Tag Archives: CCG Corner

Digital Playground

Marvel SNAP December 2023: Hellfire Gala

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Introduction

The first week of the month generally means time for comic reviews. I promise that they’re coming. The comics arrived in the mail. I sorted them. I need to read them and review them. Before the end of the week. Besides, when I logged in earlier, the game reminded me of the Marvel SNAP December 2023 update.

They went with the Hellfire Gala this time. Without a major TV or movie release, I suppose they decided to take a cue from the comics this time. Though, I think the Hellfire Gala was a couple of months ago because right now they’re doing the “Fall of X” story line in the books. I forgot to order my comics for December, so maybe next month I finally get caught up on X-Men then.

New Locations

Neither of these locations wows me a ton. I like the idea of extra energy but rarely feel like I get to use it regularly. Perhaps by exploiting that imbalance each turn, I can play cards a turn earlier. Feels like a “win more” strategy. The white palace gives you a copy of an expensive card. Big deal.

New Cards

Selene

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On Reveal: Afflict the lowest-Power card in each player’s hand with -3 Power.

None of these cards speaks to me like the ones from the previous month. I generally don’t play buff decks, so Shaw and Havok won’t see much play from me. I like the idea of Blob as a troll card at the end of the game. I see no utility in Selene at all. She just feels really underpowered. Maybe late game if you haven’t played either of your Gobbys and you hit one of their bigger cards with it. So, some utility, I suppose.

The Verdict

The previous month interested me more than Marvel SNAP December 2023. I will still spend cash on the rewards track because I always finish it and it feels like good value. But, I doubt that I’ll play any of the cards other that to complete the special quests that they give you monthly to entice you to play the cards. Hey, I don’t mind the treadmill.

Pictures SNAPed from Marvel SNAP Zone.

Episode 1.03 – Ixalan and Thankful

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Similar to the previous episode. I released this on the first of the month, technically missing our deadline. We respect tradition here at 2 Guys Gaming. This time, we recorded at my house. 3 cats, a dog, and 3 kids plus a pellet stove means there’s a lot more ambient noise. But, it’s all brought to you with love.’ The third episode: Ixalan and Thankful.

We start by talking about the cards that we like from Ixalan. Chris talks about cards he likes. A black card that doubles damage. white removal, a god that triples tokens, and a dragon and a dragon dinosaur. I bring the Millenium Calendar, a land that uses the graveyard, and a straight busted 2 mana 8/8. Obviously, those aren’t the only cards, but they’re the highlights.

Then, we discuss some about Old School 93/94, Jason’s preferred play style. Chris, having played before, teaches me about the meta and that it is as limiting as I thought. But, it still makes me want to try some decks on xMage.

We end the discussion with things we are thankful for. Amazon sales and friends made through Magic the Gathering top the list. Read my articles on the page for more. Thanks for listening to our Ixalan and Thankful episode and join us next month for more.

2 Guys Gaming
2 Guys Gaming
Episode 1.03 - Ixalan and Thankful
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On the Tabletop

Thankful for Tabletop Gaming 2023

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Introduction

Black Friday. I tell stories of working retail during Black Friday and people gasp. The truth of the matter is that I worked it almost 30 years ago before it became a thing. Back then, retail workers spoke of the term in hushed tones. But, there was no small business Saturday or Cyber Monday. There were no sales where people murdered one another for a blender. Just long lines and endless Garth Brooks on the PA. This year, I just call it the day after Thanksgiving. And a day off from work so I can write why I’m thankful for tabletop gaming 2023.

After talking about PC (mostly) and mobile earlier in the week, I fear that this, too, may be a bit of an anticlimax. I usually save the best for last with these articles. But, looking back on it now, the only real reason I can think of to be thankful for tabletop gaming this year is that Chris, Jason, and I were able to get together to play Magic the Gathering a couple of times.

Commander! Live and in Person!

Granted, that’s not that bad of a reason. But, I feel bad because I kept meaning to sit down with Quinn and play more Dungeons and Dragons. We compromised a couple of weeks ago with a session of Roll Player Adventures. Heck, even this weekend, I wanted to play some D&D with him to set up articles for next week. Maybe I can convince him and Chris to sit down for a quick session tomorrow before we record the next episode of 2 Guys Gaming.

