Hearthstone – Mechanical Class Identity

In an attempt to understand Hearthstone class identity, I have created this article to list the mechanics of each class and ranked them in terms of support. This was inspired by Mark Rosewater’s Mechanical Color Pie of 2017 for Magic the Gathering. Each is sorted in a primary, secondary and tertiary category. It is important to note that not all mechanics need to have a tertiary or even a secondary entry.

Primary – This mechanic is highly supported in the class. It shows up in the highest volume and often has the strongest version of the mechanic. It would have the most general version of the mechanic.

Secondary – This mechanic occasionally shows up in this class but not all the time or as common as primary mechanics.

Tertiary –  This mechanic is minorly supported in the class and other classes probably do the mechanic better.

Disclaimer: I am not a Blizzard employee. Just a passionate fan. If you think some things should be shifted, feel free to comment.

Druid

Primary

• Choose one:
  • Druid’s signature mechanic. Druids are all about flexibility and uniquely have cards that allow you to choose between two options. Choose one also have some varieties like Choose Two and Choose Secretly.
• Mana Crystal Manipulation
  • Another of Druid’s signature mechanic. Druid is the only class that can add empty mana crystals
• Minion Buffing, Single
• Minion Buffing, Multiple
• Minions
  • Druid minions often have more stats than normal. Druid also can summon and buff multiple creature
• Taunt
• Tokens

 

Secondary

• Armor
• Card Draw
• Direct Damage, Single
• Healing
• Poisonous
  • In the form of 1 / 2 spiders
• Recruit
• Stealth
  • Only on transformed Druids
• Transform
  • Only on minions
• Tribe: Beast
  • Druid started to care about Beasts with Whisper of the Old Gods and One Night at Karazhan. This was also when many of the Druid flavored minions had their transformation subtype types changed into Beasts.

Tertiary

• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Minion Damage, Multiple
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Resurrection
  • Currently Beast and Taunts

Hunter

Primary

• Charge
• Deathrattle
  • Hunter has some powerful class specific minions as well as cards that care about deathrattles, such as triggering them early.
• No minion
  • Currently Hunter is the only class that cares about have no minions in your deck, in playstyle that is only possible due to Hunter have spells that summon minions and weapons. The reason why this mechanic is placed in secondary is that it hasn’t been touched on since the first standard that is has been introduced.
• Poisonous
• Rush
• Secrets (2 mana)
• Token
• Tribe: Beast

Secondary

• Direct Damage, Single
• Direct Damage, Multiple
• No cards in hand
  • Currently Hunter is the only class that cares about have no cards in hand, a playstyle that is complements aggressive Hunter’s playstyle in emptying their hand. The reason why this mechanic is placed in secondary is that it hasn’t been touched on since the first standard that is has been introduced.
• Stealth
• Weapon

Tertiary

• Card Draw
• Minion Buffing, Single
  • Beasts subtype
• Minion Buffing, Multiple
  • Beasts subtype
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Recruit

Mage

Primary

• Card Draw
• Card Generation
• Direct Damage, Single
  • The main iconic spell is Fireball. They also are a primary holder of “missile” spell effects, spells that do 1 damage to random enemies’ multiple times.
• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Freeze
• Secrets (3 mana)
• Spell Matters
  • Mage has several cards that get stronger whenever spells are played and can even make spells cost cheaper or greater. Many times, mages can generate mage spells and has once created spells outside of their own class.
• Tribe: Elemental

Secondary

• Transform
  • Only on spelss

Tertiary

• Armor
• Lifesteal
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Token

Paladin

Primary

• Divine Shield
• Minion Buffing, Single
• Minion Debuffing, Single
  • Usually attack
• Minion Debuffing, Multiple
• Minion Matters
• Healing
  • Paladin has access to healing spells in most expansions and has cards that care about healing.
• Tribes: Dragon, Murloc
• Tokens
  • Usually a lot of 1/1 Silver Hand Recruits

Secondary

• Card Draw
• Minion Buffing, Multiple
• Lifesteal
• Secrets (1 mana)
• Resurrection
• Weapons

Tertiary

• Direct Damage, Single
• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Minion Destruction, Multiple
• Recruit

Priest

Primary

• Card Generation
  • Usually based off your opponent’s deck and can copy its own cards
• Healing
• Minion Damage, Multiple
• Silence
• Stats Swapping
• Take Control
• Tribe: Dragon
• Resurrection

Secondary

• Deathrattle
• Card Draw
  • Based off healing or copying your opponent’s card.
• Minion Buffing, Single
• Minion Debuffing, Single
  • Usually debuffing attack
• Minion Debuffing, Multiple
• Minion Destruction, Single
  • Usually based on its attack.
• Spell Matters
  • Priest has gotten some spell cards supports, such as Radiant elemental, and Lyra. This is meaningful support but will it last more than a few expansions.
• Tribe: Elemental

Tertiary

• Minion Buffing, Multiple
• Minion Damage, Single

Rogue

Primary

• Bounce
• Card Draw
  • Rogue has several cards that draw cards. Some of their card draws will copy a card drawn.
• Card Generation
  • Specifically, Rogue can copy cards from your opponent’s class or copy its own cards
• Combo
• Deathrattle
• Direct Damage, Single
• Echo
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Stealth
• Poisonous
• Weapon

Secondary

• Mana Crystals Manipulation
  • Temporary in the form of Coins

Tertiary

• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Lifesteal
• Minion Destruction, Multiple
• Secrets (2 Mana)
• Spells Matter
• Tokens
  • Usually as 4/4 Nerubian

Shaman

Primary

• Battlecry
• Direct Damage, Single
• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Overload
  • Shaman’s signature mechanic. Shaman can play spells and minions at lower cost but play the cost with overloaded mana, mana that can’t be used next turn.
• Transform
• Tribes: Elemental, Murloc, Totem
• Windfury

Secondary

• Card Draw
• Card Generation
• Healing
• Freeze
• Mana Crystals Manipulation
• Tokens
• Silence
• Resurrection
• Weapon

