Good to mulligan for. If you are going first, by the time turn 4 rolls around if you haven't played any cards, this will cost 3 mana. This seems like handlock support, but will be decent for any midrange or control deck.
One of the few ogre cards that actually seems bad. Usually they are overstatted to make up for the 50/50 RNG. now it's either make your curve lower, or shaft your curve. In either case not really worth it. 3 mana slot needs better stats to control the board.
4 stars for the flavor text. Quest synergy aside, it may be half decent to discover a card while you complete your quest. May be almost required in the priest quest deck.
Alright, after looking at the new cards and watching a few streamers, here's a short view on the quests and new cards in general;
Show Spoiler
- Quest decks seem bad. A lot of them complete around turn 7 in general, and as expected many of the rewards aren't exactly worth their weight. The only quests that have impressed me is druid, rogue, mage, warrior, and hunter.
- Mage fire spells are strong enough for you to just continue playing spell mage, with or without the quest. My initial concerns of mage not being able to complete this because fire spells are pretty bad is extinguished by nearly all spells in this expansion being fire spells, and all of them are good. The quest allows you to nearly always win against control decks because Ignite is broken as hell. But in most scenarios you'd just easily do without it.
- Druid quest will thrive if your opponent is burn or aggro. Basically you play as ramp druid with Cenarion Ward at the top end, and you curve into this along with the quest. The quest and reward aren't the real deal, they just allow you to live past the early game. I personally think any midrange or control deck will beat this handily
- Rogue does rogue things. The quest is fine but rogue again suffers from the lack of health and useful taunts. Could be that the SI decks are just too slow, but refinement can easily change things. If you do get the reward, its fairly scary for your opponent because nog-gen fog generator and fizzflash distractor can easily turn the game around.
- Warrior is the real aggro class next turn around. But I suspect it fits into midrange better, because skipping turn 1 for an aggro deck is pretty much a no-no.
- Hunter quest allows you to somewhat play raza priest in standard. But because hunters cant heal, this one gets dumped on by aggro and burn, like really badly. Unless you can find some way to stabilize or play big taunts, there's just no way you'd win those matches because the quest really forces you to play cards that don't really protect your face.
- The other quests? Priest can easily win without the quest funnily enough. Shaman has a lot of strong cards, but nothing beats just playing Doomhammer and winning. By the time you get the reward you'd likely have no cards so its really not doing anything. Quest paladin needs refinement, Im not giving up on this yet, but you wouldn't be be playing quest pally because midrange handbuff would be the real deal. Dhunter quest is laughable. Nuff said.
- Best deck in my opinion would be midrange handbuff paladin. Seen Kibler's stream with this deck. Its basically the same sermon midrange deck with plenty of taunts except you snowball really fast because Alliance Bannerman is broken. The only way you lose is through burn, and even then I'm not 100% sure.
- Didn't get to see much of shadow priest, or Bolner Hammerbeak. Sad.
- My take is that top of the mountain will likely be shaman, druid, paladin.
I think this card makes the new Questline worth it. One of the criticisms was "well will you have left". You spend so many spells just activating it, it would of been hard to hold a finisher. This sticking around is fantastic.
This is effectively a mana tide totem, that doesn't give you the card until it dies, and is vulnerable to transform/silence effects. The only saving grace is it at least has 2 attack but overall this seems like a very bad card.
Stormwind Guard
It's like a reverse defender of argus almost.
Lion's Guard
Another decent neutral, could also be good in the battlecry shaman deck.
Find the Imposter
AMOGUS
New Mage Spell - First Flame
Good card for sure. 2 mana for 4 damage is nice plus 2 spells for spell trigger effects.
Battleground Battlemaster
Windfury can be scary, could be useful. the question is can your deck afford to include this?
New Mage Weapon - Celestial Ink Set
Could be a thing in wild or future "big spell" support.
Goldshire Gnoll
Good to mulligan for. If you are going first, by the time turn 4 rolls around if you haven't played any cards, this will cost 3 mana. This seems like handlock support, but will be decent for any midrange or control deck.
New Mage Minion - Sanctum Chandler
Hot Streak and First Flame can make this guy draw the same turn you play him.
Being an elemental he can set up for a Grand Finale too. Seems pretty good.
Two-Faced Investor
One of the few ogre cards that actually seems bad. Usually they are overstatted to make up for the 50/50 RNG. now it's either make your curve lower, or shaft your curve. In either case not really worth it. 3 mana slot needs better stats to control the board.
