I've been playing quest mage today to learn the deck and see for myself just how broken it is. I've never been a fan of it myself, and have rarely played the archetype. But the current form of it is just ridiculously easy to pull off. The biggest problem is the mana cheat. You end up casting so many spells for 0 mana, which can alone end up completing your quest. I was thinking about it today on what could be done to slow down the quest completion, but also not just completely kill the OTK potential. It is healthy to have OTK decks in the meta, but the random spell generation and low cost spells have been pushed in Mage to the max for too long, and has made this Quest just way too easy to complete. I think the best option would be to make it so spells that cost 0 do not count towards quest progression. That way, only spells you spend mana on would count towards your quest. This would also eliminate The Coin being such a huge benefit.
(I have debated making it for spells that cost 2 or more just because of the amount of 1-cost spells that mage has, but I think starting with just removing the 0-cost spells should be enough to slow it down to an acceptable power level.)
This also leaves Sorcerer's Apprentice untouched. As much as I hate this card, it is actually perfectly fine. If this card was touched, it would break way too many Mage decks. Any nerfs need to be directed towards the Quest itself, and the Giants. My proposed nerf makes Sorcerer's Apprentice less powerful in the deck, since it would make all your 1-cost spells not count towards your quest.
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I also agree with Lyra that the cost of Mana Giant needs to be increased. I agree that it should start at 12-mana just like Arcane Giant.
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These two nerfs should slow down the speed of the OTK, while not completely destroying the archetype. This will allow for a less polarized meta that Quest Mage could still be a part of, without being a Tier-S deck.
The change you suggested for Open the Waygate feels weird and frankly, not very realistic. But I do like the idea. I think a better change would be to make it say "spend 15 (or so) mana on spells that didn't start in your deck" instead.
But QMage was completely fine until they introduced Licensed Adventurer and Violet Spellwing, reducing randomness and Tempo waste in order to complete the Quest to nonsensical levels.
Either way QMage is now just as slow as Secret Mage in closing games, while Secret Mage is way better at Tempo, so I'm not sure it deserves any more nerfs.
I disagree. That's akin to saying an OTK deck having an OTK is a problem in and of itself.
The issue is that it is an OTK deck that can do significant mid pressure burst with Flamewaker and then kill you extremely quickly with the OTK, faster than what a standard OTK deck should be able to kill you.
Wild is the home of broken synergies and I have no issue with OTK decks, so long as they have counter punches.
The point I was driving at is because of the nature of Time Warp, it allows for multiple wincons and nerfing just one combo piece will mean other combo pieces will take it's place.
And I understand that, but the point isn't to prevent other win conditions from taking the place of the old one. The goal is making sure that the current broken win condition can't keep consistently taking games on turn 8-9 anymore. If you nerf the correct pieces in the right way then when pieces are replaced you still have a viable OTK deck, but one that doesn't kill you before you can even reach turn 10.
The deck is fine without those two cards. It can take to you Legend.
You said you already have those two cards, so why don't you try the deck out for yourself? See how you perform with it, whether you like the gameplan, do you enjoy playing with it? The deck has no card draw and kind of plays itself, games are fast and short, is that your cup of tea?
Are you sure that they did not have overwhelm? Because if they did, everything works as intented.
What he said, would be better if you remembered which unit was the attacker that went through, we could identify if it had Overwhelm or not ... or if you remember if it got buffed (was it a Noxus deck for example?). Or make a screenshot whenever you see something off. Always make screenshots :)
It's a bug. The daily bonus amount of exp shown is wrong, but the amount you're actually getting is correct (i.e. 400 bonus exp for your first win, 200 for your second, 100 for your third).
The cards you mentioned could win you some extra games, but I wouldn't craft them. Not in this meta.
I am used to play Even Shaman as my laddering deck since its inception, but I feel you can find better Tempo decks right now, with more resilience to stuff like Secret Mage and Renodecks.
Even Shaman is a "save craft" in my opinion. The archetype is an "evergreen" for a long time and has a loooot of different options to build and be teched against the meta.
At the moment I whouldn`t play "the totem axe version" of the deck and build it "more oldshool". If you face a lot of mages 1-2 Weblords can give them a really hard time, for example for Secret Mage over half of their minions getting "nearly unplayable" with it. If you wanna f*** up Quest Mage even more you can even tech in one Nerubian Unraveler.