Tertiary

• Deathrattle
• Spells Matter

Warlock

Primary

• Card Draw
• Direct Damage, Multiple
• Discard
• Life Loss
• Life Steal
• Milling
• Minion Destruction, Multiple
• Tribes: Demon

Secondary

• Direct Damage, Single
• Echo
• Healing
• Minion Debuffing, Multiple
• Minion Matters
• Take Control
• Tokens
• Tribes: Murloc

Tertiary

• Card Generation
• Mana Crystals Manipulation
  • Destroy their own crystals for power
• Minion Buffing, Single
  • Demons mostly
• Minion Buffing, Multiple
  • Demons
• Stealth
  • Imps
• Recruit
• Resurrection

Warrior

Primary

• Armor
• Charge
• Recruit
• Rush
• Taunt
• Weapon

Secondary

• Direct Damage, Single
• Direct Damage, Multiple
  • Warrior has some AOE damage, but it is often delegated to a subset (only damaged minions or based on armor and weapon). They are the king of the whirlwind effects, deal 1 damage to all minions.
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Minion Matters
  • Warrior cards often concerned with damaged minions. They have minions that effects trigger when damaged, or they have cards that get stronger if they control damaged minions. Warriors are all about fighting and brawling.

Tertiary

• Card Draw
• Card Generation
• Minion Destruction, Single
• Minion Destruction, Multiple
• Tokens

Mechanics

Armor

Primary: Warrior

Secondary: Druid

Tertiary: Mage

Warriors have the most cards that care about gaining armor and having armor. Druid just started receiving cards that care about gaining armor and having armors. Mage only has small access to armor gain, mainly as a way for control playstyle to succeed.

Battlecry

Primary: Shaman

Only Shaman currently cares about resolving Battlecries.

Bounce (Return minions to the owner’s hand)

Primary: Rogue

Only Rogue can return enemy minions to the opponent’s hand. And they often can return their own minions to their hand.

Card Draw

Primary: Mage, Rogue, Warlock

Secondary: Druid, Priest, Paladin, Shaman

Tertiary: Hunter, Warrior

Mage and Rogue has the most card draw. Warlock always have access to their cards with Life Tap. Druid, Priest, Paladin and Shaman all have some level of card draw. Card draw is for Hunter and Warrior tied tightly to their subtypes. Hunter cares about beasts and Warrior cares about damaged minions.

Card Generation

Primary: Mage, Priest, Rogue

Secondary: Druid, Shaman

Tertiary: Hunter, Paladin, Warrior, Warlock

The difference between card generation and card draw is card generation is specifically the generation of cards not in your deck. This could be due to discover or random effects. All classes have access to their own cards. Mage are best at generating cards. They mainly generate Mage spells but can also copy their own minions. Priest can copy an opponent’s cards and their own minions. Rogue copy the opponent’s class cards and their own minions (usually as 1 mana 1/1) and drawn cards as well. Druid and Shaman also gotten a few way to generate more cards. Hunter, Paladin, Warrior and Warlock really only generate their own narrow subtypes (beasts, recruits, damaged minions, and demons).

Card Type Matters

• Minion
  • Primary: Druid, Paladin
  • Secondary: Warlock, Warrior
  • Tertiary: Mage

Druid, and Paladin are heavily invested into minions. Both classes have many cards that create minions and care about when minions are summoned. Warlock also have cards to summon small demons and cares about minions in terms of sacrificing them or having many minions like.  Warrior cares a lot about a certain subset, damaged minions. Mage has some cards that care about minions in the current standard.

• Secrets
  • Primary: Hunter, Mage
  • Secondary: Paladin
  • Tertiary: Rogue

Hunter and Mage have the most amount of secrets and cards that care about secrets. Both of these classes have cards that synergizes with secrets in the base set. Paladin also always have secrets but doesn’t always have secrets support. Rogue had secrets introduced in Kobold and Catacombs, but it is unknown if they will get any more support in future sets.

• Spell
  • Primary: Mage
  • Secondary: Priest
  • Tertiary: Rogue, Shaman

Mage cares the most about spells, being the class with the most minions with +1 spell damage, spells generation, and can make spells cheaper. Priest has some spell generation and spell synergies, namely Lyra and Radiant Elemental. Rogue and Shaman both have a few spell generation spells. Rogue can create 1 damage Razorleafs and have the powerful Preparation spell in the Classic Set. Shaman can now create random spells and have access to the Wrath of Air totem.

• Weapons
  • Primary: Rogue, Warrior
  • Secondary: Hunter, Paladin, Shaman

Rogue and Warrior are the two classes with best weapons, and weapon enhancements. Rogue weapon often has high durability and Rogue weapon buffs can give their weapon’s unique effects. Warrior weapon and buffs usually are all about the weapon’s stats and damage. The other classes get new weapons occasionally each expansion but doesn’t have weapon buffs.

Charge

Primary: Warrior

Secondary: Hunter

Warrior is Charge’s greatest supporter with cards capable of giving other minions charge. However this has led to many balance issues. causing most of its charge cards getting nerf. Hunter also have some support for Charge but mainly when dealing with Beasts.

Deathrattle

Primary:  Hunter

Secondary: Priest, Rogue

Tertiary: Shaman

Hunter, Priest and Rogue all have powerful deathrattle minions and cards that synergize off playing deathrattle minions. Hunters uniquely have spells that trigger Deathrattle effects immediately. Shaman is skilled in giving minions deathrattle but doesn’t have stellar deathrattle minions.

Direct Damage, Single (taking Weapons in consideration)

Primary: Mage, Rogue, Shaman

Secondary: Druid, Hunter, Warlock, Warrior

Tertiary: Priest, Paladin

The interesting thing is that every class has some instance of direct damage just at different levels. This direct damage category also includes weapons, which is just conditional direct damage that you sometimes pay life for, and spells that give your hero attack.

Mage is a clear leader in dealing direct damage to minions or hero, with many different spells and can deal the largest amount in a single spell. Shaman also have several direct damage spells, and sometimes has lightning spells that deal a random amount of damage. Rogue can deal damage to minions through spells and own a specific subset of dealing damage to undamaged minions, referring to their sneaky and ambushing nature. They also have several weapons.

