Perhaps the strongest swing card yet. But its likely home is warlock and priest, where board clears are plenty and expensive, and this card as a follow up is just broken.
Maybe also in shaman? But I'm a little skeptical. Its just a card that will always find itself in control decks. Even on its own, its at least a taunt, so that's not really a waste of space neither.
Its actually really clever design. In the late game this is often draw a card for 1, which is more often than not a valuable piece than what you gave up. In the early game, its not really that bad too, since you'd play this on 1, and unless that card you give up is a 2 drop you want to curve into there's no harm in just cycling it.
Its likely to find a place in warlock, hunter, and shaman. And for the last 2 its likely in highlander more so than anything else.
This card isn't half bad honestly. A decently sized taunt for 3, and the effect gives your opponent a minion to play but that's irrelevant except to hyper aggro. An example of a arena-looking card that is absolutely not fit for arena in any way.
Unfortunately, I also can't see why anyone play this in standard except to meme others.
The only class that will use this card unironically is warrior, as a sort of last resort after a nzoth play, since that will likely revive your Armagedillo, which will in turn make this a 6/6 at least.
But if you play nzoth and still not grab the win, then there's really something seriously wrong with your built, or your opponent is playing absolutely nothing but removal.
Outside of that very small niche, I don't see it. On its own, its decent, but gets value traded by nearly everything, so you can't just play it on its own. And if the idea is to buff it then play it on 9. Well, you'd have to have godlike skills to not just die before turn 9 in my opinion.
One amusing thing you can do is to play this in a Deck of Chaos built. Then its a 4 mana load your board with 9/4s. But that's admitably a highroll where its even outshined by Malygos who can simply win the game outright.
If its buffs you want, Costumed Entertainer does that job better. This may have vanilla stats, but so does many others and every one of them have to justify its inclusion. I think this falls slightly short of the ideal.
Just a solid removal option for control warrior. Outside of that, its not really that great, since it doesn't ignore mechs or any specific tribe. But as an early game removal option, there's little better in my opinion.
Its cards like these that makes me wonder why shaman's cards are so dreadful while other classes get stuff that makes sense. For what reason can we think that this could not have been a shaman card and instead must belong to warrior? It even makes sense flavorwise, shaman was supposed to THE weapon class this time round.
Lightforged Zealot is one of the best cards in pally right now and there's little reason to believe this wouldn't equally be as good in warrior. One weapon for a tempo swing, with a decently sized minion that also has taunt.
Again, why the hell isn't this a shaman card. Like really team5?
Seems good on paper, but what combo cards do you even want to run? Eh, it only really helps Miscreant and the new Draw 2 card, but is it really enough to justify its inclusion into a deck? We’ll have to see.
Turn 2, play this + shadowstep + play this again + edwin = 10/10 + 3/2. And that's turn 2
And now your hand is empty, your opponent kills Van Cleef and then its game over. Anyway, this is a ludicrous highroll scenario, and while it could happen, I’m still quite skeptical about this card being included into a lot of decks overall because of how little good Combo cards there are
There's wand thief, swindle, eviscerate, edwin, miscreant. That's 9 cards, and I would play them all in secret rogue right now if I can. Hell, I'd play them in galakrond rogue too.
And if I can chance a highroll edwin simply by adding a sometimes 0 mana 2 drop, why not?
if it werent for that card Parade Leader, this card is total trash. Together, they make a good combo, but that's assuming you'd even play them in the first place. Alone, this card is not worth considering since it can almost never value trade, or reliably kill anything but the smallest target.
Stage Dive is a card, and one of the strongest warrior card available. And since it tutors rush minions, the last thing you'd want is for that to get this thing out. So this gets the snub simply because there's just better rush minions available.
There may be a small niche with ETC god. But [Hearthstone Card (animated broom) Not Found] is the better fuel for it.
You play this, make one massive minion which then proceeds to get Sap. Then you fling your arms into the air and wonder why the hell you'd even put this card in your deck.
The only card I can think off that will benefit from this immensely would be Hippogryph and that will be because it has rush. If this card isn't taking down a minion, then you really got to assume the worst. Nearly every class on top except for hunter and paladin can brush aside one big minion with tremendous ease, and you would have to likely skip a turn to make it. Might be better simply to have developed two minions.
Seems good on paper, but what combo cards do you even want to run? Eh, it only really helps Miscreant and the new Draw 2 card, but is it really enough to justify its inclusion into a deck? We’ll have to see.
Turn 2, play this + shadowstep + play this again + edwin = 10/10 + 3/2. And that's turn 2
It basically makes nearly every demon a threat, especially since this one gives warlock that all important healing potential, so its not just a cheesy win for face hunters or stealth rogue anymore.
