The transparency report is intriguing. Mana Droplet was the only submission in the top ten to have the score spread concentrated on 4, rather than 3 - it's no wonder that he won! Granted, I'm curious why that was, and the only reason I can posit is that, well, the Droplet was a cool cutie. I wasn't aware that folks had such a thing for Elemental Mage, and it's surprising that he would have no - none! - 1 votes for a card that I, at least, found very powerful. While it's a wonderful card, I'm not sure that the difference between the Droplet and the other finalists was so huge, or that it had some special quality, that it merited fewer 1 votes. The closest other card to that achievement was Bloodmefist's Animated Defender, with just two 1 votes, which I also thought was quite powerful and flavorful - maybe there's a common thread?
Also, although CursedParrot's Cosmic Researcher ate a normal amount of 1 votes in the first round, it got many more, relatively speaking, during the finals. Perhaps folks felt that it was a good card, but too bland compared to the other finalists? It also garnered more 5 votes than the cards next to it, though - it held the most even score distribution in the finals, but by virtue of that was also the most polarizing card, for reasons I can't rightly guess. Hyperorange's Arcane Pact also had a normal amount of 1 votes initially, but relatively more during the finals. However, it didn't also gain the equal number of 5 votes then, but rather had a mode of 2. I can only suppose that people felt Spell Damage +2 for 1 mana was too powerful or out of character for Warlock, since the card had such neat flavor, and voted more harshly in the finals.
I do wish that these competitions' home pages would have a brief on the ranking system, to help homogenize ideas towards it. Just a few sentences, even, to make voters aware of possible reasons for voting (flavor, power level, usefulness, etc.) and help them organize their thoughts - it doesn't have to be official guidelines for what makes a card good or bad, though I wouldn't oppose that. That's a lot for someone who's only participated in two of these to say, but I do think it would help guide participants' thoughts, so I run my gab.
Anywho. If you can't tell, I had a bit too much free time this morning and spent a bit too long wondering about this stuff, when the oddities are likely not due to much at all. I was happy to see that I almost made it in this time, so anyway, I'll continue blastin'. Watch out!
I've got three cards that I'd appreciate y'all's thoughts on.
Lightning Aspect is my attempt to help cards like Spirit Claws and Flamewreathed Faceless work in the same deck. I settled on that cost and statline because having a minion meant to scale up be weak felt backwards, but having it be more expensive wouldn't work as well in the archetype. I'm still not too sure.
Enraged Sporemancer is a fun, flavorful Un'goro bit that could make cards like Evolving Spores and Lightfused Stegodon very powerful. It could be too much at 1 mana, though. Swipe with spell damage makes me shiver.
Lightning Totem is my favorite of the lot, if only because it makes Totemic Smash useful and feels balanced. As usual with totems, it's great if it sticks and it isn't much if it doesn't. Copying it with Totemic Reflection or the weapon is absolutely a game-winner.
A question, since this is only my second one of these - what do the rating stars mean to y'all? What d'you think about when you make your decisions?
Thoughts on cards I've got thotty thoughts on:
Show Spoiler
@DestroyR I love the idea behind Isiset, and I've always wanted to make a similar card that increases every number on the board by one, but I think it's too complicated and too powerful to be a realistic card. Foxtrotter, though, is great. Real cute Blink Fox energy <3 I prefer it as a 2-2, since you just have to assume it'll be played alongside Backstab, and a premium statline with an additional 3 damage is painful. I can totally imagine two of this cute fluffy boi being Shadowstep'd and played together as a mini Malygos, though. Being able to toss 4 spell damage on the board for 2 mana is scary stuff. Because of that, I think I prefer Anzu. It's also high on flavor and is less abusable while also being better on average. T4 him, T5 two other stealthbrats, Fan of Knives to deal 3 to the enemy board… even then, you could just sit back, leave him stealthed, and use Fan and Shiv to control and draw for face damage, but him being a legendary makes that easier to swallow.
@grumpymonk Riptide is a neat idea, but I think it's a bit too convoluted. The card text feels clunky, and I can't imagine a control Shaman deck that runs enough spell damage to justify this over the other premium healing options. Kirin-Tor Chaincaster is the opposite, very polished but far too powerful. Imagine this in Cyclone Mage, in a Rogue that generates oodles of coins, or even just with Twin Slice - it would have to cost at least as much as 8 mana, because of Rogue. Six coins later, you've got a better Malygos. Even then, you could use it and a discounted [Hearthstone Card (Kael'thas) Not Found] in some juicy combos.
