Unidentified Elixir

Unidentified Elixir Card

Unidentified Elixir is a 3 Mana Cost Common Priest Spell card from the Kobolds and Catacombs set!

Card Text

Give a minion +2/+2. Gains a bonus effect in your hand.

Flavor Text

"Here, taste this." (Slurp) "What is it?" "I don't know, I found it in one of the labs."

Unidentified Elixir Additional Information

When this card enters your hand it will be given one of the bonuses below.

Cards Relating to Unidentified Elixir

Elixir of Hope
Type: Spell - Cost: 3
Give a minion +2/+2 and "Deathrattle: Return this minion to your hand."
Elixir of Life
Type: Spell - Cost: 3
Give a minion +2/+2 and Lifesteal.
Elixir of Purity
Type: Spell - Cost: 3
Give a minion +2/+2 and Divine Shield.
Elixir of Shadows
Type: Spell - Cost: 3
Give a minion +2/+2. Summon a 1/1 copy of it.

Unidentified Elixir Card Review

Now there’s a weird card. Although the possibilities are interesting, they do seem a bit underwhelming at first. At 3 mana, +2/+2 is not the most exciting buff in the world, especially considering Priest’s history as a minion-heavy class. Dragon Priest used to be a thing of course, but it’s no longer seen in Standard and in most Priest decks, buffs are generally quite bad. Even with a plethora of cool effects attached to them, with dubious yet sweet value, what the Elixir needs in order to see play is a Priest deck that plays for the board, buffing and healing minions through thick and thin.

The actual bonus effects are relatively nice on their own – Lifesteal and Divine Shield are both solid defensive options and summoning a 1/1 copy or giving it “Deathrattle: Return this minion to your hand” are excellent value-oriented abilities when they find the proper target. But then again, that’s exactly the problem with this spell – it’s random. Since you never know what your Elixir will be for that game, you cannot actively plan ahead for it during deckbuilding other than getting the +2/+2 buff onto a minion. You can’t actively put cheap value Deathrattle minions in your deck because you are not guaranteed to get the two good options for them (although you are likely playing those minions regardless… anyway). By not being able to anticipate the buff with any certainty, you are left with a card that’s primarily exactly that – a boost in stats, which as I mentioned already is not good in existing Priest decks (yes there is the occasional Dragon Priest being experimented with). Without more support that’s unlikely to be a deck, although KFT’s Shadow Ascendant could be a possible indication towards incoming support, probably in the next set.

Card Review by Chimbarozo

Leave a Reply

14 Comments

  1. Imaloony
    November 26, 2017 at 1:48 am

    Buffs have to be pretty nuts to be relevant in standard. Spikeridge Steed, Power Word: Shield, etc. It has to be worth risking the opponent just nuking two of your cards with one of theirs. This strikes me as something that Priest wouldn’t care about even in a world where Raza Priest isn’t ruining everything.

    Even in Arena, I don’t think Priest wants this. Pretty much everything I said about this card in Standard applies here (Except the Raza Priest sutff). Being random makes it even worse both here and in Standard.

    Standard: 1/5
    Arena: 1/5

  2. Crapcrack
    November 7, 2017 at 6:41 am

    wow super stronk me like, so plus 2 plus 2 is worth 2 mana and if u add in the other effects that would cost 1 mana u get 2 cards in 1. That’s really good imagine combining mark of the nature with Hand of Protection.

  3. TheTommunist
    November 5, 2017 at 1:17 pm

    I’m wondering if this card really is good or not. In wild, Velen’s Chosen seems more appealing since it gives more value on play, while Unidentified Elixer gives more value over time. Giving a minion +2/2 for 3 mana is below average, but 3 mana for +2/2 and divine shield is nuts. However, my concern is that the card is relatively slow. For most of the early game, it’s better to play minions on curve, and even if you do pull off first buff, the second one might not be worth it since it can’t be played on curve. Then again, divine shield and lifesteal are excellent mechanics to have in all stages of the game, especially in the mid-late game.

    • Me
      November 9, 2017 at 2:55 am

      Actually the unidentified elixir gains a bonus effect when it goes into your hand not when you play it. Technically it should be gain a bonus effect when you draw this card but the wording is a little weird so that it will get a bonus effect even if you get the unidentified elixir without drawing.

      • 1234
        November 17, 2017 at 6:55 pm

        The wording is because there may be ways in which it is added to your hand without being drawn, such as spellslinger.

  4. Opal736
    November 4, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Wasn’t there also a fourth possible elixir of hope in the picture that gives “deathrattle: return this minion to the hand” to the target?

    • Alex
      November 5, 2017 at 5:28 pm

      They showed that one as well but it for some reason isn’t being listed here >.>

  5. Wut
    November 3, 2017 at 5:42 pm

    Wild dragon priest gonna love this card.

    Whats common early minion for priest?

    I mean 3/5 cleric is nuts. Add lifesteal, shield, or man… Its copy of 1/1, your opponent wont gonna be happy with it.

    Cast a copy version to radiant elemental and you can go nuts.

    I hope zoo priest gonnabe a thing.

    • Frogbane
      November 4, 2017 at 3:08 am

      It is kind of possible. I have one and i added Benedictus aswell.

    • RNGesusfavoursme
      November 6, 2017 at 5:07 pm

      Zoo Priest sounds fun

  6. Threather
    November 3, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    Seems like a pretty good card. I see it being most viable on deathrattle priest because divine shield buff is really good on sticky boards and summoning 1/1 copies works there too obviously.

    Lifesteal is just nice extra, potential 6 heal or so. Could work if priests start running taunts like that 4 mana 2/6.

    I rate this card 3/5 because it is obviously RNG card that requires a minion capable of attacking/taunting.

  7. cypher
    November 3, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    Many of the cards released so far are just nuts, wtf.

  8. A guy
    November 3, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    No was the deathrattle effect fake?
    Damn :/