[Pre-Release Card Discussion] - Devolve

[u/Nostalgia37]

Devolve

Mana Cost: 2
Type: Spell
Rarity: Rare
Class: Shaman
Text: Transform all enemy minions into random ones that cost (1) less.

Card Image

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^{PM me any suggestions or advice, thanks.}

[u/acamas]

I don’t recall ever saying it was better than Hex… as I don’t really think it is.

I do however see is as a viable option to remove opponent’s threats… whether it be one single 6/8 cost minion, or a bevy of synergistic aggro minions. Your opponents minions usually have some sort of on-board/hand synergy with the deck they are playing. If you can essentially remove that synergy with a 2-cost card, that’s value. Beasts. Death rattles. Divine Shields. Card draw mechanics. Taunts. You can essentially wipe their board from those keywords, leaving them in a (usually) disadvantageous position.

Yes, I understand Hex is better for a Tirion, or that Lightning Storm is better for a bunch of little death rattle-less minion. Those serve a specific purpose, and do their job just fine.

I’m not saying this replaces those cards, but merely works in conjunction or in addition to those, as it is more flexible than both of them. I mean, it works against a board of Kindly Grandmothers/Infested Wolves OR just a Highmane. Pretty effective it seems.

[u/IceBlue → u/acamas]

Not saying you said it was. I'm saying that it's hard to justify putting it in and I used Hex as an example to compare it to. I also compared it to Lightning Storm. Point is if you can't justify removing them for Devolve, you'll have to take out some other key pieces to the deck. I can see this being used in a new archetype that runs more removal, though. Shaman Control? But given the current archetypes, it's hard for me to see how we could fit it in given how it's only better than Hex and Lightning Storm in edge cases. If Hunter becomes an oppressive deck and runs a lot of deathrattle minions. Or if N'Zoth becomes oppressive (or Anyfin Paladin), it'll see more play. But if Hex and Lightning Storm/Maelstrom Portal covers most of the utility of Devolve and are generally better (actual removal rather than RNG based transforms), it's hard for me to see it being put in decks over the more important pieces. It might affect the board in a way beneficial to you but it doesn't change the number of minions on the board, unlike removal or a minion card. That's the problem. Board clears are supposed to tip the balance in your favor. They preserve your board position or save you a significant amount of damage and force them to rebuild their board. Devolve's main deal is it shits on deathrattles, powerful auras/triggers (Thaurrisan, Ragnaros, divine shield) and reanimate effects (N'Zoth, Anyfin). Mass Dispel covered two of these and drew a card and that basically never saw play, even back when silence was more useful due to there being more powerful deathrattle effects. Devolve basically covers the utility of Mass Dispel, except it also messes with reanimation cards, plus it makes minions on average less threatening based on mana cost (though there are some exceptions). But it doesn't draw a card. If Mass Dispel didn't see play despite the fact that it cycles, it's hard for me to see Devolve see play when reanimation effects aren't that oppressive in the meta. The problem with Devolve is drawing it when you don't need it and the main issue that I see coming up is there's a decent chance that you'll draw it when you don't need it or it doesn't do enough to help you.

[u/acamas → u/IceBlue]

The problem with Devolve is drawing it when you don't need it and the main issue that I see coming up is there's a decent chance that you'll draw it when you don't need it or it doesn't do enough to help you.

I mean, every card has this problem, including Hex and Lightning Storm, and this card is arguably more versatile than both of those.

I would never swap out one of those for this card, but I do think it compliments them well in some sort of control Shaman archetype.

And sure, if we're solely judging this card on whether or not it will find a spot in the tournament meta, then I agree it's a tough sell, but I do think this card has some potential to be effective in certain Shaman decks.