@Xarkkal I like Arcane Brilliance. It seems pretty easy to draw 2 or 3 cards with it, but hard to draw more than 4, especially in the tempo-focused decks you'd want it in. I agree that there's definitely an argument to be made for it being 3 mana, though, so that it's not so easy to draw 2 cards for 2 with no drawbacks. I think it at 2 would be okay in the current game, but as a powerful buildaround primarily restricted by the card pool, it'd restrict the flexibility Team 5 would have while printing spell damage cards in the future. Mana Droplet is a cutie, but less flashy and probably too powerful. Elemental decks are consistent enough to view his text as just 'spell damage +2', which is too good for 2 mana.
Gosh, no wonder there aren't so many cards with spell damage. It gets real abusable real fast, huh?
That's a bit odd to read. I tried out Hooktusk and had a hard time with her, since her hero power felt so useless. It was good with token minions and buff minions, but rather bland beyond that. Patches, on the other hand, was grand. I don't think I've placed outside the top 3 with him yet. You get a free minion on turn 4 or 5 if things go well, and in the later turns a free minion almost every turn - not to mention, with a much better chance of getting a high tier Pirate than there is while relying on the regular Refresh. Since many Pirates (Salty Looter, Goldgrubber) rely on having a lot of Pirates, Patches ends up being much better than Ysera.
Pirates on the whole just feel great to play with and against. They're very powerful, but there's no divine shield or poisonous mucky muck.
As an idle thought, it would be neat if we could buy alternate Tavernkeepers. I wish I could mute Bob. (Blasphemy, I know.) Maybe that would reduce the price of the Tavern Pass.
AND THEN, IN WEEK 3, ARANNA STARSEEKER THREW MECHA-JARAXXUS OFF THE CHAINSAW DOME AND PLUMMETED 16 FEET THROUGH AN ANNOUNCER'S TABLE! *airhorns*
This announcement video listens like the Powerthirst ad, and it is great. I feel a sudden craving for a World of Warcraft themed rehash of the John Cena prank call video. "Hello, ma'am, are you a supporter of the Rusted Legion?"
This well encompasses my frustrations with Shaman at the moment. There are powerful combos available - single and board evolve effects, Galakrond, battlecries and the quest, 2.5 powerful board clears, Murloc refill, totem synergies, Vessina, Doomhammer and Rockbiter Weapon, but a lack of card draw or generation disallows reliably powerful decks. Most of the games I play with Shaman are lost because I run out of cards.
It's frustrating, because there are plenty of powerful synergies available. Underbelly Angler and a 1-cost Murloc on a later turn can be magnificent. Desert Hare into Boggspine Knuckles is shocker. The Fist of Ra-den into Earthquake is a solid krunkin'. An evolve effect on Mogu Fleshshaper can be a spawn-killer. There are four spells that can deal direct face damage. With Corrupt the Waters complete, a single EVIL Cable Rat can spawn board clears, evolves, face damage, taunts, or legendary dragons. And as always, the ideal Doomhammer can deal 16 damage in a turn and a solid Bloodlust can pump out even more.
None of those come to fruition, though. Tempo Demon Hunter, Face Hunter, Galakrond Warlock, and Quest Hunter can out-draw you, Spell Druid has more consistently powerful swing turns (made possible by draw), and Galakrond Rogue, Mages, and Resurrect Priest out-value you. To be on a level playing field with those decks, Thrall needs to take a page from these classes, either with card draw - the extant Far Sight and Mana Tide Totem are both awkward, usually replacement draws -; more card generation - Sludge Slurper, EVIL Totem, Underbelly Angler, Marshspawn, and Swampqueen Hagatha are the only generative cards available -; or more effects on a stick - all of Shaman's powerful clears hit the whole board, which, barring having the The Fist of Ra-den, makes it difficult to take back tempo in a single turn; Mage and Warlock, for instance, have no problem clearing or freezing a board while advancing a gameplan.
You're perpetually roleplaying as a boxer who has less stamina and has to win the match before too many rounds pass. You've got a few great punches, but for some reason, they don't always show up when they should?