In secondary, these classes get direct damage, but not as often as the primary class, and not as powerful. Druid has several direct damage spells, especially when we include spells that gain the hero’s weapons, but these powers are often a low power level. These spells don’t exceed dealing 5 damage. Hunter have several damages dealing spells and weapons, but nothing that deals more than 5 damage. Warlock doesn’t have a lot of direct damage spells, but the ones they do are often strong enough to be played competitively. Warrior can leverage several of its weapons as removal. Outside of weapons, the damage that most spells that Warrior deal range from 1-3.

In tertiary, the other classes don’t have as many direct damage options. Priest doesn’t have many damage cards, since they already have cards that destroy minions. Paladins, even when including their weapons, just don’t have a high number of direct damage options. Funny enough, they can theoretically deal the highest amount of direct damage in a single spell with Holy Wrath.

Direct Damage, Multiple

Primary:  Mage, Priest, Shaman, Warlock

Secondary: Hunter, Warrior

Tertiary: Druid, Paladin, Rogue

Mage is still the leader of direct damage even in the AOE form. Shaman has good AOE damage, but sometimes random due to liking lightning. Priest often have ways of dealing AOE damage, sometimes conditional. Warlock just likes dealing damage to everything and everyone.

In the secondary level, Hunter have more access to AOE spell with low damage levels. Warrior is the best at dealing 1 damage to everything, and does that more damage based on its mechanics (damaged minions, armor, and/or weapons)

Down in tertiary, other than Starfall and Swipe (both in the core Basic/Classic set), Druid has not received any new AOE damage spell. Paladin is in the same situation with its Consecration and Avenging Wrath. AOE is also historically one of Rogue’s weakness.

Discard (Self Discard)

Primary:  Warlock

Only Warlock discards their own cards and have on-discard effects.

Divine Shield

Primary: Paladin

While Divine Shield appear on Neutral cards, Paladin have several powerful Divine Shield minions, cards that grant Divine Shield and

Echo

Primary: Rogue

Secondary: Warlock

Echo is introduced in the Witchwood expansion. Rogue has the most Echo cards and a card that care about echo cards being played. Warlock can freely grant minions echo.

Freeze

Primary: Mage

Secondary: Shaman

Mage has the most freezing cards and cards that benefit off freezing your opponent cards. Shaman also have freezing cards and benefiters, but it has only been supported mainly in just one set, Knight of the Frozen Throne.

Healing

Primary: Paladin, Priest

Secondary: Druid, Shaman

Tertiary: Warlock

Priest and Paladin commonly have healing spells. Priest is the clear champion of healing, but Paladin also have cards that synergize off healing. Druid and Shaman have cards with pure healing but not cards that synergize with healing. Warlock has some healing, but it always comes with dealing damage or sacrificing a minion.

Life Loss

Primary: Warlock

Secondary: Warrior

Only Warlock cares about having lost life or taking damage from your own cards. Warrior has a specific mechanic involving low life, 12 health or less.

Life Steal

Primary: Warlock

Secondary: Paladin, Priest

Tertiary: Mage, Rogue

Warlock’s healing is mainly in lifesteal, as it connects with the flavor of draining life. As the champion of healing, Priest also have several lifesteal cards. Priest has lifesteal to play into its battle healer theme. Mage’s lifesteal is tied into Frost Lich Jaina and Elementals. Rogue’s lifesteal is tied to weapons.

Mana Crystals Manipulation

Primary: Druid

Secondary: Rogue, Shaman

Tertiary: Warlock

Druid gets the best mana acceleration, both permanent and temporary. Rogue only gets temporary mana acceleration in the forms of creating Coins. Shaman’s Overload is a type of manipulations. Warlock can destroy their own mana crystals.

Milling (Destroy cards in the deck)

Primary: Warlock

Currently Warlock is the only class that can directly destroy cards in the opponent’s deck.

Minion Buffing, Single

Primary: Druid, Paladin

Secondary: Priest, Shaman

Tertiary: Hunter, Warlock

Druid and Paladin have several single target buffs. There buffs are often +N/+N. Priest’s buffs are mainly health base. Shaman’s buffs are mainly attacks buffs. Hunter and Warlock mostly have tribal based buffs, either beasts or demons respectfully.

Minion Buffing, Multiple

Primary: Druid

Secondary: Paladin, Shaman

Tertiary: Hunter, Warlock

Druid is the only class with universal minion buffing. The secondary class only primary buff their subsets. Paladin only buff Silver Hand Recruits on mass. Shaman only buff attack temporary and Murlocs on occasion. Hunter and Warlock have tribal based buffs, either beasts or demons respectfully.

Minion Debuffing, Single

Primary: Paladin

Secondary: Priest

Tertiary: Hunter

Paladin can debuff minions by making them follow the rules, aka change their attack to 1. They can also change minions to 3/3, which arguably can also be a buff. Priest have some attack lowering. Hunter has a common piece of health lowering.

Minion Debuffing, Multiple

Primary: Paladin

Secondary: Priest, Warlock

Paladin can change multiple minions health to 1. In the higher rarity, it can change all stats to 3/3 or changes all attack to 1. Priest and Warlock has some attack lowering.

Minion Destruction, Single

Primary: Rogue

Secondary: Priest, Warlock

Tertiary: Druid, Hunter, Mage, Warrior

Rogue is the strongest class in single target removal. Priest can destroy specific subsets of minion, usually based on attack. This is why four attack minions is one of Priest biggest weakness. Warlock has a few unconditional minion destruction options, some of which might take sacrifices. For the tertiary level, these classes only get a few minion destruction cards, and are highly conditional. Druid has soft destruction options. Even if Druid has spells to destroy minions unconditionally, it will give the opponent cards to replace it. Hunter can destroy a minion but several conditional manners. Mage can only destroy frozen minions. Warrior can destroy damaged minions.

Minion Destruction, Multiple

Primary: Warlock

Secondary: Priest

Tertiary: Warrior

As part of Warlock’s reckless nature, Warlocks can destroy all minion, friendly and enemy. Priest have multiple minion destruction, but it is attack based. Warrior’s multiple minion destruction is very conditional.

