It’s alright, though most classes would probably prefer to just play something bigger on 4 if they’re going the midrange route, and if you’re not playing aggressively, then just play Loot Hoarderinstead.
For stats minions that have more health are generally looked upon favorably.
The River Crocolisk sets the gold standard for 2 mana minions since basic, and this minion follows in it's footsteps, but the battle cry could make it a little slow.
most hero powers require your hero to spend 2 mana to use them, Demon Hunters at 1. Meaning that unless you play the Tour Guide on turn 1, you won't be able to use your hero power and play this on turn 2 to draw two additional cards.
HOWEVER - if you're playing an aggressive deck such as face Hunter, Zoo Lock, Tempo Demon Hunter and Aggro mage, that doesn't really matter, since they'll have other two mana options to play. And if they don't a 2/3 isn't terrible, since those decks have TONS of draw.
It's synergy with hero powers means it can also fit in decks that want to use their quests or sidequests - Face Hunter's Toxic Reinforcements needs the hero power to be used 3 times, and Priests Quest Activate the Obelisk requires them to use their hero power before AND after to active the quest and reap the rewards.
I think it's stats make it a safe choice in Arena, if you don't have a better statted minion available to play
Seems decent, though it’s not as strong as it could be given that decks have moved away from being just strong cards and are more synergistic than in the past. There’s always that chance you’ll get a card useless to your class (though if enough cards like this are printed I guess that doesn’t really matter does it)
On its own the card is pretty bad, you can’t keep up with the board with this card’s scaling attack, and it’s not all too much face damage. Needs weapon buffs to be worth it at all, though I’m still not sure if the weapon buffs are enough
However, this minion allows for a VERY aggressive playstyle that will allow you to empty your hand and then refill it at the end of your turn.
Decks such as Tempo Demon Hunter and the Zoolock will adopt this minion for sure, and Zoolock's imprisoned scrap imp will make this minion a healthy 3/4 that can draw 3 cards if they play their hand correctly, allowing them to not have to rely solely on Hand of Gul'dan being discarded to draw minions.
Tempo Demon Hunter, while already having card draw with Sigil Outrunner, Spectral Sight and Skull of Gul'dan sometimes just want...MORE. It'll be interesting however to see if DH uses this minion over Glide, since Glide can draw 4 AND force your opponent to shuffle their hand as well.
With Mage also getting what looks like an aggressive shell this little minion may be adopted by Jaina as well to draw their cheap removal and efficient minions
While I doubt it’ll actually be put in any decks, this is something that’ll probably be pretty tempting from any discovers it gets offered in. Lots of value from it, because you generally don’t care as much if your discovers give you really slow value
Gives itself elusive, and is a 2/4 for 3, this should be pretty good in some decks. I’m expecting this to find a place in a deck someday if it doesn’t when the expansion hits
This is going to be a fun card, but certainly not a card that will decide any matches.
Due to the pool of spells available, it will never be consistent. And since it has no impact on the board, unless you play a board clear spell the turn it lands your opponent will most likely use their own resources to clear this minion on the next turn so it won't snowball.
There will probably be a Tavern Brawl focused around this minion, I betcha. It's too meme worthy for Team 5 not to play with.
I propose that the name of the class be changed to Soul Hunter, at least for the duration of this expansion, as that is what Illidan is going to be. Soul Fragment hype is on.
3 mana 2/4 is pretty weak in stats, but this effect more than makes up for it.
For classes that like to control the board with minions there's usually one minion they don't want removed so they can keep pushing for lethal - Demon Hunter's Altruis the Outcast comes to mind - but they're modest health makes them an easy target for cheap removal.
This minion's function in tempo and aggressive decks will be to render cheap single target removals useless - even spells like betrayal and combustion that require a target will not work with this minion on the field.
The effect counts itself, as well, and it's not a battlecry, meaning you don't have to only have a few minions protected at a time, but all of them if possible.
The point of Ruination is to wipe their board on the defense round when your opponent is low on hand sizebecause you can then vomit an entire hand of cheap and giant sea monsters for your attack turn and its basically an automatic win... I do this quite often with my Hecarim deck.
an 8/8 minion for 8 stats is very acceptable, the Lich King in KotFT was an 8/8 at 8 mana with taunt that would generate a card at the end of your turn.
This minion is not as impactful, however, it doesn't have the taunt to protect you and slow your opponent down, and for it's true value it's death rattle must be activated - which can be ignored by transforming or silencing it.
Should it's death rattle go off, however, you're left with a 7 mana minion on the board. There's several 7 mana minions that rely on their battlecry effect or the Choose one to make up for their stats, but there's minions such as Skeletal Dragon and Winged Guardian who have high health and taunt, or Marsh Hydra who has rush.
The pool of 7 mana minions makes activating this minions deathrattle a gambit.
Fortunately, that's not as much of a downside in the Arena, where you want to control the board as best as you can, and being able to keep contesting the board with a large minion after another large minion has died is fantastic
I never have much luck with Expedition RNG either. For Example, if I want to try for a Deep deck and pick Maokai I then get ONE sea monster out of every single card pack and swap. Thats how unlucky I am...