But I, as I often do, digress.

Thankfully some things never change

The first time we played, we brought our own decks that we either built or, in my case, used an upgrade guide to make it better. I played my Naya landfall deck to some success. I think Chris knocked out Jason and then I stalled the game like I do for a few turns before misplaying and scooping. Hey, like I say, some things never change.

Then, Chris and Jason went halves on Lord of the Rings Commander decks. We played them fresh out of the boxes. I played an elves deck. Again, I found some early success in the game. I set up my board, made dudes, planned out a winning strategy. This time, instead of misplaying, Chris simply drew a board clear that killed all my dudes and left me exposed. And, so, back to the drawing board. Playing the deck gave me some ideas to improve it, but I haven’t actually implemented any of them yet. Once we nail down a time for the next meeting I’ll take care of it.

The Verdict

Again, perhaps underwhelming. But, I can’t say how much having a regular playgroup has improved my attitude and enjoyment of Magic the Gathering again. If only I could find one for D&D. Maybe that’s one of my resolutions for next year. Also, it inspired Chris and I to resurrect the podcast again. So, MtG is truly why I’m thankful for tabletop gaming 2023.

Digital Playground, On the Tabletop

MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 2: Story/Art

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Introduction

It’s that time of year when things get pushed to the background, especially here on the page. But, I remain committed to updating as often as possible. And, so, MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 2 and Part 3 becomes Part 2 only. Who knows? I actually think this works better.

Again, similar to my previous article in this series, a direct comparison between the two feels ridiculous. Wizards of the Coast takes their art and story very seriously. They also worked tirelessly recently to clean up some loose ends and make the story more consistent and coherent. Blizzard went the route of making their stories sillier and their art less realistic. Being someone who likes that style less, I side with Magic the gathering on both.

Showdown in the Badlands Art

As if proof of concept, I found no art in the new Hearthstone set that impressed me other than the new Reno. And, honestly, I think that’s just because I like the card style of the hero cards. The art itself leaves much to be desired. It’s simply a portrait of the hero. Some of the new Druid dragons look cool, too. Other than that, though, the set art is very plain.

Showdown in the Badlands Story

From the Blizzard Hearthstone site:

“The Bloodrock Mining Company found powerful Azerite in the Badlands. They’re digging deep and bleeding the land dry, disrupting the Badlands and awakening slumbering elementals! Now mysterious outlaws are riding into town to set things right. Tumbleweeds roll by and high noon looms. Grab your horse and your hat, it’s nearly time for a Showdown in the Badlands!”

I mean, that’s not a terrible set up for a decent story. But, after that, the pay off lacks some punch. Some of the cards and the mechanics mention the Azurite and other parts of the storyline. However, Blizzard doesn’t weave their story into the game as much as Wizards. So, while I like the story, I wish they gave fans like me a little more to work with.

Lost Caverns of Ixalan Art

I picked these three cards for a reason. The only one I genuinely like as art is Hurl into History. The art matches the card description perfectly. It also gives a great sense of motion. I picked the dragon to give a comparison in art styles between the two games. The Fabrication Foundry does the same. Even when they come up with some ridiculous idea of a being, they still make it seem like it exists in a real and living world. That adds to my enjoyment and appreciation of the art.

Lost Caverns of Ixalan Story

I can’t hope to include the entire story here like I did with the Hearthstone excerpt. The story on the official Wizards page scrolls for thousands of words and follows several different characters. But, what I remember from Ixalan before, it features dinosaurs and pirates. What more can you ask for?

As far as I’m concerned, nothing. But, as Billy Mays always said, “There’s more!” WotC also gives us gods in this set. Unlike some other planes, these gods aren’t explicitly immortal. Rather, when they die, they transform into temple lands with a mana ability that allows the god to reascend later in the game. I like that twist because you can remove the god from the board for a time without having to use an exile spell.