Poisonous

Primary: Hunter, Rogue

Secondary: Druid

Hunter and Rogue both commonly have poisonous minions and can grant minions poisonous. Rogue can also give its weapon poisonous. Druid only have access to poisonous in the form of 1/2 Spider minions.

Recruit

Primary: Warrior

Secondary: Druid

Tertiary: Hunter, Paladin, Warlock

Warrior is the most generic user of Recruit, allowing them to recruit any minion. Druid only can recruit a subset, minions that cost 4 or less. Hunter, Paladin and Warlock only recruit an even smaller subset: Hunter only recruit Beast, Paladin recruits 2 cost or less, Warlock recruits Demons.

Resurrection

Primary: Priest

Secondary: Paladin, Shaman

Tertiary: Druid, Hunter, Warlock

Priest can resurrect any sort of minions. Paladin and Shaman can resurrect any minions but it often has to be prepared with a buff cards or situationally spells. Druid, Hunter and Warlock only resurrect their supported subsets.

Rush

Primary: Warrior

Secondary: Hunter

Introduced in the Witchwood expansion, Rush is primary focused on Warrior, and Warriors support having Rush minions. Hunter also have a Rush minion focus and can grant minions Rush.

Silence

Primary: Priest

Secondary: Druid, Shaman

Silence effects mostly appear in Priest. Druid and Shaman only have one silence effect card each, but those cards are in the core Basic/Classic set.

Stats Swapping

Primary: Priest

Priests can swap their own minions attack and defense. Or they can swap their minions attack and defense with other minions

Stealth

Primary: Rogue

Secondary: Druid, Hunter

Tertiary: Warlock

Rogue are the most common user of stealth and have cards that grant stealth. Druid and Hunter occasionally have stealth minions but usually flavored as beasts or druid transformations. Warlock has stealth minions but only has supportive imps.

Take Control

Primary: Priest

Secondary: Warlock

Priest can take control of any minion permanently in Mind control and has other subsets of take control, either permanently or temporary. Warlock is the only class that can give a minion away.

Taunt

Primary: Druid, Warrior

Both Druid and Warrior care about playing Taunt minions, buffing Taunt minions and have powerful Taunt minions.

Transform

Primary: Shaman

Secondary: Druid, Mage

Shaman have several effects that transform their own minions or their opponent minions. Often Shaman can “evolve” their minions, transforming them into minions that cost 1 more. Druid only transform using their choose one minions. Mage only have spells that transform by “polymorphing” minions, transforming them into specific animals.

Tribal Matters

• Beast
  • Primary: Hunter
  • Secondary: Druid

Hunters are rarely seen without Beasts and have the most cards that create, buff and synergize off playing beasts. Druids also started to gain some syngerize occasionally after and the update to relabel Druid’s transformation into beasts.

• Demon
  • Primary: Warlock

A warlock signature tribal class.

• Dragon
  • Primary: Paladin, Priest
  • Secondary: Warrior

Both Paladin and Priest have Dragons and cards that support Dragon, since Blackrock Mountain. Warrior has not received Dragon support since Blackrock.

• Elemental
  • Primary: Mage, Shaman
  • Secondary: Priest

Both Mage and Shaman have several Elementals and cards that support Elementals, since the creation of Elementals in Journey to Un’Goro. Priest have more Elementals than other classes but doesn’t have cards to support them.

• Mech
  • Primary: Mage, Rouge, Shaman
  • Secondary: Hunter, Priest, Warrior
  • Tertiary: Druid, Paladin, Warlock

Mechs are in a strange spot in that when they are supported in Goblins vs Gnomes, they were also the first tribal decks supported (outside of Murloc and Pirates in the Classic set). In the set, all classes received class Mechs and class Mech synergy. So the ranking in this category is best mainly on the strength of the Mech support.

• Murloc
  • Primary: Paladin, Shaman
  • Secondary: Warlock

• Pirate
  • Primary: Rogue, Warrior

Only Rogue and Warrior have class specific Pirates, who naturally plays well with the classes’ support of weapon.

• Totem
  • Primary: Shaman

A shaman signature tribal class.

Token

Primary: Hunter, Druid, Paladin

Secondary: Shaman, Warlock

Tertiary: Mage, Rogue, Warrior

Windfury

Primary: Shaman

Shaman is the only class that can bless creatures with windfury and has minions and a weapon with windfury.

 

Notes

In short, the classes can be divided like so:

Minion Focused: Druid, Hunter, Paladin

Hybrid: Rouge, Shaman, Warrior

Spell Focused: Mage, Priest, Warlock

Choose one: I would love to see Choose One become shared with more classes. Choose one is a great mechanic that can be offer classes more versatile and decision points (as long as Choose one cards are well designed of course). Druid wouldn’t lose that much in terms of class identity. They can still be the specialist in Choose one, with variations like Choose Two and choose both.

Warlock needs more class identity. The issue with Warlock is that they have a touch of everything because their core identity is tied into sacrifice. But sacrifice is not an effect; it is just a cost. When a designer creates a card for Warlock, they feel they can give any type of effect to Warlock as long as they balance it was a high enough cost.

Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 6

This will be the last review part before we have the grand card dump of the rest of the cards tomorrow in the last review stream with Ben Brode and Frodan. Reveal Stream

Rating System
5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to certain decks.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards
Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

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Crackling Razormaw

Constructed: 3.5
Arena: 3.5
Link: http://www.gosugamers.net/hearthstone/news/43802-gosugamers-exclusive-card-reveal-crackling-razormaw

The adaption ability on a friendly beast is very powerful especially when Crackling Razormaw isn’t losing any stats on an aggressive two mana minion. Adaptation can be very versatile. On curve, Crackling Razormaw is a strong follow up to the 1 mana Alleycat. The +3 attack or the Poisonous traits works well on the token. The power of the battlecry only scales as the game goes on. Placing a Divine Shield or can’t be targeted by spells or hero powers on a large beast like Savanna Highmane will make it very hard to get rid of. In Arena, it can only go up as you draft more and more beast.