Aside from this, it has vanilla stats, which for zoo is always a plus. But its that demon synergy that truly defines this card. The fact that you can also discover this off demonic studies makes it so even midrange warlock who would for some reason not include this in their deck, have an all important out against aggro face decks.
It has taunt, and the minion it generates is aggressive. If you're running a midrange deck or zoo, this is amazing. Comparable to Savannah Highmane, and for that reason alone its not to be ignored.
If you cheapen it with Demonic Studies, then this comes out turn 5, which is really scary for any class other than priest. Can't underestimate cards like these.
So much potential. But most likely you'll just be glad to draw 2 minions off this card.
The discount is nice, but a bonus. I can see a world where the odds of getting it off is at least more than 50% of the time. But the true power of the card is that it draws, and drawing cards (especially in handlock) is nice.
Love the card, love the effect. But removal options have to either be consistent, or be powerful, or be cheap. Most importantly, they have to be ready on demand. This one fails the last point, as well as consistency.
On its own, its nearly worthless. Unlike other classes, handlock doesn't really play a lot of minions early on, so you don't get to improve your odds this card destroys the minions you want. Late game this is amazing. But on condition that you're not already dead, or are consistently able to both draw this and play your power turns well. I'm not exactly gushing, and this card will most likely be a choice discover rather than a card added on purpose.
At some point this will be a nice little centerpiece for a combo deck. But for now, I don't see it.
The major problem here is that you'll need to hold on to this card (which means drawing it), then play something costing more, which in most cases would be Twisting Nether. Sure, you can also play common stuff like [Hearthstone Card (alexstraza) Not Found], or even galakrond himself. But if you're playing a card that cost more than 7, in most cases its either a removal or a win condition. This card doesn't even have taunt, for gods sake. Says alot when this card only starts performing when you're winning.
Of course, the other common problem is that most decks don't ever reach fatigue, so what does 5 cards truly mean in the grand scheme of things? You play this on turn 8, they remove it, then swing board. Then what else?
That's not to say its complete worthless. There's some shenanigans with Felosophy, and you can still discover (and perchance, cheapen) this off Demonic Studies, so this card will never truly be lacking respectability. Certainly a built around. Just don't go hoping it will ever be tier 1.
The only niche it will ever have is that by some chance you get it off Wandmaker, or some other generator, and coincidentally also plays an evolve deck, and your opponent is also coincidentally playing on curve buffed up murlocs.
Honestly, all it does was to change your opponent's board, it would've been perfect. Instead, since it also changes your board, you can't even remove taunts with it. Just disappointing to be honest.
Perhaps the strongest swing card yet. But its likely home is warlock and priest, where board clears are plenty and expensive, and this card as a follow up is just broken.
Maybe also in shaman? But I'm a little skeptical. Its just a card that will always find itself in control decks. Even on its own, its at least a taunt, so that's not really a waste of space neither.
Its actually really clever design. In the late game this is often draw a card for 1, which is more often than not a valuable piece than what you gave up. In the early game, its not really that bad too, since you'd play this on 1, and unless that card you give up is a 2 drop you want to curve into there's no harm in just cycling it.
Its likely to find a place in warlock, hunter, and shaman. And for the last 2 its likely in highlander more so than anything else.
This card isn't half bad honestly. A decently sized taunt for 3, and the effect gives your opponent a minion to play but that's irrelevant except to hyper aggro. An example of a arena-looking card that is absolutely not fit for arena in any way.
Unfortunately, I also can't see why anyone play this in standard except to meme others.
Its comparable with Command the Illidari, except it has a ludicrous condition that is very difficult if not impossible to fulfill its potential.
Maybe some combo with ETC God? More likely just arena fodder to me.
The only class that will use this card unironically is warrior, as a sort of last resort after a nzoth play, since that will likely revive your Armagedillo, which will in turn make this a 6/6 at least.
But if you play nzoth and still not grab the win, then there's really something seriously wrong with your built, or your opponent is playing absolutely nothing but removal.
Outside of that very small niche, I don't see it. On its own, its decent, but gets value traded by nearly everything, so you can't just play it on its own. And if the idea is to buff it then play it on 9. Well, you'd have to have godlike skills to not just die before turn 9 in my opinion.
One amusing thing you can do is to play this in a Deck of Chaos built. Then its a 4 mana load your board with 9/4s. But that's admitably a highroll where its even outshined by Malygos who can simply win the game outright.
If its buffs you want, Costumed Entertainer does that job better. This may have vanilla stats, but so does many others and every one of them have to justify its inclusion. I think this falls slightly short of the ideal.
Its Dyn-o-matic's ghost back in standard.
Just a solid removal option for control warrior. Outside of that, its not really that great, since it doesn't ignore mechs or any specific tribe. But as an early game removal option, there's little better in my opinion.