Harrowing and Kalista (they work the same way afaik) WILL choose They Who Endure based on current stats as I play both T.W.E and Harrowing in my Hecarim/Kalista rush aggro deck. Upgraded Kalista chooses T.W.E over Rekindler and Darkwater Scourge so it must be that way.
Triggering a spellburst effect is a 2 card combo of playing the spellburst card and then the spell to trigger it. This presents inconsistency in having both cards in your hand at a given moment, so the spellburst effect needs to be powerful and consistent for it to be worth the effort. For Krolusk Barkstripper, I don't think the effect is consistent enough to play 2 cards to trigger it, even with the card's stats. Just run Deadly Shot instead if you want a hard removal effect in Hunter, it's cheaper than triggering Barkstripper's effect.
This card is insanely good protection, but it just doesn't fit in most decks, unfortunately. I can see it making its way into some token or zoo lists, but spots are tight and you'd have to know that you're facing spells you don't want targeting you.
If you think Hecarim isnt aggro then you must not be using mana cheating! I usually play him on turn 5 or 6 with Oblivious Islander as long as he will level up. I mean 4 cost 9/6 onslaught that buffs your attackers by 3/0 is pretty aggro if you ask me. Also midrange is beating someone right before or at 10 mana. If they are dead at T5-6 that cant really be called midrange in ANY TCG.
New Rogue Minion - Shifty Sophomore
Stealth Rogue might like it for the body and the extra fuel, probably won’t see play elsewhere though
New Neutral Minion - Voracious Reader
Really good in aggro, since the way you win against them is by lasting until they have to start topdecking
New Neutral Minion - Manafeeder Panthara
It’s alright, though most classes would probably prefer to just play something bigger on 4 if they’re going the midrange route, and if you’re not playing aggressively, then just play Loot Hoarderinstead.
New Priest Minion - Frazzled Freshman
What I'm excited for is the turn 1 nuts hand of Frazzled Freshman, 2x Power Word: Shield, and Inner Fire. Forget Flesh Giant, get hyped for the freshman 15. . . er, 8.
New Neutral Minion - Onyx Magescribe
Got a Dragon tag and that's pretty much it. More "create random stuff" nonsense.
New Neutral Minion - Tour Guide
Decent, mainly for combo uses I’d imagine though
New Neutral Minion - Manafeeder Panthara
For stats minions that have more health are generally looked upon favorably.
The River Crocolisk sets the gold standard for 2 mana minions since basic, and this minion follows in it's footsteps, but the battle cry could make it a little slow.
most hero powers require your hero to spend 2 mana to use them, Demon Hunters at 1. Meaning that unless you play the Tour Guide on turn 1, you won't be able to use your hero power and play this on turn 2 to draw two additional cards.
HOWEVER - if you're playing an aggressive deck such as face Hunter, Zoo Lock, Tempo Demon Hunter and Aggro mage, that doesn't really matter, since they'll have other two mana options to play. And if they don't a 2/3 isn't terrible, since those decks have TONS of draw.
It's synergy with hero powers means it can also fit in decks that want to use their quests or sidequests - Face Hunter's Toxic Reinforcements needs the hero power to be used 3 times, and Priests Quest Activate the Obelisk requires them to use their hero power before AND after to active the quest and reap the rewards.
I think it's stats make it a safe choice in Arena, if you don't have a better statted minion available to play
New Neutral Minion - Steward of Scrolls
Looks too slow to be that good, way too many niche spells too
New Mage Spell - Cram Session
I’m fully expecting Azure Explorer to make this good, beyond that, the 1 drop helps nicely, not sure if the other cards will be worth it though
New Rogue Spell - Plagiarize
Seems decent, though it’s not as strong as it could be given that decks have moved away from being just strong cards and are more synergistic than in the past. There’s always that chance you’ll get a card useless to your class (though if enough cards like this are printed I guess that doesn’t really matter does it)
New Rogue Weapon - Self-Sharpening Sword
On its own the card is pretty bad, you can’t keep up with the board with this card’s scaling attack, and it’s not all too much face damage. Needs weapon buffs to be worth it at all, though I’m still not sure if the weapon buffs are enough
New Neutral Minion - Voracious Reader
1 mana 1/3 is VERY weak in stats.
However, this minion allows for a VERY aggressive playstyle that will allow you to empty your hand and then refill it at the end of your turn.
Decks such as Tempo Demon Hunter and the Zoolock will adopt this minion for sure, and Zoolock's imprisoned scrap imp will make this minion a healthy 3/4 that can draw 3 cards if they play their hand correctly, allowing them to not have to rely solely on Hand of Gul'dan being discarded to draw minions.
Tempo Demon Hunter, while already having card draw with Sigil Outrunner, Spectral Sight and Skull of Gul'dan sometimes just want...MORE. It'll be interesting however to see if DH uses this minion over Glide, since Glide can draw 4 AND force your opponent to shuffle their hand as well.
