The endgame for a dedicated Fraggle Lock, this looks to be a very up and down play. While generating a bunch of Soul Fragments shouldn't be too hard, you have zero point zero control over when you will draw them, and if you're playing a Void Drinker or two, or a Soulshard Lapidary, you could end up pretty light on payoff. I get the sense that trying to make effective use of the Soul Prof will be frustrating and disappointing as often, or even more often, than it will be satisfying, but then, I've never been great at building decks that rely on powerful deckbuilding tricks, so this may work really well for those who have that skill.
I like Hecarim aggro decks too, but I only splash freljord for They Who Endure to break stalemates. I try and get 3-4 sharks out early by copying them with fading memories and making em cheaper with Oblivious Islander. Then I just throw out 2/2 or 1/1 tokens each attack round and block attacks with Darkwater Scourge. If the game is slower I get Kalista out and Soul Shepards and just have kalista clone Darkwater Scourges for free heals till I can Hecarim or They Who Endure and thats usually a win. I also keep Rekindlers and Ruinations in case bad stuff happens to my champs or they build too big a board. I normally KO opponents by turn 5-6 and usually they just concede if I get 3+ sharks,so even faster!
Is there anything to add that hasn't been said already? This is an auto-include for any combo deck, and well worth considering for other decks as well. I'd run it over Innervate in a heartbeat.
What'll be interesting is seeing what Shaman can accomplish with this. We know how Druid feels about it, but it's a new space for Shaman.
Thank you sir, may I have another? Everyone needs a little discipline now and then, and with the [Hearthstone Card (Succubus) Not Found] and [Hearthstone Card (Mistress of Pain) Not Found] trapped in their respective dungeons, we've got Disciplinarian Gandling ready to step in. He feels like a swinger. . .um, swing turn. . . kind of guy to me, if you're building up some lackeys. He also can make some use out of late game 1 and 2 drop minions, especially those Galakrond enablers that the Priests always has 2 to 4 of every game - I'm assuming you get your battlecry off before the discipline is dispensed. Or is it a safe word?
Token Elemental of the set. Preeeeetty good, least it helps push a certain archetype other than elementals. Animated Avalanche is happy he has a friend.
This will be run in every Fragment based deck, and will likely find its way into other lists if the meta is sufficiently aggressive. Can't beat a bit of extra healing to go with your board clear.
Play rather than summon is a little disappointing, just because I'd have liked to see the silly shenanigans with Restless Mummy. Still a good card with that combo, but not quite as fun as it could have been.
Feels very good should some sort of Big or Control Warrior make a rise. Unfortunately, I don't know if it quite makes it into the more aggressive lists we see right now - it has such a high mana cost for them.
I believe they also said it will have rewards similar to Arena, so I'm kind of thinking maybe something like Arena but constructed. So Brawleseum plus Tavern Brawl "Brawl Block" with monthly rotating sets available. Or bi-monthly like what they did with Arena last year.
I'm still holding out hope for a type of tournament mode. Maybe 8 players, again with rotating sets mixing Standard and Wild, but you sign in play a short tournament bracket to see how far you can get. Ultimately could increase to 16 or 32 players if it's popular enough to support it. Even at 32 players that's still just 5 wins to take first if they did a format like this. The hardest thing about doing something like that would be waiting for the other games to get over if yours went really fast.
So easy to reduce the cost, can make everyone forget the Mountain Giant ever existed. Folks will come to hate this thing, and will pack all their best removal tools in anticipation, because turn 4 8/8 should end up being a pretty common occurrence for Warlocks. When you're playing against a priest, I guess you can just hang back a bit, like when Activate the Obelisk is up, and try to build a board to overwhelm (and then get wrecked by Soul Mirror or Plague of Death, haha). Should see a lot of play, but I think in the end everyone will adjust to it, and it will only feel OP when the draw just doesn't go your way.
New Neutral Minion - Steward of Scrolls
Ok card for arena.
New Warlock Spell - School Spirits
Cheap aoe with heal.
Autoinclude in every controlish warlock deck.
Our Thoughts on Hearthstone's Scholomance Academy Shaman/Mage Dual Class Cards
Malygos + 6x Ras would do the job, or the other way around :) Or with Mozaki.
New Demon Hunter & Warlock Minion - Soulciologist Malicia
The endgame for a dedicated Fraggle Lock, this looks to be a very up and down play. While generating a bunch of Soul Fragments shouldn't be too hard, you have zero point zero control over when you will draw them, and if you're playing a Void Drinker or two, or a Soulshard Lapidary, you could end up pretty light on payoff. I get the sense that trying to make effective use of the Soul Prof will be frustrating and disappointing as often, or even more often, than it will be satisfying, but then, I've never been great at building decks that rely on powerful deckbuilding tricks, so this may work really well for those who have that skill.
New Neutral Minion - Tour Guide
Maybe some kind of facehunter can take profit of this.
Basically is a 1 mana 1/1 minion with battlecry "deal 2 damage to the enemy Hero" and sinergizes with inspire cards.
New Shaman/Mage Spell - Devolving Missiles
There is not damage from spells here, so spell damage doesn't affect that spell.
