The five mana cost is the real reason why this may not be as busted as it seems. Seems like you'd much rather play hellfire in most cases and if you're doing that then there's few reason to ever play this on curve. Still, a 5/5 body is not to be underestimated.
This may slot into handlock pretty neatly. 4 mana giant followed by a massive board wipe that leaves your giant alive. Need more support for dragonlock for this to shine in mid game.
That this can't find a place into Galakrond zoo means its a well thought out design. It could have easily been a 'deal 3 damage to all characters except demons'.
Lifesteal is the main reason why this is good, since warlock tends to lose more health than other classes. Since we still don't know the two legendaries from warlock yet, there little support for dragonlock for this to be truly too good.
Duskbreaker on one hand and amethyst on the other. All that just for holding dragons.
If there's a few deathrattle dragons then plot twist decks may want this additional AOE to reach turn 7. 5/5 body is not too bad as well. What makes this less powerful is the fact that it also damages you, and any controlock deck may well just die to hero power hunter before they reach any value turns.
May not slot into Galakrond zoo, since it destroys your board as well. Time for a shift to Dragonlock. And yes thats a cool sounding name.
Let's take a deep breath. No you will not be playing this in quest druid. And yes, that's the only reason why this card is not nerf contender number 1. Quest druid carries too much value and dominates the mid game. Not sure if anyone playing druid would deviate enough to play this card.
Having said that, this needed to be busted. Otherwise there would not be any reason to even consider playing dragon druid. For that alone, this card deserves a top spot in any critical evaluation.
Sad to say, this isn't going to be tier 1. 5 mana 10/10 worth of stats with rush. Starfall clear. 3 mana double ramp. 3 mana 4/6 stealth rush poisonous. 6 mana heal for twelve with a 6/6 taunt. Can this EVER hope to compete with that? No.
1/3 is tempo. 2 attack to minions is tempo. Both together makes hunter hero power viable. Oh, and its a common card. This is probably going to be the best card for hunter this expansion.
Played on curve, this and hero power value trades with nearly all two drops. And if its not cleared then its probably going to eat a three drop too. All this for one card.
4/8 taunt is still very good. Playing this on curve will be the bane of every aggro deck outside of rogue. The only saving grace is that druid traditionally gets busted cards so even a very good card still doesn't cut it. Will be in dragon decks, but can't see it outside of that.
That its at 6 mana is probably deliberate so you have to choose between nourish and this card.
Decent stats and cannot be removed outside of trading or AOE effects. Faerie dragon's big sister. Makes [Hearthstone Card (Soggoth the Slitherer) Not Found] cry. The fact that its a common card only rubs more salt into his tentacle ridden face.
Sadly this will only see play from a discover or random effect. One hidden grace is that is fits like a glove into taunt warrior, but 7 mana is still too much. Don't worry, [Hearthstone Card (Soggoth the Slitherer) Not Found] never saw play neither.
The only reason why this is busted is because it floods the board even when its not played. As long as Grim Rally exist on standard this will continue to be in all zoolock decks. You will put Galakrond in your deck because it activates invoke cards, not the other way around.
Single-handedly making Jumbo Imp a potentially viable card. That's already a world-end of a difference there.
Until [Hearthstone Card (Masked Contender) Not Found] rotates this is trash tier. Even if its not cleared when played on curve, its still forcing you into wasting mana on turn 3. Given that Rat Trap rotates next April, there may not be enough good secrets for this to be playable.
Until the next rotation, this would remain on the sidestands.
Better than Seal Fate. Being a one mana card means it can fit into miracle builds. But on its own its a nerf to ethereal lackey's discover effect for rogue.
Will see play, since it invokes Galakrond. Potential infinite value if you keep getting ethereal lackey off the invoke effect. A long shot, but still a possibility.
Getting this off the draconic lackey is gonna generate mountains of salt. A 4/10 body is already quite good. Swinging tempo is better. But this being a common card is probably the best thing about this card.
Sadly this will only see play from a discover effect. But it can take comfort that its already one the best discover option available.
Its comparable to Sir Finley's second hero power in the adventure for SoU. And yeah, even without the discover effect it was busted then too. Its only drawback is the fact that its a reactive card, and the invoked hero power doesn't help with tempo. Control priest would likely be tier 2, beating all other control decks available, since the hero power is so much value.
Whether this is a busted card will depend on the card pool for priest this expansion. The newly revealed card for priest that potentially give a card from your opponent's hand a good start.
Nomi without the empty deck requirement. With so many dragons being introduced, chances are you'll be getting good dragons off the random effect. Its only drawback is that it doesn't do anything until the next turn when you start drawing. You can still innervate into wrath for the draw on 10.
