SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
As a person who gets stupidly competitive when playing Mario Party, I'd be down for a Hearthstone version of it. I mean, the two games aren't that different when you consider how much random influences who wins (I'm only partially joking here).
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
I'm a little skeptical about Warsong Wrangler's viability as four mana to draw a card and play a 3/4 seems pretty slow, but it may be what Hunter needs to draw the beasts they Dire Frenzy faster.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This reminds me of Ravaging Ghoul that can also get another Whirlwind effect almost for free. This is all for one additional mana and synergizes well with Overlord Saurfang, who doesn't have a lot of great frenzy minions to resurrect outside of this and Stonemaul Anchorman.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This is probably the best on-curve beast to follow with Dire Frenzy. I don't know how consistent finding those buffed copies will be, but Pack Kodo is also just good at getting you a card appropriate for your situation, even if that situation is smORC.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
Compared to Minefield, I think that this barely just doesn't have enough output to be efficient removal in Priest. This will be nice to randomly generate though I suppose.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
I think that classes will ultimately have more synergistic tools available to them than running these somewhat situational watch posts. There is some potential for Priest and Paladin to bring this back with Rally!, but I also think those classes have better three drops to bring back like Nazmani Bloodweaver and Goody Two-Shields.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
With the watch posts in general, I just think that classes have more synergistic options than building around these tech cards. There is a chance this and Mor'shan Watch Post are run in Priest and/or Paladin because of Rally!, but again, I think those classes have more synergistic options for their respective gameplans.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
Despite being a one mana 1/3, I think this is going to suffer the same fate as Raptor Hatchling where shuffling a one cost minion into your deck is a considerable downside (expect in Hatchling's case with Zombeasts against Warriors back in the day). I think drawing an extra one mana card in the midgame instead of a better on curve play is going to be brutal and may outweight the benefit of running a one mana 1/3 beast.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
I get the feeling this is like a one mana discount on Cobra Shot, which is nowhere near as good as Corrosive Breath in terms of cost. I just don't think Piercing Shot provides enough tempo to Hunter to warrant running it in your Hunter deck.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This has proven to be a somewhat efficient tech card against combo decks that require certain minions or a Sap with a body, so I definitely think Shadow Hunter Vol'jin will continue to be considered to be a tech card with good use for certain matchups.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
The issue I see with Condemn (Rank 1) is that Control Priest doesn't care to have a discounted 2 damage AoE starting on turn five, I think they care more about having that AoE breakpoint as early as possible in Holy Nova. I also don't see the rank one breakpoint being impactful enough and the rank three breakpoint being too slow for the mana requirement you have to reach.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This looks like a lot of effort to get the board buff in what I assume is an aggressive deck that cares about this effect. Barrens Blacksmith kind of looks miserable compared to Fungalmancer as you can't consistently play Blacksmith and get its effect on turn five.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This kind of looks promising when compared to similar cards like Hench-Clan Hogsteed that saw fringe play, but ultimately I don't think Hog Rancher has enough inherent synergy for any strategy to warrant an inclusion in a competitive deck.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
Am I crazy or this just Springpaw for half the cost? Sure, there was value in saving the Lynx for a future turn, but Wound Prey has two advantages in that 1) you pay one mana for both points of damage instead of two and 2) one point of damage can go face. If Springpaw is anything to go by, I could see this being a staple tool in Hunter for just how flexible it is.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
With Hunter losing a lot of aggression with this rotation, I think they can afford to play this. It's nice that you can play all three spells on curve next turn if you need to. This also pairs nicely with Mankrik since Olgra, Mankrik's Wife costs three mana (after an upcoming patch) as well as Tracking for more card draw. I'm a little scared about Hunter's viability this expansion, but I definitely think this helps Hunter reload the midrange approach that they are getting multiple tools for.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
This reminds me of Bittertide Hydra for having scary stats for the cost with taking damage as a downside. I see aggressive potential for Darkspear Berserker, but I also get the feeling that the stats don't matter as much in modern Hearthstone. If your aggressive deck doesn't run that many four drops, then I'd consider trying to fit in Kazakus, Golem Shaper over this. If there is ever a way to cheat Darkspear out (besides DH), then maybe it'll see play.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
I just think this card is too slow both to scale and to realize the buffs. Playing this at rank one means you aren't buffing a many minions, and waiting until later ranks means that the slightly scaled up buffs aren't even that impactful later in the game. I just don't see an ideal use case for Conditioning (Rank 1).
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
Handbuff Taunt Warrior historically hasn't worked and I don't think it will work now given the tools they were given this expansion. While Mor'shan Elite is a high roll with this card, there isn't another really good target I'd feel good enough buffing and copying. I also think Warrior just has more efficient strategies than handbuffs that there isn't much of a reason for me to think this will be competitive.
SparkinariusCrossroads Historian 715471 PostsJoined 07/18/2019
Posted 2 years, 11 months ago
I don't think aggressive decks are willing to commit resources to damage their own minions on their turn just for three face damage. The face damage isn't even guaranteed, which makes me want to run something with a more consistent output like Sneaky Delinquent.