Terrorscale Stalker

Constructed: 3
Arena: 3.5
Link: https://youtu.be/b2PMKa0OfUs

Yup, it is a smaller Princess Huhuran. While the Princess not been played much, the battlecry effect does synergize well the many Hunter deathrattles minions (Pack Rat, Savanna Highmane). On curve, it is very powerful with Kindly Grandmother and Fiery Bat. Also with Adapt, minions can obtain a deathrattle, with the Living Spores (Deathrattle: Summon two 1/1 Plants) adaptions.

Raptor Hatching

Constructed: 2
Arena: 1
Link: https://gnn.gamer.com.tw/0/145100.html

A 2/1 beast is not good. Murloc Raider never gets played even in Murloc decks. You do put a 4/3 in your deck but you might never run it. Yes, you will probably see it in the Hunter quest, The Marsh Queen’s deck with Tol’vir Warden.

King Mosh

Constructed: 4
Arena: 5
Link: http://www.4gamer.net/games/209/G020915/20170322030/

Obvious combination with Whirlwind, that creates a 10 mana board clear. Without with that you can trade in your minions or use weapons and other spells, like Inner Rage to make a one-sided board wipe. In Wild, where Death’s Bite exist, King Mosh would be an extremely consistent removal option. This card certainly has a spot in Control Warrior. Against the Jade Druid, King Mosh can potentially remove a field of Jade Golems and remain on board for some fearsome burst damage. The popularity of the card hinges on how many answers exist against Jade Druid in the meta.

Thunder Lizard

Constructed: 1
Arena: 2.5
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659256/hearthside-chat-adapt-in-ungoro-with-dean-ayala-3-27-2017

Unlikely there will be any deck that uses a mixture of elementals and beasts. The beast synergized classes (Druid and Hunter) aren’t the elemental synergized classes (Shaman and Mage). The Glacial Shard might be ran in aggressive Hunter decks, but there isn’t enough elementals warrant running Thunder Lizard. In Arena, you might get the trigger now and then. It would be a strong swing when you do.

Lightfused Stegodon

Constructed: 3
Arena: 3
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659256/hearthside-chat-adapt-in-ungoro-with-dean-ayala-3-27-2017

Poor stats for a 4 cost minion and it is in the crowded 4 cost slot for Paladin. Yet, with both Murloc Knight and Keeper of Uldaman rotating out of Standard, there is now space for this dino. You pick one adaption and that adaption gets apply to all your silver hand recruits. So all your recruits can get +3 attack or deathrattle: summon 2 1/1 plants. It plays well with Lost in the Jungle from the set. In Wild, we can now curve Muster for Battle into Lightfused into Quartermaster.

Hemet, Jungle Hunter

Constructed: 1.5
Arena: 3
Link: https://youtu.be/AAaoo_v1To0

A curious effect. So why do you want to destroy a chunk of your deck? So that you can ensure that you draw your powerful cards in the late game. This is a real cost through as some of the best spells is 3 mana or lower (Eviscerate, Innervate, Shield Slam, Soulfire, Equality). One of the best uses of the card is in Ramp Druid. Ramp Druid uses a lot of cheap cards like Wrath and Wild Growth in early game but they aren’t very needed in the late game. So Hemet can ensure you are dropping big threats one after another. Pure Ramp Druid, however, has been seen much since the early days of Hearthstone. Druid has ran other decks Double FoN+Savage Roar Combo Druid, Midrange Druid, and Jade Druid instead. While Hemet has an interesting effect, I don’t believe that this effect is enough to build an entire deck around. It is hard to be building an entire deck around a single copy of a legendary (Reno Jackson is on totally different power level and reward). It can make a gimmicky deck, but not going be competitive.

Blazecaller

Constructed: 4.5
Arena: 3
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659255/e-malones-expedition-journal-week-four-3-28-2017

Elementals are shaping up to be a powerful tribe. They seem to be taking the Dragon’s archetypal place as the midrange and control deck. Blazecaller, when activated, can create large tempo swings. Imagine a Firelands Portal, which always summon a 6/6. As for turn 6 elementals, Shaman already have the powerful Fire Elemental. Blazecaller also come late enough in the game that you can plan to hold an elemental to play on turn 6. As an added bonus, Blazecaller might also curve into activating Kalimos, Primal Lord.

Servant of Kalimos

Constructed: 4.5
Arena: 3
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659255/e-malones-expedition-journal-week-four-3-28-2017

Servant of Kalimos is as key to an elemental deck, as Netherspite Librarian and Twilight Guardian. Not only can it net you another elemental to try triggering your elemental effects, but the Servant is an elemental itself. Servant of Kalimos is going to see play in Shaman Elemental decks. Being able to get another Kalimos off of the Discover is a huge value gain. In the arena, the elementals have a huge variance. Without being able to trigger their abilities consistently, they are just weak stated minions.

Ravenous Pterrordax

Constructed: 4
Arena: 3
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659255/e-malones-expedition-journal-week-four-3-28-2017

For meme lovers, yes you can make a 4 mana 7/7 in Warlock, if you pick both the +3 attack and +3 health options. Adapting twice gives a pretty good chance to get the adaption that you want. This card would only get better if there are many tokens generators in Standard. Imp Gang Boss is rotating out of Standard, but Possessed Villager and Forbidden Ritual are still great cards. Perhaps Zoo can make a comeback with this.

Tyrantus

Constructed: 1
Arena: 3
Link: http://www.techbook.de/gaming/hearthstone-erweiterung-reise-nach-ungoro-blizzard-neue-karte

A late game card has to win the game for you or have an immediate effect. Tyrantus can do this for you, but it has to wait one turn. And while, untargetable by spells or Hero Powers, is a good protection ability, it is not unstoppable. For example, Rogue has the new Vilespine Slayer, Shaman can still use Devolve, Kazakus Potion still exist, and Aldor Peacekeeper is a good answer for Paladins. Tyrantus will be run in Ramp decks, but when you compare Tyrantus to the 10 mana Old Gods, the Old Gods are just better win conditions.