Anyway, rant over. Such are the thoughts of any player trying to deckbuild with a weaker class. If you're entering in any card design competitions, for the elements' sake, create a generative Elemental, a powerful draw effect, a clear-on-a-stick, or something similar; Shaman players will vote for you, if only from desperation.
Bladestorm frustrates me. It's such a flavorful idea - Defile is my favorite Warlock card, and whirlwind effects are my favorite Warrior gimmick - but it just doesn't work. (Sorry, Todd Howard) As you say, Bladestorm almost never clears the whole board. It only works against a board of equal health minions or a single minion. None of them can be deathrattles, either; this card can't deal with deathrattles. It just can't! Mecharoo laughs at Bladestorm just like Evasive Chimaera laughs at Deathwing, Mad Aspect.
Is it ungrateful to say that I preferred the previous end of season rewards? Dust-wise, this is less value. It was more fun, too, to receive a random golden card and see if I had hopes of keeping it - an unfailable gamble, since you'd get 400 dust if you couldn't!
I also don't like how similar this system is to other systems. It feels less Hearthstone-y. And as MisterKnott said, there doesn't seem to be cohesion between the portraits used. (though Dr. 7 being Diamond 7 gives me a giggle)
It's nice that they're trying something new, though, and I have hopes that this rank progression will prove better for new and old players. Even if I worry that it will feel more stagnant - better players will be back where they were quickly, and newer players won't get the occasional challenge of someone greatly above their skill level.
Congratulations, mate! The l'il cutie wins :)
The transparency report is intriguing. Mana Droplet was the only submission in the top ten to have the score spread concentrated on 4, rather than 3 - it's no wonder that he won! Granted, I'm curious why that was, and the only reason I can posit is that, well, the Droplet was a cool cutie. I wasn't aware that folks had such a thing for Elemental Mage, and it's surprising that he would have no - none! - 1 votes for a card that I, at least, found very powerful. While it's a wonderful card, I'm not sure that the difference between the Droplet and the other finalists was so huge, or that it had some special quality, that it merited fewer 1 votes. The closest other card to that achievement was Bloodmefist's Animated Defender, with just two 1 votes, which I also thought was quite powerful and flavorful - maybe there's a common thread?
Also, although CursedParrot's Cosmic Researcher ate a normal amount of 1 votes in the first round, it got many more, relatively speaking, during the finals. Perhaps folks felt that it was a good card, but too bland compared to the other finalists? It also garnered more 5 votes than the cards next to it, though - it held the most even score distribution in the finals, but by virtue of that was also the most polarizing card, for reasons I can't rightly guess. Hyperorange's Arcane Pact also had a normal amount of 1 votes initially, but relatively more during the finals. However, it didn't also gain the equal number of 5 votes then, but rather had a mode of 2. I can only suppose that people felt Spell Damage +2 for 1 mana was too powerful or out of character for Warlock, since the card had such neat flavor, and voted more harshly in the finals.
I do wish that these competitions' home pages would have a brief on the ranking system, to help homogenize ideas towards it. Just a few sentences, even, to make voters aware of possible reasons for voting (flavor, power level, usefulness, etc.) and help them organize their thoughts - it doesn't have to be official guidelines for what makes a card good or bad, though I wouldn't oppose that. That's a lot for someone who's only participated in two of these to say, but I do think it would help guide participants' thoughts, so I run my gab.
Anywho. If you can't tell, I had a bit too much free time this morning and spent a bit too long wondering about this stuff, when the oddities are likely not due to much at all. I was happy to see that I almost made it in this time, so anyway, I'll continue blastin'. Watch out!
G'luck to all those who made it! I'll be pulling for the Volatile Magmaling and the Cosmic Researcher.
My favorite Hearthstone-inspired light novel. Thank you for this, haha.
Agreed. I avoid social media, which makes things like this a bit painful. That iPad is beautiful... but it ain't worth the trouble.
I've got three cards that I'd appreciate y'all's thoughts on.
Lightning Aspect is my attempt to help cards like Spirit Claws and Flamewreathed Faceless work in the same deck. I settled on that cost and statline because having a minion meant to scale up be weak felt backwards, but having it be more expensive wouldn't work as well in the archetype. I'm still not too sure.
