The Comprehensive Fall of Ulduar Preview

 

Tainted Remnant

Well, that’s one way to push Elemental Mage. Tainted Remnant is a 7/4 threat that deals 7 damage split amongst enemies, activated by the usual condition for elementals. It offers either a big board swing or tons of face damage and pressure. A turn 2 Aqua Archivist into a turn 3 Tainted Remnant sounds devastating. This certainly tilts Elemental Mage into a very aggressive direction.

Remnant is quite comparable to Marrow Manipulator. It comes down a turn earlier and its damage split is more efficient. The only question is whether the tribe is strong enough to support such a deck. Remnant is a big step in that direction.

Score: 3

Void Scripture

This spell may have some significant implications for the class. In the early game, it seems quite weak. A baseline 2-mana spell that discovers another spell should never see play, considering that even at 1 mana, we’d need a good reason to run it.

However, once we get to the later stages of the game and have more mana available at the start of our turn, we can potentially cast a free copy of the discovered spell at an enemy. This makes Void Scripture powerful as both a value and a mana cheating tool. Note that if the spell isn’t targeted, it still gets cast for free, so if you play Scripture and discover a secret, if you have 3 mana left over, you put a copy of it in play.

So, Void Scripture can become quite insane in the late game. Add the fact that it’s a rare Shadow spell in Mage, and you’ve got both Rainbow and Naga Mage taking a serious look at it. Naga Mage can also use it as a filler spell in a Spitelash Siren turn. The fact it’s a 2-mana spell that discovers another spell already makes it a useful option for the deck.

Score: 3

Meddlesome Servant

Servant’s effect doesn’t seem that impactful considering the steep condition for activation. Though Mage decks generally run spells, the density required to activate Servant in a meaningful turn isn’t trivial. Moreover, established Mage decks currently have no great need for card draw. Their current options also synergize much better with their game plan than Servant would.

Meddlesome Servant requires the emergence of a new archetype to see play, preferably one that tends to be aggressive to take advantage of its body. We think that of the fringe shells that aren’t currently in the meta, Secret Mage is the one most likely to utilize it.

Score: 2

Final Thoughts: Void Scripture is exciting for both Rainbow and Naga Mage. Yogg-Saron could also make some noise. Elemental Mage is starting to look serious.