I haven’t really actively complained about cards for a couple years minus a few super busted decks (minus Star Aligner and Pre nerf Pirate Warrior cause those decks were crazy retarded on their power/design). However, the potential emerging problem card from this expansion is Faceless Corruptor. I also play Wild exclusively, where powerful cards that are complained about in Standard are ignored completely in Wild. Notable examples where cards were highly problematic in Standard but not an issue in Wild include: Dr. Boom Hero card, DK Rexxar, Giggling Inventor, and arguably EVIL Miscreant. My point is that this card is becoming a growing problem in both Standard and Wild, which is why I bring it to attention.
To compare this card, let’s look at Oasis Surger.
Druid 5 Mana Minion
3/3 Rush
Choose One: Give +2/+2 or summon a copy of this minion.
Now on its best day with quest synergy, this card is a 5/5 summon a copy, both have rush. But the real condition of this card is from the potential value it has with the quest. On its own, it’s a fair card, 5/5 with rush. Summoning two 3/3 with rushes is a slightly better value spread out, but still equally around the 5 curve (slightly more cause class cards have higher value than neutrals).
Now let’s look at Faceless Corruptor.
5 mana 5/4 neutral rare minion with Rush
Battlecry: choose a friendly minion and transform it into a copy of this minion. Very similar to Oasis Surger, but this card does not require a quest to utilize its value. It’s also a neutral card which makes it flexible in decks that can take advantage of it better than others.
On its worse day with no minions to transform, it’s a 5/4. On its best day, you choose a 1/1 token or minion and it becomes a 5/4 so now you have two 5/4s, or by subtracting its value from the token its a 5/4 + 4/3 rush. Now it’s conditional, but the condition really is not hard accomplish. You have a minion on the board? The condition is satisfied.
But here’s another factor you have to look at, and that is trading a minion and transforming it. Any Evolve Shaman knows that hitting a minion and then transforming maximizes its potential value. For example, a 3/4 vanilla hitting a 3/3 and transforming it means that I essentially recycle 3 damage worth of mana and gain it back as a 4.5 mana stat minion. In addition, the transformed minion has rush, allowing you to trade again often favorably. So the idea that transforming a body as always downside is incorrect.
But let’s not make arbitrary stats determine whether or not it’s OP. Let’s make a Table. Assume that the conditions of this card are always met, because unless you’re a Priest you probably have a minion on the board. Let’s also assume you are able to trade favorably or at the very least dish the damage to the board, cause unless you suck at this game you will know to use the damage of the previous minion before evolving it. Keep in mind that at WORST this is still a 5/4 on an entirely empty board with no minions on either side (4 mana)
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5/4 Rush (4.5 mana) on a 1/3 minion that deals 1 damage (.5 mana) while buffing it to 5/4 Rush (5 mana minus 1 from stat loss) = 9.0 mana
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5/4 Rush (4.5 mana) on a 2/3 or 3/2 that deals 2 or 3 damage (2 mana) while buffing it to 5/4 Rush (5-2 in stats =3) = 9.5 mana
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5/4 Rush (4.5 mana) on a 3/4 or 4/3 dealing 3 or 4 damage (3 mana) while buffing it to 5/4 Rush (5-3 in stats =2 mana) = 9.5 mana
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5/4 Rush (4.5 mana) on a 4/5 or 5/4 dealing 4 damage (4 mana) while buffing it to a 5/4 Rush (1 mana) = 9.5 mana.
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5/4 rush (4.5 mana) on a 6/7 or 7/6 dealing 6 or 7 damage (4 mana fireball + .5 mana favored/minion card advantage) while debuffing to 5/4 rush (- 1 mana) = 8.0 mana
These circumstances are in the most ideal conditions. The range obviously varies depending on how you utilize the damage you dish out beforehand. Now let’s assume the following conditions.
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If you can’t utilize the rush after transforming the minion = (- 1 mana).
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If you can’t utilize or choose not to utilize the damage from a minion who can still attack before evolving = (-.5 - 10 mana)
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if you evolve minion stats that are not at highest Vanilla stats potential for that mana range, such as a 2/4 or 5/5 (x vanilla mana stats minus -.5)
What is not factored in this table?
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Value gained from Card Advantage if your damage successfully removes a minion
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Value gained or Lost for End of Turn/On Hit Effects such as Divine Shield, Lifesteal, Poisonous, Etc.
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If the Damage Value is not fully utilize, such as a 3/4 hits a 1/1 before transforming to a 5/4.
So what does that conclude? What I conclude is that from seeing the trade value being almost always a thing, I believe that results outweigh the condition and that the mana cost of this card is too low for what it does. This card deserves to be 7 mana at the very least. Let me know what you think if my calculations are off.
TL;DR Faceless Corruptor needs a nerf. My argument is above; read it.
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