Stegodon

Constructed: 1
Arena: 3
Link: Hearthstone Facebook Album

An Oasis Snapjaw that trade one health for Taunt, which does make it a lot better. But there is a gap between this card and Sen’jin Shieldmasta in the attack stat. There are 105 minions with 3 health, but only 93 minions with 2 health in Standard, but of course this is only standard as of now, and not factoring what minions are actually played in the meta. Stegodon is just an arena card.

Spikeridged Steed

Constructed: 3
Arena: 4
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659254/hearthside-chat-the-art-of-journey-to-ungoro-3-29-2017

The fact that this buff actually leaves behind a body is very strong. If you look at the mana cost, it is easy to see that you get a lot of bang for your buck. With the Paladin’s Hero Power, it is 8 mana 3/7 Taunt w/ Deathrattle; Summon a 2/6 Taunt Beast. Just that makes this card appealing to play. Having a Taunt on the minions buffed forces it to be answered and once it is answered, you get another 2/6 Taunt. Sludge Belcher has already soon us that taunt deathrattles are very appealing. However this buff can be pushed out of the meta, if the number of bounce effects and silences increases.

Tortollan Primalist

Constructed: 2
Arena: 2
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659254/hearthside-chat-the-art-of-journey-to-ungoro-3-29-2017

Yes, it looks very overcosted, for a random effect that can backfire on you. Servant of Yogg-Saron was a terrible card even though it had the standard 5 mana stat line. But Tortollan Primalist’s effect is a Discover allowing you to pick an effect isn’t effect by random targeted. These spell effects are card draw (Arcane Intellect), summon minions (Call of the Wild), board clear (Flamestrike) and secrets (Mirror Image). It seems like a good card in Reno Mage, but I don’t think Reno Mage would be a great deck, without any healing.

Cornered Sentry

Constructed: 1.5
Arena: 2
Link: http://us.battle.net/hearthstone/en/blog/20659254/hearthside-chat-the-art-of-journey-to-ungoro-3-29-2017

Giving your opponent minions is never a good idea. On a base case, your opponent trades all the Raptors in and get a 2/3 with Taunt. Not really impressive. If your opponent can buff the 1/1s in any way, this card loses its advantages. So you can combo this card with other cards like Brawl and Whirlwind. But the fact that it is only passable when in combinations with other spells, and mediocre by itself, gives Cornered Sentry a poor score. Unless Taunt Warrior gets more payoffs, like a Taunt Quest maybe.

Ravasaur Runt

Constructed: 1
Arena: 1.5
Link: http://www.levelup.com/noticias/416018/Revelamos-en-exclusiva-una-nueva-carta-de-Hearthstone-Viaje-a-Un-Goro

Without an adaption, a 2/2 minion for 2 is unplayable. It is literally a worse Enchanted Raven. Getting the adaptation to trigger on curve is questionable if you don’t have the right one drops, like a pirate for Patches, or Alley Cat. And even when you get the adaption, you might just be get a 3/3, or a 5/2, or a 2/2 with Windfury. Just getting a 2 or 3 mana card situationally isn’t that great.

The Last Kaleidosaur

Constructed: 1.5
Arena: 1
Link: http://www.hearthhead.com/news/the-last-kaleidosaur-exclusive-journey-to-ungoro-card-reveal

So Paladin does have the most self-buff spells. However without a dedicated stealth minion, it is very hard to be playing 6 buffs a game. Most decks don’t allocate 6 slots for buffs spells. Also by the time you caused 6 buffs spells, you probably should have won the game already because your minions should be huge.

So if you couldn’t finish the game after 6 buffs, you get very a versatile minion. You can make a huge, untargetable by spell and hero power taunt or a stealth windfury finisher. But it is still all your reward packed into one card. No matter how powerful your Galvadon is, it can still be silenced or removed by monster effects (eg Spellbreaker and the new VilespineSlayer).

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Elementals received strong support. Shaman looks set on a good midrange and control deck with elemental synergy and Jade support. Perhaps Zoolock can return into the meta. Hunters gets some love.  Paladin  not so much. But there is just about another 70 cards to see in the last review stream. Don’t miss it!

Links:

• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 5
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 4
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 3
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 2
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 1

 

Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 5

Here are the reveals of all the cards revealed by Dean Ayala and Brian Kibler in the HCT Bahamas 2017 Winter Championship as well as two other cards reveal by other sources.

Rating System
5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to certain decks.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards
Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

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Curious Glimmerroot

Constructed: 4
Arena: 3
Link: https://youtu.be/Qdl73nvYjrs

The design of this card is very interesting, as it tests the player’s metagame knowledge. Are you experienced in the game enough to know what card your opponent put in their deck? I wonder if the algorithm used makes the cards close in quality, or else it is going to be a very easy choice. This card is good as getting a card from your opponent’s deck is high quality as your opponent would want to play high-quality card. Getting a high-quality minion like Tirion Fordring or Lord Jaraxxus is known to swing games. In Arena, it will be hard to guess, as your opponent might not even have the best cards.

Gentle Megasaur

Constructed: 2.5
Arena: 2.5
Link: Hearthstone Facebook

Neat as a card in Menagerie deck or just a curve topper in your Murloc decks. Your one selected adaption is applied to all your Murlocs on the board. So if you managed to find the +3 adaptation, congrats, you just cast Savage Roar. In a Standard that is missing Everyfin is Awesome, this is an amazing card. Combined with the Murloc quest, there is some hope that an aggressive Murloc deck is viable in the meta.

HCT Bahamas Stream Cards:

Volcanosaur

Constructed: 1
Arena: 3.5

Sick art. As a top-end finisher, I don’t think this card will be powerful enough or synergize well enough with the rest of your deck. In a The Curator deck, I would only want to play a high-end cost beast that cost 8 mana so it could be on curve after curator or below so 8 mana so I have things to play before Curator. Just in an awkward spot. For arena, this card will put in work. I think the most practical choice is elusive or stealth and health and +1/+1. It is to note, all players are getting a free golden copy of this card.

