Cloning Device

Cloning Device Card

Cloning Device is a 1 Mana Cost Common Priest Spell card from the The Boomsday Project set!

Card Text

Discover a copy of a minion in your opponent's deck.

Flavor Text

Zerek got sick of fighting over the remote.

Cloning Device Card Review

This card seems very underwhelming, to be honest. If it discovered a copy of a minion in YOUR deck, it would make much more sense for its combo potential, but from the opponent’s? Not really, no.

Starting with the upsides – you get extra information. You can know what deck your opponent plays as soon as Turn 2. To counter that, though, you usually know what deck your opponent plays after he plays first card or two. Sometimes even right after the mulligan (Odd/Even decks). This could still be useful to peak at what tech cards he might be running, or to identify decks that are harder to tell apart (like Druid archetypes right now). Another upside is that you can snatch some late game minion from your opponent’s deck, potentially something that combos with your build too. Like, stealing Hadronox from Druid after you’ve already played The Lich King and Obsidian Statue might be really powerful.

And now onto the downsides, and this list will be much longer. It has no immediate effect. Yes, you can say the same thing about Shadow Visions, but with Shadow Visions you ALWAYS get a card you want, since you pick from the spells you put into your deck (and again, the card has a much higher combo potential because of that). The options you will be presented with will often be bad. For example, playing against an Aggro deck, you will very likely just get an aggressive minion, and that’s not very good. You can even not get anything when you play against Spell Hunter, or get this card in the late game. Even if you play against a slower deck, unless you snatch an universally good card like The Lich King, most of the minions in their deck will have synergy with THEIR deck, not with yours. You have to add +2 to the mana cost of the minion you steal. And so, let’s say that stealing an Elven Minstrel seems alright, but you need to remember that you’ve paid a total of 6 mana for it, not 4. It does not give you any card advantage, it’s a 1 for 1 card.

I’d rather play a Thoughtsteal to get an actual card advantage (despite not being able to pick cards), or Curious Glimmerroot for the 3/3 extra body on top of a random card from the opponent’s deck. Not to mention that if Chameleos doesn’t see play, despite giving you MUCH more information and options over a few turns, as well as not costing any extra mana to play, then I don’t see how this card will see any play.

The card is a classic Loatheb vs Rebuke. People overvalue this effect, because it was amazing on Drakonid Operative. However, Operative was so good BECAUSE it had amazing stats on top of the effect. Rebuke was also overvalued for a similar reason. Both of those might make more sense at 1 mana, but not really at two.

However, one more thing to consider is that “cloning” seems to be the Priest’s theme this expansion, so there might be some synergies. For example, a card that gets cheaper for every “copied” minion you’ve played, or a card that resummons the copied minions… if that’s the case, this might be better, so we’ll have to see.

Card rating: 2/10, possibly more in case a card that synergize with “cloned” minions get revealed

Cloning Device Full Card Art

Cloning Device Full Art

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30 Comments

  1. Techbuilding
    July 27, 2018 at 11:39 am

    One of the worst cards in the set

  2. OMEGALUL
    July 25, 2018 at 9:06 am

    THIS IS JUST ANOTHER BAD PRIEST CARD THAT HAS TO STEAL FROM ENEMY TO BE GOOD, OR HAS TO BE WINNING TO BE GOOD WIN MORE CARD. WHEN WILL PRIEST EVER HAVE AN IDENTITY?? HOW ABOUT AN AGGRO OR AGGRO SPELL MIDRANGE SHADOW PRIEST DECK?

    • LUL
      July 25, 2018 at 9:08 am

      SHADOW PRIEST LUL BLIZZARD HAS TO GIVE ALL 9 CLASSES MECH DRAGONS WINDFURY TAUNT LIFESTEAL AND DIVINE SHIELD 1ST BEFORE THEY CREATE SHADOW PRIEST OMEGALUL

  3. ShoM
    July 25, 2018 at 4:07 am

    The card is trash 1/5
    It somehow manages to come outbadin every possible variant of priest aside MAYBE big priest.

    In Control priest, you have your choise of archbishop benedictus and elise into double visions for about 15 extra cards to win with so copying a lich king dont even sound that great.

    In aggro this thing is waaaaaaaay too slow but thats a given

    In arena minion quality is so much lower that paying 2 mana for a minion in opponents deck is horribad.

    In combo priest variant 1 (anduin/mind blast route) you obviously play cards that get stuff from your deck rather than this so its obviously bad there.