The Verdict

Again, without directly comparing the two, I need to wrap up this MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 2 article. The art for Showdown in the Badlands doesn’t impress me at all. The story, on the other hand, works well enough. I always love looking at old Magic the Gathering sets to revisit the art. I keep track of the story when it’s interesting. Other than the pirates and dinosaurs, I don’t find Ixalan particularly compelling.

Digital Playground, On the Tabletop

MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 1: Mechanics and Keywords

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Introduction

I realized a few weeks ago that both Magic the Gathering and Hearthstone released expansions this week. Instead of reviewing both sets individually (who has time for that?), I decided to write a series comparing the two sets. I, then, further refined the series by splitting it into three parts, mechanics/keywords, story, and art. MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 1 brings mechanics and keywords.

Having never written this type of article before, I have no idea how to approach it. Do I write it as if it was a true battle of the card battlers and come up with a victor at the end? Or, simply give a summary of the two sets and allow the reader to make up their mind. Now that I see that written, that makes the most sense. So, be prepared to make a decision by the end of the week.

Showdown in the Badlands Mechanics and Keywords

According to the Blizzard expansion page, Showdown in the Badlands only introduces two new keywords, Quickdraw and Excavate. For those of you who play Eternal, Quickdraw sounds familiar. However, in Hearthstone it has a completely different effect. Cards with the keyword get a bonus if you play them the turn that they are drawn. The card below gives you an example. If you play this on the turn it enters your hand (so it can be discovered, not drawn is how I interpret that), you get a coin. If you combo it with another card, you get a coin. According to my rudimentary research, you can only generate one coin with this. So, small miracles. Yes, that pun was intended.

Excavate, on the other hand, only applies to certain classes. By my understanding, other classes can excavate cards through Discover, but you don’t get a pay off of the legendary treasure. You simply cycle through the Common-Rare-Epic treasures. If you want to see the various treasures and their rarity level, check out this guide at Hearthstone Top Decks.

Aside from the keywords, the only notable mechanic that I see returning in the set is “Highlander” decks. So called because they only contain one copy (get it?!) of each card, some cards in the game pay off for just such a deck. The most prominent is the original Reno, which healed your character back to full health in the case of only one card left in your deck. Others came along like Kazakus and Zephrys that were fun, but the only ones that really caught on long term were priest cards. Well, Reno is back and he wants your Highlander deck again.

Lost Caverns of Ixalan Keywords and Mechanics

The other reason I didn’t want to directly compare the two sets is that Magic the Gathering is a much more complex game than Hearthstone. Therefore, with each set release, they have more keywords and mechanics. They also have cycles in each set that share a commonality. If you’ve never played the game, you care nothing about those. On the other hand, if you have, then you probably already know all of this. If you somehow exist in another subset of those possibilities, you can read more here.

The two brand new keywords in the set are Craft and Descend. Craft allows you to transform an artifact into a more powerful artifact with a mana and additional cost. Descend refers to your graveyard. You can descend by putting a card into the graveyard. You can check your descend score with an “X” value.

The Verdict

No, I didn’t lie. You won’t find any actual verdict here at the end of MTG vs. Hearthstone Part 1. Instead, I leave you with a question. Which of the keywords has you most excited, interested, or wondering. Are there any that you can see yourself building a deck around? I, for one, love the idea of Reno and I’m putting that in my decks.

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

Wilds of Eldraine Miscellaneous Cards I Love

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Introduction

Time to finish out Wilds of Eldraine with the cards that are left article. After picking my favorite white, blue, and black and then my favorite red and green cards, that leaves multi-colored, colorless, and possibly lands. Full disclosure. Once upon a time (clever, huh?), I got a bit too excited by the gold border. I know every Magic the Gathering player feels the same. But, as a novice, the gold makes you think that a card is better than it really is. All that glitters is gold, as a wise man once sang. On with Wilds of Eldraine miscellaneous.

Wilds of Eldraine Multicolored Cards I Love

I tried to set this one up like the other articles, where I pick 3 honorable mention and one card as the clear favorite. But, then I looked at the cards. And, believe me, I looked. Several times I looked at those cards. And, I found exactly two that I wanted to include in this article. One, I played. The deck that I found included Beluna Grandsquall. Fun card that gave me some advantage in all of the games I played. The Goose Monther caught my eye, as you might figure, because Bird Hydra. How can I ignore that?

