From The Darkness He Comes- Cho’Gall Enters The Fray

I will be analyzing the new Warlock legendary Cho’Gall anddiscussing whether or not his stats and effect make him viable incompetitive Hearthstone.  Let’s take a peak:

The stats for the card are solid for a mid-late game minion. In combat, Cho’Gall should be able to trade decently with 1-3minions depending on what deck the opponent is using.  Classeswith cheap and efficient removal, such as Warrior or Priest, candeal with Cho’Gall quite easily.  Warlocks could capitalize onthis and feel relieved to play their other powerful minions.

Let’s move on to Cho’Gall’s effect because I think that is themost interesting part about him.  It is a Battlecry, so oncehe is played the effect will trigger no matter what.  Thebasic concept of the effect is good: play a spell of the player’schoice in health instead of mana.  The ability to play a spellwithout the restraints of mana gives the Warlock many options. Players can use the effect immediately, or save it as a laterinvestment.  Cho’Gall’s ability gives deck buildersopportunities to add more expensive spells to their Warlock decksand create new plays never seen before.  Obviously there arespells that are better to use with this effect, but playing a spell”for free” is still pretty good in my opinion.

There are a couple of downsides I would like to point out aboutCho’Gall.  For one he is not a demon, so he doesn’t havesynergy with demons and cannot be summoned by Bane of Doom. His effect could do more harm than good and put the Warlockcloser to lethal.  A potential combo could go to waste if aplayer is forced to use Cho’Gall’s ability to clear the board.

Honestly it’s really tough to find more downsides about thiscard.  The potential this card has with the Warlock spellsseems too good.  Players could see a return of the LeeroyJenkins + Power Overwhelming + Faceless Manipulator combo (this ispretty situational and depends on a lot to succeed but is an optionnonetheless).  Siphon Soul, Shadowflame, and Bane of Doomcoupled with the effect provide great board clear and a shift intempo in favor of the Warlock.  Cheaper cards like Soulfireand Darkbomb wouldn’t feel too bad to use either.  I’ll evengo out on a limb and say Demonheart could be used in a more demonoriented deck in Wild play.  Where Cho’Gall seems to be headedis in Standard Renolock decks.  That’s where players see moreexpensive Warlock spells.  I still think there is potentialwith Demonlock, but maybe less so.

I’m definitely giving Cho’Gall two thumbs up in the viabilitydepartment.  I think there will be room for him in Standardplay with Dr. Boom out of the picture.  The spells leavingstandard for Warlock are Darkbomb, Imp-losion, and Demonheart. Warlock’s spell arsenal is still looking strong with theirbetter spells being in the Classic set.  The Demonheart inDemonlock decks is a bit of a stretch, but I’m willing to test itout in Wild.  I think this is a great addition to Warlock andwill see competitive play.