As a person who gets stupidly competitive when playing Mario Party, I'd be down for a Hearthstone version of it. I mean, the two games aren't that different when you consider how much random influences who wins (I'm only partially joking here).
I'm a little skeptical about Warsong Wrangler's viability as four mana to draw a card and play a 3/4 seems pretty slow, but it may be what Hunter needs to draw the beasts they Dire Frenzy faster.
Although this doesn't have many great frenzy minions to resurrect other than Whirling Combatant and Stonemaul Anchorman, those may be reactive enough to make Overlord Saurfang enough of a tempo swing to play.
This reminds me of Ravaging Ghoul that can also get another Whirlwind effect almost for free. This is all for one additional mana and synergizes well with Overlord Saurfang, who doesn't have a lot of great frenzy minions to resurrect outside of this and Stonemaul Anchorman.
This is probably the best on-curve beast to follow with Dire Frenzy. I don't know how consistent finding those buffed copies will be, but Pack Kodo is also just good at getting you a card appropriate for your situation, even if that situation is smORC.
Compared to Minefield, I think that this barely just doesn't have enough output to be efficient removal in Priest. This will be nice to randomly generate though I suppose.
I think that classes will ultimately have more synergistic tools available to them than running these somewhat situational watch posts. There is some potential for Priest and Paladin to bring this back with Rally!, but I also think those classes have better three drops to bring back like Nazmani Bloodweaver and Goody Two-Shields.
With the watch posts in general, I just think that classes have more synergistic options than building around these tech cards. There is a chance this and Mor'shan Watch Post are run in Priest and/or Paladin because of Rally!, but again, I think those classes have more synergistic options for their respective gameplans.
Despite being a one mana 1/3, I think this is going to suffer the same fate as Raptor Hatchling where shuffling a one cost minion into your deck is a considerable downside (expect in Hatchling's case with Zombeasts against Warriors back in the day). I think drawing an extra one mana card in the midgame instead of a better on curve play is going to be brutal and may outweight the benefit of running a one mana 1/3 beast.
I get the feeling this is like a one mana discount on Cobra Shot, which is nowhere near as good as Corrosive Breath in terms of cost. I just don't think Piercing Shot provides enough tempo to Hunter to warrant running it in your Hunter deck.
This has proven to be a somewhat efficient tech card against combo decks that require certain minions or a Sap with a body, so I definitely think Shadow Hunter Vol'jin will continue to be considered to be a tech card with good use for certain matchups.
The issue I see with Condemn (Rank 1) is that Control Priest doesn't care to have a discounted 2 damage AoE starting on turn five, I think they care more about having that AoE breakpoint as early as possible in Holy Nova. I also don't see the rank one breakpoint being impactful enough and the rank three breakpoint being too slow for the mana requirement you have to reach.
This looks like a lot of effort to get the board buff in what I assume is an aggressive deck that cares about this effect. Barrens Blacksmith kind of looks miserable compared to Fungalmancer as you can't consistently play Blacksmith and get its effect on turn five.
This kind of looks promising when compared to similar cards like Hench-Clan Hogsteed that saw fringe play, but ultimately I don't think Hog Rancher has enough inherent synergy for any strategy to warrant an inclusion in a competitive deck.
Am I crazy or this just Springpaw for half the cost? Sure, there was value in saving the Lynx for a future turn, but Wound Prey has two advantages in that 1) you pay one mana for both points of damage instead of two and 2) one point of damage can go face. If Springpaw is anything to go by, I could see this being a staple tool in Hunter for just how flexible it is.
With Hunter losing a lot of aggression with this rotation, I think they can afford to play this. It's nice that you can play all three spells on curve next turn if you need to. This also pairs nicely with Mankrik since Olgra, Mankrik's Wife costs three mana (after an upcoming patch) as well as Tracking for more card draw. I'm a little scared about Hunter's viability this expansion, but I definitely think this helps Hunter reload the midrange approach that they are getting multiple tools for.
This reminds me of Bittertide Hydra for having scary stats for the cost with taking damage as a downside. I see aggressive potential for Darkspear Berserker, but I also get the feeling that the stats don't matter as much in modern Hearthstone. If your aggressive deck doesn't run that many four drops, then I'd consider trying to fit in Kazakus, Golem Shaper over this. If there is ever a way to cheat Darkspear out (besides DH), then maybe it'll see play.
I just think this card is too slow both to scale and to realize the buffs. Playing this at rank one means you aren't buffing a many minions, and waiting until later ranks means that the slightly scaled up buffs aren't even that impactful later in the game. I just don't see an ideal use case for Conditioning (Rank 1).
Handbuff Taunt Warrior historically hasn't worked and I don't think it will work now given the tools they were given this expansion. While Mor'shan Elite is a high roll with this card, there isn't another really good target I'd feel good enough buffing and copying. I also think Warrior just has more efficient strategies than handbuffs that there isn't much of a reason for me to think this will be competitive.
I don't think aggressive decks are willing to commit resources to damage their own minions on their turn just for three face damage. The face damage isn't even guaranteed, which makes me want to run something with a more consistent output like Sneaky Delinquent.