As someone whos played this game for quite a while, there is one thing that become very blantantly clear. For almost every deck, if you dont have draw, you dont win.
That of course comes down to you needing the right cards to play when the time comes, and having other options for cards to sac/play until then. But i feel a new type of strategy, a new type of card, really has a place in this game, and some should start being made. Thats of course cards that reward a low draw strategy. Cards that have conditional effects based on having very few cards in hand. As of yet, there is currently only one card that even attempted this, and with 0 support, it really isn't worth it to even try using it. That would be the griffoncrest dagger, a 4cc 1/4 weapon that has +1 attack when you have 3cards or less in hand. But honestly, the idea behind it is really good, it's a weapon that has a benefit when you dont have a full hand, and as such rewards low draw playstyles.
Such a playstyle is one of high risk, high reward. In return for gaining strong perks and boosts, you are forced to top-deck a lot, meaning you run the risk of not having what you need when you need it, as well as being more likely to struggle when trying to re-take the board.
And whats a suggestion without a few examples?
Hunter
2cc
Hunter ally
4 attack 2 health
Sustain: 2cc
While you hold no cards in your hand, this ally is Hidden
With the sustain, this ally cannot be played for much effect until turn 4. After which, the high sustain cost may make it difficult to keep hidden going.
Mage
3cc
Mage item: artifact
0cc: if you have 1 or less cards in hand, all opposing allies take 2 damage.
I'm sure everybody can agree that this can be a powerful ability for a mage to have, and combos pretty well with evil Ascent. For a mage to take this strategy, theyd likely worry less about early board control, and rather focus on holding the board during late game.
Warrior
4cc
Warrior item: artifact
While you have 1 or less cards in hand, weapons and armor that you control cannot be destroyed unless their durability is 0.
Give a bit of relief from item destruction for weapon based heros, but only while you maintain the low hand count.
Rogue
4cc
Rogue ability
This card costs 1 additional recource for every card in your hand. Up to 2 target opposing allies are killed
At minimum, you'll need 5 recources to cast this (since youll have to be holding the card in order to play it). With any normal rogue build, which prides itself on having a LOT of cards, this card will often cost 8+ recources, but can be played for only 5 if utlizing low card count builds.
Priest
3cc
Priest ability: attachment
Attach to your hero. If you have 1 or less cards in your hand at the end of your turn, your hero heals 2 damage
Wulves
5cc
Wulven ally - wulven
2attack 6health
While you have no cards in hand, support abilities you control dont leave play
The ability has potential to be a strong one. With it, things like ground shift, full moon, or rain delay would stay on the feild until this ally was removed. But in order for the effect to happen, you'd A) need to have this ally on the feild. B) draw the support ability. And C) have no cards in hand when the ability is supposed to go to the graveyard (or maybe a different ability, if this one proves too complicated)
Elementals
4cc
Elemental ally
3attack 3 health
While you have no cards in hand, all damage to this ally is reduced to 1.
A lot of potential to be overpowered, I'll admit it. But I'm sure people can work out a way to balance him (use bad sanata or loom of fate!) (give him meek and increase the card in hand limit to 1!)
Armor
5cc
Neutral armor
3 defence 1durability
While you have 1 or less cards in hand, this armor cannot lose durability
Weapon
6cc
Neutral weapon
While you have 2 or less cards in your hand, opposing allies take double damage in combat with your hero
Shadow artifact
3cc
Shadow item: artifact
3 durability
1D: if you only have 1 card in your hand, and no other cards were played this turn, target card in your hand can be played at no cost
Essentially this would make your recource pile mostly irrelevant (unless loom of fate, or other means of draw) as ij order to activate, you must have only 1 card in hand, and no other cards played that turn. So basically if i have an empty hand and only 4 recources, if on my next turn i drew dakrath, i could play him at no cost. (and would have 4 recources left over, to be used on any active abilities on any allies/items)
Human artifact
4cc
Human item: artifact
If you have 2 or less cards in your hand, all cards cost 2 less recources to cast
This type of ability rewards the low hand count by allowing you to be more likely to be able to play a card from your hand (or more) even though you may have low recources from not having enough draw to sac every turn.
Neutral artifact
2cc
Neutral item: artifact
0cc: if you have no cards in your hand, draw a card
This item has a lot of utilization, even outside of a low hand deck. When playing with cards that have the low hand effects, this item becomes a risk. Since the effect will need to be used after the sacrifice phase, if you cannot play the card you drew, then you may lose a lot of your items/allies effects. However if you can use it, it gives a possible tempo gain to these types of decks. But, this can also be placed in any deck at all to give them a draw whenever their hand is emptied (I.E. you're fighting Serana)
Counters
I'm sure it goes without saying but, anything that makes your opponent draw cards is an imediate counter. These cards would often be made to benefit mostly only when your hand is empty, or low on cards, and thus become very weak if their effect condition is taken away.
Many of the allies are of course weakened by thebremoval of passives, which seems to be becoming more and more prevenlant as well.
Now the examples i presented are not definite cards im suggesting, but are merely examples of the types of effects that can be used. Some being active, some passive, and having then split amongst allies, items, and abilities. I do however think each class should get its own card to benefit from, and then have a select number of faction specific and then neutral cards as well.
Anyways, overall i feel very strongly that the meta can benefit a lot from these types of cards, giving rise to a whole new type of playstyle, and adding new strategies while also enriching some older ones.
TL;DR
I truly believe that in a future set, cards that have abilities conditional on having low card count in hand will allow for more strategies and playstyles, greatly enhancing the diversity in the meta
Please let me know what the rest of the comunity thinks by commenting, feedback is always appreciated (yes, even constructive criticism)
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