I like it. Powerful effect for 2 mana, you just have to cause the eruption. It’s very creative and will most definitely see play. Mage has got some early board removal power now.
13 Likes
Not sure how useful this is when Fire Sale will still be around in Standard to do essentially the same AoE effect without needing a trigger (though for 2 more mana).
Maybe there are some uses for being able to pre-cast an AoE effect on a Frozen board or something like that? Or putting it on your own Taunt minion?
Here’s the Out of Cards post with the link to the reveal:
2 Likes
Does it avoid Silence mechanics? Because even if silenced, it can still die. I wonder what takes precedence?
Also you can do this on your own minion. The opponent may not want to make that trade…
Worst case its Hellfire that doesnt hit faces. Not bad.
Decent, though would prefer if it only hit enemy minions. Mages usually have limited boards to begin with - not sure why they have to wipe themselves at the same time.
I’m most interested in seeing what is to replace the slow mask of c’thun. Mages need something hard hitting that can go face, and the masks were already outdated for their cost and random effect. Mage hero will also effectively be nerfed if there are no shadow spells left.
We shall see if wide boards of small minions will remain a thing. If the enemy plays only big threats or is spell-focused, this card won’t do a thing. Fire Sale at least can be traded, a big upside in those situations.
Overall, I like the card, but it can be as good as it can be useless. Probably it won’t see any play outside of discoveries.
Thinking about this more:
If this works by essentially giving the target a Deathrattle, then there are some potentially useful interactions with keywords like Lifesteal and Poisonous (though you’d probably need to be careful then about putting it on an enemy Lifesteal minion).
If they bring back Snowchugger to the Core set to support the Mech things they’re printing for Mage, that could be a decent target too for a sort of combo version of Blizzard (though it hits your minions too).
I really like this card, great creative design, just so many options to get the most out of it.
You can put it on a poisonous minion ( the new dormant Murloc springs to mind) and clear the board, on a lifesteal minion for a big heal etc. Lots of big brain plays available!
Quite meta dependent if it will see play, but presuming they are aiming at a slower more boardcentric game this should be good.
2 Likes
Too awkward. Unreliable unless you set it up to go off on the same turn. Setting it up for the same turn means at least a ping that make this 4 mana which we have Fire Sale doing the same thing for 4 mana or multi card combo. Bonus points because you can toss it on one of your minions to dissuade the opponent from trading into it.
Don’t think this works with poison. It doesn’t say the minion deals the damage. Similar to Shadowflame its the spell doing the damage not the minion you targeted with the spell.
I bet someone is gonna come in and say that this is a crappy Warlock card given to a tempo class 
3 Likes
This card does seem kind of like a Janky Shadowflame.
1 Like
I like the design. There are several cool ways to use it. I like that mage players can put it on their own minions either to force a trade or to deter the opponent from clearing it depending on the situation
I keep going back and forth on this one.
Initially, it looks great. 2 mana for a 3 damage AoE seems crazy good.
Then, it looks worse. If you spend mana triggering this you might as well just use Fire Sale.
Then it looks better again. You stick this on a minion turn 2, your opponent is hesitant to develop his board because it’s gonna get blown up by this if he does.
Then I think why not combine it with fire sale?
Turn 6 you stick this on a minion with 3 or less health, cast Fire Sale, that’s a 6 damage for 6 mana combo. That’s pretty good.
So I’ve decided to go with… has potential.
7 Likes
Geez AoE is so cheap now. Interesting activation requirement, though.
I think Fire sale is much better than this just because of tradeable and thats why this will not be played.
Tradeable is just so strong and effective mechanic. at the same time, this might not solve the boards sometimes, so you rather search for different thing - devolving, mass sheepstick, hero card or just freeze.
So yeah, if this had tradeable, it could be considered similar level (or better) card. It doesnt, so it is just worse.
If it combo with poison/lifesteal it’s definitely good, not sure it does though! If mages continue to play decks that have board presence, eg like hero power mage now, this is definitely also an auto include!
If none of the above works, then it’s just meh at best!
Yeah, I think you’re right, thought I was being clever!
Still, a combo with either the new 1 drop Dormant minion or the Murloc could be a good way to trigger this effect while enabling a clear of 1 big minion plus 3 to the board, could be relevant vs Colossal minions?
Weirdest AoE I have ever seen.
It damages also your minions, so it won’t be played in mech mage probably
1 Like
oh wow, great anti aggro card for mage.
Really felt the whole year like we direly need the 3dmg aoe secret back to do sth.
Also can target enemy minions, so there´s lots of different ways to play this. Really need more cards like this.
1 Like