hearthstone Knights of the Frozen Throne Card Reveal: Mountainfire Armor and Nerubian Unraveler

[Oxygen 446]

Mountainfire Armor and Nerubian Unraveler have been revealed by Tesdey, Reynad, and Eloise.

If you've missed any of the previously revealed cards, feel free to check them out in our Knights of the Frozen Throne guide.

Mountainfire Armor

(Image is a courtesy of Hearthpwn)

Deathrattle: If it's your opponent's turn, gain 6 Armor.

Vanilla test? ✓
Strong effect? ✓

If we're to learn anything from Shieldmaiden, it's that cards that don't even pass the vanilla test but provide a significant amount of armor will see play and feel amazing in control-oriented warrior decks. Whether control warriors will come back to life given the still-existence of Jade druids and the  like is questionable however, but if it does, this card will certainly be MVP. Value-wise, its Deathrattle, if triggered properly, is worth a bit over 2 mana. Giving this Taunt through Sunfury Protector or Defender of Argus might be one way to ensure it triggers, though its pseudo-area of effect protection is also to be underlined. Would Pirate and Taunt warriors run this guy? Doubtful. It is pretty good for arena however, though it sports an unfortunate rare rarity, meaning you won't see it a lot.

 

Nerubian Unraveler

(Image is a courtesy of Hearthpwn)

I'm not too sure what to think of this. On one hand, this looks to be some kind of anti combo deck tech card. Unfortunately, its cost seems really prohibitive, making it difficult to drop it in a pinch along something else for a strong turn, and its stats are so underwhelming despite the effect being mirrored that it may end up being a dead draw against anything that doesn't rely on spells. Might decks that don't run many spells such as Ramp druids or more experimental Handbuff paladins be seen running this? Maybe. Innervating this out, or better yet, finding one with Barnes may certainly be annoying to deal with, especially considering the effect stacks; get enough of these out on the field, and nobody has to ever worry about spells again. Though I feel this is unlikely to ever see serious play, I'm sure we'll have plenty of Evolve and Moonglade Portal related occasions to make sure this guy shows up to throw a monkey wrench in your occasional match.

[KingMe 289]

I can see Mountain Fire Armor in a Midrange/Tempo Warrior. As for Nerubian Unraveler, like you said, maybe it'll find a home in a deck that is more minion oriented. It's going to be nasty seeing how this can be rolled from Doppelgangster + Evolve combo. 

[VaraTreledees 138]

I doubt the unraveler will see much play, I really don't have anything to add that hasn't been said already.  The armor on the other hand, I kind of feel is deceptively weak.  Armor gain on an efficiently stated minion is really good, but if six armor is really going to be an issue, the aggro deck can just let you initiate a favorable trade instead of getting armor, in fact, in most situations it losing a minion and giving your opponent health is probably just strictly worse then giving your opponent the better trade if your aggro.  If this minion was a 3/4 it would be pretty insane, but only having 3 health will probably limit its potential to get a value trade as well.  On top of that, one of the biggest advantages of shield maiden was teh ability to combo with shield slam, which this card cannot do.

[Strongpoint 74]

I think Narubian Unraveler is a tech cards that usually not good enough for ladder but I expect to see it in tournaments here and there.

Sick, sick, sick result from turn 6 Doppelgangster-Evolve. 

I hope there are equally shitty six drop to compensate

 

Mountain Fire Armor (don't tell me this is a real English name of the card) is an interesting option for midrange warrior decks should one arise. Also, I am happy to see warrior cards that are good in Arena

[positiv2 952]

Mountain Fire Armour, unlike Shieldmaiden, cannot be used as a last breath rescue. I'm expect it to see play in majority of Control Warriors (I suspect C'Thun to be an exception), especially N'Zoth Warrior. In arena, it's a strong card as has been said, allowing the player to draft bigger cards, especially with more copies, as good trades are more important in arena, meaning that the deathrattle procs more often.

[Plergoth 277]

I am ferociously casual when it comes to Hearthstone... Vanilla test? :) 

[Keizoku 185]

2 hours ago, Plergoth said:

 Vanilla test? :) 

Attack + Health > 2*Mana Cost = decent Vanilla (i.e. without any ability) minion. 

[Laragon 269]

3 hours ago, Plergoth said:

I am ferociously casual when it comes to Hearthstone... Vanilla test? :) 

https://www.icy-veins.com/hearthstone/arena-starter-guide

The section 5.1 on Minion choice:

When choosing a minion, you should consider what impact it will have on the board once it is played. A good rule of thumb is that each minion should cost half (or less) of the sum of their attack and health. For example, the Chillwind Yeti costs 4 mana, and his total stats are 9, making him quite efficient. In addition to this rule of thumb, you have to consider other factors. Minions who have other effects in addition to their stats will generally have lower stats or a higher cost. While their effect sometimes makes up for it (as in the case of the Defender of Argus), it does not do so other times (as in the case of the Ironforge Rifleman).

It's a really interesting read about card design in general if you have the time.

 

[SithLordOfSnark 78]

Not a fan of either of these cards, to be honest. I might run one if I crack it open and test it for a bit, but I won't be going out of my way to craft either.

[Valks 2,375]

I'll happy to include the Warrior one in my N'zoth deck. I feel like with a potential armor gain of 24, it could at least have some decent impact on surviving earlier rushes.