Shamans Vs the mage card "Elemental Inspiration"? Standard

Community Discussion
1

Hi all,

Intro
I have been enjoying the expansion with my custom control shaman counter deck since early October, even when struggling against meta players at diamond. Playing control as shaman has been viable for a long time. The added Yogg-Saron Unleashed was a key component to making the deck work for board removal this season. The fact that Yogg always transformed into Yogg was pretty strong for Shamans. Also the fact that cold storage copied an already low cost Yogg was cool.

Problem
Now that Yogg Saron has been big nerfed, Control Shamans lack any potential in removing big boards. Sure you may have saved up several Lightning Storms and Crash of Thunder in anticipation of the Elemental Inspiration. But that requires a lot of luck. And the fact that Mages run several of Elemental Inspiration makes it very tough. They can even on turn 9 discover one that plays that turn, to then play a second one the next turn. The divine shields and reborn will stick.
The only neutral card that pseudo removes the elementals is Deathwing the Destroyer. But thats a 10 cost card that will delete your hand. Another combo that requires luck is primordial wave that will transform all 4 cost elementals into 3 cost random minions. But todays standard has a lot of 3 cost cards with 4 hp.
To almost remove 1 Elemental Inspiration you would need 2 spell damage cards and an aoe spell or 2 aoe spells that will overload you.

Previous seasons you could freeze the entire board, Earthquake, Hagathas Scheme, Elemental Destruction (4-5 dmg) and Perpetual flame (+ minimal manipulation of board to get full clear, then unlock crystals).

Why is Shaman now completely without big board removal?

Solution
Elemental Inspiration should be a legendary card. That would make it reasonable to gather 3 spells (+ overload) to completely negate 1 card.
EDIT
Make the card cost 6, summon 3/4 elementals that cost 3. This would make Primordial Wave + lightning storm a valid strategy and a reasonable resource to invest.

Or
I should give up the control shaman dream. Writing this post made me further realize that control shaman may just be impossible now. I may go back to control priest, but that would make me a hipster, I rather play something unique. There are also some fun UBB DK decks.
Then again, it is not long until next expansion.

Rant ended.

Kind regards
Non-meta player

2

Exactly. There are several boardclears waiting for the shaman in the next expansion.

Elemental Inspiration requires setup and is also quite the gamble. I used this card several times at full power and I did not get a single elemental with taunt and lost several games because of that. The card is fine and does not need a nerf.

3

now we have conductivity combos which arent that bad

4

Thanks for the good news, have not checked the incoming cards yet.

Well as a control, I’d rather all your elementals being taunt. The divine shield and reborns are very strong vs control. I understand it is a gamble against aggro decks. But a sudden board of 4/5 elementals for a control shaman is game deciding. Not to mention the OTK Sif typically coming the next 3 turns when turn 10 has been reached. I do run rat and Theotar for that, but still gotta be lucky.

@Boreas
Conductivity sure is a cool card. That + Hex I guess would be the strongest combo, but it will only remove 3 minions. Altered Chord could work, but that requires the adjacent elementals to be without divine shield and reborn.

5

true
im guessing your deck isnt much about having a board

about minions with reborn
not sure you know this

if you ever play vs an undead priest and they summon a board of undead minions with reborn
blazing transformation + conductivity can help it isnt random targeting so the game will let you choose the minion for all up to 3 blazing tranformation targets

6

Correct, I run mostly removal and specific minions that counter majority of meta decks.
Yea, I have crushed plenty of undead priest dreams with transform. But you dont really need Conductivity for that, you only need Primordial Wave (which also detransforms instead of adding 1 cost), which I run + the discovered ones. This was also a counter to spell damage druid, making them unable to resurrect spell damage minions. Also a counter to mech Rogue, making their 1-cost magnetised 6/7+ into a 1/1 or 0/3 1-cost non mech. Also works for the earthen paladin.
Trust me, control shaman is all I have done this season haha.

The low costs arent an issue, it’s the 4/5 elementals.

7

i know you dont need conductivity but is good to know all possible interactions
just in case conductivity and blazing transformation are in your hand but primordial wave isnt

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