You are mistaken if you think Blizzard ever had fresh ideas, apart from the first Diablo and the first Warcraft. Everything else they've ever done is just iterations and borrowing ideas from other developers' IPs. Within Hearthstone, all they've ever done is pull fantasy genre tropes and pop culture references into the framework of a card game. They don't even get credit for fixing MtG's terrible mana system, because Pokémon did that first.
In trying to give excavate to two more classes in a small set of cards, they've created a monster. I'm not sure which class will be more annoying now, but it's usually Paladin.
There are so many big creatures these days, I don't think you'll be "wasting damage" as often as you think. It's fine. The payoff for excavating is so good that I don't mind the setup being a little expensive.
As it stands, even Immolation Aura sees no play in dhunter even when they are good. Not to mention that aggro these days tend to be fairly absurd in terms of reload, and give you little to no time to prepare your AoEs.
In other words, its a decent card that will make highlander lists and control tryhards but in practice would perhaps never justify its inclusion.
Control-type Warriors cast spells nearly every turn. "Preparing" will never be a problem. This is just a less awkward version of Bladestorm most of the time, albeit less flexible because it can't handle a large loner.
That said, swapping the stats will often make one of the cards pretty valuable. The other one will be a dead card in hand, but maybe that's worth it? The pools of Beasts and Undead are actually pretty good for this kind of thing, especially if you are savvy enough to choose wisely.
To be fair, your highest-Cost minion already has a big bulls-eye on its chest. All this card does is muddy the waters as the opponent tests for other Secrets. If they don't need to test for Secrets because they have enough of a board to kill your big guy, they can easily make sure you don't get the value you were hoping for.
Also, you need a very specific board state to make this spell worth playing, and that may telegraph which Secret it is.
The freeze is extremely situational. If you're hitting minions, you want to kill them. If you're hitting big minions to freeze them so that they don't hit your face, you're really only mitigating 3 of that face damage. If you're hitting face, the freeze is irrelevant most of the time.
Comparable to Desert Nestmatron, which does see play, but possibly only because of the Taunt and Dragon tag. It is possible that the Elemental and Naga tags will make this relevant.
Hey, 'member these excavated treasures from the Winter's Veil Tavern Brawl? I 'member ...
You are mistaken if you think Blizzard ever had fresh ideas, apart from the first Diablo and the first Warcraft. Everything else they've ever done is just iterations and borrowing ideas from other developers' IPs. Within Hearthstone, all they've ever done is pull fantasy genre tropes and pop culture references into the framework of a card game. They don't even get credit for fixing MtG's terrible mana system, because Pokémon did that first.
Warrior has absolutely no use for it, but in Totem Shaman (which was already completely viable), it's way too strong.
In trying to give excavate to two more classes in a small set of cards, they've created a monster. I'm not sure which class will be more annoying now, but it's usually Paladin.
There are so many big creatures these days, I don't think you'll be "wasting damage" as often as you think. It's fine. The payoff for excavating is so good that I don't mind the setup being a little expensive.
Goes without saying? Nearly every creature that doesn't have those would be better if it did.
Control-type Warriors cast spells nearly every turn. "Preparing" will never be a problem. This is just a less awkward version of Bladestorm most of the time, albeit less flexible because it can't handle a large loner.
"Equality is just an OK card. What it really needs is a transform effect on top of the backbreaking debuff," said literally no one, ever.
I'm already happy to run a lot of silence. This just makes me even happier.
This has "meme" written all over it.
That said, swapping the stats will often make one of the cards pretty valuable. The other one will be a dead card in hand, but maybe that's worth it? The pools of Beasts and Undead are actually pretty good for this kind of thing, especially if you are savvy enough to choose wisely.
To be fair, your highest-Cost minion already has a big bulls-eye on its chest. All this card does is muddy the waters as the opponent tests for other Secrets. If they don't need to test for Secrets because they have enough of a board to kill your big guy, they can easily make sure you don't get the value you were hoping for.
Also, you need a very specific board state to make this spell worth playing, and that may telegraph which Secret it is.
Arcane Hunter is always happy to have more spell damage, and if you've already buffed the spells in your hand, you are happy to lower their cost.
I guess if you roll Me'sho, you just wait and cast your spells later.
A spell school tag would have made it more attractive to Rainbow Mage.
Oh look, a card to follow up Mining Casualties. It's almost like they planned it that way.
Makes me think they intend to keep the Arcane archetype alive in the coming year.
The bots are going to love this card.
The freeze is extremely situational. If you're hitting minions, you want to kill them. If you're hitting big minions to freeze them so that they don't hit your face, you're really only mitigating 3 of that face damage. If you're hitting face, the freeze is irrelevant most of the time.
Seems kind of dumb to me.
Comparable to Desert Nestmatron, which does see play, but possibly only because of the Taunt and Dragon tag. It is possible that the Elemental and Naga tags will make this relevant.
I'm not ready to count this out just yet.
Oh good ... more stall for Rainbow Mage.
Oh, good ... more mechs for Priest to summon.
Priest can be so, so evil with a card like this.