I can see this replacing Nomi in the standard quest druid. The fact that it activate dragon cards only adds to the multitude of reasons why this card will see play.
Expensive, but it invokes Galakrond and that's probably why this card will see play. The undamaged requirement is kinda weak, but given that rogue's Galakrond being as strong as it is, its only fair that rogues invoke cards are bad.
Still, I'd much rather play any other invoke card than this one. Its too expensive for what it does, and easily played around.
Busted card if not for the fact that most miracle builds consists of very cheap cards. In fact, this is probably the reason why its effect is so overwhelming.
Viable in almost any build of rogue, and with the hero power being as good as it is. Worth noting that with the hero power being generating lackeys, you can now go heavy into shuffling [Hearthstone Card (Heistbaron Togwaggle) Not Found] without worrying about the lackey requirement, giving lackey rogue the late game it needs against ultra control decks.
Almost an instant replacement for lightning storm, with the main issue being that you need a dragon to activate the cleave effect. On its own its already a decent 4 mana deal 4 damage. You will put dragons in your deck just to play this, not the other way around.
Wonder what the effect is with Zentimo. Is it just flamestrike like that?
Best invoke card there is in neutral and likely contender to the best invoke card in the expansion. 4/5 taunts for 5 is already a decent card. Add in a free Galakrond hero power and this is already playable. Add in invoking Galakrond and this will be in every Galakrond deck regardless of tier.
The only reason this is not busted is because its a taunt and not rush minion.
You'll play invoke cards just to get 2 1/1 imps, so yes you will play this card to draw three cards while putting on a decent 5/4 body along. Midrange zoolock just got a lot better.
Until grim rally rotates, this card is just yet another busted card in zoolock.
Carry card for miracle rogue, but most likely hand size issues is going to be a thing. Depending on how fast miracle can draw before turn 6 auctioneer plays, since I'm pretty sure you can't invoke twice in time to play auctioneer on curve.
But rogue typically uses coin better than any class, and 3 coins on turn 4 might just end the game then and there.
This card might just prove a definitive difference in skill between pros and semi-pros.
The five mana cost is the real reason why this may not be as busted as it seems. Seems like you'd much rather play hellfire in most cases and if you're doing that then there's few reason to ever play this on curve. Still, a 5/5 body is not to be underestimated.
This may slot into handlock pretty neatly. 4 mana giant followed by a massive board wipe that leaves your giant alive. Need more support for dragonlock for this to shine in mid game.
That this can't find a place into Galakrond zoo means its a well thought out design. It could have easily been a 'deal 3 damage to all characters except demons'.
Lifesteal is the main reason why this is good, since warlock tends to lose more health than other classes. Since we still don't know the two legendaries from warlock yet, there little support for dragonlock for this to be truly too good.
Duskbreaker on one hand and amethyst on the other. All that just for holding dragons.
If there's a few deathrattle dragons then plot twist decks may want this additional AOE to reach turn 7. 5/5 body is not too bad as well. What makes this less powerful is the fact that it also damages you, and any controlock deck may well just die to hero power hunter before they reach any value turns.
May not slot into Galakrond zoo, since it destroys your board as well. Time for a shift to Dragonlock. And yes thats a cool sounding name.
Let's take a deep breath. No you will not be playing this in quest druid. And yes, that's the only reason why this card is not nerf contender number 1. Quest druid carries too much value and dominates the mid game. Not sure if anyone playing druid would deviate enough to play this card.
Having said that, this needed to be busted. Otherwise there would not be any reason to even consider playing dragon druid. For that alone, this card deserves a top spot in any critical evaluation.
Sad to say, this isn't going to be tier 1. 5 mana 10/10 worth of stats with rush. Starfall clear. 3 mana double ramp. 3 mana 4/6 stealth rush poisonous. 6 mana heal for twelve with a 6/6 taunt. Can this EVER hope to compete with that? No.
1/3 is tempo. 2 attack to minions is tempo. Both together makes hunter hero power viable. Oh, and its a common card. This is probably going to be the best card for hunter this expansion.
Played on curve, this and hero power value trades with nearly all two drops. And if its not cleared then its probably going to eat a three drop too. All this for one card.
4/8 taunt is still very good. Playing this on curve will be the bane of every aggro deck outside of rogue. The only saving grace is that druid traditionally gets busted cards so even a very good card still doesn't cut it. Will be in dragon decks, but can't see it outside of that.
That its at 6 mana is probably deliberate so you have to choose between nourish and this card.