Enraged Sporemancer is a fun, flavorful Un'goro bit that could make cards like Evolving Spores and Lightfused Stegodon very powerful. It could be too much at 1 mana, though. Swipe with spell damage makes me shiver.
Lightning Totem is my favorite of the lot, if only because it makes Totemic Smash useful and feels balanced. As usual with totems, it's great if it sticks and it isn't much if it doesn't. Copying it with Totemic Reflection or the weapon is absolutely a game-winner.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A question, since this is only my second one of these - what do the rating stars mean to y'all? What d'you think about when you make your decisions?
Thoughts on cards I've got thotty thoughts on:
@DestroyR I love the idea behind Isiset, and I've always wanted to make a similar card that increases every number on the board by one, but I think it's too complicated and too powerful to be a realistic card. Foxtrotter, though, is great. Real cute Blink Fox energy <3 I prefer it as a 2-2, since you just have to assume it'll be played alongside Backstab, and a premium statline with an additional 3 damage is painful. I can totally imagine two of this cute fluffy boi being Shadowstep'd and played together as a mini Malygos, though. Being able to toss 4 spell damage on the board for 2 mana is scary stuff. Because of that, I think I prefer Anzu. It's also high on flavor and is less abusable while also being better on average. T4 him, T5 two other stealthbrats, Fan of Knives to deal 3 to the enemy board… even then, you could just sit back, leave him stealthed, and use Fan and Shiv to control and draw for face damage, but him being a legendary makes that easier to swallow.
@grumpymonk Riptide is a neat idea, but I think it's a bit too convoluted. The card text feels clunky, and I can't imagine a control Shaman deck that runs enough spell damage to justify this over the other premium healing options. Kirin-Tor Chaincaster is the opposite, very polished but far too powerful. Imagine this in Cyclone Mage, in a Rogue that generates oodles of coins, or even just with Twin Slice - it would have to cost at least as much as 8 mana, because of Rogue. Six coins later, you've got a better Malygos. Even then, you could use it and a discounted [Hearthstone Card (Kael'thas) Not Found] in some juicy combos.
@Xarkkal I like Arcane Brilliance. It seems pretty easy to draw 2 or 3 cards with it, but hard to draw more than 4, especially in the tempo-focused decks you'd want it in. I agree that there's definitely an argument to be made for it being 3 mana, though, so that it's not so easy to draw 2 cards for 2 with no drawbacks. I think it at 2 would be okay in the current game, but as a powerful buildaround primarily restricted by the card pool, it'd restrict the flexibility Team 5 would have while printing spell damage cards in the future. Mana Droplet is a cutie, but less flashy and probably too powerful. Elemental decks are consistent enough to view his text as just 'spell damage +2', which is too good for 2 mana.
Gosh, no wonder there aren't so many cards with spell damage. It gets real abusable real fast, huh?
I'm surprised that I didn't make the finals, too. Nobody enjoyed my Mr. Weebl weapon that was missing a 'Battlecry:'. Inconceivable. Preposterous!
Good luck, finalists :D My two coins are on the Financial Assistant. That way, I might get four!
That's a bit odd to read. I tried out Hooktusk and had a hard time with her, since her hero power felt so useless. It was good with token minions and buff minions, but rather bland beyond that. Patches, on the other hand, was grand. I don't think I've placed outside the top 3 with him yet. You get a free minion on turn 4 or 5 if things go well, and in the later turns a free minion almost every turn - not to mention, with a much better chance of getting a high tier Pirate than there is while relying on the regular Refresh. Since many Pirates (Salty Looter, Goldgrubber) rely on having a lot of Pirates, Patches ends up being much better than Ysera.
Pirates on the whole just feel great to play with and against. They're very powerful, but there's no divine shield or poisonous mucky muck.
As an idle thought, it would be neat if we could buy alternate Tavernkeepers. I wish I could mute Bob. (Blasphemy, I know.) Maybe that would reduce the price of the Tavern Pass.
AND THEN, IN WEEK 3, ARANNA STARSEEKER THREW MECHA-JARAXXUS OFF THE CHAINSAW DOME AND PLUMMETED 16 FEET THROUGH AN ANNOUNCER'S TABLE! *airhorns*
This announcement video listens like the Powerthirst ad, and it is great. I feel a sudden craving for a World of Warcraft themed rehash of the John Cena prank call video. "Hello, ma'am, are you a supporter of the Rusted Legion?"
