Last week we started a new series, reviewing the best and worst cards in the Warrior and Priest decks.
The review train keeps on rolling as we take a look at the four most Warrioriest abilities in all of Hearthstone: Battlecry, Charge, Taunt, and Enrage. We talk about what each ability does, and show some examples of how you can use it to your advantage.
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The Links
Hello!
- Derrick is on the show this week
- Topic: Discussing four abilities – Battlecry, Charge, Taunt, and Enrage
- Reasons to be happy this week
Who is Derrick?
- History with card games
- History with Blizzard games
- History with The Happy Hearthstone
Battlecry
A full list of all Battlecry cards
What it does: The effect happens when the card is played from your hand (not if forced into play by another card, like Alarm-O-Bot)
Magic Equivalent: No fancy keyword, but a lot of cards say “When this card enters the battlefield under your control…”
What classes can use Battlecry:
- Neutral: 54
- Druid: 0
- Hunter: 1
- Mage: 1
- Paladin: 3
- Priest: 1
- Rogue: 2
- Shaman: 2
- Warlock: 8
- Warrior: 2
Card Examples:
- Novice Engineer – Cantrip – In addition to the creature, draw a card
- Sunfury Protector – Defensive – If you can play a follow-up bomb, it has tons of protection
- Stampeding Kodo – Removal – On turn 5, there’s likely to be a minion with 2 or less attack
Tips for using it effectively
- If you have a way to return cards you control to your hand, then you can replay cards w/ battlecry effects. So this turns a negative into a positive.
- Focus on the vanilla test. How good is this card if I the battlecry effect is not there?
- Watch out for “best case scenario” mentality. Some battecry effects are situational. Will you get stuck holding a card longer than you should’ve – would it have been better to have that 3 / 4 minion on the board 2 turns ago?
Charge
A full list of all Charge cards
What it does: This creature can attack immediately when it’s played (no sleeping turn).
Magic Equivalent: Haste
What classes can use Charge:
- Neutral: 9
- Druid: 4
- Hunter: 4
- Mage: 0
- Paladin: 0
- Priest: 0
- Rogue: 0
- Shaman: 1
- Warlock: 1
- Warrior: 4
Card Examples:
- Charge – Spell – Straightforward and only costs 2; most useful on creatures with high attack.
- King Krush – Creature Ability – When you play this card, something bad will happen to your opponent.
- Warsong Commander – Buff – Shares the effect with other friendly minions.
Tips for using it effectively
- Use this in aggressive decks that want to swing every turn
- Use it to catch enemy off-guard. Can be used to kill big threat they’re planning on you not being able to kill in one turn.
- Since your opponent can’t play cards on your turn, creatures with Charge are that much more useful.
Taunt
A full list of all Taunt cards
What it does: If an enemy is attacking (not spells), they must choose to attack creatures with Taunt on them until none remain. They may choose between creatures with Taunt if there are multiple.
Magic Equivalent: No keyword, since defenders usually get to choose blockers. Palisade Giant is probably closest
What classes can use Taunt:
- Neutral: 16
- Druid: 3
- Hunter: 1
- Mage: 1
- Paladin: 1
- Priest: 0
- Rogue: 0
- Shaman: 4
- Warlock: 2
- Warrior: 0
Card Examples:
- Frostwolf Grunt – Minion Protection – Good on the vanilla test, but saved for keeping an important minion on the board.
- Mark of the Wild – Synergy – On a huge bomb, like King Krush, you can now force your opponents minions into the jaws of the beast.
- Hex – Penalty – Hex is great as removal, but you’re blocked from attacking your opponent until he’s removed.
Tips for using it effectively
- Use this to protect important minions you want to keep alive.
- It can keep your hero alive in a pinch
- The effect of Taunt is often more valuable than the minion itself, meaning that it’s probably worth saving for the ideal moment.
Enrage
A full list of all Enrage cards
What it does: This effect is activated while a minion is injured. Permanent until the minion is healed to full health or dies. Doesn’t happen during first combat.
Magic Equivalent: Since “toughness” in Magic (hp) resets at the end of each turn, there isn’t a perfect equivalent for this.
What classes can use Battlecry:
- Neutral: 5
- Druid: 0
- Hunter: 0
- Mage: 0
- Paladin: 0
- Priest: 0
- Rogue: 0
- Shaman: 0
- Warlock: 0
- Warrior: 1
Card Examples:
- Amani Berserker – Aggressive – A solid creature on it’s own, and super effective if it Enrages. Forces enemy to address it
- Shieldbearer – Defensive – The enemy has to enrage it. The downside is that Taunt sometimes forces the enemy to kill if before you can even take advantage.
- Angry Chicken – Trick – You’ll need to use spells or special minions to boost his health so that he can afford to be enraged without dying. But if you can, you get a free +5 damage, which makes it a nasty monster.
Tips for using it effectively
- Unless you have a trick, you’ll need 2 turns to make a minion Enrage. Most minions won’t last that long if your opponent doesn’t want it to.
- Only play the minion if it’s effective without the Enrage mechanic. Just consider that gravy.
- If you have a spell that damages one of your own minions, use it to Enrage this.
- Remember that healing it back to full removes the effect.
Card of the Week
By his slashes, we are healed.
Farewell
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