New Mage/Rogue Minion - Wand Thief
Need to remember on turn 1. The Coin first, then the 2 Wand Thiefs
New Druid/Shaman Spell - Lightning Bloom
Guaranteed to be broken, especially with Guardian Animals. The streamers already proved it.
Killing Karma
I like Hecarim aggro decks too, but I only splash freljord for They Who Endure to break stalemates. I try and get 3-4 sharks out early by copying them with fading memories and making em cheaper with Oblivious Islander. Then I just throw out 2/2 or 1/1 tokens each attack round and block attacks with Darkwater Scourge. If the game is slower I get Kalista out and Soul Shepards and just have kalista clone Darkwater Scourges for free heals till I can Hecarim or They Who Endure and thats usually a win. I also keep Rekindlers and Ruinations in case bad stuff happens to my champs or they build too big a board. I normally KO opponents by turn 5-6 and usually they just concede if I get 3+ sharks,so even faster!
New Warrior Minion - Playmaker
Restless Mummy is back on the menu boys.
I'm assuming it would still create an extra copy of 1-health rush minions right?
New Druid/Shaman Spell - Lightning Bloom
Is there anything to add that hasn't been said already? This is an auto-include for any combo deck, and well worth considering for other decks as well. I'd run it over Innervate in a heartbeat.
What'll be interesting is seeing what Shaman can accomplish with this. We know how Druid feels about it, but it's a new space for Shaman.
New Priest & Warlock Minion - Disciplinarian Gandling
Thank you sir, may I have another? Everyone needs a little discipline now and then, and with the [Hearthstone Card (Succubus) Not Found] and [Hearthstone Card (Mistress of Pain) Not Found] trapped in their respective dungeons, we've got Disciplinarian Gandling ready to step in. He feels like a swinger. . .um, swing turn. . . kind of guy to me, if you're building up some lackeys. He also can make some use out of late game 1 and 2 drop minions, especially those Galakrond enablers that the Priests always has 2 to 4 of every game - I'm assuming you get your battlecry off before the discipline is dispensed. Or is it a safe word?
New Mage/Rogue Minion - Wand Thief
Insane 1 Drop for both Rogue and Mage
New Neutral Minion - Steward of Scrolls
Token Elemental of the set. Preeeeetty good, least it helps push a certain archetype other than elementals. Animated Avalanche is happy he has a friend.
New Warlock Spell - School Spirits
This will be run in every Fragment based deck, and will likely find its way into other lists if the meta is sufficiently aggressive. Can't beat a bit of extra healing to go with your board clear.
New Warrior Minion - Playmaker
Play rather than summon is a little disappointing, just because I'd have liked to see the silly shenanigans with Restless Mummy. Still a good card with that combo, but not quite as fun as it could have been.
New Paladin & Priest Minion - High Abbess Alura
High Abbess Alura doesn't look like a Mage, but Magehunter isn't terribly sad about that.
New Warrior Minion - Troublemaker
Feels very good should some sort of Big or Control Warrior make a rise. Unfortunately, I don't know if it quite makes it into the more aggressive lists we see right now - it has such a high mana cost for them.
New Rogue & Warrior Minion - Steeldancer
I'd like to see this card work well with Doctor Krastinov and some new weapons, I'm hopeful.
New Priest & Warlock Minion - Flesh Giant
Might replace Sea Giant or they packaged together in zoolock, very keen.
New Priest Minion - Frazzled Freshman
Turn 1: Frazzled Freshman
Turn 2: Power Word: Feast attack opponents minion and heal to full at the end of the turn.
Turn 3: Opponent concedes.
It will happen.
Thoughts about the New Game Mode?
I believe they also said it will have rewards similar to Arena, so I'm kind of thinking maybe something like Arena but constructed. So Brawleseum plus Tavern Brawl "Brawl Block" with monthly rotating sets available. Or bi-monthly like what they did with Arena last year.
I'm still holding out hope for a type of tournament mode. Maybe 8 players, again with rotating sets mixing Standard and Wild, but you sign in play a short tournament bracket to see how far you can get. Ultimately could increase to 16 or 32 players if it's popular enough to support it. Even at 32 players that's still just 5 wins to take first if they did a format like this. The hardest thing about doing something like that would be waiting for the other games to get over if yours went really fast.
New Priest & Warlock Minion - Flesh Giant
So easy to reduce the cost, can make everyone forget the Mountain Giant ever existed. Folks will come to hate this thing, and will pack all their best removal tools in anticipation, because turn 4 8/8 should end up being a pretty common occurrence for Warlocks. When you're playing against a priest, I guess you can just hang back a bit, like when Activate the Obelisk is up, and try to build a board to overwhelm (and then get wrecked by Soul Mirror or Plague of Death, haha). Should see a lot of play, but I think in the end everyone will adjust to it, and it will only feel OP when the draw just doesn't go your way.
New Paladin & Priest Minion - Devout Pupil
Less deck restrictive than Alex for a mana cost reduction. Must include in libram pally. Gotta spam all those Libram of Wisdoms
New Warlock Spell - School Spirits
The anti aggro is real. SA, just release already so I can play soul fragments!