I made this class for HearthPwn's Class Creation Competition #5, "Trials and Errors". I finished second-place overall, losing to Pircival's Archaeologist class. Within this theoretical scenario, Team 5 would have included Kel'Thuzad/The Lich as the tenth class of vanilla Hearthstone, implying that Curse of Naxxramas would not exist in its current form. So, with that in mind:
As a Lich, you will hold power over the forces of death and destruction, and freeze the very life from within your enemies. You will lead an undead army seemingly without limit, sweeping across this land like a plague. You will grind down the living until they succumb to the inevitable, their tired bodies given over to you to serve in death. Eventually everyone will join the Scourge!
Gameplay Summary
In the eyes of Kel'Thuzad, his victory is an inevitability: the enemy just hasn't realized this yet. The undead do not tire, do not need food, and do not feel pain; the forces of the living become weak from endless fighting, while the Scourge only grows in strength. You must show them the truth, wearing them down over the course of several turns until they run out of resources and die, tired and alone. The Lich utilizes various mechanics and gameplay elements to carry out this goal:
- Freeze - Master of the cold dark, Kel'Thuzad can freeze enemies in their tracks, buying him time until they can be dealt with properly.
- Deathrattles - Even in death minions have something to offer. The enemy can't let them live, but removing them creates more problems.
- Resurrection effects - Recycling minions is an efficient way to garner more value out of them, especially with Deathrattles or auras.
- Late-game fuel - The Scourge is infinite. Outlast the enemy until they have been sufficiently drained of resources.
If there's a complaint(?) to be had about these mechanics, it's that together they contribute to slow deck archetypes. The Hero Power can only stall for time, Deathrattles take time to activate, you can't resurrect until something has died, and you have to reach the late-game to benefit from the additional fuel. Similar to how the Hunter's earliest days were confined to Aggressive mindsets, the Lich - at least initially - focuses on Controlling, methodical gameplay. Taking his time, wearing out the opponent until lethal is within reach. You've already won; you just need to prove it.
Cards by Set
Journey to Un'Goro
In Journey to Un'Goro , Kel'Thuzad has corrupted the very idea of Darwinism and natural selection. Through forced evolution and the resurrection of extinct species, High Cultist Herenn will create new soldiers for the Scourge! *Insert evil laughter here*
- The Quest focuses on mastery of revival effects, with hand-Adapt on the side. Minions will return to the battlefield better than ever! The set also introduces a cycle of 3-mana Secrets.
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Knights of the Frozen Throne
In Knights of the Frozen Throne , Kel'Thuzad has finally taken his rightful place as ruler of the Scourge. Without The Lich King holding him back, he can unleash his full power upon the world, bringing an eternal winter to all!
- On a gameplay-level, the Lich will corrupt people's perception of what can be done with Freeze, Freezing your own minions for benefits (Moorabi ? Never heard of it).
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Kobolds and Catacombs
In Kobolds & Catacombs, a group of adventurers band together in the name of fame and fortune. Kel'Thuzad, however, has a different target in mind: the Dungeon itself! He has sent Deathspeaker Malicia to infiltrate the team as a double-agent, to claim the Catacombs for the Scourge.
- Gameplay-wise, it's a more aggressive token archetype. The Lich has been building long-game Control archetypes since the very beginning, so the implication is that Blizzard wants to try something different. Similar to the Hunter's situation, albeit reversed.
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The Witchwood
In The Witchwood, Hagatha presents a foreboding challenge to the people of Gilneas…but another threat comes from within. Haunting noises hail from the local cemetery, and rumors tell of terrifying spirits. The Worgen are under siege by an army of ghouls and ghosts!
- Furthering the move towards tokens, Kel'Thuzad seeks to overwhelm Gilneas with Ghouls. He hasn't abandoned his Control-ing ways, however, as the banshees lay claim to the minds and bodies of the living.
- While not explicitly supported, many of my Freeze cards are Even-costed. Combined with the two Dragons that are Freeze-related (Sapphiron from Classic, Iceborne Drake from KFT), an Even Freeze archetype emerges.
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The Boomsday Project
In The Boomsday Project, one of the labs searches for eternal life. And nothing says "immortality" like placing one's mind in a hunk of metal. Dr. Von Schnyder's medical center/machine shop might be a little…messy, but that's just how he likes it. Don't sleep on the job, or you too may find your brain in a jar one day.
- The search for everlasting life is a messy business, and that can be seen in the cards (hopefully). Chopping pieces up, tacking on new bits; everything is chaotic in the workshop of a crazed surgeon. The gameplay should emphasize what it's like to be there: repairs, lasting through the late-game, and attaching things to other things
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Rastakhan's Rumble
In Rastakhan's Rumble, High Priestess Kilnara mourns over the death of her sister, the original Priestess of the panther loa Bethekk. She sees the tournament as an excuse to let loose. Work through her emotions a little. Nothing makes a troll feel better like inflicting eternal suffering and anguish upon others, am I right?
- …look, Bwonsamdi was already taken, okay? I made do with the situation I was given, so…yeah. The Lich's loa is a panther. Panthers are stalkers of the night, so I tapped into that (and Kilnara's background) to create a set based around causing fear and suffering. Classic evil stuff.
Common
Rare
Epic
Legendary
While this is all there is for now, I will continue to work on The Lich until I catch up to the Descent of Dragons and the present day. I might also go backwards and add the earlier sets. Everything here is a work-in-progress and subject to change. Thank you to everyone who gives it a look-through, and any feedback you would be willing to provide will be greatly appreciated :D
