Baneling Barrage
Generating a couple of minions for 1 mana has traditionally been a reasonable play, but Banelings carry board control upside. The only caveat is that we need a Zerg in play to generate two Banelings, but this should be easy in a Zerg deck.
To have another class card that generates multiple Zerg bodies is very valuable and puts Death Knight in a strong position to incorporate a Zerg package in an aggressive deck. Moreover, Banelings can be combined with Viper or Spawning Pool in more defensive decks to clear boards immediately.
Score: 3
Infestor
Infestor’s effect is an aura, so it doesn’t just buff played minions, it also affects summoned minions, such as Banelings. While Infestor is a bit slow initially, Death Knight has access to both Zerglings and Banelings, which benefit from a doubled stat buff for every Infestor. Baneling’s deathrattle scales with its attack, making it a powerful minion in board-centric matchups. If we’re running a full Zergling/Baneling package, we probably want this card too.
Score: 3
Viper
A Dirty Rat type card that also utilizes our board to remove the minion we pull from our opponent’s hand. But rather than focus on its disruptive utility, it’s important to note that Viper allows us to trigger our Banelings’ deathrattles on the turn we summon them. Add Infestor to the mix and Death Knight suddenly has a Zerg package that could be suitable to run in a more defensive deck, such as Rainbow Death Knight.
The fact we can also tutor these cards and discount them with Nydus Worm, makes things increasingly consistent. We suspect the class may have found its replacement for Threads of Despair.
Score: 3
Final Thoughts: We like the Death Knight Zerg. It’s very fitting to an aggressive Death Knight deck thanks to the swarming potential of Banelings and Zerglings but also adds a unique defensive and disruptive tool that could be a great fit for a more defensive strategy.