If you havn`t the deck yet, I whouldn`t craft the Stormbringer. I like the card in this deck, but it is by no mean a must have card. The try the deck at first without this card and then see if you like the deck enough to craft the Stormbringer too.
I don't think that Even Shaman could take you to Legend as easily as it did some Time ago. DH and Mage should be pretty tough Match Ups and Control/Combo Decks can steamroll you (I've played against a Ton of Even Shamans with my pre-Buff Razakus, and I usually mopped the Floor with them).
I'd say your best Chances are with a Totem-Build. Drop Totem Golem on t2, buff it then copy it with Splitting Axe.
I see were you're coming from, nevertheless, this article lets people believe that face hunter is a 60% winrate deck and gives a poor image of the meta and the game as a whole.
I'm not making anything up here, just read the comments and you'll see how people to interpret this kind of article. At the very least you should have added a warning comment about how these stats are to be taken with caution.
You also say it's stats from people "enfranchised enough to have HSReplay installed" which actually would be another huge bias in the data : not every game is taken into account, it's just people on a comp try-harding the last days of the season.
And this also induce the major bias in these stats imho : people that played these fast deck in the last week of the season were actually the ones trying to get legend of get higher ranks at the last minute and they needed fast decks. What did other people do? They were playing Libram Paladin or whatever meme deck of their choice and they were not try-harding at all.
We're basically comparing people that really wanted a lot of win in a short time to people that were just enjoying meme decks or testing things, building their own list and such.
Moreover, you say you wanted to emphasis the speed of the climb, but in this case, why not putting the average game time, which HSReplays also provides afaik, instead of win rate alone? This is misleading.
As for the seeing what are the most played decks, I think the best thing would be to recommend people to adapt to what they see instead of what HSReplays says : I've played 50 games in the new season, I'm currently at D5, and I've only met 3 warlocks, why would I care about this class? The sensible choice is to always adapt to what you actually see, instead of to some theorical situation a web site gave you. It teaches you how to tune your decklists and become a better player.
But it's just my opinion, feel free to discard it.
Drawing 2 cards at start of round?
Jinx, Pool Shark or Pick a Card
Probably pool shark as you would recall jinx being played.
How to fix Quest Mage:
The change you suggested for Open the Waygate feels weird and frankly, not very realistic. But I do like the idea. I think a better change would be to make it say "spend 15 (or so) mana on spells that didn't start in your deck" instead.
Drawing 2 cards at start of round?
Sorry for not replying. Not to sure as I am pretty new to the game
How to fix Quest Mage:
Tbh, I don't find the wincon problematic, I find the deck's survival skill against Aggro problematic, being a Combo.
Namely, Flamewaker.
But QMage was completely fine until they introduced Licensed Adventurer and Violet Spellwing, reducing randomness and Tempo waste in order to complete the Quest to nonsensical levels.
Either way QMage is now just as slow as Secret Mage in closing games, while Secret Mage is way better at Tempo, so I'm not sure it deserves any more nerfs.
Is even shaman worth it
as long as u have devolve u should be fine
Here's some art, make a card! [Legacy Game]
Showing some love to an underused archetype.
Next, big and/or Elusive (can't be targeted by spells or hero powers) Elemental:
How to fix Quest Mage:
And I understand that, but the point isn't to prevent other win conditions from taking the place of the old one. The goal is making sure that the current broken win condition can't keep consistently taking games on turn 8-9 anymore. If you nerf the correct pieces in the right way then when pieces are replaced you still have a viable OTK deck, but one that doesn't kill you before you can even reach turn 10.
Is even shaman worth it
The deck is fine without those two cards. It can take to you Legend.
You said you already have those two cards, so why don't you try the deck out for yourself? See how you perform with it, whether you like the gameplan, do you enjoy playing with it? The deck has no card draw and kind of plays itself, games are fast and short, is that your cup of tea?
Cubicule (Updated)
+1 rating in 160 views - given how critic we all are - I'll take it as a compliment

Cubicule (Updated)
I got 800 bonus xp after a ranked win, why?
Oh, i see now... (menu warning). Tnx.
