Cactus Game Design Message Boards

The fact that there will now be rewards for achieving a higher rank means I will be playing a lot more constructed. I might actually enjoy it after TGT since this set seems to be violently pushing the meta towards control decks.

Mukla's Champion has possibly the best Inspire ability I have seen, but with stats like that, you really need to buff at least 3 minions with it. This card looks solid for Shaman and Paladin (and maybe Warlock) but won't be great for anyone else most of the time. I'm not a huge fan of win-more cards like this, but I expect this to see play in all formats.

But seriously Shaman so needed Ancestral Knowledge as their drawing is so inconsistent.

Shaman could definitely use some drawing, but ... Ancestral Knowledge? How desperate for cards is Shaman really? Arcane intellect is a so-so card and this is much worse. I might put one in my Shaman deck, but certainly not two. I would rather put Azure Drakes, Loot Hoarders, and Gnomish Inventors in my deck 90% of the time, even if it leaves fewer spots free for other cards.

Bolster is another Warrior card that buffs taunt minions. It's not great with what already exists, but I will withhold judgment of this card until I see what other Warrior taunt synergy TGT provides.

Argent Lance (a Paladin card for those who can't tell) will be good in Arena, but I doubt it will take the place of Coghammer in constructed. Even a consistent 2 mana 2/3 weapon wouldn't cut it.

Armored Warhorse is a possible inclusion in only the latest of late game decks, as you really need it to have charge to be worthwhile. When it has charge, it's excellent, but when it doesn't, it's horrible. You can get it to be good more often than bad in the right deck, but the problem is that you need your fast cards to be more reliable than this. I think this will be used for a while until people realize they need something more consistent.

Burgle - like Thoughtsteal but worse? It's a fun card (as its art suggests), but I don't expect much of it.

Injured Kvaldir is interesting for Priest. You can play it on turn 1 and then heal it on turn 2, making it almost effectively a 2 mana 2/3 with charge. In constructed you can possibly throw this in with your Injured Blademaster/Circle of Healing combo for some sweet value. It's pretty specific though, and rarely worth considering in classes other than Priest.

Master Jouster has a joust ability that is slightly less swingy than that of Armored Warhorse. A simple 5/6 is worth 5 mana, and a 5/6 with divine shield and taunt is worth 7, so assuming you are playing this in a late-game deck, it will be on average better than its cost, but if you are looking for a more consistent card, Sunwalker is better, and that card is rarely used in constructed, so I doubt this one will be either.

Tuskarr Jouster has the same problem as the other Joust cards - inconsistency. If you need something to heal you when you are in dire straits, you want Antique Healbot or Guardian of Kings. Admittedly, this has much better stats per mana cost than either of those cards, but if you are just playing this casually on turn 5, it means you probably don't need the healing and might not even be damaged. If so, a 5 mana 5/5 is not very exciting. I do expect this to see play but I don't believe I will run this or any of the joust cards.

I seriously wonder if the Aviana OTK decks will become a reality. A deck like that would need to focus on fishing out the combo ASAP, while surviving to that stage in the game. Decks like this CAN exist, just look at Grim Patron. I just wonder if druid is capable of pulling it off.

On the note of Anub'Arak, this card is going to be unbelievably good in arena, possibly the best card you could get. Your opponents are not guaranteed to get a silence, which is the only reliable way to handle him. Arena games typically last long enough that he will become a threat.

Lolwat

Its not terrible.  Sorta like a mini-nef.

Yesss I've always wanted more Eye for an Eye and Repentance in other classes.

HYPE

Warhorse Trainer is going to be absolutely insane.

Yep. 2/4 for 3 is a perfectly acceptable stat-line. 2/2 for 3 is absolutely terrible.

Dudes are the best minions to give + 1 attack to, because you double their trading potential.

Turn 2 coin + Muster, Turn 3 Warhorse Trainer.

Charged Hammer is a so-so weapon with a great deathrattle. This is actually a weapon that you want to be destroyed as soon as possible in order to get the deathrattle effect. But usually it will be 3 turns until you do, which makes this card a long-term investment. Still not a bad turn 4 play most of the time.

Remember that you can manually destroy your own weapon. Turn 4 charged hammer, turn 5 Blingtron hype?

(This is a druid card, a little hard to tell)

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. This card is absolutely bonkers. The ultimate ramp card. Have a loot hoarder or acolyte of pain on the board, drop this, hope for ancient of lore or nourish to refill your hand. EZ GAME EZ LIFE.

*Edit* also of note, these are not empty mana crystals, they can be used immediately if you are able to draw cards.

Lance Bearer  -  Battlecry : Give +2 attack to a friendly minion.

Kinda ehh. Yes, the buff is permanent, but why run this over abusive sergeant? It might see play in hobgoblin decks, and that's about it.

(The art looks low-res because this was a translation)

I LOVE the effect on this. Not sure if it will see play, but getting extra coins opens up so many combo options.

Burglar is interesting. It's usually worth it if it gets you a coin, particularly for Rogue due to Combo possibilities. But how often will it get you even one coin? If you coin it out it probably will, but in that case it's virtually a 1 mana 2/2, which isn't super exciting. And if you play it on turn 2 there is a very good chance that your opponent has an answer, in which case it will likely do nothing. As much as I love the idea of a turn 2 Burglar followed by a turn 3 Shado-Pan Cavalry, I don't see it happening very often. But could a card like this make Master of Disguise usable? A man can dream.

Dreadsteed is a really cool idea. It's an easy Silence target a lot of the time, but the ability to deal 1 free damage per turn every turn for the rest of the game is a really cool idea. 4 mana is possibly a bit steep, but we will see.

I would love to get a Dreadsteed from my Piloted Sky Golem with Warsong Commander out.