Its cards like these that makes me wonder why shaman's cards are so dreadful while other classes get stuff that makes sense. For what reason can we think that this could not have been a shaman card and instead must belong to warrior? It even makes sense flavorwise, shaman was supposed to THE weapon class this time round.
Lightforged Zealot is one of the best cards in pally right now and there's little reason to believe this wouldn't equally be as good in warrior. One weapon for a tempo swing, with a decently sized minion that also has taunt.
Again, why the hell isn't this a shaman card. Like really team5?
Its easy to corrupt, tutors a rush minion, and cost only 1 mana.
There's nothing else to discuss. Everytime you put a rush minion in your deck this card will simply pop out like an auto-spell check mechanism.
There's wand thief, swindle, eviscerate, edwin, miscreant. That's 9 cards, and I would play them all in secret rogue right now if I can. Hell, I'd play them in galakrond rogue too.
And if I can chance a highroll edwin simply by adding a sometimes 0 mana 2 drop, why not?
if it werent for that card Parade Leader, this card is total trash. Together, they make a good combo, but that's assuming you'd even play them in the first place. Alone, this card is not worth considering since it can almost never value trade, or reliably kill anything but the smallest target.
Stage Dive is a card, and one of the strongest warrior card available. And since it tutors rush minions, the last thing you'd want is for that to get this thing out. So this gets the snub simply because there's just better rush minions available.
There may be a small niche with ETC god. But [Hearthstone Card (animated broom) Not Found] is the better fuel for it.
You play this, make one massive minion which then proceeds to get Sap. Then you fling your arms into the air and wonder why the hell you'd even put this card in your deck.
The only card I can think off that will benefit from this immensely would be Hippogryph and that will be because it has rush. If this card isn't taking down a minion, then you really got to assume the worst. Nearly every class on top except for hunter and paladin can brush aside one big minion with tremendous ease, and you would have to likely skip a turn to make it. Might be better simply to have developed two minions.
Turn 2, play this + shadowstep + play this again + edwin = 10/10 + 3/2. And that's turn 2
Just fodder really. Cant have so many good demons without also some mediocre ones.
At least its not completely trash. But I would still put Voidwalker above it.
It basically makes nearly every demon a threat, especially since this one gives warlock that all important healing potential, so its not just a cheesy win for face hunters or stealth rogue anymore.
Aside from this, it has vanilla stats, which for zoo is always a plus. But its that demon synergy that truly defines this card. The fact that you can also discover this off demonic studies makes it so even midrange warlock who would for some reason not include this in their deck, have an all important out against aggro face decks.
It has taunt, and the minion it generates is aggressive. If you're running a midrange deck or zoo, this is amazing. Comparable to Savannah Highmane, and for that reason alone its not to be ignored.
If you cheapen it with Demonic Studies, then this comes out turn 5, which is really scary for any class other than priest. Can't underestimate cards like these.
So much potential. But most likely you'll just be glad to draw 2 minions off this card.
The discount is nice, but a bonus. I can see a world where the odds of getting it off is at least more than 50% of the time. But the true power of the card is that it draws, and drawing cards (especially in handlock) is nice.
Love the card, love the effect. But removal options have to either be consistent, or be powerful, or be cheap. Most importantly, they have to be ready on demand. This one fails the last point, as well as consistency.
On its own, its nearly worthless. Unlike other classes, handlock doesn't really play a lot of minions early on, so you don't get to improve your odds this card destroys the minions you want. Late game this is amazing. But on condition that you're not already dead, or are consistently able to both draw this and play your power turns well. I'm not exactly gushing, and this card will most likely be a choice discover rather than a card added on purpose.
At some point this will be a nice little centerpiece for a combo deck. But for now, I don't see it.
The major problem here is that you'll need to hold on to this card (which means drawing it), then play something costing more, which in most cases would be Twisting Nether. Sure, you can also play common stuff like [Hearthstone Card (alexstraza) Not Found], or even galakrond himself. But if you're playing a card that cost more than 7, in most cases its either a removal or a win condition. This card doesn't even have taunt, for gods sake. Says alot when this card only starts performing when you're winning.
Of course, the other common problem is that most decks don't ever reach fatigue, so what does 5 cards truly mean in the grand scheme of things? You play this on turn 8, they remove it, then swing board. Then what else?
That's not to say its complete worthless. There's some shenanigans with Felosophy, and you can still discover (and perchance, cheapen) this off Demonic Studies, so this card will never truly be lacking respectability. Certainly a built around. Just don't go hoping it will ever be tier 1.
Its almost certainly trash.
The only niche it will ever have is that by some chance you get it off Wandmaker, or some other generator, and coincidentally also plays an evolve deck, and your opponent is also coincidentally playing on curve buffed up murlocs.
Honestly, all it does was to change your opponent's board, it would've been perfect. Instead, since it also changes your board, you can't even remove taunts with it. Just disappointing to be honest.