Hearthstone's Zodiac and containing The Witchwood, The Boomsday Project and Rastakhan's Rumble.
Here are the criteria we followed when picking the cards:
- At least one Neutral Legendary per set/adventure, but Class Legendaries are valid as well;
- The stronger the better - upgrading a Legendary to Diamond without chances for it to see play would really suck!
- Meme-potential - a card the community has fond memories of or that is famous because of memes about it.
In case you missed them, here are our previous suggestions for:
The Witchwood
While we were discussing what cards we should've chosen for the Neutral nomination, we decided to not play favorites like we did for Ragnaros the Firelord and Ragnaros, Lightlord (we swear: it won't happen again) and went up for the two poster Legendaries of this expansion.
Even though it's been a few years, Baku the Mooneater and Genn Greymane still have a place in our minds as they created some of the worst Hearthstone metas in history because of the sheer strength of some of the upgraded Hero Powers. The Silver Hand, Poisoned Daggers and Tank Up! were so strong that they dominated both Standard and Wild ladder, and they still see occasional play to this day. These units were so powerful that they got rotated out of Standard only after one year, instead of the usual two full rotations, which is something with no precedents.
This unit broke the game so many times it's not even funny: we have our fair reasons to believe that Team 5 regretted printing the Wock. While Shudderwock is probably one of the funniest cards in the game if you're the one playing it, its ability to chain specific Battlecries like Saronite Chain Gang/Doppelgangster and Grumble, Worldshaker into an infinite loop makes it also one of the worst units to play against. Long story short, you either love Shudderwock or you press the Concede button.
My jaws that bite, my claws that catch!
The ultimate Burgle Rogue win condition that any other card hasn't ever topped, as well as one of beard-less Kibler's favorite toys in combination with Spectral Cutlass and Academic Espionage. Just a unique Legendary minion that was never problematic and everyone has fond memories of!
Honourable Mentions
Darius Crowley - Crowley doesn't really have a chance considering that the set hosts widely more popular class Legendaries, but we still think that this guy deserves more credit.
The Boomsday Project
There are only two cards in the game that say "destroy the enemy hero", and one of them is Mecha'thun (the other one is Uther of the Ebon Blade's Four Horsemen). A unit you never see until it's too late for you (unless Dirty Rat did his job), Mecha'thun has always seen play here and there, mainly because Blizzard never failed to release broken cards for Mecha'thun to interact with (yep: looking at you, Stealer of Souls). Too unique of a card to not receive the Diamond treatment.
The original Outcast effect before it was popular. Stargazer Luna was a card ahead of its time, with a great entry music and rather unique effect, especially back in 2018. Luna still sees play to this day in Reno Mage and some forms of OTK Mage featuring Sorcerer's Apprentice and Flamewaker/Mozaki, Master Duelist.
Honourable Mentions
Zilliax - Unity. Precision. Perfection.
Rastakhan's Rumble
Even though it's part of a rather forgettable expansion, with a quite low power level outside of a few cards, we still have to give some credit to Hakkar, the Soulflayer. He is quite a relevant character in the World of Warcraft lore and the only Hearthstone unit to have a card back entirely build upon it with an unprecedented way to be earned.
A huge meme, but back in the day Druid needed a bad set after an amazing Year of the Mammoth/rest of the Year of the Raven, so the attack package came in and stopped Malfurion's rise to the top, only for the class to be completely butchered a few weeks later with the double ramp nerf to Wild Growth (from 2 to 3 mana) and Nourish (from 5 to 6 mana).
Gonk, the Raptor is a very bad Legendary, but players took a liking to it and spent lots of energies trying to make it viable. you know what's funny? Just a few weeks ago, Knoepklapper hit Legend in Wild with Gonk Druid. In 2021. Here's the deck in case you're thinking about doing the same thing.
We know we said we wouldn't have played any more favorites, but... you'd get two Diamond minions with just one card: it's just too good to ignore. I still remember when, during Rastakhan's reveal season, Jan'alai, the Dragonhawk was announced: I was so excited to play Odd Mage, a deck I paid little attention until that moment but that quickly became my main jam for the following months.
Jan'alai is definitely one minion that suffered the most from the early rotation of Baku the Mooneater, but we can all agree that it was for the good and that the bird took the bullet for us, so we have to thank it.
Honourable Mentions
Oondasta - Big Deathrattle Hunter with Charged Devilsaur, King Krush, Kathrena Winterwisp and this bad boy. Enough said.
Shirvallah, the Tiger - Big numbers are good, big numbers that makes your opponent to go zero health are even better. Who will win? An armored orc with no fatigue damage and assisted by the Elements themselves or one banker with scoliosis?
What do you think about our nominations for the next Diamond cards? Do you agree with them or do you think there are better candidates? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments
Ragnaros has his own cardback so the hakar fact is wrong
Rag has its own card back (two, if you consider the recent Fire Festival Bundle), but Hakkar has one + a unique way to earn it.
Shirvallah, the Tiger
If one card in the entire game deserves Diamond status it's Zilliax!
Perfectly balanced, as all good things are.
That Grosghiles video is just pure art.
I want just one card in diamond Leeroy Jenkins.
As much as I love cards like Shudderwock or Jan'alai, I would want these Diamonds to be neutral. So for me I'd want:
Witchwood: I'd love both but if only one I'd want Baku the Mooneater. My favorite art in the game, or at least top 5. Also much more widely used than Genn.
Boomsday: Zilliax for sure. As much as this card started to annoy me in standard it is by far the most used Legendary from that set. Totally deserves the Diamond treatment. Mecha'thun isn't a bad choice but I think Zilliax is the clear winner.
Rastakan: I was with you for Hakkar, the Soulflayer until I remembered Oondasta exists. Who doesn't just love saying his name! Just a fun card and one of the best with the Overkill mechanic. While the mechanic isn't well loved, I think it really had potential.
Zilliax shouldn't be on "honorable mention" but as main candidate IMO. He was (and still is) the most utility card in the game while being balanced just right (Never found this card oppressive or overpowered, it was just fine). Just to make it clear, I respect your voice (text?) on it, it's just my humble opinion
Shudderwock is my favorite card and even though I have never crafted any golden cards I would get him in diamond
Tess please! 😜
Unlike the other obvious Witchwood options, Tess has the major advantage that nobody really dislikes her. They might dislike uber-value decks, and burgle rogue as part of that, but I don't think I've ever seen people complain about Tess herself. Meanwhile, Genn, Baku and Shudderwock have easily as many enemies as they do fans.
I'm surprised Hagatha the Witch wasn't suggested above though. Like Tess she trod the narrow path of being somewhat relevant without angering players, and she was the face of the expansion which makes her more likely I imagine. Perhaps her lack of relevance in Wild makes her a no-go though. At least the others (including Tess) still have a significant following there.
Honestly, i think Hagatha does not come to mind very often, so she just ends up being forgotten :D
Glad that you shared a Grosghiles' video! This guy needs much more visibility, his HS montages are super hilarious!
Yeah, that video is pretty amazing :D