With Mage also getting what looks like an aggressive shell this little minion may be adopted by Jaina as well to draw their cheap removal and efficient minions
New Neutral Minion - Plagued Protodrake
While I doubt it’ll actually be put in any decks, this is something that’ll probably be pretty tempting from any discovers it gets offered in. Lots of value from it, because you generally don’t care as much if your discovers give you really slow value
New Neutral Minion - Robes of Protection
Gives itself elusive, and is a 2/4 for 3, this should be pretty good in some decks. I’m expecting this to find a place in a deck someday if it doesn’t when the expansion hits
New Neutral Minion - Enchanted Cauldron
Way too much variance on this to be good, lots of spells can screw you over or just benefit your opponent
New Neutral Minion - Enchanted Cauldron
This is going to be a fun card, but certainly not a card that will decide any matches.
Due to the pool of spells available, it will never be consistent. And since it has no impact on the board, unless you play a board clear spell the turn it lands your opponent will most likely use their own resources to clear this minion on the next turn so it won't snowball.
There will probably be a Tavern Brawl focused around this minion, I betcha. It's too meme worthy for Team 5 not to play with.
Our Thoughts on Hearthstone's Scholomance Academy Demon Hunter Cards
I propose that the name of the class be changed to Soul Hunter, at least for the duration of this expansion, as that is what Illidan is going to be. Soul Fragment hype is on.
Cycle of Hatred hard counters itself xD
New Neutral Minion - Robes of Protection
3 mana 2/4 is pretty weak in stats, but this effect more than makes up for it.
For classes that like to control the board with minions there's usually one minion they don't want removed so they can keep pushing for lethal - Demon Hunter's Altruis the Outcast comes to mind - but they're modest health makes them an easy target for cheap removal.
This minion's function in tempo and aggressive decks will be to render cheap single target removals useless - even spells like betrayal and combustion that require a target will not work with this minion on the field.
The effect counts itself, as well, and it's not a battlecry, meaning you don't have to only have a few minions protected at a time, but all of them if possible.
Sea Monsters
The point of Ruination is to wipe their board on the defense round when your opponent is low on hand size because you can then vomit an entire hand of cheap and giant sea monsters for your attack turn and its basically an automatic win... I do this quite often with my Hecarim deck.
New Neutral Minion - Plagued Protodrake
an 8/8 minion for 8 stats is very acceptable, the Lich King in KotFT was an 8/8 at 8 mana with taunt that would generate a card at the end of your turn.
This minion is not as impactful, however, it doesn't have the taunt to protect you and slow your opponent down, and for it's true value it's death rattle must be activated - which can be ignored by transforming or silencing it.
Should it's death rattle go off, however, you're left with a 7 mana minion on the board. There's several 7 mana minions that rely on their battlecry effect or the Choose one to make up for their stats, but there's minions such as Skeletal Dragon and Winged Guardian who have high health and taunt, or Marsh Hydra who has rush.
The pool of 7 mana minions makes activating this minions deathrattle a gambit.
Fortunately, that's not as much of a downside in the Arena, where you want to control the board as best as you can, and being able to keep contesting the board with a large minion after another large minion has died is fantastic
I like expeditions, but they are a bit to expensive to play.
I never have much luck with Expedition RNG either. For Example, if I want to try for a Deep deck and pick Maokai I then get ONE sea monster out of every single card pack and swap. Thats how unlucky I am...
The Harrowing - How does it work?
Kind of a necro but just wanted to add:
Harrowing and Kalista (they work the same way afaik) WILL choose They Who Endure based on current stats as I play both T.W.E and Harrowing in my Hecarim/Kalista rush aggro deck. Upgraded Kalista chooses T.W.E over Rekindler and Darkwater Scourge so it must be that way.
New Hunter Minion - Krolusk Barkstripper
Triggering a spellburst effect is a 2 card combo of playing the spellburst card and then the spell to trigger it. This presents inconsistency in having both cards in your hand at a given moment, so the spellburst effect needs to be powerful and consistent for it to be worth the effort. For Krolusk Barkstripper, I don't think the effect is consistent enough to play 2 cards to trigger it, even with the card's stats. Just run Deadly Shot instead if you want a hard removal effect in Hunter, it's cheaper than triggering Barkstripper's effect.
New Neutral Minion - Robes of Protection
This card is insanely good protection, but it just doesn't fit in most decks, unfortunately. I can see it making its way into some token or zoo lists, but spots are tight and you'd have to know that you're facing spells you don't want targeting you.
So did the last patch kill Noxus aggro?
If you think Hecarim isnt aggro then you must not be using mana cheating! I usually play him on turn 5 or 6 with Oblivious Islander as long as he will level up. I mean 4 cost 9/6 onslaught that buffs your attackers by 3/0 is pretty aggro if you ask me. Also midrange is beating someone right before or at 10 mana. If they are dead at T5-6 that cant really be called midrange in ANY TCG.