Wilds of Eldraine Colorless Cards I Love

They mailed it in on the colorless cards this time, too. While Soul-Guide Lantern probably won’t see play very often in my decks, even I know it’s a good card in the right deck. I picked the other one because it combines the two card types that I play the least. I wonder what it means that clues are in the set. That’s an Innistrad mechanic.

The Verdict

Wilds of Eldraine miscellaneous cards underwhelm. I realize that not all cards in a set an be great, but I usually expect to be wowed by one or two from each section. I can’t remember the last time I needed to work so hard to simply list 4 mediocre cards and convince myself that I love those cards. So, let’s move on to next week.

Images grabbed from Mythic Spoiler

On the Tabletop

Wilds of Eldraine Gruul Edition Cards I Love

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Introduction

I went through my picks for Esper edition Wilds of Eldraine cards on Monday. As I’ve done since coming up with this format a few years ago, Wednesday brings Wilds of Eldraine Gruul cards. It also brings an admission that I feel the least comfortable playing green and red.

I mitigated that some by building a Naya landfall deck as one of my Commander decks. Until I update my Lord of the Rings elf deck, it is my favorite deck currently to play. Both playing an elf deck on Arena and getting a chance to play with that elf deck gives me some hope when playing those green cards, at least.

There’s hope for me yet to figure out that missing piece of the color pie.

Wilds of Eldraine Red Honorable Mention (Almost Goldspan, Almost Lightning Bolt, and Almost Playable)

Decadent Dragon

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Of these three cards, I’ve actually played one of them. I wanted to record a first day video where I played a deck that I found online. I ended up recording two of them! However, I messed up the sound on both, so who knows if they lead to my big break as a content creator. Long story short, I clicked a link that took me to a Temur adventures deck. In that deck? Scalding Viper. It worked very well against the aggro decks I faced.

I just find the other two cards funny. Wizards of the Coast constantly pushes the envelope with new cards. When they go overboard, they try to find a more balanced version, like the new dragon vs. Goldspan Dragon. Other times, they try to balance unbalanced cards from the past. Then, you get the word salad of something like Torch the Tower.

Red Card I Love (Your Cards Are My Cards, Comrade)

I despise thief decks in Hearthstone. I don’t play a ton of thief cards in Magic the Gathering, but I remember one time Chris and I played and I stole his giant dummy and used it to kill him with. This one doesn’t let you use any mana as some cards do, but it does give you treasure tokens. Combo this with another treasure generator and you can be sitting pretty with a couple of your opponent’s cards.

Wilds of Eldraine Green Honorable Mention (Adventure Shenanigans, Some Ramp, and Card Draw)

Up the Beanstalk

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Honestly, I considered my Naya ramp deck when picking these cards. I think the only one I would really play is the enchantment. But the idea of playing the ramp, bouncing it, and playing it again fills my heart with such joy. Keep your eyes open for just that play. If it happens, you’ll be the first ones to hear about it.

Wilds of Eldraine Green Card I Love (Forest Tortoise)

Forget for a moment, if you can, the almost rhyme. Either Chris or Jason texted this card to the group chat. Then, Chris said, “There ya go, Shawn.” So, even if it hasn’t proven to be much of a threat, my Naya landfall deck is on their minds enough to text me cards that might be fun. This one, indeed, qualifies. The only thing that gives me pause is the mill condition. But, I can always make room for Gaea’s Blessing

The Verdict

I think that forcing myself outside of my comfort zone worked. I found the Wilds of Eldraine Gruul article much easier to write than any in the past. I actually played one of the cards in the article. Several others will most likely get play in my Naya landfall deck. Improvement, indeed.

Images taken from Mythic Spoiler.

On the Tabletop

Wilds of Eldraine Esper Edition: Cards I Love

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Introduction

I ignored the previous set release on the page, other than to talk crap about Lord of the Rings (again) and expose their dirty, stinking capitalist hearts through my analysis of the “One Ring“. Outside of the page, I actually played one of the commander decks from the set because Chris and Jason splurged for them. I picked the Galadriel, Elven-Queen deck and elf things happened. Unfortunately, they happened a bit too slowly and succumbed to removal. Now, you know all about my MTG adventures between March of the Machine and this Wilds of Eldraine Esper article.

