I don't honestly think Dragon decks are going to run that many dragons in the first place, even discounting memey 29 Dragons and one Frizz Kindleroost decks. Maybe Dragon decks aren't even really a thing, and they're more like Galakrond decks that HAPPEN to run Dragons, because the Invoke cards just so happen to be Dragons.
Most dragons are going to be big. So you need to draw this, and then you need to draw a big Dragon soon enough for the -2 cost to actually matter (and shaving 2 cost off an Alex if you draw her past turn 10 really isn't that big of a deal, for instance) and if you don't get your payoff, you're running a 4 mana 5/4, which really isn't something you want to run in a deck that wants to play a lot of big dragons...
The dream where you draw and play this on curve and nuke everything on Tempo is certainly fun, but it's just that, a dream... I just can't see any world where this whole gameplan actually works out. People will try it for sure, but mark my words, I think it's going to fall out of favor VERY quickly in Dragon decks, if Dragon decks are even a thing.
I still think I'd place pretty good money on there just being Galakrond decks that just happen to run dragons that end up being viable. I've been around the block long enough to know how this works.
But I've also been around the block long enough to know that you never know, no matter how much you might think you know.
I don't know why this took so long to address, but I'm satisfied.
EDIT: This is great, people boo me for trying to hold Blizzard accountable for their massive screw ups like this, and then when I say I'm satisfied by what they're offering us, they STILL downvote me.
No reward after winning, SUPPOSEDLY THE ENTIRE REASON THEY SHUT THE FREAKING BRAWL OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE, because players "couldn't claim rewards after gameplay" or whatever the hell.
Getting REAL tired of your shit, Blizz. Compensate your playerbase. This seriously isn't acceptable.
But here’s the thing, then they need to use two AoEs. To get rid of -one- card. I’d happily dump five mana to get rid of two AoE cards. It actually seems really good when you take that into consideration.
Iunno, 3 mana 5/4, Deathrattle summon a Magma Rager? That’s 15 stats on 3 mana. That’s kind of insane. I think it’s insane enough that aggro decks would be willing to deal with the drawback. You could get a LOT of damage in with this thing if you drop it on turn 3.
Interesting card, pretty bad class to put it in. There’s a lot of things you’d love to smack with Poison, but Rogue likes to put a lot of stuff on the board. You wouldn’t want to give them ways to clear your growing board, even though it’s still face damage dor them. This would be pretty insane in like, Druid. In Rogue? I’m very sketchy on it.
The combo with Harrison could be very real, but I don’t know if it warrants an include...
Also, it should have been called Madness Project. It’s way more of a project than a “Plague”, from the only Plague card we’ve seen so far.
I took the liberty of going through all the Battlecry cards in Standard right now, and there really isn't anything that warrants a buildaround over this. Sure, you can pay 7 mana to get 11/11 in stats with Former champ, you can double up on Hagatha's battlecry on Turn 10, Fire Elemental/Lifedrinker aren't bad either, but this really can't compete with what's in standard right now.
But keep an eye on this, 100%. Doubling up on Battlecries is a very powerful effect, but there's really nothing that exciting you can do with it yet... but it's hard to imagine this won't be good at some point during it's life in Standard. For all we know, the support is coming this expac.
Also, everybody comparing this to Revenge of the Wild does realize that A: Revenge of the Wild only works with a very specific minion tribe that’s difficult to kill a wide board with on the same turn, and B: Doesn’t have a body attached.
Yes, it’s 5 mana cheaper, but the huge thing is this isn’t a combo card. You aren’t gonna play stuff and then res it unless that stuff had Charge or Rush, it’s all about getting back what you lost LAST turn, with a vengeance. And it’s not just smaller beast cards, it works with big cards, it works with anything. The situation where you play a big drop, they kill it, and then you play Whitemane to get two big things down for 7 next turn will come up a lot more often than some of you seem to think, mark my words
The "nerf" to Fleshshaper is actually a buff if you think about it. Now you can mutate him into a 10 cost dude.
Literally just ban him from standard, there's not really much you can do to actually balance him.
I don't even think it's going to be that.
Best case scenario I can see, it'll be what Trump calls the Two star treatment. It'll be tried out, it won't work out, and people will move on.
It might honestly be phased out fast enough to get the One star treatment.
I don't honestly think Dragon decks are going to run that many dragons in the first place, even discounting memey 29 Dragons and one Frizz Kindleroost decks. Maybe Dragon decks aren't even really a thing, and they're more like Galakrond decks that HAPPEN to run Dragons, because the Invoke cards just so happen to be Dragons.