Gluttonous Ooze

Constructed: Tech
Arena: 3

Another clear answer card to Pirate Warrior and to a lesser extent, Aggro Rogue. Not only do you get to destroy our opponent’s weapon regardless of charges, you gain armor to mitigate more incoming danger. Gluttonous Ooze is like a specialized Earthen Ring Farseer.

Vilespine Slayer

Constructed: 4
Arena: 4.5

Destroy a minion is too strong to not to get played. You can deal with big Giants easily and Jade Golems. It is still a card that I am willing to Shadowstep and replay. Rogue is looking good if it is going to continue getting top-notch single target removal. Hopefully, there is still enough for a midrange Rogue Deck. It is really sad to not see Tomb Pillager in Standard anymore. We need another coin generators.

Mana Bind

Constructed: 1
Arena: 1.5

I love Mage secrets. Even if they are expensive, they have the biggest effects. In practice, Mana Bind just copies your opponent’s last played spell. The zero cost is helpful, but you don’t have much control what you copy. Players already played against Counterspell before. So they will just play their worst spell first. I wouldn’t rate it highly because Counterspell is just a much better secret. Counterspell actually protects the few minions a secret deck tends to have. The interesting situation is if both Mana Bind and Counterspell is activated, and your opponent plays a cheap spell, will you counter the cheap spell, and still have Mana Bind up to steal your opponent’s big spell?

Mirage Caller

Constructed: 2
Arena: 3

Of course, Ragnaros and Sylvanas are rotating out of Standard. This is an easier to use Herald Volazj. I think the card is too niche to be easily abused. The effect does combo with Deathrattle minions and the Awaken the Makers quest. Your best choices are Crystalline Oracle, and Loot Hoarder. Barnes does work to get this card more value.

Corrupting Mist

Constructed: 2
Arena: 2

Similar to doomsayer but is unavoidable. However, your opponent can play minions afterward and they are unaffected by the mist. This card also doesn’t prevent any damage, which might be dangerous in warlock. At least doomsayer can prevent 7 damage. Without a strong heal option, I don’t see this card being played in standard. In wild, it certainly can have applications in Renolock. It destroy all minions without dealing damage, as you have good counter to Egg Druid and random Divine Shield minions

Living Mana

Constructed: 1
Arena: 1.5

Your opponent plays Devolve or Mass Dispel and you lose the game. Too much risk. Very minor returns. You can’t follow up with Savage Roar unless you have Innervate next turn. Also when the Mana Treant dies on your turn, you get an empty mana crystal, so you can’t even use the mana right away. Also, the card will eat up unused mana as well. As seen in the VOD, on turn 10 and an empty board, you pay 5 mana and get seven 2/2s (max numbers of minions on board). While this is a good token Druid card, I imagine that Devolve will still be popular next meta. Thus this card is rated poorly.

Lost in the Jungle

Constructed: 3.5
Arena: 4

Yes, you will play it. Paladin needs one drops. Also, this card works will with the new Paladin legendary, Sunkeeper Tarim. The only reason why the rating is as hesitant as a 3.5 is because the rating is affected by how well the class or deck will do in the new meta overall. There isn’t much point to just rate cards in a vacuum (for Constructed at least). Paladin still needs to show some more amazing cards, especially when this card, doesn’t work well in handbuff decks that the last expansion introduced. In wild. I just want to play a full Token paladin with Quartermaster again.

Molten Blade

Constructed: 1
Arena: 2

Random weapon from any class just like Shifter Zerus. Well, the bad weapon pool is smaller, it is too inconsistent for constructed. Good to in a Tolden video for sure. For Arena, weapons are highly prized, but this card does have the drawback, that is just a 1/1 when drawn.

The Marsh Queen

Constructed: 3
Arena: 1

Ha. So looks like Tol’vir Warden has some use after all. I love this card that makes you question how many useful 1 mana minions are there. How can I min/max the quality of minions I have? Do I need to play about 10+ 1 cost minions, or do I only need the bare 7? I envision the one minion line up as Fire Fly (two one drops), Abusive Sergent, Argent Squire, Timber Wolves (buff the raptors).

First off, the Queen is an 8/8 for 5 mana. I will take it. Next, with 15 raptors in your deck, you get more than 50% chances to draw a 3/2. Thankfully, they draw you another card as well. With such a swarm of minions, it is hard for your opponent to deal with them. This could lead to a Midrange-combo hunter. This card combos very well with Tundra Rhino and Starving Buzzard. With ten mana, you can play Tundra Rhino and 5 raptors for 15 damage. Savage Roar + Force of Nature anyone? Also, this quest doesn’t have to be complete right away. You can wait till you have the combo pieces ready.

Overall, I don’t think this is a great competitive deck. It will be fun for sure. Dinosaurs are cool as hell. But the issue is that this deck is the variance of its strength between not completing a quest, and completing the quest. If you can’t line up the right cards, you are just playing a flop one mana cards and be beaten down.

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I am super excited by the new card released in the stream. Blizzard is really embracing the digital element of the game, in cards like Queen Carnassa and the Curious Glimmerroot. Be sure to check out more of the HCT Bahamas 2017 Winter Championship over this weekend.

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Links:

• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 4
• Journey To Un’Goro – Set Review Part 3
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 2
• Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 1

Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 4

Let’s review the few cards shown in the past two days. We are going to have a fresh start for Blizzard’s HCT Winter Championships card reveal tomorrow:

Rating System
5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to certain decks.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards
Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

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Tol’vir Stoneshaper

Constructed: 3
Arena: 2.5
Link: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/25918727
Of course, this minion is a powerful defensive option on turn 4 if you fulfill the elemental conditions. Tar Creeper (new card from Journey to Un’Goro) is a good turn 3 neutral option. (Taunt Elemental Warrior?) Interesting to note that the Stoneshaper is not an elemental himself. Your curve could look like a normal elemental setup turn 3, then a powerful payoff turn 4 but then no setup for an elemental turn 5. There could be an interesting interplay between using your resources or not. So you get rewarded for having the minions to play on curve but punished when you are off it.