    In variant 2 (lyra/radiant elemental/dragon soul nonsense) Psionic probe is a better card in every way with all the spell synergies you have. And psionic probe is unplayable trash in lyra decks so what hope does this have? None what so ever.

    In quest priest you dont want a third worse copy of crystaline oracle

    So were left with big priest. In theory big p might want to generate minions to play on turns 3-5 just to ease the work load of removal cards. Here is the counter argument. If big priest is in such a dire strait that you’d run THIS just to have a turn 3 play, why are you playing big priest? Is the meta just such a massive control fest that it be worth it? Then play combo priest you dolt.

    1/5, cheers loves

  4. Swayer
    July 25, 2018 at 3:34 am

    If you use togwaggle and then this spell you can pick one of your own minions xD

  5. Wendigo
    July 24, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    Vs Rogue: Vilespine Slayer, Fal’dorei Strider, Tess, Van Cleef
    Vs Zoo Lock: Dreadlord, Chain Gang
    Vs Even Lock: Hoaked Reaver
    Vs Pally: Tirion Fordring, Aldor Peacekeeper
    Vs Priest: Duskbreaker
    Vs Shaman: Electra, Grumble
    Neutrals: LK, Ysera

    Some of these cards can really change the game. Who knows how the meta will be?

  6. Jed
    July 24, 2018 at 1:08 pm

    Fun, but definitely not worth it
    1/5

  7. Soup And Salad
    July 24, 2018 at 9:46 am

    It’s nice and all that Priest can now discover cards in the opponent’s deck for a Thief Priest, but generally, it’s not something Priest really needs.

    If this were a Shadow Visions for the Priest player’s minions, it would probably see play since there are minions Priests either want in their hand as soon as possible or would like to play more than three copies of.

    You might be able to occasionally steal a Lich King or another powerful minion that’ll work with your deck, but I don’t think that chance it worth playing for at least when it doesn’t come with some body like Novice Engineer does.

  8. MockRock
    July 24, 2018 at 9:21 am

    These cards have NEVER worked as just general “play them” cards, the only scenario where this would be useful would be in a meta where Priest has one specific bad matchup which revolved around a specific minion. Even then, you’d need to ALSO benefit from that minion enough to be worth a card slot which is useless almost anywhere else, and the fact that it’s Discover means there’s no guarantee you’ll actually get what you need. Don’t like it, predict it’ll see no play whatsoever.

  9. Linnenbringer
    July 24, 2018 at 8:43 am

    Y’all are hating on this card, but play x1 copy of this against ANY control deck, and it’s going to net you a high-value minion. The increase to two mana from mind vision/psionic probe/etc, seems fair to get discover (eliminating terrible RNG) AND limits the results to minion-only, which matter way more in long games.

    This is just another tool for priest to net incredible value over the course of the game (if the meta is slow enough to allow it). It also matches the priest theme of “turn your stuff against you.”

    4/5 I like it

    • Nickname23
      July 24, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Value can’t be a good win-con in a combo-heavy meta.

    • Stonekeep - Site Admin
      July 25, 2018 at 3:09 am

      If you run it to have another big minion in Control matchups, why not just play a solid, big minion in that card slot instead? This card is bad anyway against most of the fast decks, and you won’t have to pay +2 mana for your big minion and it will be more consistent.

    • ShoM
      July 25, 2018 at 3:54 am

      Or just play one more good control minion over this card. The card is trash vs aggro anyway so you might as well play like an elise to win harder than this. Seriously dude, you’re priest, you have access to elise + vision for 15 ungoro cards, how are you not winning the long game 99% of the time?

      Or even better. If you want alk the opposing value in a loooooong game, just play archbishop benedicktus

  10. DyingHawk
    July 24, 2018 at 7:52 am

    “Hey, you know the card we printed a while back, psionic probe?”
    “ya”
    “Well it never saw any play right?”
    “ya”
    “Well how about we increase its cost to 2 and make the pool of available cards worse?”
    “that makes a lot of sense.”

    • Muzek
      July 24, 2018 at 9:09 am

      Getting a minion is usually better than getting a spell and discovering is much better than random. Not saying the card is good or will see any play (unless priest gets a tess like card which would be dope but probably broken) but comparing it to psionic people isn’t fair.

    • DukeStarswisher
      July 24, 2018 at 9:14 am

      I get you’re trying to be cute and clever, but this card is actually more like Drakonid operative than psionic probe. And that card most definitely saw play.

      Of course it doesn’t come with the body but two mana is a pretty good price to discover a minion (a more precise parameter than D operative) from your opponents deck.