Speaking of adventures (how about that segue?), the return to Eldraine brings the mechanic back into Standard. Other mechanics in the game are “role tokens”, bargain, and celebration. You can read about these keywords and mechanics. here. However, I’m sure I will discuss them at some point in this article, too.

Wilds of Eldraine White Honorable Mention (Fun Police Reporting for Duty)

Cooped Up

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All three of these cards feed right into my play style. Those of you who follow the page know that I’m only happy in Magic the Gathering when my opponent is absolutely miserable. So, exiling and locking their board sounds like fun to me! I loved playing Glass Casket the last time around. Glad they brought it back. Cooped up just looks like a more powerful Pacifism (my favorite card of all time) and Break the Spell gives enchantment hate in a world full of enchantment. Yes, please!

Wilds of Eldraine White Card I Love (Bring Back My Weenie!)

I always wanted to make a white weenie deck. Okay, here’s the actual truth. Once upon a time, I wanted to make a deck for each of the colors and color combinations in Magic the Gathering. I put together a spreadsheet and everything. For white, I envision a tiny leaders deck. Well, that dream died like so many of my other gaming dreams. “Hey,” you might say, “dreams aren’t dead until you are!” Thanks for the inspiration, random internet denizen. I appreciate it. I don’t see any legendary white weenies in this deck, so I need to do more research. But, be on the lookout for my (possibly insane) “Deck in every single color and combination in Magic the Gathering” series of articles. Coming soon-ish.

Wilds of Eldraine Blue Honorable Mention (Playing into Open Blue Mana? You Fool)

Spell Stutter

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Regular readers of the page will not be surprised by the selections here. I already talked about my fondness of fun police decks. Countering spells is my favorite part of that strategy. Why remove something when you can simply prevent them from casting it? Same for drawing cards, searching their library, gaining life, really anything. I know I sound like a hypocrite because I often speak out against solo Magic the Gathering, but countering spells is just good, clean, interactive game play. The way Richard Garfield intended.

Wilds of Eldraine Blue Card I Love (You Get a Trigger, and You Get a Trigger, Everyone Gets a Trigger!)

I don’t often play ETB trigger decks, but I can be persuaded to change. Especially playing this deck on Arena or xMage sounds fun. I too often miss triggers when actually playing the cards. I just don’t play my decks enough to remember what all of the cards do. If I build this deck for actual play, I will need to goldfish it or come up with a way to remember all of the triggers. Because zero times two is still zero. *sad trombone*

Wilds of Eldraine Black Cards Honorable Mention (Removal, Limited Thoughtseize, and A Terrible Pun)

Scream Puff

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First, let me clear the air. I don’t know that “Scream Puff” is strictly a pun. I belong to a pun group on Facebook and people often argue that things like rebus and something along the lines of “Scream Puff” aren’t actually puns. The thing is, I can’t find another category for it. So, if it’s not a pun, don’t scream at me about it. Let me know what it actually is, so I can learn. As far as the other cards, The End feels like a fun trick to play on your opponent late game and I think that Thoughtseize with exile instead of life loss might be slightly better. I’m sure Spikes out there will tell me why I’m wrong.

Wilds of Eldraine Black Card I Love (Guess Who’s Back?)

This is one of the first cards I saw from the set. While it doesn’t explicitly do things that I often do in Magic the Gathering, I still found myself drawn to the card. I like Ashiok’s lore in the game and I welcome them coming back to grace us with their presence. Hey, I always tell you. It isn’t the best cards in the deck. It’s Wilds of Eldraine Esper Cards I Love.

The Verdict

Wilds of Eldraine Esper cards aren’t terribly powerful. But, they are interesting and fun. That’s all I ask out of my Magic the Gathering cards. People often ask, why put bad cards in your deck? I say, why not? When I top deck that terrible card in just the right situation one out of a thousand times, you can bet I’m going to take a picture of that moment and post it on our Instagram.