Decent stats and cannot be removed outside of trading or AOE effects. Faerie dragon's big sister. Makes [Hearthstone Card (Soggoth the Slitherer) Not Found] cry. The fact that its a common card only rubs more salt into his tentacle ridden face.
Sadly this will only see play from a discover or random effect. One hidden grace is that is fits like a glove into taunt warrior, but 7 mana is still too much. Don't worry, [Hearthstone Card (Soggoth the Slitherer) Not Found] never saw play neither.
Its an invoke card. And it puts two 2/1 tokens on the board.
Already two reasons why this will be payable. Outside of that this is trash, but then again why won't you have Galakrond in your deck?
The only reason why this is busted is because it floods the board even when its not played. As long as Grim Rally exist on standard this will continue to be in all zoolock decks. You will put Galakrond in your deck because it activates invoke cards, not the other way around.
Single-handedly making Jumbo Imp a potentially viable card. That's already a world-end of a difference there.
Until [Hearthstone Card (Masked Contender) Not Found] rotates this is trash tier. Even if its not cleared when played on curve, its still forcing you into wasting mana on turn 3. Given that Rat Trap rotates next April, there may not be enough good secrets for this to be playable.
Until the next rotation, this would remain on the sidestands.
Better than Seal Fate. Being a one mana card means it can fit into miracle builds. But on its own its a nerf to ethereal lackey's discover effect for rogue.
Will see play, since it invokes Galakrond. Potential infinite value if you keep getting ethereal lackey off the invoke effect. A long shot, but still a possibility.
Getting this off the draconic lackey is gonna generate mountains of salt. A 4/10 body is already quite good. Swinging tempo is better. But this being a common card is probably the best thing about this card.
Sadly this will only see play from a discover effect. But it can take comfort that its already one the best discover option available.
Its comparable to Sir Finley's second hero power in the adventure for SoU. And yeah, even without the discover effect it was busted then too. Its only drawback is the fact that its a reactive card, and the invoked hero power doesn't help with tempo. Control priest would likely be tier 2, beating all other control decks available, since the hero power is so much value.
Whether this is a busted card will depend on the card pool for priest this expansion. The newly revealed card for priest that potentially give a card from your opponent's hand a good start.
Nomi without the empty deck requirement. With so many dragons being introduced, chances are you'll be getting good dragons off the random effect. Its only drawback is that it doesn't do anything until the next turn when you start drawing. You can still innervate into wrath for the draw on 10.
I can see this replacing Nomi in the standard quest druid. The fact that it activate dragon cards only adds to the multitude of reasons why this card will see play.
Expensive, but it invokes Galakrond and that's probably why this card will see play. The undamaged requirement is kinda weak, but given that rogue's Galakrond being as strong as it is, its only fair that rogues invoke cards are bad.
Still, I'd much rather play any other invoke card than this one. Its too expensive for what it does, and easily played around.
Busted card if not for the fact that most miracle builds consists of very cheap cards. In fact, this is probably the reason why its effect is so overwhelming.
Viable in almost any build of rogue, and with the hero power being as good as it is. Worth noting that with the hero power being generating lackeys, you can now go heavy into shuffling [Hearthstone Card (Heistbaron Togwaggle) Not Found] without worrying about the lackey requirement, giving lackey rogue the late game it needs against ultra control decks.
And yeah, its free. Two thumbs up
Almost an instant replacement for lightning storm, with the main issue being that you need a dragon to activate the cleave effect. On its own its already a decent 4 mana deal 4 damage. You will put dragons in your deck just to play this, not the other way around.
Wonder what the effect is with Zentimo. Is it just flamestrike like that?
Best invoke card there is in neutral and likely contender to the best invoke card in the expansion. 4/5 taunts for 5 is already a decent card. Add in a free Galakrond hero power and this is already playable. Add in invoking Galakrond and this will be in every Galakrond deck regardless of tier.
The only reason this is not busted is because its a taunt and not rush minion.
You'll play invoke cards just to get 2 1/1 imps, so yes you will play this card to draw three cards while putting on a decent 5/4 body along. Midrange zoolock just got a lot better.
Until grim rally rotates, this card is just yet another busted card in zoolock.
Carry card for miracle rogue, but most likely hand size issues is going to be a thing. Depending on how fast miracle can draw before turn 6 auctioneer plays, since I'm pretty sure you can't invoke twice in time to play auctioneer on curve.
But rogue typically uses coin better than any class, and 3 coins on turn 4 might just end the game then and there.
This card might just prove a definitive difference in skill between pros and semi-pros.