I'm having great fun with this Malygos Druid. It feels entirely cheatsy, which is exactly what I want!
There are pity timers for epic cards?
*inkeeper voice* WILD!
But why?
I guess I'll switch back to ole Bloodreaver Gul'dan, now that Nemsy isn't so special.
Huh, y'know, Lowly Squire essentially IS Battlefiend for Illidan.
"Anyway, here's Fiery Bat."
This well encompasses my frustrations with Shaman at the moment. There are powerful combos available - single and board evolve effects, Galakrond, battlecries and the quest, 2.5 powerful board clears, Murloc refill, totem synergies, Vessina, Doomhammer and Rockbiter Weapon, but a lack of card draw or generation disallows reliably powerful decks. Most of the games I play with Shaman are lost because I run out of cards.
It's frustrating, because there are plenty of powerful synergies available. Underbelly Angler and a 1-cost Murloc on a later turn can be magnificent. Desert Hare into Boggspine Knuckles is shocker. The Fist of Ra-den into Earthquake is a solid krunkin'. An evolve effect on Mogu Fleshshaper can be a spawn-killer. There are four spells that can deal direct face damage. With Corrupt the Waters complete, a single EVIL Cable Rat can spawn board clears, evolves, face damage, taunts, or legendary dragons. And as always, the ideal Doomhammer can deal 16 damage in a turn and a solid Bloodlust can pump out even more.
None of those come to fruition, though. Tempo Demon Hunter, Face Hunter, Galakrond Warlock, and Quest Hunter can out-draw you, Spell Druid has more consistently powerful swing turns (made possible by draw), and Galakrond Rogue, Mages, and Resurrect Priest out-value you. To be on a level playing field with those decks, Thrall needs to take a page from these classes, either with card draw - the extant Far Sight and Mana Tide Totem are both awkward, usually replacement draws -; more card generation - Sludge Slurper, EVIL Totem, Underbelly Angler, Marshspawn, and Swampqueen Hagatha are the only generative cards available -; or more effects on a stick - all of Shaman's powerful clears hit the whole board, which, barring having the The Fist of Ra-den, makes it difficult to take back tempo in a single turn; Mage and Warlock, for instance, have no problem clearing or freezing a board while advancing a gameplan.
You're perpetually roleplaying as a boxer who has less stamina and has to win the match before too many rounds pass. You've got a few great punches, but for some reason, they don't always show up when they should?
Anyway, rant over. Such are the thoughts of any player trying to deckbuild with a weaker class. If you're entering in any card design competitions, for the elements' sake, create a generative Elemental, a powerful draw effect, a clear-on-a-stick, or something similar; Shaman players will vote for you, if only from desperation.
Bladestorm frustrates me. It's such a flavorful idea - Defile is my favorite Warlock card, and whirlwind effects are my favorite Warrior gimmick - but it just doesn't work. (Sorry, Todd Howard) As you say, Bladestorm almost never clears the whole board. It only works against a board of equal health minions or a single minion. None of them can be deathrattles, either; this card can't deal with deathrattles. It just can't! Mecharoo laughs at Bladestorm just like Evasive Chimaera laughs at Deathwing, Mad Aspect.
Much agreed! That's a lovely Priest card.
Is it ungrateful to say that I preferred the previous end of season rewards? Dust-wise, this is less value. It was more fun, too, to receive a random golden card and see if I had hopes of keeping it - an unfailable gamble, since you'd get 400 dust if you couldn't!
I also don't like how similar this system is to other systems. It feels less Hearthstone-y. And as MisterKnott said, there doesn't seem to be cohesion between the portraits used. (though Dr. 7 being Diamond 7 gives me a giggle)
It's nice that they're trying something new, though, and I have hopes that this rank progression will prove better for new and old players. Even if I worry that it will feel more stagnant - better players will be back where they were quickly, and newer players won't get the occasional challenge of someone greatly above their skill level.
There are two Snippies in here. Just thought you ought to know! *faints*
Jaina, Tyrande, and the other hero gals: "Ah! MY WORST ENEMY! WE MEET AGAIN!"