Notes: Card images taken from Mythic Spoiler

Digital Playground

Loki For All Time Preview

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Introduction

I wrote in my Marvel SNAP article last month that I lost interest in the game for a bit. At the time, I theorized then that it might end up as one of the many games that came out with great promise but then ended up in the scrap heap of previously loved games. I think I also wrote that a card like X-23 alone could get me to play the game more. Well, with this Loki for All Time preview, I can confidently say that none of that is true.

I played more in this last month than the previous two combined. That much is true. But, I never opened X-23, so it had nothing to do with that card. I just remembered how much fun the game can be and also how quickly games go. I finish my quests in a game or two and it rarely takes more than 10 minutes.

Why a Preview?

Due to circumstances completely within my control, I moved some things around and rearranged my writing schedule for this month and next. I planned to do Dungeons and Dragons last week and then moved it to this week. I further moved it to next week because we took full advantage of the end of summer. Quinn and I never sat down to play either Roll Player Adventures or D&D, so I have no updates there. My DCBS order arrived the other day and when I sat down with my planner this afternoon, I decided to slot comics into this week. I mean, Marvel SNAP always has a new update every month.

While true, the updates don’t release precisely at the beginning of each month. Last month, for example, the article that I used as a resource for my Marvel SNAP article came out on August 9th. So, the official word for next month won’t come for another couple of days. I sort of painted myself into a corner here. Luckily, some information got data mined and I can at least talk about the new cards. Maybe when the other information releases, I can write an update talking about the stuff I missed.

The Trickster

On Reveal: Replace your hand with cards from your opponent’s starting deck. Give them -1 cost.

Our Loki for All Time preview starts, predictably, with the man of the hour, Loki. While not generally a fan of theft decks in any card game, I might make an exception with this card. I like that you are replacing your hand with their cards. Also, my “no fun police” sense tingles with the chance to beat those disco and destro decks at their own game. I never played Daken. I intend to play Loki day 1.

The Other Cards

Ongoing: Your cards with 1 or less Power cost 1 less. (minimum 1)

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If I’m being honest, none of these cards interest me very much. I can think of much more interesting things to do on turn 6 besides destroying my opponents cards played at a certain location on that turn. Maybe I see some utility with the location that destroys all the others, but that feels far too limited for my game play style. I play a “Ones” deck sometimes to finish the quest, but I think they all have more than one power. Besides, they can’t have their cost reduced below one. I suppose she allows for quicker Gobby and Hobby shenanigans. Some other utility. I might try a deck for a game or two with her if I end up opening her card. The only time I ever see a card that increases the cost of my cards is Iceman. I suppose that Wave gets hit by this one and that’s sometimes a popular play to lock you out of playing multiple cards later in the game. So, I might put Mobius in my Ongoing deck if I can find a slot for him.

The Verdict

The only card that looks remotely interesting to me is Loki. The others have limited (or almost no) functionality for my play style. When I come back in a couple of weeks with all of the information from the update, including the locations, I can give an update on my thoughts here in this Loki for All Time preview.

Note: Images snapped from Marvel SNAP Zone.

Digital Playground

Hearthstone TITANS

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Introduction

Those who thought I wrote about the acutal Hearthstone TITANS in my last article breathe a sigh of relief. I went back and forth on how to approach these articles. I thought because I planned for the release last week that I’d only have time for one article. So, my usual tact of covering the cards class by class would not work.

Initially, I planned just to cover the Hearthstone TITANS in that single article. However, I reworked my schedule and moved some things around. That gave me a whole week to cover the expansion. I still didn’t want to write the usual article covering all of the cards, though. So, I got the idea to write about keywords, then the supporting legendary cards, and finally the TITANS themselves.

Before that, let me explain why these minions have an entirely different card type. They start as minions on the board, unable to attack. Each turn, including the one you play them, you may use one of three abilities. Once an ability is used, you can no longer use that one. After all three abilities have been used, it can attack.

Death Knight: The Primus

The blood and the frost rune powers seem pretty great. Removing a big minion and gaining that health on one of your minions plus healing is a big swing in any game. +3 spell damage on most mass removal spells is very welcome. The unholy one, by comparison, feels weak. But, they can’t all be bangers, as they say. Even so, in some situations, 4 bodies with taunt might be enough to help stabilize. My verdict: Good.