      Also it is a turn 2 “i know what deck your playing now” card. Which, granted, is only useful if its not an even or odd deck.

      • Soup And Salad
        July 24, 2018 at 9:57 am

        Taking the ability off a good minion and putting it onto a spell does not mean that spell will also be good and Shadow Visions is usually a better card across all archetypes.

        The cards something like Thoughtsteal gives you may be random, but it does give you an extra card for one more mana, which for a control style priest would be preferred and that is not seeing play.

        If it were 1 mana, it would definitely be a better Mind Visions, and even then, unless Lyra becomes a popular choice in Priest again, I doubt it would see play.

        • DukeStarswisher
          July 24, 2018 at 10:53 am

          How many times do I have to bring up that Discover and rng are completely different. Thoughtsteal gives you no control and isn’t restricted to only minions. With restricted parameters , there are better chances of pulling a good minion that might match whatever you are playing (depending on the deck).

          And yes, Drakonid Op is obviously better with the body but that is not worth arguing.

          I think this card will be seen in an archetype that has not been created yet. Discovering minions in an opponent’s deck is a very specific power.

          • Nickname23
            July 24, 2018 at 11:57 am

            “I think this card will be seen in an archetype that has not been created yet. Discovering minions in an opponent’s deck is a very specific power.”

            That’s true. I just don’t see it relevant in terms of power level.

          • DukeStarswisher
            July 24, 2018 at 12:17 pm

            @Nickname23 Yeah when it comes to power level I would not put it too high. Its not very versatile which means it won’t be an auto-include. And if decks are going to be focused on tribes (mech especially) this most likely will not see play at first.

            But that said, I’m pretty excited about its effect and possible utility.

  11. Dan Pound
    July 24, 2018 at 7:21 am

    Why is this 2 mana?
    Seems pretty bad compared to shadow visions.
    And not that much better than ‘I know a guy’ type cards (1 mana discover)

  12. OlafBiggles
    July 24, 2018 at 6:53 am

    Looks rubbish for constructed, and bad for arena.. adds no immediate value, and no synergies. First 1/5 for me.

    • jason
      July 24, 2018 at 7:19 am

      i dont see this working… the chances of discovering a good card are slim. plus 2 mana is a big loss in tempo

  13. Renan Telles
    July 24, 2018 at 6:31 am

    Nossa,muito desanimado com essas cartas de sacerdote . Nenhuma carta deste tipo entrou em deck de sacerdote não será essa que irá entrar .
    Para quê criar isso ??? Não é disso que sacerdote precisa .

    • Diego Brito
      July 24, 2018 at 7:04 am

      Realmente, se nem aquela do Camaleão ou Devour Mind entraram, muito menos essa…
      Saudades Dragon Priets 5/6 com Discover, aquela sim era uma puta carta.

  14. Omnitarian
    July 24, 2018 at 6:25 am

    If Chameleos, Devour Mind, et al aren’t playable, I don’t see why this would be any different. The deck slot usually winds up being better served with one of your own minions, rather than spending 2 mana grabbing something that will only maybe be good and almost certainly won’t synergize with your deck.

    Fun way for new players to yoink random legendaries to try out, though..

    • GlosuuLang
      July 24, 2018 at 6:50 am

      Chameleos and Devour Mind are random. Discover is pretty powerful, look at Drakonid OP. I believe this is in power level between Drakonid OP (which was utterly powerful, because it could also get spells and hero cards, on top of an on-curve body) and Chameleos (which right now is borderline, it doesn’t see play because it’s not as valuable in a solved meta, but out of the random cards, this is definitely the best one). I actually believe this could be in the same power level as Curious Glimeroot.

  15. GlosuuLang
    July 24, 2018 at 6:09 am

    Love the shenanigans. First, you get to see what deck your opponent plays. Secondly, who doesn’t want to copy a Shudderwock? Or a Lord Godfrey? The card needs a Control Shell to compensate for the tempo loss, obviously, but it’s a very decent value generator. Miles ahead of Mindgames due to discover. Also, this is pretty busted in Arena. You already run Thoughtsteal and similar for late-game value, and this is even better because you get to steal their late-game Violet Wurm. 3.5/5 in Constructed. 4.5/5 in Arena.

  16. KLGamet
    July 24, 2018 at 6:03 am

    Basicly every deck has some good minions you can discover. This card is only in Big Priest terrible because it can screw up your resurrect.

    4/5

    • Swayer
      July 24, 2018 at 6:24 am

      Yes, but in worse case you can just save that minion as a final back up if all of your other get’s killed 😛