Journey To Un’Goro – Set Review Part 3

Just a couple of days into the review and we have seen quite a few legendaries, the new elemental mechanic, and new Murloc support. Here are 10 new cards of Journey to Un’Goro and their reviews:

Rating System
5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to certain decks.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards

Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

Crystalline Oracle

Constructed: 3.5
Arena: 4
Link: https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/1364

Another card that falls in the 1 mana 1/1 gets card group, just like Swashburglar and Babbling Book. However, it is important to note this card isn’t as powerful as the other two because it is not a battlecry effect and thus is delayed. Also, Priest doesn’t have a 1 damage hero power, meaning it can’t follow up a turn 1 Oracle with damage to take care of a 3/2. So it is more like Webspinner. Still, it is easy to see that this might be played in Deathrattle decks (Amara/N’Zoth).  I can’t give it a better grade when Mistress of Mixture is probably still a better card.

Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 2

What an amazing kickoff by Pete Whalen and Sean “Day9” Plott. Some designs here just make you go, what?! Let’s dive right in and dissect the all-new cards from Journey to Un’Goro.

Rating System

5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to a certain deck.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards

Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

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Explore Un’Goro
Constructed: 0
Arena: 0 (but if you wanna have fun)

This card will fill your deck with one mana spells that say “Discover a card”, aka build your deck as you play. We are definitely going to get a tavern brawl out of this. What makes this card bad is the additional mana cost you have to pay. You are paying a 2 mana tax towards Explore Un’Goro and then a 1 mana tax for each card you discover. One niche application is that it can be an Elise Starseeker replacement. Elise had a role in Control decks to replace its myriad of control spells for minions. But Explore Un’Goro is still kind of bad because it doesn’t replace your hand. In Arena, what kind of terrible deck did you draft that you need to replace your entire deck?

Journey to Un’Goro – Set Review Part 1

The next Hearthstone expansion, Journey to Un’Goro is erupting out in mid-April. Meanwhile, I will be reviewing the new cards as they are previewed, each in one batch at a time, with a final page that will wrap up and rate all the cards as a set in the whole. We start the spoiler season with the cards reviewed by Ben Brode and Jason Chayes in the set announcement video.

Journey to Un’Goro Announcement Video

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Rating System (Standard Constructed)
5.0: You are always used and crucial in a top tier decks of the Standard format.
4.0: You are very prevalent seen in tops decks or crucial to certain decks.
3.0: You are sometimes seen in top decks and/or important in middle tier decks.
2.0: You might see play in some niche decks or lower tier decks.
1.0: You see little to no competitive play.
0.0: HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Tech: A special rating for cards that counters a certain meta and/or cards
Disclaimer: The ratings in this article is tentative as the whole set is not seen yet.

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Volcano
Standard: 2
Arena: 3
The spell effect is on fire…or more like molten rocks. However, Volcano seems too inconsistent in its damage distribution to see play. AOEs in Shaman are historically unreliable (eg. Lightning Storm does 2-3 damage and Elemental Destruction does 4-5 damage). Volcano is even more unreliable as it deals damage randomly between both sides of the fields and you need the right board states to be able to wipe your opponent’s board. Too unreliable for 5 mana (and overload 1).

Designing Tribal

Tribal decks are much loved by the fan base. Players love playing with cool minions in large numbers. And good tribal decks are often easy to build and synergize naturally well.

So, what is the difficulty in designing tribal? By itself, a single tribal theme is easy to create. Tribal decks are often minion strategies. “Lords” are a staple of tribal decks, a minion that makes all other minions better, usually in the form of +1/+1. The issue comes when you want to create multiple tribal themes. Because tribal want to be minion heavy decks, how do you keep them from feeling like the same minion beatdown strategy?

Go Wide:

So, you love Murlocs, right? Just love that big-eyed stare, slimily hands, and Mmmrrrggglll? What if I told you that you can just play all of them? Just slam them all on the field. Play a lord, buff them up and smash that face. This is the most common form Many tribal decks follow this pattern, especially if they are made up of smaller individual units. One way to distinguish between go wide strategy is to tap into the flavor of the tribe and make the units focus on different keywords. A simple example of this is Merfolk vs Vampires in Magic the Gathering’s Ixalan expansion. Both tribes create play small minions and create tokens. Merfolk creates hexproof (enemies can’t target with spells and abilities) tokens and focuses on +1/+1 buffs. Vampire creates lifelink (damage equal healing) tokens.

Go Big:

Not all tribes are fit to going wide. Some tribes are more for the large minion fantasy, such as Dragons. When people think of dragons, they are looking for huge behemoths not smaller minions. That is why they have some of the highest high costs in game. Because of this, simply have effects that care about dragons being in play, is not going to be useful. You just aren’t going to always have a huge minion out early in the game. You can always include minion type specific mana acceleration.

A clever solution is giving other usages for big cards, like the dragon reveal mechanic.

Choose a Supported Type:

Another way to distinguish tribes is to have them interact with other card types. For example, Pirates in Hearthstone, cares about having weapons, fitting for their loot-focused nature. And Wizards in the Magic the Gathering cares about spells in the form of instants and sorceries. Using this technique makes tribal decks more than just minion decks and make deck building much more interesting.

Choose a Particular Trigger:

You can change up the play style of decks by having the tribal effect trigger only in certain ways a tribe is played. Elementals take advantage of history tracking to gain bonuses if you played Elementals last turn. This is the variant I am most interested in seeing used more. Perhaps we will see triggers that care about the top card of your deck is a certain tribe, or that a minion of that tribe died this turn.

Key Cards

The “Lord”

The Lord is characterized by having an aura ability that gives all minions a stat bonus, mostly +1/+1. The star of a tribal deck and especially needed for go wide tribes.

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The “Lord Alternate”

This lord variant doesn’t have to give a stat boost but gives the tribe a new ability.

The “Messenger”

The card that gets you more cards of the same type.

The “Idol”

The idol gets stronger with every tribe member you play.

The “Buffer Bro”

Always got to have a bro that gives another friendly bro +1/+1 (or other buffs)

The “Ignored Cousin”

Umm, we don’t talk about it.