Entrapped Sorceress
4 stars for the flavor text. Quest synergy aside, it may be half decent to discover a card while you complete your quest. May be almost required in the priest quest deck.
United in Stormwind Theorycrafting Streams are Live! Twitch Drops Reward 2 Stormwind Card Packs
Alright, after looking at the new cards and watching a few streamers, here's a short view on the quests and new cards in general;
- Quest decks seem bad. A lot of them complete around turn 7 in general, and as expected many of the rewards aren't exactly worth their weight. The only quests that have impressed me is druid, rogue, mage, warrior, and hunter.
- Mage fire spells are strong enough for you to just continue playing spell mage, with or without the quest. My initial concerns of mage not being able to complete this because fire spells are pretty bad is extinguished by nearly all spells in this expansion being fire spells, and all of them are good. The quest allows you to nearly always win against control decks because Ignite is broken as hell. But in most scenarios you'd just easily do without it.
- Druid quest will thrive if your opponent is burn or aggro. Basically you play as ramp druid with Cenarion Ward at the top end, and you curve into this along with the quest. The quest and reward aren't the real deal, they just allow you to live past the early game. I personally think any midrange or control deck will beat this handily
- Rogue does rogue things. The quest is fine but rogue again suffers from the lack of health and useful taunts. Could be that the SI decks are just too slow, but refinement can easily change things. If you do get the reward, its fairly scary for your opponent because nog-gen fog generator and fizzflash distractor can easily turn the game around.
- Warrior is the real aggro class next turn around. But I suspect it fits into midrange better, because skipping turn 1 for an aggro deck is pretty much a no-no.
- Hunter quest allows you to somewhat play raza priest in standard. But because hunters cant heal, this one gets dumped on by aggro and burn, like really badly. Unless you can find some way to stabilize or play big taunts, there's just no way you'd win those matches because the quest really forces you to play cards that don't really protect your face.
- The other quests? Priest can easily win without the quest funnily enough. Shaman has a lot of strong cards, but nothing beats just playing Doomhammer and winning. By the time you get the reward you'd likely have no cards so its really not doing anything. Quest paladin needs refinement, Im not giving up on this yet, but you wouldn't be be playing quest pally because midrange handbuff would be the real deal. Dhunter quest is laughable. Nuff said.
- Best deck in my opinion would be midrange handbuff paladin. Seen Kibler's stream with this deck. Its basically the same sermon midrange deck with plenty of taunts except you snowball really fast because Alliance Bannerman is broken. The only way you lose is through burn, and even then I'm not 100% sure.
- Didn't get to see much of shadow priest, or Bolner Hammerbeak. Sad.
- My take is that top of the mountain will likely be shaman, druid, paladin.
Mailbox Dancer
Funny card but realistically not gonna see much play outside of maybe niche combo rogue decks.
Encumbered Pack Mule
Good for handlock. Great for arena. Mediocre everywhere else perhaps.
Sword of a Thousand Truths
Practically an instawin card.
Elwynn Boar
Don't let your memes be dreams!
Stockades Prisoner
Glad to see the dormant keyword may be evergreen. Not sure if this is worth it though. It's like a felhound without the immedate attack.
New Mage Minion - Clumsy Courier
I think wild has better options with Dragoncaster or Inkmaster Solia but could be run along side it for sure.
New Mage Spell - Ignite
I think this card makes the new Questline worth it. One of the criticisms was "well will you have left". You spend so many spells just activating it, it would of been hard to hold a finisher. This sticking around is fantastic.
New Hunter Spell - Defend the Dwarven District
Wow amazing quest. 0 mana HP with refresh is going to be real good late game.
New Hunter Minion - Stormwind Piper
Fun idea but probably too slow. Love the flavor though.
New Hunter Spell - Aimed Shot
Just a good card. No target restrictions. Adding to your HP, with the new quest allowing you to freely target, this will be strong. Wild too!
New Warrior Spell - Raid the Docks
" Winning the annual Ratchet Regatta really went to their heads. " ^^
New Hunter Minion - Rodent Nest
Slow but good stats, bad spread. Could be interesting if you can trigger it early with cards like Play Dead.
Enthusiastic Banker
This is effectively a mana tide totem, that doesn't give you the card until it dies, and is vulnerable to transform/silence effects. The only saving grace is it at least has 2 attack but overall this seems like a very bad card.
Nobleman
"Ssssuch a peeeerfect specimen!"