Did they change recall/blocking mechanic?
It was overwhelm, yes. The 5/1 shark. I never noticed this before.
Did they change recall/blocking mechanic?
What he said, would be better if you remembered which unit was the attacker that went through, we could identify if it had Overwhelm or not ... or if you remember if it got buffed (was it a Noxus deck for example?). Or make a screenshot whenever you see something off. Always make screenshots :)
Did they change recall/blocking mechanic?
Are you sure that they did not have overwhelm? Because if they did, everything works as intented.
Did they change recall/blocking mechanic?
Before the new patch if you blocked with a unit and then it was bounced back to your hand the “ghost” of the unit would still block the attacker.
Now it seems like the attack can go through after blocker is declared. Is this always the case now?
Just lost a couple games from this and would like clarification.
I got 800 bonus xp after a ranked win, why?
It's a bug. The daily bonus amount of exp shown is wrong, but the amount you're actually getting is correct (i.e. 400 bonus exp for your first win, 200 for your second, 100 for your third).
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Thats the true question of life isnt it? Or are u just asking about the game?
I got 800 bonus xp after a ranked win, why?
I haven't played LoR much... After my first ranked this win this season I got 200 + 800 bonus xp. Not 400+ daily bonus. Why?
Is even shaman worth it
The cards you mentioned could win you some extra games, but I wouldn't craft them. Not in this meta.
I am used to play Even Shaman as my laddering deck since its inception, but I feel you can find better Tempo decks right now, with more resilience to stuff like Secret Mage and Renodecks.
Like Discolock.
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Is even shaman worth it
Even Shaman is a "save craft" in my opinion. The archetype is an "evergreen" for a long time and has a loooot of different options to build and be teched against the meta.
At the moment I whouldn`t play "the totem axe version" of the deck and build it "more oldshool". If you face a lot of mages 1-2 Weblords can give them a really hard time, for example for Secret Mage over half of their minions getting "nearly unplayable" with it. If you wanna f*** up Quest Mage even more you can even tech in one Nerubian Unraveler.
If you havn`t the deck yet, I whouldn`t craft the Stormbringer. I like the card in this deck, but it is by no mean a must have card. The try the deck at first without this card and then see if you like the deck enough to craft the Stormbringer too.
Is even shaman worth it
I don't think that Even Shaman could take you to Legend as easily as it did some Time ago. DH and Mage should be pretty tough Match Ups and Control/Combo Decks can steamroll you (I've played against a Ton of Even Shamans with my pre-Buff Razakus, and I usually mopped the Floor with them).
I'd say your best Chances are with a Totem-Build. Drop Totem Golem on t2, buff it then copy it with Splitting Axe.
Daily quests not resetting.
That sounds really weird--I'd put in a ticket to Riot
Top Hearthstone Decks To Get Your Ladder Climb Done Fast
I see were you're coming from, nevertheless, this article lets people believe that face hunter is a 60% winrate deck and gives a poor image of the meta and the game as a whole.
I'm not making anything up here, just read the comments and you'll see how people to interpret this kind of article. At the very least you should have added a warning comment about how these stats are to be taken with caution.
You also say it's stats from people "enfranchised enough to have HSReplay installed" which actually would be another huge bias in the data : not every game is taken into account, it's just people on a comp try-harding the last days of the season.
And this also induce the major bias in these stats imho : people that played these fast deck in the last week of the season were actually the ones trying to get legend of get higher ranks at the last minute and they needed fast decks. What did other people do? They were playing Libram Paladin or whatever meme deck of their choice and they were not try-harding at all.
We're basically comparing people that really wanted a lot of win in a short time to people that were just enjoying meme decks or testing things, building their own list and such.
Moreover, you say you wanted to emphasis the speed of the climb, but in this case, why not putting the average game time, which HSReplays also provides afaik, instead of win rate alone? This is misleading.
As for the seeing what are the most played decks, I think the best thing would be to recommend people to adapt to what they see instead of what HSReplays says : I've played 50 games in the new season, I'm currently at D5, and I've only met 3 warlocks, why would I care about this class? The sensible choice is to always adapt to what you actually see, instead of to some theorical situation a web site gave you. It teaches you how to tune your decklists and become a better player.
But it's just my opinion, feel free to discard it.