Most dragons are going to be big. So you need to draw this, and then you need to draw a big Dragon soon enough for the -2 cost to actually matter (and shaving 2 cost off an Alex if you draw her past turn 10 really isn't that big of a deal, for instance) and if you don't get your payoff, you're running a 4 mana 5/4, which really isn't something you want to run in a deck that wants to play a lot of big dragons...
The dream where you draw and play this on curve and nuke everything on Tempo is certainly fun, but it's just that, a dream... I just can't see any world where this whole gameplan actually works out. People will try it for sure, but mark my words, I think it's going to fall out of favor VERY quickly in Dragon decks, if Dragon decks are even a thing.
I still think I'd place pretty good money on there just being Galakrond decks that just happen to run dragons that end up being viable. I've been around the block long enough to know how this works.
But I've also been around the block long enough to know that you never know, no matter how much you might think you know.
It looks great. But it's probably not anywhere near as great as it looks in practice.
You're probably better off running another big Dragon.
Battlecry: Automatically die to Bomb Warrior.
I don't know why this took so long to address, but I'm satisfied.
EDIT: This is great, people boo me for trying to hold Blizzard accountable for their massive screw ups like this, and then when I say I'm satisfied by what they're offering us, they STILL downvote me.
Boo me all you want. I'm right. :)
Still waiting on my rewards from last week Blizz screwed everyone out of.
Day 4. Finally in, finally win.
No reward after winning, SUPPOSEDLY THE ENTIRE REASON THEY SHUT THE FREAKING BRAWL OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE, because players "couldn't claim rewards after gameplay" or whatever the hell.
Getting REAL tired of your shit, Blizz. Compensate your playerbase. This seriously isn't acceptable.
Day 3.
The goddamn Tavern Brawl STILL doesn't work.
Arena Key. Packs.
SOMETHING.
I've opened and closed, opened and closed, opened and closed, and nothing.
And STILL nothing at the time of this post.
This really does warrant a free arena key. Or a couple packs. Or something. And I usually wouldn't say that, but... come ON.
...And I can't get into this one either...
Come on, Blizz. I try not to complain about stuff like this but this is just getting silly now.
But here’s the thing, then they need to use two AoEs. To get rid of -one- card. I’d happily dump five mana to get rid of two AoE cards. It actually seems really good when you take that into consideration.
Iunno, 3 mana 5/4, Deathrattle summon a Magma Rager? That’s 15 stats on 3 mana. That’s kind of insane. I think it’s insane enough that aggro decks would be willing to deal with the drawback. You could get a LOT of damage in with this thing if you drop it on turn 3.
Dr. Boom giving your infinite Golems Rush probably wouldn’t have been practical anyway. But hey, it’s fun to think about. *shrug*
Are the Golems Mechs?
Yes, this actually does matter.
Prepare your anus for another scumbag aggro Paladin deck,
This gets rid of deathrattles as well. Could be amazingly useful alongside board clears.
Interesting card, pretty bad class to put it in. There’s a lot of things you’d love to smack with Poison, but Rogue likes to put a lot of stuff on the board. You wouldn’t want to give them ways to clear your growing board, even though it’s still face damage dor them. This would be pretty insane in like, Druid. In Rogue? I’m very sketchy on it.
The combo with Harrison could be very real, but I don’t know if it warrants an include...
Also, it should have been called Madness Project. It’s way more of a project than a “Plague”, from the only Plague card we’ve seen so far.
I took the liberty of going through all the Battlecry cards in Standard right now, and there really isn't anything that warrants a buildaround over this. Sure, you can pay 7 mana to get 11/11 in stats with Former champ, you can double up on Hagatha's battlecry on Turn 10, Fire Elemental/Lifedrinker aren't bad either, but this really can't compete with what's in standard right now.
But keep an eye on this, 100%. Doubling up on Battlecries is a very powerful effect, but there's really nothing that exciting you can do with it yet... but it's hard to imagine this won't be good at some point during it's life in Standard. For all we know, the support is coming this expac.
Also, everybody comparing this to Revenge of the Wild does realize that A: Revenge of the Wild only works with a very specific minion tribe that’s difficult to kill a wide board with on the same turn, and B: Doesn’t have a body attached.
Yes, it’s 5 mana cheaper, but the huge thing is this isn’t a combo card. You aren’t gonna play stuff and then res it unless that stuff had Charge or Rush, it’s all about getting back what you lost LAST turn, with a vengeance. And it’s not just smaller beast cards, it works with big cards, it works with anything. The situation where you play a big drop, they kill it, and then you play Whitemane to get two big things down for 7 next turn will come up a lot more often than some of you seem to think, mark my words