Demon Hunter: Argus, the Emerald Star

I actually played this one a couple of times to finish the event quest. I both needed to play as Demon Hunter and owned this card from the packs that I opened. As I sit here, I realize that I rarely actually used his abilities. The mechanic takes some getting used to. In any event, Show of Force is great in an aggro deck and Crystal Carving gives you options. The third, like above, can help stabilize. Plus, his persistent power is nice and versatile. My verdict: Good.

Druid: Eonar, the Life Binder

When writing about the other accompanying legendary cards, I noticed that this one and the druid keeper can combo quite nicely. The first power is always welcome. The other two combo pretty nicely with Wildheart Guff. Druid is known for mana and ramp shenanigans and this card really ups the ante on that. My verdict: Good.

Hunter: Aggramar, the Avenger

This card equips a weapon and then gives three powers that support that weapon. Card draw is nice, again taunt minions give a chance to stabilize, and the third power gives you the ability to remove small and medium minions without taking damage. Overall, a tad bit underwhelming, in my opinion. My verdict: Decent.

Mage: Norgannon

The abilities by themselves seem underwhelming. But, chaining them together by starting with the secret, then making the enemy cards cost more (to try to lock them out) and finishing with a double Pyroblast to the face is the dream. The only problem is protecting Norgannon for two turns to pull it off. My verdict: Good.

Paladin: Amitus, the Peacekeeper

He does what Paladin does. I like his persistent ability because it extends your minions and allows for more removal. Pairing it with his first ability gives them all one more hit on minions. His second ability combines with consecration, but without a coin or other mana cheat, you can’t do those both on the same turn. The third ability, very situational, feels like the design team got a little too cute. My verdict: Decent.

Priest: Aman’thul

That second ability alone makes this card worth the price of admission. Plus, simpy by getting that off, you discover a legendary minion. The first ability can be scary in the right deck. I’m thinking Velen right away. I’m never a fan of random effects, espeically mana locked ones. Too often, I “randomly” summon a 5 mana 1/1 for me to trust them. My verdict: Great.

Rogue: V-07-TR-0N Prime

At first glance, I want to call this card garbage. And, it very well might be. But, as I look at the abilities more and consider his persistent ability, I think some things can happen with this card and another minion on the board. The only thing I don’t like is the “Deal 4 damage to a ranom enemy.” That means that the ability can always go face. Sure, damage to the face is nice, but isn’t Hearthstone about board control and miinion interaction? Or, have we just forgotten all about that? My verdict: Decent.

Shaman: Golganneth, the Thunderer

Okay, now I’m quite confident that this one is garbage. The mana cheat is nice, but those abilities just don’t wow me like some of the other ones. I wish the Lord of Skies jumped like chain lightning or rolling fireball. Single target huge removal is nice, but just too limiting. Roaring Oceans is nice and Shargahn’s Wrath requires leaning into overload. My verdict: Decent.

Warlock: Sargeras, the Destroyer

This guy just seems like a ton of fun to play. They programmed that portal ability many years ago and they just keep building it into other cards. I can’t blame them for wanting to reuse their code, especially when I sit down and fiddle with the little bit of coding that I’ve done. The abilities themselves are middling, but like I say, I look at this card and smile mainly because of that removal spell. My verdict: Good.

Warrior: Khaz’goroth

I loved the Warrior keeper. I don’t love this one as much, but his utility is still pretty high. Being a limited (to only one minion) but immune Deathwing is kind of a nice little bonus. Plus, with the keeper, the first ability also gives attack. If you just absolutely want to decimate an opponent late game by tearing apart every minion he plays, this is the card for you. My verdict: Great.

The Verdict

Overall, the Hearthstone TITANS themselves underwhelm. I know they can’t make them too powerful, but some of the abilities are just downright bad and could be reworked or tweaked to make them slightly more powerful. Who knows? Maybe they plan on a Hearthstone TITANS 2 expansion sometime in the future and they’ll do just that.

Pictures taken from the mothership and snapped from Hearthstone Wiki.