48 hours into the expansion, and I’m already sick of Galakrond Shaman. The early winrate stats are just obscene!! I understand that its still early, meta has yet to stabilize, etc etc, but come on. Of the top 5 deck archetypes on HsReplay right now, 3 are Galakrond Shaman. and the other 2 have mid-30s win rates against Galakrond Shaman meaning they’re likely to be forced out soon. And since its value is in rush minions and battlecries and (not counting those disgusting double 5/6 taunts for 5 mana), there’s not really any viable tech strategies or counter play possible. It all makes me want to just sit out until there’s a balance patch.

/rant.

The refined versions of Cyclone and Zoo were good–not these. Look closely at this zoo deck list. It has Rafaam scheme and Jumbo Imp–those are good when you have them in your hand for a while and play them at the perfect time, but they are TERRIBLE to topdeck. More importantly: they aren’t what you want in a zoo deck, where you’re trying to vomit minions onto the board ASAP. You need more consistent cards. Most successful zoolock decks run sticky minions like eggs and Mecharoo and then Grim Rally to buff and Diseased Vulture and Leeroy to close out.

I really like your token-based Gal Shaman deck. Unfortunately, I think the battlecry/quest variant with Shudderwok will be what dominates the meta– it just adds so much value to an already powerful tempo deck. which I think is sad because its not that different from pre DitT meta.

For the Gal Warlock: Dragonqueen just seems so slow at 9 mana. I think I’d rather see either a Jumbo Imp and/or Sea Giant which I can hopefully cheat out early thanks to invokations.

FANTASTIC article. If i were to challenge anything, it would be Devoted Maniac: at 4 mana for a 2/2 rush, I think it is just to much tempo loss for Rogue and the invoking isn’t a big enough reward for the risk. Shaman Gal and Warlock Gal get immediate bodies so they get immediate stats, Warrior Gal gets a free swing which they can use to remove an opponent’s minion, and Priest Gal is premusably playing control so they can weather tempo loss. But for for Rogue Gal I think it feels terrible to play that card on curve and above curve you’re really hoping for a witchy lackey so you can evolve it.

I agree with WizNan that it’s just a little too slow (look at the difference between turn 7 Pocket Galaxy and turn 5), but I really appreciate what they’re trying to do here. On the plus side: it does curve nicely with turn 7 -> Goru, Turn 8,9 -> Forest’s Aid.

I was REALLY hoping that Out of Card’s translation–“Fluffy Kibler Dragon”–would be the official. 🙂

Cons: 3 mana 2/3 will be a tempo loss, and the lifesteal won’t matter most games because early game is usually about board control rather than life totals.
Pros: HE’S SOOO CUTE! Look at his pith helmet and little goggles!

5 out of 5 stars.

And Voone. 🙂

This + Barista is disgusting.

This presumably will discover just from your class and neutral dragons, right?

Maybe? Sure, it is probably better than your average common–except its a legendary. It’s not going to be offered that often and when it is, it will probably be against other high-impact legendaries. For example: I can’t imagine this being a better arena card than Ysera Unleashed, Veranus, or Deathwing Mad Aspect. Sure, there are other legendaries which you might prefer this too either because they synergize poorly or are low impact, but if your other 2 offerings are both worse, then I think that’s moreso a low-roll than this card being good. Keep in mind: without buffs, this card is doing a max of 7 damage/turn, so even if your opponent ignores it entirely it will still take 4-5 turns to kill them.

Even then, it’s still 6 mana for a 6/6 body. 😉

…This card is just awful, right? Like, halfway betweeen Millhouse-Awful and Duskfallen Anivia-Awful.

I totally agree with these evaluations. Brann definitely belong top tier; honestly, he seems a slightly too powerful to me. Most games I’ve seen him have excellent early game and then still good late game. And I’m still sad Sir Finley got such an underwhelming HP–it seems like he’s always getting the short end of the stick compared to the rest of the league!

Gratz!

I agree that Lightfang needs something, but I’m conflicted towards exactly what. I do really how it carries menagerie comps late-game because I think menagerie are much more interesting than tribal flushes (e.g., mechs essentially come down to: if you get offered junkbot and enough replicating menace + security rovers you win; otherwise you lose). But at the same time, I also think its a little too easy to get versus what you get in return. Contrast with Iron Sensei, who’s just one tier lower and yet is almost always a dead card just because he’s only giving out a single +2/+2 whereas Lightfang does four. And I hate saying Lightfang should be moved to Tier 6, because Tier 6 is a huge late game investment and you’re really looking for things that will have immediate payoff circa Mama Bear, Kangor, Ghastcoiler, Zapp, etc.

I could see either making Lightfang only +1/+1 or limiting him to 2-3 targets, but for the latter: do you put in some wonky code where he randomly decides which tribes to ignore, or do you make it explicit? I fear if you make it explicit, you’re effectively changing menagerie from “murloc + mech + beast + demon” to mean whichever combination of tribes that Lightfang hits because there won’t be an incentive to carry all four tribes late-game any more.

Played 3 games on ladder last night for quest completion; faced 3 token shaman.

Evolve can’t rotate back out of standard fast enough.

Great article! I’m really hoping Waxadred lends himself to a deathrattle build–i.e., synergy with Anka, Necrium Blade/Vial, Shadows of Death… If you want to be really wacky, I think there’s even a potential Myras + Knife Juggler + full board infinite damage combo. I realize its a memey long shot, but a man can dream.

Overall I’m really impressed with what they’re doing here, especially considering that its “just” a low-stakes mini-game. My biggest irritation is that so much is Feast Or Famine, and it sounds like they are trying really hard to make it so contingency plans are viable while still allowing you that rush when you do hit the perfect combo.